675-09-15 - Walking in the Gardens

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Walking in the Gardens
Summary: A chance encounter between the recently betrothed Agostino and Barbeta.
Who: Agostino Barbeta Brais Esther
References: None
When: 2014-09-15
Related Logs: 675-09-04 - Foreign Relations
Date of RP: 2014-09-14
Where: Castle Gardens - Mergorand Castle
Room Desc: The gardens at the Castle Mergorand are a good place to go when seeking a moment of tranquility. Stretching on endlessly are well-kept greens with bushes and small groups of trees, and various flower beds sporting the most colourful blossoms. Hedges cropped into strange forms offering an interesting variation as well as a certain means of privacy as they offer shelter from curious glances. And in the midst of it all is a charming brook and a pond with a pavilion beside it.


Things were coming together nicely. Patrician Agostino of the Ningo had signed the official alliance between his people and that of the Kingdom of the Two Rivers just yesterday, as he was now betrothed to the princess Barbeta legally Agostino decides to spend a fairly nice day in the castle gardens as he'll be here till their wedding at the very least. He had sent the only female soldier in his entourage north to report back the terms of the alliance, the soldier he had kept as his personal guard he assigned to help watch his bride-to-be until his 'messenger' returned.

Barbie is walking across the gardens. She is wearing one of these wonderful black gowns. The girl is followed by her handmaiden from the Kingdom of Golden Lion, and her all guards. When Barbie notices Agostino, she stops and mumbles, "Where is Esther, when I need her..." The young princess sighs and walks closer to her husband'to-be, "Good day, Agostino..." She says in Ningo language with a huge accent.

Agostino walks along casually through the gardens observing the topiary curiously. As Barbeta approaches and speaks he turns his dark eyes to her and offers a smile saying, "Hello Principessa Barbeta." in the Ningo language.

The guards and handmaid stays a little bit behind, giving the pair some privacy. Though, what privacy is needed, when they can't understand each other, right? So, the young princess stands in front of her husband, staring at him awkwardly.

As she doesn't seem to understand, Agostino reaches out, and if allowed takes her hand gently and attempts to kiss the back of it. Perhaps that would translate better.

The smile in her features grows up. Barbie offers a polite curtsy, "Ah! You are so adorable..." She says in her own language. Her eyes sparkle with amusement now, when she continues just stare at the man.

Agostino might not know all of the customs of the Two Rivers or Felaguria, but he is observant enough. Taking the chance he attempts gestures he believes are correct and offers the crook of his arm to her. This may or may not the first physical contact between them, it is certainly the first time she's had the chance to feel his muscles if nothing else.

Barbie giggles and takes the offered arm, appearing beside her husband-to-be. "Oh... It's so strange..." The girl drawls for herself, "We should... do something..." Barbie looks around and extands her hand to point at the flower in the gardens. She says, "Flower!" And looks at Ago curiously.

Agostino attempts to same the same word in the common language. Then if allowed attempts to lift her chin with his hand so their eyes can meet and repeats the word.

Barbie stops breathing for a moment, when the man touches her chin. She fixes her gaze on his for awhile, and smile widens in her features. She nods slowly. Then she points at Ago, "Husband" she says, and points at herself "Wife..." And the girl giggles.

He repeats the words to the best of his ability, making a gesture with his hand, then repeating the same gesture slower as he seems to have trouble understanding the first word. The second seems simple enough for him to pick up without too much trouble.

Barbeta laughs quietly, blushing a bit, but she obviously likes teaching this man new language. She turns a bit to point at something else, but she notices Esther comming. The girl's smile brightens, "Esther! Esther!" She sighs in relief, waving for the handmaid. Esther soon comes closer and bows fo Ago, "Ah! Princess looks happy seeing me.. I hope you are good for her?" She asks Ago as if he would be just a random friend.

Agostino nods respectfully to Esther and says, "I believe she is relieved you can translate for her. She seems to have been trying to teach me some of your words." in the Ningo language.

"Aaah!" Esther nods and turns to her Princess. Barbeta says, "You must teach him my language and me his language!" The girl nodnods I just taught him how to say husband and wife!" Barbie straightens a bit proudly, "I think..." And from now on, Esther will walk beside the pair, translating everything.

The benefit to having someone who already knows the language they can simply say the word without having to gesture or find the proper context. Saves Agostino the effort of teaching Barbeta the way he did Esther. Agostino allows Barbeta to hold his arm as long as she wants and says, "I still find it curious how much smaller everything is in your lands." As he gestures to one of the flowers with his free hand and adds, "We have one that looks similar to that one, only the bloom is this large." as he gestures with his hands to show how large he means. Of course this is all in the Ningo language, but Esther is here now to translate.

"Oh! Really? I sooo want tonsee your home. I am preparing myself for that challange, I will have to deal with in your lands, my future husband. I am really eager to learn, to get to know you and your culture better. Please, tell me more about your wifes and children. Who I will be to your children? Step-mother?" Barbie wraps and her second hand around Ago's arm, staring at the man curiously.

As Esther translates Agostino nods and says, "Or lands are quite hostile due to the wildlife, which is why we value the ability to survive so much. Basically, it goes off the assumption that if you are able to survive on your own for days with the dangers of our lands then you are able to protect the Ningo people collectively. This is why it is the requirement to become nobility or royalty. Bloodlines mean little if you cannot survive on your own. The ability to have influence over and manipulate others is the tradition for determining who has the right to rule among our people even dating back to the time of the Old Empire."

Barbie nodnods, listening for Esther's translation and adds, "You did not answer to most of my questions!"

Agostino nods and says, "I don't wish to over-burden our translator too much. Yes you would be considered the step-mother to my other children, though my oldest son is around your age, maybe a bit older, as he was born about twenty winters ago now. My first wife was the daughter of the former Patrician, sadly she died giving birth to her second, my forth child. Her name was Agrippina of Family Valeria, we were born the same year. My second wife is Ambra of Family Orsini. My children are named, in order of birth, Domitianus of Family Valeria, Agostina of Family Cornelia, Alfeo of Family Cornelia, and Aeliana of Family Valeria. Alfeo and Aeliana are both thirteen winters, and Agostina is two winters older then them." as he gives Esther time to translate all of that.

"Oooh!" Barbie nodnods, "Very interesting! How my children will be named, these, who won't have title as Brais?"

Agostino states, "As I said before, by Ningo tradition, the family that requests the match, any children born to the match will have the family name of the other. As you proposed the marriage our children will be of Family Cornelia."

"Family of Cornelia!" Barbeta repeats, "Cornelia!" She tries to learn to pronounce the word right.

Agostino smiles as Barbeta tries to same his family name, and even says it slower, enunciating it properly to help her learn the word easier. When she seems to have it right he asks, "What else would you like to know of our people?" He keeps saying 'our' instead of 'mine', does he already consider her one of the Ningo, at least to some degree?

"Do we have wild horses there?" the girl starts using the same word, "our", if the man does so, "What about hunting? I love hunting!"

Agostino shakes his head and says, "We do not have horses as you call them, why the woman soldier I assigned to you took such an interest when we arrived. The closest we have are Eohippus. They are pets from the time of the Old Empire." As he gestures with his hands to mark their height, "They are about this tall, have a similar appearance, only they have five toes. They are skittish but affectionate when treated well. We typically give them to our children so they can learn to take care of another life, though some adults have them as well, mostly women. They are generally regarded as cute which is likely why women favor them more."

Barbie nodnods slowly... she ponders a little bit, before adding, "And what about these... wolves you have? Is it possible to tame one?" The girl leans her head to the side thoughtfully and dreamily as if she already sees herself with the tamed wolf. It may tell a lot to Ago. He got himself not a typical woman as a wife. Barbie even shivers a bit in excitement from her thoughts.

Agostino chuckles softly and shakes his head saying, "Not really no. Not true domestication, though we do have some limited uses for them. Mostly we use them to guard strategic points or to attack enemies. They are just as likely to attack our people as anyone else though. We tried early on to domesticate them by taking pups and rearing them, however this makes them too docile. They might function well as pets in the same way as the eohippus, unfortunately they are too large for such a use." as he then reaches over, and if allowed moves her hand from his arm to his cloak, as though allowing her to feel how the Dire Wolves feel.

Barbie brushes the fur of the wolf and whispers, "I will tame one.. Anyone can be tamed..." And she grins. Esther translates even that part. Some kind of fire sparkles in Barbie's eyes, betraying that this little creature can be dangerous.

Agostino smiles softly and says, "Trust me, all has been tried. Any you might domesticate would be useless for practical purposes, and would mostly just take up space in our home that could be put to better use. I may have a young eohippus presented to you, so you may bring it up as you wish though.”

Barbie pouts, "Pretty things are usually useless..." She turns to Ago again, "Did that tiny thing can protect me? Keep safe? Hunt with me?"

Agostino shakes his head and says, "No, they are more likely to die. We do not have any pets that are capable of protecting or hunting with people.”

"So, I will be the first one to get such a pet!" Barbie chuckles, tiptoes ro place a peck on the man's cheek and then qithdraws a bit, offering him a curtsy, "Now I must go. I need to... do some things!" She laughs, curtsies again and when Esther translates everything, girl and her escort leaves.