Post by Lisa on Apr 4, 2010 13:58:03 GMT 10
Title: Social Obligations (III)
Subtitle: Wine-tasting
Rating: PG
Length: 637 words
Character: Wyldon
Summary: Raoul overhears snippets of a conversation he’s not sure he should be hearing.
“I think it’s ridiculous that you demanded my presence here,” Raoul scowled at the king. “You know I don’t drink, and I don’t want to taste wine.”
“Have some cheese,” Jonathan said with a sigh. “I thought you’d outgrow your reluctance for parties, now that the mamas aren’t hounding you anymore.”
“I thought you’d outgrow your need to show off your military troops.”
“Raoul. You know I trust you more than my own guards to keep me safe.”
He scanned the room. Prim and proper nobles were stuffing cheese and crackers into their mouths while describing wine with words like “oaken” and “a note of raisins”. He had spent many years in a torrid love affair with wine, and he hadn’t found half so many flavors are these pretentious people were claiming. He suspected that the last thought anyone had on their mind was to harm the king.
“Just mingle,” the king said. “I’m not asking you to drink, or be happy. I simply want you to be here, and listen to the conversations.” He turned back to his son and daughter-in-law, striking up a conversation.
Walking the perimeter of the room, Raoul did as he was told. He nodded at some people, politely listened to some of the drivel, and eavesdropped quite a bit, He was completely unsurprised to hear that no one was plotting the king’s downfall. Surprising, however, was seeing Keladry of Mindelan in the room, chatting with Lord Wyldon of Cavall. She was gazing at him with bright eyes – eagerness, perhaps? And Raoul couldn’t help but notice how dilated her pupils were. A sign of either hatred or attraction, he was once told by Myles of Olau. He slipped as discretely as possible behind a pillar.
“I’m not much of a wine-drinker, my lord,” Kel was telling Wyldon. “It gives me nauseous headaches. So even if I don’t have to swallow it, for tasting, I’m afraid I haven’t much of a taste for it.”
Raoul frowned. Why would Kel come to a wine-tasting party, if not for the tasting of wine? Certainly she had the freedom to leave, unlike him.
“Perhaps we can find something else to do, then, if you’re not interested in wine?” Wyldon’s voice was lower than Raoul was accustomed to hearing, both in volume and timbre. Was he flirting?
“I think your friends would be concerned, if you were to slip away from the festivities so early in the evening.” He could hear the smile in her voice. There was some sort of inside joke in their words – like listening to old friends or married couples speak to each other. He could feel the weight of their words, even if he didn’t understand what the hidden message was.
He peeked out from behind the pillar he was trying to lean casually against. Kel was, as he expected, smiling. And it wasn’t her polite smile. This was a genuine expression of amusement. Maybe even delight.
And Wyldon leaned closer to her, just enough to make it an intimate gesture. “Perhaps in an hour?”
Kel took a deep breath. “Perfect.”
Wyldon walked away, going back to a circle of conservative lords Raoul knew all too well. Kel, meanwhile, exhaled and leaned weakly against the wall.
“Nervous?” Raoul asked, stepping around the column and crossing to her side.
“Why would I be nervous?”
Raoul smiled. “I know you, Kel. You’re not the type to have a random rendezvous with an older man. Do you even know what you’re doing?”
She frowned slightly. “It’s not like that.”
He raised both eyebrows. “Do you know what you’re doing, Kel?” he repeated.
“Of course I do,” she said softly. “As you said, I’m not the type to have a random rendezvous. With anyone, really.”
Raoul’s expression softened. “This isn’t random at all, is it?”
“No.”
Subtitle: Wine-tasting
Rating: PG
Length: 637 words
Character: Wyldon
Summary: Raoul overhears snippets of a conversation he’s not sure he should be hearing.
“I think it’s ridiculous that you demanded my presence here,” Raoul scowled at the king. “You know I don’t drink, and I don’t want to taste wine.”
“Have some cheese,” Jonathan said with a sigh. “I thought you’d outgrow your reluctance for parties, now that the mamas aren’t hounding you anymore.”
“I thought you’d outgrow your need to show off your military troops.”
“Raoul. You know I trust you more than my own guards to keep me safe.”
He scanned the room. Prim and proper nobles were stuffing cheese and crackers into their mouths while describing wine with words like “oaken” and “a note of raisins”. He had spent many years in a torrid love affair with wine, and he hadn’t found half so many flavors are these pretentious people were claiming. He suspected that the last thought anyone had on their mind was to harm the king.
“Just mingle,” the king said. “I’m not asking you to drink, or be happy. I simply want you to be here, and listen to the conversations.” He turned back to his son and daughter-in-law, striking up a conversation.
Walking the perimeter of the room, Raoul did as he was told. He nodded at some people, politely listened to some of the drivel, and eavesdropped quite a bit, He was completely unsurprised to hear that no one was plotting the king’s downfall. Surprising, however, was seeing Keladry of Mindelan in the room, chatting with Lord Wyldon of Cavall. She was gazing at him with bright eyes – eagerness, perhaps? And Raoul couldn’t help but notice how dilated her pupils were. A sign of either hatred or attraction, he was once told by Myles of Olau. He slipped as discretely as possible behind a pillar.
“I’m not much of a wine-drinker, my lord,” Kel was telling Wyldon. “It gives me nauseous headaches. So even if I don’t have to swallow it, for tasting, I’m afraid I haven’t much of a taste for it.”
Raoul frowned. Why would Kel come to a wine-tasting party, if not for the tasting of wine? Certainly she had the freedom to leave, unlike him.
“Perhaps we can find something else to do, then, if you’re not interested in wine?” Wyldon’s voice was lower than Raoul was accustomed to hearing, both in volume and timbre. Was he flirting?
“I think your friends would be concerned, if you were to slip away from the festivities so early in the evening.” He could hear the smile in her voice. There was some sort of inside joke in their words – like listening to old friends or married couples speak to each other. He could feel the weight of their words, even if he didn’t understand what the hidden message was.
He peeked out from behind the pillar he was trying to lean casually against. Kel was, as he expected, smiling. And it wasn’t her polite smile. This was a genuine expression of amusement. Maybe even delight.
And Wyldon leaned closer to her, just enough to make it an intimate gesture. “Perhaps in an hour?”
Kel took a deep breath. “Perfect.”
Wyldon walked away, going back to a circle of conservative lords Raoul knew all too well. Kel, meanwhile, exhaled and leaned weakly against the wall.
“Nervous?” Raoul asked, stepping around the column and crossing to her side.
“Why would I be nervous?”
Raoul smiled. “I know you, Kel. You’re not the type to have a random rendezvous with an older man. Do you even know what you’re doing?”
She frowned slightly. “It’s not like that.”
He raised both eyebrows. “Do you know what you’re doing, Kel?” he repeated.
“Of course I do,” she said softly. “As you said, I’m not the type to have a random rendezvous. With anyone, really.”
Raoul’s expression softened. “This isn’t random at all, is it?”
“No.”