| Plans for Home |
| Summary: | Alina and Gabriel discuss their plans to travel back to Lonnaire, and what they both may be doing once they get there. |
| Date: | 1866-10-04 |
| Related: | none yet |
| Players: |
  |
| l'Saigner Manse - High Sector - Pacitta City - Pacitta |
| The l'Saigner manse is a large, well-appointed manor in the heart of the residential district. A fairly large and excellently kept grounds surround the three-story manor home overlooking one of the many canals, the stones white-washed with lime. Guards circle the grounds on irregular but steady cycles. A pair of balconies, the railings oiled cherry, overlook the cobblestone courtyard. A trio of grapevines climb up latticework trellises over a pair of stone benches on either side of the courtyard; each trio of leaves and grapes providing a little shelter of privacy for the stone benches. Through the doors into the building, the manor itself has floors of oiled and meticulously cleaned hardwood. A wrought-iron spiral staircase climbs up to the floors above (though a pair of less ornate stairwells are available at either side of the manor as well). The furniture throughout the manor is well-maintained and well-built, though oddly plain in design and material. Still, tapestries hang from the walls of the common areas and hallways, chosen at first or even second glance to be bland and unassuming. There is a library, with a shelf with several books, tubes of maps, and a pair of sturdy tables with several sturdy, though not entirely comfortable chairs. There are several private rooms and bedchambers, and they are far less bland than the public areas. Still, an air of extreme cleanliness permeates the entire manor. |
| Octobre 4, 1866 |
Most of the children's things have been packed and made ready for a return trip to Lonnaire. The Duchess will be staying in Pacitta, but Alina and the children will be returning to Lonnaire… perhaps not for long. Gabriel is planned to come with her, though whether he will continue traveling with her or not…
Alina looks around their room at the manse in Pacitta. Their things have been mostly packed up as well. She looks somewhat tired after a long day of dealing with various councillors. "Gabriel dearest." She gives her husband a tired smile. "Are you wanting to stay once we get back to Lonnaire so I can report to Father? I think I may have to come back here…" she sighs. "And I would enjoy your company, but I understand if you'd rather stay in Couviere."
"Maybe." Gabriel comments in an off-handed manner. He is only half listening, as he is fussing with securing his hand-cannons. Once he has finished his work, he looks back up at Alina and asks, "How long were you staying in Lonnaire again? It might be best for me to spend some more time there, get used to things and get some practice in for the next tournament since it might be my last for some time."
Alina nods. "I am not sure," she replies to his question. "A couple of weeks at least. Father won't force me through the gates too close to each other if it can be helped, and Mother has it handled here without me I'm sure."
"A couple of weeks, hrm. Do you need me to come back with you? If you do, I can. Though I think it might be best for Leonard and Eduard if they remained home for a time and I might as well stay there and look after them." He shrugs, leaning back in his chair to look at her.
Nodding again, Alina moves over to Gabriel and kisses his cheek. "I intend on leaving them at home. I've been being selfish to drag them with me everywhere, but in truth they are my heirs, and they should not be exposed to the same risks I am. What if the Brodlundians had come back this year? Or a plague had swept this city?" she looks annoyed with herself.
"I need to think like a duchess, not a silly new mother." Her hand moves to her stomach. "No, the boys will stay home at least until they've grown enough to walk and perhaps," she looks at him wryly, "ride."
Gabriel is a little surprised by her admission. He gives her an appraising look before smiling. "Well Alina, it pleases me to hear you talking like that, it speaks of wisdom and experience." He gives her a little grin. "Yes, they should remain home for a time and maybe travel to Murnord or Rovilon, but I would say that is it. As for me? I need to decide what I should do with all of the gold I have accumulated over the past two years."
Alina laughs. "Buy a lightsilver saddle for your horse perhaps?" she teases. "Or keep it for awhile yet. Coin keeps and spends later just as well." She considers. "Did you have thoughts as to what you might want to spend it on?"
"I have considered a few things. Paying for several men to train to act as additional defense for the castle, but I have also considered possibly undertaking some efforts to make the duchy more defensible in the case there is ever an incursion from our new Southern friends again." He shrugs, rubbing at his chin thoughtfully. "Though more knights could always be useful."
Alina shrugs. "The Wraiths and the Foxes make men bleed for every step they take. The Rivanans never made it north of Highwater Castle," she points out. "Not in Lonnaire at least," she amends, thinking of Bryar's march through Ostvor and Murnord. "The swamps have claimed many southern bodies." She sits on his lap, slipping her arms around his neck. "Knights it is again, mm? Are you wanting to hire hedge knights in service to the house then? How many would want to come from the northern reaches to the swamps of Lonnaire?" she questions, teasingly, but a note of seriousness behind it. "I know you do not like mercenaries."
"Of course, of course." Gabriel grumbles. He didn't really question the Wraiths. They had their uses but would never make excellent front-line soldiers. That was fine, there was a time and place for such units to be used. "You're right, I don't care for mercenaries at all. I think that someone like that Captain Esyld is being wasted by being a mercenary, just like I don't trust them not to sell out one employer for another."
<FS3> Opposed Roll — Alina=Deception Vs Gabriel=Perception
< Alina: Good Success (6 3 5 8 7 3 1 5 7 3 6 2 6)
< Gabriel: Great Success (7 6 4 5 5 8 1 1 7 7 7)
< Net Result: Gabriel wins - Solid Victory
At the mention of Captain Draven, a flicker of something crosses Alina's face, as if she knows something. She quickly smoothes it away, though not quite quickly enough. "Captain Draven is only not a knight because her father's wife is an idiot," Alina says finally. "Of all the things in the world, stupidity annoys me the most."
Gabriel raises an eyebrow. "Her father's wife may be an idiot and stupidity may be something you hate, but I sense that you are not telling me everything Alina." He shifts in the chair so he can face her directly. "What is going on?"
She sighs softly. "Look, you cannot let her know. Or Corvin. But father intends to see them legitmized, wed, and give them the t'Myrin lands. My brother will have his own house." One he destroyed, even. The irony was not lost on her.
He stares at her for several long moments and then nods. "I see. Yes, I can see why you would want such things kept quiet. Fine. I will not speak to either her or Corvin about any of this, you have my word on that."
"She will be knighted by then, of course. It's a waste she has not been. I have considered bringing her into being a permanent guard for the household until Father's plans come to fruition. She would be someone I could trust my sons to the care of, I believe."
"Knighted?" He considers that and then nods. "Yes, if she is legitimized she should be knighted." He considers the rest of Alina's statement for a few moments and then nods. "You trust her that much?"
"Yes," Alina says softly. She doesn't mention why… how the woman saved the life of the prince of Rivana in the middle of the battle in Venderos just because Alina had been with him. Her children? That is an entirely different and more intense scenario. Alina firmly believes Esyld would kill or die for them.
"Well," she changes the subject back to the earlier one, "would you recruit hedge knights from Murnord? Not many exist in Lonnaire I'm afraid."
Gabriel shrugs, he supposed that conversation was done then. "No, well, maybe. If there were anything that wished to serve, I would hear them out. No, I think that there might be some in Lonnaire who might be tempted to try and earn their spurs or at least be a part of something different."
Alina nods, considering. "Perhaps there might be," she allows. "Will you be recruiting then?"
"Maybe. I think that there are some considerations to take into account first before anything can begin. Probably need to work everything out first and then run it by you and your father before doing anything else." Gabe admits, knowing full well he can't just go off and do things on his own.
She kisses him on the cheek gently. "Of course." She tilts her head. "You could always take some time and travel with Lord Sir Jonathan to the t'Maren seat in Bloodfield. Perhaps that will help you begin to get to know the people of our lands and also you may find knights among the area who may be willing to serve us directly."
"Of course. That might be a good idea." Gabriel smiles and then stands up. "Come, Alina. Let's get some sleep and we can talk about some more of this in the coming weeks. Or did you want a bath first?"