Thedor 5, 229: Bone to the Cartilage

Bone to the Cartilage
Summary: As Altair is playing a game of chess with his servant, Tamir, Elisen enters, and there's a bit of a talk.
OOC Date: 05/01/2014 (OOC)
Related: Between An Alliance of Substance and Rebuilding Bridges
Players:
Altair Elisen 
Game Room, Darfield Castle
As you step into the game room, you are greeted by a pair of card tables arranged in the area that previously was the waiting room to the castle infirmary. The tables rest on soft carpeting of a dark hunter green. Lining the walls about two thirds of the way from the bottom is dark wood paneling, beneath a green and gold chair rail. Above the chair rail, the ceiling and the rest of the walls are painted a rich cream color.

As you pass the card tables, which have been partially screened off to cut down on ambient sound, you note that the fireplace and dumbwaiter that graced the infirmary proper remain to fulfill their necessary functions. The former has clustered before it comfortable chairs, upholstered in green with gold accents. Also in the room are a billiards table, a dartboard, and a chess table with chairs flanking the left and right. A sideboard provides snacks and drinks to those who come here to relax and enjoy themselves.

Thedor 5, 229

At the moment, the Game Room is quite quiet, with only a few Kundari inside the room now. That is, Altair and his servant, both sitting at a chess table, with the Prince studying the board carefully, pondering his next move now.

A Mobrin guard enters the room, looking about for a moment, before leaning back into the hall and nodding. Elisen then enters, and another Mobrin guard follows him. He looks about a moment, and then smiles when he sees Altair. He nods at the guards, who just glare at him, and he makes his way to Altair. Bowing, he says in Kundari, "Prince Salah Altair al-Milan. It is an honor to meet you. I am…" he glances at the guards, then back at Altair, finishing, still in Kundari, "…Lord Elisen Stewert."

It would seem that Altair has found the move he was about to make, as he moves one of his pieces to take one of the servant's pieces now. He doesn't look up as the door opens, but as he hears his name mentioned, in his own language, he gets to his feet and looks to Elisen, offering a bow in return. "It is an honor to meet you as well, Your… My Lord." Offering a brief smile of apology at the incorrect title. "How may I help you, Lord Elisen?"

Elisen gestures at a chair near where he plays the game, "Please," he says, now in common. "Don't let me interrupt your game. If I may sit with you, perhaps?" he asks with a bit of a friendly smile.

Altair nods, switching back to common as well. "Of course, My Lord." A smile is offered, before he glances to the guards for a few moments. "I hope they are treating you well, under the circumstances?" Moving to seat himself again, waiting for the servant to make the move now. "Do you play, Lord Elisen?"

Elisen shrugs slightly, "They're doing as they're told. It could be worse, I suppose. Though," he shakes his head, "It saddens me we came here to speak of peace, and were met with imprisonment. They have no desire to see things to a peaceful outcome, unless it means they win and get everything they claim they deserve." He sighs, and lifts his brow once again, "Chess?" He laughs a little, "To be quite honest, Your Highness, I hardly had the time to learn the game. My father preferred I study over playing." He smiles, "I do understand there's quite a bit of tactics involved in this game."

Frowning momentarily as he sees the servant's move, Altair gives the other Kundari a brief smile. "Well done," he offers in Kundari, before he nods again at Elisen's words. "That is most unfortunate, My Lord. Nine times out of ten, I find peace more preferable." A brief pause, before he adds, "I must admit that I was a bit surprised that your father sent you here, though. I mean, you are his heir, are you not?" A chuckle at the mention of studying over playing. "I guess that was my luck to have an older brother, gave me more chance to learn a game such as this." Another nod, before he adds, "Quite a bit of tactics, that is true."

Elisen nods, "I am his heir, yes. I've only sisters, no brothers. Sometimes it's a bit sad to me I didn't have any brothers, but, I had a good childhood. He sent my sister as Ambassador, and sent myself to watch over her and give her any approvals or decisions necessary for her work toward peace. My father believed sending his heir would be a major olive branch. The Mobrin simply believed it convenient for taking hostages." He inhales slowly, and then speaks again, though he switches back to Kundari. "I'm glad that you're here, Your Highness. The agreements between Laniveer and Kundar are solid, but, they have nothing truly binding to hold them strong."

"It would seem that we are here for similar reasons, then. After all, my father sent my sister as the Ambassador as well. I requested to come with her to make sure she was safe." Altair takes a few moments to move his piece again, nodding a little bit. As he hears Elisen switch over to Kundari again, he pauses, studying the man carefully for a few moments. "That is true," he replies, before he adds, "Which is the problem with many of those kinds of agreements. Did you have anything in particular in mind, My Lord?"

Elisen sighs, and he leans forward a little, still speaking Kundari. "I value the Kundari as allies, as does my father. On a personal level, I find your culture fascinating. To live amongst the sands, with your castles carved of cliffs…" He smiles, a bit in wonder. "I dream of being able to visit one day. There is a Kundari poet, Aashiq Na'im Haddad, I studied as a child…" He looks upward a bit, reciting in Kundari, "For your sake, I hurry over land and water… For your sake, I cross the desert and split the mountain in two, And turn my face from all things… Until the time I reach the place, Where I am alone with You." He grins, looking back at Altair. "Sorry… The greatest tales are of love, yes?"

Altair nods a little bit as he hears that, offering a smile. "It is good to know we are valued by both you and your father, My Lord." A brief pause, before he looks back to the board as the servant makes his next move, grimacing momentarily as he studies the board, knowing he lost this game. "Well played." Turning back to Elisen, he smiles as he hears the rest of what's said. "Let us hope that peace can happen once more, so you will have that chance to visit our people." A nod at the recitation, and he offers a brief smile. "A lovely poem it is." A glance to the servant that has started to place the pieces back in their places, for the next people to play the game, before he looks to Elisen again. "They are, yes. Probably because that is one of the common thing with most people, they feel a need to be loved by someone."

"I agree. I yearn to pine for someone myself, but…" Elisen smirks, rolling his eyes a bit, still speaking Kundari, "I'm a bit of a hopeless romantic myself. All the pretty ones peak my interest, but none really feel the same back." He shrugs, "I'm young." Then he smiles at Altair, "Commonalities are the basis for making allies and peace." He looks at the other Prince, "I was considering… Perhaps that commonality might be found to provide bone to the cartilage that is our alliance thus far?"

"I am sure that one day, you will find the right one, My Lord. Like you say, you are still young, we both are, and time is still on our sides, right?" Altair offers this, before he nods at the last part now. Raising an eyebrow momentarily, before he adds, "What in particular were you considering, Lord Elisen? And bone to the cartilage of an alliance is a good thing, I agree."

Elisen shakes his head in agreement. "As heir, I have my father's blessing to see to my sister's hand. I'm uncertain if you have met her. Rowenna." He smiles, "She is considerably beautiful, and quite intelligent." He shrugs, "I love her dearly, and wish to see her with someone of prominence and worth." He lifts his chin a bit, looking rather directly at Altair then. "Would you have interest in meeting her?"

Altair nods a little at the mention of the other Prince's sister. "I have met your sister, although it was very briefly, I fear. She is indeed quite beautiful, and I know for someone like your father to send her as an ambassador, she would have to be quite intelligent too." A nod to the part about what he wishes for his sister. "I can understand such a wish. I have similar wishes for my own sister." A pauses as he hears the rest, his own gaze meeting the other's. "Meeting your sister, My Lord? Yes, I would have an interest to meet her." A brief pause, before he adds, "As Ambassador, my sister should probably know of something like that, though."

Elisen nods, "Of course. I have no desire to be working outside of the Ambassador. In fact, I spoke with her last evening, though briefly, on just this very subject. I won't speak on her behalf. You'll obviously want to speak with her yourself to speculate on if this is a wise consideration for your family." He smiles, "Princess Nima is quite a lady," he adds, almost as an aside. Straightening, he offers, "Perhaps once you've spoken with your sister, if she is in favor of entertaining such a strengthening match between our families, we could all have dinner. You could get to know her a bit more, and she you?"

There's a very brief moment of pause as he hears that Elisen had already spoken with his sister, but after that moment has passed, Altair just nods now. "That sounds like a good idea, to have a dinner like that," he offers in agreement, before he adds, "I am truly honored by your suggestion."

Elisen waves off the pause, "It was truly an informal discussion, Your Highness," he assures the man. He smiles then, looking at the game board, and then back at the Kundari prince. "Thank you for allowing me to speak with you as you game, Prince Altair. It really was my pleasure and honor."

Altair smiles, nodding a little bit. "I will speak with my sister as soon as I can," he offers to the other man now, before he smiles at the look to the board now. "Do not worry about the game, Tamir would probably have beaten me no matter what. Which is why I keep on playing against him. After all, how can one improve if not by competing with someone more skilled?" Another smile, as he adds, "And it was a pleasure and a honor for both of us, then."

Elisen smiles, and he rises, bowing appropriately for the Prince. "Stay well, Your Highness." He offers Tamir a quicker head bow, and then heads back to his suite.

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