Gifts for the bride

[Caraf Tewar]

Taking the plate, I mentally bit my tongue to keep from protesting since I'd promised I wouldn't. There was already exquisite tableware in this house, and I had a feeling the family estate had even finer. The plates here had been in the family for generations, Mother had told me all about them one day while I was chatting with her in the kitchen. This really was lovely and I was sure we could find a place to use it.

"Thank you," I said, smiling and holding it up to the light to look at the detail work. "It's beautiful."

[Seraphina Frizon(D)]

I smiled, "Yes well I hoped you'd like it. There's really not much left after this dinnerware." I picked up a slightly smaller box that had been in the same trunk as the dinnerware, and popped it open to reveal an assortment of fine spices. There was sea salt, fine pepper, hard to find saffron, chili powder from Bhodistani, and some other ones I had found interesting along the way.

"This is not so much for you as for your cooks and house guests really." I showed her the assortment still in my arms, but close enough for her to rifle through the boxes and open them if she would like to do so.

[Caraf Tewar]

One of the spices caught my eye.

"Paprika!," I said excitedly, picking up the container and examining it. "Thank you, I love paprika."

I smiled happily at Seraphina as I replaced the container. "This is a lovely collection, thank you. I am certain every one of these will go to excellent use."

[Elliot L'Envers]

I had to bite my cheek as I heard the Lady Frizon speak of her dish ware. The nerve of her to think that firstly we had no dishware of our own to pass through the generations, and secondly to assume that we would charish these plates as though they were given by family friend. We indeed had a set of fine plate ware that had been passed almost 10 generations. Dishware that had been used when my Great Aunt Isabel married into House Courcel.
She may have been an accomplished trader but she obviously had no experience at court here in Terre d'Ange.
My eyes narrowed slightly at her and I'm sure my frustration showed but I turned to Caraf when she shouted for joy at the new spices.
My smile returned looking at Caraf once more but I was starting to become annoyed at the woman that seemed to have barged into our home.

[Caraf Tewar]

I glanced over at Elliot, my smile dimming for just a second at the look in his eyes and the set of his jaw. He was annoyed. Touching his hand, my smile returned.

I looked back at Seraphina. "Thank you again for all these wonderful gifts, you really have been so kind. I hate to rush after all of your kindness, but Elliot and I were about to finalize the menu for the wedding when you arrived and then decide on the music. It seems as if it's nonstop plans and meetings," I said with a chuckle. We really did have decisions to make, and I was willing to take the mark of a bad hostess to soothe Elliot's annoyance.

[Seraphina Frizon(D)]

My eyes rose in slight curiosity at Elliot's expression. I blinked taken aback by his outright disdain for me as he narrowed his eyes. I glanced towards Caraf as if looking to her for direction, but she had her attention on Elliot as well, and took no notice of me. She had caught it too, and I smiled as she made up an excuse to dismiss me. I set down a box I had been holding on a side table looking slightly saddened by the rush to get me out the door.

I was having an argument with myself between asking what was wrong and leaving with grace. No invitation then for sure now.

"Yes of course, how silly of me. Weddings take very hard, time consuming planning." I closed my eyes briefly and bowed my head in acknowledge to them in a goodbye, before lifting it and opening my eyes a few seconds later. "I hope you enjoy these gifts..." I had already had what I considered a Fiasco with giving gifts to the Queen and I was in a great deal of puzzlement that there should be animosity in the gifts I brought. I had been gone from Terre d'Ange for a while, but I never recalled anyone not liking receiving gifts for free.

I flicked my wrists towards my servants indicating that they should leave. Normally I would of had them repackage the items back into the trunk, but I could see I was no longer wanted here.

I turned after them to leave, but before I really considered what I was doing, I turned back around at a moderate pace. It was against my better judgment that I turned to Elliot, "I'm sorry are you angry with me? Have I somehow done something to offend you?" My features portraying an confused apologetic look, I none-the-less gazed into Elliot's face. I learned from my lessons, and I never made the same mistake twice, so if there was a lesson to be learned, I wanted to know what it was.

[Elliot L'Envers]

"In truth it is your manner that offends me my lady, you may be a talented trades woman but you have obviously been from court too long." I said standing and tugging on my tunic to straighten it. My tone was straight and carried no malace but an edge of seriousness.

"You've barged into my home and insulted my station as a Sovereign Duc. Its simply manners to announce your arrival by letter first, your assumption that we have nothing better to do then entertain company... You must think that simply because I'm wealthy that I have no responibilities." I moved over to the dish ware she had indicated.
"Your second assumption that your gifts are some how uncomparable to anything we have here..." I shook my head. "Well I find it insulting Madame." I moved across the room back to where she stood.
"Though your gifts are too kind and the thought appreciated, the manner in which you present them shows no obvservation for anyone but yourself." I moved back to my wife to be.

"If you still wish to bestow these gifts upon the Lady Caraf she would be more then happy to oblige. But I can't say these gifts give me any happiness, nor are then needed in my home." I leaned over and kissed Caraf on the cheek before turning back to the woman.

"Now, if you'll excuse me I was in the middle of some important business before you arrived and it must be dealt with poste haste. Thank you again for your well wishes and good day."

I turned and moved from the sitting room picking up papers as I went, my manner through all I had said was calm and in ernest. Though the woman had ruffled my feathers beyond reproach I remained steady and polite as I could. I felt bad leaving Caraf with her after all that I had said to the Lady Seraphina but I did have to return to my work.

[Seraphina Frizon(D)]

Elliot had given me no time to respond before stalking out of the room and I turned my eyes to Caraf in a bit of shock. I would have to apologize to her then in the hopes that she would accept my apology and tell it to Elliot.

I wetted my lips before speaking, "I am truly sorry my lady, it was not my intention to offend you with these gifts or even imply that you had nothing better. Of course you do, but I thought that I could offer no less of quality than you had or the gift wouldn't be worthy to your house. I didn't mean to offend the Lord Duc or even think that he had nothing better to do than play host to me, I didn't even know he would attend to be honest. I know you must be overly busy with the wedding, in truth I probably should of sent a letter of warning, that was very rude of me, but I wanted to surprise you with these gifts. That was a lapse in my judgment, I think I shall remember this and not forget it in the future though. I am truly sorry, this was certainly not how I saw this playing out. Here I find myself once again new to the city, and hoped to make friends, but find myself doing a bad job of it." I gave a disappointed sad smile.

"These are gifts, I brought them in friendship, not to force them upon you or to offend yourself or the Duc. If you no longer wish to receive them I understand, and will take no malice or ill feelings in taking them with me. However, it is still my wish for them to be a gift to you. Either way I think you will make a beautiful bride, and I can see the love you have for each other. My gifts aren't even a shadow compared to the gift of that."

[Caraf Tewar]

I was in a fair state of shock between Seraphina confronting Elliot, Elliot's speech and abandoning me, and then Seraphina's apology.

"No.. I… I…" I stumbled over my words before taking a deep breath. "No, of course I will accept them. It was very kind of you."

As I struggled to try to find something else to say, Shara appeared in the doorway.

"My lady," she said to Seraphina, "Your carriage is waiting." There was no impatience or anything else in her voice, just a statement of fact and I was grateful for the lack of another unpleasant emotion.

My gaze returned to Seraphina. "It was a pleasure to meet you, and thank you, truly," I said.

[Seraphina Frizon(D)]

I gave Caraf a smile, "Thank you, the honor was mine." I curtsied and took my leave back to my carriage in a grace of flowing movement that would of befitted an adept going to a fete, not a woman dismissed from a house. I glanced in Shara's direction as I passed her and smiled to her so she would no I took no offense in her reading my carriage before walking out the door of the house.

[Caraf Tewar]

I collapsed into a chair when I heard the door shut. I was caught between embarrassment, uncertainty, and a touch of resentment at Elliot for leaving as he did.

Shara walked in, her hands resting on her swollen stomach. "You sounded like you could use a bit of a rescue," she said kindly.

"I did, thank you," I told her gratefully, smiling softly. "I don't think I'm ready for this."

"Too late now," she said with a chuckle.