Blaith flashed Conall a smile, exposing the whites of his teeth.
"Siblings we are,"a nd he stepped nearer to his sister, wrapping one arm around her shoulder in a half hug. His grin grew. "We're twins, actually."
Then a nod to his other statements, "So I have heard of such things, but not the details. I hope things will work out for the best. These are trying times, I'm sure. But the laws are what they are, and was this nation not founded on Angsar's will?" It was best not to let anyone know he was a mage supporter himself, and Kella bit her lips nervously. She didn't want to continue on with this conversation, knowing full well Klaust migh tbe about, but it seemed the other man had vanished.
But then the song changed and Blaith perked up to it.
"Oh, isn't this your favorite song, Kella?" he said, grinning down to his sister. "The Roses of The Valley." He laughed recalling, "I remember you dancing with father all the time over this. Come, why don't you and I share in this dance?"
And with not so much as a word, only a blush, she nodded to her brother and turned to Lord Shanley.
"It was nice talking to you, Lord Shanley. Perhaps we ought to speak again later this night." And with a humble bow of her head, her brother agreed.
"Yes, it would be nice to play catch up. I'm afraid I'm not as sociable as I was when I was younger. But look at me, talking as if I were an old man!" and he laughed. "Maybe later we can join in for the banter over politics." And he rolled his eyes, glancing over at the parlor room. "And it seems Kat has already begun. She really has quite a large mouth on her, and too strong of a will. I hope she learns to keep herself in check. " and he shook his head and turned to Kella. "Well, ready for that dance?"
And the pair disappeared off onto the dance floor, all the while heated conversations could be heard inside the parlor room, where a certain other Duke's voice had come from.
"I don't know, mage laws are hardly strict enough. Just the other week, we lost more tax money to the mage bandit who roams our streets," Duke Calent began bitterly.
"Well, perhaps the mages wouldn't have to steal if they were allowed to take more jobs that paid more money? Did you ever think some of the laws in your duchy migh tbe suppressing them?" The second voice, the one arguing back- it was Kat's.
The conversation went quiet a moment as Calent drank at his wine.
"What would you know about politics?" Another man asked who was in full support of Duke Calent's conversation and ideals. "You are not even of nobility," he gave Kat a scrutinzing gae over his hawk like nose. "Just a side blood line, and a woman. This is a conversation amongst us dukes, my lady. Perhaps you would fair better on the dance floor?"
Katahnia felt her blood broil.
"Yes, but even a woman can see when silly laws are suffocating the men they rule. Other countries have the same problem, and over populations that aren't even mages. The extra tax laws I heard you are forcing upon just your mage population alone, sounds like a deciteful way to rid yourself of the magic users, who had no choice at all but to be born with magics."
"So says who? If it is Angsar's will tehy are born here, they fall prey to Angsar's laws!" the other man added.
Calent had remained quiet, his eyes cold upon Katahnia.
"The duke of Allar has many a good reason for what he does, and his Duchy is quite successful, and we have wonderful foreign relations."
"But not good relations amongst your people."
"We have GREAT relations with our people," the man spat back bitterly at Katahnia's comment. "I hardly count mages who try to defy our laws as good people." he rolled his eyes. "They have every choice to leave this land if they do not approve."
Katahnia narrowed her gaze upon them.
"And they would if they could, but your duchy bleeds them poor." ANd hse looked righ into Calent's eyes, and still, he said nothing.
The man sighed ad looked around. "Does anyone own this girl? She really needs to be taken off... though perhaps this is why you haven't a dance partner?" the man said, lowering his gaze to the floor as he shook his head.
Katahnia's face went red. Oh the things she could say to tear him to pieces!