| Hypothetically Speaking |
| Summary: | Mortimer poses an entirely hypothetical question to Anais |
| Date: | 24/Dec/2012 |
| Related Logs: | In no way at all related to Is That a Dagger I See Before Me |
| Players: |
  |
| The Green, Terrick's Roost |
|---|
| The Green is a large field of deep green grass, nearly flat, that runs along the base of the towers. The road into town runs along the far edge, hemming it in neatly to a confined area where beyond a line of trees serves as a subtle windbreak. This area is most often used for drilling or practice for the guards but also serves as home for festivals, tournaments, and another other gathering that might require the space for a large number of the local residents. A well-trodden path winds around the side of the wall and moves towards the coastline. Another heads southwest, toward Kingsgrove. |
| Mon Dec 24, 289 |
It's a fine and sunny day in Terrick's Roost, and with the threat of the Hunter and the Weeping Woman gone, Anais has once again been free to take her morning trips out to the green. Granted, she's still accompanied by a quartet of guards and a handmaid, but at least she isn't stuck in the castle all the time. Small mercies. Still dressed in mourning black, she's left a target littered with arrows by now.
Mortimer had managed a few lazy mornings after the whole Hunter affair, but now it seems it's his back to his more usual routine. On his way up towards the keep from town he gives the practice butts a quick glance in the not terribly likely chance that he'll spot the fletching of whomever shot Mistress Dorsey and quickly spots Anais and her party instead. Hesitating a moment he then changes course slightly to join them on the green, scratching a little at the back of his splinted hand as he does so before bowing and offering a polite "Mornin' m'Lady," as he gets close.
Anais releases an arrow, then turns to look toward the arrival. "Deputy," she greets with an easy smile, lowering her bow and tucking it under one arm. "A good morning to you, as well. I hope you've had a chance for some well-deserved rest since things have been resolved?"
"Aye m'Lady," Mortimer confirms with a brief nod, "just starting to to try an' catch up on everything else now. Thankfully though we don't look to have had too many try and take advantage of attention being elsewhere." A quick glance to the other butts shows no other archers and thus no fletchings to check and also the opportunity for a quiet word, Anais' guards and maid being trusted enough to know how the game is played. "If it'd not be disturbing you m'Lady, I was wondering if I might ask your thoughts on something. You being in more of a position to know our new Lord's thoughts on things."
Anais's brows rise, smile slipping crooked. "Well, that's relative, I think," she admits, ruefully. "I'm afraid I don't get too many chances to speak substantively with him. But I'm always glad to hear your thoughts or concerns, Mortimer, you know that." She turns to pass the bow to one of her guards, then back to the deputy with a questioning look. "What were you wondering?"
Mortimer drops both hands to his belt, although on his left grasps it, the right instead simply resting on top of the other. "I was mostly wondering m'Lady, if you happened to know what his opinions were on ladies being taught to defend themselves. I mean, I know opinions vary, different houses, different attitudes an' I know he's spent a long time in the Vale and who knows what they think on it." Pausing there for a moment lest he start to ramble in a not terribly helpful manner he then adds, "lets say m'Lady, for example, that one of his Lady Daughters had informed one of the garrison say, that he was to teach her how to handle a dagger. Would that likely cause issue?"
Anais pauses at that, arching a brow in turn. "Hypothetically speaking, of course," she drawls, then tilts her head to consider. "I'm not sure, honestly. He hasn't insisted I stop my practice, which I appreciate. But as my father always said, there is a very big difference between being able to dispatch someone from a wall and expecting to have a chance up close." She considers for a moment, catching her lower lip between her teeth. "I would say a good deal depends on the people involved, honestly. And instruction in the dagger is…a good deal more physical than the bow. There might be some inappropriate conduct involved."
Mortimer listens in silence to the response, nodding faintly a couple of times until the final point, that brings the faintest of frowns and a pause to think. "Assuming, lets say, the he has no intentions that way, and, well, she's a lady an' all." Not that he truly believes that no lady would consider such a thing, but he's not considering it likely in this case. "I mean m'Lady, the way I see it he was three options. Agree which might cause issue for both as you said, ask either Lord Terrick or Young Lord Ozric and risk putting her at issue with her family or decline and put himself at issue for refusing instructions or just general ill will."
"If her family takes exception to it, then she ought not to be doing it," Anais points out with a faint grimace. "Or at least she ought to take more care to do it quietly." She reaches up to flick her bangs out of her eyes, sighing softly. "I don't have anything against a woman learning to defend herself. Obviously," she adds with a glance to the archery butt. "But I can't really support hiding it from her family. My uncle taught me, and my father always knew. If the lady wants lessons, then it is her responsibility to convince her family that it's in her best interest. Her responsibility to her family, and to the man she wants to teach her. She has a responsibility to protect him, and asking him to teach her something her family might object to in secret is putting him at risk."
Oddly enough, Anais' archery is one of the reasons the question was put to her. One of. "And taking care to do it quietly could lead to allegations, inappropriate conduct or not," Mortimer adds, more thinking allowed than anything else. Straightening a little, and taking a deep breath as he does so he lets it out slowly, thinking things through, then offers "thank you m'Lady, I suspect you have the crux of it. Hypothetically speaking."
"Ah, well. I'm glad to help as I can," Anais says with a small smile. "If someone were to mention to me who the lady might be, say if there were a name slipped under my door, I could certainly have a few words with her as well. Hypothetically speaking." There's a glimmer of humor in her eyes, and she looks back to the guards. "I should probably be getting back to the keep, though. If there's nothing else you needed?"
Mortimer looks faintly uncomfortable at the idea of specifically giving a name, even by such routes. Thinly veiled hypotheticals are one thing but out right naming seemingly another. Reaching up with his good hand to scratch the back of his neck a moment he ponders for a moment, “I dunno m’Lady…” before he figure to hell with it. He trusts Anais to handle it carefully and not drop him in the shit so he offers with a faint shrug, “I reckon it’s probably most likely the sort of thing a younger Lady would think of.” As Anais mentions the keep he glances towards it himself and nods once, “Ah no, that was all, although I’m heading that way myself. Need a quick word with the armourer,” and with that he turns to allow her to lead the way.
