Altaea Saga: Valania IC

[GourmetItalia]

= Pontius Valdemar =

Ryanna looked up at him and smiled sadly, quietly replying, "I always do." As she rose she rose from her seat, the elf tucked his arms behind his back, bowing his head in understanding. He was still worried for her condition, but her decision meant that matters were out of his hands. Shortly after rising, she curtsied to him before looking up at him and giving him a beaming smile. Pontius bid her good night and as Ryanna departed up the stairs, the elf took a moment to breathe deeply before heading into the manor himself. He emptied his bowels in the out room after a moment's notice and had returned to the table within minutes. As he sat himself, the elf produced a smile to Eyrial and Erin, and struck conversation again about fighting. In truth, as he spoke, his mouth chattered on, but his mind worried for Ryanna. Silently, he picked the iron needle holder and cut his cold meat into more pieces, chewing slowly while pondering his mind upon Ryanna's previous condition and the state of the Eyrial family.

[St.Jimmy]

Eyrial looked up at Pontius as he re-entered. The Duke seemed to have taken an unreasonably long time in the out-house, but questions on such matters were hardly deemed proper for the table. Instead, he engaged him in conversation again, and seemed not to notice that his companion's mind was elsewhere as they spoke. At last, they had finished their food and Eyrial got to his feet.

"Would you care to join me for a nightcap, Duke Pontius?" he inquired. "Erin, you may go to your room now."

[GourmetItalia]

= Pontius Valdemar =

For the remainder of the evening, dinner amongst Eyrial and Erin was exceedingly delicious and the elf found himself enjoying the later parts of his meal, despite his meal becoming somewhat cold from his meeting with Lady Ryanna. It was at a late hour that they had finished their food and had cleaned everything along their plates; at least Pontius did. Whatever food was leftover along Erin or Eyrial's plates was carried away, presumably disposed as was the custom of most aristocrats in this age. Mentally, the elf sighed again, but kept his emotions completely invisible to Eyrial or Erin's eyes; he did not wish them to know of his views and did not believe that either would understand the gravity of Valania's times. Few humans possessing privileged positions of power understood what it meant to truly appreciate what they carried and far too often, many aristocrats often wasted their finances indulging themselves in unnecessary and often wasteful materialistic pleasures. Pontius took another sip of his rum as Eyrial rose and clasped his hands together while taking his time to lean his chair back. His eyebrow raised when Eyrial dismissed Erin away for the night and asked the elf to join him for a nightcap, a term he was unfamiliar in hearing. The fires crackled along the hallway's torches, producing embers and dancing shadows along the various decorated walls of the dinner hall. "A Nightcap," Pontius asked curiously as he listened to the torch fires crackle, "I'm sorry, the term eludes even myself. What exactly is a nightcap?"

[St.Jimmy]

Eyrial looked down at the Duke curiously, wondering how this could possibly be a term that he did not understand. It was a common word, and he had thought he had been polite in its offering, so he was for a moment thrown by Pontius's inability to understand it.

"It is a drink before we sleep, sir," he said. "I will have a shot of brandy, but you may have whatever you request. It does not, of course, have to be alcoholic. We can merely sit in my study and partake of a drink together before we retire for the evening."

[GourmetItalia]

= Pontius Valdemar =

Curiously, Eyrial gave the elf a strange look and spoke of having a late night drink; alone. Shaking his head as if he had just hit a brick wall, Pontius said, "Oh! How foolish of me! Of course I'll share a drink, although a glass of water will do for the night." Yawning, the elf stretched his arms, spread them in the air in a Y shape while stretching his legs out. He could feel the effects of drowsiness, but felt relaxed and quite comfortable sitting in his seat.

[St.Jimmy]

Eyrial led the way back into the study, sitting once again in his preferred armchair and then motioning for the Duke to sit wherever he pleased. He rang the handbell and his servant once more arrived to see what he required. He requested the drinks and the servant returned quickly, carrying them on a tray. He handed them over and then bowed, leaving the room.

Eyrial took a sip of his brandy and then nodded at the Duke. "I must apologize for my wife's unorthodox behaviour, Pontius. Rest assured that she does not usually vacate the table in such a manner, and I am most sorry that you had to see such a display. I take it she was feeling unwell this evening."

[GourmetItalia]

= Pontius Valdemar =

Taking a seat, the elf waved his hand indifferently at Eyrial's apology as he sipped his water. "Many thanks for your honest consideration, Eyrial, however, I'm neither offended nor displeased by her departure. I'm sure I would have followed suit had I felt ill, but of course, it requires more than a simple head ache or a slightly nauseous meal to truly inflict any illnesses upon my health." Nudging the man, Pontius chuckled before taking another sip only to cough discomfortingly. "Must be one of those nights," the elf said hoarsely. Placing the cup down, Pontius tilted his head and placed two fingers along his forehead, adjusting the position in his seat until he leaned against one of the chairs' sides. He looked curiously at Eyrial's study room, observing many of areas of the finely furnished room. After a time, Pontius straightened his back and leaned forward, clasping his hands together in a knot. "You seem quite wealthy, Eyrial," Pontius said as he leaned comfortably in his chair, "Your home is lovely, your wife seems an exquisite choice of marriage, and your son seems to hold a promising future. I must also offer my compliments to your luxurious possessions and I am curious to know of your financial assets."

[St.Jimmy]

"A man's financial assets are his own business, do you not agree, Valdemar? Suffice to say that I am indeed wealthy, and I will be comfortable here for many years to come." He smiled genially, not offended by the elf's question. "I am worth a good few thousand, and it helps being so close to the King's favour. I am glad you think well of my home, and I hope you will reside here comfortably throughout your stay."

He did not return the question, and once they had finished their drinks, he decided to go straight to bed. It had been rather a long day, he felt, and he was tired.

"I think I shall retire now, Valdemar. I'll have my servant show you to your room." He rang the hand bell again and the servant arrived quickly, doing as he was bidden. Eyrial himself headed for the master bedroom.

[GourmetItalia]

= Pontius Valdemar =

Pontius blinked as he heard Lord Elireth's statements; in truth he had only asked the question to know of prospective business opportunities within Valania itself, but the fact that the man had refused to even mention his own means of business had aroused many suspicions within the elf's mind. This was not the first time he encountered such closed minded men and he knew it certainly wouldn't be the last. He noted to himself of Eyrial's secluded nature in business affairs and quietly finished his water, draining the cup to the last drop. After bidding the Lord good night, he rose from his seat, straightening his tunic and curving his back with a very long stretch. It had been a long day for him and he felt his muscles growing stiff from the amount of sitting he had done during the dinner. The journey towards his quarters was a slow climb up the stair case and gave the elf ample time to examine more of Elireth manor and observe many of the manor's features as well as its long hallways and corridors. Indeed, the Elireth family was quite wealthy in their standings to afford such an expansive and luxurious housing accomodations and he had to wonder where Eyrial had amassed his fortune. He did not know what Eyrial's business prospectives were, but he discerned that in due time, the truth would reveal itself through the facades of personal mascarity. Such was also the case for the means of procuring wealth and through experience, the elf had learned that humans had a peculiar habit of developing their greed. The elf's concerns for wealth were less pressing than other issues and as he traveled through the Elireth manor's corridors, he thought heavily upon a number of other issues, including Ryanna's pains. It puzzled him what had been troubling her and even more about her emotional and physical health. Certainly he would discover why she was in such misery and if he was in the position to help her without suffering any repercussions, he would do so. It was without delay that the Duke reached his quarters and he was pleasantly surprised that he found himself standing before a large and expansive room. He had not expected such hospitality from the Elireth family and the appearance of a comfortable double bed with white curtain overhanging and a furnished wooden roof gave the elf all the reason to immediately throw himself onto cushioned splendor. He felt deliciously tired and after changing into night garments, he immediately bolted the door and fell fast asleep. The night passed without incidence and Pontius slept peacefully, dreaming of the Ancient Hanging Gardens of Semiramis.

---- When Once Day Passes, Another Comes A New ----

The sun rose over the Horizon in the East, spilling brilliants rays of red, orange, and yellow over the tall mountains of Valania. The Sun rose higher into the sky until the valleys and cities along Valania's principle locations were swept from their previously dark positions. The first carts began to appear along the roads, followed by riders of various employs. The streets in Voltas slowly began to fill with people and the dirty, poverty stricken market places began teeming with activity. Another day had come for Voltas and with it, the beginnings of another long and hopeless quest for survival. In the Elireth manor, however, the lights were still out save the quarters of servants and the quarters of Duke Pontius Valdemar. He had risen early that morning, despite arriving in bed late the previous evening. He was a light sleeper and always awoke early, refreshed and ready to tackle each day with vigorous energy. The sun was already a quarter of the way in the sky and from the position of the trees that lay the court yard, the Duke estimated that it was 10 in the morning. Slowly, the Duke threw open the curtains to his quarters and turned the golden knob to the marble patio connected his room. Tugging his white garments, the elf smoothed out the wrinkles before taking a few strolls out onto the balcony. The air was certainly nice to breathe and the sounds of birds and the trickling of water allowed Pontius to close his eyes. He savored the tranquility that lay in the large courtyard below and took many moments to admire the courtyard's plant life. The was beginning with a breath taking start and the elf had to wonder what lay in store for him in the coming hours ...

[St.Jimmy]

Ryanna woke when the golden rays of sunlight filtered in through the glass of her balcony doors. She stretched in the wide bed before sliding out from under the thick covers and crossing to the doors in only her nightgown. Eyrial was still fast asleep; she could tell by his snores. He usually rose after her. Part of her wanted to step out onto the balcony and let the first rays of sun bathe her in comforting warmth, but she didn't dare do so when only in her nightdress - it wouldn't be orthodox.

Instead, she stepped through to the adjoining chamber and washed in the basin prepared by servants before dressing and running a comb through her hair. Each morning, she went straight down to the Hall to await breakfast, and she made no exception today. On her mind, however, was her husband's guest - and some guilty thought hoped that he would join her before anyone else had risen and come down to the Hall.

[GourmetItalia]

= Pontius Valdemar =

A light and fragrant breeze passed through the courtyard and the scent of mountain daffodils reached Pontius' nostrils. He did not know the type of flower that he was breathing, but he knew that it was one of the few wonders that still lay uncorrupted in the lands surrounding Voltas. Gripping the marble balcony's handles with both hands, the elf leaned forwards to savor another breath of the fragrant breeze when he noticed movement from down below. Squinting, the Duke leaned forwards, attempting to discover if his eyes were playing tricks on him or if he had really just someone stride down the staircase. He could hear footsteps coming from a nearby open window and in moments, he watched as Lady Ryanna journeyed past. Her delicate brown hair was as lovely as he had remembered the previous night and her slender figure spoke wonders of her natural beauty, prompting a smile on the elf's lips. The elf did not know what to make of the Lady's early presence, but assumed it was a daily routine of hers to venture out early. He did not notice any other footsteps following behind her and wondered where Lord Elireth was. A possible answer came when upon looking across the courtyard, he noticed the presence of an expansive room still completely draped with white curtains. Pontius was unsure of whether this was the room Eyrial and Ryanna shared or another part of the manor entirely, but the thought soon passed when he thought of joining the Lady downstairs. It did not seem to be too long of a journey and he felt it would be a fine exercise of his joints to venture downstairs before he truly began his day. With a turn, the elf exited the marble balcony of his quarters and weaved his way out of the expansive suite, making his way down the slightly sunlit hallway of the second floor until he had reached a flight of stairs. As he journeyed down the winding staircase, the elf tilted his head from side to side, rolling his shoulders to loosen the stiffness that lay in his joints. It was a short and refreshing exercise and by the time he had finished, he found himself standing amongst a large hallway and Lady Ryanna at the end of a long table. Dipping his head in greeting, the elf's face took upon a look of warmth and as he journeyed into hallway, rays of light pierced his golden blonde hair. "Good morning to you, Lady Ryanna," Pontius said genuinely, while straightening his night garments.

[St.Jimmy]

Ryanna had been sitting at the table, staring down at the grooves on its surface and lost in thought. This was a common thing for her to do; when thought was the only thing to pass by the long hours, she would dwell in it for time out of mind, until the misery jerked her back out of the pointless pain of happier memories that twisted regret and bitter hate in her gut like the sharp blade of a knife.

"Good morning to you, Lady Ryanna."

She blinked and looked up, pushing wayward strands of brown hair out of her face. To her surprise - pleasant surprise - Duke Pontius was entering the hall, his blonde hair highlighted by the rays of the rising sun. He was still dressed in his night clothes, which was a little out of the ordinary, but Ryanna did not mention anything.

"Good morning, Duke Pontius," she said, bowing her head politely. Embarrassment flickered across her face as she remembered the meltdown he had witnessed last night.

[GourmetItalia]

= Pontius Valdemar =

"Good morning, Duke Pontius," Lady Ryanna said, bowing her head. Pontius exhaled happily and dipped his head again, straightening his sleeves when he had regained his composure. The Lady's face flushed with embarrassment, which prompted curiosity from the elf's mind. "Ah, how wonderful it is to savor the morning air," the Duke laughed to break the silence, "I was not expecting your company at this part of the morning, but now that you are present, I feel we are granted the privilege of savoring the best part of the day. Quite frankly, I find mornings to be the most refreshing part of any day, no matter where you are in the world." Smiling weakly, the elf pulled out the chair in front him and sat quietly, breathing and exhaling the fresh morning breeze that entered from the courtyard. He was still quite concerned about Ryanna's well being and somehow, after remembering the previous day's debacle, a feeling of guilt and concern flooded his emotions. If anything he felt it would be foolish not to ask of her well being and as he directed his gaze to the Lady's eyes, he asked the most sincere question that could come to his head. "How are you today, Ryanna," he asked, leaning forward?

[St.Jimmy]

Ryanna's gaze had automatically dropped when he had looked right at her; awkwardness born from a lack of self confidence prevented her from comfortably meeting his eyes. However, when he asked his question, she looked back up, surprised that he would come so directly to the point. The words themselves formed a normal query, but the tone in which he asked them left no doubt in her mind that he was really referring to what had happened the previous evening.

"Better, thank you," she replied. "I was not feeling myself last night." This was untrue; the way she had cried last night was more a reflection of her true personality than any facade she usually hid behind, but he wasn't to know that.

"How about yourself, Duke Pontius?"

[GourmetItalia]

= Pontius Valdemar =

"Better, thank you," Ryanna replied. "I was not feeling myself last night." Clasping his hands together, the elf nodded, but somehow he doubted she had not been feeling herself. He wasn't one to ignore another individual's sorrows and even though he'd lived nearly 4 or 5 centuries, his experiences had taught him the charity of comfort. Something about the way she looked down spoke of a form of helpless misery, but he couldn't quite discern what she was miserable about. He wasn't able to ponder upon the subject for much longer when Ryanna asked, "How about yourself, Duke Pontius?" The elf smile weakly and looked away, slowly rising from his seat as he took her question into account. After slowly strolling towards one of the open windows with his arms tucked behind his back, he placed a hand along the edges of the window frame, leaning against it for support. "I'm quite well, thank you," he said after a moment of thought, "Your hospitality is greatly appreciated and I must say ... I've never enjoyed a slumber as peaceful as I enjoyed the previous night." Looking down, Pontius smiled unwillingly, attempting not to reveal his uncomfortable feelings about the present times or how he missed the Hanging Gardens of Semiramis and Ephesus. He only looked up when the sound of birds flooded the hallway; along the many trees and bushes that lay in the sunlit courtyard, a pair of birds chased each other, fluttering wildly through the trees. Their fluttering caused the elf to turn his attention towards the courtyard and after a moment of observation, a small whistle escaped his lips. Immediately, one of the birds broke away, darting straight at the elf. Pontius did not flinch as it sped straight towards him and in moments the bird slowed, flapping its feathery wings in a timely fashion. As it slowly descended, the elf held out his hand, allowing the bird to land in his palm. The bird's soft white wings flapped for a few more moments before it tucked its wings behind back, allowing the elf to gently to cup its talons in his palm. Whistling, he raised his left hand, gently stroking the bird's round fuzzy head with care. It did not resist his strokes and instead turned its head to stare curiously at Lady Ryanna, producing a few twists of its neck as it studied her features. After a few more strokes, Pontius walked slowly towards Ryanna, whistling as he neared her seat. Fluttering burst into the hallway as another bird entered; flapping its wings in quick succession as the elf held out his other hand. In moments, the bird rested along his other hand, clutching its talons firmly onto his knuckles while shaking its white fuzzy head. "Here," the elf said cheerfully, offering the bird resting along his right palm to Ryanna's hands.

[St.Jimmy]

Ryanna's eyes widened in disbelief as her companion somehow summoned two birds from the garden to his hands. These were no trained creatures who were obeying their master's whim; no, they were wild birds, free and naturally wary of humans, who had for some reason chosen him out. The first had flown to him without his bidding, and now both were consenting to be carried inside and held out towards her.

"But ... they're birds," she said faintly. "Wild birds. How...?"

Curiousity got the better of her, and she held out her cupped hands, feeling quite faint from shock as the bird glanced first at Pontius and then stepped into her palm. How in the world had he managed to engineer such a feat? Ryanna had read stories of mythical beings like elves summoning animals to them in such a way, but never had she imagined that a human man would be able to do so.

"How did you do that?"

[GourmetItalia]

= Pontius Valdemar =

"But ... they're birds," Ryanna said faintly. "Wild birds. How...?" Chuckling, Pontius brought his hand closer to her hands to allow the Lady to hold the dove. As he did so, he watched as the bird first looked to Pontius before stepping onto Ryanna's cupped palms. "How did you do that?" "How," he asked whimsically as he used his two fingers to stroke the knuckle clutching dove's head? "Mmmm ... now that you mention it, you remind me of my days as a youngling," he said amusingly, focusing his attention on stroking the knuckle clutching dove's head. "I was very young when my father bought me a whistle and mind you it was no ordinary whistle," the elf said informatively, "It was crafted in such a manner that if blown in certain ways, it could call birds. I was quite content in its uses, despite my first disastrous call and I found myself blowing the whistle for hours at a time. Unfortunately, it broke and I was afraid to inform my father of this so I decided it was best to learn the whistle calls myself. To this day, my knowledge expands to the calls of seventy bird specimens, all of whom are quite rare in these parts of Altaea." Smiling, Pontius leaned against the table and watched as the dove in Ryanna's palm bent its head around to nibble at something under its folded left wing.

[St.Jimmy]

Having such a fragile creature in her hands was terrifying for more than one reason. Still weak with shock from the fact that Pontius had managed to summon the birds in the first place, Ryanna suddenly felt another pang of fear that she might accidentally harm the poor creature. That would be awful. Her hands were still trembling as the dove inspected its left wing and fluttered its feathers slightly; it was as though he had managed to tame it completely. The bird showed no fear at her close presence - none whatsoever.

"I've never heard of such a whistle," she told Pontius faintly. "Your father must have been an exceedingly clever man to know where to purchase such an item. I didn't know that they even existed."

She looked more closely at the bird, which chirped happily and ruffled its feathers again. "Should I let it go now?" she asked Pontius, still confused.

[GourmetItalia]

= Pontius Valdemar =

Pontius let out a breathe of genuine heartfelt delight as Ryanna's words brought memories of his father to mind. "My father was a clever man; one of the most clever the world had ever known," the elf said fondly. He did not say more for fear of suffering more pain in wondering if his father still lived and what had happened to him during the 25 years of Folken's occupation. Prior to the Suitanian invasion, his father had promised to return with reinforcements and departed from the Sarifen mainland without another word. He was not heard from again, nor his mother and he remembered resisting the occupation alone with the few brave Sarifen comrades that dared to defy Suitanian supremacy along all of Sarife's major cities. To ward his mind away from the distant Suitanian occupation, the elf turned his attention back towards Ryanna as she looked closely at the chirping bird in her hand. "Should I let it go now?" she asked Pontius, still confused. "You may if you desire, but it seems the bird is quite fond of you," he warmly laughed as the bird's twisted and turned its head while staring curiously at Ryanna's eyes! His mouth took upon a cheery smile as the bird's tail feathers lifted while its folded wings spread adorably. As he watched, he noticed that he enjoyed the Lady's presence and he had rarely enjoyed the presence of company unless they were select individuals. In general curiosity, he wondered what was on Ryanna's mind and if she felt the same way ...

[St.Jimmy]

Ryanna was considering the fact that she had never met anyone whose company she enjoyed more than Pontius's. In the days of her carefree youth there had been friends aplenty, and she had been happy, but even then she doubted whether she had met anyone quite as extraordinary as the man who now stood before her. He was slightly eccentric, certainly - the trick with the birds was enough to prove that - but also genuine, and charming, and a real gentleman, the like of which Ryanna had not encountered in many years. She smiled at him hesitantly as he beamed at the sight of the bird in her hands, and felt a lurch in her heart that reminded her of the days when she had danced with young men in her father's ballrooms and had believed that she would be able to choose her own husband.

The days before Eyrial had crushed her spirit.

For now, she raised her hands slightly and the bird fluttered up into the air, chirping before soaring around the hall in a circle and then out through the open windows. She smiled at Pontius once again.

"Thank you," she said softly.