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THE BOUQUET ESTATE - EARLY EVENING
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Narrator: Dinner time at the Estate. Teis, Enver, Rondelethia and Calgwen. While she's become more comfortable dressing up in recent months thanks to her time with Lady Catherine and generally wanting to put in the effort for Enver, dressing up at the request of her Sister for Calgwen's first impression still has her slightly ticked. Enver is able to reign her in and keep her in check however. Conversation between Teis and Calgwen is smooth enough all round. Teis is polite enough, though no real information is shared, distracted and preferring to mostly talk to Enver while she eats. There are a couple of subtle glares shot at Calgwen, notably whenever he and Rondelethia are sharing a moment. Again, Enver reigns her in. Once dinner is over, she excuses herself first from the table, headed to her room.
Calgwen has spent most of the day meeting the servants around the house, introducing himself, getting to know everyone as best he can. He hasn't had a chance to fully talk with Teis yet, as he didn't wish to interrupt her work in the lab, but as she excuses herself so quickly, he takes the opportunity to go meet with her, not quite picking up on the tension there. Obviously, any 'vibes' are just because he hasn't properly introduced himself yet, and one shared meal is hardly enough to get to know one another yet. Excusing himself in turn he follows after her, calling out as he approaches. "Teis? Hello!"
Teis walks down the hall at a hurried pace, eager to get back to her room, though her short legs restricted further by her dress are no match for the dashing giant. Her tail flares up behind her when she's caught on the grand staircase in the foyer, pausing halfway up. She turns, her head only barely above the railing as she looks down at Calgwen. "Yes?" She replies, crossing her arms. With no Enver and no Rondelethia around, her veiled frustrations immediately show themselves in her posture.
Calgwen slows as he approaches, and his expression drops at Teis' unexpected stance, as the hostility catches him somewhat offguard. "Oh. I uh, I was simply hoping to get a better introduction than simply having your sister announce our names. I don't want to interrupt if you've something else to do, of course. But, since we shall be sharing this estate, I was hoping to get to know you better?"
Teis takes a deep breath in and out through her nose. Be nice be nice be nice. . . ". . .Sure." She replies, uncrossing her arms and beginning to descend the stairs silently, "To the tea room, then?" She questions, though is already walking there. Once inside, she takes a comfy chair.
Calgwen smiles, feeling a bit relieved, "Ah, lead the um... way?" He has to follow quickly as she's already going. He steps into the Tea room shortly after her and takes a seat opposite of her, letting his wings stretch out and tail drape down over the side of the chair. He does take up a lot of space. "I've heard quite a bit about you, Ms Teis, and about your work here! Your lab is most impressive as well, though I admit I don't understand one bit of it."
Narrator: Of course Calgwen has already been shown the lab. "Please. . .It's just Teis." Teis corrects immediately. "Sis already gave you the tour?" Teis questions rhetorically, stalling. She crosses her legs, clawtips nervously tapping at a knee.
Calgwen nods, placing his hands on his knees. "Shortly after I arrived. It was... all very sudden, my arrival, that is. And I am sorry about that. I had thought you both knew I was coming. Your father sent a letter... I had thought arrangements had been made already. I suppose you have been taken by surprise about the whole thing, the same as Rondelethia."
Teis: "Surprised? Sure. But not because of that. I've known that this day would come eventually. What I want to know is where in the world Father found you." Teis replies rather hastily.
Calgwen starts slightly at hte question, but sighs, laughing quietly. "I'm... from a very old family in Sarn. Very old. We like to say we're descended from Dragons..." He frowns, "But I hear that may be in bad taste to say, considering what this town has been through. I've just woken from a long sleep, and stepped back into a world full of new things, and I started to reach out to the old families in Sarn who still remember the Singequill family. Your father was amongst the first to step forward. They said he was rather new to Sarn's elite, but that just made him the most interesting person to me, I suppose. We talked quite a lot. A very, strange, very driven individual."
Teis: "Mm." Teis hums. Under better circumstances, she would find Calgwen fascinating. Well, she still does, but it's superseded by the circumstances. "I wonder what Father offered you, then? What is it you or your family stands to gain?" Teis boldly questions.
Calgwen nods for a moment. "Mostly? He offered funding. Quite a generous amount, I must admit. There is not much of my family left, and the time spent sleeping does tend to drain our holdings. My servants still did upkeep on my estates while I slumbered, and arrangements were made to maintain our staff through a third party. Over time, even the largest sum of money runs out. Your father spoke a great deal of Respite as well, and the lure of a new place, a new adventure called to me. As did all of his talk about Rondelethia. It seemed an awful lot just so your father could append our family name to his dealings. But names have always had a great deal of power in Sarn."
Teis scoffs a little. So that's what her work has helped pay for. A name. Enver and Tarbin have the right idea, trying to better society with their actions. Calgwen's readiness to answer her private and frankly loaded questions only serves to empower Teis to continue, "And what of Sis when you go disappear again?"
Calgwen blinks. "Disappear again? I'm not sure I understand...? I am here to aid her however I am able, for as long as I am able."
Teis: "I don't know much about your kind. What little I learned of in school was marred in superstition and myth. You said that you woke from a long sleep. That your family was old. How long until your next sleep?" Teis clarifies.
Calgwen frowns in displeasure. It's not something he likes to think about, much easier to live in the moment than think of a past that's long gone now, or what he'll wake up to next time he has to go into that sleep, but he is trying to be open and honest with Teis. Open and honest is really all he knows how to be, actually. "Perhaps sixty years...? Longer, if I wish. That sleep is hard. Like being dragged down by an air current. Sometimes, the more you struggle to stay awake, the harder it is. But in the end, it will be my choice when, and where it happens."
Teis nods, though her original question remains unanswered. "And you'll outlive us, right? So what then? What of her, what of us, when we're taken by old age? Any fortune or empire she'll have spent her life creating? Of what Father has created and she inherits? It'll all go to you." She distastefully concludes. "Father is either short-sighted, or doesn't care about Sis. I don't know which is worse." She scowls.
Calgwen shakes his head, the accusation a hard blow to his heart, but not unfounded. "Neither, I hope... I... will outlive her yes. But this is not a take-over. I am not here to absorb your fortune, your lives. It is a temporary alliance. I have the money your father promised me. I shall use it, and with luck, turn that into it's own fortune. And whatever your Father, your Sister, or you have built... stays in your family." He looks down at the floor, feeling rather awful at the moment, admittedly.
Teis' gaze is stern for several silent moments as she appraises Calgwen's words and his expression. She doesn't believe Calgwen, but after seemingly having shattered the dragon's confidence, she momentarily softens with a heavy sigh, looking regretful herself. She considered that Calgwen might just be a pawn to his own family, a bargaining chip in negotiations just like Rondelethia is. Then she remember Calgwen's words. That Calgwen himself was the one to reach out and arrange this. Her gaze stiffens back up and her protectiveness over Rondelethia kicks back in. "I can't stop this." Teis affirms. "I've tried. Spoken, begged even, for Sis to reconsider her future over the years. But she won't hear it. Says it's her duty to allow Father to pick someone for her." Teis pauses. "I'm not going to sabotage what Rondelethia wants, what she thinks is right. But that doesn't mean I have to like it, like Father for going through with it, or have to like you. And I refuse to pretend that I do. I can't stand the pretentious bull-muffins that Sarn's elite uphold."
Calgwen lifts his head back up and nods slowly. He's clearly rather hurt by Teis' words, but it's difficult for him to argue against her feelings. "She's your sister, after all. You want what's best for her. And that doesn't mean me." He lowers his gaze again. "You're probably right. But I will try, at least, to make her life better. I would like to be friends with you as well, Teis, but if that's impossible, I understand."
Teis is taken aback by Calgwen's further apologetic and hurt demeanour. She expected her open hostility to be met with either much of the same, or outright dismissal, thanks both to her flagrant objection to the way Sarn's elite operates as well as her status as an orphan. It leaves her somewhat confused. "I. . .Don't know if it is." She sighs, "But. . .I will allow you to try. As a favour to Rondelethia."
Calgwen takes a deep breath. "Thank you, Teis, for the chance. Is it unfair to ask that you hold me accountable, as well? If you see that I could be doing more. If I hurt her unwittingly. I wish for you to tell me. Harshly, if necessary. Tell me, please, when I am wrong, whenever you feel I am wrong, and I will try to make things right."
Teis: The question further pushes Teis off-balance. "You would openly ask me to call you out?" Teis shifts a hand to the back of her neck, scratching at it nervously. "Did Father put you up to this?"
Calgwen chuckles at the question, "No, he did not. I suppose Rondelethia will be writing to him, but I don't exactly plan to keep in touch with your father now that I'm here. I only have one person I even intend to send letters home to, and I doubt very much they will be sharing those letters with anyone."
Teis sheepishly nods. "Well. . .If he does find out. Then. . .Well I'll guess we'll know for certain if it's possible." Teis concludes, unsure.
Calgwen nods in turn, "It would certainly confirm that I cannot be trusted, if he turned such a thing against you." He curls up his mouth at the thought, like a bitter taste in his mouth. "Hmph. You do have a point about Sarn's pretentious bull-...muffins?"
Teis nods again. "Exactly, yes." She affirms. She scratches her neck again, glancing away briefly with a sheepish chuckle, "Uh, sorry. Muffins is. . .What I use. Instead of openly swearing."
Calgwen blinks, then breaks into a genuine laugh. "Ah! I see! Well, there's sayings about folks who resort to cursing..." He pauses, frowning. "I cannot think of them right now though... eh, no matter!"
Teis looks back, smiling awkwardly. ". . .I uh. Did you want to ask me anything. . .?"
Calgwen coughs, caught in surprise at the question. He reaches up to scratch the back of his head, "Oh... uh... I guess... it seems less important now. I had a list of ice breakers... favorite foods? Hobbies? I meant to ask about that lad at dinner... 'Enver'? I don't recall hearing his name before we met at dinner, but he's not one of the staff...?"
Teis: "He's. . .Well. . ." Teis hesitates briefly, unsure if she wants to tell the possible Father-allied dragon, but she can't exactly hide Enver from Calgwen anyway, "He's my boyfriend."
Calgwen claps his hands together, "Ah! That would explain it! He seems a good lad! I'll have to introduce myself!" He pauses, "Err, if that's not too awkward? I shall leave that to your judgement. I would not want to get off on the wrong food with the lad."
Teis nods. "Yes. . .He is very kind. Supportive. More than he realizes." Pause, "If anything, he'll probably seek you out." Teis replies. "Besides, I'd be a hypocrite if I disapproved of Father wanting to control Sis, then I wanted to control who you can and can't talk to."
Calgwen raises a hand, "Ah, I don't think of it as control, Teis. I am simply asking for a bit of guidance to avoid putting my foot somewhere it doesn't belong. If I stepped out of line and caused you and Enver issues... I would not be happy with myself." He pauses to consider her statement though.
Teis: "It's fine, really. So long as you treat him well, there's very little you could do." Teis replies.
Calgwen hums, nodding slowly. "I shall do my best. And... I shall think about what you've said. Thank you, for your candor. I mean that, thank you, Teis."
Teis: "You're. . .Uh. You're welcome, Calgwen." Teis hadn't expected the conversation to end like this. "I'll. . .Leave you to return to Rondelethia." She stands.
Calgwen rises as well, wings folding back in behind his back as he respectfully bows his head to the cat, "Have a good night." He waits for Teis to head out first, before he too heads out of the tea room.
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THE THIRSTY MINNOW - EVENING
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Fiora leans on her good leg at the center of the commons room, drink in one hand, motioning with the other as she retells the story of her battle with Dyvrisse. The bar is full of folks as the city is letting out a sigh of relief, with lots of folks celebrating loudly, and Fiora has found herself the center of attention, the 'Hero of the Abyss', a moniker she's not exactly embraced, but not exactly denied either, as she now embellishes the story to the room.
Brunilda is standing at the edge of the room, smiling as she listens to Fiora even though she's both heard and seen most of the story herself. She idly sips at her drink, happy at having someone else be the center of attention. ...even if she feels somewhat awkward being here and some part of her would prefer more quiet time with her girlfriend instead. She hasn't dared say that out loud all evening though, not wanting to intrude on Fiora's fun.
Fiora reaches the crescendo of her tale, resulting in a huge cheer from the crowd as she stops to finish her drink. She's never been a heavy drinker, often nursing drinks to make it appear she's more drunk than she actually is, and this is only her second beer for the night, but the second she drains it she finds another is in her hand, and the crowd has more than a few folks who's family had been held in the Abyss, and they aren't about to let Fiora go without tonight. She chuckles leaning her neck down in a sincere feeling of gratitude for these people, "You all... I just did it because it was the right thing to do." She winks. "Didn't even charge full fee! So! Sad to say I wasn't at the Prominence, but I've got plenty of stories if you want to hear them!" The crowd cheers again, urging her to start a new story.
Brunilda smiles at the 'right thing to do' part, certainly agreeing there. They were all there because it was... probably, in the end, the right thing to do. Even if she'd rather erase some of the imagery of that trip from her head. At that thought, her smile wanes for a second, but she looks at Fiora fondly right after.
Fiora shifts her weight to make sure her bad leg is comfortable and starts into another story. A Bounty on a really scummy criminal in It's one she's told more than a few times in the Hunter's Guild when she and Wrath have been hanging out in the mess hall, and it's almost a practiced routine at this point. She purposely screws up a detail, then gives a look to where Brun is leaning almost by instinct, expecting her to break in and set the record straight. When she notices Brun glancing down silently, away from the crowd, her smile slips slightly.
Brunilda doesn't notice Fiora looking at her. She instead seems to make her mind and starts getting up, finishing her drink as she does. No need for her to bring the celebratory mood down, right?
Fiora watches Brunilda for a split second, but before anyone can turn their heads towards her, she picks back up into the story, "And uh, needless to say, we caught him! Well, Gareth did most of the work. You all should ask him about it. He was actually there at the Prominence too, so uh... that's probably about it! You all have been wonderful, seriously, I don't... I don't deserve this. Thank you! No, thank you!" She shifts her position to gather up her crutches, taking some time amidst everyone to get back up and start to make her way towards Brun.
Brunilda steps towards the door, but stops as she notices Fiora from the corner of her vision. She turns and smiles at the giraffe: "Having fun, Fiora?"
Fiora chuckles softly as she approaches, "Always. Except when I'm not. But now's not really one of those times. Feels... kinda weird. Kinda good. Never really been a 'hero' before..." She pauses, "Uh, how about you? You okay?"
Brunilda smiles one of those half-hearted, nearly-honest smiles: "Y-yeah, I'm good. Maybe... maybe not the best with this crowd, but happy if you are happy, you know?" She lifts her trunk to softly caress Fiora's cheek.
Fiora dips her head, tilting to nuzzle against Brun's trunk. "Heh. Lots of folks happy to be home, and happy they don't have to worry about their loved ones. But I've had my fun, free drinks and whatnot. You want to ditch this place?"
Brunilda frowns slightly: "I don't want to interrupt you... I can just go home ahead of you?" It's fairly obvious that's not what her heart currently desires, though.
Fiora grins, "Well, you do move a lot faster than me while I still have these crutches, so I imagine you will get home ahead of me no matter what." She shakes her head, "C'mon. You're not gonna hurt my feelings by telling me what you want, Brun, so just be honest with me."
Brunilda sighs, then gives a tired smile: "Okay. I just... well, selfishly enough, I want you for myself tonight. Maybe... go to the Western wall, watch the sunset together?"
Fiora hums in thought for a moment. "Well, shoot. See, that sounds like fun to me too." She nudges at Brun's leg with one of her crutches. "C'mon. Let's do it."
Brunilda gives a soft laugh, before moving aside to let Fiora get out first. She does look rather relieved. "Y-yeah. Let's. I know a perfect spot..."
Fiora shifts back out of the seat and points to the door. "Lead the way!"
Brunilda lowers her hand to Fiora's hip and indeed leads the way towards the slowly darkening evening. Once they are outside Minnow, she lets out a sigh: "Sorry... p-parties like that have never really agreed with me. Too much... social noise."
Fiora frowns, sighing, "Oh, uh... sorry. I didn't know it would be an issue or I wouldn't have jumped right on in when we got there. ...I've always been one to jump on into a situation, either as the center of a fight, or center of attention. Keep all eyes on me, you know?" She chuckles, "Guess that's why Nesseth asked me to be 'the distraction'."
Brunilda chuckles: "You're good as a distraction..." She gives Fiora's body an appraising look: "...a-and that's not entirely just me being biased." She coughs a bit, grinning.
Fiora: "Heh, not entirely? Never would have guessed." She sticks her tongue out. "I'm always telling stories. I've done a lot of fighting, a lot of hunting. Got a lot of experience under my belt. And... I do like to talk."
Brunilda nods, humming as they walk: "I'm not... well, I do like to talk, but not in situations like that. Makes me feel awkward, drawing attention to myself... when I kinda already do just being in the room, you know?"
Fiora grins, "There's a joke there but it's probably overplayed. I guess it was always the same for me. I just owned it. I Plus... like I said... never really been the 'hero' before. Being a bounty hunter, even if you're doing good, you're doing it for money. That doesn't get you many thank yous. But, eh. Nothing wrong with not wanting the attention either though."
Brunilda gives Fiora's hip the slightest of squeezes: "It suits you, being out there and telling stories. You're good at it. So why not being a hero, too?"
Fiora snorts, but she clearly likes the thought of it. "Well, next time the position opens up for a Hero in town, maybe I'll put in my application for the job."
Brunilda giggles: "Sounds like a plan." She looks at the relatively quiet street as they walk towards the wall: "It's... it's hard to qualify why I don't feel okay in a crowd... party crowd in particular."
Fiora glances at Brun, looking her over, then shrugs. "Well, I doubt you feel claustraphobic, but maybe. I just don't want you to feel like you can't tell me when you're not having fun. If it happens again, we need some kind of hand signal or something so I know when to get out and make sure you have backup."
Brunilda smiles, nodding: "Or I just come over to tell you." She sighs a bit: "I wish my social courage wasn't so... wave-y. Changing."
Fiora leans over to peck Brunilda's cheek. "You're plenty brave when it matters. But uh, yeah. Just telling me works too, I guess."
Brunilda smirks at Fiora, blushing: "Hand signal sounds cooler, though."
Fiora grins wide, "I know, right! Secret hand signals! The coolest!" She starts to take the stairs up the wall slowly, step by step with her crutches. "Heh... not gonna be sad when I can stop using these."
Brunilda helps Fiora as needed though more as a precaution than anything else. "Yeah... some part of me wonders how I didn't get hurt more than I did, out there."
Fiora slowly reaches the top, with Brun's help. "You didn't do any stupid distractions. And you're a solid fighter who's spent the last... what, year? training with veterans helping build up your defenses and combat awareness."
Brunilda shrugs: "More like most of my life so far... after all that, I'm rather happy to just do wall patrol and spar." She looks at the setting sun, then at Fiora: "...spar with you."
Fiora sets her crutches aside and finds somewhere to sit comfortably, leaning against Brun for support. "Your whole life, then. Yeah. Like I said, you're a solid fighter, so I'm not so surprised you didn't get hurt. I'm glad too. Sparring with you is fun." She looks at Brunilda with a little more serious expression upon her face, "And I wouldn't want you to get hurt."
Brunilda nods, sighing with a smile: "Didn't want you to get hurt either, but..." She shakes her head: "Nevermind. What happened, did. I'm just glad you're here with me." She leans on Fiora slightly, just happy to be in this moment.
Fiora grins. "Only makes me stronger. And I'm glad to be here, with you."
Brunilda reaches to hold Fiora's hand: "I'm... it's strange. Love. Never thought I would... though I guess I always hoped. And here we are."
Fiora takes Brun's hand in return and hums. "I never even hoped... I don't know... I guess I'm mostly just sorry I'm such a handful."
Brunilda looks at Fiora in the eyes as she caresses her cheek again with her trunk: "Well... good thing I'm plenty good at holding long and thin implements in my hands..." She blushes and swallows: "-t-that sounded so wrong."
Fiora feigns insult, "Hey! I'm not thin! I mean, I'm not beefy like you, but I'm not thin!" She slowly smiles and nudges Brun with her elbow before leaning against her a bit harder.
Brunilda blinks in surprise before Fiora's words actually catch her: "O-oh." She finds her smile after a second: "...r-relatively speaking, you are the thin of us."
Fiora laughs, "I knew what you meant, Brun. I'm teasing."
Brunilda laughs if a bit nervously: "Y-yeah. I knew that."
Fiora grins, "No you didn't. But you do now." She chuckles to herself, "Sorry. Like I said, I'm the difficult one in the relationship."
Brunilda tilts her head slightly: "Are you sure about that? I can't imagine making sense of me is easy either."
Fiora looks over at Brun and shrugs, "I guess that's my trick. I don't really try. I mean, I'm bad at this and all, but I just figure... let you be you, and I'll be me. And we work stuff out as it comes up. Right?"
Brunilda shrugs as well and leans on Fiora: "Do that, I guess. Although in time maybe we'll be less bad at this." She pauses, frowning slightly: "Er, whatever 'this' is."
Fiora puts her arm around Brun, still watching the sun setting. "Well, uh, yeah. We'll figure out that too in time. I... I'm not going anywhere."
Brunilda hums softly: "I would be surprised if you decided to bail now." She gives a soft, happy sigh and leans to give Fiora a kiss on the cheek.
Fiora shifts away from the kiss, denying Brunilda access to her cheek. Instead, she meets the kiss with her own lips.
Brunilda blinks in surprise but fails to object as her kiss is redirected. She holds Fiora close, closing her eyes.
Fiora leans in against Brun, slowly breaking the kiss. "...just felt like the right thing to do..."
Brunilda mmhm's in agreement: "...y-yeah. L-let's go with that."
Fiora chuckles, turning back towards the sunset with a bright smile on her face. "I love you, Brun."
Brunilda mms again: "I love you too, Fiora."
Fiora squeezes the elephants hand. "We'll figure it out. Even each other. At least... a little better."
Brunilda squeezes back, smiling: "It's probably a rocky and confusing road, but we'll find our way."
Fiora: "I've walked down worse roads. Or uh, hobbled down them, depending on my leg."
Brunilda: "I've never hurt my leg like that, though I once had my entire back burned."
Fiora glances back along Brun's backside. "I've seen the scars... that's magic burns. You're one tough lady to still be walking after that, Brun."
Brunilda gives Fiora a glance and a smile: "What's the other option, stay down? Neither of us would do that."
Fiora pokes Brun's chest. "That's not an option at all. See... that's why I love you."
Brunilda blushes but can't stop smiling: "Not giving up, I guess that's one of my good sides... assuming that's a good thing, being stubborn as heck."
Fiora throws back her head in a big laugh, "Hell, it better be. Cause I'm right there with you."
Brunilda gives a soft sigh: "That said, we can probably do without more such, uh... 'events', for a bit. Not sure my sanity could take it."
Fiora nods, "Yeah... though, life's never much about picking or choosing what gets thrown at you. Life is just weathering the storm. Some days you kick ass. Some days your ass gets kicked."
Brunilda lifts her hand to squeeze Fiora's shoulder: "Maybe, but that doesn't mean I can't hope it'd be quiet for the foreseeable future."
Fiora hums, "We do still gotta figure out how to fix that hole in the kitchen ceiling with like, smashing more of it in the process... I'm willing to focus on that challenge for awhile."
Brunilda laughs softly: "Sounds good to me. I have some ideas we can try at least."
Fiora: "That's more than I got, so I'll follow your lead in this battle."
Brunilda caresses Fiora's cheek with her trunk: "We will see. For now... let's just do nothing."
Fiora chuckles, then rests her neck and head against Brun. "Nothing with you sounds pretty good..."
Brunilda gives a soft laugh, then leans on Fiora to watch the sunset with her.