Avive's return

[Avive de Rocaille]

I fair bounced into the house upon my return from Alyssum. "Cousin, I'm home!" I called out.

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

I had just finished a late breakfast and was heading out to check on the horses when Avive arrived home.

"Hello cousin," I said, smiling.

[Avive de Rocaille]

Attempting to maintain grace, I kind of broke into a restrained jog as I went to hug and kiss him. "Oh, Cousin," I said happily, "you could not have made a better choice."

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

I laughed and returned her hug. "I am glad you liked him, he seemed like a very nice boy. I take it everything went well?"

[Avive de Rocaille]

"Better than I could have imagined," I said, smiling. "Cousin, what are we doing for Longest Night? Can I see him again? Are we going to a fete?" The questions poured out like water, but I was too happy to care. All I wanted to know was if there would be a time when I could see LaValle again.

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

"Yes we are going to a fete, though I am not sure which one yet," I told her with a grin.

I took her arm and guided us into the sitting room.

"As for when you can see LaValle again, that is up to you, but I would wait for a bit," I said gently. "Have another assignation with him if you like, but wait until after Longest Night, and until after you've met other people. LaValle is a nice, sweet boy, but you are not here to fall in love with an adept Avive. He will always be special since he was your first, but he will not be the man you marry."

I had wondered if something like this might happen. Avive seemed a girl of intense passions and that often led to seeing deeper emotions than were really there. I wasn't being mean, just truthful. She was here to learn about court and to find a husband. Court was filled with quick affairs and an adept was not husband material for her.

[Avive de Rocaille]

I suddenly sobered. "Yes," I said quietly, "I know." I laughed dryly. "How could I forget?"

But then I smiled. A fete! A fete would be a wonderful place to meet people, and I could not wait to make friends. "Where are the fetes being held?" I asked. "And which one will have the handsomest men there?" I grinned slyly.

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

For a moment I thought she might be upset, but then she was grinning again. She was a whirlwind of emotions to be sure.

"I am not certain where they all will be yet. Once I have narrowed it down to a few of the best, then we will discuss them and decide which one to attend," I said with a smile. "Or perhaps which ones, it will be the Longest Night after all, there should be time for two perhaps."

[Avive de Rocaille]

I nodded. "All right," I said.

I wondered what had happened to me. I used to be such a serious girl, and in some ways I still was. But now I could express joy without restraint, and it felt wonderful. I attributed it to my new freedom, and my new womanhood.

"Can you introduce me to some of your friends and acquaintances some time before Longest Night?" I asked. "It would be lovely to meet people, and that way I will be sure to have some socialization before my first fete. I would hate to be so shy at my first fete that I don't meet anybody."

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

"You? Shy? I would never believe it," I teased, chuckling. "Yes, I will introduce you to some people before then. Not this morning though, I have to attend to duties. You do not have to wait around for me to take you out though, if you like. The carriage will always be at your disposal, you can go shopping, explore the City, meet people. I just ask that you take one of the guards with you. He doesn't have to hang by your side, but I don't want you out there all alone except for the carriage driver."

[Avive de Rocaille]

"All right," I said, "I promise."

"I think I will bathe," I said thoughtfully, "and then take lunch in the City. Go back to work, I will see you at supper."

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

I made a face. "Your day sounds like a lot more fun," I said, teasingly grumpy. "I get the title of Duc and suddenly my days are filled with duty and meetings."

Chuckling, I reached out and rumpled her hair a little.

"Go and enjoy the City. Some more of your dresses came this morning, Bonnie hung them in your room already. Also, I left you a coffer with coin for you to spend as you will. I have also set up the account for the library with my factor, and told him that you are allowed to draw whatever funds you wish from it."

[Avive de Rocaille]

I preened under his touch. I loved being the darling of the house, no matter where I was. "Thank you, Cousin," I said happily. "I think I will begin the library project tomorrow."

"I'll bring you some dessert from the City, so you'll have something to look forward to while you're working. Anything in particular you like the most?" I asked.

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

"Something sticky, with nuts. Those are always my favorites," I told her, smiling.

I kissed her forehead and then turned her towards the door. "Go on before I decide you are going to be having too much fun for me to miss and insist on going with you," I said with a laugh.

[Avive de Rocaille]

"My bath!" I cried out, twisting towards the bannister. "Do you want to send me to the City smelling of assignation?"

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

"You'd blend in with the crowds," I said with a laugh. "Go do your things. I will see you at supper."

I ruffled her hair again and then went out to check on the horses.

[Avive de Rocaille]

I pattered up the stairs to my room. Stripping down, I hung up the gown next to the new ones and tossed my shift into the laundry basket. Naked, I admired my reflection in the mirror, feeling like a new woman. Wrapping a towel around my body, I tiptoed down the hall to the bathing room and slipped into the tub. After briskly rubbing the residues of the previous night off my body and scrubbing my hair with soap until it squeaked, I stepped out of the tub and walked back into my room.

Alain had spoken true: The new gowns were magnificent. I selected a pale green silk and gold jewelry, and brushed my hair till it gleamed, plaiting it back with yellow ribbons. Satisfied that I looked lovely, I filled my purse with gold from my coffer and went on my way.

[Avive de Rocaille]

It was about 4 in the afternoon when I returned home from my outing. "Cousin," I called out, "I brought you something!"

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

"In here Avive," I called from my office. I was studying a large wall map of all my holdings and doing mental calculations.

[Avive de Rocaille]

Following the voice, I walked into his office and nearly tripped over a pile of books directly in my path. "Oof! Sorry!"

Straightening my skirts, I reached into my purse and pulled out the cheesecloth. Taking out one of the baklavas, I handed him the other. "Here you are, sticky with nuts, like you asked."

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

"Ooo, baklava!" I exclaimed happily. "I did know there was a place here that made it. I fell in love with this in Hellas. Thank you Avive."

I grinned and took a big bite.

[Avive de Rocaille]

"You're welcome. I didn't know you went to Hellas," I said before biting into my own baklava. Honey flowed into my mouth with each bite and I savored each taste.

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

I nodded as I chewed my bite. "I have been many, many places. I was in Hellas for a couple months. Not nearly long enough, it's a beautiful country," I told her, then took another big bite.

[Avive de Rocaille]

"I can imagine," I said, "It must have been lovely."

Swallowing another bite, I said, "I'm glad you like it; I didn't even know the bakery existed until a very nice man showed me the way." And here I have a secretive grin.

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

"Picking up strange men already? I see you are settling right in," I said. "Anyone I might know?" I finished the baklava and licked the honey from my fingers.

[Avive de Rocaille]

"I did not pick him up," I said a little haughtily, but with good humor. "His name is Dominic Shahrizai. He gave me a sprig of holly and showed me where the bakery was after I told him what I was looking for. And he kissed my wrist three times!" I knew I was blushing like a silly girl, but I didn't much care.

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

I didn't hear a word she said after Shahrizai. Quickly, I closed the distance between us, my eyes searching her for any mark that hadn't been there when she left.

"Shahrizai? What were you doing with a Shahrizai? Did you not take guard with you?" I demanded.

[Avive de Rocaille]

"Yes, of course," I said. "But I left him at the White Hart with instructions not to follow too close, and to meet me back at a certain hour.

"At first, Dominic seemed like he was threatening me, but I said that if I were in trouble, I would scream and then the guard would come running. And he didn't hurt me. In fact, he was very cordial and polite. He called me a flower." And here I blushed again. "He was very nice. I rather like him."

[Alain de Mauvais (D)]

"No," I said, stepping back just slightly. "No, no. You are not to associate with anyone from that family, do you hear me? And you are not to leave your guard behind to drink. I will have a word with him, believe me. He doesn't have to stay by your side, but you are to stay in his sight. Is that understood?"

[Avive de Rocaille]

"Cousin!" I stared at him, shocked, but also very afraid. "What is the matter? It is only a friendship. What's wrong with the Shahrizai? Not all of them are Melisandes."