Arcaea/Dining Hall/The Sparrow and The Lady
The canopy seemed to blanket the forest so serenely, sheltering those underneath from the fierce gusts of winds one would experience on the plains and mountains. Aerywyn felt the wind lift an odd braid of hair in front of his face; he watched as the bead glinted as it twirled and smiled, the feeling of sadness being lifted from his face. Visibly he sat up in the saddle, basking for a while in the smells, the scents, the warmth and the beauty of the forest. Though from time to time he had to duck underneath a particularly low lying brach, he was thankful for the peace that the rustling leaves brought him.
His men seemed to share his thoughts, for though little exchange had occurred during the journey (perchance due to exhaustion than from anything else), their spirits were similarly high. They now passed a bustle of activity as the infrastructure of the region was being rebuilt, and up ahead hidden behind a bend where the press of trees seemed to thin, the comely estates of the Rossinni liege lady could be seen.
Aerywyn dropped to the ground and pulled his loose, brown hood back to survey the grounds. His eyes narrowed at the evening sunlight, squinting against its brightness till he gave up and turned his head away. In time to see a young man walk up and offer a modest bow to the company. Whether he was of the minor nobility or a beauracrat, he was not sure.
“Gracious lord, to whom do we owe this honour?”, he asked politely, although with a hint of lethargy. Aerywyn glanced behind his own shoulder to see that his men were milling about, and so ordered them briefly to have the rest of the day to themselves.
“Lord Aerywyn”, he replied simply. “I was wondering if you could take this letter to the Lady Madelena?”
Taking the letter from his hand, the now messenger looked expectantly at Aerywyn, as he seemed as if to have something else to say. Aerywyn himself found himself searching for words, unsure really of what else needed to be said yet feeling that there needed to be something else than just a curt message.
“…Along with my greetings… also, offer her my apologies that my… intent to come to Orbeh was not announced sooner.”
Dear Lady Madelena Rossinni,
First, let me apologise for the condition this letter may arrive in. I am on the way to Orbeh currently, and the late spring rains though pleasant are not helping the badly damaged roads. Such things are to be expected however, especially when you are like me and insist on surveying the regions first hand.
Regardless, I am visiting Orbeh and I was curious if there was room amidst all the chaos for an extra dozen hands and a dubious banker. Also, I do hope you are feeling better than you were before and in good company. It will be a surprise to see yourself in good health judging by the circumstances in which we last met.
Yours sincerely,
Aerywyn Haerthorne Banker of Arcaea
The messenger entered Madelena's rooms with the note from Sir Aerwyn. She had just finished reading a letter from the Duchess Edara and had been staring out of the window, deep in thought. She was somewhat bemused to hear that Aerwyn was at her door.
"Tell Sir Aerwyn he is most welcome and show him into the parlor. Have some tea brought in and some light refreshments. Also, prepare a room for him and make sure his men are installed above the stables. I shall be down directly."
The messenger nodded in the affirmative and after he had left Madelena rang the bell for Sarah to help her change into something more comfortable than the robes of state she had worn to hold court that morning. Donning her blue velvet dress which drew out her piercingly blue eyes, she descended the stairs to join Sir Aerwyn in the parlor and see how the Banker had enjoyed exploring her region.
Lady Madelena Rossini Countess of Orbeh
Politely he thanked the man as he took his cloak, though Aerywyn smiled genuinely when an old washerwoman came and in turn almost tore the the garment out of his hands. Her lip curled in disgust at the state the young lord had worn this cloak in, walking away whilst muttering something along the lines of being clean before coming in her ladyships abode.
Content to idle the time, Aerywyn found himself admiring the room like a craftsman, running a hand along the fine quality wood of the furniture and the walls, stroking the fine stubble along his jaw as he concentrated upon the portraits on the walls. Thus absorbed as he was, he scarcely heard Madelena approach. A bit of surprise was apparent in his face.
By the… what a beauty…
The first thing one seems to notice is a persons eyes, and this was no exception .However he quickly composed himself, bowing low and graciously.
“Lady Madelena, it is good to see you well”, he said, blue eyes sparkling with interest. “You have a fine home indeed”.
Aerywyn Haerthorne Banker of Arcaea
“Lady Madelena, it is good to see you well”, he said, blue eyes sparkling with interest. “You have a fine home indeed”.
Madelena stood up and curtsied before the Banker. As she made eye contact with him she noticed the blue that was in her own eyes and those of her sisters. She also noticed a depth of thought and a quietness of spirit which she had been too weak to see before.
"You are too kind Sir Aerwyn. Having been so ill since my arrival and then with the region taking up so much of my time, it has been difficult for me to unpack and make things feel like home. Won't you sit down?"
She gestured to a chair by the fire and took the one opposite. Shortly afterwards tea was brought in with freshly made bread, newly churned butter, and honey from the hives on the estate.
"That picture you were looking at... " She gestured to the painting on the wall Aerwyn had been perusing on his examination of the room. "...is of myself and two of my sisters. We are triplets as you will see, but it shows each of us with our personalities shining through despite our physical similarities. "I came first, and that is me you see there on a horse with my bow and arrow in hand, ready for a fight. There you see Cypreana reading. She is a bureaucrat in Sartania and the dark and sombre nature of that realm suits her well. Finally you see there Willow. She is the one climbing the tree. She has fallen a lot on her head and is somewhat dizzy in nature as a result, but I adore her none-the-less. Arabella, our youngest sister by four years, has a picture of her own. She is the apple of papa's eye, if he could see her properly for his sight has dimmed. Arabella is interested in potions and healing herbs. She is quite the chemist in that respect. But enough of me Sir Aerwyn. I am won't to ramble on sometimes. How have your travels been and how have you been since we last met?"
Lady Madelena Rossini Countess of Orbeh
Eyes followed her words, trying to take in the personalities of each of the four women on the wall. A bow, a book, and... a dreamer? He smiled at the last thought, sitting himself down in the chair by the hearth. Aerywyn bowed his head for a moment to disengage his mind and think. Lifting it to speak, he looked first into the fire.
"Hmm... my travels you say?", he repeated thoughtfully. "They have... been uneventful." I saw my brother. "In a sense that is a good thing, for it shows more than anything else we are at peace."
Aerywyn took the proferred tea and sipped it sparingly, then busying himself with putting the butter upon the bread (the honey he left aside for the moment) he continued.
"I have finally been given the time to see my brothers grave in Nocaneb, for I have been unable to visit the site since the fortress was taken back. In fact, only recently have I had some time to myself at all, and already it seems the tourney season has begun...".
Putting the knife aside, he tore a piece of the bread he had buttered, and started to spread the honey on it. Aerywyn offered that piece to Madelena, so it appeared the other half was for himself. His smile softened his features and the man before her seemed more the youth than the council member.
"Tell me, is there a portrait of your father, or your mother for that matter?", Aerywyn asked.
Aerywyn Haerthorne Banker of Arcaea
Putting the knife aside, he tore a piece of the bread he had buttered, and started to spread the honey on it. Aerywyn offered that piece to Madelena, so it appeared the other half was for himself. His smile softened his features and the man before her seemed more the youth than the council member.
"Tell me, is there a portrait of your father, or your mother for that matter?", Aerywyn asked.
Madelena took the proffered bread and honey and ate a little, smiling at the kindly man before as she did. Despite herself she was becoming quite enraptured.
"I have a painting of my parents in my bedroom" she blushed. "But they live nearby. Do you think you will be staying here long? If so, then perhaps we can ride over to visit with them. My father doesn't get out like he used to on account of his age."
Madelena sat nervously on the edge of her seat and giggled nervously. What was wrong with her? She was behaving like a school girl!
Lady Madelena Rossini Countess of Orbeh
Aerywyn noted her blush and laughter, but at first he thought it was something embarassing or humerous about his appearance. He began to fidget a bit with the braids on the end of his coat, wishing that he had stopped himself and his men at one of the wayside inns to rest up and wash instead of heading straight to the estates. Taking the bread he had tore for himself he took a quick bite, obviously hungry but restraining himself.
"I think that I may... I had promised myself to enjoy as much of the country as I could... before...", Aerywyn then trailed off.
From the sleeve of his coat (green it was), something was obviously trying to wriggle it's way out of. Aerywyn laughed, his own nervousness broken as a peculiar little sparrow shook out its feathers, quite ecstatic to be free to move around. It jumped onto the arm of the chair and began exploring for food. Aerywyn took a few crumbs of bread and sprinkled it into his hand, which he let the bird eat from. It proceeded to do so, whilst giving the odd cursory glance at it's surroundings as well as Madelena.
"Meet, ah, the symbol of the Haerthorne line", he said in a self-mocking manner.
The bird quickly tired of eating, and Aerywyn lifted it to his front pocket so that the bird was sitting snugly, and almost comically, inside with it's head sticking out.
"He broke his wing a while ago, yet even though it has healed he still enjoys my company".
Aerywyn Haerthorne Banker of Arcaea
"Meet, ah, the symbol of the Haerthorne line", he said in a self-mocking manner.
The bird quickly tired of eating, and Aerywyn lifted it to his front pocket so that the bird was sitting snugly, and almost comically, inside with it's head sticking out.
"He broke his wing a while ago, yet even though it has healed he still enjoys my company".
Madelena leaped to her feet and grabbed Fang's collar. Aerwyn has been oblivious to the Wolf hound's presence in the room behind and how he had been eying the bird in his hand. As the bird ate the crumbs and was then ensconced in its friend's pocket, Madelena rushed Fangs out of the room and closed the door.
"He won't like that!" She exclaimed as she came and sat down again. "But he can go upstairs and sit in his bed by the fire. That sparrow is adorable. May I, May I old him?"
Lady Madelena Rossini Countess of Orbeh
Whilst the bird cocked its head curiously at the hound, Aerywyn, ever observant, took a moment to admire the Countess.
To think she was a disciple of the god of war…
When she turned back from the door, he smoothly transferred his attention back to his cup of tea, blushing slightly (careful trying not to betray too many of his own thoughts). He glanced up again, offering a simple nod and a smile to her request. Taking the sparrow from his pocket with delicate care, he took Madelena’s hand in his and laid the tiny bird onto her palm. It shook its ruffled feathers with some annoyance, but after settling down he seemed to be enjoying the attention regardless, giving a happy hop and a chirp.
“You seem to have charmed him, m’lady…”, Aerywyn said quietly. “But I am sure that is not difficult for one such as yourself…”.
Aerywyn Haerthorne Banker of Arcaea
“You seem to have charmed him, m’lady…”, Aerywyn said quietly. “But I am sure that is not difficult for one such as yourself…”.
Madelena blushed. This man before her was charming, and the small sparrow in her hand was delightful. She was, temporarily transported away to a place where her heart didn't ache, and her head didn't swim. She watched the little creature, gazing into itself eyes with a smile, and gently stroking its head with her finger.
"Does he have a name?" asked Madelena as she looked up and caught Sir Aerwyn watching her.
Before Sir Aerwyn could answer there was a knock on the door and Madelena's steward came in with correspondence. One of them bore the royal seal. Handing the bird gently back to Sir Aerwyn Madelena stood up and went to the desk by the window where the steward had places the parchments. She broke the seal of the crown and began to read....
Suddenly she let out a gasp, the room began to spin around her, and with a blackness closing in on her and the sound of rushing wind in her ears Madelena collasped in a heap on the ground, hitting her head on the desk as she went.
Lady Madelena Rossini Countess of Orbeh
After gathering a few strong hands, Aerywyn had the unconscious form of the Countess Madelena taken upstairs to her rooms, which he had to follow to find. The steward was giving him a hard, accusatory glances as to why his liege lady was being handled so and how she had come to this condition in the first place, yet he was ignored as much as possible. Aerywyn breathed a heavy sigh as he tried to clear his thoughts... and just as they were leaving the room, he spied the stack of letters upon the desk.
There was only one which was opened.
Biting his lip, he quickly strode to the table and swept the letter into his tunic and ran to help take Madelena upstairs.
________________
After a few short hours, it seemed as if the commotion had died down a bit. There had been a procession of factions in and out of the large master's room where Madelena lay sleeping, and it had only been a few minutes since the womenfolk were satisfied that the men hadn't done anything to harm the lady of the house, allowing Aerywyn in to tend to check up on her once more.
She had been changed from her blue velvet dress, and was lying upon the large bed with the drapes closed. Aerywyn sat in a chair nearby, his eyes lazily trailing across the room. He smiled as he found there were more portraits here aside from the ones downstairs (he himself could remember only a few in the Haerthorne mansion), and for a time his eyes found focus upon a pair. A man and a women.
He frowned with exertion as he tried to remember who they may have been, but sleep was beginning to dull his senses...
Aerywyn Haerthorne Banker of Arcaea
Madelena slowly became conscious of her surroundings. She realized that she was lying on her bed in her night dress and that Sir Aerwyn was asleep in a chair beside her. She was relatively calm, but slowly but surely a throbbing started over her right eye. She lifted her fingers up to it and could feel that it was swollen.
She slowly sat up and at first felt a little dizzy. Eventually however she regained her equilibrium and silently swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up. It was then that she remembered the contents of the letter from the Queen. The initial shock being now over she was able to reflect upon it more steadily.
"Why would Tenal up and leave the continent? Surely he promised me that if he ever left Sartania he would come to me here." A tear started to roll down Madelena's face which she brushed away quickly. She knew that whatever had been between Madelena and Tenal was over. Today was the first day of the rest of her life. She needed to stop moping around and get on with it.
She walked over to the chair where the maids had flung her clothes, picked them up and went behind the screen to dress. As she did so, she could hear the sound of Sir Aerwyn stirring in his chair...
Lady Madelena Rossini Countess of Orbeh
His eyes had been closed, but Aerywyn caught a little of what had been said, and guessing he could tell that it had something to do with the letter he now had on his person. It was the silence afterwards however that he heard all too well, though if she was sad or merely contemplative he could not tell, for he had not seen the tear roll down Madelena's face.
Aerywyn opened an eyelid very slightly, looking at the figure of Madelena turning around and heading for the screen, yet through his sleep addled mind it took a few moments to realise what she was doing. His breath caught in his throat and immediately he grimaced painfully, hoping she hadn't heard him. An angry host wasn't something he wanted to deal with right now, so it was better to act now than in a few moments time.
His head, mouth open in imitation of oblivious rest and jaw slightly slackened, rolled towards his shoulder for a moment before he forcibly raised it again. Aerywyn's eyes fluttered open (officially), and he even feigned a bit of confusion before smiling innocently at Madelena.
"It's good to see you again, m'lady", he said mockingly, though that was hard to do whilst stifling a yawn. "How are you feeling?".
Aerywyn Haerthorne Banker of Arcaea
Madelena jumped with a start to hear Sir Aerwyn's voice.
"I'm fine thank you" she said, stifling the indignity she felt being caught mid change. She just hoped that the screen was thick enough for him not to see through it.
"I can't imagine what came over me. I expect my eyes looks like I have been kicked by a bull!" She tried to laugh but it caught somewhat in her throat. It was definitely going to take time before this new cheerfulness felt genuine. She rushed to put on the remainder of her clothes and then gestured to Sir Aerwyn that perhaps it would be better to return down to the parlor.
"Or perhaps you would like to be shown to your room? You do look somewhat tired..."
Aerwyn gasped when he saw her eye but tried not to make too much of a fuss. However he declined his bed claiming his was not yet tired so the two of them made their way down to the parlor again. Sarah, Madelena's maid, met them in the hall and she immediatley insisted that a steak be fetched for the mistresses eye which was now turning black.
"I hope you don't mind Aerwyn while I quickly read through the remainder of the corredpondence?" He nodded to go ahead as he sat down by the fire once again. Madelena read reports for the region, noticing that things were still improving slowly and then read another piece of news which made her gasp.
"Lady Harmony has been kidnapped by that monster Siegfried! We are called to Saex in search of her!"
Lady Madelena Rossini Countess of Orbeh
"Siegfried?".
The name evoked a deep sense of unease in Aerywyn, for he had seen the horrendous wounds suffered by Lord Goffrey, but more so he had heard of the man's reputation. He leant forward in the chair slowly, but was visibly perturbed and even unsettled by the news. His tongue hang dry from the roof of his mouth, and he dwelled upon the cold tea in his hands before speaking again.
"Saex... is that... is that not where the Massey's family estate is?", he muttered half to himself excitedly.
Weariness was becoming increasingly evident in his face, yet despite himself Aerywyn rose to his feet with sudden vigour. His face was stern, but his large blue eyes remained vibrant as if it was the prime of the day, and it appeared that there was purpose to his movements. Looking unblinking into Madelena's eyes, he regarded her expression with interest, though of the concern and confusion present within him there was but a brief heartbeat where it showed. Yet that was enough to faze his mind and let it wander.
His mind wandered, and he could not bear it any more. Aerywyn rubbed the bridge of his nose, hiding his face and his eyes from Madelena for a time. A barrage of thoughts assaulted him, all either stemming from or being called by that single, feigned note of happiness in her laughter.
I think too much...
"When can you be ready to leave... Madelena", Aerywyn said as he strode towards the window. "There is very little time to waste, and our friends need all the help they can get."
Aerywyn Haerthorne Banker of Arcaea
