A Dinner Among Friends
Part I
(Joint IC with Greatslayer and Pluto)
The Wolfswoods had always been Varian’s favorite hunting grounds, the deer were numerous, along with the birds flying plenty, it was quiet when he desired it there, and he could allow great hunts for the nobles. Saxon however offered a different beauty, it was more serene but at the same time offered plenty of game, certainly within the last decades as the forests had repopulated the games, now that the nobility used the Wolfswood.
It had been a great hunt that day, Varian slaying several deers, boars and dozens of birds, some of it having been prepared for tonight, others having been given to the servants as a reward, largely because Varian himself wasn't in the mood for it as a dinner. However that had been several hours by now, Queen Nienna and her entourage of advisers weren't meant to be at the lodge before the evening, giving Varian plenty of time to hunt another deer.
Now however, the Elves were on the way, having arrived at Saxon and making their way towards the lodge. Varian had already had his bath, having gotten cleaned from the hunt earlier, something which he had learned to value from his mother. Now however he sat in nightgown, it had been given to him by Queen Anne, one of her better gifts, his old one had gotten rather ruined, but Varian had kept holding on to it. This one however was good, the soft silk against the skin, and the warm and relaxing fur around the neck and down the middle of his chest, keeping the cold out.
The servants were bringing in the clothes as he sat, looking over it before finally picking a set, deciding to go with a red tunic and pants, a more cheerful colour, decorated in different patterns of dark and grey and silver, by no means the most expensive set presented, despite it being made of fine materials, costing a peasant what he would earn in a lifetime. Varian did however feel that this was more fitting for the occasion, knowing his mother’s disdain for overly show and display.
As the groom was buttoning his shirt as he stood, looking the mirror, another came over with a jewelry case, with Varian picking out the rings. All the rings had a golden or silver ring, there was an older one in there as well, with a wooden ring that was given by his mother when he was younger. Varian considered wearing it for some time, but decided against it, instead deciding on three golden rings, one with a ruby, one with a sapphire and finally one of ember.
Finally he was ready, and as he climbed down the stairs from his room Eklow stood ready, giving him a short report of what had happened upon their arrival, and the words exchange before he bowed and left.
“Either way, this cabin will be quite nice to spend the week in.” Nienna said, Varian could hear her voice as he entered the room.
“It will be the perfect place.” He smiled as he saw them all, his mother, his aunt, Nienna and even his uncle my marriage, Prince Elessar, all gathered, “I see that no one was left out.” He said as he went over and sat down in a chair at the end of the table.
“Would you have preferred that not be the case?” Nienna asked with a grin as she watched him sit. “It is good to see you again Varian.”
“Likewise.” He said as he looked around at them all and motioned for them to sit. “No, I prefer it this way, we can get all the reactions at once.” Evhana smiled as she raised an eyebrow.
“It seems someone is quite looking forward to these deliberations. Come, nephew, we traveled far, and it’s been too long since. All I hear of you these days are vague mentions in my sister’s quill, and what correspondence come from my queen’s letters. I had but only hoped for something more…” She twirled her finger in her hand. “...cordial. Leisure, if you will.” Evhana sat down and helped herself to what goblet was present.
“Surely that would be dull with all of us here, no?” He asked as they brought in the food, a roasted pig, turkey, birds and various other animals as one of the carvers stepped forward and cut pieces for Varian, putting it on his plate. Meat had become the speciality of the Azeratii court, especially roasting, a culture that Eylinn had brought with her from the Chasm, one of her few traditions that the court cooks and courtiers had taken to them. The food would be put on a spit, and attended by two spit boys, one of them turning the spit, while the other one was constantly putting the ingredients on, such as salt or other spices which was mixed in the roasted fat of the animal, then reapplied with a rosemary twig, making sure the meat was nice and extremely tender with full flavour . As Varian sat with a wine goblet in his hand, looking at his aunt. “I'm not sure what I can tell you, my mind's at ease, my body without illness.”
Evhana raised her goblet towards him, not relenting her perpetual smile. “Then I drink to your health, as well for us all gathered here.” She sipped. “Besides, there are nothing wrong with a little dull. Dull is safe. Dull is silent. To what matters you’ve adjourned us for are everything but. In fact, this matters could use a lot more boring than what you give them credit. For who would care peaking their ears for something dull? But a formal gathering at your majesty’s lodge?” Evhana licked at her lips. “Now that brings attention from both far and wide.”
“Good.” Varian said before he took a sip, “What's the point of gatherings if not to create attention and gossip. But if you want something dull, then I will oblige. Ares is growing quickly, he is eating well, I plan to send him to Varanu when he turns four under his governess and tutors.” Perhaps it was wrong of Varian to consider it a dull subject, but in truth he had avoided discussing his family, at least for the time being until the Queen calmed down.
“That is wonderful to hear,” Nienna said happily as she picked up some fruit for her plate. “You had best appreciate the time that you have with him now Varian, soon enough he will be off on his own adventures and you will only hear from him through the rare letter.”
Varian simply chuckled as he began eating. “I’m afraid that the customs and traditions of what the heirs of our two respective kingdoms, vary as much as the people within them.”
Eylinn ordered a plate of sliced meats with Evhana joining in soon thereafter. “How long has it been since we visited Saxon? For Wilhelm I’ve not seen in years bar the odd letter. Will he be joining us as well, my son?” Varian’s mother asked while looking out for some water, contrary to his aunt’s more frivolous choice of beverage, seemingly uncaring to it’s expensive nature.
“He shall not, I felt it unneeded that he be here for this family gathering.” Varian said as he continued eating before he leaned back in his chair. “How is Armas? Last I heard he was enjoying the mountains in Highathar.”
“Well, I assume.” Nienna said slowly. “I actually heard from him last through Einir, it seems that Armas wanted to spend time among the western tribes of Ordivantes for the last leg of his journey. I have to envy him really, their way of life is quite fascinating out in the wilds.”
“You would not last without your baths and fruit, I think,” Elessar responded, taking the rare opportunity to tease his sister. “And I am sure Armas is doing quite fine on his own.”
Varian nodded with a smile, “So he should be back soon, good.” Taking another piece meat before leaning back in his chair and looking at them with a smile. “It is my desire and wish that he and my sister be married soon.” Eylinn, and Evhana, seemed to both have suddenly choked on their drinks and food.
“What?” Eylinn said as her face reddened, and joviant coughing ensued. “That’s… That came sudden. You haven’t spoken a word of this with me at all.” She gagged forth.
Nienna’s eyes widened, but she did a better job of concealing her surprise than the other two, stopping to take a bite of her apple and collect her thoughts. “This is rather sudden Varian.”
“Anwën is well beyond her expected age for marriage, same for Armas, the two are both past twenty.” Varian said drinking some wine. “It's high time that the both of them are married.” He looked at them all, a rather content smile from their reactions. “With the rumours of slavery in the west resuming, civil wars all around us, an alliance and a royal marriage is only to the benefit of both of our realms.”
Evhana wiped her lips with some resuming grace and continued her meal, speaking between bites. “For Elves, twenty is no age. You forgotten what your sister is? A Chasm Elf must marry out of love. For what I know, they’re good friends and nothing more. We wouldn’t want to upset the Light and Dark in such a trying time and age, now would we?” His aunt drenched the meat in sauce and took some contemplative bites of it, downing it with a generous gulp of wine.
The King simply smiled, “My dear aunt, my mother once told me that the Creator cared not for wars, or power, or those that abused it, he simply wished to let the world be the world. If he has had a change of heart all of the sudden, he can damn well cause an earthquake to tear down the church.” He simply said as he drank some wine, the wine itself was surprisingly good, a rich red made solely for Varian’s personal use. It was a medical wine, to help digestion and was called hippocras, also helping the King to sleep and relax at night. It was mixed with long peppers, tailed peppers, grains of paradise, cinnamon for sweet and cardamom and galangal, sugar along with rosemary which was mixed with a good Ferren wine that had been put through a strainer, then rested for twenty four hours and mixed with edible gold. Varian looked back up from his wine, towards his aunt “My sister may be a chasm Elf, my she is also a Krestarii and my sister and I have no intention to wait an eternity.”
“I would hope that He would be more subtle,” Nienna said with a slight chuckle, taking a sip of her own wine for the first time. “But placing the Light aside for a moment, I am inclined to agree, that the feelings of Armas and Anwën on the matter are quite important. I would not wish to force Armas into anything that he might not want, nor Anwën, despite how they might have gotten along as children.”
“It is a better start than most marriages.” Varian simply responded, “But I understand your reluctance, he is your son. I have no wish to rush him into a marriage, or you for that matter, as he is currently the only hope for your dynasty.” Varian said, giving a quick glare over at Elessar before back towards Nienna. “But neither I, or Ecclestius can wait for Armas, or Anwën for that matter to find true love, and neither can we accept true love if it is to some farmer or peasant. The Chasm ideas are true, noble and all well.. in a novel, but I cannot let policies and alliances rest on such ideals.”
Eylinn’s eyes widened as her face turned a deeper crimson, flushed and flustered.“What is this fucking jarring coming from? Do not forget yourself, Varian, that your sister is also my heir. To my family’s name, and to the burden of my people’s needs. Traditions are what they are, for appearances in the worst of cases. But what you hope to accomplish by insulting your bloody family too?” She crossed her arms. “I know not why, nor do I want to know. It will just end.”
Evhana looked over at Eylinn with a sly smirk. “I am sure he only means well by the urgency of the matter at hand. But have you forgotten, nephew, the implications such a marriage would have? An alliance would certainly raise the worries of those brooding unrests that our neighbours have. Nothing unifies a broken people like a common goal, or a common threat.” Evhana looked at Nienna. “My queen, I would highly suggest we secure our neutrality with such a betrothal. An alliance with Ecclestius may risk our good relations with the Dwarves, or draw the attention of Hroniden’s domains. Not to mention the warring Nords. Do we wish their struggles to end too premature? I think not.”
“You presume much to think that they would be wise enough to end their fighting, especially the nords,” Elessar stated calmly. Varian simply sitting at the edge of the table, smiling to himself, the meeting for all intents and purposes had done what he desired, to figure out the stance of the various members of influence in the Elven court. Elessar spoke again “They have shown time and time again that fighting among themselves is more important than actually achieving anything of note. More importantly, even if they did succeed in unifying, they would have no hope of facing a united front of Galadriel and Ecclestius.”
Nienna nodded slowly. “You both make fair points, but perhaps it is simply easiest to ask.” She turned her attention to Varian. “What would you expect from such a marriage Varian? I have little doubt that you have ambitions in Westmarch, would you expect elves to die for them if such a marriage were to be carried out?”
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