This Could be the Start of Something...Good? (Caerina)

[Ivory]

"They didn't answer, did they?" Audric asked, eyes shining brightly with the humor of her story.  He hadn't thought ahead to the children he would have...  He did hope, and fervently, that they weren't so lonely they tried to befriend the trees.

"Do you like kids?" he asked, curious suddenly.  "My family has always been important.  They won't be underfoot all the time, but I've promised my nieces and nephews a visit.  They'll have the run of the place before long, I'm afraid.  But they only live in town, so we can send them home as soon as we tire of them."

For Audric, it wasn't often he got fed up with the kids!

[Caerina]

"No, they didn't." she smiled "But I do like to think that they listened and understood my words." Not that it mattered anymore, she reminded herself. She was long over the sadness that struck her once she realized that the trees, much like the rest of the kids, won't answer her. Well, at least the trees didn't push her away and refused to play hide and seek with her.

"As the youngest in the family, I didn't really have much contact to kids." she said with a small frown "But I do love kids. At one point, few months ago, I did some charity work in an orphanage. And I almost adopted them all." she made a desapproving face her father made when she told him her brilliant idea and then chuckled.

"I would love to meet your family. And I do hope you'll have the chance to meet mine a little better." she said with a wide smile.

[Ivory]

Audric had to grin at that.  "I'm sure they couldn't have asked for a better mother.  Does that mean you want a big family?"

Family -- a family of his own -- was not something he had given a lot of thought to, having assumed he would remain, forever and ever, a bachelor.  If he had any kids out there, he didn't know about them...nor, likely, could their mothers prove he was the father.  After all, he wasn't one to enjoy ruining a pretty girl...or to be tricked into a marriage.

"I think the tea must be set.  Shall we begin in that direction?"

[Caerina]

"I am not sure." she smiled uncomfortably "It's a lot of responsibility."

Nera never actually thought about having children. Yes, that was something that was expected from her as his wife, but was she ready for that, she wasn't sure. In her heart, she was still a child and although she was an intelligent young woman, her wit never stole away her childlike and happy-go-lucky nature.

"Of course." she nodded, her head still deep in thoughts. Having children would make her mission much more harder, because of all the things she can lose. Although she was a brave young woman, she couldn't even imagine the pain if she were to be discovered in the future and her children taken away from her.

[Ivory]

"I know what you mean," the Duke agreed whole-heartedly.  "I never pictured myself as the family type.  I like kids and all, but there's a long way between liking them and thinking about having them."  Things like names!  And...things...

"I guess I've kind of always thought of Calent as my family.  He's like a little kid that needs looking after most of the time."  Chuckling, he added, to let her in on the joke, "And you wouldn't believe the temper tantrums a grown man can throw."

[Caerina]

She chuckled lightly at his words. He was, apparently, a good friend to the Duke and that was the main reason he was chosen to be her husband. That was the line she was supposed to follow: Calent and his ideas about getting rid of the mages. Unfortunately, at the moment she was too taken by the man in front of her, to actually try and investigate deeper.

"Oh, I believe you." she said with a wide smile "As the youngest in my family I became accustomed to wild behaviour and mood swings. My sisters may look charming on the front, but you should see the madness around the house when someone loses their earrings or shoes." she raised her finger up to her lips conspiratorially, and then smiled.

[Ivory]

As if it were a great secret, Audric leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice.  "I'm sorry that I'm the one to have to tell you, but...  That never changes.  My brothers-in-law assure me that my sisters are inconsolable if they've lost a piece of jewelry.  Or if someone gets in their way, Angsar help them."  He winked at her then, bounding ahead a few steps to pull out the chair at the table for her.

"My Lady," he said with a cordial, light-hearted bow.

[Caerina]

"Thank you." she nodded slightly with a smile as she sat at the table. The gazebo had a wonderful view to the gardens they just passed and Nera found herself infatuated with them once more. It was truly something, although she would've been much happier if she wasn't here to do a dirty job. She shook off that feeling and switched her attention to Audric.

"I am glad to hear that some things never change." she told him with a light smile on her lips.

[Ivory]

Once they were seated, the servants moved into action around them.  Tea was poured and a light meal -- finger-food, really -- was served to compliment the tea.  It all looked ridiculously small and delicate to Audric, who was much more accustomed to the hearty meals served by the barracks cook.  He couldn't even name some of these things...

But he rather hoped she enjoyed it!

"So you like to tend to flowers, and you like to help orphans.  What else do you like to do?"

[Caerina]

Nera thought about his question as she took a sip of tea.
"I love travelling." she said finally "I spent a lot of time on travel when I was in my boarding school. Always prefered riding horses over sitting in a carriage, though. My teachers thought it wasn't very lady like of me to ride my horse on dirty roads, but my father persuaded them in the end." she smiled as she remembered her small adventures over the country when she was in school.

"And that ruins the picture of the perfect lady who tends flowers and helps orphans, that you had in your head." she joked.

[Ivory]

"Perfect, it seems, is a matter of opinion," Audric answered with a warm smile.  He was, in truth, delighted to hear it.  He, naturally, was not one for carriages himself...  He could appreciate a woman who liked to ride.

"Allar is a beautiful place for riding.  You can see for miles over the fields, and the forest is always peaceful.  Few go there, and so it seems like an entirely different world when you're there alone."  Not that she ever would be...  But, perhaps, the two of them might go for a ride without escort...  "It's not a very big duchy, but I'm sure we could always find an excuse to explore the region a little bit.  If, that is, you don't mind having a little adventure?"

[Caerina]

Her eyes glimmered when he mentioned adventure. She was always up for some interesting trip outside cities, in the forests and fields, and always hated spending tme locked in her family mansion. Especially when the weather was bad, and she couldn't even try and explore the backyard. This was of course when she was smaller, just a child who wanted to become a pirate or an adventurer.

"I would love that!" she said with a smile full of delight."It has been a long time since I had any adventure."

[Ivory]

"As I said," Audric answered with an answering grin that was, of course, simply charming.  "Perfect is a matter of opinion."

By Angsar, he could grow to love this girl...  She was spirited and adventurous, but she was also a lady.  To think he had been dreading this meeting and dreading his marriage!  He'd have to be careful with this one, lest she stole his heart entirely!

"I've been giving you scarcely a chance to breathe," he realized with a light frown.  "Is there anything you would care to ask me?"

[Caerina]

Was he kidding? Nera actually had a prepared list of questions which she wanted to ask him. Sixty-four of them, precisely, but at that given moment perhaps only two or three questions came to her mind. Plus, even if she did remember her question list, she didn't wanted it to sound like an interview she wanted a natural flow.

"Well, I don't really mind." she smiled "But I could stand to know a bit more about you." Nera added as she took a small sip of tea.
"I am very much interested to hear about your adventures as a soldier, but I imagine I should out manners begin with a more suitable question." she told him with a small smirk "I know you have two younger siblings, but nothing more about your family."

[Ivory]

Her questions made Audric laugh.  "If I begin telling you about my soldiering days, I'm afraid you won't be able to get me to shut up."  True enough, true enough!

"My sisters jointly inherited the Cat's Eye Merchant Company after my mother passed away.  It's one of the biggest in the region, in fact.  Relena -- Lena, we call her -- has her nose in the books, usually.  She has two sons, Brice and John.  Their father was killed shortly before John was born, and Lena hasn't remarried.  I doubt she ever will."  That made him frown a bit.  He loved his sister dearly, but without a husband, it seemed she was married to her work.  It hadn't particularly been good for the boys, but they were sweet enough, if a little rambunctious.

Continuing his narrative, Audric added, "The Company will go to Susannah's daughters.  She has two, as well as a son.  They're a little bit wild, my sister included.  I think she could even out-run me."

That pretty much rounded them out!  Ah, except she wouldn't know...  "My parents are both dead -- nothing tragic, I assure you -- so my sisters and their families, and Calent, of course, are all the family you'll have to meet."  His smile was genuine as he added, "I think you'll be a great addition, however."

[Caerina]

Nera wasn't aware his parents were dead, and that made her flinch a bit. She wondered if she chose a bad question and although he said he didn't mind it, she wasn't so sure. Next question should be something a bit more careful, nothing where someone died or something, Nera reminded herself.

"I can't wait to meet them all." she smiled warmly "Also, you seem to have a very close friendship with Calent."

On one hand,Nera was interested to know more about Audric and his friends, people that helped in making of who he is today, but on the other one she was aware that she should somehow find a way to start the subject of Calent's war with the mages.

[Ivory]

He grinned at her easily at the mention of Calent.  "As close as anyone can be to him, I think.  He's a bit of a recluse if there's no one there to keep him on his toes."  Audric's eyes rolled skyward briefly.  "And a complete drama queen."

To say the very least.

A bit more seriously, he added, "That was one of many reasons I didn't want this job.  I worry about him.  He just needs someone to poke at him a bit..."

[Caerina]

Nera smiled. To call the Grand Duke Calent a drama queen you most certainly needed to be close to him. Also, she was very surprised to see with how much care Audric speaks of him, it was very clear to Nera that they were friends. And now you'll destroy everything, a small voice in her head accused her as she slowly shifted in her chair.

A feeling of guilt poked her, but she suppressed it. It was for family, and when you do something for your family it has to be right.

"It must be wonderful to have such a close friend." she said, her voice somewhat full of longing "Can't say I don't envy you a small bit." Nera continued jokingly.

[Ivory]

"That's another of those benefits to being born a commoner.  Calent's sort of a special case, but...  We don't have to worry about who is scheming against you or who might stab you in the back at the first chance they get.  Commoners don't care about politics, and they've little to gain by scheming -- unless you're rich, that is."  Audric shot her a grin, entirely unmindful of how close to the truth his words were.  "You can be friends with who you like."

Picking up the platter of biscuits in front of them before the servant could reach it, he offered it to her with a smirk.  "I guess that's something you've already learned about me, Nera.  I'm a plain-spoken man.  I say what I mean, and I don't care much for people who hide their intentions behind flattery and fake smiles.  If that means I'm unpopular with the courts, I think I'm better off."  Realizing, then, that he was talking to his wife-to-be, he murmured sheepishly, "For your sake, I'll try not to be an ass, though.  And you're sure welcome to tell me so if I am."

[Caerina]

Nera chuckled lightly. She doesn't even remember when did someone use that word in her presence the last time. But it was amusing to hear it and know she won't be marrying some stuck up noble who is full of fake smiles and flattery. She took one of the biscuits from the platter watching him in something that looked like awe.

"You shouldn't worry." she said with a smirk "I don't hold back with words."

Her well-spoken nature was one of the reasons she left for the damn boarding school. She says what she wants to say, and thinks in a different manner than most rich and high born people do. Perhaps it has something to do with her real father... She shook off that thought from her head. Nera needed to concentrate on now, not the things n the past.

"Then, you must have many other friends besides Duke Calent." she said, excited. Her only friends were her two sisters but having someone outside the family sounded so wonderful.