No More Hidding |
Summary: | With the pending meeting of Kinciads, both Nylie and Kierne appear to have a few worries upon their minds. |
OOC Date: | 18/June/2014 |
Related: | A few most likely. |
Players: |
Kincaid Manor - City of Stormvale |
Before you is a villa style home that is set in behind hedgerows. It is low to the ground and has smooth orange rust colored walls. The roof is made of terra cotta tiles, stacked atop each other. Directly in front is the large wrought iron gate with sturdy wooden slats spiked onto the gate to make what lies beyond a secret. From the gate, the wall spreads to either side and then turns sharply to form a square, at the back of the square, the only raised structure and just barely visible from the front. The 2 story main section of the villa stands directly opposite the gate. In peeking through the wooden slats of the gate, there is a glimpse of a lush courtyard and the open-air rooms that make up the sidewalls, as well as the face of the house proper. Plain and even drab from the outside, clearly this place saves its beauty for within. |
It is day 31 of the month of Sheat, 229 2E |
What progress Nylie had been making down the hallway came to a halt a few steps past the mirror that was hanging on the one side. Taking the few steps back, Nylie paused again when she was before it. A few little shifts were made as she stood sideways before the mirror. A few breathes were made as she tried to 'suck it in'. But 'it' just wasn't going anywhere, as is soon apparent to Nylie. Giving a sigh, "There is just no hiding it anymore, is there?" Speaking to Alyxia, who had been doing her best not to do more than smile as she watched the small show off to the side. "I am afraid not. Even if there was more to let out, I fear it would just settle as it is now, my friend."
Nylie sighs again and tries again to again suck in her 'gut' but there is just no sucking in the little baby belly that presses against the fabric of her dress. "How big will I be do you think when he will lose interest in me? Or do you think he already has perhaps?" For ever if he spoke of not wishing her long from his sight, her husband had been rather busy and his thoughts elsewhere. Under standalone so, the war…his injuries. But ah…how the insecurities of being female and pregnant can slip out of even the most seemingly confident of women.
So Nylie's confidence is cracked, and Kierne, too, is facing the morning with a sensation of looming dread at the pit of his stomach. As though settled at some decisive precipice of life, the hackles raised at the back of his neck, he's no appetite for breakfast, nor anything to drink besides a sad draught of sober waters. What kind of news tonight will bring he can only guess at, and dread. Surely he's a failure in his squirehood, and Ronan is finally to be rid of him. So where will it put him? He doesn't know, but certainly he's neither pleased his father nor his uncle very much. Such gloomy, plummeting considerations plague the lad as he makes slow laps of the manor, counting down the moments until he finds out what he dreads to know. He spots his Auntie sideways and draws his steps to a halt and a mote of reverse before quite turning the corner into the corridor where she stands, watching her for a moment from there.
It was not like Aidan lacked for 'alternatives' if he desired them, Light knows the older Porter girl was practically throwing herself at the Duke, even going so far as mimicking Nylie's style and look in her attempts. And that he was not keeping her informed of what his plans were, all what this evening was to be about did not help any. Was he displeased with how she had managed in his absence? Even if the King spoke well of how she had handled the Council meeting, was the Duke himself displeased? Was her purpose now served….pa favourable political alliance and now he'd managed to knock up a Kilgour. Nylie just sighs a touch as her hands smooth over the material of the gown about her stomach making the bump all the more noticeable. It is Alyxia that speaks,"I am certain he shall not tire of you, do not think such none sense. I have seen how he looks at you." Nylie shakes her head a little,"But I'm getting fat."
Kierne watches quietly from his ambush spot for a moment longer before speaking up, "Appearances are overrated in women," he gives his opinion. "A woman may be tall, fair, straight of leg and small of nose, radiant, with hair that gleams and a posture upright, but none of this is really beauty. Especially if she glories in her appearance and cultivates it to the exclusion of all else. She forgets that without a spark of wit and good humor, a keen mind and the soul of wisdom behind her eyes, she is no more than a vapid statue. And for she who has that spark inside of her, any number of what one might call physical defects," he shrugs, "What do they really matter? She could steal the charm from Charm itself."
Nylie's head turns up from looking at her stomach as Kierne speaks up. It was not like the woman had ever been known to go to lengths concerning her appearance, or even fuss over clothing or adornments. She'd really only gotten properly tailored gowns to show off her forms when it seemed a thing that rather pleased Aidan. It is a few moments before she remembers herself, her hand moving from her belly, the faint tug at the material to (unsuccessfully) make it billow a little and hide the bump. "Some would much prefer the vapid statue, not wishing to be challenged or debated with by a woman. Some wish for both. I had not given over much worry to it….til recently. " The fine effects of love…marriage….pregnancy hormones. "Perhaps it is I who forget who….what I am. " Shooting a slight glance towards her maid a moment before looking towards Kierne again. "In the end, I think some would say it depends on the defect on if it matters or not. "
Kierne already knows Auntie N is preggers, after all— she ran off vomiting in the middle of his discourse on precedent, after all. So she needn't try to hide it in front of him, at least. "Well, those men are just as vapid, then, and let them enjoy one anothers' company," Kierne writes off all those who wouldn't appreciate intelligence in a woman. "I guess the question really is… does it matter to you? Be pleased with yourself— the opinions of all others can go rot, right?"
It is not who knows, but the display of such is so oft considered unseemly, or even vulgar by some. Nylie quirks a slight eyebrow,"And how do you think you may deal with it should you end up arranged to some vapid statue when the day comes? " It is a thought to consider, though the crux of the issues does perhaps show in the questions the end up coming out in the end,"I should say I am generally pleased with myself," except perhaps the throwing up, she could do without that. "But should I not have concern of what Aidan thinks, should it not matter to me? Does it not concern you on what your girlfriend thinks?"
"H'm!" Kierne replies, with a devilish glint in his eye. "If she is as vapid as all of that, she won't grasp any sign that my affections lie elsewhere, will she? And as for the… business of propagation, well, one woman is very like another in that regard." In coarser words, a hole's a hole. "I see what you mean. But if my girlfriend stopped loving me simply because I got pregnant…" he trails off, blinking, "Well, aside from the fact that something terribly wrong has happened in the universe, I should think her unduly shallow and possibly not worth my worry after all."
"Ah, true, she may not if you do not flaunt such a thing openly," as no doubt occurs with many an arranged marriage. Consorts and mistresses a plenty. Nylie does give Kierne a slight study on the matter of propagation, some question perhaps springing to mind. But what it might be does not go further than that and remains unasked. There is a soft laugh,"Aye, I dare say, if you became pregnant there would be something wrong in the world, and surely love would not be where thoughts were focused. " There is a mild sigh, and Nylie does admit,"He had seemed quite pleased about the news. Surprised, but pleased." The Duke perhaps one of those who'd though the Duchess barren. "Though what is it that has you moping about the manor this day?"
"I don't know why he wouldn't be. Becoming a father is a great thing, isn't it? Especially from out someone much adored," Kierne supposes. "Ah— only, the meeting this evening. Uncle uses such ominous language in presenting it. I have no idea what's in his mind, whether he is pleased or discouraged. I don't know whether he means for me to be knighted or to be taken from my squirehood altogether and set on some other path. Whatever happens, I suppose I'll be able to put up with it," Kierne glances briefly aside to Nylie's maid, before heaving up his shoulders in a great helpless shrug. "It's only the waiting that's murder."
"Perhaps it is, but he has already been a father several times over and seen those children grown and some married off. He could have sought a match between me and his eldest even," scary thought that, ain't it? "He could have not wished for any more children." It had been a worry for Nylie when the healers had told her. Granted, anything could happen yet. There was no assurances. "Ah, aye….he has been rather mysterious about it all. Though for you, I cannot imagine it will be set to another path altogether, unless that is what you wished. You have proven yourself several times, even if you have not come away unscathed you have come away. And more importantly, you did see him returned this last." There is a faint smile,"Though I admit, it would have been nice if he'd given some indication to his intentions rather then being so vague."
"I used to think I didn't want to be knighted," Kierne confides in his Auntie. What good is family if you can't open up to them, after all? "I think I was just scared to be left to my own devices. I wanted guidance, leadership. Company, even. But it occurs to me that as a Knight I could make my own company. Bring someone along I would trust to keep me in check when I needed it." He even looks as though he had a person in mind. "And quite possibly someone to offer companionship, as well." A different person, perhaps. "I don't know how well I would manage, but I would make a go at it, at least."
It does not seems to surprise Nylie that Kierne would have had such a doubt, he was not the first squire and likely not the last to have such. "It is likely so, I would think we all wish for guidance and leadership. Need it even." A faint smile comes and Nylie nods a touch,"You are right in that. You could do so, and consider as well that you will not lack entirely for leadership or guidance. Does not Aidan still give direction to his Knights, guidance as they would need? They would simply have more latitude then a squire, yet they are still accountable in the end. "