Page 311: Morning Light
Morning Light
Summary: Riordan and Anais speak of the rumors surrounding them, and are totally proper and stuff. Mostly.
Date: 26/05/2012
Related Logs: Immediately following Departing the Tourney
Players:
Anais Riordan 
Tourney at the Twins
Frey's twin towers, tourney pavillions, etc
Sat May 26, 289

"Safe travels, Lord Justin," Riordan offers, giving a bow of his head as he watches the man move off. Only then does he turn to Anais, arching an eyebrow slightly. "Well," he asks, still in his soft tones, for her benefit, "How bad is it?" Though Riordan was not able to overhear the conversation that took place between her and her goodbrother, he clearly has expectations as to what was said.

"Ah, well." Anais looks after Justin, sighing softly. "Not terrible. He's concerned, as he has been. As most of the family has been," she admits, smoothing her hands over her skirts to keep her mind occupied. "I think he expected me to be upset with him for saying something. But that wouldn't really accomplish anything, so. Step one of handling this all."

"And this is what comes of us being strong and resistant," Riordan notes with a snort of amusement, his smile wry as he studies Anais. He bows his head to her further words, accepting them, before asking, "And step two?"

"Continuing to charm every man in a five-mile radius," Anais replies without hesitation, smile wry. "It's hardly scandal and special treatment if I danced with every man in the keep and don't do anything else afterwards. Besides, the more you dignify rumors with a response, the more seriously they're taken."

"Ah, I see," Riordan says, not bothering to hide his smirk. "Truly, as I noted last night I think, you know how to make a man feel special." The laughter in his voice is heard, but unrealized, likely for the same reasons he continues to keep his voice soft in Anais' presence. "I take it then I do not have to treat you any differently then I have been, in that case? After all, we wouldnt want it to seem that we are adjusting our attitudes for the rumors, hmm?" He smiles, half in tease, half in challange.

"You are a man, my lord," Anais points out with a wry smile. "No one would think it odd for you to pursue or be kind to a pretty woman. Though I hope you will forgive me if I must be seen to be a little less friendly. I don't think being cold would help anything, but I'm afraid my goodbrother is right, and it would be wise to act as properly as we might without being overly stiff."

"You know I've never liked these games, my lady," Riordan says, honestly, a wry expression still held on his features. "But I have also suffered for it, and I would not see you suffer because of me. I will not take it amiss, since I know the regard you hold for me, as I do for you. I only hope you will be able to find, from time to time, moments in which to continue our friendship. Even if we must be strong, I hope we may continue to renew eachother's spirits, while we both continue to put duty before happiness." His words, as ever, are genuinely spoken, even as his smile is regretful at the ruse that must be played.

"Ah, but I rather enjoy these games," Anais admits, only a little bit sheepish. "Personally, I blame growing up isolated at the Banefort. But I do find it fascinating to figure out what people think and why, and see how it changes with just…a little tweak here or there. Challenges are ever interesting." She starts, wincing when a tent pole crashes to the ground. "Such as the ride today. That might be a slight challenge."

"So long as you do not ever use it on me, my lady, I will not fault you your games. But I singularly despise being handled, as I think I have made clear. Honesty is the best policy, with me." Riordan offers a smile to take any sting away from his words, any of them. Truly, he doesnt seem to fault her for her love of politics. He simply does not find happiness in them. "Your head, you mean?" Riordan asks, glancing to the direction of the noises, and then beginning to move away from that source of hustle and bustle, to draw Anais a little farther away from noises that make her brain hurt. "I may have access to some medicines for such, if you wish me to have them brought to you," he offers, without really considering the offer. And when he does, he ammends, with a smirk, "If you can bring yourself to trust such from me, of course."

"I think it unlikely you should poison me, my lord," Anais laughs softly, though she maintains a respectful distance as they move away from the breakdown. "Not with a single dose, at least. That would hardly accomplish anything. Which is to say that I would greatly appreciate whatever remedy you may have on hand," she concludes with a rueful smile, pressing two fingers to her temples.

"I will arrange it," Riordan says, graciously, smiling good naturedly at Anais. He does not seek to press the bounds of their closeness, maintaining a respectful distance from her, while still being close enough to continue to use soft tones in his words. "Do you regret any of it?" he asks, curiously, after a moment. "Getting to know me. Our talks. Our… dancing."

Anais waves a hand, shaking her head. "Not at all," she replies without a pause. "We haven't done anything wrong, and nothing terrible has come of it. Regret…" She pauses, head tipping as she catches her lower lip between her teeth. "My father taught me always to commit myself to whatever I did. So long as I understood what I was doing, what might come of it, I could never regret when it came to pass. So long as I made my choices knowingly and consciously."

"An outlook I can respect and agree upon," Riordan says, nodding slowly. "However… I think I sometimes have cause to regret how my actions have come to effect others in ways I could not see. More then anything, it comes from not being used to being able to effect others so readily with my choices." His expression waxes thoughtful, as they come to a stop some ways from the noises of preparation and departure. "That, in truth, is why I asked."

Anais arches a brow, a glimmer of amusement in her smile. "Surely you don't mean to say that it didn't occur to you that our activities last night could have had consequences?" she asks, pausing to murmur her thanks when her handmaid approaches with a waterskin. She takes a sip, then shakes her head.

Riordan waits to respond until Anais' handmaid has withdrawn again, his smile bemused. "If that thought had not entered into my mind, my lady, you can be assured that your palm is not what I would have kissed," he says, simply, honestly, and quietly, though with plenty of good humor. "No, last night, I put my trust in your own self professed abilities. I just… wanted to be certain, I suppose." He quirks his grin a bit more, his eyes dancing with laughter as he says, "I am oft accused of being sentimental. I might as well prove them right, hrm?"

Anais sips again, rueful. "How is it that these things seem so much…simpler in the morning light?" she asks in a low tone, just a little wistful. "Or," she muses, glancing to the skin, "Perhaps it's more 'without the wine' than morning's light."

"Not as charming in the light of day and sobriety, am I?" Riordan asks with a low laugh, studying Anais with bemused eyes. "It also might have had something to do with the energy of last evening. All the laughter and good cheer. Plus," he adds, with an easy and warm grin, "I have noticed you seem to light up from the inside during an evening of dancing. I think it has less to do with the wine then you might think."

"You are every bit as charming in the light of day," Anais laughs softly. "I, however, seem to have a greater deal of sense and less of an attraction to foolish risks." Her smile and her eyes alike soften with his latter words, a sigh escaping. "If there was a way for a woman of noble birth to spend her life in dance without crossing certain lines, I would have taken it," she admits. "Foolish, perhaps, but there you have it."

"Well, I have been called many things, but a foolish risk is certainly a new one," Riordan teases, though his smile remains full and warm. "Not foolish," he then says, responding to Anais' latter words. "I know what it is to pursue one's passions. I am lucky in that mine is something that, for a time at least, I was able to do with little enough interruption." He pauses, before adding, "For what it is worth, perhaps there will be dancing at whatever surprise event my sister has planned for my nameday celebration. And on top of that, you and I still owe Jarod and Rowenna a terribly inappropriate party. So, for a little longer, at least, you shall have the oppurtunity to light up more dance floors."

"Excellent," Anais approves, smile crooked, though she pauses after. "When is your nameday?" she asks, curious. "I hadn't realized it was so close." Ever cautious, she maintains a respectful distance, well in sight of those doing their packing. And yet, she does so without seeming to be too aware of it.

"Today, actually," Riordan says, with a light chuckle, only slightly hesitating before the admission. "You know, I had actually thought to hold a tourney for it, at Stonebridge, before this one was announced. But, this way, I did not have to spend money hosting it, and got to enjoy myself all the same."

Anais's brows rise, surprise swiftly crossing her features. "Oh! Well. Happy nameday to you, Lord Riordan," she offers, her wry smile turning to dismay. "If I'd known earlier, I'd have gotten you something while there were so many merchants gathered here. As it stands, I may have to ask you to consider our dance last night your gift," she adds, laughing softly.

"If anything, I would think me deigning to dance is a gift from me to you Lady Anais," Riordan says, laughter writ large both in tone and eyes, even as he refrains from giving it volume. "I think you shall not get off so easily as all that." He raises an eyebrow, in challenge, as he adds, "Especially not after your grievous and most uncalled assault on my person, the other week." Oh no, he's never letting go of that.

Anais arches a brow in return, lips twitching ever so slightly. "Well. My nameday is in two days, so we'll have to see how you perform in the gift department before we judge my lack of gift, won't we?" There's a good-natured roll of her eyes to the last. "You'd think you were a sickly little boy rather than a tournament champion, the way you moan about it."

"We'll be in the Mire by then. I shall have advantage of being in familiar territory. I think I shall win," Riordan says, smiling broadly. The twinkle in his eyes makes it clear that this just became a contest, at least for him. She should probably fear. "Well, you do have an obscenely good skill at utilizing your knuckles," Riordan points out, quite truthfully - even as his eyes twinkle further, this time in mirth.

"Riordan," Anais hisses, her hand almost snapping out at him again in reflex. Years of brothers have honed those reflexes. So it's something of an accomplishment when she manages to turn it into a swat at her dress, as though there's some sort of insect on her skirts. She tries to glare at him after, but it's a poor cover for holding back laughter.

"Anais," Riordan murmurs in return, looking utterly and thoroughly pleased with himself. He busies himself with adjusting his belt, as if needing to shift the weight of it so that the sword at his hip sits just right. But, really, he makes no attempt to hide the broad smile on his features.

"You're terrible," Anais informs Riordan in a low hiss, turning away to take a long drink of water. By the time she's finished, she more or less has herself under control again, though that smile lingers at the corners of her lips. "I should go and see to my packing," she says, taking a step back with a wry smile. "Before…Well. I should go."

"Before you decide which I deserve more, a punch or a kiss?" Riordan asks, utterly innocently, and in an extremely low tone. Oh yes, he is totally content to joke on their would-be scandal - indeed, judging by the ammount of laughter held back in his eyes, he is very much amused right now. "Of course, my lady. I look forward to our journey together, and shall see after that remedy for your indisposition," he says, more formally, though still with an amused look, even as he gives Anais a courtly bow.

"Both," Anais shoots back, keeping her smile to something mostly appropriate. "You see, you come in for the kiss, and while they're distracted by that, it's either a fist to the kidney or a knee to- Well. Let's just say it's something I learned from Torsten and leave it at that, shall we?" she asks, lashes fluttering in a wink. "I'll meet up with you again shortly, Lord Riordan." Whether that's a threat or a promise…

"I knew I liked you," Riordan murmurs, smirking broadly. And, with that, he will depart. Only when he is a goodly distance away from her does he finally let loose the laugh that has been building up for the last while, looking terribly amused.