Myriads Though Bright (DragonSong)

[quaggan]

 "Amor vacui?" he questioned. He's heard about this concept before, but- no, this was not what she meant. "Or perhaps... seeing beauty where most people cannot, the uniqueness of such a point of view being, in itself, beautiful."

[DragonSong]

"Something like that, I suppose," Kana agreed vaguely, looking around at the gardens as they continued to walk. She traced her fingers lightly over the inside of Elethain's arm, an absent motion that seemed to be almost unconscious.

[quaggan]

 Elethain never saw the appeal of people pretending to be interested in what someone says for politeness' sake. He respected his own time far too much to ever waste it on a bore, and liked to consider himself a good enough conversationist not to put people through such ordeals. Of course, he was smart enough to realize that this was not exactly the case this time - he probably wasn't boring Kana Moonglade, just that the evening gardens were the focus of her attention rather than his words.

Perhaps he should have been insulted, but her decision was quite smart. Their arrangement would mean that she had plenty of time in the future to get conversation out of him, but she would probably have to return to the islands soon. She admitted her fondness for the gardens, this visit must have been a chance to relish in the beauty of Arca while she could. Chatter was secondary.

He decided not to sulk. There was hardly any point in antagonizing her, and while honesty was never a virtue he aspired to, he had to admit that such calculating approach was quite alluring. He always liked women who knew what they wanted and took it. He remained silent, not bothering his companion for now.

They didn't have to walk far to reach the aurora display. "And here we are" he announced. There was no need for more words - the beauty of this place required full attention.

[DragonSong]

Kana sighed happily, pausing in her step to simply drink in the beauty around them. "Oh, I will miss this when I leave," she murmured, tightening her grip on Elethain's arm slightly.

She glanced up at him after a few moments simply admiring. "Tell me, what is your favorite place in the city?"

[quaggan]

 "Oh, it changes every week" he commented. Perhaps he could have proferred a lie, or something that was no longer true, but it would take too much effort to continue. Honesty was never a virtue he espoused, but he liked to think that at least he could conduct a proper cost-benefit analysis. "Arca is rather large, and I have not seen all of it." It was a work in progress; some friends and bedfellows invited him to their mansions, and it was always a privilege. Then again, perhaps it would be inappropriate to say that his favourite place was the bedchamber of Marquese Strahl. (Not out of any unseemly reasons, he simply found the concept of a hollow tower with alcoves for furniture, simply fascinating - and efficient in deterring intruders that couldn't float.)

"I used to be quite fond of the Absent Bridge." According to history buffs, after the bridge was designed and all bureaucratic necessities were accounted for, it wasn't built for a long time, so the name stuck even after the dithering ended and the process was finalized. The architect in question worked hard to make people remember her work as something other than a joke, and while hard work hardly worked, she was met with a surprising and resounding success.

[DragonSong]

She laughed, and tossed her hair blithely as she tilted her head to look at him sidelong. "If you have such flexible tastes, I am sure you will fair well should our little arrangement come to fruition."

[quaggan]

 "I never understood people's obsession with the concept of one and only, truly" he confessed. It was perhaps human nature, to try and prove that their view was absolute truth superior to the others. Elethain found it a proof of lack of any sort of self-awareness. The only people who never changed their minds were those who died before even being old enough to develop sentience.

"I try to keep my options open" he commented. "As much as I enjoy the bridge's design, it would be rather sad to think that it's the peak achievement of architecture and that I'd never see anything better in my whole life. That's why I'm curious about getting to see Thanatos. It's a relatively new nation, but considering its origin and history, I would think they'd want a break with the mainland tradition and focus on developing their own. I don't know a lot about their culture and style - I think it will satisfy my monthly truth quota if I say that the only contact most nobles here have with it is what you choose to incorporate into your appearance."

[DragonSong]

Kana arched an eyebrow and smiled a bit. "Thanatos is new to the mainland," she corrected quietly. "The islands have been there long before trade and such was opened up. Not to mention the native creatures."

[quaggan]

 He chuckled. "I suppose this mainlander perspective is something I would have to work to get rid of. I would prefer not to make enemies out of ignorant preconceptions." It was far more interesting to incur them naturally as a result of his actions. Surprises and unexpected consequences were always a delightful twist his plans would have to adapt to.

His earlier observation was indeed a result of a Serenian perspective - as a proud citizen of one of the oldest civilisations of Le'raana, he would always view nations like Adela and Thanatos as younger siblings. In this geopolitical family, Yoreiq was the baby, Hyoite and the Sionadyaki were the grumpy old uncle that had very little to offer apart from age and was never invited to any gatherings, Connlaoth was the moody youth acting out to get attention and dressing up in grownup clothes to play pretend. Only Essyrn, wealthy and ancient Essyrn upon whose bones all the contemporary powers were built, was a worthy opponent on the international scale.

Of course, it was a line of thinking he would need to change. He would prefer to underestimate a player on the field of intrigue as a consequence of their conscious actions, rather than his own bias. She was right - it was the mainland thinking that he would have to eliminate.

"Has your family faced many obstacles because of the outsider status?" he asked. He supposed that if Thanatos was willing to admit an ambassador of an outside power, it probably wouldn't make his life too hard - especially since Lord Moonglade married a native in the end.

[DragonSong]

Kana sighed quietly and glanced around. Spotting a bench tucked back among a cluster of softly glowing violet hedges, she sat and beckoned for Elethain to sit beside her.

"Honestly? Yes." She shrugged and clasped her hands in her lap. "My father is...tolerated. An ambassador is a necessity to maintain trade deals and open borders-- though not everyone is the biggest fan of the idea. My mother..."

She glanced away, lips pursed slightly. "Despite the fact that she is a native, she's...rather an outsider as well. Maoin are not meant to marry, really, especially foreigners-- and she was already an outlier, being a woman in her profession. I'd say she almost receives more animosity from her own people than my father does."

She chose not to speak about herself.

[quaggan]

 Should he leave, give her space? Quite frequently, it was the right move, but now the circumstances indicated otherwise. If she didn't want him to hear it, or be present, she could have deflected the questions, or simply took advantage of a moment of inattention and hid somewhere - the evening gardens provided plenty of secret spots for someone in need to lose a frustrating companion in. No, the proper course of action would be to speak up.

There were questions bubbling in his mind, but they could be answered later. If she was testing him, he should perform to the best of his ability. The bench she had chosen was wide enough for five people to sit on - the size was less of a sign of openness for larger group, and more of a necessity - the complex bas-relief adorning its back would not fit on a smaller plate. He moved slightly closer - enough to express support, but not too close that it would be viewed as smothering or impolite. "It is quite a disappointment that there exist such people on Le'raana that would let such prejudice blind them to your father's diligence, or your earnest efforts. I can only hope the nobles here at Arca have more appreciation for your family's work."

[DragonSong]

"Oh, I suppose they do, in an official capacity if nothing else," Kana replied with a blithe shrug. She gave him a quick smile when he sat beside her and reached out to rest her fingers gently on his hand, assuring him that she didn't mind the proximity. In fact, she was debating the merits of encouraging it.

[quaggan]

 Should he change the subject? No, she was the one to bring it up - if he retreated how, he would only prove that he's too weak to join her in this life. He noticed her acceptance of his presence - good, their arrangement would not be able to work otherwise.

He let that course of thoughts continue as he spoke up "The position of an ambassador to Thanatos seems more loosely defined than its other counterparts. I wonder how many nobles desire it for the status and the power to influence trade agreements that Serendipity needs, without realizing the darker sides to such an appointment."

[DragonSong]

Kana sighed and shrugged, letting her head tip back to look at the enchanted, ever-night sky enclosure above them. "I'm sure many of them do," she murmured. Then she gave herself a little shake and tipped her head to look at him sidelong, a slanted grin creeping across her face.

"But surely you do not wish to spend all our time here discussing politics?"

[quaggan]

 There were few topics Elethain found more thrilling than politics, and was yet to ever feel that he was tired of discussing it. And while using it against those who did not appreciate its intricate mosaic (be it temporarily or by nature) was always a tool worth keeping in his arsenal, now was not the time to deploy it. If Kana Moonglade was testing his ability to stay quiet and not inundate her with job details, he should better pass the test.

That he was willing to do, for now.

"'Tis true, our time here is limited and we should make the best of it" he acquiesced. "Ah, I just remembered - they've finally completed the repairs on the east wing." Assassinations were always a dreadfully regrettable business, but actually making more damage through one's amateur inexperience was inexcusable. Glad as he was to see the garden restored, this sort of blunder never should have happened. Once he found out the culprit's name, he would make sure never to hire them.

[DragonSong]

The ambassador's daughter tilted her head at him slightly. "Do you wish to see it?" she guessed, assuming that was why he'd brought it up.

She got the feeling that Elethain read more into her actions and words than she ever really intended. Which was reasonable, almost to be expected from a member of nobility. It would make the particulars of a planned courtship and marriage...interesting, to say the least.

[quaggan]

 "Yes. I believe you might like it" Elethain admitted. "Have you seen it already?"

  The renovations were completed only recently, so the window of opportunity was narrow, but not nonexistent. Unlike what one might expect from him, Elethain did not send his agents to report on Kana Moonglade's every step; he liked to be surprised every now and then. That, and it would be very impolite. Certainly, minor inconveniences such as probably not having the resources and men for it, did not even enter the equation.

Naturally, even if the answer he received was not the one he expected, it would not be the ruin of his plans. There was still quite a choice of beautiful areas to be visited, or revisited. Elethain found that true beauty did not lose any of its wonder when seen with a familiar eye, and he suspected the ambassador's daughter shared this view.

[DragonSong]

"I have not." Kana smiled and risked breaching a bit of propriety by reaching over to lay her hand on his forearm companionably--no one was around to see them, after all, and even if they were they would likely only see a young noble couple sneaking a bit of contact in the gardens that they would not be allowed with a chaperone.

"I would be delighted to receive a tour from someone who has seen it," she added with a slight glint to her eyes.

[quaggan]

 There was no one around to see them and tut at Kana's behaviour - at least none that Elethain could spot. It delighted him, and it went far beyond than just a pleasant tickle to his pride at being judged worth transgressing for. He found it truly disappointing that so many of his fellow nobles considered etiquette axiomatic, something more akin to a law of nature; rather than yet another tool at their disposal. Oh, how much they missed by their soulless adherence! How warped was their understanding! Needless to say, he was quite overjoyed to have discovered that the ambassador's daughter would not be counted among their number.

He responded to her touch by turning his forearm and wrist to almost touch her hand. He let it linger for less than a second, his measure of time for once flawless, as it was when it came to interpersonal matters. In one smooth movement, he rose from the bench, his arm withdrawing from the contact. He turned around and offered the very same hand to Kana - this time, such contact was permitted by the etiquette, through ineffable meanders of what was considered proper and what was not. "Shall we?"

[DragonSong]

Kana's smile tilted upwards in one corner slightly for a moment, then she chuckled a bit as he stood and offered his hand. "Yes, I'd be delighted to," she replied with another coy look as she took his hand.

Rather than simply allow him to pull her to her feet and tuck her hand into the curve of his elbow, once she was standing she laced her fingers gently through his, head tilted and eyebrows raised questioningly as she did.