[Closed x2] In The Garden / Visiting Daath

[jewelboxes]

001. In The Garden. (Sophie & Richard)

[The sun is high, the breeze is pleasant, and Barona's royal gardens are awash with spring colors. Adorned with hyacinths and tulips, proud irises and creeping phlox, the castle's walled backyard has become a veritable treasure trove of sweet-smelling flora, something straight out of a fairytale.]

[Richard passes under a trellis, brushing a curled vine aside as he checks the grounds for a certain lavender-haired girl that he has no doubt he will find here.]

Sophie?

[If ever he had been granted a younger sister, Richard suspects the affection he would have felt for her would be something much like what he feels for Sophie, and he looks forward to her visits. It's simply a shame that his schedule is so unfortunately busy. Although he himself is partially to blame for it, there is much more that's completely beyond his control. He can't remember the last time he had an afternoon off, and it's certainly been months since he's been able to set time aside to visit Lhant.]

[At length, he discovers her whereabouts, smiling gently.] There you are. You'll have to forgive me. My advisors were quite insistent that I stay for the entire banquet.



002. Visiting Daath. (Anise & Asbel)

Man, I sure hope this is the right place...

[Asbel frowns a little as he peers up at the imposing building before him. Calling it a "sanctuary" doesn't quite do it justice; it looks more like a fortress. In fact, he's pretty sure it's even more massive than the castle back in Barona.]

[Ever since Cheria found out about the piles of proposal letters shoved into the back of his writing desk, she's made it her personal goal in life to see that he responds to each and every one of them. Something about how he should take responsibility...whatever that's supposed to mean. It's been an arduous couple of months to say the least, but he's finally down to the very last letter. And because the return address got smudged, he's even here to deliver it himself. Unfortunately, he has no idea what this "Anise Tatlin" even looks like. From the letter alone, she seemed pretty young, but beyond that.]

[With a nod to the guards stationed at the doors, Asbel heads into the cathedral with its warm shadows and dazzling stained glass windows. How's he supposed to find this girl in a place like this?]

[Asbel slowly lifts a hand to try and attract the attention of someone who seems to work here, feeling entirely out of place.]

Hey, um, excuse me. Would you happen to know where I can find an "Anise Tatlin"? I have a letter for her from House Lhant.

Comments

[namedbytheflower]

[Sophie knows that as King, Richard is often busy, and can't spend as much time with them as he might like. As such, while she doesn't fully understand just all of what being royalty entails, she doesn't mind waiting for him to be finished. The gardens are nice, and Sophie is content to wait in the gardens, among the flowers.

Still, she came to Barona to visit Richard, and when he finally shows up, she beams, happy to see her 'big brother'.]

It's okay, I don't mind. Being a king is really important, isn't it? That's what Cheria told me.

[jewelboxes]

Something like that. [He returns the expression fondly.]

Being a king means having a responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of all those who dwell within the kingdom as well as maintaining a favorable relationship with foreign nations. To do this requires a great deal of paperwork and a considerable amount of discussion.

[It's a condensed explanation at best, however, Richard would prefer to spare Sophie the boring and decidedly less pleasant details of rulership. Besides, this is their time together.]

But let's set aside such things for now. How have you been, Sophie? Is all well in Lhant?

[namedbytheflower]

I've been okay. Everyone is fine. [It's been life as usual, more or less.] Asbel has a lot of paperwork to do, though.

[jewelboxes]

I'm glad to hear that. Although, it's a shame about the paperwork. I know that Asbel still has a great number of things he'd like to teach you, and reviewing paperwork is quite the tedious and time-consuming process.

[Imagining Asbel diligently bent over a desk isn't difficult, but he expects that such responsibilities have the unfortunate side-effect of cutting into time the young lord would otherwise be spending with Sophie.]

You're still tending the gardens back in Lhant, correct?

[marrymoney]

[Fortunately, Asbel doesn't have to look very far, as he's managed to flag down Pamela Tatlin, Anise's mother. Although she's unfamiliar with just who this young man standing before her is, he must be a friend of Anise if he's looking for her, and she's happy to tell Asbel her daughter's whereabouts.

... Neither of them have to look very far, though, because Anise herself soon shows up, having been been pinged by the mention of her name.]

Mama, who are you talking to? [Please don't be another scam artist.]

[pactfulfilled]

[Asbel turns curiously towards the new arrival. She called her "Mama", so could this be Anise? Now that he thinks about it, the situation could get a little...awkward. Pamela seems like a nice woman and everything, but could she really know about the contents of her daughter's letter?]

[...Scratch that. If she's at all like his own mother, there's a definite possibility. Still, he's not too sure how he's supposed to go about breaking the news.]

Oh, sorry. I'm Asbel Lhant, from the Windor Kingdom. [He offers a brief (if slightly nervous) smile.] Are you Anise?

[marrymoney]

[Oh.

Immediately, any suspicion Anise might have had towards Asbel dissolves when he introduces himself. It's been some time since she sent out her proposal letter, to where she had become annoyed at a lack of response.]

Yup, that's me! Ionian Sergeant Anise Tatlin Oracle Knights Fon Master Guard, at your service! Lord Asbel, did you come all this way just for me? ♥

[pactfulfilled]

[Actually? This is going to be very awkward. Asbel rubs at the back of his neck, watching as her mood does a complete 180. So this girl was a member of the knights, huh? He'd forgotten. But man, does it bring back some memories. She must be pretty talented to get in at such a young age, he decides.]

Um. Yeah, I guess that I did? Your letter must've gotten smudged in transit, so the only way to get a reply to you was to come here myself. I hope this isn't too sudden...