| Gate Keeper of the Skies |
| Summary: | Riordan seeks out Cherise, to ask her to pass on a message. |
| Date: | 01/05/2012 |
| Related Logs: | Lots. Danae/Riordan logs most especially. |
| Players: |
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| Guest Suite |
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| A modest room but with a large high bed that is set with four posts in rich mahogany. A blue rectangular rug is angled in the center of the room. A chest for storing the visitor's goods is at the foot of the bed and a grey blue cover settles over the bed. A hearth to the right of the windows which rests between it and the bed is done over with a iron screen meant to be removed when in use. A pair of chairs rest near the window and about a small circular table set with a candle. On the same wall as the door rests a low chest of drawers, a basin for water and a few wooden mugs rest there for use. |
| Mon April 30, 289 |
The Charltons still remained the Nayland's guests, even though from recent events there had become a publicized split in the household. Husband and wife departed for their own paths as Cherise returned to the tower only to oversee her belongings being packed away once returning from the Town square. Gossip may travel faster than her slippered feet may carry her for once she was there two out of four handmaidens relayed some of the whispers gained from a few Nayland retainers. Cherise entertained none of it in her beeline course straight to retrieve her son from the Septa Enya's arms.
The sound of booted feet on stone heralds the arrival of a man outside the guest quarter's reserved for the Lady Cherise. Riordan Nayland will make his presence known by knocking on the door, and inquiring with the servant who answers if he might speak with Lady Charlton. He himself does not have any escort with him, and waits alone outside the door, hands folded behind his back. His expression is rather guarded and closed off, definately not a usual look for him.
Darra, a young bird nosed thing with a freckled face and wheat like copper hair would open the door. Instantly preforming a practiced greeting at his recognition who then moved to inform the Lady Charlton of his arrival. With the young Aerick cradled in her arms, she turned a pair of large blue eyes over the shoulder at first, catching his sight through the doorway. "Lord Regent." The lady greeted him pleasantly, bringing her visage to soon face him entirely and preform a muted curtsy. Her arms were otherwise occupied. The other females within awarded the lord his due as Cherise spoke. "Such a surprise to see you." She admits as another trunk is lifted by a pair of Charlton guards, her own, starting to depart for their new location.
"My lady Charlton," Riordan replies, his tone distracted at best, even as he moves out of the way to allow the guards to move past him with their cargo. "I had heard that you were leaving our hospitality. I am sorry to hear that for once, the rumors were true. Please be assured that you are always welcome here." He pauses, his jaw shifting as he studies the new mother and her infant son. "I would not take up too much of your time, but I have a matter of descretion to discuss with you, if you might speak to me privily."
"Temporarily m'lord Regent." She seeks to assure him while physically consoling the near slumbering infant. "I am grateful for such an invitation, House Nayland has ever been kind during my residency here." But at his request for a bit of privacy the Lady turned her eyes to the Septa before glancing looking to the all the others. The command relayed to award the "pair" some privacy, among a slumbering baby and a devout Septa. After a bit of shuffling from the others, Cherise muted the space between she and the follower of the Mother, carefully handing the woman the exchange of her child for a bit of maneuvering freedom. Septa Enya and the child meandered off into a far corner of the room, near the sleeping chamber without leaving the Lady Charlton's eyesight. With as much privacy as she would allow she made a gesture for a nearby chair, although in his home, it was a strange thing to do. "Please m'lord Regent, for you I would have all the time in the world. My trunks will not grow impatient with me. Please, sit."
Riordan inclines his head to Cherise's pleasantries, and even manages a semblance of his normally boyish and infectious smile - but it simply does not quite reach the eyes, and has a strained nature about it. "I look forward to your return, then," he says, politely. He will wait for what privacy can be afforded them, and will move to sit only once Cherise has. "Please forgive me, my lady, for broaching subjects best left unbroached, especially at such a time. I would not normally approach a lady so recently become a mother with this, however… times such as these demand actions of all of us that we might otherwise avoid." He takes a breath, his tone resting at a murmur so as to take advantage of their privacy and ensure that only the Lady hears what he has to say. "Despite some of the other reactions of your birth family, if the rumors hold other grains of truth, I think it safe to say you still hold true to your familial bounds with Lady Danae. Is this assumption accurate?" His gaze holds Cherise's, his dark eyes weighing her reaction to his words, and her expression when she next speaks.
The corners of the lady's painted lips deepened as she lowered both hands, atop of one another, before her abdomen on her way to the chair opposite of Riodane's appointed seat. Her frame sinks into the seated comforts, making only a few minor adjustments to her appearance before she is set to listen for the Regent's visit. "There is nothing to forgive." Although her brows raise at his inquiry but the presence of amusement still deepens in her plumped cheeks. "I do." She tells him, lowering her lashes as if something took her interest upon her chair's arm before large blue eyes return their focus onto him. "As so long as my duty to my maiden family does not pose a risk to my present lording house." There's a soft cry from Aerick from over her shoulder, the Lady mutely inclines her head in that particular direction until his displeasures are hushed by a teasing finger against his lips. "The proclaimation had taken many of those from House Westerling by surprise, as it did for those in your House as well Lord Regent."
There is a light tensing in his jaw as Cherise speaks of the 'proclaimation'. Slow to respond, he eventually says, rather neutrally, "Indeed." Riordan continues to study the lady for a moment longer, and then speaks further. Again, his words are soft, and as lacking emotion as he can make them - but there is a noticeable amount of strain, both in his tone and his body as he speaks on this matter. "Since it seems you will be seeing your cousin soon, I would request that you give her a message for me."
Cherise had schooled her features to become a bit neutral against the frown that had slightly formed, causing her eyes to look elsewhere in the moment before they could look upon him again. "I will be residing with her for a brief amount of time, during this time of loss for her Lord Regent." She motions gracefully with her head and chin, "Both Aerick and I." Obviously her son. "I would deliver any message you wish."
If anything, Cherise's further words seem to strain Riordan's features further, and he delays a response with another clenching of his jaw. When he speaks, however, it is with a continued even and soft tone. "Thank you. I would have you tell her that I wish to speak with her, privately. I care not where, but it must be soon. I will be leaving for the Mire soon, and before I speak to my Lord Father on all that I know, I… would speak to her," Riordan says, the first words coming across strong and concise as most, and yet… the last is repeated somewhat lamely. He averts his gaze for a moment, then simply adds, "Please tell her."
The length of time it may take for Cherise to agree was well over due. She considered his reaction to everything regarding this 'marriage' between the Bastard and her kin. The Lady Charlton begins to open her mouth but closes it, catching her own words only to try again. "If I may ask m'lord. Is this wise?" There's only a pause before she adds. "I have the greatest concerns for my cousin, now more than ever. I say this only because I have seen her present state and I know not if your presence will heal or further push her into dismay." The lady cants her head to the side a little as if searching for Riordan's eyes.
Turning back to look at Lady Cherise, the Lord Regent meets her gaze with quite brown ones. Quite only because whatever is behind them is so tightly restrained, that all is revealed is a great deal of tension. "I do not know if it is wise or not," he says, simply. "I no longer know… what my presence will mean to her." These words seem to pain him more then anything either of them have said until now, but he masks it as much as he is able, and continues on. "Regardless, I have my duty. For…" He cuts off his next words as he continues to study the Lady Charlton. A thousand thoughts seeming to run through his head as he hold's the woman's gaze, before he continues. "For what was between us, I would speak to her before I carry out that duty. It will not wait. So this must happen now, or the chance will be gone."
She cannot hide the sympathy behind her eyes. Given into moments of averting her gaze toward her slumber Aerick, how convenient. "As the ba-Lord Gedeon Tordane's widow, she will have her duties." Cherise tells him just before raising a graceful hand to clear her throat. "I will relay the message to you lord Regent, though I do not wish to give you hope when and if there is none."
"Do not use that name in my presence," Riordan says, his eyes suddenly alight with pure rage. He manages to keep his tone under control, but only just, the words quietly spoken yet still coming out like a whip cracking. And though the rage itself is not directed at the lady, the words are. Riordan remains silent for a moment, getting his anger under control. "I apologize. Just… don't." Riordan takes a breath after finally speaking again, and continues. "If you love her, as I do, you will convince her. I want her to survive this, and thrive, and her path will see the opposite of that. Whether you care to admit it or not, it is the Gods' honest truth." His words are spoken with his previous soft tone. He looks at her, not as a lord, but as a man. "Please, Lady. Just get her to me. If nothing else, the chance to yell at me might do her some good." These words, softly spoken even more so then his previous ones, are said with a hint of his normal smile, but one that is sad and utterly bitter.
She should have expected his ire by the manner Riordan had been struggling to maintain. His evident displeasure even from hearing the name had caused the woman to jump in her seat. Odd how a quiet voice held so much rage behind it. "Apologies m'lord Regent." She tells him, as the G-word was banned from these halls with every good reason. "As do I, as difficult as this had made things." Luckily not a thing disturbed the slumbering Aerick. "I promise, I will tell her of your wish for a few moments of her time before your departure." On a thought the woman also asks, "I perhaps may be out of place for speaking to you in such a manner but… things as they are now are a true test of our resolve are they not?" The lady's brows perk when asking, "What do you wish to gain from this?"
"I don't know," Riordan says, in honest answer to Cherise's question. He does not comment about the manner in which the Lady speaks to him, and whatever restraint he uses to hold back his emotions, his words still carry a forthright tone to them. "I have never desired much for myself. Aside from the pleasure of attending tourneys, and riding, my only goals are that of my family. And I will do whatever I must to see to those goals." There is nothing of hesitation in these last words, and everything of conviction. He looks at Cherise for a long moment, holding her gaze, before saying, "But I would wish to do so while also keeping some last pieces of my heart in tact. I do not know if it is even possible… but I must try."
Her shoulder had become weighed, the added burden of two star crossed lovers and she the gate keeper of the skies. "I do not know either Lord Regent. They fates can be quite cruel at times." Speaking of her own near misfortune, the Lady does use her fingertips to follow the line across her brow. "It is no mystery, to any, that Stonebridge is a strong desire for the Naylands, one that my husband had supported against…" She chose her words carefully, "Usurpers. I, just wish you do not allow you heart to betray your bound convictions. As Regent you should be," Her hand made a sweeping gesture toward the window. "Seeing to the settlement of your house, not pining after one who is no longer yours." Cherise closes her lips so very suddenly, as if regretting her words. "I apologize. The acceptance of some things is very difficult."
Riordan listens to all Cherise's words, and when she is done, the silence practically rings out for a moment as he regards her with those dark eyes of his. "Lady Cherise, I am not a hopeless romantic. I have been raised to know my duty, and I have always done it without hesitation. Even now, I will do it. And if it comes at personal cost to me, I will do it regardless." His tone is a bit harder now, though whether through anger, conviction, or both, it is hard to tell. "But sentiment and duty are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Perhaps you are right. Perhaps Danae is no longer the woman I thought she was, or never was. For her to-" Riordan cuts himself off, angrily gesturing the line of thought away. "For what we have, or had, between us, I will give her this chance. If she is still the woman I care for, and if she truly cares for me, then I may be able to save her." He does not break eye contact from Cherise throughout all of this, and his last words have a certain finality to them. "And if not, then she will be nothing but an enemy to my House. And I will not be able to stop the flood that washes away her lies. No… I will be the one to send the waters her way."
Cherise does nothing more than nod her head, silence following after the Regent's words. Almost like a promise. "I know not what her future holds Lord Regent, only that she may live to see it, if that may make any sense to you." The lady relays as if nearly giving up on her own words. "When is your party to leave?"
Riordan merely dips his head minutely towards Cherise at her words, but it is to her question that he responds verbally. "I do not know. Soon. Tomorrow perhaps, or the next day. I only know that it must be soon. I will not be able to put this off for long." With that, Riordan rises. "Thank you," he says, simply.
