[When the letter of invitation had been dropped on her desk Lady Arafel Kweydos has scarcely believed the flowing script on the front. Her expression might have been as even as ever but inside she dumbfounded by what she saw.
Even now days later as she sits in her private drawing room awaiting his arrival she feels like she is vibrating under her skin. She is certain this has to be a mistake and the sooner she can clear it up, the better. Or at least the easier she could rest! Questions of why and how and on and on had played too much in her mind. She could hardly study waiting for this day to arrive and the letter sent was far too wrinkled from the many times she had re-read it. Yet she couldn't fathom it's words.
She pulls the letter from the hidden pocket in the folds of her dress so she can re-read it just one more time before he arrived. The script is too neat, too nice to be anything but handwritten by the Crown Prince himself. That makes the words in it all the more unbelievable.
She had met the prince once before, introduced by a cousin of his that had some dealings with the Kweydos family. As a shadow scribe she was hardly surprised at the introduction given how valuable her kind were for curses, hexes and such. Royalty and nobles forever wanted a shadow scribe to do their dirty work but never wanted such relationships to be publicly known. Yet she had never imagined he would remember her beyond that. And yet...
Courtship with an eye toward marriage? It wasn't a proposal but it was as good as one, written by his own hand and sealed with a dash of royal magic. If it had just been the writing one could accuse her of a forgery but with the magic who would dare? He was obviously making every attempt to legitimize the letter but something had to be wrong! What royal would wish to have a dark magic user as a first wife? Particularly the Crown Prince!
The door cracks open and the sound damn near makes Arafel crumple the letter between her hands.]
Edited (Wanted to reword some things.) Date: 2024-08-26 06:02 pm (UTC)
Elant's carriage, a perhaps surprisingly understated thing, had pulled up to the house some moments before. He'd needed a few heartbeats to steel himself before stepping out and calling at the door like any gentleman would a lady. He'd been polite to the single servant who'd answered the door, and waited calmly for whatever flurry of activity had needed being done to finish preparing for his visit.
The servant led him to the room Arafel was in, smile a bit worried but still in place. "The Crown Prince Elant is here to call on you socially, my lady. I shall fetch tea." they announced, further opening the door to reveal the tall prince and gesturing him in. They left the door open, an observance of propriety even if there wasn't a chaperone.
He was dressed neatly, less formally than the first time they'd met and in a shade of a green-blue that lent itself well to the green of his eyes. Like the rest of the royal line, he has the elegant swoop of the old elvish blood to his ears though it is a trait becoming more common among strong magic users of the nobility as well in recent generations.
"Lady Kweydos." Elant said, bowing to her with a dark gloved hand on his chest. "It is a pleasure to see you again, I trust that you have read the letter I sent. I wish to assure you that the contents and my intention within it are entirely serious, but if you are opposed to such an arrangement I will respect such a decision."
Arafel has never been quite as thankful to a servant as she is in this moment. He gives her enough time to hastily smooth out the letter and tuck it back into her pocket before she attempts to school her features down to some sort of calmness. One of her hands clutches the other in her lap to stave off fidgeting.
The swoop of those ears, the brilliant green of his eyes -- it's certainly the Crown Prince alright. He was impressive the first time she met him one on one and he certainly still is now. The less formality in his attire only enhances that in her opinion.
He's smart to dive right into the topic too. Arafel presses her lips together a moment, all her misgivings answered in one fell swoop. It's stunning really but she doesn't get to say anything before he mentions her potentially opposing such an arrangement.
Her eyes go wide in that moment, the typical placidity of her voice when they first met gently ruffled now. "I don't wish to turn you down, Your Highness. I will admit to some confusion though." She pauses there as her expression evens back out. "You are aware I'm more adept at shadow magic than any other kind."
He must be. The Royal Family and government at large had always thought it so vital to know what each magic user in the kingdom displayed what talent. Shadow users in particular were heavily scrutinized and their numbers far more closely monitored.
"I am aware, yes." Elant nods, "While it is not the current official position of The Crown, I am of the opinion that where one's magic leans is not wholly determinate of one's nature as a person."
It's likely an interesting take for someone who's magic has long been reported as being that of a healer, though not an unheard of sentiment among some of the more progressive sorts in politics.
"My cousin has always spoken well of you, and has implied on an occasion than we may find an..." He hesitates a moment, expression flicking with an almost awkward uncertainty. "Agreeableness with each other."
It's certainly nice to hear he doesn't see one's magically leaning as poorly as some might but it's somehow surprising his cousin might think them so agreeable. She's had plenty of business dealings with said cousin and perhaps a few open moments after a touch too much wine but ...
He looks awkward though so she's quick to give a gentle little smile. It's nice in a way that he would feel awkward as well.
"I'm glad your cousin would think us a good match."
How was the question. Maybe the Crown Prince enjoyed reading as well? She finally thinks to rise from her seat, coloring some as she gestures.
"Would you like to have a seat? Or some tea? ... Forgive me, I don't often host social calls."
She had friends, his cousin included, but it wasn't often she hosted anyone else. And not even her friends that often when she was busy enough with her work and studies. They chided her often enough about it.
Elant chuckled, "For all her... eccentricities, Val is a good judge of people."
It was as good a way to describe his cousin as any, the woman had always been a bit of an odd duck even before her marriage and subsequent widowing. More interested in academics and collecting oddities than attending balls or embroidery.
"Tea would be lovely, I am not sure ai have had much of anything proper to drink today, thank you." He smiled, settling on to a seat across from hers.
It certainly helped that Val shared her eccentricities with Arafel. The latter wasn't as readily invited to balls or such parties and the one time she had met Elant had been all on Val's insistence. She had spoken highly of her cousin and Arafel hadn't quite realized she meant the Crown Prince of all people before she found herself standing in front of him with Val's arm holding onto her own.
At least she can be somewhat refined in serving tea, much more than she had been that night. Then she had hidden the shock behind a placid, neutral expression but inside she was vibrating like she was now.
"I'm very humbled then if she had such good judgement in people. I tend to be a little more ... cautious. Val has always been far more giving than me."
Because the only reason most people visited or befriended those who dealt in shadow magic was to use their abilities. Val though with her eccentricities? Arafel wholly trusted Val wanted little more from her than someone to discuss esoteric books with.
Elant smiled, accepting the tea with grace. "That caution and less giving nature is, admittedly, a part of why I am interested in this courtship. I need a Queen who can hold her own in court and want one who can also do so in... private."
There's a touch of color on his cheeks at that admittance as he sips the tea. "I intend to follow the four traditions of courtship, if that is agreeable. I know it has somewhat fallen out of fashion with those our age but... there is something to be said for following protocols." He added, "I do not ask your magic, Lady Kweydos, and hope that even if we do not find love we can find a trust and friendship enough to be together."
Those were attractive features to him? For a moment she seems mildly surprised but when she considers it a moment more a Queen who can hold their own couldn't be a bad thing. As long as she wasn't cruel to her people Arafel could respect a cooler tempered Queen. To talk of one in private too ... perhaps he liked the commanding type?
She can't help but smile though as he brings up the four traditions. It had been a long time since she heard them mentioned beyond old etiquette books. Once upon a time the nobility did love their traditions surrounding courtships. Marriages were judged on going through those four traditions as much as they were the lavishness of the wedding and the number of receptions before and after the nuptials.
"You must be something of a sentimental man then." There's a bit of a tease to her tone and the quick addition of, "I appreciate that. Not many have a taste for the older traditions but they do help build stronger relationships I think."
Or that's what she had always thought. It gave a couple time to learn one another before they were wed. And with him talking of trust and friendship ...
She pauses as her heart does a funny little flutter. The idea of being courted, of hopes of not just connections but trust and friendship ... it's such a nice thought. The Kweydos family wasn't cruel but they weren't warm and loving either. It was expected that as a shadow magic user she would be treated a little less warmly in her own household but she had held some faint hope of finding it in marriage if she was lucky enough. A foolish thought back then but now?
Her cheeks are flushed all over again as she looks up from her teacup, catching Elant's eye as her smile warms more. "I think that should be easy for us to find, Your Highness. Or rather ... I have no reason not to call you a friend even now."
Trust was somewhat more tricky but she would have to come to trust him before she could fulfill the more wifely part of her duties should they marry. It's only in considering that that Arafel finally realizes what he meant on the emphasis on private.
A strong hand in the bedroom? She feels guilty for wondering if that's what he means because the idea isn't precisely repulsive to her. Not to mention she shouldn't be thinking of such things at a first meeting with her prospective fiance!
"I suppose I am, yes. Though I do plan on advancing some of our laws and traditions in other places of our society." Elant smiled back, something in him settling and relaxing.
"I don't have many friends, not properly. Courtiers are..." he shrugged, "They want to have the King's favor when I take the throne, or want to try to put Marcell in my place instead. Which is... it wouldn't work, not properly, the Kingsteel doesn't react for him. The Kingdom's magic doesn't recognize him the way it did Caohime before he was... and now myself."
It was an insight in to the actual workings of the kingdom's magic, and the old blade that was part of the royal regalia and a symbol of the King's strength. That it could recognize and chose the ruler was a long standing rumor confirmed by the future ruler himself.
Prince Caohime's assassination some years ago had been a blow to the kingdom, and that Elant had been named Crown Prince instead of his more martial minded sibling had been a matter of some dissent within the kingdom.
He ducked his head a little, ears pinking, "You are welcome to call me by just my name, or anything else less formal, when we are on our own. I also..." he pressed his lips together for a moment, hesitating for a heartbeat. "My magic is not that of a healer, despite the way it has been portrayed. I will, eventually, tell you what it is if you do not figure such out yourself by then. You could consider it a... courtship game, if you like."
It had certainly been an uproar at the time. Arafel could recall the upheaval within her own family both after the assassination and with Elant being thrust into the role of Crown Prince there had come some additional grief. Her father had been a staunch supporter of Marcell, seeking connections into the royal family through next in line. She fully believed Duke Kweydos knew nothing of the assassination beforehand but with Elant becoming the next Crown Prince rather than Marcell? Some of his long-held hopes were undoubtedly spoiled.
Arafel wondered not for the first time what he would make of Elant's visit. Now in her twenties the Duke had given Arafel her own private guest house near the Kweydos' main mansion itself. It was both so she could study and conduct business without interruption but likewise another layer of separation from the main family.
For now as Arafel nurses her tea it's clear she's keen on hearing about his magic. The intimate details were a well kept secret after all, from just what the Kingsteel could do to the healing powers attributed to the royal bloodlines.
When he says to consider it a courtship game though ... well. She'll have to put her best foot forward then in figuring it out. She murmurs in gentle reply, nothing accusatory to it in the least, "For when you trust me more then?"
She nods a little to say she understands, her lips twitching into a little smile. "I'll try to be clever and mak a good guess then. Only if you promise not to be too offended if I miss the mark, Pri --" mmh, something less formal. Her lips press together and she flicks her gaze down to the empty teacup in her hand as she murmurs.
"Elant."
It's not hard to say but it sounds so intimate. That's what it's supposed to be of course but she's going to have to get used to it. This after all was the first in a long line of intimacies they could potentially share.
There's a soft chuckle, "Trust, and I... Want to learn how your thoughts work. You may ask me any yes or no question pertaining to my magic. I will answer honestly, and if it is something granted by the Kingsteel I will tell you. I will not be offended by any guess you make, they cannot be any worse than I have already heard."
He hesitated a moment before reaching in to his vest and pulling out an envelope.
"My mother is hosting a 'tea' in a few weeks, the gardens will be in full bloom and I should like to see you there. I had an invitation made for you. It is up to you whether you wish to consider such a...calm affair a fulfilment of the tradition of attending an event in public. There is always the summer festivals or the harvests."
Arafel pauses a moment at the suggestion and then gently and somewhat curiously she asks,"I wouldn't mind the attending the tea. But it would be nice to see the festivals and harvests as well."
That's a bit more than the one traditional event in public perhaps but her lips quirk a little in amusement. "I've always been deep into my studies so I haven't gone to any of the festivals or the like in ... well. I believe I might have been a teenager? Or not quite that."
It was around then that puberty snuck up and with it her magical affinity was revealed. Her siblings still interacted with her but far, far less than that had before. That was just the nature of things.
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courtships;
Date: 2024-08-25 08:44 pm (UTC)Even now days later as she sits in her private drawing room awaiting his arrival she feels like she is vibrating under her skin. She is certain this has to be a mistake and the sooner she can clear it up, the better. Or at least the easier she could rest! Questions of why and how and on and on had played too much in her mind. She could hardly study waiting for this day to arrive and the letter sent was far too wrinkled from the many times she had re-read it. Yet she couldn't fathom it's words.
She pulls the letter from the hidden pocket in the folds of her dress so she can re-read it just one more time before he arrived. The script is too neat, too nice to be anything but handwritten by the Crown Prince himself. That makes the words in it all the more unbelievable.
She had met the prince once before, introduced by a cousin of his that had some dealings with the Kweydos family. As a shadow scribe she was hardly surprised at the introduction given how valuable her kind were for curses, hexes and such. Royalty and nobles forever wanted a shadow scribe to do their dirty work but never wanted such relationships to be publicly known. Yet she had never imagined he would remember her beyond that. And yet...
Courtship with an eye toward marriage? It wasn't a proposal but it was as good as one, written by his own hand and sealed with a dash of royal magic. If it had just been the writing one could accuse her of a forgery but with the magic who would dare? He was obviously making every attempt to legitimize the letter but something had to be wrong! What royal would wish to have a dark magic user as a first wife? Particularly the Crown Prince!
The door cracks open and the sound damn near makes Arafel crumple the letter between her hands.]
ohi, don't mind the ff14 icons I had a heck of a time finding a comic XD I'll get to the rest soon!
Date: 2024-08-26 06:06 pm (UTC)The servant led him to the room Arafel was in, smile a bit worried but still in place. "The Crown Prince Elant is here to call on you socially, my lady. I shall fetch tea." they announced, further opening the door to reveal the tall prince and gesturing him in. They left the door open, an observance of propriety even if there wasn't a chaperone.
He was dressed neatly, less formally than the first time they'd met and in a shade of a green-blue that lent itself well to the green of his eyes. Like the rest of the royal line, he has the elegant swoop of the old elvish blood to his ears though it is a trait becoming more common among strong magic users of the nobility as well in recent generations.
"Lady Kweydos." Elant said, bowing to her with a dark gloved hand on his chest. "It is a pleasure to see you again, I trust that you have read the letter I sent. I wish to assure you that the contents and my intention within it are entirely serious, but if you are opposed to such an arrangement I will respect such a decision."
oh don't worry about it! i support all pbs <3
Date: 2024-08-26 11:58 pm (UTC)The swoop of those ears, the brilliant green of his eyes -- it's certainly the Crown Prince alright. He was impressive the first time she met him one on one and he certainly still is now. The less formality in his attire only enhances that in her opinion.
He's smart to dive right into the topic too. Arafel presses her lips together a moment, all her misgivings answered in one fell swoop. It's stunning really but she doesn't get to say anything before he mentions her potentially opposing such an arrangement.
Her eyes go wide in that moment, the typical placidity of her voice when they first met gently ruffled now. "I don't wish to turn you down, Your Highness. I will admit to some confusion though." She pauses there as her expression evens back out. "You are aware I'm more adept at shadow magic than any other kind."
He must be. The Royal Family and government at large had always thought it so vital to know what each magic user in the kingdom displayed what talent. Shadow users in particular were heavily scrutinized and their numbers far more closely monitored.
no subject
Date: 2024-08-27 03:05 am (UTC)It's likely an interesting take for someone who's magic has long been reported as being that of a healer, though not an unheard of sentiment among some of the more progressive sorts in politics.
"My cousin has always spoken well of you, and has implied on an occasion than we may find an..." He hesitates a moment, expression flicking with an almost awkward uncertainty. "Agreeableness with each other."
no subject
Date: 2024-08-28 03:28 am (UTC)He looks awkward though so she's quick to give a gentle little smile. It's nice in a way that he would feel awkward as well.
"I'm glad your cousin would think us a good match."
How was the question. Maybe the Crown Prince enjoyed reading as well? She finally thinks to rise from her seat, coloring some as she gestures.
"Would you like to have a seat? Or some tea? ... Forgive me, I don't often host social calls."
She had friends, his cousin included, but it wasn't often she hosted anyone else. And not even her friends that often when she was busy enough with her work and studies. They chided her often enough about it.
no subject
Date: 2024-08-28 04:59 am (UTC)It was as good a way to describe his cousin as any, the woman had always been a bit of an odd duck even before her marriage and subsequent widowing. More interested in academics and collecting oddities than attending balls or embroidery.
"Tea would be lovely, I am not sure ai have had much of anything proper to drink today, thank you." He smiled, settling on to a seat across from hers.
no subject
Date: 2024-09-01 05:29 pm (UTC)At least she can be somewhat refined in serving tea, much more than she had been that night. Then she had hidden the shock behind a placid, neutral expression but inside she was vibrating like she was now.
"I'm very humbled then if she had such good judgement in people. I tend to be a little more ... cautious. Val has always been far more giving than me."
Because the only reason most people visited or befriended those who dealt in shadow magic was to use their abilities. Val though with her eccentricities? Arafel wholly trusted Val wanted little more from her than someone to discuss esoteric books with.
no subject
Date: 2024-09-02 05:39 am (UTC)There's a touch of color on his cheeks at that admittance as he sips the tea. "I intend to follow the four traditions of courtship, if that is agreeable. I know it has somewhat fallen out of fashion with those our age but... there is something to be said for following protocols." He added, "I do not ask your magic, Lady Kweydos, and hope that even if we do not find love we can find a trust and friendship enough to be together."
no subject
Date: 2024-09-09 09:06 pm (UTC)She can't help but smile though as he brings up the four traditions. It had been a long time since she heard them mentioned beyond old etiquette books. Once upon a time the nobility did love their traditions surrounding courtships. Marriages were judged on going through those four traditions as much as they were the lavishness of the wedding and the number of receptions before and after the nuptials.
"You must be something of a sentimental man then." There's a bit of a tease to her tone and the quick addition of, "I appreciate that. Not many have a taste for the older traditions but they do help build stronger relationships I think."
Or that's what she had always thought. It gave a couple time to learn one another before they were wed. And with him talking of trust and friendship ...
She pauses as her heart does a funny little flutter. The idea of being courted, of hopes of not just connections but trust and friendship ... it's such a nice thought. The Kweydos family wasn't cruel but they weren't warm and loving either. It was expected that as a shadow magic user she would be treated a little less warmly in her own household but she had held some faint hope of finding it in marriage if she was lucky enough. A foolish thought back then but now?
Her cheeks are flushed all over again as she looks up from her teacup, catching Elant's eye as her smile warms more. "I think that should be easy for us to find, Your Highness. Or rather ... I have no reason not to call you a friend even now."
Trust was somewhat more tricky but she would have to come to trust him before she could fulfill the more wifely part of her duties should they marry. It's only in considering that that Arafel finally realizes what he meant on the emphasis on private.
A strong hand in the bedroom? She feels guilty for wondering if that's what he means because the idea isn't precisely repulsive to her. Not to mention she shouldn't be thinking of such things at a first meeting with her prospective fiance!
no subject
Date: 2024-09-09 11:04 pm (UTC)"I don't have many friends, not properly. Courtiers are..." he shrugged, "They want to have the King's favor when I take the throne, or want to try to put Marcell in my place instead. Which is... it wouldn't work, not properly, the Kingsteel doesn't react for him. The Kingdom's magic doesn't recognize him the way it did Caohime before he was... and now myself."
It was an insight in to the actual workings of the kingdom's magic, and the old blade that was part of the royal regalia and a symbol of the King's strength. That it could recognize and chose the ruler was a long standing rumor confirmed by the future ruler himself.
Prince Caohime's assassination some years ago had been a blow to the kingdom, and that Elant had been named Crown Prince instead of his more martial minded sibling had been a matter of some dissent within the kingdom.
He ducked his head a little, ears pinking, "You are welcome to call me by just my name, or anything else less formal, when we are on our own. I also..." he pressed his lips together for a moment, hesitating for a heartbeat. "My magic is not that of a healer, despite the way it has been portrayed. I will, eventually, tell you what it is if you do not figure such out yourself by then. You could consider it a... courtship game, if you like."
no subject
Date: 2024-09-12 10:41 pm (UTC)Arafel wondered not for the first time what he would make of Elant's visit. Now in her twenties the Duke had given Arafel her own private guest house near the Kweydos' main mansion itself. It was both so she could study and conduct business without interruption but likewise another layer of separation from the main family.
For now as Arafel nurses her tea it's clear she's keen on hearing about his magic. The intimate details were a well kept secret after all, from just what the Kingsteel could do to the healing powers attributed to the royal bloodlines.
When he says to consider it a courtship game though ... well. She'll have to put her best foot forward then in figuring it out. She murmurs in gentle reply, nothing accusatory to it in the least, "For when you trust me more then?"
She nods a little to say she understands, her lips twitching into a little smile. "I'll try to be clever and mak a good guess then. Only if you promise not to be too offended if I miss the mark, Pri --" mmh, something less formal. Her lips press together and she flicks her gaze down to the empty teacup in her hand as she murmurs.
"Elant."
It's not hard to say but it sounds so intimate. That's what it's supposed to be of course but she's going to have to get used to it. This after all was the first in a long line of intimacies they could potentially share.
sorry this took forever, had some medical stuff pop up
Date: 2024-10-02 05:38 am (UTC)He hesitated a moment before reaching in to his vest and pulling out an envelope.
"My mother is hosting a 'tea' in a few weeks, the gardens will be in full bloom and I should like to see you there. I had an invitation made for you. It is up to you whether you wish to consider such a...calm affair a fulfilment of the tradition of attending an event in public. There is always the summer festivals or the harvests."
no worries, take all the time you need. hope you're doing better!
Date: 2024-10-13 10:20 pm (UTC)That's a bit more than the one traditional event in public perhaps but her lips quirk a little in amusement. "I've always been deep into my studies so I haven't gone to any of the festivals or the like in ... well. I believe I might have been a teenager? Or not quite that."
It was around then that puberty snuck up and with it her magical affinity was revealed. Her siblings still interacted with her but far, far less than that had before. That was just the nature of things.