| A Favour Before Waiting |
| Summary: | Saethwyr asks a favour of Tiaryn - yes, that kind of favour. |
| Date: | 27/May/2012 (OOC Date) |
| Related Logs: | The Melee logs at the Twins. |
| Players: |
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| Tourney Field at the Twins |
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| Pavillion, tents, field. The usual. |
| May 23, 289 |
It's overcast today, with a threat of drizzle to damp things again. With the melee having been postponed, it's no great surprise that the Knights who wish to compete are turning more restless. Yet for this Knight of Charlton's House, there is something he must do before competing in the melee. And so it is that he's come on his way to the Flint camp, in search of one lady in particular. He wears his cloak, just in case it will decide to rain, though the hood of it is lowered to rest at his back. It's around the middle of the day, perhaps just past when most would likely have eaten the noon meal.
Dark, cloudy overcast day, and Tia is seated not too far from the warm fire, though she's mostly by herself. Wherever the rest of the family is, it's not here. Perhaps they're off doing the rounds and schmoozing the Freys or some such. Tia's maid has a seat and is embroidering by the fire, glancing up at the sky every so often. The guard is there, keeping an eye on the bounds of the camp, rather than watching Tia properly. As the Charlton knight approaches, the guard's eyes catch sight of him, and he watches, though he doesn't interrupt the Lady, letting the knight approach as close as he might, at least until Tiaryn notices him on her own. Which seems it will be a bit, since she's looking the wrong way and doesn't seem to have heard him.
The Charlton Knight gives a respectful nod to the guard that he passes, finding it good to see that the guard is doing his job in protecting Tiaryn. Yet he continues forward and shifts his approach so that the Lady might see him, so that he'll not be a great surprise. His boots have a bit of mud on them, a bit of water from the grass sprinkled across their toes. And once he has come closer, he calls out to her. "Good day, Lady Tiaryn." A step more is taken, but then he bows gracefully to her, rising after the movement, a lock of his hair fallen forward over one of his eyes.
As Saethwyr changes direction somewhat, Tia does catch sight of him, and she rises to her feet, leaving whatever she was working on behind. "Lord Charlton," she says with a polite curtsey. "Good day to you. Well, as good as it can be, given the weather, at the least." She places her hands behind her back for a moment, lacing her fingers together, and regards Saethwyr somewhat curiously. "Shouldn't you be preparing for the melee?"
A smile comes to his features, and Saethwyr inclines his head to her. "Indeed, as good as what it can be. The melee, it seems, as suffered a delay because of the weather," he muses, a thoughtful note in his voice. "Although, I would rather consider that this is a part of preparing for it," Saethwyr comments, a bit of mystery to his voice. He did, after all, come here for a reason, and with a purpose in mind. One which ought be completed before the melee occurs.
Tia's expression is sympathetic as she hears of the delay in the melee. "I'm sure that must be somewhat stressful," she says, "To be all ready to fight and forced to wait. It must build up ill humours or some such." Though she's not at all big on the healing thing, she does appear to have heard some terms somewhere at least. Her maid's eyes widen and then she moves a little away to give Saeth and Tia a bit more privacy, though she's definitely within sight. And if they talk loudly she'll still hear them. Tia tilts her head a bit, at the mystery that Saeth is now hinting at. "Are you looking for some advice from Lord Anders? He is not participating, you know. I don't think he believes too much in things like tourneys."
"In a way, it does add some stress to it, for the delay happening. But these things are sometimes the nature of it all, my Lady, and one because at least somewhat accustomed to them occurring," Saethwyr says softly, a smile coming to his features. "There are those who likely suffer ill for the stress of delays, but I prefer to take the stress out in practice," he comments, inclining his head to her. "Ah, no, my Lady, I did not come to seek advice from Lord Anders. I came to see you," he says, a smile returning to his features. Nervous though he might be for what he's come for, he does his best not to show it.
Tia's head whips around quickly from where she was looking for Anders, and she blinks at Saethwyr, just standing there. "You - oh. How may I assist you?" she asks, trying to be practical here. Since everyone knows that nobles must be practical, pragmatic and such. The rest of the conversation is not so much lost as it is passed by for the moment. "And it's good if you didn't come to see Anders since he's not here. Just now. But I'm sure he'll be back." She might be a little nervous herself, actually.
Saethwyr tilts his head slightly to one side as he watches her, and a smile comes to his features, the expression reflecting in his eyes as well. And he makes a bow to her, respectful and polite before giving a small nod. "Aye, my Lady, I came to see you," he affirms, his smile returning. "Lady Tiaryn, do you recall when we were watching the joust, how we had spoken of favours?" Saethwyr asks, broaching the subject a little carefully, perhaps even a bit uncertainly. He's never asked a Lady for a favour, and he's not entirely sure how it's done, so he can only hope that he's not making a bungled up mess of it.
Tia's breath comes out in a bit of a whoosh, as she lets practicality go hang itself all at once. "Oh," she says, ever so eloquently. "I do remember. You said that if you were participating in the joust, you would have asked - " Her words trail off and she simply stands there, her gaze almost fierce as she meets his. Then her lips curve in a smile, the perhaps unladylike pleasure lighting up her face. "Is that why you're here?"
The Knight watches her closely, and one of his eyebrows quirks slightly upwards that her reaction. It was better than he had feared it could be, and that's a good sign. Saethwyr softly clears his throat, and then he gives a single nod. "Aye, my Lady. I have come to ask if you would do me the honour of granting me your favour for the melee," he says, coming out with it in full this time rather than merely skirting the edges of the topic.
Which is good, cause Tia wasn't about to give him any more than that, not without he actually asked. Hey, ladies have to have some fun in life, right? Tia tilts her head slightly as she listens to his words, and she stares at him for a moment, quietly. Then, no doubt agonizingly long for poor Saeth, after a suitable pause, she inclines her head. "I would be honoured if you would carry my favour." A breath. "YOu know, apart from my family, Connell was the last man to wear - please don't take this the wrong way, I just feel a little bit like a young girl again." She's not particularly coherent, but hopefully he can make some sense of her words.
He's not so shy as that he wouldn't ask, but asking for a Lady's favour is still a nervous experience up until the point where the lady actually says yes. And while she stares at him, he meets her gaze, painfully awaiting her answer. She will either dash away his hopes or make them soar. And as she gives the answer he had been hoping for, he smiles warmly at her, his dark eyes reflecting his happiness as well. "Thank you, my Lady — it will truly be an honour to carry your favour," he says. If he were not obeying propriety — which he's about ready not to anyways — then he'd have hugged her and spun her about simply for how light her answer has made him feel. But alas. Propriety must be observed, at least for the time being. "I understand what you mean, my Lady. I am sorry for the loss that you suffered. I am grateful that I am able to make you feel in such a way again," he says, giving a small nod. He's never worn a favour before, so this will be a first for him as well. And he's quiet for a moment, considering if he should speak on the matter further. Then he softly clears his throat. "My Lady, if I may be entirely honest… I've never had the honour of going into battle with a favour before," he admits, speaking a bit shyly here. What man would admit to such a thing? He would.
Well. Most probably have a sister and wear her favour? At least so the rumour goes. Tia blinks at that, and then her cheeks go a little bit pink. She raises one hand briefly. "One moment," she says, and she does turn back, moving over towards the fire to the basket that is there. It's near enough where she was embroidering, but not quite exactly there, as she's left it a little bit between her and her maid. She fishes out something, a grey fluttery ribbon with embroidery on it. Then she brings it back to Saethwyr, holding it out to show him. "I think that I will be honoured to be your first," she says softly. A quick glance towards her maid, but she's not close enough to hear. Tia thinks. At any rate, the maid doesn't say anything.
The Charlton Knight tilts his head to one side, watching a bit curiously when she blushes, and then he watches her fetch something from her basket. As the ribbon is offered out to him, he lifts his left hand to accept it from her, and then he bows to her. "Thank you, my Lady. It is an honour to have you as my first as well," Saethwyr says. There have been no other ladies to catch his eye and hold it as she has done, and that, in and of itself, makes her in a special category. If he's ever been teased for not having a favour in the battles or tournaments that he's been in before, he doesn't choose to share such with her at this point in time. But it's likely that he has been.
Tia is not so forward as some, so she doesn't hold her hand out in invitation, but she does smile with a bit of satisfaction as the favour that she made, the grey silk with the golden harp embroidered on it, and her name in blue, is accepted. It's simple and yet hopefully elegant. She gives Saeth a polite curtsey in return for his bow, the formalities quite well taken care of. She stands ther silent for a long moment, and then she says, "Oh. you might hear that I gave a favour to my goodbrother Einar and so I did, but also to Anders. That's sort of different. It's not a personal favour, but more a family thing, if that makes sense?" Those favours also are different than what she just gave Saethwyr, rather more like the heraldry that her guard is wearing.
"It is a lovely favour, my Lady… almost as lovely as you," Saethwyr says softly, looking it over and taking note of the embroidery work upon it. He listens as she speaks further on who else will carry her favour, and he gives a nod, a smile coming to his features. "Aye, Lady Tiaryn, that does make sense. I have seen the differences before, on the field, of the favours from a relative than from one who is outside of the family," he says softly. It is, perhaps, one of the reasons why he never wore favours from the ladies in his family.
Tia's cheeks do go pink again at that, her lips curving in a sweet smile. "Thank you, my lord. You are very kind to say so," she says. She is a little awkward now, not quite sure what to expect from Saethwyr at this point. She's not married to him, after all. It's kind of romantic though, and sweet. "Is there a tradition," she asks, "that goes with asking for a favour in the Charlton household?"
"You are most welcome, Lady Tiaryn," Saethwyr says, his dark eyes showing a sparkle to them. "It is the truth, as I see it," he adds, giving a small nod. There are times when he isn't sure what to expect from himself, and this is perhaps one of those times. "Well, if there is not a tradition, there certainly should be," he comments, quirking a smile. Then he steps closer to her and perhaps takes her by surprise by giving her a kiss on the lips. It's a ballsy move, but, well… if anyone should ask over it, she can claim it was for the sake of tradition.
Now there are many reasons that men do things, but they don't usually steal kisses for reasons that are not romantic. At least not when they're not contractually obligated. Which Saeth is not, so Tia's eyes widen, but she for sure cannot say he's not interested any more. She might even lean into the kiss, brief as it is, and then she takes a step back, just as the maid is on her feet and moving in. Tia stops her with a hand, turning back to Saethwyr, with a somewhat bemused look. "Saethwyr," she says, not even really noticing she's forgotten the honorific. "That was very nice, but - " she pauses there, and takes a breath. "But I am in mourning for another couple months, and it's rather improper besides." Not that she told him not to, mind.
Well, no one's ever accused the man of not being romantic. It's just that no one's ever gotten to know him well enough to find out that he is romantic. And probably a hopeless one, at that. He's been interested since the moment he first laid eyes on her, it's just a small problem of admitting it and doing something about it. A brief glance is given to the maid who was rushing in, but then his dark gaze turns back to Tiaryn. There's colour creeping up to his cheeks, and he bows to her, a movement holding the utmost of respect for her. "Aye, my Lady. I do apologize for the impropriety, especially during your time of mourning," he says softly, his dark gaze holding on her. "I will attempt to refrain from such in fugure, if you would wish it to be so," he adds, inclining his head to her. Not that he said he wouldn't, just that he's making it her choice.
Tia smiles slowly, and she reaches out to touch his cheek as well. That's almost as scandalous as that little kiss, but not quite. She takes a breath and then she inclines her head. "I think - at least until I'm officially out of mourning." If they can manage that much strength of will, that is. "And there is no need to apologize this once. That was a very sweet gesture." She has to fight to keep from moving back in for a second kiss; these things are incredibly contagious it seems. "Please understand, it's not that I don't want - but - we really shouldn't." And the maid is still there, watching. The guard too by now.
And how could he not respond to that touch? He leans his cheek softly into the touch, a smile coming to the corners of his lips as he half closes his eyes in order to look to her through his lashes. "Indeed, my Lady. Until your mourning has officially ended," Saethwyr says softly, giving a small nod to her. He stands easily, not stealing a second kiss from her since he stold one to start with. "I understand, Lady Tiaryn," he begins, then looks briefly towards the maid and the guard who are watching them both so intently. "And if you would wish it to be so, then once that period has passed, I would wish to court you," he adds, giving a small nod to her, his dark gaze holding on her. Because, see, it's not just women who can be evil.
It's so sweetly romantic, though that does give Tia pause. She knows well enough that's not how such things work! She opens her mouth, closes it, and then licks her lips, as she gives Saethwyr a rather disconsolate look. "And if I say yes, which is what I would like, how will that help us, should your family require you to wed elsewhere?" she asks, softly. She's actually not so worried about Anders marrying /her/ off though he technically could. Just - not likely. She has a bad moment of deja vu, but that she can put off like a bad dream, especially when she's here, with her fingers touching Saeth's cheek and his intent gaze holding her own.
The Knight watches her when she nearly speaks, then licks her lips. He holds to propriety, though, yet there's a sparkle that comes to his dark eyes. "My family has plenty of branches to the tree, and there are many men that could be chosen from. Many who are younger than I and likely considered to be more eligible than myself," he says softly, inclining his head towards her. "If you say yes, then I will court you," he adds, a smile coming to the corners of his lips. "We will worry over such things later, my Lady. We will speak with those who must be spoken with, when the time comes," he says softly, giving a small nod to her.
Tia pauses a moment, and then she does step back, to offer a curtsey, but there's mischief in her eyes, as she rises back to her feet. "Then, perhaps I shall answer, when the time comes," she says, her tone soft and teasing. There's likely no doubt what her answer will be, but she is going to make him wait, it seems.
