675-12-08 - Royal Talks 1: Nathan
Royal Talks 1: Nathan | |||||||
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Summary: The queen receives the first of her children for a long overdue conversation. | |||||||
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The Queen has not been seen by anyone in a long time. In fact since she collapsed after she had hold court on the 20th of November. Word had it that she was being treated in her chambers by one trusted healer. The servants of the castle knew of trays with food being brought to the queen's quarters, mostly broth, later with freshly baked bread. But. There was still no queen to be seen after the triumphant return of her two sons and her daughter; and a Two Rivers princess that had been freed from captivity.
It is now, on the late morning of the 8th of December, that Queen Abegayle Onimus sends word to her children, asking them for a visit. As the royal offspring gathers in the antechamber the healer steps out of the room. He is an elderly, haggard man, and he does not smile when he greets them with a bow. "The queen is still very... affected, your highnesses. She has asked me to admit only one person at a time. So..." his gaze focuses on Nathan, "would you mind to be the first?"
If Nathan should follow the man inside to the sleeping chamber of Her Majesty, he will notice all curtains are drawn to keep the daylight out of the room, and there is only the flickering light of torches at the walls. His mother lies in the bed, a warm blanket drawn up over her form, she sits, leaning against the head piece of the bed, and a cushion has been stuffed behind her back to make her more comfortable. Abegayle is pale, her cheeks look hollow, and there are shadows beneath her eyes that study Nathan intently as he enters. She may look a little frail, but her poise is definitely regal. "Nathan," she greets, the ghost of a smile dancing briefly on her features before it fades. "So you came back. In one piece."
The prince does indeed come into the chambers, hands at his sides as he pauses for a moment just inside. Taking in the full scene, eyes sweeping the room and noting the curtains being drawn and the way it thickens the shadows. Then as he gazes upon his mother, he can't completely hide a faint look of dismay, a crinkling at the corners of his eyes and a tightening of his lips that passes in a heartbeats. Bringing a pleasant smile to his lips, "Yes. I even have all my fingers." he reassures her, holding up his hands and spreading the fingers to demonstrate as he moves towards the bed where she rests.
"That is good news," Abegayle replies, lowering her gaze as that ghost of a smile returns - no, in fact it is more than that. A bit of relief showing in the way her features slip briefly from that stern regal expression. "The finger they sent," she continues with a faint tremble in her voice, "suggested otherwise. But I'm glad it wasn't yours, son. So." Her eyes are raised once again to meet his gaze. "What has happened? I trust your expedition was not as successful as you have hoped?"
Nathan moves to the side of the bed, daring to reach out if it isn't too awkward, to take her hand in his own as he offers her a comforting smile. But there's a darkness in his eyes as he murmurs, "It was one of the sailors fingers. She cut it off of him in front of me. But at least I had the satisfaction of killing the wench in the end.." he shakes his head slightly as if to dislodge thoughts, offering another smile to the Queen. "It was an abject failure, if I am being honest." he admits, a bit shamefaced but mustering his composure quickly. "It boils down to getting myself cornered against the shore and greatly outnumbered. The pirates are nothing if not sneaky."
Abegayle listens to Nathan's words, her gaze darting to his hand as it reaches for hers, but she does not withdraw it from him, allowing him to take it and hold it in his. "Poor man," she comments on the sailor's fate. "And I am glad you could kill that horrible woman yourself. It is a severe crime to hold one of our holy blood captive. Her death has pleased Onimoria, I am sure." Her expression hardens, but the glance she shoots Nathan is kind enough. "Your personal guard...?", she inquires casually. "They haven't been able to spare you from your fate?"
Nathan seems to take come comfort from the touch of her hand, curling his figners lightly in an almost delicate hold, though his touch betrays the roughness of callous that comes with his extensive and continuing training with blades. Though after a moment the hand is released so he can rise to a more formal, regal stance. "Indeed. And she did not really seem to be concerned about the treaty." he says offhandedly, as if it were something merely to mention in passing. "After being taken, I was kept in a tent alone, until they threw Princess Luanda Brais in with me, then kept us under guard. "
It is when her son releases her hand that Abegayle withdraws it. Her fingers will have felt less calloused, but more cold to the touch, the skin is already showing the traces of her age, and given her current state, has a slightly wax-like quality to it. "She was a traitor, I am told," the Queen replies with more firmness in her tone. She may have kept to her chambers, but information has not been kept from her. "The pirates have apologized for the 'inconvenience'," she snorts, "but believe me, I have instructed the council to reply accordingly." She falls silent then, her posture relaxing as she leans back against the cushion with a sigh. "This Princess Luanda...", she says then, her eyes shifting to her son to shoot him a curious glance, "what do you think of her?" The shift of topic is sudden, a hint perhaps that Abegayle starts to feel exerted already with the conversation.
"Well of course she is a traitor." Nathan replies with a dry chuckle, hands folding in front of him, clasped together after feeling the state of his mothers skin. "She got caught." The young man seems to pause for a moment at the shift of topic, a thoughtful cast to his gaze before it's masked by his composed, pleasant smile. "We did not get to talk much, but she is a lovely girl and quite kind hearted."
The queen's gaze lingers on her son, studying him attentively as he gives his reply to her question. Maybe she attempts to see through that facade of his. "Is that your opinion?", she finally remarks, lifting her brows as her lips curl into a faint smile. Although, when she starts to speak again, it is on something else entirely. "Nathan. There is some discord between the two of us." Her expression has grown grave. "You have plotted against me, and our family. Madalyn, especially." She sighs. "Your ambitions have taken you from the righteous path. You've fathered a bastard, with intentions I wouldn't ever have expected from you. You have been exiled. And now you return. To be honest, I am not sure what to do with you. When my duties as a queen demand that I should send you away /again/." Her gaze is lowered and she exhales, exhaustion now clearly visible in her mien.
(to be continued)