| Considerations |
| Summary: | Jerold and Liliana discuss the possible future. |
| Date: | 16/12/2011 |
| Related Logs: | None, really, yet. |
| Players: |
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| Reading Room — Four Eagles Tower |
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| The room has a large glass window and seat that looks out partially over the cove, in daylight hours the sun provides illumination to the room. Other stools and chairs linger in small groups as shelves along the walls are littered with scrolls, books, letters and documents. The contents are a modest collection of local records, histories, and literature offered to both the family and guests of Four Eagles Tower. |
| 16 Dec, 288 AL |
A light rain is falling outside, the skies still rather bright despite the mild cloudburst. It has been decided that the weather makes for a fine time to speak with his ward, and Jerold has requested Liliana join him in the reading room, where the rain is barely audible striking against the lead-paned glass of the reading room window.
It seems Liliana has been out of the hall as much as she's been in it, these last few weeks, following here and there to keep an eye, as she can, on the Roost's Ironborn guest. Certainly she has not be able to dog the woman's steps, but she's done what she can, tucking away what information she's gathered for when her Lord might ask for it. And perhaps now, he has, as she's summoned, and taking the time to prepare herself, rather than rushing up from the kitchens all smudged, it's a few minutes before Liliana knocks politely at the door to the reading room, to announce herself, "My Lord?"
"Liliana, do come in," Jerold voices in return, looking up from his favorite seat beside to widow, and drawing a ribbon across the page of whichever book he was in the midst of when the knocks came. Setting the volume on a nearby end table, he turns his regard to his ward. Perhaps it is just the lighting, but Jerold's dark hair does seem to reflect more grey than it had mere months ago. A brief smile brings out the wrinkles at his eyes, as he bids Lili, "Be seated. I trust your journey to Tall Oaks was pleasant?"
Liliana does as she's bid, lifting her skirts to make the journey through the room as quiet as possible. Even when people are in the room, it seems a shame to disturb the stillness. She matches her pace to Jerold's movements, waiting until he's ready to recieve her to approach close enough to sit not far from him, in the seat closest to where he has arranged himself, "Time passes and so many things change. Tall Oaks…seems to stay the same somehow. It was good to see it again. But I am not the same, I think. Nor you, Papa. But your smile is as I remember. And I am glad to be home."
"So much does change, it is truly rare to find a place which time seems to leave alone," Jerold observes, with a wry sniff, and short return of his smile. "But you are correct, Liliana. You have changed and grown," he notes with a slowly drawn breath as he regards the young woman. "Though you are a Camden by blood, and a Terrick by sentiment, the time is soon coming, my dear, in which you must take a third family: your own. I would ask, what thought have you given to marriage?"
Liliana settles easily into her chair, sorting her skirts into smoothness, hands folded in her lap. Eli, ever watchful, but respectful of her place, settles at one of the far tables to flip through the books she's slowly learning to read better day by day. "I know that you would be welcome there. I, I know the business of the Roost seems endless, but, if you and the Lady Evangeline ever wished for peace and some quiet from so much activity and some time for yourselves, my mother and father would be glad to receive you." Tall Oaks, is as it has always been, a sanctuary of sorts. But as the question turns to another topic, she pauses, considering, "I have always known that it was my duty, and I am glad to do it, and tried to learn to be the sort of woman that might make a suitable wife, if the time should come, but I have never…been given to daydreams of whom I might wish for. That is not for me to decide. But I have thought, on occasion of what qualities I might find pleasing in a husband."
"a most proper and inoffensive answer, Liliana," Jerold commends with a slow nod and knowing cast to his smile. "But do tell, what qualities would you find most pleasing in the man you would marry?" the Lord of the Roost wonders.
"I do not know what other answer I could give. I know nothing of the love that men and women feel for each other, such as I have seen between yourself and your Lady wife, nor between my parents, nor that I recall, have I ever pined for a boy as I have seen some girls do. I suppose, I always felt it was better not to set my heart on something, when it was not mine to have and might never be." But Liliana takes her time considering the question, "I would wish for him to be intelligent, and quick witted, kind and generous. Compassionate. Brave, but without that streak of bravado that…I have often seen. I would wish for someone who would be my friend, as well as my husband. Someone who might come to care for me as more than the bearer of his children, as I would hope to care for him more than as my lord husband."
Jerold nods alowly at Liliana's answer. "A wise response. Yet I well know how difficult a thing it is to bring forth friendship from those who are not well known. Though many of our station are compelled to marriage for diplomatic cause, you may be fortunate enough to have a hand in the selection of your own husband. I do not require an answer of you this day, Liliana, but I wish you to consider which gentlemen might be of sufficient quality to earn your trust and recive your devotion."
"I am afraid that I may not be able to give you such an answer, Papa. I do not know many men besides the men of my family and yours. Not that are not common born, or are not already married. I have spent all of my life at the Oaks, or here in the Roost, and the faces do not change. Only in recent days have new faces come to meet us, with the arrival of the war galley and the Young Lord Patrek's retinue. And the Young Lord is only a child, though I have had opportunity meet Lord Ser Mallister, and he seems very much like his Lord Cousin. If I must choose someone that I know, I fear I must either choose someone common born but of good quality, such as your son Jarod," though she says that as logically as she says anything, with no trace of anything approaching affection for the idea, "or must choose someone who is out of my reach, such as the Lord Mallister, and have my choice be for naught. But if you ask it of me, I will consider it."
"I would ask you to consider it, Liliana," Jerold answers with a slow nod. "It is not your lot to make inquiry or proposal, of course. Knowing that your heart is not given, I will consider which match is best suited to you, and make discreet inquiry in a manner which offers no emberassment or shame to you, my dear."
A single nod, acquiescence, from the girl, still seated across from the Lord of the Roost, "Then I will do what you ask, but I will trust you in this, as I have trusted you in all the aspects of my life, since you took me into your home and your heart. I have always hoped to be able to do my duty to Camden and Terrick in this way, though it has always seemed rather unlikely, and if the Gods grant, it will be so. But if they choose otherwise, I will not think poorly of them, or of you."
"Liliana you are kind to say so, although trust in the Seven cannot be misplaced," Jerold notes with a quiet shuckle stirring his throat. "You have grown into an admirable young woman, I look forward to seeing the quality of your family, and wish you to know that your welcome in this tower and this family is not lost with marriage."
"You are a good man, Papa, the best of men. My trust in you would never be misplaced. Or unwarranted. And though we can trust in the Gods, they will always do as they will, whether it falls in line with our will or no." A shake of her head, and that soft humour that shows more often than not, "I shall hope for the very best, and that they should not follow so closely in my younger footsteps." And more seriously, but still warm with affection, "Nor your place, and that of your family, in my heart, as close to me as my blood, if I should leave, either to my own home, or back to the Oaks." A smile then, "Shall I leave you to your reading then? or is there some other need you have of me that I might do?"
"Have you had opportunity to visit the perches since your return? The falconer has just begun training several of broadwing hatchlings, and they are showing remarkable promise, I'm told," Jerold queries, well remembering his ward's fondness for hawking. Quite clearly he has no more immediate business to discuss with Liliana.
"I have not." Having only just returned from Tall oaks in the early hours of the morning, "With your leave, I will go and see them. And visit with Parand. She is getting terribly irritable that I have not taken her out to fly for some time now." Liliana's hands settle on her skirts, "Thank you, my Lord." And though it's said with as much fondness as 'papa', there's no doubt that Liliana's fondness, as ever, is tempered with respect and obedience.
"They are in the mews, in the usual place," Jerold notes in perhaps unneccessary direction to his ward. "You are quite welcome, Liliana. A good day, and may the skies clear in time for you to enjoy it further," he wishes her in parting.
