The Lookalike Lord

[Tristan Venora]

"I’m glad that you are my doppelganger", Tristan informed Hart and smiled brightly. "I would hate for my doppelganger to be a boring man, a teacher, a politician or something similar." He shuddered. "We’ll have to meet regularly from now on. We’ve missed out on so much. You can bring Ruq as well of course. I like him", he said with a glance at the Yludih in disguise. He remembered their first meeting in the marketplace quite fondly.

Relax", he said to Quio as he noticed that the man was still confused and uncomfortable, although he didn’t understand why he acted that way. Was there anything wrong? "And don’t be so shy. Nobody is going to hurt you. We are all practically family here, besides, there’s free food. You’ll also have to show us your amazing drinking skills. Maybe we could have a drinking competition sometimes?"

He looked quite excited as he said that for there were few things that he loved more than a bottle of fine Venora Red, besides Faith of course as she was a very multifunctional woman.

"Faith, after you have served us, could you bring the sculpture I made of Lord Andaris, the one with the helmet, the cloak and the nice beard?" he told her as Hart asked about his work. She still seemed to be a little confused, he observed, which he quite enjoyed, to be honest. I’ve always wanted to have a relative that appreciates my art!"

Faith would know which "art" he was talking about. The season before he had made a sculpture of a certain infamous tax collector who wasn’t wearing anything besides a cloak and a helmet. He was surprised that he had not received an angry letter from his unsuspecting model so far. Maybe Peake was used to people making nude sculptures and paintings of him?

"Oh, the House of Roses", he remarked and grinned. "I spend a lot of time there. Which girl was it? Lucille or Anette or Alessa herself? I used to be rather fond of Lucille …"

As Quio asked whether his slave was some sort of bodyguard, the noble could not help but laugh as the notion was just too ludicrous – although she had shown remarkable combat skills when his younger brother Theodore had come to visit earlier that season.

"Well", he began and furrowed his brow as Faith asked him how many brothers he had as if he wasn’t at all sure – which he wasn’t, truth to be told. "There’s Theodore whom you have met. Then there’s Hart here. My father seems to have been quite a busy man in his youth, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there were half a dozen more. I also have quite a few cousins, some of which look remarkably like me."

"Maybe I should make them carry little cards with their name", he mused, secretly thinking that Alistair would probably refuse and insist that it was not becoming of the heir of the duchy to have a card with his name attached to his elegant and very expensive shirt.

Faith had finally begun to serve the food though, so Tristan grabbed a knife and a fork and started eating as the chicken looked and smelled quite delicious. It tasted even better though, he decided.

"I would never let anybody mind-control me", Tristan interrupted Faith as she talked about what she thought had happened. "Drugs are possible though, although I’m not as partial to drugs as Andraska. The last time I tried a drug was ages ago."

He turned back to Hart, gesturing towards the chicken as he did so. "Try it. Faith is the best cook in all of Idalos. By the way, we should really do it again sometimes. Pretend to be each other, I mean. I’ll even give you lessons in etiquette."

"You should eat something as well", he said to Ruq who still seemed to be a little hesitant.

"And you should tell Hart and Ruq everything you know", he informed Faith. "Hart is my brother, and I am not going to keep any secrets from my brother."

[Quio]

Once the confusion was cleared up, both Tristan and the girl --she gave her name as Faith-- were very... welcoming. Tristan especially. It was... weird. Truly none of them knew each other, or at least Tristan and Faith knew nothing, really, about Quio and Hart, and vice versa. But somehow they had been welcomed in with open arms.

Once again, Quio had to wonder what sort of noble this Tristan Venora was. He didn't act at all like a nobleman... aside from the art, and the acting, and the slave.

"Relax," he said to Quio, as if there were no barriers between them. "And don’t be so shy. Nobody is going to hurt you. We are all practically family here, besides, there’s free food. You’ll also have to show us your amazing drinking skills. Maybe we could have a drinking competition sometimes?"

Relax. Quio tried to slouch a little in his seat. Hart was watching him with amusement. "A drinking competition," he said slowly. "Alright. But I warn you, my Lord, you'll lose."

Trying to be a good guest, now, he took a sip of his own wine.

Faith was asked to bring out a sculpture, and Hart was happily chatting away about art. "I do dabble in it myself," he said. "Though with the boat and travel and everything, never quite can get anything I want done. Still, Ruq. Show them the little necklaces I made us."

Quio reached into the collar of his shirt and dragged out the twin pair of jewelry. He looped one over his head and held it out. "That one's the one I'm suppose to wear," Hart said, looking at it. "It's moonstone and some simple knotwork; jewelry is not my specialty, though it does sell. I have Ruq wear it for me when we're in the cities. Don't trust myself not to lose it or let it be stolen."

"Or gambled away," Quio said, droll.

Hart smiled. "That too. What can I say? And oh!" He drummed his fingers excitedly on the tabletop. "Speaking of meeting, that's what we should do, next we meet! Go out for drinks and a night on the town! There's got to be somewhere around here you can place bets."

"Anyplace with a bar has cards," Quio said.

"Yeah, except that's not exciting at all. Cards bore me, there are so many rules to learn."

"Well, I've heard there might be fights," Quio said, though he said it with a hint of distaste. "But I don't know if that's--"

"No no no, there's gotta be like horse racing or something. Tristan? Where do the nobles around here go to have fun?"

By this time everything on the table had been set out, and Quio poked at his food while Hart dug in. "This really is good!" he exclaimed, looking over at Faith. "Where did you learn to cook like this? And this cheese bread!" Even Quio was nibbling at that with some appreciation, though he wasn't the biggest foodie. He preferred sweets.

"So what secrets do you have to tell, huh Faith?" Hart asked. "Try one out! Or even-- what's your favorite place in all of Rynmere? I'd love to check it out sometime."

"Speaking in Rakahi" "Speaking in Common" "Speaking in Ulehi"

[Faith Augustin]

"Of course, Master" she replied when he instructed her to fetch the sculpture of Lord Andaris. But before that, she was to serve them their food. She knew the sculpture that he meant and she knew where it was so first, she served their food and made sure that they all had full plates and full glasses. "Yes, Master, my apologies for considering such" she replied, having fallen immediately silent when he interruped her and simply spoke her agreement that he would never allow himself to be mind controlled. She was unaware that anyone had the option to stop it, in truth and the thought that one could not allow it made mind control seem to be a rather futile type of magic. If it only controlled those who allowed it, after all, then it controlled only those who did not need to be. It was rather like it only working on slaves, she considered as she poured Master some more wine, no point spending the energy when one could simply order them to do what you wanted them to. As she checked one last time that they had their food, Faith dropped a curtsey to Tristan "Yes Master" she replied as he instructed her to tell his brother everything he asked. It was not her place to question, after all.


Once she was sure that they were all served, then she went to get the sculpture. It wasn't the lightest thing on Idalos, but at least it wasn't life sized. It was about half life sized, but he was a big man to begin with so she struggled a little with it but she got it into them by being careful to lift it on to the small wheeled trolley that she used to transport such things for Master. She really didn't wish to risk breaking it by carrying it, so she transported it as safely as she could. It was of a man with a very large beard, a cloak and a helmet and who was, other than that, completely naked. Faith brought it in and carefully adjusted it, sliding it off the trolley. Once that was done, she moved and refilled their glasses and plates before sitting and joining them as Master had bid her. "Thank you, sir" she replied when Hart complimented the food "I have done my best to learn as much as I can so that Master is happy with my service" she explained as he asked where she learnt.


But what secrets did she have? And where was her favourite place in Rynmere? Faith considered and then answered in her usual quiet and serious tone "The secret that I have is that I share my Master's bed and his grandmother would not like it" she replied. She didn't want to say it and she felt uncomfortable doing so but Master had instructed her to tell his brother everything and that was really the only secret the young woman had, or thought of at that time. "And my favourite place in Rynmere is here, sir, it is where I am able to care for Master and his cat" she considered, honesty shining in her face and expression as she spoke. It appeared that the slave lacked for an exciting life. But then, she fell quiet and did not speak unless spoken to, mindful of her place here and careful to ensure that the freemen and her Master were fed and had their drinks constantly full.

[Tristan Venora]

“I honestly doubt it“, Tristan said in a very matter of fact tone as Ruq claimed that he would lose. “I’ve never lost a drinking competition. I can drink pretty much anybody under the table, apart from Ilaren maybe, but that’s only because she’s the Immortal of Alcohol and probably immune to its effects. Right, Faith?” He looked at his slave, hoping that she would agree with him and praise his awesome drinking skills – even though being able to drink copious amounts of alcohol was a questionable skill at best, if one were being honest.

“You make jewelry?” he asked, somewhat incredulously, as Quio showed him the necklaces. “I thought you’d be a sculptor, like me. They are nice though”, he said without much enthusiasm because he’d never cared about necklaces, rings and such, unless they were part of a treasure chamber that also contained heaps of nels and gems. He loved fashion, but a chain around his neck would probably just look stupid.

“The fighting pits or the arena!” he exclaimed as Ruq and Hart tried to decide what they should do for their next meeting. “There’s lots of blood and gore, and you can place bets as well. I don’t know where they have horse racing in Andaris though. Watching horses run in a circle bores me.” He looked at Hart and smirked before he informed him, “I’m not exactly a typical noble, dear brother. I thought you would have noticed that by now.”

“My relatives have tea parties and dinner parties where they gossip about the other noble families though”, he mused. “You always have to hold your teacup correctly, otherwise Granny Ebony will scream at you.” He tried to demonstrate just how one was supposed to hold it by picking up his wine glass and nearly dropped it in the process. “I’ve been to a few of those tea parties, but I still don’t see the fun in them. Maybe I’m weird. Or maybe they are weird”, he murmured which would explain why his relatives did all those boring and perverted things.

It was just then that Faith finally brought his masterpiece, the best sculpture he had ever made – apart from Elyna’s. He beamed at her, and then he turned to Ruq and his brother, “What do you think? He’s great, isn’t he? Just like the real Lord Peake Andaris!”

He had told Faith that she should tell Hart and Ruq everything, but he had not expected that she would tell them that. He had thought she would talk about all his weird habits or what she did when he was alone, so when she informed their visitors that she shared her master’s bed, he nearly chocked on the piece of bread he had just put in his mouth.

A moment later he smiled brightly though because he had come to the conclusion that it was nothing to be ashamed about and confirmed, “Yes, she shares my bed, and that makes me really happy. Granny Ebony would probably scream at me if she knew though and have her whipped, so we don’t talk to her about it.” He turned to Hart. “So if you ever visit your new family in Sabaissant, don’t mention it please.”

“Anyway”, he continued. “Do you two have any secrets? You know our secret now.”

[Quio]

"We'll see," was all Quio said when Tristan said he'd never lost a drinking competition, and wouldn't likely lose one to any person but Ilaren, some goddess of drink. Truth be told Quio hadn't even known there was an immortal that catered to alcohol.

Tristan was a tough egg. With him, Quio was never quite certain what to believe. He had pretended to be Hart --not once, but twice now-- and had said he also pretended to be the king of Rynmere sometimes? He was... strange. A trickster, of sorts.

He would have to watch that one. Meanwhile, the shapeshifter was busy looping the necklace back over his head while Hart explained. "Oh! Oh I do sculpt. Didn't I mention that?" He looked at Quio and Quio shook his head. "Oh. Well, I do necklaces because they're sort of like... tiny sculptures? At least, I can apply the same skills, and necklaces sell, so." He shrugged. "But sculpture... that is my passion. Though--" He laughed. "Well, I've got to say I use quite a different medium than you do."

He had noticed the sculpture of 'Lord Peake Andaris' that Faith was carefully, very carefully dragging out. Quio looked over at it himself and nearly spit out his wine. He took an extra-large gulp to hide that his face was burning.

"Th-That's a Lord?" the Yludih finally stammered out. "What do you nobles get up to?" he asked, unable to help himself. Naked statues. By the immortals. He knew how long it took for Hart to craft one of his works. Had this Lord Peake Andaris stood for hours upon hours in nothing but helm and cloak?

"He has a lovely beard," Hart was saying straight-faced from across the table, and Quio looked over at him, and then they both burst out laughing. "Oh gods," the half-Biqaj said, wiping at a tear. He threw a dazzling smile over at Tristan. "I'd love to meet this Peake Andaris!"

"All joking aside, though, it is rather well endowed. Or, okay, forgive me for that one last joke. I meant well done. Well done, Tristan!" Hart was still smiling. "I could get into this style of sculpting. You'll have to show me your process sometime. I myself tend more towards the abstract."

And then, right when their giggling had died down and they had themselves under control again, Faith had to go and say her secret. Hart's face struggled to contain a smile and failed, the corners of his mouth twitching. Quio was more red-faced that ever, practically weeping in his seat. "That... was not quite the sort of secret I thought you might say," Hart admitted. But, perhaps sensing the girl's discomfort with the whole thing, "But don't worry! We don't judge. At least, not as long as your bed-sharing is mutually pleasurable." He cast a look over at Tristan. "If so, your secret's safe with us, right Ruq?"

"Yes," the Yludih said, hardly able to talk due to amusement and embarrassment. He shoved more bread in his mouth.

Then, like Tristan, he nearly choked when the Lord said what he said next. "Anyway, do you two have any secrets? You know our secret now.”

Quio was immediately shaking his head. "No," he gasped, having to take more wine so the bread didn't get stuck in his throat. "No."

"I'm sure we have something," Hart said with a glimmer of a smile.

"No," Quio said, more emphatically. "No."

"What would you like to know?" Hart asked merrily, turning his eyes to his lookalike. "And feel free to pipe up too, Faith, it's only fair."

"Speaking in Rakahi" "Speaking in Common" "Speaking in Ulehi"

[Faith Augustin]

Master was pleased to show off his sculpture and she was glad of that, so Faith kept quiet and tried to be as unobtrusive as she could be. She sat and ate, her movements her usual slow and meticulous ones. Slow and careful, using the knife and fork in absolutely the most proper manner and sitting with a very straight back as always. She did not engage with the conversation about the statue because it was right and proper that Master had his moment of glory with these people and so she concentrated on her food, and on keeping the wine glasses full.

She was, as Quio noticed, uncomfortable at sharing the secret. However, when Master said that it made him happy that she shared his bed, she lowered her eyes and studied her food with care, allowing her hair to fall in front of her face and, hopefully, hide the pleased blush on her face. That was her purpose, after all, and it pleased her that her actions made him happy. But it was not the type of secret that he thought she would say? Faith raised her gaze and met Quio's with a vaguely perplexed expression on her face. "I think that is the only secret I have,sir" she explained with her usual earnest tone.

But they could ask Quio and Hart anything they wanted? Faith glanced at Master and smiled a small smile to him. This was his brother and his brother's friend, this was his home and she would not ever risk embarrassing him by asking the wrong question. Now, she didn't think that she would (or even really could) ask a question that was too outrageous, but her worry was that she was likely to ask something very dull which would be disappointing to Master. Every question she thought of sounded dull even to her and she knew how much Master hated dull things. She did not want to be something that he hated so she decided that she should just keep quiet and look to him, wondering what he would ask.

She considered what question she would ask and she dismissed each one, immediately, for dull as ditchwater. But Master was vibrant and imaginative and she was quite sure that he would come up with something fascinating, witty and insightful all in one. So, she looked at him with clear expectation of such shining in her silver eyes.

[Tristan Venora]

“Which medium do you use?“ Tristan wanted to know. He was really excited that his brother shared his passion for sculpting after all. None of his other relatives made statues. Teddy was a singer, Alistair cut people up for a living, and Zvezdana was an evil wannabe queen. He didn’t even know what exactly Andraska did. Maybe he was a drug dealer? “I usually use stone and clay, although I’ve been thinking of making a glass sculpture lately – a glass sculpture that has a hole in the bottom where you can put a candle so that the sculpture glows. I’m pretty sure that such sculptures would sell extremely well. Who doesn’t want to have a glowing sculpture?“

“Yes, that’s a lord“, he confirmed in a somewhat dry tone as Quio voiced his surprise. His eyes twinkled with mischief. „I’m not sure what exactly Peake gets up to in his spare time, but I’ve heard that he has a penchant for violence. He also collects taxes.“ He looked at his masterpiece. “His beard is indeed lovely“, he agreed. “And he is well endowed because I want my statues to be anatomically correct, and a statue of a man who didn’t have you know what would just be pathetic. If you want to, I can introduce you to each other. Cousin Alistair is engaged to Peake’s little sister, although I have the suspicion that he’d rather be engaged to Peake himself“, he said, remembering the conversation he’d had with his little brother earlier that month.

“I don’t have much of a process actually“, he admitted. “I’ve seen Lord Andaris‘ face before, so that part was easy, and I just made everything below the neck up. This wasn’t too hard either because all men have the same body parts, more or less. I just gave him a bit more of everything so that he won’t be offended when he comes to see my statue. He seems like a vain man. I really hope that he comes“, he added. “I want my statue to be displayed in his palace because House Andaris is one of the most powerful noble houses.“

As Hart assured him that his secret would be safe with them, Tristan breathed a sigh of relief, even though part of him almost wished that it would get out, because it would be such a wonderful scandal. It was just then that Faith informed them that it was her only secret though. The noble abruptly looked at his slave and asked incredulously, “Really, you don’t have any other secrets? Nothing exciting ever happened when you still belonged to Jamal, the undertaker? I mean, you used to live in Athart!“ He couldn’t believe it. He had so many secrets that he had already forgotten some of them!

Quio’s reaction to his question as to whether Hart and he had any secrets was quite interesting. The noble looked at him intently for a moment before he informed him, smiling in a most suspicious manner “I want to know what you don’t want to tell me, Ruq. You want to know that as well, right, Faith?“ He looked at his slave, hoping that she would support him. A good slave always supported her master. “I’d also like to know how exactly you two met, although that’s probably not a very big secret and may not be as exciting as the other thing.“

[Quio]

"My work's quite abstract," Hart said, and for the first time he seemed almost a bit nervous. Like he was afraid Tristan would look down on him for the type of 'simple' art he did.

"It's nothing like yours, I couldn't afford slabs of stone to work with or anything fancy like that. So I, um, I use rope or string. Knotwork, more precisely. Weaving layer upon layer of design until the piece takes an intricate, lifelike shape. Along the way I intertwine whatever I like into the work-- precious stones and crystals, sea shells, or if I'm working on a project for someone in particular, whatever they request.

"I once made a sculpture for an incredibly poor man who had become, to his delight, even more incredibly rich overnight. Something about a long-lost uncle dying and leaving him a fortune. That was one of my favorite but most difficult works-- he asked that the whole thing be flaked in gold dust." Hart smiled. "He, of course, supplied the gold."

"But a glass sculpture like the one you describe." Hart sighed. "Wow. I've never worked with glass, wouldn't even know where to begin. It would be so beautiful."

"Your work is beautiful, too," Quio reminded him, and Hart cast him a soft smile.

"Yes, but you know little about art other than what you've seen me do. So you're biased."

"Not true," Quio said, but it was.

"Though actually, now that I consider it," Hart said, looking back at Tristan. "It might be a good test to see if I could attempt something similar to what you describe. Though of course, only if you don't mind? I'm certain whatever you could produce would have a charm far and above that which I could do."

The conversation shifted, and Tristan chatted about the Lord Peake Andaris and his cousin Alistair Venora and marriages and personal tastes. "I don't know," Quio muttered. "If this Peake Andaris does have such a temper, your cousin would be a fool to choose him over the sister."

"But the heart wants what the heart wants," Hart objected.

"Still, better safe than sorry I say."

"Humbug. We all already know that you're no fun. I for one do hope I can meet this man someday. Now that I think of it, it would be quite something to meet a member of each noble house." Quio had little doubt Hart just wanted to 'meet' them. "Though I supposed you've done that far and again, Tristan?"

And at the other's surprised questioning of Faith --“Really, you don’t have any other secrets?"-- Hart also chimed in.

"Yes, that's the sort of thing I meant, Faith. Having served Tristan, I'm sure you've learned a lot about him that other people don't know-- and the same for anyone else you may have also worked for. Being around someone so much, you tend to overhear things. Especially if they are the type to not think of you the same way they do other people." He was referring to her slavery. Much as the ladies of the House of Roses learned much about their clientele, slaves likely did too. And they probably learned even more about the masters who just accepted them as part of the background, not as living breathing people with eyes and ears.

Then Tristan had to go and be too smart for his own good. "I want to know what you don’t want to tell me, Ruq. You want to know that as well, right, Faith?"

Hart and Quio looked at each other. "Ruq?" Hart asked him, teasing, and Quio abruptly stood. Suddenly dinner was over.

"Actually, I think it's about time for us to be going," he said. "You already know how we met--"

"Ruq had recently been orphaned." Hart clarified. "A house fire. When we met, he had no one, really. So he came to live with me."

"And I don't really have anything else to tell. At all."

"Oh, I don't know, 'Ruq'," Hart said. "Wait, that is your real name, isn't it?" he asked.

Quio could have slapped him. Hart knew it. He was grinning ear to ear.

"I don't believe you know what you're speaking of." Quio gritted out. "Are you feeling okay? You took a bad hit to the head..."

"No, no, I'm fine. But like I was saying, there's just something about you... Almost like there's more to you than meets the eye, eh? Eh Ruq? Am I right?"

Quio by this point was busy dragging the lookalike up by the arm. Hart didn't resist, just let himself be pulled to his feet, chortling. "Okay," Quio said stiffly to the rest of the table. "Please excuse us, but Hart is still woozy from earlier."

"Maybe I am a bit lightheaded," Hart said happily, now switching sides.

"It's about time he got some bed rest. Talking nonsense like that."

"Was I? You're right. Maybe I was."

"Yes. So um... good food, yeah, and uh thanks for the hospitality, and the wine and um... well, good day to you both. Faith. M'lord."

He gave a short bow and turned to hustle Hart out of the building as fast as he could.

"Speaking in Rakahi" "Speaking in Common" "Speaking in Ulehi"

[Griffin]

Quio

Story 5/5
Collaboration5/5
Structure4/5
Fame N/A
Knowledge
Hart: Dubious means of gathering info
Hart: Doppelganger for Tristan
Hart: Not intimidated by nobility
Hart: Ruled by his stomach
Location: Tristan Venora’s House
Faith: Scary when cross
Faith: Tristan’s slave
Faith: Best cook in Andaris
Faith: Her favourite place is in Tristan’s house
Tristan: Trickster at heart
Tristan: Generous
Tristan: Sleeps with his slave
Granny Ebony: Formidable
Peake: Tax collector
Peake: Lovely beard

Faith

Story 5/5
Collaboration5/5
Structure5/5
Fame -1 Trying to play a cruel trick on Faith
Knowledge
Ruq: Hesitate to enter the house
Ruq: Speaks a foreign language
Ruq: Thought Tristan worked at the docks
Hart: Not Tristan!
Hart: Gambles
Hart: Almost said too much about Ruq
Melee: Knife- hilt strike
Intimidation: Waving a weapon
Tristan: Trickster at heart
Tristan: has another brother!
Tristan: Might have many unknown siblings
Tristan: All the whores know where he lives
Tristan & Hart: Almost Identical
Tristan: No secrets from his brother.
Acting: Plan your movements
Detection: Paying attention to mannerisms

Tristan

Story 5/5
Collaboration5/5
Structure5/5
Fame N/A
Knowledge
Sculpting: Difficult to please everyone
Business Management: Negotiating payment
Tension: Makes you hungry
Hart: Looks a lot like you
Hart: Gambles
Ruq: Speaks foreign language
Acting: Thinking on your feet
Faith: Prepared to defend you
Faith: Recognised you
Faith: Will be honest when you instruct it
Hart: Almost said too much about Ruq

► Show Spoiler

Notes
Another thread where I can claim to be guilty of selfishly wanting to do the review. I enjoyed this thread, honestly Tristan is such a trickster! I really felt for Faith and Ruq as for a moment there it was absolute chaos!
Quio I enjoyed your posts but I did find the coloured text to be confusing. Also it was hard to award much knowledge as Quio was actually a passive character played more the role of NPC to Hart. I was very confused at the beginning about who was who and so deducted a point for structure.
If Tristan had bene injured – it would certainly serve him right. Cruel trick!