• Closed • Darkest Before Dawn

[Celeste Andaris]

1st Ashan, 717

The events of the night before had been too much for her and what had started as a perfectly nice if rather strained and formal evening where she had dined with Xander and his parents had ended with a fight between Xander and his father outside her door after Xander had interceded on her behalf to stop his father calling her a whore. At the sounds of the fight, Celeste had backed away until she had hit a wall and had slid down it, covering her ears.

As the first sun of Ashan dawn, she looked up from where she sat and realised that she had been there the night through. The thoughts and images had flashed through her mind constantly, the shouting and violence of her childhood mingled with that of her adult arcs and now, again, here. But it was daylight? How could that be, had she sat here all night? She supposed she must have but Celeste was astonished. She stood and went through the motions of brushing her teeth, washing and then changing her clothes. Brushing her hair, she looked at herself in the mirror and then stood, walking out of her room without even stopping to put on shoes.

She made her way down the hallway to Xander's bedroom and Celeste stood outside for a good few moments. This was forward and potentially dangerous, but she knew what she had heard and she had to know. So, the young noble woman tapped on his bedroom door. After waiting a few moments, she tapped again. Eventually, he opened the door and there was Celeste. Her hair was brushed, but loose and not styled as it would normally be; she wore no make up and a slate grey camisole underneath a white blouse, both of which were tucked into a soft grey skirt. There were dark circles beneath her eyes, it seemed that Celeste Andaris was not used to not sleeping, or she showed it easily. "Forgive me," she whispered, her brown eyes searching his face to see if he was injured.

"I heard, last night, and I had to know if you were.. are you alright?" She glanced up and down the hall, aware that she should not be here and wondering why on Idalos she had thought this was a good idea now that she was here and actually talking to him. She concentrated on saying what she needed to, what she knew she had to. "If my being here caused that, Xander, I can leave. You have been most kind and I have no wish to cause you trouble. We can see each other again in Saun, things will be different then." Oh how very different, she thought, but she did not allow herself to go there, to worry about that right now.

[Xander Andaris]

He lay sleeping on his bed, he had only woken once during the night in which time he had managed to worm his way out of his shirt to briefly examine the bruise that was now fully developed on his stomach just below the left side of his rib cage. He lay across his bed legs hanging off towards the door, the heat for the fire adequate without the need of any sheets. He would have woken up soon anyway, the only reason he slept so long was due to the ordeals of the night before. His head had been throbbing when he woke to remove his shirt and his stomach had screamed at him in agony when he'd tried to sit up.

As it was he was awoken by not his natural body clock but instead the sound of a knock at his door. The first knock had roused him, not fully got him ready to stand but had made his eyes flicker open with a slight groan. The second knocking caused his eyes to open fully and his body to get ready to stand. He pushed himself up on his arms so his upper body was raised off the bed and he looked at the door. He felt his stomach muscles protest at his sitting up and then he found his head still ached a little, like a low and dull ache that sat in the back of his head.

Not thinking about his attire or lack there of in the case of his shirt, he walked to the door rubbing his eyes clear as he went. His face felt sensitive to as he rubbed it, it reminded him of the backhanded slap his father had given him the night before. He reached for the handle now and twisted the knob , feeling it lurch open as he tugged it once turned. The door opened and revealed the knocker, someone he had not expected to find up and searching for him this early in the morning.

"Oh, Celeste, my apologies." He said as he stood shirtless in the doorway, the large blue and black bruise clear for her to behold on his stomach. He then realised his rather inappropriate attire and placed one arm across his stomach and the other over his chest holding his chin like he was thinking. She asked him to forgive her as their eyes met and he looked into hers seeing an honest care for his well being, he had not expected her to care for him in such a way, although he could not complain about it. He noticed her looking up and down the hallway as she asked how he was and he forced a smile onto his sore face. "Please, come in Celeste, don't stand out there in the hallway." He stepped back now and looked for his shirt. He spotted it lying by the pillows on his still made bed, he reached over the fabrics and grabbed it.

He groaned as he reached up and pulled the shirt on over his head, his stomach still protesting the stretching and work it had to do. "I am okay, do not worry about me. I am a grown man I can take care of myself, my father is no real threat to me." He tried to force a convincing smile but the truth was that at this point his father was both stronger and better trained with a sword than himself. However, he planned for this not to last much longer, his training was going well and he was sure he would soon be able to overpower the oaf. All his father had was weight, no real muscle strength behind it. The white fabric of the half buttoned shirt hung loose and untucked over his body hiding the painful bruise from sight.

"Oh no, please Celeste don't say such things. This has been a long time coming, my father and I do not align well on most topics. You did not cause this it was a matter of wrong place wrong time, it would have happened eventually." He looked her in the eyes as he sat on the side of his bed, he clutched the bruised stomach as he sat. The pain shooting out from that point and covering his whole front in less than a trill. "You cannot blame yourself for this, it was mine and my fathers foolish mistake not yours. I would actually rather you stayed, I need to get to know my future wife and I actually quite enjoy the intelligent conversation you offer." He again rubbed his sore face as he continued to work on fully waking up to talk with his intended.

"I hope we did not scare you, it is really no need to be afraid, I can handle my father." He used the most convincing voice he could, he knew it helped with the servants to sound convinced with your own words. He knew it was important not to show that you had doubt in your own words and so he kept his voice sure and steadfast backing it up with a comforting smile. He was not going to allow his father to scare off and ruin this marriage that had been arranged. He was sure now that it had been his mother who had organised it, his father clearly did not care enough to have decided it.

[Celeste Andaris]

When she realised what he was wearing, or rather what he was not wearing, Celeste could not help but blush. However, her gaze was drawn to the bruise on his stomach and she frowned. However, as he obviously realised that he had answered the door without a shirt, he attempted to cover himself up in an almost endearing display. He invited her in and she stepped into his room, the frown in place as she watched him move awkwardly and heard him groan in pain. That was more honest than the smile he had forced on to his face, she considered. Celeste watched him and listened to his words and she shook her head. "With all respect to you, my lord, the evidence contradicts that. He has injured you, and only one of those can be hidden. The mark on your face will not be hidden so easily as the simple act of donning a shirt."

Celeste sighed and asked, in a voice which was very careful and very neutral. "Is this the first time? It will not be last if so, it will escalate." She looked at him with as calm an expression as she could manage, hoping that he did not ask her how she knew, that it was sufficient that she did. He said that it had been a long time coming, but Celeste understood, perhaps better than Xander did, what the first blow meant. "This morning, when he is sober, he will pretend that he has forgotten, but he will remember. Guilt will bubble inside him like a poison, eating at him. That will quickly turn to resentment against you." Or her, she knew. Or her. "Which will turn to anger. Which he will need to release."

He did his best to sound sure of himself and maybe he was, Celeste considered. Or maybe he was putting on a show for her. Either way, there would be no use in arguing with him. "If it is your wish that I stay, it would be my preference also." Maybe it would diffuse the father, she thought. "It makes sense to me that we should spend time together, also, if this wedding is to go ahead. Your father could realistically put a stop to it." Which would be fine for both of them, but it was worth to say. "It would appear that my charm offensive was far from successful. Your mother's personal maid, Anna, she helped me get ready last night. I fell in the bath and she put some arnica on the bruise. It has come out much more quickly and I think that means it will heal quicker. Would you like some?"

She gestured to the door and explained, "I left it in my room." Somewhat hesitantly, she put her hand on his arm and she looked at him with a very genuine expression on her face. "I am sorry he hurt you, Xander." Celeste was nervous, there was no doubt about it. She tried to hide it, but she was not yet skilled enough to do so, "If you wish it, I will support you in acting against it. If you wish to do so or wish me involved. I would be more than willing to help."

[Xander Andaris]

Xander noticed Celeste blush as he moved back away into his room, he felt his own cheeks warm a little as she seemed to look at his bruise. The dark and damaged flesh contrasting with his, in comparison, much paler skin. "I have had worse injuries my lady." He lied but he wished for her not to worry about him, it was not worth her worrying and he would get better it was only a bruise and a sore slightly marked face. She was right about the hiding of the mark on his face at least, it could not be covered easily and would in fact remain clear for all to see and he had nothing he could do about that. In some ways it was good his mother didn't care or she might actually notice and ask him about it, again not that she would do anything to stand up to his father.

Celeste spoke as if she had experience with the situation, like she knew what it was like to have someone abuse her. She seemed almost too well versed with it, however, he would not question her for information. He doubted she would tell him either way, it was not the kind of thing people would want to dredge up from their pasts. He knew he would not want to talk about what happened last night with anyone. "It is the first time and I can handle him, Celeste." He looked into her brown eyes, a hint of anger at his father in his, but it was quickly covered by a friendly cover as he tried to make her believe him. "My father is not so intelligent, he is an oaf and what he did was due to the alcohol and the strong emotions he had been feeling."

"Your charm offensive worked for my mother, my father is a fool and he won't take it in. However, my mother adores you, Celeste, I can tell." He smiled at her as he tried to comfort her, show her that the work she had done was not in vain. She offered to let him use some special medicine or something to make his face better and he could not say no to that. "I would love some, I can't go around with my face like this after all." He felt her touch his arm and looked up in surprise, his eyes locking with hers as she apologised.

He knew it was not her fault and he would not blame her for his fathers idiocy, that could only be blamed on his father and his won actions. "It is okay, really, I am sure it will only build character." He jested of course, he did not believe that to be true at all. He was surprised at her offer to get involved, he could tell she was the loyal type but he had not expected to gain her trust this quick, if that was what it was. It sure felt like trust, and support as it was all he saw when she offered to assist him in opposing his father. He was thankful for the offer but he would not accept it right at that point.

He followed her from the room in order to collect the salve or paste whatever this, arnica, was and he spoke again. "I appreciate the offer but, if what you say is true, I would much rather he take his anger out on me that the servants, my mother or immortals forbid you." He followed her down the hallway to her room and waited for her to take him in, better for him not to go bursting into her room. He couldn't know what was in there and maybe she wished to move some things before he entered.

[Celeste Andaris]

He repeated that it was the first time and he could handle the man and there was a flash of something akin to anger in Xander's eyes. Celeste looked at him and steeled herself, internally, in case his temper flared but it did not. Not at her, at least. However, Celeste was wary ~ wary of this family and these people yet she knew that she had no choice, no option to do anything other than choose her side here. Practically speaking, she knew that there was no choice; Xander was going to be her husband, she his wife. Politically, his father was more powerful right now, but that was far, far from what was important. Celeste knew that her job here, her means of self preservation was to look to the future, to look to her own safety and that of her family.

Right now, her family was Andaris but there was a change in the air for Celeste. Her brother Peake was dead, Quincy and Leeson were missing and had not been seen in an age, her mother was dead and her father made Xander's father look like a model citizen. Xander Krome was, thus far, the first person of any political importance, to treat her with respect and she knew that what she had here was a slim chance; but it was better than none. Unfortunately, it involved trusting Xander Krome and trusting someone did not come easily to Celeste.

So, for now, she determined she would act as though he was trust worthy, whilst expecting him not to be. So far, he was doing a good job of seeming it, but then maybe he was just a better actor than his father. Still, he agreed to let her give him some arnica salve and so they made their way to her bedroom, just down the hallway. She did not go in before him, this was his home, not hers. "Please, come in." Celeste smiled, not having anything to hide in here.

Of course, he would see the still made bed which didn't even have an indentation on it. She hadn't slept on top of the blankets, she simply had not gotten into bed at all. However, unmindful of that, she reached into the drawer of her bedside cabinet and brought out a small jar. The room was neat, which would not be a surprise to him because the maids would see it such, but Celeste was a tidy individual and when the maids came in there would not be any mess for them to find. "If you would allow me, it might be easier for me to apply this to your face. I can see you better." She did not push it, but if he allowed her to then she would apply the salve with a gentle hand.

That involved her stepping in close to him and as she did, she spoke in a soft voice, barely above a whisper. "I am sorry if this stings, but it will help, I am sure. " She looked at him with a critical gaze and smiled a slight smile. "There. All done. It will bruise, but you will look no less handsome for it." She stepped away, then, to put the salve back and asked, in a calm and neutral voice, "Did you have any plans for the trial, Xander? I thought it might be nice to greet Ashan's light together and perhaps you could show me some of Krome itself, if you are not busy?"

That would get them both out of the house, she thought, which might not be a bad thing at all. Either way, she was going to need to get ready for the trial and put on some make up, style her hair and so on. However, this was more important right now.

[Xander Andaris]

She bid him enter and so he did, going into the tidy room ahead of her. He was impressed with how well she had cleaned it alone, yet, then again it seems almost too tidy. It felt as if it had never been used. He looked at the made bed, not a single crease or wrinkle in the sheets. "You keep as organised room as life I see, Celeste." He looked at her, his eyes giving away that he had figured out she had not slept in the bed. Although, he obviously could not have known how or why she had slept not in the bed, if she had slept at all.

He sat on the edge of the bed, allowing himself to to be tended too at request of his intended. "Of course, that makes sense." He smiled and watched her collect the salve from the draw next to her bed. It was in a small jar and had clearly been used before, as seen by the finger marks in the substance. "Be gentle, it's rather tender." He looked at her as his eyes gave away the anger and pain in his soul. She was causing him to lose his facade, nobody had managed that this far. It was strange that she did too, maybe it was just that she seemed to care about him like his sister had. She would have done the same thing to make sure his face bruised less.

He dismissed the thought as Celeste began to apply the paste to his face. Her hands were delicate and careful, the hands of a Lady and he found the touch quite curious. He had little experience with such a careful and kind touch, it made him blush a little as he closed his eyes when he would feel a twinge​ of pain shoot from his stomach or his cheek. "Thankyou for this Celeste, you are too kind to me. I am sure you would much rather be doing other things than tending to me." He let out a laugh, a cool and calm one as he tripped tightly to his facade, his guard from true emotion and feeling. His protection from the pain and suffering buried deep within and offered by the outside world.

The truth was he did not have plans, he had not had time last night. With the dinner and then the fight, his mind had been too preoccupied to plan anything. However, travelling out of the house and getting away from the house appealed to him. He was sure it best to avoid his father for the time being, give both of them time to cool off. "Of course, we can go to the village, it is only a short walk or we could take a carriage." He smiled at her now, he liked walking but with the snow that still covered the ground he had no doubt she would want to travel by some other fashion. "I suppose it is good for me to show my face in the town, you also need to see the region you may one day be a baroness of." He was careful not to say Duchess, those plans were not yet ready to be revealed to anyone but Alistair and now even he was unsure if that had been sensible.

"I would very much enjoy your company, we can go out together and I will show you my home land. I hope that you too would do the same for me if I was in Andaris." He smiled​ at her charmingly, he knew he had to get changed for that though he was certainly not dressed suitably to leave the house. "First I must change of course, I am not dressed for leaving the house yet. I am sure you feel the same, although, you look quite charming this morning my Lady." His compliment felt strange in the tongue, especially as it was genuine. He had told people they were attractive in the past and even if they were he had never meant it before. In the past he had been seeking information or alliance.

[Celeste Andaris]

His expression told a different story to his words and Celeste looked at Xander with a slight smile. He knew that she had not slept in her bed last night, but he did not ask her what had happened or why. She appreciated that, both his acknowledgement of what he had seen and his discretion in terms of how he dealt with it. Xander Krome was a more complex man, it seemed, than she had ever considered. “I try to remain organised, yes. I find something very soothing about maintaining systems and keeping things neat.”

He sat on the bed and let her see to his face. ”I will endeavour to be so,” was her only response to his plea to be gentle. Brief though he words might have been, her intent and focus was very clear and she worked with a gentle touch to apply the salve. As she did, she looked at his face and he seemed, just for a moment, to be so very vulnerable. Celeste wondered at that and she looked back at him and wished that they might be able to be themselves. That could not happen, though, and they both knew it.

As she finished applying the salve, Celeste wondered what it must be like. To chose the man you married, to love and care for him. To know him at all. Their lives were privilege, there was no doubt, but privilege had a price and this was a high one. When he thanked her and spoke about rather being somewhere else, she looked up at him and spoke with an honest tone. ”I am sure, Xander, that we would both much rather a number of things. Including having some say in who we are to marry. I can not promise you love, that would be a lie,” and whilst she would lie without question or pause, she was not now and not to him. That seemed important, ”I can promise you that I will tend those wounds you permit me to.”

Standing, Celeste moved away, continuing to speak as she put the salve back into the draw. ”We could walk, I would enjoy that. It is brisk and cold outside, I have plenty of warm clothes. If it pleases you. Otherwise, a carriage is more than acceptable.” A journey out together seemed to be very sensible to her. They could spend time, chat and get to know each other better. That could only be a good thing. Turning to him with a smile she nodded, ”Indeed. I would have told you that you would not have seen me so informally dressed until after we are married. I would like to make myself presentable.” He told her that she looked charming and Celeste smiled a brief smile. Undoubtedly, the words had fallen from his tongue a thousand times and meant then what they meant now.

However, once he took his leave, which he did, she got about the business of getting dressed and ready for the trial. Making sure that she looked her best, Celeste arranged her hair into a loose style and she dressed in a warm skirt and blouse with a thick jumper over it. Then, it would be time to face the trial.

[Kaladis Anar]

Treasure Time!

Name: Celeste Andaris

Knowledge:

Deception: Acting One Way while Feeling Another.
Detection: People can’t easily Deny the Sounds they Make.
Detection: Spotting the Anger in their Eyes.
Disguise: Hiding Facial Injuries is Harder.
Medicine: Arnica to Help Heal Bruising.
Medicine: A Soft Voice can be Soothing Itself.
Psychology: Resentment Motivates some Family Abuse.
Resistance: Sleep can be a Memory that you Stay Awake in all Night.
Rhetoric: Saying What you Have to Can Still be Hard.
Rhetoric: The Truth is sometimes Exactly What is Needed.
Socialization: A Person with Company isn’t as easily Picked On or Targeted.
Politics: Power Weighed Against Family, Safety and Your Situation.

Loot: None
Injuries: None
Fame: None
Devotion: None

Story: 5
Collaboration: 5
Structure: 5

Magic: No points here may be used for magic.

Comment: Couldn’t have written it better. Playing the part of the sympathetic fiancée who is doing what she needs to survive. I love the extra dynamic in there of having to deal with the abusive parents too. Very glad I got to read the morning after!

Name: Xander Krome

Knowledge:

Deception: A Smile to Try and Allay their Fears.
Deception: It can be Harder to Deceive Those that Care About You.
Detection: Its in Their Eyes, Spotting When Someone Really Cares.
Etiquette: Realising you Are Inappropriately Dressed.
Etiquette: Showing Your Faces in Town is Beneficial.
Investigation: Spotting when someone Speaks from Experience.
Resistance: Standing Despite the Pain.
Rhetoric: Reassuring Your Fiancée she is Safe.
Rhetoric: Minimizing the Event with Reassurances.
Socialization: Giving Genuine Compliments Feels Different.


Loot: None
Injuries: The Bruise to your Side and Face will heal quicker with the arnica, but will still take at least five trials to fully disappear completely.
Fame: 0
Devotion: 0

Story: 5
Collaboration: 5
Structure: 5

Magic: No points here may be used for magic.

Comment: You’ve the tortured soul with a brave face down well! The entire thread was easy to read, I didn’t miss understand anything. I am very interested to see how it all plays out. Will he find any more allies in his rise?

Any questions, comments or feedback please pm me.

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