| Fact Finding |
| Summary: | Faline summons Mortimer to inquire about things past. |
| Date: | 14/Jan/2012 |
| Related Logs: | Nothing specific |
| Players: |
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| Throne Room, Four Eagles Tower |
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| Great pillars rise above the occupants of the room, the ceiling arching across the structural supports in a lovely feat of construction. The north and south walls have expansive windows that filter in sunshine during the day while ornately designed torches provide light at night. The room is large enough to host a great feast for quite a number of people but the tables are typically kept elsewhere. The Lord's Throne is at the west end of the room on a dais with a high, circular window that brings in the setting sun with the late afternoons. |
| Mon Jan 14, 290 |
At one of the long tables Faline was seated on one side with a servant of the keep on the other, though standing. Between them a square board rested with Cyvasse pieces organized atop of it. The young Terrick female was chewing on her lower lip, fretting over the next move. After some lengthy moments she knocked the pieces away, sending them to scatter about the floor. "Who came up with this? This isn't fun."
It's not terribly often that Mortimer gets a direct summons from the tower and since he'd been engaged in nothing more immediately urgent than a steady patrol of the market to keep an eye out for pickpockets and the like it only takes the time for the messenger to find him before he's on his way to answering it. Having been lead by said messenger to the doors of the throne room he takes a habitual moment to straighten up a bit and dust off before stepping into the large chamber. Faline is easy enough to spot as he manages to time his arrival to coincide perfectly with the scattering of the pieces and making his way over he offers a polite bow in greeting and a "m'Lady" before bending to help collect the scattered objects.
Faline lifts her gaze from the kneeling servant, retrieving the discarded pieces from the mentally challenging game. "Oh Deputy, wonderful." She greets while making no effort herself to clean up the items. "You appear to be healing nicely. Have you returned fully to your duties?"
Mortimer collects the pieces that are within reach then stands once more and moves forward a pace to set them down on the table near the board. "There an' there-abous m'Lady," he answers with a quick flex of the fingers, "lost a bit of strength but nothing a bit of practice won't get back or so I'm told." As soon as he heard to summons was from Faline he had a fair idea what this was about, but that question confirms it in his mind clear enough. Still, wouldn't do to openly assume he knows a lady's mind so he lets Faline broach the underlying subject however she wills.
With no concern for the game board and its pieces, she smiles a little as Mortimer confirms his progress. "You'll need it, to keep up with that boy of yours. He is what, two perhaps? A little less?"
It's always a little awkward, having to correct a noble, but at least something like theage of his son shouldn't ruffle feathers too much and so he answers dutifully, "six m'Lady. He was born during King Robert's war."
Proof to her ignorance of children the woman laughs to herself. "Six, how lovely." Mistake made then Faline moved on to ask, "What is his name?"
Mortimer seems to relax just a fraction at Faline's response to the correction, almost as he'd half been expecting something more highly strung. As a parent though, one thing he can do is talk for hours about his issue, "Jerold m'Lady, after your Lord Father's brother. His sister was Evangeline, but we lost her last year. The wife named 'em, while I was away fighting." Not that he seems to object to the names mind.
How she felt about that particular name Faline maintained a pleasant mein. "I remember Evangeline, a little. She was tall then." Perhaps not so much now, while seated, the Terrick female laid both hands atop of her skirts. "What was it like then? Before we arrived? You may speak plainly Deputy."
Mortimer can't claim to have known the ex-Lady of the Roost well, no more than a face and a voice about the keep really, so he refrains from comment on that point and instead moves on to answer the actual questions posed. "It was.. difficult m'Lady. THe Ironborn left us in trying circumstances, but we had faith in your Lord Uncle and he saw us through."
"If there is anything I've learned of my family we always persevere in the darkest hours." She comments, smiling a little while reciting the oh so familiar words. "But I heard he was seldom witnessed beyond his chamber door. With Evangeline passing."
Mortimer nods in silent agreement at the first statement, it's pretty much how he sees it, he probably couldn't have put it better in fact. As for the second, that draws a faintly reluctant confession. "You'd have to ask those who were about the keep for the details m'Lady. 'Fraid I was kept busy with things in town and the surroundings. We had bandits that had been taking advantage of the war and I was spending aiding Lord Justin in tracking them down, and seeing to the minor disputes and disagreements that arose during the rebuilding."
"I shall, in time." Faline then stands upright, abandoning her game of Cyvasse. "I need you to prepare proper escort for my sister and I, to the Ashwood's lands. We wish to pay our respects to those that remain." Even though she knew very little of that family. "See that we are to set out tomorrow."
"I will ensure the Captain of the Guard knows," Mortimer replies with a nod of acknowledgement. Ordering about the garrison being the other man's job, not his. Assuming that her standing up is a signal of imminent departure he takes a half step back and offers a bow, followed by a "good day m'Lady." He's a bit surprised that that seems to be it, but then it's not for him to question why.
