Fleshing out the Library

[Aloysius d’Brézé (I)]

"Think what is vital to the nation? The attempts at personal gain while undermining somebody else?" I shook my head. "No Sidonie. Politics, yes. Intrigue, no. Some would say the go hand in hand, but they don't have to. Why would it be so hard to deal with people as people and not as tools to some greater plot?" I looked at her then, taking a step back to give her the room I had taken away.

"Don't misunderstand me, knowing how to read and judge a person's actions is helpful. It may prevent you from condemning an innocent or save you in a critical time, I just don't think that the advancement of personal goals has a place within our nation as a whole."

[Sidonie Raviver (D)]

I stood, my mouth open, a bit dumb founded. Was he trying to seduce me or was this some game?

I stuttered slightly.

Finding myself a bit out of words, which for me was a presedent, I simply looked to the stacks doing my best to behave as though his words were merely words.

[Aloysius d’Brézé (I)]

I looked at her when she stuttered. "I'm sorry, did I say something upsetting?" I furrowed my brow and frowned slightly. "Aside from living in the past, as my father calls it, I have a tendency to speak my mind a bit too often." I shuffled my feet slightly, unsure of what else to say, fearing that I had already said too much.

[Sidonie Raviver (D)]

"Not at all," I said looking at him and forcing a small smile. "I was simply thinking on your words. I believe the things you say have merrit so I couldn't argue with you even if I wanted." I reached out and ran a finger over the spines of one of the books, focusing my thoughts on the sensations of the leather bound item.

"What's so fascinating about the past." I asked finally.

[Aloysius d’Brézé (I)]

I smiled at her words, until I heard the last question. I had not expected it at all, and as such it set me off balance.

"The past..." I started, thinking as I did so. "The past can't hurt you, for one. You can delve into as much as you would like and you know exactly where it will end up." I pressed my index finger against a book and moved it along the shelf, carefully reading titles as I did. "The past can also tell us of things that might happen in the future, or rather signs pointing to similar events in the future."

[Sidonie Raviver (D)]

"And for that it grabs your attention?" I asked turning toward him and crossing my arms across my chest. My eyes finally taking in his form and all the little intricacies of his face and figure.
He looked young, perhaps younger then I. But he was just as handsome as I had first inspected.
"Curious, you say the past can't hurt you, but if you delve into it like you say. Don't you think that would cause pain to remember all your mistakes, all your regrets? That hurts doesn't it?"

[Aloysius d’Brézé (I)]

"You have a fine point, but if you do not learn from your past mistakes how will you advance and change? Not only as a person, but a nation as whole? I would rather hurt myself for a brief moment in time, than live with the pain of knowing I could have changed something simply by knowing it had happened before..." My words seemed a bit jumbled and nonsensical. "If a mistake is made and ignored, it may as well never have been a mistake. For you will continue to do it and it will soon become a flaw. A flaw that, sadly, others will exploit."

[Sidonie Raviver (D)]

I looked over him as he spoke.
"Well said, I suppose, dispite it's flaws." There was a hint of tease in my voice and I gave another half smile.

[Aloysius d’Brézé (I)]

I chuckled softly. "Oh, and you would point out those flaws for me?" I inquired, allowing a fine brow to arch slightly. "I would, of course, be delighted to hear anything you would have to say on the topic. Though I have yet to hear your opinion of it. You say mine has merit, but I would know yours." I smiled warmly and awaited what she might say.

[Sidonie Raviver (D)]

"You care to know my opinion on the past, or simply my opinion?" I questioned, answering his brow with my own.
"Why do you care so deeply of my opinion?"

[Aloysius d’Brézé (I)]

I chuckled once more. "You are a learned woman. On top of that, you sought an answer to your question of the past, I simply seek the same. I would welcome your opinion on the past or the place of intrigue at court belonging or not. Both are topics we've touched." I shrugged. "Though I suppose, when all is said, that you have the final say on whether to voice your opinion."

[Sidonie Raviver (D)]

I let a soft but full smile embrace my face, my features calming and my shoulder relaxing from a position I hadn't realized I was holding them in.

"I think the past is probably the most romatic, challenging, irrepressable and joyvial state of being that one can live in." I said glancing to the books and then back to him.
"I've made my life from my own personal past, and I can't deny the mysticism that it seems to hold for me." I felt a little warm in my cheeks and wondered if I had blushed.

[Aloysius d’Brézé (I)]

For whatever reason colour suffused her cheeks. Her words made sense, and I suppose how admitting to living your life on your past might do that. "Well said, Sidonie, well said indeed." I removed another book from the shelf, making a fourth, added to the one she had given me, and tucked under my arm. This one seemed to be about Law in Tiberium. "You have made a life for yourself which I think others may envy. Authoresse and Baronesse both, if I don't miss my guess." I knew little about the woman, as I had said earlier, but most everybody knew she had been given title.

[Sidonie Raviver (D)]

"True enough." I said smiling. "I would say I'm one of the few that have found privilage in my writing. Though I must compliment the Aragonian throne for making that possible. Without his Majesty King Luthar I wouldn't have been able to find stations where other's couldn't." I looked at the stack he held and raised a brow.

"Light reading?" I asked with a wry smile.

[Aloysius d’Brézé (I)]

"Well, thanks be to King Luthar then, for allowing you the finding of said stations."

I grinned at her then. "A bit of light reading, yes." I adjusted the books so that they sat in the crook of my elbow. "I like to learn new things. I am sometime a little lax when it comes to meeting new people, but new things..." I shrugged nonchalantly.

[Sidonie Raviver (D)]

I shifted looking at the spines of the other books he had picked up.
"Tiberium Law?" I asked giving him a wry look. "One would think that a man of your appeal would have better luck finding friends, if he didn't have his nose stuck in a book." I chuckled.

[Aloysius d’Brézé (I)]

"You are seeing quite the different side of Aloysius d’Brézé. When I find a subject that I am passionate about, I open up." I shrugged with a smile. "I tend more towards quiet shyness when I'm at, say, a fete or ball. Though little compares to..." I bit my lip to keep myself quiet, not thinking that this new acquaintance would particularly want to hear something so personal.

[Sidonie Raviver (D)]

I raised a brow and stepped forward curiously.
"Compared to what?" I asked wondering if I had interpreted his meaning properly.

[Aloysius d’Brézé (I)]

A blush rose and suffused my neck and cheeks with a wonderful vermilion hue. "Ah..." I stuttered. "Well, um...my...uh." She set me totally off balance and I had given her the means to do so. I still couldn't get myself gathered to answer without stumbling over the words. "My...f-first Assignation." I finally got out.

[Sidonie Raviver (D)]

I think I blushed just seeing him do the same. I had some what suspected a sexual nature to what he was saying, but I had to admit, I was blown away by what he said. He seemed to be, well, less experienced, as some men in Terre d'Ange would have been for his age, and I now wondered at how old he really was.

My hand rose to my lips, my fingers gently pressed to my lips as my eyes darted nervously and I forced myself not to laugh. Instead I gave a soft and forgiving smile, my fingers doing their best to quell my amusment.

My mind whirled at what to say. I had so many questions, and none of which were even closely polite. Finally I settled for;

"How old are you my lord d'Brézé?" I asked, my hand droping to my waist, relaxed now that I was composed.

[Aloysius d’Brézé (I)]

I watched her as she moved and couldn't help but think that she found this greatly amusing.

"I am approaching my twenty-fifth natality." I said, this time a little more forceful, my back straightening somewhat, my shoulders squared and while I didn't appear offensive, I was wary of how she would take my words.

[Sidonie Raviver (D)]

I gasped softly.
"So young." I said raising my brows and smiling to him. I could tell there was issue in his manner and wondered if it was perhaps a sore spot for him.

"I'm sorry, I do not mean to offend."

[Aloysius d’Brézé (I)]

"No offense is taken. I just thought you meant to degrade me on my age, when sometimes I think I am far wiser than many fifteen years my senior." I relaxed somewhat. "And yes...I suppose I am young enough. Though apparently old enough to hold my father's place at Court." This last I said softly, almost as if on the back of a breath.

[Sidonie Raviver (D)]

"I didn't intend to degrade," I said smiling. "Its quite admirable actually. I'm sure the women you court find it indearing." I turned to the stacks again then back to him.

"There is a lecture from a visiting professor from the University of Tiberium, its next week at the palace. Would you care to join me Aloysius?"

[Aloysius d’Brézé (I)]

I smiled at her words. "I do not cou..." I cut off as her invitation managed to work its way from ear to brain. I stared at her for several moments dumbstruck.

"I would be honoured to join you. Will it be considered formal or non?" I asked, trying to think of what I had to wear that would be appropriate.

[Sidonie Raviver (D)]

"Non," I said glad that he had accepted. "Its most definately casual, as far as I know. I was only told about recently, I have a friend at the University who informed me he was in the country." I felt a warm blush move across my chest, neck and finally across my cheeks.

[Aloysius d’Brézé (I)]

I could not, for life nor love, figure out what had caused her to blush. "I will ensure that the time is set aside in my schedule. Elua knows that it certainly isn't a particularly busy schedule." I said this with mixed emotions. I was beginning to find that things in the City moved at a faster pace, but at the same time it seemed little enough truly happened. "I suppose I must also ensure that there are no other knowledgeable court beauties would care to attend with me." I smiled warmly and then the blush that hadn't quite gone away from me deepened. What was I doing...

[Sidonie Raviver (D)]

I glanced up at him and smiled.
"I certainly hope there isn't," I said watching him blush. I felt a little foolish standing there blushing and watching him do the same.
"I'd hate to have competition." I made the comment in jest but I was more then interested in seeing if anything would happen between us.

[Aloysius d’Brézé (I)]

I chuckled, warmly, and bowed my head. "I would admit to liking the competition, as it is something that has not happened to me in..." I trailed off and my lips curved into a smile once more. "..Well, honestly, never."

I was watching her with some interest when something dawned upon me. "You are attending Beltane." I assumed she would off hand. "Perhaps, my Lady Baronesse, you would save me the pleasure of a dance?" The question was hopeful, yet politely voiced.

[Sidonie Raviver (D)]

I chuckled looking at him out the corner of my eye as I picked out a book that had caught my eye. Holding the book against my stomach I turned to him and curtsied.
"I'd love to," I said happily. "Perhaps I'll save you a second one if you perform well on the first." I teased then looked back to the books.