| Shoes and Monsters |
| Summary: | A little get-together at Crane's Crossing. Nedra shocks Aeliana nearly to death. |
| Date: | 25 Oct 2012 |
| Related Logs: | None |
| Players: |
    |
| Crane's Crossing Inn |
| While Crane's Crossing is technically an Inn, it caters to the traveling nobility almost exclusively. The floors around the hearth are finely crafted stonework, as are the slate blocks that the firepit is constructed of. The rest of the floor is done in stained oak that matches the few long tables and the chairs. The rest of the main room is furnished with plush couches and seating to entice visitors to delay their leave. A full service kitchen provides food of all kinds as well as high quality ales and wines. Also available are several women to provide hospitality to the lonely or those in need, the quality of them to be beaten by but a few in the Riverlands. A hallway near the kitchen leads off to the rear of the building and several up-scale rooms. |
| Thu Oct 25, 289 |
"Well do you know which colors they prefer?" This question, of course, brought a blank look from both her Septa and her handmaid. Myrth and Ray were just as clueless as she appeared to be. Her guards…were smart enough to offer absolutely no response at all, sitting rather stoically at a small table behind the couch where the little lady had sprawled..everything.
Her shopping trip had been productive. She'd bought things in twos. But the thing that held the bulk of her focus, along with the neat bits of stark plain parchment and bright shining ribbons were two pendants spun from glass infused with color. It wasn't the myrish glass that some might desire, as riverland crafters couldn't duplicate it, but regardless, they were elegant pieces. She didn't know who was getting what either. What did one get young girls they didn't know? She'd bought hairpins too, slim pieces set with pearls and wrought of bone and while yes, those had also come in pairs, they'd come for her, she decided.
"I think we'll just fail to put names on them and they can get whatever they happen to pick up first."
It would seem that shopping is the name of the game today, although for very different things. Nedra is just stepping into the Inn, a small package tucked under one arm as Nedra is exclaiming - at length - at the wonder of tiny shoes. "How ever do they make them so small?" she is wondering, holding one absolutely tiny shoe in the palm of one hand and marveling at the perfect stitches in the leather. "I think I would go blind trying to make such perfect little stitches over and over again, endlessly," and the look of amusement upon her Septa's face is the only warning for the humorous remark in advance that she gives in return. "My lady, you would get frustrated and do something else long before you'd go blind." Nedra laughs, giving a grin to the grey haired Septa who has long ago transitioned from just Septa to companion/second mother to Nedra. "So true," she admits, still laughing as she turns back to the tiny shoe and shakes her head yet again. "Still, it's so blessed adorable."
Was there anything as absolutely draining on one's mental, physical and spiritual reserves as shopping with a woman all day, for something that was of absolutely zero interest? Stafford would have been hard pressed to name it, for all that he had born the burden while smiling and offering nothing but light banter and easy suggestions. Even if it had been done yesterday, the lingering exhaustion still clung to his bones and made every step a woeful shuffle of heavy misery.
In his mind he was a long suffering zombie. Outwardly few would have thought he did anything but glide with smooth grace and utterly unassailable lordly confidence. His strides easy, his dark eyes bright and sharp, a small but easily charming smile tugging on his lips.
He took the last step off the stairs, and paused there at the edge of the common area to look across the room and gauge its patrons. Both Nedra and Aeliana were eyed with a gentleman's subtle interest, before he asked of the staff for a bottle of wine and began his approach of the latter and her spread out treasure trove.
"Lady Nedra!" Stafford coming down from behind, is overlooked completely in favor of the lovely lady who comes in carrying.. While in one moment Aeliana's face had been lit up with naught but joy, at the sight of that tiny little shoe, it freezes completely and turns worrying instead, the joy of the greeting stolen away by thoughts that are..well, less gleeful. So it's with questions in those dark eyes the woman slips out from around the couch, leaving the spread without fear of theivery on account of the small entourage that surrounds it.
"You really must tell me that's for someone else."
"Lady Aeliana!" Nedra declares in return, delight in her tone of voice as she spots Aeliana and starts through the room, meeting Aeliana half way and not immediately picking up on the way that Aeliana's face goes from joy to frozen worry all within a matter of steps. "Must tell you..?" Nedra's voice is puzzled as she glances from Aeliana's face then down at the absolutely adorable shoe she's holding then back up, "Well, of course," she says, blinking a startled look at Aeliana. "My foot, small as i wish it were at times, certainly won't fit into it no matter how I'd try, of course," she says, sounding now quite reasonable. "But do you see how perfect the little stitches are? Oh and the clothing!" She practically glows! "I can't wait to be Aunt Nedra!" she admits, that radiant glow turning into such a smile!
"So little?" Came the idle question of Young Lord Groves, while he stood with goblet of wine in his hand - just poured - and eyed the field of possessions that Aeliana had spread out. He'd stepped up close enough to be able to survey them in detail, even leaning down so he could all but touch the little hair pins with the tip of his nose. Not that he actually did. Only once he's seen enough for three life times, did he straighten himself back up and declare: "For some reason I thought there was more."
His attentions spun away from the treasure and back to the two ladies. He'd caught the snippets of their converastion. "My guess was they were little doll's shoes, for the twins. If they still have dolls, that is." Mused. Probably not, so now he had to wonder how they were going to feel when he gave them.. candy. His dark eyes turned shrewd for the thought, and perhaps a little wicked with anticipation of expressions.
"My Ladies." A bit belated, perhaps, but once Stafford offered his bow, it was a flawlessly smooth and courtly affair. Perhaps just a bit too much for a rustic inn, truth be told.
Well of…course? With the utterance of those words, the color drains from Aeliana's face with all the abrupt force of an avalance and those dark eyes go wide as saucers. For a moment, her jaw gaped rather fish like, devoid of any sense of. "Yes," the words were somewhat…empty, "Yes the stitches are quite small…," but she is waiting for the punchline. Clothing? "Uhm…" A blank near helpless look is cast towards Stafford as if he might be coming to clear away the quickly growing shock that is threatening to break like dark thunder clouds over her..
"Oh thank the Dogs! An Aunt, that's fantastic!" That's worth a hug. And if she squeezed a tinsy bit too tight for the cruelty of the shock then it could be excused as shared excitement!
"That wasn't funny at all, St..Ser Stafford, tell her that wasn't funny. Oh and good evening to you as well," belatedly added as her manners caught up to her and a low curtsy was swept, "You've met the lovely Lady Nedra, I do hope."
While Nedra cannot immediately put name to face, she'd have guessed at least Ser for the gentleman who joins herself and Lady Aeliana for a spot of conversation rather in the exactly middle of the room. "Good day to you in return," Nedra says and after watching Aeliana's face and getting enough of a name to work with Nedra tacks on, "Ser Stafford," with a hint of a grin. She hugs Aeliana somewhere between the words 'fantastic' and being admonished for her sense of humor, all while laughing herself. "Silliness," she says with a shake of her head, "who else would they be for?" she asks in turn, extending one foot briefly so that the toe of her shoe can be glimpsed, "such tiny shoes certainly won't fit me. But for a niece of nephew, they most certainly will. And, honestly, have you SEEN the tiny clothing that is made for infants? My goodness, if I hadn't had the forethought to leave most of my spending money at home I'd have spent every skinny coin of it in one afternoon," she admits with another laugh. And, still laughing, she shakes her head at Aeliana and Ser Stafford, "We haven't met, my lady, but I would think that we can attend to this now," she offers and, in the saying, gives a curtsy of greeting, "and it's a pleasure to meet you, my lord," is said as she straightens.
"It was not very funny at all," Stafford admonished Nedra dutifully when it was requested of him, though from his wry smile and laughing eyes, he might have thought different. "You gave poor Lady Aeliana here a terrible shock. For a moment there she thought that -hours- of shopping for presents looked about to be eclipsed by a pair of adorable little shoes. I can only imagine her boundless horror."
He made a second bow for the introduction, deeply respectful and - if she allowed it - the knight would seek to have her hand in his, and offer a ghost-brush of his lips across the knuckles. His fingers were elegant like an artisan's, the only callouses there those gained by martial training rather than any kind of physical labor. For all that, there was an underlying strength as well. "It is an absolute pleasure, my Lady Nedra," he said, while meeting her eyes.
Then he turned towards Aeliana. "This would be the friend you were hoping to see? I am glad to see your wish fulfilled so promptly. May they all be so."
Who else? "No one at all," came dutiful response against the lady Nedra's ear and it was a blessing indeed, that there wasn't in fact, anyone. "And…no, I haven't." It might be obvious then, for one who was paying attention that Aeliana didn't quite share Nedra's enthauism for children or their tiny attire in quite the same way. And now Stafford was picking on her too.
A tiny huff was given in his direction, for all that it seemed she was trying to remove the wild fey strands of hair from wafting in front of her vision. "Still, I suppose it's a good thing you've not spent all your coin, though I would be amused to see you explaining that one to your brother," Ae teases and turns so that she may keep the pair of them within her line of vision.
The Young Lord earned no small smile for his words though and her head bobbed to positive effect, "It is indeed, of all the women I've met, the Lady Nedra makes for the best company," she murmured, though that smile went momentairly soft, for his well wishes.
"Stay, Ember." The voice at the entrance to the inn is firm, though followed by a high-pitched whine before Sabriel steps inside, trailed by a pair of guards and a matronly handmaid. Another pair of guards already inside at a table seem to be her destination, though she looks to the group at the center of the inn. "I need the two of you to escort the rest of my things in when they reach the border," she informs the guards. "Father says no one else is staying, and he doesn't want to be without the men for too long."
Nedra attempts to look contrite, doesn't manage it really because the gleam of amusement is just to readily obvious in her eyes, and her hand rests lightly in Ser Stafford's for the moment, though her's is trembling ever so faintly because she's trying so very hard not to laugh. Trying and mostly failing in fact by the time she gets a good look at Ae's face again and that's really all it takes before she's laughing again. "Well, considering I only have the one brother, and if I'm going to be a Aunt it'll be entirely his fault.." she lets this line of logical rational stand on it's own merit as she brushes her fingertips against the faint gleam of tears that had escaped, from laughing herself silly. This time she steps forward and gives Ae a quick hug, "And Lady Aeliana makes for the best company, and she makes me laugh myself into stitches," she explains as she steps back, "and I'm ever so glad to have run into you," she admits to Aeliana. "Will you be attending the nameday party for Ladies Raina and Roisin?" she asks in a hopeful tone of voice. The sound of a high-pitched wine tugs at Nedra's attention long enough for her to glance toward the door again and spot the arrival of a young lady and accompany entourage.
That huff earned Aeliana an absolutely innocent expression from the dark haired knight, as if he would not have ever dreamed of picking on the young woman. Not at all. Never, infact.
The tremble in Nedra's fingers brought out a cunning little smile, completely rogue as he murmured; "shivering already? But we've barely even said hello." He took a sip from his wine after, amused as he listened to the pair of them sing each other's high praises. "No wonder y ou think so highly of each other, if this is how you spend your days, my Ladies, continuously reaffirming each other's wonderfulness. Not that you shall have even a murmur of doubt from me on the topic, though. I already know that Lady Aeliana is a company above and beyond most, not to mention a shrewd judge of character. After all, why else would she want to bring me as her escort to the little party?" Smile, just a little cocky, but at least he was handsome while doing it.
His head turned when Nedra's attention wavered. His dark eyes took in the unfamiliar noblewoman calmly, before inclining his head in acknowledgment.
To be clear, Stafford was nodding at Sabriel.
"Ray, would you clear the couch off please, we'll see about wrapping those later," though, the things that happen when one doesn't pay attention for glory be, the parcels were already neatly wrapped, but the handmaiden bobbed an expected, "Of course, milady," with a secretive grin that suggested it'd be realized later and set about making the space occupiable for people again as Aeliana was swept up into another hug.
This one courted the sound of her own laughter, that grin sideways as she smiled and returned it, before settling easily back to her spot. "Ouh now, my lady, you're entirely too kind. But I have to say, I'm grateful to see you as well. There's no life here at all! Our charming company excluded of course," a gracious smile was given the Lord Stafford with that, one that threatened to waver when that arrogance of his slid into view rearing its ugly head.
"Want to bring, want, do you hear this, my Lady, do you hear this? The man put me in a position it would have been positively rude to decline him over, but of course, blame the woman," her sigh was a heavy thing, tragic even; as if the weight of the world entire was baring down on her slight shoulderes. "Please tell me you've yet to shop for the twins, my young lord Stafford here positively adores shoping, he was telling me just yesterday he couldn't wait for us to go again and we could always go with you!" Her smile was sly, those dark eyes gleamed and with a glance towards the couches, which brought the entering noblewoman into view, Ae gave a little dip of her head before her attention returned to the group, "Or at the very least, to the couches there and perhaps if we ask him very nicely, Ser Stafford might share his wine."
"Of course, m'lady," one of the guards nods, standing up and clapping a hand to his companion's arm. "They send the pup, too?" Sabriel smiles swiftly at the question. "They did. Or so the message says." And then the guards are departing, and Sabriel turns to look at the small group. Her smile falters for a moment, uncertain, before she takes a few steps toward them. "Good evening," she offers with a tentative smile, though she lingers a short distance away, not quite in the circle of conversation.
Nedra's laugh at Ser Stafford's remark is a thing of pure amusement, "But just hello was all that was required, or something like that?" Nedra counters with a grin before she shakes her head slightly. "Perhaps to be a perfect foil to her wit, Ser?" she suggests before back to Aeliana with another grin. "Does he? how rare," she says, trying - failing - again to try to put on a straight expression. "Tell me, does he dance as well? If he dances and he likes to shop, perhaps he can sing? He would make a lovely addition to any gathering of ladies we could assemble," how she managed all of those words without laughing outright (again) is something of a small feat of ability. She turns blue-grey eyes that are full of guileless wonder, "Do you by chance write poetry as well?" is asked while she affects to look as vapid as possible. The look of empty headed vapidity fades as she turns slightly again, taking a step to the side to better invite the newly arrived lady into the circle of conversation. "Good evening to you as well in turn," Nedra offers as she offers a curtsy of greeting, "and welcome to Stonebridge, if this is your first arrival. If it isn't, then by all means, welcome all the same. I'm Lady Nedra Mallister," she offers and makes a small gesture around with, "and this is Lady Aeliana Ashwood and Ser Stafford.. whose family name I'm actually not sure of but I hope everyone will forgive the small lapse of knowledge."
Stafford's smile only grew as Aeliana took issue with his version of events, the look in his eye suggesting that her very act of bemoaning disagreement was infact affirmation of the opposite. "My Lady, through all that I don't think I heard a single word of *actual* denial. Just a lot of.. side stepping and insinuation."
His eyes narrowed when he was suddenly volunteered for further shopping. He didn't grimace, of course. No, he smiled, and it wasn't at all the smile of a man who had just heard his own execution ordered. With a roll of his eyes he ignored Nedra's whole list of questions regarding his talents.
"Earlier I would have said I was delighted to share my wine, but now I am finding myself harboring some serious doubts, my Lady." Though for all his words he was already moving towards the couches when Sabriel made her greeting. Which halted him, as he with knightly courtesy offered his finest bow in sabriel's direction. He would seek, as with Nedra, to pluck her hand and offer the tiniest suggestion of a kiss against the knuckles, before withdrawing his touch without any impolite lingering.
"Ser Stafford Groves, Young Lord of Kingsgrove," he supplied, filling out Nedra's lacking introduction.
Foil to her wit, pffft. Nedra's words earned a soft giggle from the Ashwood as that grin remained, though Stafford had her rolling her eyes to go along with it. "Sidestepping, my lord. Honestly, Lady Nedra, would you just listen to him," she clucked her tongue, "He's remarkably blunt when he wants to be, don't let him fool you. I confess I'm looking forward to seeing if he dances as well as he spars," she teased, that easy laughter ringing free. "Though I suppose the girl's name day celebration will be good practice, before he joins me at Ser Saethwyr's wedding. Oh that reminds me," a hand fluttered lightly against Nedra's elbow with the thought. "You are going to come, aren't you? Please say that you will. It won't be nearly as much fun without you," she pouted; before looking beyond the pair to the other lady as she approached. "A pleasure to meet you," Aeliana intoned, before having waited, politely for Stafford to finish his knightly greeting for fear of interrupting, that fan which dangled so lifelessly against her wrist became a weapon of intent, when ruffling against his shoulder in a little twack.
"Oh don't be such a spoilsport, besides, being surrounded by such esteemed company would do wonders for your bookish reputation." Smirk.
Sabriel's hand is tense, though she doesn't entirely shy away from the touch, managing a truly awkward curtsey as she nods. "Lady Sabriel Haigh," she introduces herself to the group in turn, smile cautious. "A pleasure to meet all of you." The sheer volume of conversation - in the quantity sense rather than the sound - seems overwhelming, though, as she looks between the others with each spray of words, trying to track the conversation from the edges. "I've been in Stonebridge for a bit over a week now, though. But mostly up at the tower. Or out. Just the guards are staying here. Two of them." Rambling, Sabriel. Rambling.
"Ahh, Groves, of course," Nedra says in a tone of voice that implies 'of COURSE he's a Groves' while a smile tugs at her lips again. "If he can't dance, Lady Aeliana, simply step on his toes until he figures out how to move his feet properly," she suggests with a wink. She nods then, "I will be," she promises. "I so look forward to seeing Lady Tiaryn and Ser Saethwyr's wedding day, I'm sure it'll be lovely. And then, of course, there's my cousin Lady Muirenn and Ser Otto Erenford being married a few weeks afterward. It's the season for such things," she says before glancing at Stafford briefly, "A man, who reads? I think I may faint," she threatens with a gleam of such amusement in her eyes, just a hint that her sense of humor is why she's the family prankster. Again, just ask Kam about the tadpoles. "Lady Sabriel Haigh, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," she adds with another warm smile. "Oh? Well, it's good to have more company here than not, i should think. Have you had chance to meet Lady Jocelyn or the Lady Anathema?" she wonders before hesitating ever so slightly, "Or the Lady Rebecca?" and if she glances subtly around after asking the last question it's only because she likes to, you know, glance around the room from time to time.
"No reason to be afraid," Stafford told Sabriel with a cheerful smile for her tension. "They might look like vicious monsters the two of them, but you're perfectly safe with me to watch over you, my Lady. It is after all my knightly duty." As he spoke he welcomed the lot of them over to the couches. Being the knight, he would have to wait until all of them were seated, before he could find his own place. Int he mean time he acted the director of festivities, summoning more goblets and ensuring that his bottle of wine was quickly emptied to ensure equality in volume around his company. It was a rather fine Reach vintage, a step above the local Riverlands fare.
"Vicious monsters," Aeliana turns her nose up as high as it could possibly go, before grinning and easing the pang that put through her neck, "Well," dark eyes twinkled for a moment and her gaze touched on Stafford for a half second, but that was simply the nature of the banter, no? "I have been called a beast." But then she was clapping in delight over Nedra's confirmation, before sobering somewhat as she planted herself dead center on the couch in the middle; in a fluttering array of skirts. "I think it's going to be beautiful, I also think the inn's going to be over flowing, goodness knows the keep is already. We're host to a bunch of…," Sabriel introduced herself at that precise moment and it was luck that Aeliana kept the end of her sentence to herself, along with the tone. "Well anyway," she smiled and plowed right on, "There's all sorts there at the moment and the number's only going to keep growing I fear," another tragic little sigh swept at the end of it, before she murmured her thanks to Stafford when the goblets came and the wine was poured. A pause, taken to appreciate the taste with a low rumble of pleasure before she added, quite thoughtfully, "I do believe you promised me a bottle of such a fine vintage, no? Today, perhaps you'll deliver?" Having not met Rebecca, due to painfully avoiding her on more than one occasion, Aeliana instead threw another question in the Haigh's direction, "And how are you finding Stonebridge? Though I'll say the Lady Anathema is a delight."
"Lady Anathema, yes. The others, I'm afraid not," Sabriel says with a small smile, taking a glass when it's offered with a few murmured words of thanks. "The rose garden at the keep is lovely, though," she adds. Stafford's comment about not being afraid only earns a flicker of a smile as she shakes her head. "Host to a bunch of what, my lady?" she asks Aeliana instead, brows rising in polite curiosity.
"I am quite dangerous," Nedra agrees with a firm nod, eyes sparkling with with humor, "and mean. Why, I just never think of anything nice to say and I'm absolutely horrid when .. um.. properly sleep deprived," she suggests as a reason to be properly horrid. She gives a quick glimpse of a grin, 'Ok, family prankster yes. Horrid? I don't think so, as a general rule. However, I make no promises as to my temperament when honestly to sleep deprived to be coherent." She chuckles before smoothly interjecting, "Guests," into the middle of Aeliana's phrase. "Like we have been, at Seagard, and as Lady Anais can speak of, at The Roost, trying to find room for every one. Lodging, rooms, food, adequate everything really. It gets so terribly crowded sometimes, doesn't it?" she asks, making the question to the group at large. "It makes me glad that I only have the one sibling, I must confess. I think if I'd had a younger sister, one as awful as I was a child to Kamron, that I might've gone mad somewhere along the way." She grins faintly, "Not that i didn't, after all, see? horrid."
"Is that your way of telling me I need to bring my own pavilion, my Lady?" Asked Stafford with bemusement as Aeliana bemoaned the crowdedness of Highfield. "Here I thought there were going to be perks to escorting the sister of the Lord. The best rooms, the prize seats.." Stafford made a dramatic sigh as he swilled the wine about in the goblet, took a whiff of its scent, then drank a slow and luxuriant mouthful.
He snorted with amusement, his eyes sliding sideways in Aeliana's direction, watching her. "Some confusion led me to believe you no longer had a need of it. But, of course, I would not want you to think I make promises and do not deliver. Should I have it delivered to your rooms, perhaps, my Lady?" Idly required, before he snorted with amusement at Nedra.
"You've not visited Braeburn House. If overcrowding is an issue, not so in Kingsgrove. Then again," he looked to Aeliana again, "to call it quiet might just be a prettier way of saying its boring. Certainly some have ventured such thoughts."
"Exactly," Aeliana said, when Nedra was gracious enough to supply the missing word, as if it'd never been missing at all. Her smile was one of easy company, that was interupted, midrun, by a yawn that threatened to split her face in two, were it not for the delicate rise of a hand to hide it. Goodness, where had that come from. But it was apparent, lingering about the eyes too, despite the fact that they were full of mirth for her dear friends description of herself. "I would trade you three brothers for one in a heartbeat," Ae replies to Nedra, before giving a sigh at Staffords words.
"If you but knew how overfull it sat already, my Lord Stafford, you would be grateful for a pavalion, but I can see if arrangements can not be made to house you. And you," Ae added with a grin in Nedra's direction, but she didn't let Stafford's baiting go, either. "Confusion? My Lord, did no one ever tell you that the sun need only rise to clear away the fog? I would be most agreeable, it is particularly fi——I did not say that Kingsgrove was boring. Not once. I said that it was absolutely beautiful. You were boring," and in a playful air of mischief, dared stick out her tongue. She shouldn't have opened her mouth. Another yawn swept through, this one accompanied with the tiniest of squeaking mewls. Dammit.
"Guests," Sabriel echoes, nodding once. She doesn't look particularly convinced, but she doesn't press the topic either, taking another sip of her drink. She still looks between the rest of the group, as if trying to grasp the thread of conversation. Before she can drown in it, though, there's a bark from outside, and she quickly sets the glass aside. "Please excuse me," she says, smile flickering. "Thank you. It's been a pleasure meeting all of you." And then she's dashing away trying to make her escape.
Nedra had taken a seat as well, though only long enough really to start to her feet in surprise with Lady Sabriel stands suddenly, Nedra's startle reflex being perhaps set on to high of a setting. She offers a smile and a start of a wave or maybe something cordial but Sabriel is dashing away to make her escape before Nedra can come up with anything better than, "It was nice meeting you." She hesitates for a moment, checking around to make sure that she doesn't have a good reason to be standing then takes a seat again, seeing the amused look on her Septa's face from where they are seated nearby. "I'm sorry, you were saying.." she turns back toward Aeliana, "that… Ser Stafford is boring, right. But not Kingsgrove, of course. Perhaps you just need to do what Lady Muirenn has done at Seagard, by inviting several ladies to visit. Or Ladies Raina and Roisin, to Heronhurst, for the same purpose," she suggests.
"Noted," Stafford said to Aeliana. "Some delivered for you, then, later."
When Sabriel made her excuse, he was forced back up to his feet, pulled by invisible puppet strings that jerked him around from his lovely comfortable spot, just so he could give her a parting bow as courtesy demanded for a noble lady. There were downsides to being a knight. "Of course, enjoy your evening, my Lady."
"I don't know. Were I to invite ladies to visit, they might get the wrong idea, my Lady. Besids, it would spoil my quiet. Which, as I've just been corrected on, is not boring. It's beautiful." He made a casual wave of his hand in dismissal of the whole topic.
"Regardless. I wonder if I shouldn't leave you to your conversation. It was a pleasure, My Lady Nedra. Lady Aeliana." Bow, kiss upon the back of their hands, then he'd make his departure.
He had trouble catching Aeliana's hand then. Every time she'd yawn and once she started, it was awfully hard to stop, one hand would rise to cover her mouth and the other would freeze, completely as if someone had suddenly frozen her into position. All of her did that, a keen eye might note. It meant she was slower than everyone else to rise too, mouth just barely closed; the rest of her giving a little shiver that went with it, as if she were some sort of feline. "Lady Nedra, I am so sorry. I think he put something in the wine," she teased and you could hear it, the sound of a yawn rolling through her voice as she struggled to keep it from coming to life, "But I just..," Damnit, yawnsqueak. There it came. "Breakfast in the..It was nice meeting you!" Flung towards the feeling Sabriel's direction. "..morning? If you're staying here of course?"
"And good evening to you as well, Ser Stafford," Nedra says before he too makes his departure, trying not to laugh, but really, something about this just tickles her sense of humor in the most entertaining way. "Beautiful is never boring, it may not be exciting, but it's never boring," she agrees. "quiet, also, is a vastly under appreciated facet, Ser Stafford. Cherish it while you still can," she suggests before she nods to Aeliana. "Breakfast would be lovely. I'm usually up for a morning ride long before the rest of the sane people are out and about for the day, so I'll be up and about for breakfast, just send word when you're ready and I'll meet you," she promises with a smile toward Aeliana. "We'll be staying the night and do a last bit of shopping before heading out tomorrow for Heronhurst."
