There is no good way to do this. There is no way to get comfortable with it; nor, really, does she think that she should. Dumping men and potentially breaking their hearts hardly seems like a fair hobby. Tanira smoothes back her braided hair, adjusting the midnight blue silk veil she wears. It is trimmed with silver thread; her gown matches her veil, its folds long and full but clinging, and her sash is woven as if of starlight.
     There is no good way to do this, she thinks to herself as she stands in the garden, waiting. I hope that he will be amenable to my friendship. If he is not ... well. Perhaps I am overreacting. He liked me, he sought my hand. I have no evidence to say that he is actually in love with me.
     There is only one man who is...
     She takes a seat on the wall, cross at that thought's sneaking in on her. She doesn't want to think about that right now. She presses a hand lightly to her stomach, feeling it twist, and she waits.

     It was a far-fetched dream. One that he didn't give much belief to, until he met her. Even Lord Lugh said it was a waste of time. But his people, hearing the news, had already started to wishing upon stars that their new bachelor king would find himself a queen, and not just any old queen down the block, the garden market variety. No, the story they were writing was far more exotic.
     Without expectations, and certainly without much hope, he met her and upon meeting her began to think: why not? Why not a fairytale? But when he received the summons to the garden, he knew why not. Fairytales, as romantic and fun as they are, seldom work their way into reality. They will be so disappointed, if I am right about being wrong.
     King Eavan enters quietly. Gardens love him. It is as if each flower opens up a little wider, their fragrance a little sweeter. And his steps, so quiet they can't be said to even whisper, betray him for what he truly is. Gardens always know when a unicorn is in their midst.
     He is dressed in a white tunic with silver thread at the hems, paired with white breeches tucked into grey leather boots. His white blond hair, already short, has received a recent trim for tomorrow's formal court festivities and he is clean shaven as ever. His green eyes are all the more vibrant for the winter white wardrobe, echoing the green of this garden as they seek you out. And he smiles slightly, though warmly, as he finds you. "You blend in here," he notes. "At first, I thought you were a wall of morning glories."
     King Eavan, for once, doesn't come in bearing gifts. It seems he has his own dread.

     "Hello, Your Majesty." Tanira turns, smiling. You know, and she can see that you know; and, presumably, you see knowledge in her own eyes as well. But she does not say it; not like that. She does not wish to hurt, nor to hurt you, and she holds out her hand to you. "You look very well."
     Is this how it is going to be? And I suppose it must be. But I hate it. And I hate myself, a little; and that is why I have been having so hard a time.
     I told him that, once... he did not seem to understand. Maybe he did understand. But he is more ruthless than I am turning out to be.
     Behind the veil, she bites her lips. Inwards, she pushes it all inwards. "I saw that you met with Lys," Tanira murmurs, finally choosing words. An opening. A poor opening, but something. "I am sorry to ask you favors at a time like this. But there are ... reasons why I do not think she should be here. Why I think she should be with - someone whom I can trust."

     "You are, as ever, kind," he smiles easily but it is tinged with his own understanding. Yes, he knows. But he is as relieved as you are to talk about something else. Eavan comes to sit beside you on the stone wall. "I did, and I hope you received my note about her acceptance. I am always in need of diplomats. We're a small nation. It is hard to be seen and heard among the others without emissaries speaking on our behalf. I will be placing her under the tutelage of Lord Fox for the time being. She will be moved to the Silverglen suites with notices sent to Avalon prior to the coronation. Well," he smiles, "that means sometime tonight as it so happens."
     He looks at you as he rests his hands upon the stone beside him. "So what were your reasons for stepping in on her behalf? While Bianca has her ... moments, I have found her more reasonable than not. Of course, one never knows with water spirits. They reflect what you want to see sometimes, causing you to miss the fact you've been pulled under water." He smirks at that, his gaze lifting away from his thoughts and you to look to the garden at-large.

     "I did. I think that she will be a credit to you in such sense, and while some in Avalon will be cross to have their plans so disrupted, they will be less willing to test my patience. She is unlikely to face real retribution, although they will likely attempt to pressure her from afar for information about you and your court." Tanira smiles a small amount, then sighs a little. "I have no quarrel with Bianca, and hopefully she will have none with me, for my stepping in in this fashion. But there are others, not so highly placed as Bianca, but with influence. And I did some looking into things."
     She is quiet for a moment, meditative, thinking of what she's learned and finding it a welcome distraction from certain other topics. "There are those who would like to use her as a spy," Tanira mentions finally, "as I'm sure you've realized. And some of them, I think, put her here in this court in the hopes not only of gaining information, but of turning her into a sort of - useful courtesan. They expected, I think, her to be susceptible to the charms of such as Prince Stephen of Rose, Lord Ymrys of Dale, and so on. Once sullied, it would not be difficult for them to then press her in directions of their choosing by playing on her fears and insecurities, and threatening exposure and scandal. I cannot even call it true evil, although of course, it is; it is, though, the pettiness of every day, in any court over a certain size. They've been foiled primarily by Lady Lys being less vulnerable than they had believed, less easily seduced. And, I think, many of the men who engage in such sport have found her to be ... cold, almost sexless."
     Tanira shrugs a little. You are her friend, and she speaks to you as such; but not as a would-be lover. She would not speak to you of such things so incautiously if you were. She recognizes it in herself, and moves on. "She is not, I do not think, actually frigid. But she is careful, and with many men, she is simply disinterested, or believes them unlikely to be interested; she treats most interest as something fabulous and to be disbelieved, a jest, and plays along accordingly. Since most of the men who I know have approached her since her arrival have been of that ilk, it is just as well. But it means that if someone should succeed in getting her to take seriously their suit... she would be greatly vulnerable."
     Tanira pauses, then glances over. "As well, there is something of a mystery concerning her parentage. There is no record on file, even here; which means that if Bianca herself knows of Lys' parentage, she has deliberately chosen not to report it. One has to question why she would not only take in a nameless foundling but moreover give it a title and an official position as her ward. She is not that capricious, I have not seen. That is why her; as for why you? I trust you. And ... I suspect that you can uncover the truth, where I would only end up further obscuring it, despite myself. I am not the sort of person who the Lyses of this world can easily open up to; but she did do me a favor, although it was a double-edged sword, and she did not mean harm by it. So I owe her a debt of sorts, and I would see it discharged."

     He looks to you. "I thought as much. And I don't suspect Bianca is so petty and trivial. But she knows the vagaries of her court, in particular, as well as the hazards of all courts everywhere. And Lys intimated some of this. I'm not worried for my cause or Silverglen's." He pauses to smile a little to himself, his eyes on the flowers. "We are a nation of ... stray animals who found a pleasant glen wherewithin to dwell. I will see to it she has opportunities to excel and I will see that she receives a dowry for whomever either she chooses or should ask the crown to choose on her behalf."
     Eavan inhales and exhales in thought, looking to you as he does. "As to her parentage? It is possible her origins are not known even by Bianca. Sight can be obscured, records lost. We will see what there is to find in Rose, Rosewood, Dale and Silverglen, Avalon's closest neighbors. I will put Lord Fox on the case. He is, as they say, clever as a Fox. I'm sure if there is a trail to find, he will find it."
     The King takes a moment of quiet. He listens to the stroke of air against the blades of grass, to the flutter of sparrow wings. "I want to thank you for your candor, as I'm certain Lys would thank you for your grace," he says finally. "And as to the matter of friendship and alliance." Eavan pauses and looks to you, not in a glance but in a holding gaze. "Of course you may have it of me, Tanira. You have been nothing but graceful and kind. Silverglen, and I, would be honored to have your alliance. And... should you ... make a royal tour, I do hope your path will lead you our way."
     Looking to the garden once more, Eavan nods in thought. "I think that...the news of an alliance would be welcomed news. They will be happy to have won something so prestigious," green eyes slide over to you again, "...as your friendship. I know I am."

     Tanira lowers her gaze. It is upsetting to her; but she cannot lie. Even if she could, she would not. "My grace is thus far, far overshadowed by your own, Eavan," She answers quietly. She looks up because she must, she smiles because she must. "I value you highly, and I do want you to know that. If at any point, you have any need... I hope that you will ask me, although it is probably true that Lys can answer anything that I could, and some things which I could not. She is very perceptive."
     It just isn't easy... But she maintains, and she offers you her hand. "You have more to offer than you think," Tanira says finally. "I hope you'll remember that. I value your friendship, and I think of you more highly, I suspect, than you think of yourself." She smiles. "Which isn't necessarily true, but it is my perception. And Silverglen, and you yourself, will have whatever aid and support I can provide, now and in future, Eavan."
     But not her hand. Not herself. It is regretful, but that is it.

     He smiles with the easiness of a canter as he takes your hand. "I still have that new king smell," he teases. "It's a combination of uncertainty and shock with an undertone of dogged determination. I hear it's reminiscent of the odor of a stargazer lily."
     His fingers clasp your fingers for a moment. He brings your hand to his lips for a gentle, and friendly, kiss, freeing them after. "You are kind to say," he says seriously. "And... I... we... appreciate your support. I think the archangel," for it is one of them who has won you, "...should create a constellation for you. Really, for us, so we can visit now and again. See what you can do."
     There are no goodbyes spoken, and the regrets and sadness that is felt is not given liberty to raise its voice. King Eavan rises in his own regality and grace. "I need to prepare my retinue and my kingdom for the return trip. There is much to do in a day. Well, I shouldn't complain," he grins. "Your mother's creator made the entire universe in six. What's a little packing in comparison to that?" he teases. There is a serious look between you, and he gives you a smile. "I will see you at the ceremony tomorrow."
     That is all there will be of goodbyes. Nothing actually uttered. Plans made for futures yet to be determined. That story will be written another time.

Posted by rowan at May 02, 2010 08:35 PM