(1310-10-18) An Unexpected Return
Summary: After weeks of absence without word to anyone, Arsène returns to Marsilikos. As word spreads of the Vicomte's latest duel against an unfortunate soul, his cousin Ailene tracks him down with Thibault to… greet him and present Thibault to her older cousin! Later on, Ligeia joins in the fun, sharp wit offered to the group as she is introduced to Thibault and meets Arsène again.
RL Date: Thu Oct 18, 1310
Related: None
ligeia thibault arsene ailene 

The Golden Harbor

Situated close to the Opera and upon the famous wine cellars below, the Golden Harbour Restaurant offers the same refinement it expects in turn from its clientele. The name has influenced the choice of interior, where walls have been painted in sea green with golden ornaments, and one wall features the outline of this city's harbor in gilded painting that will catch the warm light of candles and oil lamps. Candelabras made of brass show the likenesses of mermaids and seasnakes. Tables and seating are of dark mahogany, cushions and upholstery done in dark green velvet, heavy drapes of similar color set into the ceiling that can be drawn to allow a certain privacy when such is wished for. Staff is attentive and discreet, and up to the standards of high nobility in their quality of service. They are clad in the unique livery of the place, sea green gowns, chemises and trousers, always tidy and well kept.%r%rMeals served here are mostly local seafood dishes prepared from sophisticated recipes with inspired seasoning. Finest wines are available, both red and white, a supply never ceasing as they have the wine cellars below, to acquire even the most exquisite and costly vintages if requested. High windows offer a view over the city, especially where it slopes down to the harbor, with masts and sails of ships moored there visible in the distance.%r%rThis room has [ansi(hg,places)], see [ansi(hg,+help places)] for more information.


Thibault has arrived.

It's been quite some time since the Vicomte de Dreux, Arsène de Trevalion, has been seen in Marsilikos. His disappearance, shortly after a trip to foreign shores, came without warning to all, even his family. His quarters remained empty, guarded still by the Trevalion guards, but otherwise bereft of any occupation. And then, similarly, Arsène was back. It's not that his return was heralded with much fanfare. Instead, such knowledge reached the court and the noble inhabitants of Marsilikos through the usual manner with which the Vicomte attracted attention. Getting into a duel due to his awful behaviour to some individual, he always forgets which, and punishing the waste of time through nigh crippling wounds for the challenger.

He was back all right.

And now, word was, he could be found at the Golden Harbor. Those with the interest to find the de Trevalion could indeed find him seated at a table, alone, apparently enjoying his wine as if nothing had happened, looking exactly the same as before. As if he hadn't gone away for weeks, to destinations unknown.

At least one TYrevalion has heard of the return of the Viscomte de Dreux. That would be his younger cousin, Ailene. Thus, here the red-headed hellion appears, upon the arm of her…lover? Paramour? Her…someone special, Thibault Charlot. She clutches Thibault's arm just a bit more tightly than usual, and her eyes are two blue-grey pools of excitement and amusement. "Ah, there he is!" she whispers to Thibault, as she first spots her cousin sitting at a table, sipping his wine by himself. She gives a little chuckle and his arm a squeeze before they approach him. She gives Arsene a bit of a smirk in greeting. "Beloved cousin Arsene." she says. "I truly thought you might be gone for good." The slight pinkening of her cheeks and that bit of sparkle in her eye are the only indication that she is pleased to see him. "I trust you have seen my gift?" she asks, batting her lashes just a bit.

Thibault enters The Golden Harbor with Ailene on his arm, having agreed to accompany her here tonight in her attempts to meet up with her until-recently-absent cousin. The excitement in the young Trevalion lady's features is not mirrored in his own, his expression as most often one of slight boredom as he glances around the establishment upon entry. He's clad in his house colors of red and black, a set of fine linen pants tucked into calf-high and perfectly polished boots and the thin red leather belt holding his rapier is, as always, tied around his waist. He looks down to Ailene and then over to Arsene as she points him out, a small smile breaking the otherwise unreadable expression on his face for a short moment before he follows her to the table where Arsene is currently sitting. He gives the other man a faint nod of greeting as they come to a halt next to the table where the Trevalion lord is sitting but otherwise keeps quiet for now, letting Aily have her reunion with her cousin. Despite the fact that he obviously knows who Arsene is, and his reputation, he doesn't seem overly interested. In fact, his eyes quickly start to wander the interior of the establishment, a small sound of disapproval the only hint at what he thinks of the decorations, or perhaps the choice of colors, in the place.

The elder Trevalion turns his dark eyes to his cousin's approach, his lips curling into a smirk. "Little Ailene. I would hardly be gone for so long without returning. Not when this city has procured some rare distractions in my time here. As to your gift, I did. Whether I'll keep it in its barrel form to set it afire and catapult it upon some unsuspecting victim or make use of it in other ways remains to be seen." His gaze then turns to Thibault, his head tilting to the side curiously. "Mm, let me guess. He followed you home and you decided to keep him?" he asks, attention shifting back to Ailene. "I do hope it's not the leash you keep on him that keeps him from speech, you can only hold them so tightly before they expire. Or hold it against you." he remarks ildly, taking another sip of wine. "Do feel free to sit down and drink, before someone else gets the idea."

Ailene has to honestly bite her bottom lip to keep from laughing at Arsene's words. Her cheeks flush deeper as she does her best to hold back her mirth, while glancing over at Thibault. "As a matter of fact…" she says, eyes narrowing a bit. "I did find him soaking wet under a tree, though I didn't bring him home until the following day." She does then even dare to give the Kusheline a wink, before she introduces them. "Arsene." shesays to her cousin. "May I introduce Thibault Charlot to you." She then looks to Thibault. "Thibault, this is my cousin, Arsene Trevalion, Viscomte de Dreux." Once introductions are made, she does nod to her cousin's invitation and slides into a seat. "Feel free to do whatever you wish with it." she tells him. "I found myself unable to get rid of it and figured it might be more of use by taunting you out to play, if you ever returned that is."

"I do have a habit of following home a beautiful woman when invited, I'll admit." The tall Kusheline lord remarks in a casual, slightly tired tone at Arsenes words, his eyes still playing over the interior of the restaurant. Really? Sea green? Who does that? Those golden amber eyes do, however, come to rest on Ailene as he turns his gaze towards her, an amused smirk forming on his lips and one brow raising. There is a glimmer of mirth in the depth of those intense amber orbs as he looks at her. There isn't much of a time to respond, though, as he is soon after introduced to the older Trevalion, causing his gaze to switch to Arsene for the moment. "Vicomte, a pleasure to finally meet you in person." He then properly greets the man. "Your dear cousin here speaks very highly of you and was quite excited to hear of your return to Marsilikos. She was quite insistent on the matter of us meeting, for whatever reason." He waits for Ailene to be seated before moving to take a seat besides her, motioning with a lazy wave of one hand to one of the waiters to come over. More wine will definatively be needed, one way or the other.

That Ailene would find herself in such a situation, with a stray Charlot as it were, does not seem to surprise Arsène. But then, he knows his cousin, doesn't he? To expect the unexpected where it comes to that particular little hellion seems to be the rule. "Glad to hear you did not wither away while in the company of Augustin. Is the man still around, or has his duties as Knight of the White Swan taken him elsewhere? Don't tell me someone managed to break his perfect record, or I'll be sincerely disappointed I missed it. Mm… perhaps I should send that barrel his way." That trail of thought is discarded, waved aside as he chooses instead to turn his focus to Thibault. "And he speaks! Will wonders never cease. Likewise, my Lord. I would pretend shock upon hearing of the regard with which I am held, but such things happen when one is told by an older brother that they should not spend time with a specific person. It never works, but they try so very hard." Though the insistance to meet does seem to surprise him a bit, and he arches a brow at Ailene. "You wouldn't have me meet the boy simply for my approval, you're not so idiotic and I'm not your father besides. He has a sword, and I assume some skill to use it unless it's all bluff, and thus I likewise assume it is not for this reason either." Another sip of wine. "So?"

As wine is brought, Ailene waits until her glass is poured, then takes a sip. It is at that precise moment that Arsene mentions Augustin's perfect record. She very nearly chokes while trying to swallow. "Er…" she says. "As a matter of fact…" She bites back another chuckle. "He was beaten in the sword duels by another Charlot." She grins over at Thibault. "Thibault's cousin, Lord Cyriel, as a matter of fact." She then sighs and shakes her head rather mournfully, running her finger over the rim of her wine glass. "He then also lost in the grand melee." She gives a shrug. "He took it rather well, though." To his question, she then looks up and back and forth between Arsene and Thibault. "Oh, no!" she exclaims, blinking. "Whyever would I come to you for that?" She shakes her head at him. "I simply wanted to see you, is that so surprising?" She raises her chin and affects a little pout. "While I was at it, why not introduce you to my special someone?" She then takes another sip of wine. "I would like you to like him, of course, but you so very rarely like anyone, I wouldn't be shocked if you didn't." She then flutters her lashes at both men. "I don't even know if he likes /me/." she says brazenly to Thib.

"I wasn't able to attend the sword duels myself, sadly, and so my cousin ended up taking what little glory their is in winning an event at the Summer Tournament." He says, more than subtly implying that, in his mind, things might have gone quite differently if he had. "Still, a fine day for House Charlot, I guess." Is added shortly after with a shrug of shoulders and a rather indifferent tone. Then his attention switches to Ailene as she explains. He looks a bit surprised as she mentions him and his cousin to 'like each other'. He has, as mentioned, obviously heard of Arsene and his reputation as perhaps-not-the-most-easily-approachable-guy, amongst other things. Then again, the Charlot lord is not exactly himself known as the guy to walk up to on the street if expecting more than an indifferent glance and a sight of his back as he departs. "Let's take it one step at a time, shall we." He says, mirth more obvious in his voice now, as he looks back to Arsene with a look that makes it obvious that doesn't fully understand, either. "Like I said, she has been quite ecstatic since hearing of your return." He offers then with another shrug before taking a sip of his wine. A look that shows that he doesn't overly care about it going on way or the other is sent Ailenes way before yet anothe sip of wine graces his tongue.

Arsène sighs. It is not the sigh of one so very bored he could die. Nor is it even mocking. No, it seems to be genuine. "Hear a man praised by so many, you begin to believe the stories. The glorious aura that surrounds him. You look upon him as one who maybe, just maybe, might be a goal rather than a disappointment like everyone else." He sets his glass aside, scowling. "And not even the best, you say" he asks Thibault. "If it is more than the bravado of youth talking, I may actually grow angry." and indeed, it is not improving his mood any. But, with jarring swiftness, it fades, disappearing into a smile less kin to true joy than its darker cousin. "I've not the hint of a clue, dear cousin. I was throwing things at the proverbial wall to see what might stick. Seeing if I liked him was… well, admittedly pretty far on the list, but that answers that." As to very rarely liking anyone, he chuckles. "Oh no, I like plenty of people. Just for different things. Some I like happy, others I like crawling in a ditch. Others… somewhere either of those things. Really, there's not anyone I can't find a way to like!" he says with a voice dripping with sarcasm. "Though frankly, given you and I just met…" he tells Thibault. "… you remain on that coin's edge. Maybe we'll be the best of friends! Maybe swords will be drawn over the choice of the décor. Still, I can't fault a man for taking a beautiful woman up on her invitation." he offers a nod to the man. "And perhaps more importantly, the skill with the blade. Are you a duelist yourself, then?" Thibault's liking of Ailene is left for the couple, or whatever they are, to figure out. Arsène does not seem concerned.

Ligeia arrives from the Noble District.

Ligeia has arrived.

Arsène, looking the very same as he did before his long absence, can be found seated at a table in the company of his cousin Ailene and Thibault. They're discussing casually, none looking like they're on the edge of their seats with their hands near their swords. A rather common tavern scene, were it not for its actors.

"I knew a maiden racked with the lust, she met the fair blacksmith and thus caught his rust…" Ligeia is heard to hum softly in line with the rhythm all sea shanties seem to share. Her entrance into the establishment proper is heralded a swish of silks and the faint scent of a floral perfume as the living doll appears. For all of her beauty, a smirk plays at the edge of her lips as her eyes alight on Arsene, the purr of syllables that follow anything but honey - even if in jest, "You look as a kitten dipped in water, my little dove. How positively -divine-." A beat as she looks to the others. "Ligeia of House Basilisque. Charmed you are, I'm sure."

is heralded by a swish

"I couldn't agree more. I've rarely met a man, or woman for that matter, of any great repute who fully lived up to the tales told about them, even if their legends might not have soared as high as that of your cousin Augustin. But then again, whos does? And the greater the legend, the greater the disappointment will, invariably, be. As such, I usually take such stories with a grain of salt, even if I can appreciate that such legends are usually not born out of nothing." Thibault answers. "Not if you ask me, but then again I find that people are usually not the best judges when it comes to their own abilities, so you can take that for what it's worth." He adds then, a hand coming up to rake long fingers through the mane of dark hair on his head, wiping away a few errand strands that immideately and insitently fall back to their former place along the side of his face. He takes a sip of his wine as Arsene explains his method of questioning to Ailene, a small smile on his lips as the glas is lowered indicating that he appreciates the humor in the Trevalion lords words. "I wouldn't expect anything else, and quite frankly I wouldn't believe you if you told me otherwise. Telling someone of your fondness for them less than 10 minutes after meeting the person always rings hollow, at best." He raises his glass to the man, then. "So far, so good." Another sip of the wine. "Time will tell how the coin will land, and I'm quite sure none of us will be overly disappointed regardless of the outcome." A slight pause and a thoughtful look at the question posed about him being a duelist. "I'd call myself as much, yes, although I have not yet had the oppertunity to test my skills against many outside of Kusheth. I've always been fond of swordplay, even if not actively engaged with an opponent. I find the control and focus required rather calming, in truth. Going through the motions, perfecting that one swing or stab. It's one of the few things that I have always looked forward to." Then a swish of silks and a faint humming tune heralds the arrival of yet another guest. Thibault rises from his seat as she moves to their table and greets Arsene and then himself in turn, offering the woman a faint bow of the neck. "Thibault Charlot." He then introduces himself, before returning to his seat. "If you say so." He adds in a slightly indifferent voice as he almost instinctively pours another glass of wine and pushes it across the table towards the newcomer. Then he looks to Arsene. "A friend of yours, I gather?"

"All too true. Yet one must have hope in something, lest the boredom and disappoint of life overwhelm them." Arsène replies to Thibault. "But perhaps such hopes should be left to greater, better individuals." He waves it aside. No matter. "I don't usually bother with hypocrisy on the first meeting. Perhaps if you were the king. Royalty has a way to encourage one's best behaviour. But you?" he shrugs. As to his description of swordplay, Arsène listens… and nods, raising his glass in salute to the man's words. "Well said." Yet before he can add anything, a certain someone comes in. "Oh good, the Bardling is still here." says the Vicomte de Dreux with his flatest voice when Liegeia makes her entrance. "Hooray. Tavern-master? Her first drink on me. I'm in a generous mood." And then he smiles. "Friend is… a word." That is all he says. Apparently he thinks it's enough.

"I'm sorry, what was that again? I didn't quite catch your name over the sound of you stroking your own ego. You may put the Mandrakes out of business just yet." Ligeia smiles sweetly to Thibault as she claims a seat beside Arsene. She is ever mindful of her skirts and her modesty. While her bodice may be fitted with a scooped neckline, the 'scandal' stops there as from the nipped waist the skirts are voluminous and sleeves belled. She is more silk than flesh. "You men have all the humble astute of a cat with the canary's yellow feather at his eye tooh." A cant of her head as her eyes slide ceiling-wards. "…not that I am complaining. I'd rather a conceited bloke than one that wallows in self pity." She plucks a wine from a passing server's tray, not a care given to whatever table it was actually destined for. After a sniff and a snip she crinkles her pixie nose at it, the indignation of her theft not being to her particular taste! "Yes, the Bardling still is here awaiting the Duelist to do something of -actual- daring for me to sing of. Your beauty will only get you so far, darling." A beat. "Yes. It is a word. Applicable? Still remains to be seen."

"I'm all for hope and ambitions. Everyone needs something that drives them and keeps them from simply jumping off the first and best bridge. It's the expectations and monickers placed upon one at the hand of other people I am less amenable towards." Thibault answers Arsene, before a small, low pitched chuckle escapes his lips. "Royalty I am certainly not, and here's to hoping that such an ill fate should ever fall upon me." He raises his glass in a return of the toast offered. "I appreciate you candor far more than any half-sincere flattery you might offer." Not that he would ever expect such from the man, naturally.

His eyes glances between the two as they exchange what will have to pass for greetings with one another, pouring himself another glass of deep red wine. "I see…" is his only remark to Arsene on the matter before the doll-like bard steals his attention. He raises a brow at her 'accusation', but he doesn't seem bothered by it in the least. In fact, he seems amused, if anything. "Such a flatterer you are." He says to Ligeia, a facsimile of the sweet smile offered him offered back at her. "Although I am quite sure that constantly being in your own company has made you more than capable of hearing words even over the stroking of an ego, or you would hardly hear anything at all I suspect." Then a small shrug, a faintly amused smirk and a glance at Arsene as the silken bardling continues to have a go at men in general, mimicking the meaning, if not the words exactly, of so many other women he's conversed with over the years. "I see why you like her." He says to the man with not-so-subtle sarcasm, despite the obvious uncertainty of that matter. Another sip of his freshly filled glas of wine as he simply leans back and enjoys a bit of the back and forth between the two other occupants of the table.

"You, my dear Bardling, are the soul of irony." Arsène remarks, very much amused by the display of modesty… and the company she prefers. He does not get involved in the discussion between Thibault and Ligeia, preferring instead to enjoy his glass of wine. "When the opportunity arises, I shall be happy to drag you along. I am hopefull Genoa was not the sole source of entertainment to be found… though I searched for my own in the last few weeks." he smirks, yet it fades not long after as he adds. "Unfortuantely missing. Or rather, didn't last nearly long enough to be worthwhile. And what have you done in that time, mm?" Turning his gaze back to Thibault, he asks. "Speaking of, how long have you known my cousin?"

"I need my bridge to be high, well constructed, and as garish as possible." Ligeia flashes pearly whites for a moment before they are hidden behind an imbibing of a glass of something bubbly she certainly ordered on Arsene's tab. The goblet that was pilfered earlier? She may have poured it out on the floor under the table. "My tongue is as silver as it is steel and stone, love. Take care of the shattered glass slippers, unless you are a verbal lashing masochist? That is another matter entirely…" she drawls with a quirk of a solitary brow. To Thibault she asides, tone bored, "Darling. If I wanted comeback, I'd wipe it off your chin." To Arsene she glances then, the curl of her lip caught somewhere between vulpine and winsome. "Drag? I will be on your arm, waving the banner. I draw the line at blowing the trumpet…so horridly unflattering to the cheeks. Lyres are better." With a shrug as to her doings, she diverts, "I have been…composing? Yes, that. Composing. Never traveling and more scandal. -Never-."

Thibault seems satisfied to merely continue his observation of the 'verbal duel' offered up by Arsene and Ligeia for now. Even if this is probably the ultra light version of said duels, if it could even be called such, it is, non te less, rather amusing. "About two months now. I had the good fortune of meeting her the day before the opening feast of the Summer Tournament." He then answers Arsene as he is asked about how long he has known Ailene for. And yes, they did meet each other under a tree, as Ailene had mentioned, although the circumstances of their meeting varies slightly, to say the least, from how the young Trevalion lady presented it. No point in going into that, though. His eyes starts to wander the room as Ligeia then goes on and on and on about…something. Bridges? Slippers? Whatever…. Only to be drawn back to her as she adresses him. From gracefully veiled needling to vulgar insults so fast. How disappointing. "Regardless of how you do so, I hope you get some soon, it's quite obvious that you're in dire need of some." He offers her in a detached voice before taking another sip of wine. He gives Ailene, who has suddenly become way more quiet than she usually is, and certainly more than she should be given the eagerness she displayed in coming here to see her cousin, only to find that the young lady has, quite simply, dozed off. Perhaps it was the wine she drank before coming here, perhaps something else, it's hard to say. Either way, she is sound asleep, leaned slightly against him and mumbling something utterly incoherent.

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