Princess Azabel de Somerville
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Post by Princess Azabel de Somerville on Jan 10, 2008 13:05:28 GMT -5
Desir was as I'd last remembered it; beautiful, elegant, but best of all, quiet. Taverns were nice to go to at times, but so was some place where one could think, and I'd found myself here more than once alone, eating soup and scouring a parchment or twenty.
As we were led to a table I looked at the candlelight, enjoying its play off of the walls and furniture. "What do you think of it thus far, Tabien?" I questioned, glancing up at him.
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Tabién de Valclesa(I)
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Post by Tabién de Valclesa(I) on Jan 10, 2008 13:10:20 GMT -5
I let out a low whistle. "Far more elegant than I'm acustomed to." I looked around. Clearly, this was more of a romantic rendevous point, than anywhere else. I gave a small chuckle.
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Princess Azabel de Somerville
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Post by Princess Azabel de Somerville on Jan 10, 2008 13:16:27 GMT -5
"Elegant, sure, but fabulously quiet." There were other patrons, but rather than rambunctious laughter and raised mugs, there was cool conversation. The happy smiles were all the same, though, depending on who you looked at.
The hostess showed us to a small booth near the back; she'd seated me enough times to know my preferences. I gave her a dazzling smile and a small coin as a tip for her rememberance, then seated myself, not waiting for Tabien to offer his aid, if he was even planning on it. "What would you like to drink?"
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Tabién de Valclesa(I)
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Post by Tabién de Valclesa(I) on Jan 10, 2008 13:19:00 GMT -5
"Water for now, I'm afraid wine wouldn't do for the moment. And your right, it is rather quite here."
After the hosest left, I rested my chin on my clasps hands. "So, where were we?"
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Princess Azabel de Somerville
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Post by Princess Azabel de Somerville on Jan 10, 2008 13:28:59 GMT -5
I'd ordered a light white wine, wanting it more for the flavor rather than the alcohol. "Where were we, indeed? I believe you were speaking to me in Ch'n." I smiled at him and tucked my hands into my lap, waiting to see if he had more to say on the subject or not.
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Tabién de Valclesa(I)
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Post by Tabién de Valclesa(I) on Jan 10, 2008 13:36:45 GMT -5
I laughed. "Yes, I had to guess if you would like that. When you mentioned various areas, I couldn't help it, being that most D'anglines know little about it other than in name."
I reached down, and removed the blade of the sword very slowly and carefully, trying not to draw attention.
"As proof my firsthand experience there, I earned this."
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Princess Azabel de Somerville
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Post by Princess Azabel de Somerville on Jan 10, 2008 13:38:41 GMT -5
I leaned over the table a little, interestedly looking over his blade, studying the textures and the shape. "What ever did you do to earn it?" I asked as I glanced back up, my interest perked.
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Tabién de Valclesa(I)
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Post by Tabién de Valclesa(I) on Jan 10, 2008 13:47:08 GMT -5
"I fought." I said simply. "The Ch'n, as it turns out, are actually a mixuture of several smaller nations." I let her look at it a bit longer, before returning it to the sheath, and to my side.
"I think eventually they will unite, but for now, they seem to be warring factions. What we trade with, the 'ch'n' nation, just happens to be the most powerful nation of that part of the world."
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Princess Azabel de Somerville
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Post by Princess Azabel de Somerville on Jan 10, 2008 13:53:26 GMT -5
I made a sound of understanding, thinking and piecing it over in my mind. "Is that the one you fought for, then, the largest? Or were you aiding one of the smaller ones?" And why in Eluas name were you even aiding them? Not that I could ask that. Not now, anyway.
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Post by Tabién de Valclesa(I) on Jan 10, 2008 13:57:32 GMT -5
"No, I never came in contact with the largest." I took a sip of water as the hostess returned.
"It was a small isolated community. In truth, they were divine, ritualistic in their way of life. It was refreshing, if not tough. Oh, and it was cold." I added at the end.
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Princess Azabel de Somerville
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Post by Princess Azabel de Somerville on Jan 10, 2008 14:02:04 GMT -5
"Gods, it sounds like a wonderful place to live, if even for a short while. I can only imagine what it must have been like."
The server came and delivered our drinks, leaving my bottle of wine in a chilled container next to the table for easy access, and a second glass for Tabien in the case he chose to have some as well. Our menus delivered, the server wandered away again, demure and quiet, but pretty in her own right. I left my menu shut, knowing already what it was that I wanted. "What brought you out there?"
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Post by Tabién de Valclesa(I) on Jan 10, 2008 14:12:36 GMT -5
I responded quickly looking at menu. "Happenstance." I did my best to demur. "What would you recommend here to eat?"
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Princess Azabel de Somerville
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Post by Princess Azabel de Somerville on Jan 10, 2008 14:14:45 GMT -5
"I'm having an almond chicken salad," I responded, my tone nonchalant and easy going. "They have a great shark plate, too, as well as calamari if you like seafood."
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Post by Tabién de Valclesa(I) on Jan 10, 2008 14:30:35 GMT -5
"I could go for something with teeth," I said more amused. "Shark it is."
"What about you, what do you do?" I asked in good taste.
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Princess Azabel de Somerville
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Post by Princess Azabel de Somerville on Jan 10, 2008 14:36:30 GMT -5
"I learn," I said, smiling. "I've aided a few different authors in facts and ideas both, have lent my hand in advising a number of nobles on how to care for an economic situation." I took a sip of my wine, savoring the flavor before continuing. "My brothers ask for my opinion from time to time as well, though I think they're smart enough to go without it often enough. Mostly, though, I learn, and try to help out when I can put that knowledge to use."
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Post by Tabién de Valclesa(I) on Jan 10, 2008 14:44:33 GMT -5
"As it should be," A woman after my own heart. "Nothing more atrocious than someone studies, but uses nothing they take in. Any hobbies besides reading?"
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Princess Azabel de Somerville
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Post by Princess Azabel de Somerville on Jan 10, 2008 14:50:19 GMT -5
"Agreed," I said pleasantly. "I enjoy riding quite a bit, actually.. and, as shallow as it seems, I like attending or hosting dinner parties. Gives me an excuse to dress up." I smiled a little abashedly, though it really was the truth. There was a piece of me that truly enjoyed being a woman.
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Post by Tabién de Valclesa(I) on Jan 10, 2008 15:02:42 GMT -5
"I suppose those are common pasttimes of someone of your status. Do you have a huge wardrobe to select from, " I asked teasingly.
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Princess Azabel de Somerville
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Post by Princess Azabel de Somerville on Jan 10, 2008 15:04:09 GMT -5
"Not near as huge as I'd like it to be," I countered, returning his tease with a full grin. "What about you? Anything in particular that you enjoy doing?"
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Post by Tabién de Valclesa(I) on Jan 10, 2008 18:21:22 GMT -5
I exhaled. "Besides the reading. Physical activity. Hiking, climbing, swiming, riding, and I've grown accustomed to hard labor. For some reason, I take pride in a good days work. It's made me a little odd though, listening to how most nobles spend their time. It all seems so...." I didn't want to just say boring....
"shall we say...easy"
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Princess Azabel de Somerville
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Post by Princess Azabel de Somerville on Jan 10, 2008 22:44:40 GMT -5
I raised an eyebrow at what he was skirting around, knowing 'easy' wasn't what he honestly meant. "Lets pretend for a few minutes, Tabien, that I'm not a princess, just another bar wench, and we're sitting at the Cockeral or some such. Tell me what you really think... Don't sugarcoat it."
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Post by Tabién de Valclesa(I) on Jan 10, 2008 22:53:09 GMT -5
I suppressed a laugh, and answered her promptly. "I've learned that the average noble is a pompous twit who understands nothing of how the public they lord over live."
I took a sip of water, "shall I continue?" I asked humbly.
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Princess Azabel de Somerville
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Post by Princess Azabel de Somerville on Jan 10, 2008 22:56:58 GMT -5
Well well.
I leaned back with a smile, giving a light, airy gesture of my hand. "By all means, please do."
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Post by Tabién de Valclesa(I) on Jan 10, 2008 23:06:09 GMT -5
"I think I'll need that glass of wine then." I smiled. She wasn't offended. I'd either found someone who understood, or I was about to dig myself my own grave.
Let's go with the optomistic approach.
"It's hard to scrutinize nobility if you find it hard to seperate yourself from then. Maybe it's just me, but it seems like many walk around with a sort of arrogance, and frankly, they don't do much other than carry on their name."
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Princess Azabel de Somerville
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Post by Princess Azabel de Somerville on Jan 10, 2008 23:09:46 GMT -5
Well. As long as I was playing the part of a bar wench, I suppose it was up to me to serve him his wine. I took his glass and the bottle, holding the linen cloth around it as I poured his glass to the proper height.
Setting it back down again, I nudged his glass at him, then leaned back once more, listening with my head tilted slightly. "They carry on their name, but also a great deal of weight. Some, anyhow. The higher the title, the more weight, the more weight, the more concerns and worries. Now, I'm not attempting to defend anyone in particular, but it would be unfair of me to simply agree without pointing out a few basic facts."
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Post by Tabién de Valclesa(I) on Jan 10, 2008 23:14:42 GMT -5
"I would be offended if you did." I responded at first, noting how delicate she poured.
"But, it's hard to compare the smiths, and farmers, and tailors, and all these people, and their duties in society too, well, these people that simple seem to live in large estates, and....goof off all day." I said the last part quietly.
"Now, I know the queen herself does work, I'm not denying that, but all these others, with no direct link. It seems like they're only purpose is to throw fete's, entertaining or not. "
I was a partial hypocrite, I wouldn't deny it. But that doesn't make me wrong, as far as I was concerned.
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Princess Azabel de Somerville
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Post by Princess Azabel de Somerville on Jan 10, 2008 23:24:09 GMT -5
Goof off all day. No wonder he said it so quietly; to him, I must seem like that's all I did, too. Well, that certainly ruffled my feathers a bit, though I tried to keep my mind open to the rest of what he said. After all, debates, if this did turn out to be one, could completely unravel one another if small offenses were taken too far.
"Some people have no title, have no other purpose but to throw fetes and keep relations up. There are those family structures that have a sort of system, if you will, built in once the number of children are known and established; the eldest gains the title and responsibilities, the next trains for it should the first fall, another - usually the social one among them - helps family relations and keeping things between thier family and others positive, others travel within estates to oversee... It all varies, and, as I said, that's only the structure of one type of family. All are different, as I'm sure you know already."
I leaned forward a little, looking at him directly. "I'm not saying some don't deserve your criticism, because they most assuredly do, but it's not as such with every noble. There are even those who have no title, no responsibility, but try to do something regardless." I picked up my wine glass and sat back once more, taking a slow drink from it. "Even if it is small."
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Post by Tabién de Valclesa(I) on Jan 10, 2008 23:36:38 GMT -5
I smirked, sighing, leaning back, and taking a drink. "Perhaps, but you don't see it. We could debate all day who does what and how much, but in the end, if you ask a person on the street, what does the lord of such and such do, do you know what response your likely to get?"
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Princess Azabel de Somerville
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Post by Princess Azabel de Somerville on Jan 10, 2008 23:38:29 GMT -5
He sighed; was I supposed to be taking his opinion without one of my own?
"What's that?" I asked, playing along. After all, I had invited him to speak in the first place.
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Post by Tabién de Valclesa(I) on Jan 10, 2008 23:44:29 GMT -5
"They're a lord." And that's about it. No one understands what they do. So you see the dilema. Don't you?" I asked with a bit of a delay. I could talk myself in a circle if I wanted.
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