675-05-03 - Exploring the Future

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Exploring the Future
Summary: Days after the tourney and the meeting with the Queen, Imma and Vandrik take a trip to see their future home.
Who: Imma Grunhaid and Vandrik Yldon
References: REFS
When: 675-05-03
Related Logs: 675-04-29 - The Winner and the Prize
Date of RP: 2014-09-05 (backscened)
Where: Ship to Hailyd
Room Desc: A small ship, and later, perhaps, Rudon castle in Hailyd.


Days have passed since both the tourney and the meeting with the Queen of the Isles. A meeting which left Imma quite surprised, and quickly leaving the hall to head back to her rooms. A day or so later - a girl must pout silently in her room over the injustice! - and she gives thoughts towards the future. She's heard of the island, but has never been there herself, so after talk with the Queen's people, permission and a small ship, is garnered for the future solicitors to tour the island that will become their home.

Word is sent to him via letter carried by a servant proposing the tour. A day and time to meet upon the dock is given - it would take a few days to sail around the Crown Isle to reach the dock at Hailyd. Waiting for him upon the dock along with a few of her family guards and a handmaiden, Imma is quiet, as she might remain throughout the short voyage until they reach the island. When cries of land spied go up by the sailors, she exits her cabin and comes upon the deck to stand at the rail, watching as her future home grows closer.


For Vandrik's part, the silence was vexing. He wanted to meet his bride, get to know her, see her, and oh the discussions that needed to be had! Plans should be made, preparations, postulations .... But Van's counterpart, Ralph, counseled patience. Patience and more patience. "Let the woman come to you. She will, when she is ready," he had said. As frustrating as it was, Vandrik took the advice and waited. Eventually, a letter came. A /letter/! Not even delivered by her own hand. But, again, Ralph counseled patience. Again, Vandrik waited. At the appointed time and day, he met her at the docks and again found himself waiting. But, he was becoming better at that, by now, and so he kept to himself on the boat ride.

The boat trip actually made the waiting much easier. Spending almost every minute he could on the deck of the ship, there was so much to see that he had never seen before. The Isles were truly different from the land in which he had grown up. They were even beautiful, in their own way, and Van finally could imagine himself becoming used to his new life. Perhaps even enjoying it. And, as they approach the island that he will be calling home, Van is already at the bow of the ship, watching the approach with no small amount of excitement.


So, perhaps Imma was still pouting, just a little. Such dreams she had when she found herself chosen! It allowed the sting of being given off to some stranger bearable, to say the least. And then to have that taken away? Imma has been left rather confused by it all. Patience will be his mantra, at least at first.

As she exits the cabin and comes upon the deck, she cannot help but find her gaze drawn to the man at the bow, studying him quietly, thoughtfully, before she finally crosses towards him. She might surprise him, for she finally speaks to him, "The name of the island is Hailyd, the castle Rudon... it has lain vacant for three years or so, beyond the servants that have kept it up under the Queen's orders.." No doubt, this is why that even from a distance, one can see the crowd that has gathered to take in their arrival - word flew ahead of them via bird messenger so that the servants could have the place aired out, and properly presented to the betrothed couple.


Vandrik doesn't turn right away when someone speaks to him, intently studying the growing island. "Well, that is welcome news. I feared there would be a great deal of repairs needing to be made when my wife and I arrived," he says, only turning as he finishes. He is clearly surprised to find Imma there, doubly so that she was the one who addressed him, so it takes him a moment to collect himself before he is able to bow his head and apologize. "Forgive me, milady, I did not realize you were the one who spoke." And, if Imma pays close attention, she can probably tell he is purposefully allowing his hair to hide his face since his cheeks are slightly reddened in embarrassment.


And so, as he turns to see who speaks, it's to find his bride-to-be standing with a brow arched upwards slightly, though the quick apology has her offering him a smile for the first time, "The Queen would not have let things go into disrepair. It would have cost more in the end..." A deep breath is taken, and let go, before she speaks again, softly, "Please, accept my apology. I have been rude in not speaking to you sooner." Such words surely cannt come easily, and yet they are spoken there, between them both.


More surprise registers on Vandrik's face as he looks at Imma, blinking several times. Caught off guard for a second time, he realizes what he must look like to her and quickly tries to make himself look a little more presentable, pulling the hair out of his face and adjusting the lines of his tunic. "Your apology isn't necessary, milady. You have probably had a million things to do in preparation for this trip, and for ... for ... everything, um," he says, trying to make excuses for her. When he runs out of ideas, he just quiets, looking at Imma rather sheepishly.


Imma quietly watches as he straightens, as surprise darts across his face at her words. Still, she shakes her head, offering a smile when his words fail. "Still, you have my apology." She will leave it at that, soon to turn to look towards the fortifications that sprawl along the shore beyond a small cove, "I found out some of the names of the servants, but not all. There will need to be some changes made, but that can be takn care of once we... we are married, of course." All business is she, though her blue eyes look aside to him, to watch him further. "I know you are a knight, but do you have any experience in handling such things?" It's a blunt question, but one she feels important to ask of him.


Vandrik nods once, indicating he accepts her apology. He then turns to look at the oncoming architecture with her. At the mention of their impending marriage, he manages to fidget only slightly, doing his best to concentrate on the landscape. "Aye, milady, even as a knight, we had a keep to maintain; provisions to tend to, maintenance to be ordered, things like that. While I'm unaccustomed to having a wealth of servants, I was once a squire and in turn had a squire under me. I don't think it should take me long to learn to govern ... um ... our holdings," he says, glancing sideways at Imma to judge the reaction to his choice of words. He knows the customs from the Isles are quite opposite from the customs of Two Rivers, so a declaration of joint ownership appears to be his offer of a compromise between the two.


"You did?" That might surprise Imma, who did not know he might have had a keep of his own to maintain. "I thought you stayed with your lord.." Hmm. Something to think about. HIs choice of words draws her gaze fully, "Our holdings." His choice has at least won him a moment of appreciation from the young Isles lady. If he'd claimed it as 'his', there might have been a far different response from her! Turning back, she states, "This island and castle once belonged to House Matos..."


Vandrik nods. "Our keep was the property of our lord, yes, but it was our duty to maintain it," he adds, by way of explanation. He can't prevent the upward tug of his lips when Imma accepts the offer of 'our holdings,' a small victory won in his head. "I have read a brief history of its former occupants. A tragic story to be sure. But, you must know, I do not believe in ghosts, nor hauntings. Do you, milady?" he asks, considering her.


Her expression says it all, if he can make it out -- glad he's got some experience. She won't have to do all the work, and he get all the credit! Ahem. At mention of the events, there's a soft sigh to escape the young lady at his side, her hands to brush the rail of the ship, "Tragic. They say she was especially in love with her husband and could not except that he was gone." Romantic. Sort of. "There is much in this world we cannot explain, sir. Who is to say there are not ghosts?"


Vandrik shrugs his shoulders a little. "Who is to say what causes the wind to blow, the seasons to turn, or the water to be wet? But the wind blows, seasons turn, and water is wet. These are things I can feel and measure. Ghosts and spirits? No," he says, shaking his head. "But," he adds quickly, "if /you/ believe in them, I will not try to dissuade you of such things, as long as they do not become problematic." He declines his head towards Imma again, offering more compromises.


"Onimoria, and the others." Of course, Imma would draw up mention of the goddess and gods of her culture. "Who did you believe in before your King banned worship? What god or goddess was said to have been behind such things?" It's something she doesn't know much about. Still, with compromise offered, she shrugs, "It is not so much me, but the servants here, that believe such things, sir. Some of them were quite close to the Matos family, and if you take away those beliefs, then trouble we will have. IT never hurts to give prayers to those that went before, hmm?"


"I was too young to believe in more than my mother and father before anything else was banned," Vandrik states, shaking his head. He nods again at the mention of the servants. "I agree. As I said, as long as it doesn't interfere with anything, I see no harm in their beliefs," he says, turning back and leaning on the rail of the ship as they get ever closer. He then laughs and turns around, facing Imma again and leaning back against the railing of the ship. "I wonder what they'll think of us, then. Where House Matos was full of passion stong enough to die for, and we have been promised for these many days and have had aught to say til now. And the surprise they're in for, when they learn /I/ am to lead?" Vandrik chuckles to himself and runs one of his hands through his hair, looking back towards the rear of the boat and the life he's left behind.


"It won't be an interference." Imma offers, seeming to promise that without knowing of all the festivities that the servants get up too come autumn, the time when the late Lady Solicitor killed herself and her children. As he laughs, her attention settles upon him, and a flush soon settles upon her cheeks at his words, "You will give them time to adjust. It is a lot for them to take in. It... is not how things are normally done here at all." Gripping the rail a little tighter,her gaze drops to the flow of water along the boat's keel, "Just remember how odd it would be if such happened in Two Rivers with a woman given the right to lead? How odd it would be?"


Vandrik nods and smiles, a genuine, warm smile that would startle people that knew him well because of its rarity. He looks over to Imma and after several moments of internal debate, reaches out to place on of his hands on hers. "Lady Imma Grunhaid, I swear to you that I will do my best to be as just and as kind to you as I possibly can. And all I ask, in return, is that you /help/ me be the type of man that can lead where no men have. I feel like I have been set up to intentionally fail, to prove a point, but I ask you to help me succeed and to prove them wrong. If you will help me to do that, I will grant you anything that it is in my power to give."


The smile is nice, and Imma has not been blind to his looks. She could have ended up with a grizzled old man! When his hand finds hers there upon the rail, she tenses for a moment, though as his words are spoken, she slowly relaxes, to lift eyes of blue to meet his, "I am here to serve Onimoria, the Queen, and the people of this island, Sir Vandrik Yldon. I do not begin to know the Queen's wishes in all this, but I will do what needs to be done. " It is the last that leaves her queit before finally answering, "I want my home to be happy. I want us to succeed. I wish a family who will call this place home from this point into the future when we are long gone. "


Vandrik watches Imma intently, sighing and nodding as she finishes. "Aye, that is all any man could, well, /should/ wish for, anyway," he says, turning back to face the same way as Imma now, though he does step a little closer to her now. He starts to say something several times and stops himself, turning somewhat red as he tries to figure out how to put something. "I'm afraid courting was not in the lessons that I was taught growing up, so forgive me if I blunder in saying so," he starts. "But I do want you to know that, even though I had not seen you before the tournament, I ... well ... you /are/ markedly beautiful, milady."


"I do not know what else to ask for.." Imma offers quietly before he steps closer. Her head ducks slightly, gaze traveling soon to the castle that has grown closer with their conversation, able now to pick out faces upon the dock, the carriage that awaits them to ride the short distance up to the castle itself from the dock. So many curious, many with flowers and smiles upon their faces. Of course, the words chosen next has her blushes, cheeks soon to bloom rosey. "I.. thank you.." One might think she's never been so complimented before. Before she might consider her words, she blurts out, "As you are handsome." No doubt, she's blushing all the more - did she really just say that aloud??


Vandrik can't help but smirk at her reaction, grinning impishly. "Well, then. Perhaps ruling in The Isles /won't/ be so terrible, after all," he says. He then reaches over to try and sneak a little, gentle pinch at Imma's side as he straightens up and prepares to move away, apparently intent on getting ready to disembark.


"I would hope..." And then comes the pinch. It's such a surprise, that beyond jumping just a little, Imma is left staring at him, mouth slightly open in a little 'o' as he goes walking off. A hand drifts to where he pinched her, not that it hurt, and rubs lightly before shaking her head at whatever thought dances through her mind. With her handmaiden exiting the cabins, she steps forwards so she might join him at the rail once the ship is tied up, and the plank is lowered.