Another Eagle |
Summary: | Anais meets Ozric, the latest arrival from Bolland's brood. |
Date: | 29/September/2012 |
Related Logs: | Not particularly |
Players: |
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Roof Terrace - Four Eagles Tower |
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This is open to the air except for the rookery at the opposite end of the open walkway. Parapets and crenellations are about. |
September 29, 289 |
It's past dusk in Terrick's Roost. The sun has set over the water and the moon has risen up to light the stone of the parapets. Normally, there wouldn't be much of anyone up here, save for a few night guards keeping an eye out for bandits or Ironborn. But tonight, Anais has sought some refuge from the deluge of problems that have beset the Roost here, where she can look out over the water and hear the sound of the waves. She's actually claimed a perch in one of the crenellations, leaning back against the stone and dangling one leg over the walkway, the other tucked under herself. Out of sight of most of the population, she's let down a few of her guards, some of the strain showing in her features.
This day has been busy. First a courier arrived for Lord Bolland, and then hours later horsemen arrived as well. Men clad in mail and leather, enough to compliment for a man's lance plus a couple of attendants. Nothing grand-than a knight arriving and with the new family that has been coming in it seemed of no surprise. Indeed no fuss was made when the horses were stowed in the stables and the man himself was scarce at dinner. As it is, he's had time to himself. Leisure to walk around the tower, and find places to hide himself. But, such times are at an end.
Coming up from the steps that curl out into the parapet, can be heard the light scuffle of boots- as a tall enough shadow proceeds the fine stock that comes out into the cool air. Ser Ozric Terrick-had thought himself unique in searching out the roof to hide, but of course he would be wrong. His pale blue eye slinks out to the lone person perched out and not too far away, his own brow raising delicately enough for a man as he takes in this particular bird. However no greeting given as he meanders closer to where Anais is perched. Calloused hands smoothing over the stone as he takes in an easy lean to watch the countryside. And of course, exhale.
At the sound of footsteps, Anais brushes a hand beneath her eyes, tugging at her skirts to make sure nothing unseemly shows before searching out the source. As he approaches, she summons up a small smile, though it doesn't quite have the bravery she might have been hoping for. "You must be Ser Ozric," she greets, tilting her head in a slight, respectful nod. "I do hope you're not wandering up here because no one could manage to remember which room you were to be put in?" she asks, a note of humor in her voice.
A turn of his head and still there is nothing said. Instead the knight is content to stare at the lady for a moment, before a half curl of lips is given in some form of a broken grin. "And you." he pauses, before continuing: "Must be Lady Anais." A nod there before he is clicking his tongue against his teeth. "My cousin would have had the luck to marrying a fine lady." compliment aside the knight merely chuckles and looks back out to the darkness. "My room." he toys with for a moment. "My room was found to me, and I am closer to the top here- this is but an escape from hiding in there." A glance back towards the Lady Terrick. "I do hope the sudden appearance of family hasn't vexed you to the roof?"
"It's not so much the appearance of family as the disappearance," Anais admits, reaching up to flick her bangs away from her eyes in a practiced motion as she looks back out to the water. "But no, I like it up here, actually," she admits. "Since I first came. Closer to the water, which reminds me of home. A bit quieter, yes. But it's not any particular arrival that's sent me up here tonight." She silent for a moment, then laughs softly. "Anais Terrick. That's me. For better or for worse."
Ozric nods, though he doesn't seem to follow that up with anything. How does one say, hey I am sorry that your husband is missing after trying the light approach? So he shall not touch it. Instead he simply looks back. "I would not say it is for worse, lady." a grin there. "You are part of a fine and proud family. But, I will admit my bias in that." And there the knight's face drops just a moment from the grin he was nursing. "Though." coughing lightly. "We are in hard times, it does not diminish the fact I have stated." Perhaps Ozric was not made for talking with women, but he is continuing on. "Has he done this before?" a beat. "Jacsen?"
"What, disappeared?" There's another of those soft, humorless laughs from Anais. "No, he's not done this before. Although, you know, Jaremy did." And we all know how that ended. "And I told Jacsen and Jarod that I was going to be indisposed for a few days, and when I was finished, they should have this all figured out." Her lips curve in a faint smile as she ducks her chin, shaking her head. "Sometimes I think I'm too stubborn for my own good."
"Yes, and he found himself at the wall if I remember. We got the news in the Eyrie-someone sent us a letter. I do not remember who-not much of what happens in the Riverlands concerns the Vale, likewise if we're fighting mountain clans, I doubt it makes a splash here." Ozric says, as he looks back, now pushing away from the crenellation to come and look straight on to the perched woman. "And then he went missing?" a careful question there before he leans into the stone once more-though closer to his married cousin. "Because you remain here? I am sorry if I seem daft in all this. I am not keen on the rumors that swirl here. When I was keen on them, they were mainly of the sort young boys tell as to whom is in trouble and what ladies we might dance with at a holy day's festival. Nothing like who burns when it pisses, or whom is fucking whom as we hear now." A turn of his head back to the water. "I see we came out of the small war just fine." So-he has heard some things.
"I'm not sure about just fine," Anais murmurs, shifting to look back toward the mainland. "But we came out of it. We're in the process of recovering now, thanks to plenty of hard work and careful planning." Quiet, she fiddles with the fabric of her skirt, plucking at a few pieces of embroidery. "I'm sure they'll find Jacsen soon," she says after a moment. "He probably just felt better and decided to go to Seagard to speak with Lord Patrek about aid or something like that."
"You are alive, so fine I would say. We are no poorer from the fight, nor did we lose any men. We might now be in a position to do something, as our neighbors are busy licking their wounds." And there he glances to her hand, before his own is coming out quick to snatch at her skirt and suss it away from her hands. "Don't fidget." though the rebuke seems joking, more than actually meant. Ozric smooths fingers over the bit of fabric snatched before placing his hand at his belt. "Something like that." he repeats, before offering a huff of breath in return.
Anais starts at the touch, stiffening in surprise. Perched as she is, there's nowhere to run, but after the initial start, she doesn't try to move any further away. For just a moment, it looks like she might start fidgeting again before she instead laces her fingers over her knee, carefully still. "I'm glad to have your father here, though," she offers before the silence can stretch too far. "And the rest of your family, of course. There's been more than we few could hope to deal with of late."
The lone eye keeps it's watch which is probably enough to cause anyone to fidget or look away. However the knight merely nods and looks back towards the tower for the moment. Though that admission gets a look back. "Are you? Have you known him long?" a tease there, but there is no smile to betray that. Or so Ozric allows for now before he is chuckling. "I was surprised when I heard he was coming, and that he sent for me. I remember when we left. It was not under kind pretenses." a scratch of his chin. "However, I imagine his Lordship is losing his pride as his mouths go hungry."
Anais laughs shortly. "You'd imagine incorrectly," she replies, rueful. "It's been all I could do to get him to bend enough to keep us from starving any faster. Which is why I'm glad to see someone who has more freedom to stand up to him is here now. I can't make him listen to me. I'm hopeful your father will be able to." She doesn't seem disconcerted by his gaze, holding up steadily beneath it. "I'm afraid I only met him at his arrival, but I've learned to cling to what hope I can."
"Then tell me what I should imagine?" Ozric replies, with a faint narrowing of his eye. "I do not know the entire situation we find ourselves in. But, if my father saw need to come here after what disgrace he suffered from his elder brother, I can only imagine how desperate things are." Crossing his arms over his chest, the lone knight finally relents in his staring and does look away, or rather doesn't look as severely as he was before.
"How desperate things were," Anais corrects, gentle but firm. "We were down to about a month or two of short rations left when I arranged the accord with the Charltons. Now things are better. Rebuilding continues, and the threat of starvation hangs less heavily over our heads. There may be tales of bandits on the roads, but we've killed a great number of them."
"Were." Ozric relents there. "So we were close to starvation, and by wrangling the Charlton Accord, you were able to get some food and thus keep from drowning in empty bellies. Such things can bring on rebellions or worse." A shrug there. "Bandits will always be where need is the most-that is known." a sigh there. "Still we did sit in an awkward position. Our neighbors fighting-all well we stayed far from it. Though now we will need to navigate carefully."
"We will," Anais agrees quietly, dipping her chin in a nod. "But at least we are here to navigate." In a smooth movement, she swings both legs over the edge to the walkway, slipping down from the stone. "I should be going back to my room," she murmurs, smoothing a hand over her skirts. "But I am certain I shall see you again."
"You will." Ozric echoes back as for seeing him again. There is a brief nod, as he moves to allow her to slip past and on towards the steps that lead down. "Sleep well, Lady." he offers once her back is to him, and he goes back to looking over his new home.