| Fun and Games |
| Summary: | The Terricks boys and girl, along with the Dornish foodtaster, do not at all act their ages on Mischief Night. Which is probably best for all concerned. |
| Date: | 02/12/2011 |
| Related Logs: | More Games, Less Fun directly follows this scene |
| 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. |
| Fri Dec 02, 288 |
The summer sun has not long since dipped below the horizon, the cape shrouded in a fast-fading dusklight with no sign of the moon. As Mischief Night begins, there is something of an electric energy in the air, and atop the Terrick's keep stands a lady and her maid. Both the girls' dark hair is loosed for the gentle breeze to tickle, one a tumble of long, dark curls, the other pin-straight and flyaway. They stand at the parapet wall, the tilt of their heads suggesting a conversation underway, but no such sound carrying. Lucienne and Celine share a conspiratorial smile, before turning their collective gaze back down to the courtyard below.
Jarod is, unlike in past years, not completely disappeared from the tower on Mischief Night. He's still dressed for guard duty, in fact, as he strides up to the roof terrace. Perhaps to catch the last of the day's light. He doesn't notice the girls right away, but his heavy footfalls aren't exactly stealthy, so he may get himself noticed first.
It is they first Mischief's Night that Jacsen has spent at home in many years, and while he could always be counted upon to engage in some sort of hilarious behavior, recounting it to his brothers and anyone else whom would listen on the morrow. More often than not he saw his backside tanned for it, but he never counted it an unfair trade. But much has changed since then, and this evening, as daylight dies crashing against the Four Eagles Tower, Jacsen makes his way up to the rooftop with the exotically garbed Avinashi upon one arm, and his cane held in the other.
Perhaps Celine is sharper than her lady; perhaps Lucienne assumes her handmaid will be aware enough of their surroundings for them both. Whatever the case, it is the brunette with the straight, wispy hair whose attention Jarod draws whilst his sister continues her study of the goings on below. "My lady," she says softly, nudging Lucienne gently and again as another pair appear on the rooftop. "Hmm?" Luci is hard to distract, apparently.
"What in seven hells is going on down there?" Jarod asks, heading over to the parapet to have a look down in the courtyard for himself. A beat later he remembers to add a greeting. "Good eve, Luci. Mistress." He does not spend much time squinting down at the courtyard, however. Jacsen's entrance, with Avinashi, distracts him. "Good eve all around, come to it." His eyes settle on Avinashi, expression thoughtful. He is working up something to say, though it's unclear precisely what.
"Oh, good, it's the whole lot of you," Jacsen says with a small smile as he spots his siblings up upon the very same rooftop he and the food taster have just stepped on to, and of course he draws Avinashi along with him in their direction. "Making good use of the night, Enne?" he wonders, his smile only polite for Celine. "You Jarod, not so much?"
Avinashi walks alongside Jacsen, anklets chiming faintly, the pale threads amid her darker silks glinting in the dim light. "My lady," she greets Lucienne, "Ser Jarod." She blinks at the bastard knight for a moment, perhaps taking in the odd half-and-half coloring of his face. "Ah. You inspected the watchtowers, then."
"Oh," says Lucienne at the sound of familiar voices, shifting her attention up from a group of children who're assembling near the stables. Celine offers the courtesy of a deep and deferent curtsy to each of the arrivals in turn, edging in a little closer to her lady where her predecessor might have stepped away. "Jarod! And Miss Avinashi, and Jacsen," replies the Terrick girl with a wry smile. "Not I," she insists to the last, "But some lads below might be."
"I'm manning my wall, little brother," Jarod replies dryly to Jacsen. "Not much in the mood for Stranger festivities this year. I figure I will head into town, though. There's always a good bit of weird that gets out of hand this time of year, the sheriff'll be happy to have an extra hand with it." Though Avinashi's question actually gets a smile out of him. "Aye." Again, he looks at her as if there's something he very much wants to stay. But, instead, he just says, "Thanks for that, by the by." And launches himself forward and tries to hug her.
"Oh, it's little brother tonight, is it? You're in quit-" Whatever else Jacsen might thought to have said is, at that moment, rather forgotten as his brother surges forward to hug the woman upon his arm. It's all he can do to step out of the way, and laugh a bit, despite his puzzled expression.
Avinashi's eyes widen in surprise just before she finds herself caught up in an unexpected hug. "I… well…" the slight woman murmurs, her words a bit muffled by Jarod's shirt. Dusky hands pat-pat at his back as she waits to be released again. "I'm pleased I could be a help you you, ser."
Lucienne blinks in surprise at Jarod's embrace of the Dornish girl, sharing a giggle with Jacsen and shrugging her shoulders in a questioning gesture: any idea what this is about?
Jarod completes his hug by picking Avinashi up by the waist and twirling her, just a little. Enough to make her bangles jingle, at least. Then he sets her down.
To his siblings, Jarod just grins, though Jacsen does get a wink. He's not going to explain just now, apparently.
Then neither is she, though there's a small, surprised yelp from the Dornish girl for being lifted and spun. She lands lightly on her feet and eases a step back, hands smoothing her silks back down to rights. Clearing her throat, she peers over at Lucienne. "Boys my the stables did you say, my lady?"
Jacsen shakes his head at Lucienne. "I don't have the faintest…" His brows both rise when Jarod winks at him like that, but he knows better than to press upon the matter when neither of them seem inclined to speak on it just now. "This what you were wanting to talk about last evening…?"
… he asks of his brother.
Secrets, now? Lucienne's brow creases as Jacsen admits no knowledge, but she allows Avinashi to distract her with a question. Dark eyes swing another glace over the courtyard in the fading light, and she reports: "Around six of them, all huddled in tight and jostling each other. Celine's own sharp gaze rests upon the Captain of the Guard, quietly taking his measure.
"It'll keep, no worries," Jarod replies to Jacsen. "We do owe each other a drink or several rather badly, though, I think." Pivoting and going to lean by the wall. "Aye. Boys. What are they doing down there, Luci?" He perhaps notes Celine taking his measure, because he looks up and turns to eye her in kind.
"Trouble, quite likely," Avinashi muses. "This is the eve for it, is it not? When your Stranger goes away?" She bliks down at the boys in the courtyard, thoughtful. "I do not suppose anybody has any thin skins of water? That would scatter them nicely, I should think."
Jacsen shakes his head, "I've nothing," he concedes. Though he is not long in glancing over at Lucienne's maid, his brow arching as he looks at his sister, and then Celine. "I don't suppose you might have any such…?" And if he is subtly indicating that they could send her to fetch some, well, he's not going to say it out loud.
"You'd know better than I," Lucienne tells Jarod with the barest hint of a smirk. "I've never been a boy of… what do you think, ten, eleven? No more than eleven, surely. That small one looks barely five." The handmaiden holds her ground under the boys' scrutiny, lifting her chin and refusing any turn of expression either side of politely sober. "Celine, might you be so kind?" As her lady wishes, she takes her leave to complete Jacsen's bidding, but not without narrowing her eyes at the Young Lord.
"Ha ha ha!" Jarod bobs on his heels, enthusiastic about the prospect of throwing random things off the parapet. He right beams at Lucienne. "Ten, I'd think. About the same age we were when we first started getting up to anything half-way interesting on these nights." That to Jacsen, with a conspiratorial grin. "If nothing else, I bet my aim's gotten better than the last time we threw stuff off of here together."
"Let's not, please, brain them," Avinashi notes at the sudden, great eagerness for launching things at young children. Even if it was her idea in the first place. "A good soaking was all I had considered necessary."
Jacsen takes a few steps towards the parapet, sending a sidelong glance at his enthusiastic brother. "It's been some time, but I'm certain we might soak them well enough," he agrees, willing to share a grin, one that is shot over his shoulder at Avinashi. "You needn't worry, my brother is too tender-hearted for that." He laughs a short one, and glances over the horizon. "Now the small folk in the Mire? They, I more sympathetic towards."
Lucienne watches her handmaid go, smiling a pleased little expression to herself. Once the taller girl is out of sight, she shakes her head and admits, "I doubt I could even throw that far, Miss Avinashi. I'd be surprised if these two ruffians could, either."
"Tender-heart this," Jarod retorts to Jacsen, with a lewd hand-gesture. He doesn't even apologize for doing it in front of the girls. "Perhaps, little brother, just perhaps, I'm getting rather tired of being good." He cracks his knuckles. Though he does add to Avinashi, "Don't worry. We're not going to brain the poor lads." He's not quite up to child-braining yet. Perhaps in the months to come.
It's good to have something to aspire to, at least. Avinashi peers down at the boys below, smiling faintly for that assurance. "Good," she approves with a chuckle. "That should go a bit beyond mischief."
Jacsen smirks at his brother's gesture, and shakes his head. "Keep this 'little brother' routine up and we'll see what else we can make you tired of…" It's a threat without teeth, as he's rather good humored so far as can be told. If the shift in his brother's demeanor concerns him beyond that, it does not show. "Shall you join in the tossing, Enne?"
"Jarod!" Lucienne gasps, taken aback by his crass behaviour. She swats at the offending hand, blushing fiercely. "That's quite enough of that, thankyou!" She answers Jacsen with a shake of her head. "Gracious, no. With my skill, I'd likely hit Lord Jerold on his way up the steps instead. I'll let you boys have the fun this time."
Oh, and I suppose Celine should probably come back at some point. LIKE NOW. All tall and self-important with a tray of some odd-looking, thin-walled skins of water, probably acquired from mischievous Maester Constantine.
Jarod seems to actually be enjoying himself for the first time in a measurable while, funny as his demeanor might be in some respects. He swats Lucienne's hand playfully in return when she swats him, laughing. "Oh, come on, Luci! You can't just sit back and let us play. You'll be forgiven, wherever it lands. Stranger's looking the other way, y'know? I'll show you how to throw. It's not that hard from this high up." He picks up a skin, but hands it toward his sister rather than preparing to chuck it himself. "Your arms don't need to be that big. I bet Miss Avinashi can do it real fine."
<FS3> Avinashi rolls Marksmanship: Good Success.
<FS3> Lucienne rolls Marksmanship: Failure.
<FS3> Jacsen rolls Marksmanship: Good Success.
<FS3> Jarod rolls Marksmanship: Good Success.
"Well, now," Mistress Avinashi says, considering the oddly-shaped lumps before picking one up to tilt it slowly and listen to it slosh. "I suppose we shall quickly find out." She walks to the edge of the roof, leaning forward a little before lauching her waterskin into the night and towards the cluster of potentially troublesome children.
"Jarod's right, come on, it'll be fun!" Jacsen insists, scooping up a waterskin, even giving Celine a genuine smile of appreciation before he turns and follows Avinashi's example by tossing his skin into the air and towards the small group of children with a reasonable bit of aim.
Reluctantly, Lucienne plucks a skin from the tray. "This is not going to end well," she prophesies, sending a look down to the children below. One skin bursts at their feet, another hits a boy in the knee, and Lucienne arches her arm back to launch her skin…
Only to squeeze too hard as she curves her forearm over, the skin of water exploding above her head with a splattering splash. One lady, drenched, squeals shrilly.
Jarod is on hand to gallantly demonstrate to his sister how to throw water balloons at children, so he's standing right next to her and gesturing with his own. "You want to draw your arm back, straight, so you're sort of pushing it off…" His lesson ends abruptly when Lucienne's skin explodes. And, since he's right next to her, he gets splattered as well. "Seven hells!" He just lets his own balloon fly rather randomly in surprise, but he's a big guy who knows how to throw things at other things, and it generally goes toward the children. He looks at Lucienne, snorting, plainly trying very, very hard not to bust out laughing. From the look of him, it's a losing battle.
"Oh gracious," Avinashi murmurs, pressing a hand to her lips as Lucienne makes a little one-second waterfall above her head. "Oh dear, my lady…" she presses her lips together, golden eyes bright and mirthful and she, too, does her best to keep a straight face.
"Oh!" Jacsen startles with laughter that is quickly restrained at the burst of water above his sister's head. "Oh Enne!" He barely takes time to notice the shouts of the children below or how they might scamper off being so pelted from above. "Not quite the mischief we had in mind, dearest," he points out with a mostly straight face.
Droplets of water drip from the ends of her sopping, shiny curls, and the bodice of Lucienne's dress is soaked, water fast wicking down her skirt. Celine looks horrified, and for a moment, so does her lady… until she opens her tightly shut eyes upon Jarod, and sees her half-brother managed not to escape the mishap. Her shoulders start to shake, her hand still frozen in the air where the skin had burst, and rather than cry, Lucienne lets out torrent of giggles.
Jarod just lets himself go at that, slumping to lean against the wall as he falls into deep chuckles. For a moment, he can't do anything but that, grinning as he laughs with Little Luci. As well as at her. Mostly with.
Avinashi bites her bottom lip before looking over at Celine and suggesting gently, ans still around a smile, "Some towels, if you please, miss. And a warm blanket for the lady."
"Thank you, miss," Jacsen adds to Celine when the request is made by Avinashi, at once a polite gesture and one that ensures there is no mistaking that the woman's request should be taken with the utmost sincerity.
Celine obliges, springing into action and scurrying off toward the stairs with her tray. Lucienne just continues with her fit of giggles. "Oh," she says, quite breathless. "Oh! That was your fault, Buttons! Or yours," she levels the accusation on Jacsen with a grin.
"Why is it women always blame me for everything?" Jarod asks Jacsen, spreading out his hands in a properly theatrical 'Why?' gesture.
"DO not answer that question, my lord," Avinashi advises with a laugh. "That is a barbed question if ever there was one."
"Oh, for certain," Jacsen remarks at Avinashi, "I am just not quite certain it was a barb directed in my direction?" His lips quirk with some humor, giving his sister a warm laugh. "Mischief indeed, dearest Enne. You've quite made the evening, now!"
Lucienne starts to gather up her hair to wring out its lengths. Then she flicks her hands at Jarod, spraying little droplets in his direction. "Because we're evil, evil creatures, Jarod, and you're an easy target," she answers boldly. "I should go change. I think you're right, my dearest Jace, but this is by far enough mischief for one lady."
"You're not evil to me, Little Luci!" Jarod exclaims, reaching out to catch her in a hug before she goes. Water and all. He looks between her and Jacsen, still grinning. "I don't know what I'd do without the pair of you. I ever say that?"
"Certainly, throw fewer things off of rooftops," Avinashi opines, bemusedly. "May I walk back with you, my lady, that we might leave these men to consider further mayhem for the coming night?"
Jacsen chuckles at his brother's last, the lord angling a hip against the parapet that he might better face the rest, even if his sister and food taster both seem set to depart. "I suppose I'll share a few minutes with my brother, then," he remarks, sending a glance in Jarod's direction. "I'm certain we can work something out, betwixt the both of us."
"Often," Lucienne informs Jarod wryly as she returns his hug, "Though I never tire of hearing it." Once released, she offers the Dornish girl a grateful nod. "Thankyou, I'd appreciate that, Miss Avinashi. I want no part in anymore of their shenannigans! Shall we?" Her eyes shine despite the dull light of dusk, and she gestures towards the stairs before departing. "Good eve, my beloved brothers."
Lucienne does not trip down the stairs.
SEE? DIGNIFIED!
"Good eve, Luci," Jarod says, going to lean against the terrace wall. He's up to lingering for a time, apparently. "And Miss Avinashi…thanks again. Good stuff." He leaves it at that, while the girls exit.
