(1865-10-06) - Too Many Options
Too Many Options
Summary: Galenthians and Aeqorians talk in Alasce about threats to the coming tourney, and find that the danger is still unclear.
Date: Octobre 6th 1865
Related: Everything related to the attacks on Kentaire and Four Corners. Also, the Aequorian Council.
NPCs: {$npc}
Players:
Bess  Marcus  Alina  Adelaide  Tristan  

Study - Highwater Keep - Alasce
An immaculate study and sitting room.
Octobre 6th 1865

Bess is off duty, at least as much as she can be out on this expedition. Lord Tristan's security was well taken care off while they were at the castle, which afforded the Royal Lancer some moments of respite. She had come down to the sitting room, where Lady Alina's parents had brought them on their first day at the castle and a servant had just finished pouring the woman a cup of wine from a pitcher from a table. Bess, out of her armor, but wearing the surcoat of the Royal Lancers, took a sip, tasting it and found it to her liking.

Marcus was off-duty as well, or at least the guests at last report had all they needed and as yet the whole of Aequor had yet to descend on the castle and town for the tourney, so he had a moment or two to himself. Or well to himself and the 'servant' that followed him about his daily business, watching him. His path through the castle takes him to sitting room and Sir Bess. Watching from the doorway as she sips the wine he cannot help but remark "Good isn't it? Pairs well with nightshade I've found." A joke, if a dark one.

Bess turns her attention to the doorway, the hand bearing the wine cup halting in mid air. "It is good," she concedes, but the joke seems to go unappreciated and her brow furrows ever so slightly as he thoughts try to make sense of it. As the cup finally descends back to the table for a bit, she continues. "You were Marcus, right? A son of the Duke?"

Marcus smiles faintly at Bess' reaction. "Forgive my odd sense of humour, I forget you Galenthians tend to be so very serious," he remarks as he enters the room. "Yes, I am Marcus al'Sylenthar," he says before nodding to the servant to pour him some wine as well. "And you are Sir Bess," he nods to the surcoat. "A Royal Lancer and one with the unenviable task of guarding Lord Tristan while he's in Alasce?" he remarks as he sits and the wine is handed to him.

"Bess Cassomir," the young Lancer elaborates and nods. "I don't think we're all that serious, mind you, but yes, I do take my duty seriously. I find most of your folk," she waves a hand to indicate her surroundings, "to be quite sullen myself, frankly." As Marcus comes to get some wine, she leans on the tall back of a chair, while reaching for a sip herself.

"Good to hear," Marcus remarks of Bess taking her duty seriously before enjoying a sip of wine, savouring and swallowing. "And it sounds like you've been spending time with the al'Callenta if you think Aequorians sullen. It's not a word I'd apply to Lord Killian, or those in service to my sister Though I suppose given how the tournament went…" he makes a face. "What happened there by the way? I've only heard stories second hand."

"Truth be told, I haven't known many Aequorians," Bess says frankly between sips. "Not until now and your sister's retainers aren't very talkative. I guess it's the circumstances that make it so, more than the people." The Lancer sighs at the mention of the tournament. "I was not at the joust itself, where the unpleasantness happened." Her hands squeeze the back of the chair. "But the Mystery Knight for the tournament apparently revealed himself as the False Knight Robar after being unhorsed, after which there was the attack. He was killed, but unfortunately many were wounded. The city was locked down and there was an investigation by the Prince of Kentaire, which ultimately didn't turn up much as far as I know." Her eyes carry a disquiet about all of that, a dissatisfaction with pretty much how it all went down.

Alina sweeps into the room, looking far more awake and cogent than she had in recent days. "And if he did, One knows he won't tell anyone anything about what he's found." She takes a cup of wine, taking a sip. "Brother. Sir Cassomir."

"Well given how your charge and their charge are," he searches for a word. "Connected, it would make for an awkward trip," he admits before turning his mind to the tale of the tourney. When his sister enters he give her a nod "Sister," he says before he says "I guess it makes sense that the Prince would keep his secrets, though one tale I'd like to hear is how my sister became involved in the attack that followed Robar being revealed?" he says the question directed to both ladies at once.

Alina had said aloud what Bess had simply implied, which elicited a nod from the Lancer, quickly followed a quickly fading smile for greetings. Another nod and her expression seem to suggest that perhaps the Lady Alina best explain why she was involved, because Bess honestly did not know (her best guess was that it was somehow related to Tristan). "Yes," she says pondering, "your retainers seem to be well trained, but they are trained very differently from what I'm used to." That's certainly a polite appraisal of the situation.

With the three of them now working on the pitcher of wine, it was in imminent danger of running out, so Bess picked it up and swished it to and fro to indicate as much to the servant who had brought it. Not to seem rude, the signal was accompanied by a golden and almost apologetic smile.

The servant moves to go and fetch a new pitcher, and Alina settles onto one of the couches. Does she explain her involvement? Not in the slightest. Perhaps she had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. "Well, not everyone can be a knight. Take your charge for example. Can you imagine him in plate? Ghastly."

"So none of you are going to tell me?" Marcus asks the pair of them with a bemused shake of his head. "You're catching on to our ways quickly Sir Cassomir," he adds to Bess before he has a deep sip of his wine since more is on the way. "What else are you two willing to tell me?" he asks them as he gets back into it. "It sounds as though half the kingdom believes there will be another attack like that here. It would be nice to know what we may be in for."

Adelaide is comfortable in this house, perhaps more so than she is anywhere in the world outside of her family's holdings. And so it is that she's not wrapped up in the show off clothes she usually would where she staying as a guest of any other duke, instead she's in a comfortable, elegantly simple, grey silk dress. Her jewellery likewise is kept minimalist, just a golden band holding her hair back from her face and a few jeweless rings.

She slips into the sitting room, a book held comfortably in one hand, expecting it would seem, to find it empty. When she doesn't she pauses and takes a quick inventory of those gathered before she allows herself to smile and nod to each, moving closer. "At the masque, I'm rather certain of it Marcus… or at least if I was planning to assassinate someone that's where I would do it."

"Like I said, I wasn't there in person," Bess explains while refilling her cup, noting the absence of an explanation by Alina. "It seems that some are worried about another attack, but as far as I know," she says, giving a quick look in Alina's direction in the absence of Lord Tristan, "nobody really has any details. Trust me, I too would like to know and appreciate the concern."

Bess could certainly imagine Tristan in plate and she could easier still imagine a world without thieves and rogues, where fighting was only done by knights in the proper and honorable way. Alas, it was not this world. Adelaide's words bring her back from these thoughts. "That is an observation that I too have considered. The Masque will be the best possible moment to strike, but then again, I presume the security will be utmost." … which would require someone on the inside, she thinks, leaving it as unsaid as her similar suspicions concerning Kentaire. "But strike at whom, exactly?"

Alina makes a dismissive noise. "Then they are fools," she replies to Adelaides conjecture. "For one can't bring weapons into the masque and better men than… whatever. Robar and his silly men… have tried." She doesn't mention, of course, the fact that the best way to foil an assassin is to use counter assassins. And bluntly, the d'Geroux have that covered; even if there weren't to be a dozen or so Wraiths in costume at the masque.

"No one has ever been assassinated at one of our masques, Sir Cassomir," she assures the Galenthian, "and I see no reason it should start this year. All this talk of such things is simply putting me off my appetite." She places her cup down, a sulk coming to her lips.

"Marcus. I hear that we'll have additional troops here to keep such horrors like the raid and the assassination attempt from occurring here. Isn't that so?"

Adelaide's head tilts at Alina and she gives her a disappointed look, "You don't need weapons to kill. I would allocate some of those guards to the kitchens and servers if I were you." She flops down on the couch, "But then I don't know much about assassinations, maybe I'm just being paranoid after patching up one of my favorite persons repeatedly."

Alina gives Adelaide a warning look. There's a bloody southerner in the room. Business isn't discussed in front of outsiders.

"Ah," Marcus says when Bess explains she hadn't been on hand, and well he knows better than to try and pry an answer from Alina. Though when Adelaide enters that earns a smile from the youngest al'Sylenthar and he inclines his head to her. "Good to see you again," he says honestly, and then remarks. "The Masque is too obvious though. Father will have people watching the room. If it were-" he begins before he catches the look Alina shoots Addie and changes tacts answering Bess. "Well in my mind at least the target was Lord Tristan, this Robar is Galenthian, and it seemed like a Galenthian target would make the most sense."

When Alina interjects and begins to pout he sighs and rises to his feet to meet the servant with the wine and get his refill first, he turns with a full cup when his sister ask about the troops. "Yes, mother's family is sending some of the Lightning Brigade and there may be some troops from al'Callenta as well. So, there will be plenty of eyes looking out for trouble."

"Well," Bess responds to Alina, "That is good and as I expected, really." One would assume the lands that spawned the Wraiths would know a thing or two about assassinations and consequently also how to stop them. In this, she found herself able to easily trust them. "Still, I have been trained to take warnings such these seriously."

"You are right about this Robar, but targeting Lord Tristan makes little sense," Bess says, nodding to Marcus. Unless he was more than he seemed, which he had already demonstrated to her. Bess' brow creased with worry. "It might have been his enthusiasm to get involved which got him hurt. I am frankly at a loss, but one thing is certain, I will be there this time."
Adelaide gives Alina a 'whaaat' sorta look before she holds out a hand for some wine for herself. "I'm sure it's just that he's related to the Queen. Blood brings privilage but also danger.. or something like that." She shrugs one shoulder and winks to Marcus. "Thank you."

"Oh," Alina interjects in a vapid tone, "He was quite wroth with… Robar? was it? He… called your queen a rather horrible name, and dear Tristan took it ill, and simply tried for the mans…." she pauses. "Eyes."

Tristan steps into the room at the tail end of Alina's comment and after flashing her a wide grin and a rather playful wink, he states, "I was really upset about that, yes. Robar was one uncouth son of a vitch, and his tongue needed to be removed for such language." He glances around the room and offers nods to Adelaide, Marcus and Bess all in turn.

Marcus gets a cup of wine for Adeliade and then seeing as he'd gone that far plays host and sees to it the servants take care of the others as well. There is a small smile thrown Alina's way "Only his eyes?" he asks his sister as he takes a seat. Then Tristan enters and Marcus returns the man's nod. "We were talking about the attack in Kentaire, and how you and my sister came to be wounded," he informs the Galenthian lord. "Also what can be done to stop any attack on the coming tournament."

"If only we had learned more about Robar's accomplices," Bess states with a sigh. "That way we might have some inkling who to look for before anything happens." The Lancer regards Tristan, her expression quizzical. "Now it seems we're going to have to wait for something to happen before we can pursue any leads." There is a question somewhere in there.

Adelaide lapses into quiet, listening to them talk, sipping her wine now that she has it to occupy her lips and attention. She offers a faint nod of greeting to Tristan as he enters studying the Romante closely to ensure actually recovering well.

Alina moves over on the couch so Tristan can join her if he wishes, beaming brightly at him. "You really shouldn't have allowed such offense to corrupt your good judgment, Lord Tristan," she teases. Tristan? Good judgment? AHAHAHAHHAA.

"We were not going to learn anything about Robar's accomplices in Kentaire anyway, not unless the Prince voluntarily shared such information." Tristan takes a seat and leans back in it, enjoying the comfort for a moment while he considers. "We can wait, or we can go out into the streets and sniff around to see if there are rumors of trouble or things that are out of place." He offers a shrug and glances over to Marcus. "I am sure that there are already those doing just that."

Tristan glances at Alina, and then let's his eyes flick over to Adelaide, his gaze returning to her with a questioning eyebrow. "Yes well, I have been accused of poor judgment before, though family is family and one must not allow such things to be said without reprisal."

Tristan also seems to be coming along much better, though he still does not feel like his usual old self. Not yet.

"We have sent men to do just that," Marcus confirms. "However if Sir Cassomir would like to look into it herself, we can arrange that," he says with a nod to Bess. "But otherwise, you're right, my lord, without a thread to pull on there's not much to do but wait." He doesn't comment on the bits about judgement and family.

Adelaide's attention slides away from the blond duo as it seems neither of them are about to keel over. She turns instead to Marcus, "Since neither you or I have baby sitters I wondered if perhaps sometime before the crowds set in for the tourney, if you would accompany me on a walk. There are some plants that grow locally that would be useful to have in my healer's bag."

"I would like to take a look," Bess says, setting down a newly re-emptied cup of wine. "I might need a local guide, though."

Alina shrugs. "I'm sure Marcus would be fine with guiding you around the alehouses," she gives her little brother an amused look. KNowing damned well he'd prefer the solitude of the woods to rowdy taphouses.

Tristan nods at Marcus, "Sir Cassomir is welcome to do such a thing, in fact I would encourage her to do that." He lets his gaze move over to Bess and he winks at her. "In fact, it might be something that both she and Sir Oberyn can see to." He taps his chin in thought and considers. "Only one trip around the city should be sufficient, I think. I would, of course, offer some form of recompense to your brother for such a task."

"Seems like I am the man for the job," Marcus says to Bess after a quick but withering look is thrown to his sister for setting him up on a round of the taphouses. "And for your task as well, Addie," he adds to Adelaide with a nod. Then to Tristan he holds up a hand. "It's fine, my lord, if you must reward someone buy something nice for my sister or take her riding, she loves horses," he lies with a smile. "Taking care of the needs of our guests is my duty," he adds which was true enough.

Adelaide nods to Marcus as she rises, "Well you know where to find me when you're free of your other tasks." She looks over other others, collecting her book. "And as no one is bleeding, which is a refeshing change I believe I will allow myself some time to study…"

"Great," Bess says to all concerned. "Right now I'm going to nap this wine away and think about this, but we can head out already tomorrow."

Tristan nods and offers farewell remarks to Adelaide, and then glances over to Marcus. "Actually, I was hoping Alina could offer me some advice on a matter. I find myself in a position to seek out gifts for my cousin for his upcoming wedding, perhaps there is something in Alasce that I can find for him and his future bride." Tristan smiles, "Though I am always happy to go out for a ride."

Alina barely manages to keep the withering look off her face. A RIDE. ON A HORSE. Skittish damned creatures. "I'm sure we can arrange something."

Marcus smiles victoriously into his wine, before he lowers it again straight-faced as he can manage giving a nod to Bess. "Tomorrow then," he says earnestly. "Try to dress down for it if you've the clothing, if not I am sure we can find something suitable," he advises the knight. Then to Tristan he frowns "Definitely my sister's domain," he agrees. "Should I leave the two of you to discuss it?" he offers.

Tristan watches Bess see to various tasks, and then glances over to Marcus, smiling. "I am sure you have things to see to, my Lord, and I would not wish to keep you from them. In any case, you do have my appreciation for your offer to show around my lancers." He offers the man a nod of his head. "Should you ever find yourself in Firen, I will see that you get the best guest room in the palace." His gaze shifts to Alina for a moment and then he nods, "I do think your sister and I were considering going out for some air in the next day or so, perhaps a ride would suit that."

"Perhaps." Alina gives Tristan a smile that seems disturbingly genuine.

She looks to Marcus. "Have fun in the city, Marcus. And if you've time later, we should catch up." She cuts him a slight look at that.

Marcus finishes his wine and rises. "Thank you my lord," he says to Tristan. "I hope I will get the chance to take you up on that offer." He turns then to his sister and offers a nod to her as well "We should," he agrees before he slips out of the room and leaves the couple to talk.

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