| Another Day in Paradise |
| Summary: | After two days grueling questioning Cherise is finally permitted to visit her husband Aleister. |
| Date: | 10/6/2012 |
| Related Logs: | They Came in the Night, Curing Ignorance, Blasphemous Rumours, and Adding Insult and Still Counting |
| Players: |
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| Aleister's Guest (Prison) Chambers |
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| Swanky room and stuff |
| Sun Jun 10, 289 |
Aleister had been released from his confinement after just over two days, though he had been placed in a seperate room and wasn't allowed to leave, though visitors were able to see him. Guards stand outside the door, vetting people before allowing them entry. Within, he is at least being treated nice. There is food and wine set aside, though neither have been touched, which seems unusal for him. And Aleister himself is settled on the couch, head laid back aganist one of the rests, an arm draped over his eyes as if shielding them from view. He looks .. haggared and stressed. As if he hasn't slept for the two days, regardless of having a rather pleasant room.
Not a spare moment was delayed once word had reached Cherise's chambers, permitting the lady to finally, after a few days of restriction, was able to visit with her husband. The men posted at his door made their disinterested announcement after pressing the thick oak structure open, permitting his wife's entry. She held Aerick in her arms, large blue eyes wide eyed and very interested in his surroundings. Proceeding onward, noticing her husband's chambers were not so far different than her own. "Aleister?" She asked, at least the guards had closed the door, providing an illusion of privacy.
Hearing the door open and the announcement to follow, Aleister is pulling himself up to a seating position and with a slow turn of his head, he settles his eyes upon Cherise and Aerick. There's a smile that comes to his lips and a slight nod of his head, "Cherise. I'm glad to see you are well." Now, he rises from his spot on the couch, a hand lifting to motion her towards the couch or chairs, "Come in. It's good to see you."
Cherise frowns a little at his haggered demeanor, concern accents the worry lines that are normally not visisble upon her features. Aerick countered that with glee, his mouth agape as an excited gasp passes through his thick lips. Easily excitable when a familiar face had crossed his large blue sights. "I am." She answers demurely as her gaze turns over he shoulder now that the guards had closed the door a few steps draws her closer to him. "You do not appear so well husband." Stating the obvious as her eyes studied his demeanor through her advancing for the sofa indicated and soon sinking against the embroidered fabric. Cherise had to resettle the wiggling Aerick on her lap, still too awkward in holding his own head up, his small frame is embraced against hers. "You have been isolated for far too long. What had they said to you? Will we leave soon? Surely this is a huge misunderstanding."
There's a flash of a smile to Aerick at his gaping mouth and excited gasp, but Aleister's attention then shifts back to Cherise, the smile faading a touch as he watches her angle towards the the sofa. Once she's settled, he's moving to lower himself back down, hands coming to clasp in his lap as his shoulders lift in slight shrug, "I find myself not doing too well cooped up, Cherise. That, and I have managed to gain little insight into the reason behind this or what the Naylands intend to do." A sigh escapes past his lips and another shake of his head comes, "It is my hope that we will know more, soon enough."
"Those feelings are shared amongt the rest of our household Aleister." Sympathy is apparent in her tone. "As you were," the word is said with disgust even in her softened speech, "detained most presumptuiously, I had the opportunities to speak with our kin, Alys and Ramsey. As well as Lady Roslyn and Ser Rutger." Cherise's eyes lower, wriggling her finger against her son's rounded belly in keeping him preoccupied. "Alys had gained knowledge, while in the Mire, that the Regent suspected our House supports my cousin Danae's claim. Believing that to be true he still invited her to Stonebridge under the pretenses of friendship with Ser Andrey. Here is she was detained."
"I am well aware and I will do what I can to see the others released, Cherise." A sigh sounds and then Aleister is simply listening to what is said. His brow lifts a touch and then he's giving a quick shake of his head, "This is a most interesting turn of events. I will need to speak with Ser Rygar and Ser Riordan, to see just what their grounds are and if they wish to continue with this foolishness, I will demand a trial by combat, to see their champion felled where he stands so that we may go free."
Her gaze snapped to Aliester, "You will do no such thing." The very idea was appalling. "They are suspicious, they believe the bandit attack was a distraction masterminded by some powerful force to weaken their defenses here in Stonebridge." Cherise glances down to his hands briefly. "Ser Rutger has shared with me that he desires to repair the relationship between our Houses, Lady Roslyn is sympathtic given our time with the bandits." Aerick coos loudly and she returns a warm smile for her young. "The Regent lacks support Aleister, his family seems to be against him. They are fishing for information that is not there."
A smirk hints to his lips, followed by a shake of Aleister's head and a quick, "I am more then a capable fighter, Cherise." Then, he's simply listening and when you are finished, a laugh begins to escape past his lips, "Quite interesting how Ser Rutger seeks you out to speak of such things, Cherise. I can well imagine that he wishes to repair relations with our House, perhaps by seeing me killed so that you can stand by his side. After all, he has yet to approach me on a single subject, througout my stay in Stonebridge." A shake of his head and he's turning to rise from his spot on the sofa, "The Naylands are a weak House. This is why we have no aligned ourselves with them."
"I do not doubt your skills husband." Relaying her words softly, absorbing the guilt of it even being imagined. "As a guest here, had you approached any of them? They sheltered me while you were away, they provided care for me." Flipping the argument to the other side Cherise sighs heavily while toying with her son's attentions. "Weak they may be, however we are their prisoners."
"I have no reason to seek any of them out, Cherise, beyond pleasant hospitalities of requesting a room for you. Aside from that, I had no desire to seek them out." Moving away, Aleister angles towards the window, eyes shifting to look out amongst the garden as his hands move behind his back, "But Ser Rutger does seem rather inclined to visit you, rather then seek me out. This is not the first time that he's done so, to speak of such matters." Now, there's a low laugh, though it doesn't hold as much mirth as it could, "We may be their prisoners, but it won't be for long. My uncle will not tolerate such offense."
Aleister rising from the sofa gains Cherise's eyes, glued upon his back while relocating towards the window. "Friendship. Civility. Being gracious for their hospitality. Those are reasons to seek them out Aleister." Her words are flat though while he mentions Ser Rutger the lady's eyes heavily roll sidelong. "I know not why he does." Dismissing the threat of an unspoken accusation. "Are they not obligated to allow Alys to leave? As a guest's right? The Regent lured her here."
"All of which I have no desire to play to the Naylands, Cherise. This, I have told you before and yet, you seem inclined to press the issue of friendship with them." A sniff soudns, followed by the faint cluck of his tongue as he lets the issue of Rutger and his motives drop. "If it is revealed that they broke Guest Rights, their honor will be ruined. Second to that, my Uncle will be furious and will have legal cause to go to war with them and draw the other Houses to his support."
"Had you done so sooner they perhaps would not have minded you inviting all your men into the Crane." A snippy comeback from a very frustrated woman. "They would not have suspect us for trying to take over this pathetic town." The stuttering sound of a crying baby promptly follows Cherise's agitated tone. She sighs, hoisting Aerick upon her shoulder who has become all too sensitive with the airs of emotion lately. Consoling him, smoothing her hand along his back and bestowing kisses against his chubby cheeks, the Lady continues after lowering the range of her voice again. "Forgive me Aleister, I should not speak to you in such a manner. I just want to go home. Our true home and not the Inn." Settling the sobbing babe she adds, "They have, they must have given what Alys had shared with me. She was invited to the Mire and then here, to speak with the lady Valda about what I do not know."
There's a snap of Aleister's head to the side, so that he can look to Cherise over his shoulder as a look of anger flashes across his features, "Mind your words, Cherise, and remember that it is I who makes the decisions and not you. Do not speak to me of friendship with the Naylands again, for I have no desire to consider or speak of such a thing again." Then, his head snaps back to the window so that he can look out to the garden once more, "They will pay for what they have done. That much, I can promise. That much, I can assure."
Aerick is burying his face against Cherise's neck, rubbing fists at his sleepy eyes. "As you wish." The subject dropped so quickly she'll be cautious about bringing it up again, if ever. "It will certainly not be forgotten." She murmurs quietly as Aleister remains at his chosen post beside the window.
When she ceases to speak of the subject again, Aleister can be seen to give a slight nod of his head before he's turning away from the window so that he can move back towards the sofa, "No, it will not be forgotten. And when the time comes for their House to answer for what they have done, we will exact payment tenfold for the trying times they have set upon those of my House. They will lose Stonebridge and be forced back to the Mire and there, we will see them trapped in their swamp."
Large blue eyes followed his return as light snores emitted from the slumbering babe against her shoulder. Once Aleister is seated again she shares, "They, Lady Roslyn, said she will try to negotiate Lord Fenster's release as he should not be here."
Lowering himself down onto the sofa once more, Aleister allows his hands to come to rest in his lap, fingers laced together as he gives a slight lift of his brow, "An interesting choice. Lord Fenster is our vassal, so he belongs where we are. I have little doubt, though, that this is a ploy or a tactic to try and sway the perception of one house in their favor."
"It was not them who suggested it Aleister, I was asked and proposed the Lord Alric should be allowed to tarry a letter to Lord Keegan by my hand." A half smile is visible only for humor, "If he is permitted to do so, Lord Alric has friends outside of Charlton."
A very faint chuckle begins to escape past Aleister's lips as he gives a shrug of his shoulders, "Still, they could very well try and curry favor with House Fenster by doing such a thing. Or, they could demand the letter from Lord Fenster and replace it with one of their own."
"After placing him under arrest? Hardly favors to be granted Aleister. Least of all from Fenster." Remarking on the awkwardness of it all, the lady lowers her eyes along his haggard appearance. "Have you been eating? Sleeping? What had they subjected you to here?"
"You would be surprised, Cherise. A claim of ignorance could be made, as he was housed with the Charltons and his arrest came with ours. Once their error revealed, they set him free with a letter baring news." A lift of his shoulders and he's dropping the subject, "I was fed and given drink, if I wished. Sleep has not yet come, though. Perhaps, later, I will try again." A wry smirk hits his lips before he's murmering, "Questioning for days is what they wished to do to me, my dear."
Frowning the lady reaches her hand across their distanced forms, cupping the side of her husband's face and stroking a thumb along his bristled cheek. "You should sleep. You'll need a well rested mind once they decide on formally addressing the charges."
There's only a slight tilt of Aleister's cheek into the touch of her hand and the stroke of her thumb before he's giving a slight shake of his head, "I will sleep later. I fear I find my mind centered on events with little hope of distraction to ease my thoughts to something else. It will fade, eventually, though."
Listening, Cherise makes a clicking sound with her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "A strained mind will be no use to us." She chides warmly though fully understanding how this situation may keep one at unease. Before withdrawing her hand, she is stroking the side of his face adoringly. "Is there anything I may be able to do?"
A soft laugh sounds past Aleister's lips as he gives a slight shake of his head, lips curved into just the hint of a frown, "No, it does not." His cheek had tilted back into the touch of her hand before it's withdrawn and at the question, his head turns towards her, the touch of a smirk dancing to his lips, "You could, but it would require you to set Aerick down to sleep and then strip off your gown, my dear."
Faint laughter slipped through Cherise's lips, amused but not at all surprised. She stands from sofa, carrying the their young towards the bed provided for Aleister to sleep on. She takes her time to settle Aerick upon the bed while addresses her husband in a coy tone, "We should pray he remains embraced by slumber."
Fin
