Inouv 31, 228: No Titles Just Cousins

No Titles Just Cousins
Summary: Short scene in which Ciarrah goes to visit her cousins.
OOC Date: 20/December/2013 (OOC)
Related: None
Players:
Rowena Ciarrah Elisen 
Laniveer Suite
This spacious sitting room is simply but stylishly decorated. Finely woven patterned rugs cover most of the marble floors and compliment two white leather sofas arranged to face each other near the center of the room. The wall to your left as you enter contains an oak door on the near portion and a spacious hearth on the far portion, where two additional sitting chairs and a small table rest. To your right as you enter is a mahogany door next to an extensive bookshelf which hosts a collection rich with both art and science titles. Tapestries of places throughout the continent adorn the walls on both sides. Directly in front of you, the far wall is covered with lush foliage, hanging and potted plants collected from exotic locales. The room is kept lit by small brass and crystal chandeliers.
Inouv 31, 228

Elisen is laying on the leather couch, laying on his back with one foot on the floor and his bent knee against the couch back, that foot on the cushion. The fire is going. His shirt is now unbuttoned halfway, and he holds an open book up in the air above him, reading.

Rowena ran into their suite moments ago only to then run into the privy where she was sick. Very sick. Loudly sick. After that was done she went into her room for awhile to get out of the constrictive gown only to come out now wearing a light shift that is almost nightgown like. "We need to talk," she announces while moving to where she can pour herself a glass of something cool to drink, whatever counts as juice if water isn't available.

Elisen closes the book, sitting up. "Are you well?" he asks, concerned. He stands, moving to her, laying his hand on her shoulder. "I heard you getting sick in the other room. What's wrong? Do I need to send for someone?"

"Just my nerves getting the better of me." And while Rowena doesn't say it the look she gives her brother says it for her - 'because of you'. Taking a sip and then a slow, calming breath in, her hand finds its way to her stomach where it is pressed. She had lost all of what was in her belly but she still feels very queasy. "Elisen, you need to remember something…"

Elisen shakes his head, "Ro…, I know." He closes his eyes, and he exhales. "Disrespecting me is one thing. But… When they called you lady and not Princess…" He looks away.

Rowena moves to sit on the same piece of furniture her brother's laid out on, just about sitting upon him as she doesn't make him move or ask him to do so before she flops. "It is what it has to be, Elisen. I was not playing with you when I warned you how I did. They could kill us, if such desire arose within them. They have been more than willing to try and drive that point home." The book is reached for if he hasn't set it down. She'll do it for him, if needed. "It grates on me as well. Gods, how it grates. But we need to bite our tongues and behave here."

Elisen purses his lips, thinking a moment. "These people are barbarians, Ro. They would invite us into their home and then slaughter us because we acknowledge who we are? No wonder they lost the crown." He sighs, shaking his head, "That MUST be the first thing you negotiate, sister. Our titles. If they cannot acknowledge even who we are, they will never be willing to have peace with us."

"No. That is not what we're here for. Not yet, at least." A hand reaches out and she runs her fingers through Elisen's mop of unruly blond hair, watching him as she does. "Please apologie to the Queen, brother. Say you are sorry for the treason you gave voice to and please… please behave." Her eyes linger on his before she rises again, her glass brought with her as she crosses the room. "It is only until Spring, I promise."

Elisen shakes his head, "Ro, if they refuse to acknowledge who we are, our negotiations are completely meaningless. We cannot cow to them on this." He rubs the bridge of his nose a moment, "Look, I'll apologize to the queen, but I will not admit it was treason. But you have to get our titles back."

It is times like this where the two siblings' different temperaments becomes the most obvious. "Trust me, please. Just let me…" While he itches the bridge of his nose she's pinching hers, the onset of a headache staved off by doing so, or so she hopes. "If we were home this would be a very different set of circumstances. We could better dictate the rules."

Elisen sighs, and he levels his voice. "Ro. It's just… If they can't acknowledge our family has power, they can't negotiate for peace with us. Don't you see that? They don't want to negotiate peace. They want to negotiate the return of Laniveer to their rule. You have to begin with them acknowledging we hold it."

"I don't even know what it is our Father wants," Ro says as she throws up her empty hand, all but wailing. "Did he tell you it was peace we were to negotiate for? I wasn't. All I know is that we're here to open a dialogue… for whatever good that does us." Her drink is set down and she fops again, this time atop her brother like she used to when they were kids.

Elisen sighs one more time, laying his hand on his sister's lap. "He said you were coming here to open communications, an ambassador. I insisted I come to to make sure you're okay." He shrugs a little, "It seems they why of our trip is in our own hands to decide then." He smiles, "I do trust you. I'm ready to run a kingdom. Negotiating with the enemy? That's all you."

Rowena pokes the back of that hand a couple times. "Then that is what we're going to try to do, Elisen." Not that it's guaranteed, of course. They all might wind up with their heads on pikes and put on display as examples. Elisen gets a pat on his arm and then she moves again, this time so she can pour him a glass of wine. "I know this isn't easy for you, brother, but please. Just promise me to be careful."

Elisen sits up, and he smiles widely. "I'll be fine. Look, I promise, I'll keep my mouth shut. But you need to promise, you'll get our titles back. If not first thing, at least tell me it will be high on your list, okay?"

"I will need to get a feel for how bad the hostility will be first. But if it won't be the death of us, I'll try. But do not make me say when, please." The glass of wine is brought to him and held out, allowing him to take it as he wishes. "I am still not feeling well so I believe I shall pass on having dinner, tonight. Feel free to have something to eat without me."

Elisen takes the wine, closing his eyes as he savors it a moment. Returning his gaze to her, he smiles, "Fair enough." He takes a second drink, "I know it's difficult, but… If things seem to go well, I'd also like to try to get out to the market. I'd like to get a spun silk mattress. The beds here are all down," he notes, which they both know is terrible for his breathing issues. "I laid all the blankets on the floor in front of the fireplace last night and slept better than I have since we arrived."

Someone is knocking at the door.

"I will ask and see if they have something like that here before. If they do there will be no sense in spending money on such a thing." Ro can't help but to smile at her brother but that dims some when the door is knocked upon. "Who…" Raising her voice, she calls out, "Come in."

Elisen nods, "I suppose. I just didn't want—" He looks at the door as well, when it's knocked upon. Glancing at his sister, "Expecting someone?" He smiles, "Maybe it's the pretty one that was coming into the salon as I left?" He looks once again to the door, waiting for it to open.

Elisen is seated on the leather couch, a glass of wine in his hand and a book closed on the armrest beside him. Rowena is standing, both are looking at the door. Rowenna had just called for whoever was there to come in.

Hearing the call to enter, Princess Ciarrah Kilgour pushes open the door and steps inside, followed immediately by her handmaid Serah Temple and her guard Davyd. Her second guard Redmond is standing just outside the door, and he remains there even after Serah closes the door behind them. Immediately, Ciarrah dips into a formal curtsy and in order to avoid the distinct awkwardness of greeting them below their station, she does not use a station at all. "Cousin Rowena! I have not seen you for far too long!" There is genuine pleasure in her eyes as she regards her cousin.

"Is that what we're reduced to, Ciarrah? Curtseys and all that?" A hand is waved towards her and then Ro holds her arms out, offering their cousin a hug. "You remember Elisen, yes?" Like Ciarrah, she too skips over the silliness that is using titles duing a time like this. They're family and that's more important to her than crowns and titles and all the other forms of protocol they have had forced down their throats for ages.

Elisen watches the two ladies hug, and he takes a long, several swallowed drink of the wine. It's apparently going to be a long night. He smiles when Ro gestures to him, "It's nice to see a face not secretly plotting my demise," he offers as greeting.

With the invitation of arms, Ciarrah easily embraces her cousin, the smile unable to be contained. "You have no idea how nice it is to see familiar faces here of family other than Conall." Hopefully Elisen does not protest as she hugs him as well. "How are you both doing? Are you comfortable? Is there anything I can do to ease your weariness since your arrival?" Casting a sympathetic look to Elisen, she nods somberly. "The damage my Uncle has done here is hopefully not irreversible. There have already been so many skirmishes and one all out battle and the war is ongoing, only slowed by the winter." Biting her lip, she tips her head to the side. "Is he quite sane?"

A look is given sidewards to Elisen before Rowena answers, her expression somber some, now. "We are well although I do believe my brother is still feeling a bit poorly from his illness. Elisen, what was it you said you'd like? Something to sleep upon that is made out of silk, yes?" He can fill in the details as to what it is he is needing to sleep better while she's moving towards where decanters and glasses can be found. "Can I get you something to drink?" Her hand is moved towards one of the glassware in anticipation of Ciarrah's request for drink in response, speaking all the while. "I am uncertain, Ciarrah. It seems like everyone is unwilling to even so much as put faith into why we are here so perhaps Father's actions have caused an irreparable rift between our two lands. It is hard to say at this moment, however." As to the mental state of King Eldwin? Elisen can answer.

Elisen does indeed allow the hug, gently and respectfully returning it. "A spun silk mattress. The down feathers are difficult on my breathing," he offers. Taking another drink of his wine, he notes, "Father's not insane. This is not all his fault, regardless of how your barbarian husband's people make him out to be." He frowns, "They won't even call us Prince and Princess. They refuse to acknowledge who we are, how will they ever respect us enough to discuss peace?"

"Anything you need, Elisen, consider it done.." A smile tugs at her lips since he had hugged her back and Ciarrah looks between them. "I just had twin sons. One is the future heir of Mobrin. I married Crown Prince Tyrel. It was arranged, of course, and we are still awkward around each other, but perhaps we are making strides." At the offer of the drink, she inclines her head in a quick dip. "Please, wine would be lovely. Thank you, Rowena." Her features cloud slightly. "He was always such a commanding presence, my uncle. I do hope the distance can be spanned, you are my family and your happiness is important to me." A frown mars her brow and she sighs softly. "Please do not speak of my husband as such, Elisen. He is my husband and I am loyal to him." And she loves him, if her expression is any indication. Fiercely. "I would not have him speak such of you either and he is my family now as well."

The tension that flows from her brother has Rowena's stomach hurting all over again, making her feel like she might be sick for a second time. Thankfully she does keep what juice she drank before their cousin's arrival down and fufilling Ciarrah's request is enough to distract her from the nausea that brings her discomfort. A glass of red wine is poured and given to the furture Queen, her eyes holding to hers for a second before she looks down and to the side, clearly troubled. "Keep a civil tongue in that mouth of yours," she reminds him, too tired and too saddened to worry about keeping her words gently-spoken. "It has already gotten us into trouble with Queen Laetitia and I will not let it cause our cousin to seperate herself from us as well." The curt tone in her voice mellows out, then, her energy too lacking to keep up an angry tone for long. "Let us enjoy each other's company tonight as it could be one of the last times we will be allowed to."

Elisen sighs, and again, finds himself apologizing to his sister. "I'm sorry, Ro." He looks at Ciarrah then, "To you as well." He scratches the back of his neck, shaking his head, "It's just so infuriating to be made to feel you are sleeping amongst people just waiting for a reason to kill you. It's treasonous here to even call us Prince or Princess, you know?" He grumbles, "I'm not the diplomat my sister is." He moves back to sit on the couch.

"I could not stay away from my family. Any of you.." Ciarrah accepts the wine with a gentle smile. "Please, Elisen.." Walking over, she places a hand on his forearm, a light touch, an encouraging smile. "I know everyone is on their guards. Do you know why? The chief reason I have heard anyway is because they wonder why you have come. Why would the King send over his heirs? The unknown is what frightens them more than anything. I will do what I can, but you need patience. Acceptance, for the time being, and give me some time to speak with people and perhaps smooth things over." First and foremost, she turns towards her guard and offers him her wine. He accepts and he drinks. When he seems to be fine after several moments, she turns back towards her cousins and smiles apologetically. "It is not you I do not trust. As you say, you are sleeping amongst people who do not respect your position. I would suggest a taster yourselves, if you have not got one. Your maids, your guards.. it would only be wise. Blind trust is not for the strong."

The apology is all Rowena needs to feel a lot less bristly and Elisen is given a kiss on his cheek. "Let me see to dinner. Cousin, have you supped? I can have Odelia bring food up for you both before I go to lay down." She loathes the idea of going off for bed so early, especially now that Ciarrah is here visiting, but she really feels poorly and the only thing that'll help is sleep and perhaps a bit of ginger tea. "We will heed your advice, Ciarrah, for it is given well and with love."

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