Fantasy kingdom of Karth re-boot

[Umber17]

Elise nodded once to winnamine gastov. A pleasant lady everytime they had met. Even so, there were some rather extreme rumors floating about her. "He was a great man. But likewise Lady Gastov, im sorry for the loss of your husband."

 

[Vamanara]

Riiker had been searching for another subject of conversation. a perfect one caught his eye. elayna Gastov. rich powerful family. perfect.


she was also pretty nervous looking. he put a charming voice on.


"you look unhappy m'lady?"

 

[dawnfire321]

"My husband was a good man. We were sorry to see him go, although it wasn't a surprise. He'd lived a long life, the man was well into his sixties when he passed." Winne said, looking down to hide the tears that did not come to her eyes. In truth she was quite glad to have her husband out of her life. 
Elayna jumped. "Oh, no, my lord. I'm fine. The party is wonderful, is it not?" Elayna said after a moment. She remembered her manners and curtsied. "Elayna Gastov, my lord. And you are?"

 

[Umber17]

"Yes." Elise said thoughtfully. "How are your children faring lady Gastov?" Elise said, noticing Riiker speaking to Elayna. Elise knew both of them, Riiker less than Elayna and she knew what his purpose was. Elise hoped Elayna could resist him, they were not a good pair.

 

[Vamanara]

"sir Torilous Riiker, i have heard that i'm a duke however." he bowed slightly. her karthian accent ringing in his ears. he accentuated his own, he was foreign, he was exotic.


"i do not care for this party much, i have already got in a little trouble!"


he saw the queen looking at him in the corner of his eye, she was getting good at regal staring. her eyes piercing into him.

 

[giraffesarebetter]

Illia continues to watch the others, amused at eberyone's nervousness around her eldest sister.

 

[dawnfire321]

"My children are well, thank you for asking. Elayna hasn't been to the capitol since she was a child, I do think she has been looking forward to returning. And my son is thankful for a break in his duties as a knight." Winne said. "I do believe you and my son are the same age, are you not?" Winne cursed herself silently. That wasn't the most delicate way to bring up the subject.


***


"You are a knight? My brother was knighted only four years past." Elayna said, after a moment. "And what sort of trouble?"


***


Julian remembered his mother's words from this morning. 'The three Salis sister's are unmarried. Get close to them. You need to find a good match, and you'll do no better than royalty.' He saw Illia standing off to the side, alone. He approached her and bowed. "Your highness, a pretty woman such as yourself should not be alone on a night such as this." He said. The words were not his, and they came out stilted, as though practiced.

 

[Umber17]

Elise did a small smile and threw a gaze to where he was. Talking with her sister. Trying to woo her no doubt. "Yes we are. A fine man he's shaping up to be." She said, throwing her a bone. In fact, elise was a year older that her son. Not that it mattered much.

 

[dawnfire321]

((I blinked and twenty pages happened on Clash of Kingdoms. AFK while I read through them.))


"Yes, we are very proud of him. My son, the knight." Winne said with a smile. Winne tried not to look too displeased with her son, at least not while she spoke with Elise.Winne looked higher when it came to marriage prospects for her son. She would have words with him later, of that she had no doubt." But enough about me. How are you coping, running a country all on your lonesome? You've yet to choose advisers, you have no brothers or husband to help you."

 

[giraffesarebetter]

Illia smiles slightly, playing her part. "I simply wish to listen to the musicians. If I am too pretty to be alone, please, keep me company, for I have none."

 

[Umber17]

"Its easier than you might think. I havent run into any issues yet, but it is very fulfilling. Pay no mind to the men that would tell you that we need a man to help us." Elise said proudly. "I hope i can prove that to the rest of Karth soon enough."

 

[giraffesarebetter]

((Off to bed. Be back tomorrow.))

 

[Umber17]

((Goodnight))

 

[dawnfire321]

"I remember how overwhelmed I was when I took control of the estate. But you are right, it soon became second nature to me. I started teaching Julian how to manage the accounts, deal with taxes and such. The children grew up in Greencliff, but lately we've moved back to the Gastov estate in Freymere so that he can know his lands." Winne said.


***


"Do you enjoy music, your highness?" Julian asked, politely. Then he thought and added, "Would you like to dance?" 
((Goodnight))

 

[Umber17]

Elise, while still wondering how her husband died, remembered that when her husband died she ran greencliff quite efficiently. "And which province are you seeking, if any."

 

[dawnfire321]

"I made a home out of the cold Greencliff castle, your majesty. A home I do not wish to leave." Winne said, pointedly. In fact, she had always hated Greencliff, it's halls were filled with bad memories. It's part of why she'd moved the family away after her husband's death. Still Deerdell was the richest province, and the family coffers could use the extra income. She'd spent quite a bit of money they didn't have just on the trip here, with new cloths, a new carriage, new horses, extra guards and servants. There was nothing more important than keeping up appearances, and keeping the Gastov's poverty a secret.

 

[Umber17]

(Deerdell is, in fact, not the richest province! Morwall is.) "Well. You are certainly near the top of my list lady Gastov." Elise said. She wondered.. if she HAD killed her husband like everone thinks, did she do it in self defence? Or jealousy? Or the original: powerlust. With a woman like Winnamie Gastov, all answers were viable.

 

[dawnfire321]

((I misread the map. Oh, well. She still wants Deerdell.)) "Thank you, your majesty. It's a man's world, us girls have got to stick together." Winne said, with a chuckle.

 

[DannyrVanKipp]

Teni may have been the tallest man in the room; he was certainly the darkest and that made him stick out enough. He looked around the crowd, wondering what scheming the merriment and smiles hid. There was never a coronation without scheming; the two went together like saddle and rein.


Keep an extra eye out on two types of people, he told himself. Those who approach the new Queen and those who make a point to avoid her. Both are dangerous types and need to be watched. Teni knew that were dangerous, for he himself was one of them. He would wait a bit before approaching her royal highness, however. She seemed very wrapped up in a conversation with another woman who had to have been closer to Teni's old age. Where were the sisters? One off to the side being wooed, no doubt, by a young man...one eating grapes and chatting with another young woman. He had no concern for the youngest princess; rumors of her ill health ran wild and surely she would not be long for this world. But the second oldest, Princess Illia. There was a fire in her. Teni would makes sure that it did not burn too brightly unless it helped him. But for now he would sit back with a goblet and wait, like a spider in the corner of the web, and wait.

 

[giraffesarebetter]

Illia, ever the proper princess, accepts the offer to dance, and does so graciously. "Forgive me, Sir, but I do not quite remember your name."

 

[Vamanara]

he smiled. "i stole the queens brandy from under her nose, or at least, i hope that's why she's giving me an evil stare." he looked over his shoulder, and she turned to talk to someone else.


"your brother, sir Gastov, is he any good? or would you do better? he imitated swordplay, a little spinning of his wrist.


he realised the insult this was to Julian, but if anything, he relished the thought of this starting a duel. duels are fun, the king would need a knight to guard him in the afterlife.

 

[Umber17]

Margret nodded. She realized the conversation was over. "Well im glad you came to speak to me, and i hope to see more of you later."

 

[dawnfire321]

"It's Sir Julian, your highness." Julian said as he led Princess Illia onto the dance floor. "Julian Gastov III."


***


Sir Korilus couldn't be implying what Elayna thought he was could he? That brandy must be going to his head already, Elayna thought, for him to be insulting my family like this. "I'm sure I do not know what you mean, Sir Korilus." Elayna said carefully.


***


Hearing the dismissal for what it was, Winne skirting the dance floor once again. Her eyes were drawn to a man; he stuck out from the crowd like a sore thumb, with his much darker skin. He was tall and more powerfully build than most nobles, even knights tended to be. The man had sparked her interest. She crossed the hall to meet him. "My lord, I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting." She said, dipping into a curtsy. Her curtsy was very shallow, the kind given to those below them in rank who have gained their respect. "Lady Winnamine Gastov."

 

[IceQueen]

Abby was walking around, with no particular interest in talking. She sighed, enjoying the peace of silence her loneliness gave her. She fiddled with a bracelet on her wrist, looking around. She wanted to find someone to understand how she felt, but she was never approached, and for her, approaching someone else was like committing suicide.

 

[Vamanara]

he looked her in the eye.


"im to hear sir julian is yet to ride to war?" he raised an eyebrow, they both knew he was implying that she had greater experience of conflict than julian. but he would never dare to say it.


"he would have to learn fast, the queen will need to prove her military worth soon. lest her hungry neighbours take what they think they can."


as if a nobles daughter would care for this warning, but maybe it would actually help julian.


either way, Riiker left her to her own devices.