675-08-03 - Chinwag by the Fire
| Chinwag by the Fire | |||||||
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| Summary: Two Dukes and a fair maid chinwag by the fire | |||||||
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It's been a few days since the tourney and feast and most guests have departed Woriscant again. Only some family members still linger, because family is awfully hard to get rid off. And young Lady Livessa has been asked specifically to stay and do the murals they had talked about weeks ago. After dinner, served in the great hall to accommodate everyone at the large tables there, people follow their own pastimes, go for a walk in the garden to enjoy the sunset, withdraw into the library or gather in the salon for cards. While Duke Alajos is not the most easy-going person at the best of times, he has found his way to the salon this evening, sitting in happy solitude by the fire to stare into the flames while occasionally taking a sip of expensive brandy.
'Withdrawing into the library' is, not uncharacteristically, how the Duke from further afield, Alajos's brother-in-law Solinus, has spent more or less his entire visit, after a couple of desultory and bored attempts at joining his wife in watching the jousts. Only a particularly intense, thirst-inducing period of study can have driven him abroad now, and, after letting slip some quiet, firm instructions to a serving-man to fetch him a large cup of minted water, he falls silent, hovering ominously and greeting his host and relative entirely through the medium of eyebrows.
Livessa is on a ladder, she is sketching the outline in the wall. A grand scene with a Manticore watching a unicorn as if hunting her. She slowly looks at the progress of her painting as she folds her hand around the ladder.
Alajos looks up when the man approaches and nods to an empty chair nearby, a silent invitation to join him. Alajos doesn't really know this brother in law well, but he's a welcome change from the chatty females he's usually surrounded by. He's certainly not the first one to speak. Instead he lifts his glass in a silent toast and takes a sip, then lets his eyes drift over to where Livessa is still working on a corner of the salon where some old mural had taken the duke's ire and suggested she cover it with something pleasant.
The Duke of Granville gives the young chit of a girl a none too friendly sidelong glance. Pretty young women seem to set him on edge, even though - nay, perhaps because - he wedded one. But he concedes a stolid little inclination of a bow in her general direction, before he accepts the cup from the servant, the seat from his host. He carries no book, rather unusually; he must have just been wrestling with one too weighty to be carted about. At first he imitates the younger Duke in sullen contemplation, but the flames cannot hold his restless mind for long. "I had better call you Alajos," he observes frostily. "Our rank is equal these days, and I don't think either of us would care for 'brother' much. We both lost true brothers not so long past, after all. Who is this...diligent...lady, might I enquire?"
Livessa looks over from her work and she smiles softly to the duke. She smiles softly and she looks over to the new arrival, being under their station she is quiet for now as she continues her sketches over the small nook in the corner. "mmm" she whispers "perhaps it should be more welcoming." she says to herself.
Alajos considers the older man's words and nods slowly. "Yes, I believe that would be a good idea, Solinus.", he replies, pausing a little before he pronounces the other man's name as if his tongue needs to get used to the word first. When he sees Livessa looking over, he gestures for her to approach them both. "This is Lady Livessa Ivounel.", he introduces her, "I made her acquaintance during our recent sojourn to the Isles. She expressed her love for painting and I offered her the opportunity to work on a few items here in the castle. I have already made some changes to the interior, but there is still quite a bit to do.", he sighs. Solinus may have seen his fanciful music room already or the newly decorated guest rooms (indeed, he's probably staying in one of those suites). And sine introductions should go both ways, he nods to the man. "My brother in law, Lord Solinus Istivean, the Duke of Granville."
"A fair maid," Duke Solinus judges drily, "though possession of beauty is no guarantee of understanding it, so wise men have assured us." He takes a long, sententious, relieving gulp of that cold, scented water. "Still, I will grudge no man, nor maid, the desire or the attempt to approach closer to beauty. I fear we shall not know it well in my unhappy land for years to come, yet."
Livessa smiles a little as she looks to Duke Alajos, "The princess has appointed me as one of her Ladies in Waiting. It has been fortunate for me since we came back .." she tells him before she tilts her head at the introduction and she grins before she offers Solinus a bow "well met Ser." she says politely. Her eyes move back to Alajos and she smiles to him softly.
"The Princess?", Alajos asks stupidly, "Which princess?" He then gives Solinus a long rather dark look. "Are you telling me there is no beauty in Granville, my friend? What about my sister then?", he asks.
"I would have lain down and died beside our daughter, had your sister not recalled me to my duty," Duke Solinus replies with heavy simplicity. "I would never speak ill of her nature, even if her character may oft be wilful, rash and febrile. But suffering changes even a spirit like hers, and golden hair gleams less brightly when our villages blaze rick, cott and tree, all over the northern marches. Ortensia understands that as well as I."
Livessa slowly inches away at the talk of the duke but she smiles all the same trying to stay pleasant. "Princess Brais M'lord." she pauses "I will leave you to catch up with your brother in law." she says quietly looking between them and already forming her own opinion of the older duke.
"I don't need to remind you that we have suffered greatly here as well, Solinus.", Alajos informs Solinus rather coolly, "It does not mean one cannot still appreciate beauty, whether in the form of a beautiful young lady -", he nods to Livessa as if the girl was a statue, "A beautiful mural or the beauty of music." Poor Livessa, being caught between them like that. "Beauty is what enables me to get up every morning."
"Princess Brais?" Solinus scoffs, sharply, at the girl's hasty speech. "And what other sort of Princess is there in this land, may I ask? Is that a manticore in your sketch? One of our huntsman slew a lion long ago; its hindquarters resembled your creature scarely at all, though I admit yours'd pass admirably for a deer's, even perhaps a heraldic dolphin's." His slow, dark gaze swerves back to his young host as he drains the last of his water. "I thought the same once myself, Alajos, you know. That's how we became related, I suppose."
Livessa looks to her painting and she frowns as the Duke says the legs do not look right. She shakes her head slowly as she has other paintings to do anyway. This one was not yet done but, she did not want to be around his rudeness any longer. She gives a little curtsy to them and then she moves away from the dukes both young, and old.
Alajos frowns a little as well when the legs are being critizised, but he makes no remark on it for now. His eyes follow Livessa as she returns to the mural "It could always be corrected, you know.", he tells Solinus softly, "Young artists are allowed to make mistakes, for how else would they improve? And I suppose she means the Princess Barbeta then, who travelled to the Isles with us all. My... betrothed's cousin."
"In truth, neither my memory nor my interest serve me well on the matter. It may be the as the girl sees it," Duke Solinus admits without overmuch concern. "He who has not lifted the brush should scarcely complain of the easel. So this marriage of yours," he presses on remorselessly, "is, then, entirely decided upon? Do you esteem that maid as much as you do your music and your paintings? But I apologise. I encroach on a kinsman's privilege, and a guest's. Forgive me."
Alajos waits for Livessa to be out of earshot, sipping his brandy in the meantime, while he considers the question carefully. "I do not think I could ever esteem a maid as much as my music and my art.", he confesses, "But the Lady Avaline is not only fair to look upon, but also... receptive to the attractions of art and understanding of my... limitations. I do think as far as wives go, she will make me as happy as I can possibly be.", he acknowledges. High praise indeed!
Solinus looks just faintly sceptical, but after his refreshment he is in a mellower mood, and nods easily enough. "Very well. Your sister will be delighted to be assured as much. Now if you'll excuse me, I should like to return to your excellent library. There dwell beauties both of us can praise without hesitation."
"Of course, Solinus. It was a pleasure to catch up with you." As far as it could be called such. He inclines his head and lets him go.
