| Garden Conversations |
| Summary: | Ludovic and Ivo probe each other for information |
| Date: | 28/04/2019 |
| Related: | None |
| NPCs: | None |
| Players: |
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| D'Korbina Manor - Four Corners |
| A tall stone wall topped with climbing ivy and soft green moss encircles this modest town house tucked into one of the quiet streets of this bustling, thriving city. A heavy iron gate swings on nearly silent, well oiled hinges to allow access to the curving cobblestoned drive that arches toward the house. For within these walls is found not just a house within the city, no mere humble abode, but a tidy home for the d'Korbina family when they are within city. Lush gardens edge the drive to either side, terraced in subtle layers to blend one color after another with working gardens neatly aligned to make the use of available sunlight. A screened in gazebo shelters a fresh water well, the lattice-work walls touched by climbing roses in a soft pastel hue of pink. The drive continues past the front door of the house, leading to the stables and the training salle that often has the armsmen or the knights of the house training at all hours of the day. Two stories, roomy, but in no sense palatial, the house met the world through a veranda that encircled all sides of it. The smooth walls of stone blocks are so impeccably maintained that in the clear sunlight there is no crumbling stone, no weathered patches. Window panes gleam in the light, shutters cast open during the most amiable of seasonable weather, and a second balcony encircles the upper level with only a single room found just beneath the peaks at the topmost point of the house. Every length of the first floor veranda is furnished with bentwood rockers, wicker armchairs and tables, pleasantly arranged to invite visitors to enjoy the commodious porch and the fine breeze that sometimes stirs the subtle fragrance of the gardens to perfume the air ever so delicately. The second story balcony is equally appointed, though access is limited to the balcony doors along the second level as granted through the upper hall and individual rooms. |
| 28/04/1875 |
Ah the joys of spring. The birds are chirping, the wasps sniffing around and Faith is sprawled in a patch of sunlight. Ludovic isn't in the sunlight himself. Instead he's sat on the veranda with his cavalier hat shading his eyes and a glass of something golden hued in his hand. A drink that is somehow cold enough that droplets of condensation cling to the edges of the glass. He drops his boot off the chair across from him as Ivo's presence is announced and shifts into a somewhat more upright position. "Come sit with me Ivo."
With Crag having departed the Academy by the time Afon had decided to call it a day with his experiments, Ivo decided to stick his head in at the d'Korbina townhouse in the hope of catching him still in town. Once he's shown to the garden he accepts the offer of a seat and lowers himself down, taking a moment to get comfortable before returning the greeting with a "pleasant day isn't it." He too uses his hat to shade his eyes, and has brought Tethys along to let the elementi stretch its legs. For now she seems torn between sticking close to him, and going over to Faith to enjoy the sun.
Faith solves the young dogs dilemma by coming over to sniff at her. Ludovic meanwhile gestures to a nearby pot of cider. "Pour yourself something. Sit down. Tell me how things are today." He tilts his head to look at Tethys "She got Al'Mordran bloodlines?"
Ivo eyes the cidre, calculates that he can't reach it without standing up, and so waves his hand in a vague 'later' type gesture. Taking a moment to give Tethys a reassuring scratch between the shoulderblades he watches the two get acquainted as dogs do, then glances to Ludovic. "Yeah, it seemed foolish to do otherwise when my uncle was footing the bill." Best uncle. "She's at an odd age though, too old to be raised alongside a child, but not yet old enough for full battle training. I think they thought me a little odd for wanting her at that stage, but it gives her chance to learn how naval fights work, and get used to the pitch and roll of the deck. I wasn't sure how well a fully trained one would adapt."
"Wasn't gonna comment on that." Ludovic tells Ivo. "Although I agree it's an odd age to take one when you've as much of a budget as you likely do." he offers his hand, palm upwards, for Tethys to sniff. "And the pups, whilst great at inducing many awws, generally don't know there own strength." He takes the hand offered to Tethys and instead scritches at a suddenly neglected feeling Faith. "So what do you think of my home away from home."
Ivo offers a hand over to Faith as well, since Tethys seems more interested in sprawling in the sun now introductions are over. "How old is Faith?" he asks, more conversationally than of any particular need for the information. Glancing around without actually moving he examines what he can see of the townhouse and nods in slow appreciation. "It's a nice little hideaway," then turns to grin at Dovi, "not as nice as mine mind, but then I do have to share with my cousins, and I have a lot of cousins. I guess it's nice to have somewhere away from it all though? I saw how ensconced the Imperials are already in Hellsmouth."
"Faith?" Ludovic looks over towards the hound thats now content to just lean against Ludovic's leg and get hairs all over the fine calfskin trousers. "He is.. twenty.." Obvious thought required. "two. Give or take a few months." He chuckles when Ivo calls the house a hideaway. "I'd not call it subtle. But I suppose it's not a great manse either." Another chuckle and he nods. "My heir lives here much of the year, Lady Lisbeth. You should meet her sometime. And my daughter, and hers, are both here. So it's interesting. Still not sure what I should do with the girl like." He frowns a bit and then tips the brim of his hat back a little so he can properly look at Ivo. "So. I've a dilemma and I've like your opinion. Obviously I want to keep the girl, especially since her mother's dead, but I'm not really supposed to. She's an Anders you see. So.. do you reckon it would be terribly offensive if I offered her grandpa money or something in exchange for getting to keep her? Least until she's old enough for fostering."
Ivo listens to Dovi's dilemma carefully, trying to mentally put together what he knows of the d'Korbina family tree to make sure he has all the relationships right. "Hmm," he starts, then pushes himself to his feet and goes to get that offered cidre to give himself more time to ponder. "Now, I'm not a parent, let alone a grandparent," he starts as he pours, "I think it might be yes. How well do you get on with her House, after everything that has happened? You might get some leeway if everything ir cordial, but otherwise it might be taken poorly." Glancing back over his shoulder he asks, "you can't just come to an agreement where one of you raises her now, then the other fosters later?"
"Sure I could try." Ludovic says to Ivo. "But, see." He frowns. "Alright this is gonna sound real cynical but Imogen always went on about how Anders was real poor. Like so poor they couldn't really afford to fund her properly. And my daughters stipend. Well. It's not small. So I feel like, well, like I gotta sweeten the pot." He frowns again. "I don't really know how he feels about me. I've not spoken to him since the wedding. Been a lil afraid too. Like it would have been kicking the hornet's nest. And besides. I was trying to give Imogen a new start. If I'd pressed for contact, well, that wouldn't have happened. Honestly." A wry look. "Never thought i'd ever even get the pleasure of seeing her nevermind hold her in my arms and think about the best way to keep her here with me and her brother."
"I think," Ivo replies as he retakes his seat, "that only you can answer this question yourself. Without knowing more about her grandad's opinions and relationship to you then there is really nothing I can usefully help you with besides broad generalities." He pauses, then adds "one more question though. Her mother's death, how did the family take it? That might influence what contact they want with the child."
"I've no idea Ivo." Ludovic says. "It was Darius who rescued her from Firen and it was him who told me that Imogen died to the Partharians during the siege." He sighs. "I really should try and speak with Imogen's father shouldnt I? I did like the man. Liked him a lot actually. I'm just, well, it's hard to make that first move when you half feel like it will lead to losing her."
"Make the move," Ivo counsels gently, "even if just to let him know that she is alive and safe. From his response to that then you might be able to judge your best way forward. Even if she was a d'Korbina they'd deserve to know that much at least. Point out that her brother is here if you will, point out that it's safe for her, that she can grow up knowing her father. You have to tell them though, it's cruel to let them think her dead, or missing, or worse."
"Yeah. You're right." Ludovic sighs but leans back. "Not much like me to even have to ask. It ain't like I dont know whats right." he frowns. "Feel pretty awful about Imogen too." He looks as if he might ramble off into something but simply shifts in his seat, reaches for more cider and says. "Ain't no point in asking what ifs right?" before tugging the brim of his hat back down just enough to put his good eye back into shadow. "Are you going to be fighting against Jasmina?"
Now that Ivo is sat down again, Tethys lazilly rolls over and pads across to join them before giving Faith a quick sniff then curling up in a ball and going back to sleep again. "I've drunk a lot of wine to what ifs," he replies looking back to Dovi, "mostly what if I wasn't a sorcerer admittedly, but others too. They come and go, but it's very hard to get rid of them, even when you know them for what they are." He sips the cidre a moment, then shrugs at the question of Jasmina, "that's a decision made well above me. From what I know of the blockade plans though I don't think you'll be inconvenienced, you're far enough downstream."
"Well that's a relief." Ludovic says. "Although I meant fighting more literally. The Aequorian army already made a push into d'Elfleda right?"
"You probably know as well as I do on that score," Ivo replies with a slight sigh, "I've been here and up to d'Picot these past few days, although I suspect I'll get an update when I make it back to Fiorello. I've heard that there's been fighting though, and I've no reason to doubt that. Bloody fighting too, but I have no solid idea on actual numbers." More cider is drunk then he asks, "how about you? What's the Empire's take on all this, other than decrying the fact that we won't all join them to go fight the Qatunax of course."
"Just wanting to know if there's any real risk of us crossing blades." Ludovic tells Ivo honestly. "I don't want those numbers and stuff. Well I suppose I should want them. But I don't. Not like this." He shakes his head a little at the question of the empires take on it. "Don't think the Empires decided how to react yet." He gives Ivo another of those wry looks. "If Aequor'd actually supported me last year then things would be pretty damn different wouldn't they."
"Convince Darius it'd just be a distraction," Ivo replies, "it'd draw imperial forces away from the fight against the Qatunax, and delay the time it will take before there are spare forces from Aequor who could join that front." Not that he has any idea if the King would commit forces, but it's an angle. "That way even if I am sent up river, we'll not be crossing blades." He smiles wryly at the last though, "and there's another what if. What if you'd got what you wanted from Lyionesse, what if Jasmina had supported you, what if what if what if. I'm nowhere near drunk enough to start going round and round those circles again."
Ludovic gives a low chuckle. "I don't have anything to say to Darius that will convince him anyway. The man's a king. It's why I swore to him. Well. A good part of it anyway. And Kings are Kings." He takes a drink, stretches out his legs and absently rubs one of Faiths ears. "I'm wondering if hiring a few women to come keep us amused will be worth the evil looks i'll get from my kinfolk in the morning. How's about you? Think it will be worth it?"
"You could still point it out to him," Ivo notes, but he's not going to push the issue. Draining the last of his cidre he looks over to the pot and considers briefly, then nods. "You know, I could go for that. I don't actually have to be anywhere for awhile, and I know a couple if you're prepared to trust my recommendation? Besides, if I do it, then you have the excuse of not wanting to upset a guest, or even feigning ignorance until it was too late if you really need."
Ludovic laughs again. "Thats me all over." He grins. "Caving under the social pressure." He gestures towards one of the servant types. "See Ivo gets what he needs my friend and" he looks back at Ivo with another quick grin. "Bring out the gin."