(1311-06-19) Welcoming an Unexpected Guest
Summary: Armandine welcomes a foreign surprise guest to the palace.
RL Date: Wed Jun 19, 2019
Related: Some
armandine andre 

Solar — Ducal Palace

Spacious enough to provide a meeting place of more familiar atmosphere to the residents of the Ducal Palace, the solar is of rectangular shape and generously lit during the day through a number of arched windows in the south wall. The opposite side is governed by a huge stone hearth, a fire crackling there during colder weather conditions. Above the hearth hangs a shield with the coat of arms of House Mereliot, flanked by a pair of exquisitely woven tapestries depicting naval scenes of ships on the sea, one in calm and tranquil weather conditions, the other one in a storm with heavy rain.%r%rAll furniture is made of oak, be it the long table in the middle of the room, or the number of high backed chairs arranged about it, flat cushions of blue brocade adding to the comfort of seating. The ceiling is a sophisticated rib vault, constructed of wood, the ribs painted in yellow. Depictions of a variety of sea animals have been added onto the light blue ceiling as well by an unknown artist. Several kinds of mediterranean fish adorn the spaces in between ribs, such as combers, groupers and flounders but also starfish and octopusses.

A door leads out onto a rooftop garden, and an archway opens into the upper hallway.


Word had reached the Duchesse of Eisande of an unexpected visitor. While arrangements are being made on the side, she has sent a servant to look for said foreign visitor, requesting to speak with him. The Flatlands may be far to the North, but that doesn't make them less of a neighbour to Terre d'Ange. If the servant can get ahold of André somewhere, he will lead him up the stairs to one of the half-public places of the palace, the solar. The room seems to have been granted for Armandine to use in its entirety for now, or maybe she had insisted others courtiers should leave. She is seated in a comfortable chair before a window offering a nice view of the grounds below. The Duchesse wears the colors of her House, blue and yellow, and the theme of fish chasing each other are a detail in the embroidery that adorns her dress. The woman is d'Angeline, and in her early forties, and a certain air surrounds her that suggests Eisheth's blood is flowing through her veins.

A young man enters the room, dressed in clothes that seem slightly too large for his frame. His hair is very blonde, his face bright-red from sunburn and currently glistening with some cooling ointment. Yet for all his slightly questionable appearance, he enters the room with the natural hauteur and casual elegance of the high-born. Seeing the sole woman situatioed in the solar, he approaches her and bows deeply. "Your Grace, it is a great honour to be received thus and be granted your hospitality.", he says formally and very politely, "And I'm pleased to make your acquaintance. André Montford van Westerlo.", he introduces himself formally, even though he can guess that she knows his name.

The Duchesse remains seated. Even so, her grey-blue eyes flicker with a bit of concern as she perceives the obvious traces of what the young noble foreigner had endured. "My Lord," she returns the greeting with a voice that is both warm but also not without authority. "It is my pleasure. But I admit, I would wish that the circumstances of your visit would not have been as… dire." Tilting her head she gives André a pointed look to his face and then his clothes. "I understand that there was a mishap of sorts, and that your coming here to Marsilikos was not your initial intention?" Her hand moves in an inviting gesture as she points out a comfortable chair for him take. "Please, have a seat, Lord André."

Andre takes the seat and smiles a little wryly, "Oh, we had hoped to reach Marsilikos eventually and I had most certainly hoped to make a better first impression on you and your court. But fate decided otherwise and so our ship got caught in a storm to the north of the Balearic Islands and finally sank. I was fortunate enough to find some wood to cling to, which transported me to the shore of your fair country. I still hope to hear that there are other survivors that reached the shore of Eisande. Still -" He spreads his hands as if to indicate his status of abject poverty, "While I come empty-handed, I still wish to convey my father's warmest greetings to you, Your Grace, as I'm sure he will be very happy that you offered me a safe haven and accommodation here."

"Your father is the Duc of Brabant," Armandine replies. "As for other survivors from your ship, I will send my men out to check the villages further down the coast. Please, don*t feel uneasy because of the circumstances of your arrival. It is my wish that you shall receive anything you may need, clothes, food, drink and any accomodation as befits a visitor of your station. Right now, a suite is being prepared for you to use at the Guest Tower. As soon as you have settled in, you can write to your father and assure him that his warm greetings have been received well."

André nods, as if to confirm his parentage and smiles warmly, as much as his sunburnt skin allows. "Thank you very much, Your Grace. Your niece, the Lady Desarae already helped to send a first message to Brabant to inform my father of my whereabouts. If he hears of the shipwreck before he hears from me, it would worry them so much, my mother especially. I will write him a longer letter soon to inform him of your gracious hospitality. If I may, I shall stay a little while longer to get to know your fair city. I love visiting foreign places.", he explains brightly.

"Please stay for as long as you like," Armandine Mereliot replies with a faint glitter in her eyes. Perhaps there is a bit of humor there, in the look she gives him, being well aware how such generosity could be easily exploited. "Marsilikos is hardly a place you can explore fully in just a few days. Take your time, and be my guest, Lord André van Westerlo." A nod then, to his mention of a worried mother, and she smiles with the empathy of someone who is a mother herself. "So you have met my niece, Lady Desarae? I am glad she could already provide you with the first means of sending a message. There will be some courtly occasions occurring soon…" This she mentions a bit pensively, "I shall see to it that you will be provided with adequate clothes so that you can attend them."

"Yes, it was a lucky chance encounter in the port and she proved to be most helpful and charming.", Andre confirms his meeting with Desarae, "She took me to see a healer at the Temple, who treated my sunburn. I had just left the temple when your summons reached me." Clearly he's had a busy day. "And I look forward to meeting the rest of your court soon. I think I'm gonna like it here!", he bursts out, the noble facade giving way to youthful excitement for a moment, before it's replacement by a sheepish smile. He clears his throat. "Ahem. Yes. Well, I very much appreciate being granted quarters here. I look forward to a long rest."

Such youthful enthusiasm is met with a warm chuckle rising in Armandine's throat until it ripples from her lips. "You will like it here, my lord. I am certain of that. And I shall look forward to hearing more of your home, of Brabant and of your family.", she assures. "You came to the city of healing. And I believe you shall heal well, if you are taken care of as you say. You should go and rest now. Ask the servants to provide you with a meal you can enjoy in your new quarters. Rest will help. And I am certain, these burns will bother you already much less, come the morning."

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