Storme Family/Aila/A-break-in-the-Storme

The Gala

Roleplay from Aila Storme

(message to all nobles of Perdan) Aila took Kenneth's thanks heartily, giving him a genuine smile as she left him to soak up all the praise for his heartfelt performance. A poem then, honoring the Duke she took in from the deck with everyone else on her way to get through the crowd amassed near the performers and with them all she would clap cheerfully for the woman she had never met and secretly for Apollyon who supported her so gallantly through it. There was a pause then between performers and Aila too the chance to reach the outside of the crown in time to see the Duke alone and slipping away into a part of the ship she hadn't found while exploring earlier. Interest piqued by the lone Duke Aila moved toward where he had disappeared and pretended not to be waiting for anyone, giving her best -fancy seeing you here- look as Smiddich re-emerged. Lady Storme studied the Duke before Copying Nemean's manners she greeted him with "Your grace" replacing his bow with a very proper curtsy, the kind little ladies are forced to practice since 2 years old. Her initial appraisal had been that he was 'old' but the word was far from her mind now, no up close he was much more then that. Of all the noble men her Father had ganged around with her whole life she had never seen one built quite like this- Tall, dark, broad- he was formidable. Is this why people refer to him as a pirate? It was all a bit disarming up close but in Aila's current state that was a very good thing. "Everyones been showering you with gifts, all I have is this the Grey Exarchs Poems" she handed him a paper covered in beautiful, feminine handwriting. It was a handwritten collection of the poems she had received from Shadowdale, taunts, insults and all. In case that wasn't enough to tip him off she added "I'm Aila Storme, Dame of Aix" she did her best to help out the Duke who she imagined was wondering just who this teenager standing before him was. "I mean not to bother you, you've been surrounded all evening. I just wanted to give you that bit of entertainment to read." And then Aila did something that Aila pre-wine never would have "I came without a date in hopes you would too" A wry smile hid slight doubts currently being violently stamped down by rich alcohol. "Do you want to dance?"

Aila Storme

Roleplay from Smidditch Fontaine

(message to all nobles of Perdan) Duke Smiddich turned away from having closed the doors to his private suites, and found Aila waiting for him. He hesitated for only a second before self-assured confidence returned. The ship gently rocked despite the hundred feet aboard her dancing and revelling, and he took her hand in greeting. “Lady Aila”, said the swarthy Duke of Perdan, “It is my pleasure! I had hoped to make your acquaintance tonight, in fact, to hear a poem from your lips!”, he grinned. “It was your spirited prose that prompted tonights celebration of the arts, after all!” Up close, and in the bright lantern light, Aila could see that Smiddich was finely dressed and everything tailored to size. The Duke was tall and broad, not so much in any particular direction to be awkward. His black shirt sleeves were rolled to the elbow; she could spy dark tattoos peeking out from swarthy skin at his collar, forearms and the back of one hand. A few loose buttons at the top hinted at more pictographs underneath; no doubt waves and anchors and other spirits of the sea. They were well into the night; the pirate knight of Perdan smelled of port and cigar smoke, fingers decked in heavy silver rings, a silken sash around his slim waist. “I shall read these with interest!”, says Smiddich, taking the papers from her, “If they are as amusing as the first. Shall I return them to you when I am done? I admit, I have found the Shadowdhavians to be boorish and insular folk, I have not attracted their attention as you seem to have!” He takes her arm and leads confidently back to the dance floor where one tune is ending and another beginning. The Duke bows low to his partner, and leads her through the steps of a gentle waltz. Aila can feel his warmth prickling through his back and shoulder where he leads her, deftly giving her no choice but to step confidently here and there among the crowd. More than once, he snatches her away from a stray elbow or from being trodden on by a clumsy knight, turning her finally into a slow dip as the music concludes. He clears his throat as his face lingers near to hers, “Two in a row is customary…”, says the Duke, “Would you care for another?

Smidditch Fontaine

Roleplay from Aila Storme

(message to all nobles of Perdan) The Sincerity with which Fontaine greeted her was a welcome surprise, he made it easy for her to look him up and down with a look of half awe and half amusement. His charming grin, the glimmering rings, the hint of tattoos all made the fine clothes seem like an afterthought. As he took her meager gift she couldn't help but match his smile as he commented. “I shall read these with interest!”, says Smiddich, taking the papers from her, “If they are as amusing as the first. Shall I return them to you when I am done? I admit, I have found the Shadowdhavians to be boorish and insular folk, I have not attracted their attention as you seem to have!” -Smiddich Fontaine "They are yours to keep, I went through the letters and copied them all myself. You're quite right about their manner." To her delight he did not linger on the subject long and instead lead her away with a confidence she herself would've loved to have. In the matter of dancing, much like her singing Aila was also painfully average and so when the Duke unexpectedly did take her up on her offer the fact that he made it easy for her to follow his lead was no small relief considering the social leap of faith she had just taken. -He can dance- she marveled, smiling through the number. It felt like victory, she hadn't stepped on him once, nor tripped, nor said anything ridiculous. Reveling in her achievement didn't last long however. He clears his throat as his face lingers near to hers, “Two in a row is customary…”, says the Duke, “Would you care for another?” The easy to vex Aila had been totally disarmed of course she wouldn't refuse another dance. "Well we wouldn't want to breach etiquette" she would reply a bit too quickly, her dry sense of humor rearing it's ugly head. Despite the slip fate went easy on her as the next song began, a court song with a dance she knew well enough to hold her own.

Aila Storme

Roleplay from Smidditch Fontaine

(message to all nobles of Perdan) The Duke of Blades caught a passing porter, and bade them clear the dining service, and set out dessert. In short order, the staff would roll aboard freshly baked pies and pastries from the cities bakeries which were employed for this evening task. The ship boasted a substantial kitchen, but nothing that could tolerate the needs of so many at such short notice. Fine crockery and tea sets were set up on tables and laden with cream, custard and compote, fresh fruit and other confections to be eaten with finest china and silverware. The band struck up the next number; one had taken up a fiddle in Smiddich' stead. The number, while traditional, was slightly faster than the last, and several couples quit the dancefloor in submission. The pirate knight raised an eyebrow, giving Alia an easy out, and then grinned and clasped her hand and waist. This was a more rollicking number, a circular skipping dance of whirls and steps. Gratefully, this song was shorter, and before long the breathless couple bowed to one another as the music ended. Dessert was shortly served as the band packed themselves away and settings were placed at the main table and on several other trestles. "Sit with me, won't you?", asked the Duke to Lady Alia, as fresh baked pies and strudels, crumbles and turnovers were delivered, "Sit with me and have something sweet!"

Smidditch Fontaine

Roleplay from Aila Storme

(message to all nobles of Perdan) A strange soldier it would be to be too exhausted to continue after one dance, she had all the youth and energy one could expect from a teenager and danced this dance that she had before with far more comfort then the walts she had spent staring up at the man called pirate with eyes like saucers. She ended this dance with a genuine laugh this time, holding onto his arm moments after the music stopped to catch her breath. Only two dances? she looked and realized that Fontaine had somewhere along the way had everything switch over again. The sound of tables hitting the deck reminded her of Luna- the bird of course. Aila looked up at the rigging, eyes darting around till she saw the shadow of a falcon still waiting above. It's level of training was getting irritating almost but as the Earl had advised her Aila tamped down her ire for the Grey Exarch and went along with the Duke as she was expect. She sat when bid, arranging her long skirt out of the way trying not to think about all the eyes boring into her as she one of the lowest on the noble totem pole took a seat with a Duke. Easy to forget as a dainty dish of honey wafers was placed in arms reach as if meant just for her, her absolute favorite. Still she didn't touch it instead turning to the Duke- she had a thousand questions for him but found herself too nervous to ask any of them. Trying to reassure herself that it was /him/ who reached out to her first she just went for it. "In all my time serving I've not seen a get-together like this one, A deserved break to be sure. I must ask... what is the history of the Gambit for you to put so much care into her?" she asked, behind an only slightly clueless smile.

Aila Storme

Roleplay from Smidditch Fontaine

(message to all nobles of Perdan) Duke Smiddich withdraws a chair for Alia and bades her sit, before he seats himself beside her. The King himself sits at this table surveying his knights at revelry but eating nothing for himself. The servants are busy clearing the dinner dishes and putting out the desserts, served with sticky wines sourced from all around the nation; ports, tokays, muscats and other fortified sips. Hot drinks of tea and other stimulants are also distributed in that same bone china from a far away civilisation. "The tale of this vessel is an old one!", grins the Duke, withdrawing a thin cigar from a packet from the coat hung from this chair. He offers one to the lady before lighting his own, taking a few tentative puffs of fragrant dark smoke and a sup of sweet wine. "You see, before... all of this", says the Blade Bladed Duke, indicating the fine party, "My men and I plied the sea with a letter of marque. We preyed upon enemy ships, warships mostly, but some armed traders. They'd typically flee or give up as soon as we raised the flag hoping we'd go easy on them, and we did, most times. It was long and treacherous days and nights at sea. This vessel belonged to a King, if you can believe it, of a nation no longer remembered. It was his pride and now mine. For two nights we toyed with one another at range before picking off each others support; we were very nearly outmaneuvered at the last!" He gives his date a keen glance, to make sure he's still keeping her interest. "The enemy monarch was aboard, you see, and we had permission to do him harm as we were able! As you can imagine, neither the king or his men were content to let us have the ship nor her contents, and it came to blades. If you can imagine the rush of a battlefield, the thrill of a charge and the roar and cry of men nearing their last, then imagine the same at sea! The boats pitch and roll, the deck is treacherous and the fighting is fierce, for there is no retreat. The King's commander and I crossed blades there on the deck!", says the Duke, indicating upwards with his cigar. "I'll admit, he was nearly the end of me!", says the Duke, with reminiscing in his eyes, "He was fast, but I was young and full of vigor; not half the swordsman I was today, of course, but daring and with my men behind me. I took a blade to the belly, in the end, and he took mine to the throat. The King surrendered the ship to my men, and that Commander left me with quite a scar." The Duke of Perdan makes to dig into the tails of his shirt, as if to lift and reveal his abdomen, ".... maybe another time. But, before I must read it for myself, how did you ever happen to raise the ire of the Shadowdale council? I've badly wanted to bloody their nose, myself!" Smiddich remembers a time not so long ago when he plied the Shadowdale Ambassador with gifts and got only snubs in return.

Smidditch Fontaine