Dubhaine Family/Ciarghuala/Roleplays/1018/March

2nd March

Night -- Giask

Solomon Greybrook

Solomon, gazing over the coastline of his estate in the distance one more time before heading inland, began to question the decisions that he had made. With some newly recruited infantry, Captain Hadroria, his right hand in the Greybrook Guards, was eager to break the new boys in. Recruited with the best that he could afford, Solomon also was incited by the prospect of travelling, once again. Heading inland however, was his idea. Spending most of his time in the last week or so by the coast, Solomon was bored with the sight. Excited for something new, something radical by his standards, something different.

On the road out of the city, Solomon was captivated by his own thoughts, Captain Hadroria took charge of navigating for the day. As the hours past, Solomon began to doze off. However, as his horse buckled suddenly by a passerby, horrible memories flashed in front of his eyes. In a mere second, they had vanished. "It won't happen again," Solomon muttered, awoken by the jump but startled by the vision. Looking ahead to Captain Hadroria and to his guard with blurred vision, Solomon swore as he wiped his brow of sweat, "Not again. Never again."

4th March

Evening -- Giask

Ciarghuala Dubhaine

"So have you finished playing soldiers for the day dearest?" Em arched an eyebrow quizzically as she looked up from her battered paperback, its lurid cover depicting a provocatively dressed blonde and emblazoned with vivid text in an unfamiliar script.

"It is rather expected of me Em," Ciarghuala let the heavy oak door close behind her, shrugging off her baldric to hang Shieldbane from a convenient corner of the four-poster bed. The quarters of the Grand Panetier were functional rather than opulent, a convenience for whichever worthy this Office of State fell to should they need to stay in the Capital for a few days. Still the thick goose-down mattress provided a welcome hint of comfort after a long day on the training field and the Margravine unbuckled her brigandine with an audible sigh, letting it clatter to the flagstones.

"Help yourself to tea. There's a freshly made pot on the nightstand," Em turned a page, her perfect pedicure catching the light as her feet fidgeted with the bedspread, "and Synne is running you a bath."

"How do you always manage to look so..."

"So radiant?" Em's smile lit up the room.

"I guess you could put it that way," Ciarghuala sat heavily on the edge of the bed, tugging at her boots.

"I make it a rule not to waste time on trivialities," another page turned languidly and she sipped her tea, highlighting the differing priorities of the two women.

"Teaching soldiers how to survive in battle is hardly a triviality," boots discarded, the Margravine collapsed on the bed with a heavy sigh.

Em placed her book facedown on the nightstand and turned that disarming smile of hers on Ciarghuala, "I know your work's important darling."

"But you think I overdo it..."

"You know you overdo it dearest," Em placed her head on Ciarghuala's shoulder, "Always on the move, fighting or preparing to fight, and when you're not doing that you're poring over ledgers and account books. Let the weight of the world sit on someone else's shoulders for a while."

"I wish I could," the Lady of Poryatu stared deep into those bewitching eyes, "but that's not who I was raised to be."

"Then at least let me lead you astray this evening. We've been in Giask almost a fortnight now and we've yet to paint the town red."

"I'm not even going to ask where that expression comes from," Ciarghuala ran her fingers gently through Em's hair, "but I take it you have a plan?"

"Go have your bath first and then I'll tell you all about it."