Tristan watches as the lady is directed to the table and the beast speaks on their behalf.
He offers a slight bow to the lady.
Arawn makes his way forward, alongside Heyden and Shi. He offers a low bow to the woman, and rises with his usual charming grin, "Miss Elaine, I believe I heard? It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. As my Celestial companion indicated, I am Arawn Vasska, at your service."
As before, he extends a hand to take hers, laying a gentle kiss on the back of it if she indeed offers it.
"A blessed day to you, milady," Castor greets the woman with a smile, otherwise contenting himself with standing by.
Arisl'arial gathers her book, scoops Talvien up to deposit his length around her neck, and stands. The bow she offers is significantly less deep than Arawn's, and she takes a few moments to regard the newcomer, eyes shifting slowly over her while thinking deeply. After the moment of inspection passes, she shakes her head slowly. "Let us be on our way. I'm quite eager to hear details of the Lord Mayor's endeavor, and why he would be interested in spending so much coin just to gain our attentions. Perhaps you could enlighten us, Miss?"
Looking at the lady, she looks every part the handmaiden of the Lord Mayor. She is dressed in a formal, though understated, dress of black silk and wears highlaced black boots that are mostly concealed by her dress. She is decorated with a few pieces of tasteful silver and sapphire jewelry that compliments her raven-black hair and stunningly blue eyes well.
Upon hearing the greetings from the group, she walks over with a dignified gait, curtsies, and bows her head before arising and offering her white-gloved hand for Arawn's kiss, "Yes, very nice indeed. It appears the Lord Mayor chose well, as you all look capable and, it seems, not entirely devoid of manners." She smiles slightly before continuing, "As you may have ascertained, I am Elaine Varinov, the Lord Mayor's steward in charge of seeing that all of his business is resolved in a timely and satisfactory fashion."
Upon hearing Arisl'arial's question, Elaine nods, "Yes, quite right. It's not every day that such a rare opportunity for fame and fortune come people's way, especially at the behest of one such as the Lord Mayor of the Free City, so I suppose you are rather curious, aren't you? Come, I will explain a bit on the way." She motions for everyone to rise before speaking in a much louder, although still relatively tame, voice, "Those of you who have been invited to the Lord Mayor's fete, please follow me!"
The Lord Mayor: The current Lord Mayor of Restov, Ioseph Sellemius, is something of an anomaly: he is the first Lord Mayor in the history of Restov to not be a renowned duelist. What he lacks in skill with a blade, however, he wields with a shrewd mind and a personality that draws the people of the Free City to him. There are rumors that circulate that the Lord Mayor has a negative opinion of the king and that his loyalty is only to his people, who have an increasingly hostile view towards Tsar Noleski Surtova. Some say that it is only a matter of time before he must make the difficult choice of abandoning his precious citizens to prove his loyalty to the crown or risk open war with the Tsar by protecting his citizens
Lady Elaine: Lady Elaine, in contrast to her soft-spoken and elegant demeanor, is actually an accomplished duelist. As quick with a blade as she is with her wits, she serves the Lord Mayor impeccably, whether by aiding him in his various political maneuverings or by serving as his second in the very few duels that others have provoked on him. Her skill at the latter is quite visible in the fact that her skin is flawless and completely without scars, something which few warriors can boast.
Aris nods, filing away her thoughts in a more organized fashion, just in case they become more relevant at some point in the night. She does, however, send an emotional message to her Talvien, who perks up and keeps an eye on Lady Elaine.
As she stands to leave, she takes the time to carefully stow her book inside her satchel, looking to the others and lowering her voice. "She's a quite skilled swordmistress. It would be a bad idea to do anything rash, either here or at the party." She steps out behind Lady Elaine, moving to the woman's right and a few steps back. "I'm eager to hear your explanations, and more eager to hear those of the Lord Mayor." She says nothing more, not wanting to accidentally put the Lord Mayor into a difficult position with any ears that could be listening.
Arawn is quick to fall into step behind Lady Elaine as she leads them to their destination. Along the way, he stealthily (or so he thinks) admires her "assets." As much as he enjoys the sights, though, his excitement at the prospect of what this meeting holds is foremost in his mind, and his eagerness to get moving is almost palpable.
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Castor follows along with few words, after draining the last few drops of his wine. His gait is very leisurely, as though he was in no hurry to get anywhere, and yet, paradoxically, he seems to be holding back so as not to leave the group in the dust.
Arawn's admirations of Elain do not escape his gaze. Tss.
Shi gives Arisl a strange look, it's head tilting until he's all but looking at her upside down, after her comment. "Why would we start something?" He asks, curious, then straightens his neck out of the bend that makes humans ache in sympathy before following along, chewing quietly on a new white root.
Tristan finishes his drink, stands and slings his gear over his shoulder and ties his sword belt back on. Once things are secure he follow's keeping quite. He is a bit more of an outdoors man and doesn't have as elegant of a tongue as the others so chooses to listen rather than speak at the moment.
Aris glances back at Shi'Vatha, eyebrow raised. ["I'm not sure why you'd start anything, but I don't want to find out how good she really is. She's a bit of a celebrity among the Aldori. I heard about her from my old employer, who I gather she beat pretty handily." As she turns to go out the door, Talvien bends his own neck to mimic Shi's, head upside down and tongue stuck out at what he imagines is a jaunty angle but really makes him look ridiculous.
Shi's tongue lols out to match Talvien's, and he offers the creature a bite of his root.
Fresh from his previous experience with Horseradish , Talvien only looks at it balefully before looking toward the direction Aris'larial is traveling in, examining Miss Elaine with interest.
Lady Elaine heads over to the barkeep and handing him a small black silk pouch full of coins. It clinks rather heavily as it comes to rest on the bar. "Five hundred gold to cover the no doubt copious tab that has been incurred on behalf of the Lord Mayor's guests. This is sufficient, I trust?" The barkeep opens the pouch and nods.
"Well, shall we?" she asks before turning and walking towards the door.
After turning and confirming that everyone has followed her, Lady Elaine begins to speak, "Okay, so I believe that you need a small bit of explanation before we get to the manor, yes? Your curiosity is probably running rampant by now. The situation is thus: the Lord Mayor has claim to a tract of land in the River Kingdoms by way of an ancestral treaty in the days. If this were any other time, we would go with a small dispatch of soldiers and claim it ourselves, as he has always been one to be at the forefront of whatever project he is currently working on. However, current events have complicated things and his attention is needed here in the Free City. I am not at liberty to explain further, as I'm sure my lord would like to make his intentions clear to you personally." She looks back and raises a gloved hand midway, "Does that explanation satiate your curiosity for now?"
Shi'Vatha, despite his feline appearance, has very much patience and only a healthy, not suicidal, curiosity. The creature has the patience only the unaging can truly understand, and nods. "Oh, certainly, I assumed we'd learn in due time."
"Whatever questions I may have had have long since fled my mind." chuckles Heyden.
"Not to say that I had many; I'm quite amiable you see." he adds with a mischievous smile.
Tristan nods, and holds any questions he may have for the lord as his mind wonders on the words of the lady.
A near-fanatical looking grin spreads over Arawn's face as Lady Elaine confirms his suspicions. For a moment, the gleam in his eye makes him look psychotic, but he calms himself in short order, settling into a state of palpable excitement, "Of course, my lady. Though, you'll forgive if we are excited to begin."
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After gleaning that they were satisfied, Lady Elaine turns and continues leading them on towards the noble's manor, walking through the wide open, yet somehow claustrophobic, streets of Restov.
After about half an hour of walking, the Lord Mayor's spectacular manor comes into view. It is an imposing, three-story structure with intricate designs, graceful columns, a well-painted white exterior, and what appears to be a small tower attached to the side, no doubt a remnant of the original house from olden times. A black iron gate inlaid with a golden lion crest stands in front of the manor, flanked by two guards in fine armor and well-trimmed rose bushes.
As the group approaches, Lady Elaine nods at the guards and they place a hand over their chest, nod, then proceed to open the gate without saying a word. She nods back and leads you all to the manor's door, a massive thing a few feet taller than a regular man, a brass lion's head door knocker present. She opens the door and beckons for you all to come in.
The door opens up into a massive foyer that spans 2 entire floors. The deep red walls are hung with old portraits and stunning paintings that seem to be quite valuable. The floor, made of black and white checkered marble, is polished to a mirror shine, so much so that the chandelier, whose no doubt magical golden lights flicker in the crystal without need of fuel, can be clearly seen without one even needing to look upward. A large red and gold carpet leads from the door all the way to the back of the foyer, up white marble steps, and towards two large doors. Truly, the place is a marvel and a symbol of the wealth accumulated by the Lord Mayors of the past.
Lady Elaine turns, smiles at the group, and curtsies deeply. "Well, is it as impressive as you all had imagined?"
Hakashi nods, "Truly a marvel of Avistinian design, Lady Elaine."
Shi looks around, and then lapses into a foreign language as he comments, his claws clicking on the marble steps with each move of his legs. "Quid est marmore ? Odi marmor Parium abundantissime. Quare appenditis mortales tanti laboris trying facio ipsi expectant paucorum divitum et potentum ? Iustum respice miserum facit . Qui veram habet necesse ostentare ."
"Why is it marble? I hate marble. Why do mortals spend so much effort trying to make themselves look rich and powerful? It just makes them look pathetic. One with true power has no need to show it off."
Shaking his head, the creature smiles at the woman. "It is all I would expect of a human Mayor..."
Unlike Shi, Aris is truly impressed as she looks around. "It's unlike anything I've been in. The convocation hall at the University of Lepidstadt was close, but it's so clean and crisp here."
With a pause, she looks at Shi. "Marble is a wonderful material, and it's not a display of personal power. It's one of institutional strength. The Lord Mayor comes from a long line of Aldori, and it's on the backs of those before him that he stands. This hall is another reminder that before Choral the Conqueror, the people of Rostland had the Swordlords, and when Choral's progeny have disappeared from the earth and their successors have fled, the Swordlords will be here still. It's tradition, not arrogance." She pauses again and looks at Miss Elaine with a questioning grin. "At least, that's the interpretation of an elven scholar from Port Ice. Do I read it correctly?"
"Is this why we were brought here. Just to be shown the wealth of a noble? You spoke of a job of securing land. How about you show off the wealth to people that care about it and we get on to the job details."
"You are yet young..."
Lady Elaine smiles at Shi'Vatha, "Etiam magis rubens , nonne ? Dominus cogitat Majorem etiam contumeliam optineat nolit habere aliquid sensibile misit . Et lets tantum admittant qui insipida est magna satis ad ingerendam trahi per ostentationem sum arguet?"
She then turns to Arisl'arial, and nods, "You are indeed correct... Miss Tathmir, yes?"
After hearing Tristan, she loses her smile, "Yes, quite so. Do forgive the vulgarity of showing it off, but I though that it might reassure some that the Lord Mayor is good for his money, in a manner of speaking."
She scans around, apparently counting heads, then clasps her hands together, "Now, before we head to the grand ballroom for our dinner, does anyone have any further questions that need to be answered?".
Shi grins at the woman. "Mirumque Mortales."
"Mortals Are Strange."
As he enters the grand foyer, Arawn visibly relaxes. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, smiling to himself as the opulence washes over him. As the others debate the merits of such a display of wealth, Arawn simply bathes in it.
It's been too long. Never realized just how different it felt, out there. Just being here feels better, more real. Feels like home.
He opens his eyes again, more resolute than ever. He turns to Lady Elaine, "None, my Lady. Please, let us meet with our Lord Mayor, that we may begin our journey."
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"Now that's a way to show off that is appreciated. Dinner that is. Lets eat the rich lords food and here what he has to say. Sorry if your offended lady. Us country folk don't see things like this and when we do we know it's all a waste."
Arawn smiles wistfully at Tristan, "Nothing is wasted, Master Tristan, if the Lord Mayor knows it to be useful, or believes it to be beautiful. Simply because an outsider has been deprived of such luxury, or would choose not to accept it, does not detract from the value it holds."
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Tristan laughs at Arawn's words.
"Nothing wasted. So all these beautiful things can they keep your table fool of food with a bad harvest. How about when the animals move to follow the rain of during a drought. All of these nobles and most city folk live with more than what they need. Maybe you like how it looks, but if the lord put more money into his lang perhaps it wouldn't be over ran with bandits and he in need of a group to reclaim it."
Arawn chuckles and shakes his head, "The concerns of the nobility, much like their responsibilities, are larger in scale than those of the peasantry. Navigating politics while seeing to the well being and protection of not only one's own house but the people and land under one's care, including several farms, requires different priorities than caring for a single farm." He pauses a moment before continuing, "To answer your question: The finery does little to keep food on the table, but it does act as a show of power to his allies and foes alike. It instills confidence that he is and will be able to protect the interests of the populace in times of need, and warns prospective enemies that he has the resources to levy against them should they challenge him or threaten his people. To your last point, the Lady Elaine stated there is a claim on the land, not that the Lord Mayor neglected it."
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"Bunch of fancy words from a puppet to money. I will take this mans money, but not to protect his land. It will be to protect my home."
Heyden watches the exchange amused.
For sure, blue-bloods made a sport of their luxuries, topping one another with the sheer audacity of their frivolities. But it seemed, to him at least, most common folk only lamented their inability to participate, not the act itself.
"I suppose it depends on who you ask." he muses outloud "That most are sympathetic to there own circumstances is understandable."
A bold statement from a simple mind with a narrow view of the world.
Arawn shakes his head, but holds his tongue. No need to answer the simpleton's insult with one of his own, to lower himself to the other man's level. Arawn mentally writes Tristan off as a mere pawn in his long game, potentially useful, but not above sacrifice, if needed.
He turns his gaze to Heyden, instead, "Well spoke. And few have experienced enough to be able to speak for all." He returns to Lady Elaine with a smile, "Shall we go and meet our host, then?"
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Heyden shrugs "Capitulation is an easier mode than confrontation. I have my own thoughts on the matter, but such welcoming hospitality as we have been given prompts me to curb my tongue."
Aris tries to shush the argument before it gets into the Lord Mayor's presence. "Let's see what the Lord Mayor intends to do with his claim to the land before we decide if he's guilty of neglect. As far as I know, there are a lot of conflicting claims, so that could be one reason why he hasn't tried to look at it before now. There's also, according to what I know, a lot of different monsters in the area. That could have made pursuing the claim less attractive."
Arawn smiles wistfully at Tristan, "Nothing is wasted, Master Tristan, if the Lord Mayor knows it to be useful, or believes it to be beautiful. Simply because an outsider has been deprived of such luxury, or would choose not to accept it, does not detract from the value it holds."
Shi grins. "You mistake distaste for lack of experience, Master Arawn. With no disrespet to the mayor, this place, as magnificent as it is to you, pales to banality compared to the gold and crystal palaces of Heaven, or the sweeping silver and marble mansions of Nirvana. I am here for a reason, and that reason is not a desire to walk amongst gold and marble... Were it so, I would have stayed there..."
"Sirs, sirs, please!" Castor attempts to interpose himself within the dispute, but fails to find hold amidst the rapid back and forth. He attempts similar interjections from various angles, somehow walking a full circle around the two men while still maintaing pace behind Lady Elaine, a true testament to his unusually fast gait.
In the end, Aris manages to interject before he can, and he falls back, opting to walk in silence and observe.
Shi reaches up and pats Castor on the shoulder, before offering him a bite of root in a friendly fashion.
Castor nods thankfully, but gently refuses the root.
Lady Elaine gestures for you to follow and begins walking towards the opposite end of the foyer, towards the stairs.
When she reaches the massive double doors, she opens them gracefully and the inside of a grand ballroom can be seen, just as opulently decorated as the foyer. Around a dozen or so lords and ladies whirl about in finery to the lovely sound of a violin being played. The scent of perfume wafts from some of the dancers as their movements take them close to the door, a sweet smell reminiscent of roses.
A sharp-featured, but handsome, man dressed in a silk doublet and pantaloons, with a crimson and gold sash slung from his left shoulder to right waist weaves between the dancers and walks towards the group, his smile widens when he sees Lady Elaine. He extends his hand to her, which she accepts, and then bends down to kiss hers. "Ah, you look simply stunning to night, my dear! Are these our guests?" Lady Elaine nods, "Yes, Lord Mayor, these are the ones that you requested."
He turns to the group, a glimmer of mirth in his green eyes. He opens his arms wide, "Ah, my friends! I am so sorry you all missed the pheasant hunt, but Sir Alonte, incorrigible ruffian he is..." he looks back towards a rather large, smiling bald man, who raises his wine glass in recognition, "Simply had to show off his prowess yet again! Ah, but forgive me, I'm being terribly rude!"
He performs an intricate bow, "I am Ioseph Sellemius, Lord Mayor of Restov... a pleasure to meet you fine folks!".
Tristan remembers the words and teachings of Lord Cedric. He offers a nod/bow that is not quite the same. A bit awkward. What one would expect from an uncivilized type.
"Lord Mayor. I am Tristan d'Arden. Student to Lord Cedric Orlovsky. He sent a letter on my behalf. I assume that is why I am here. You need a guide for what you have planned?"
Castor knows nothing of these social protocols, and though his hesitation and clumsy bow pointedly mark him as an outsider to such noble dealings, he thankfully has enough of a read on the actions of his companions to perform some semblance of following along. He waits for his companions to rise before doing so.
"I am Castor of the Antares clan, priest of Desna, it is an honor to meet you, Lord Mayor, and I must thank you again for this unexpected opportunity."
Shi performs his elaborate double bow, then rises up again. "I am Shi'Vatha, representative of Council Of Clans, and therefore House Garess. I am also a Priest of Iomedae, although that is somewhat complicated by the fact I have left the church recently."
"Arawn Su-ah." The young noble clears his throat before restarting, "Arawn Vasska....at your service." The forced pause, and the way he grinds his teeth as he makes the final statement, reveal si much more than he intends. Of course, the Lord Mayor likely already knows of the disgraced Surtova heir, and the litany of titles that rightfully SHOULD have followed the name (as would anyone specifically involved with Brevic nobility). Arawn, though, prefers not to announce such information, and his near slip is grating.
He accurately and precisely replicates the traditional bow, and forces himself to resist rising first, ever reminding himself of the prestige he must regain. As he glances over and sees the others failing to adhere to protocol, he winces inwardly, and reminds himself that most are not from this world (literally and figuratively).
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Heyden bows, following the example of the young Pup Arawn, though without really knowing why. "I am Heyden Crowshen, of the Scarlet Sentinels" he says as he awaits...whatever it was that was supposed to come next.
Sellemius rise from his bow with a smile on his face, "Most excellent! A pleasure to meet you all at last, after hearing so much about you from Lady Elaine. And please, don't worry if you don't get the bow right. It's strictly a formality that I, as Lord Mayor, must force myself to follow through, for appearance's sake. Don't think me so vain as to hold it against you."
He turns and claps his hand twice in the air loudly. At this cue, the violinist stops playing his music and the crowd stops and looks towards Sellemius. He clears his throat before speaking, "Might I have your attention, everyone?" After spending a moment to make sure that he has everyone's attention, he continues, "My guests of honor have arrived so, if you would all put away your masks and join us downstairs, we can sit down for the night's three course meal! Now, who's with me?!"
There is much nodding of approval and replies of yes amongst the crowd. Sellemius turns to the group, "Well, we best head downstairs first then! Don't want to get trampled by a crowd of famished nobles, now would we? Come, we can discuss our business at dinner." He offers his arm to Elaine, who takes locks her in his.
"Well, I can certainly join you, however, I really don't eat except for the taste." He taps his belt pouch. "And I'm afraid my tastes are odd by human standards." The outsider grins, blue tongue on display. "However, I am more than happy to share dinner conversation."
"Ah, but of course. Let us not keep the guests waiting." Castor smiles.