The seven Duchies of Central Rynmere and their respective baronies, cities, towns, villages, and landmarks each overseen by a Duke of one of the seven noble families and ultimately controlled by the King of Rynmere.
The whole affair had been well planned. Andrius had been eager to propose she go with him to the gathering. The details were vague at best, what with his excited yammering on. She’d almost wanted to shove her fist down the man’s throat, or find something to shut him up. The Naerikk had complied mainly for that purpose, and because of the promise of such a sophisticated dinner party. There were bound to be better prospects than Andrius there, as well. The man was...something, but not what she wanted at this point.
This was the highlight she had so desired. Being in the presence of nobility was not a commonplace thing, and yet here she was. The perks of being eye candy, she supposed. The dark-haired Naerikk observed her surroundings with interest. She had been in Rynmere long enough to hear the noble houses tossed about in conversation. She didn’t have to pay much attention to know how her current patron felt about House Krome. The man, lanky and somewhat awkward in gait, had a sort of awe about him in regards to the houses. Now was no different, as he shuffled at her side. His hand clutched at hers, squeezing every so often as if to draw her attention. When she did look at him, his dark-eyed gaze would be on some piece of art or part of the architecture of the house.
This continued for another few bits before he came up short, stopped in his tracks by a different sight. Yndira’s step faltered, the drink in her hand nearly spilling on her. Her first assumption was that he must have seen his wife among the guests. The Naerikk’s gaze slid over the faces before them to be sure, but didn’t see the long-faced woman anywhere. Not a sign of her thin blonde hair or the squawking laugh to be heard. But he let go of her hand to meld into the conversation of a few people. Her second assumption was that he had seen someone he’d wanted to talk to. Odd, considering he could hardly string words together in a proper sentence before moving on with his thoughts. But this was no matter.
Relieved of her companion, she wandered idly. Maybe she’d converse with a prospective sponsor once she was done with her current one. Not sure how, given her barely there understanding of Common. Her father had not been so kind as to teach it to her, given she was only really another means to a grant. Her understanding the men she was supposed to woo was merely secondary to the obvious objectives. Lips pursed, she sipped at her drink as she looked upon the decorations with minimal interest.
Xander hated these parties, these meetings of the rich and thoughtless even if he was a noble it didn't mean he had to love the overly extravagant lifestyle some lived. Instead of taking part in the festivities he had decided to leave the main hall and find somewhere much quieter. He was dressed in a dark green waste coat over a white shirt and with dark brown trousers, his knee high boots the final touch to his outfit. His hair was swept neatly back on his head at the front but sometimes fell loose and free of his ears at the sides, it was his signature look in many ways having kept the hair style since he was a child.
He grabbed a cup of whiskey on his way out of the main hall, doing his best to avoid his parents who he was sure would attempt to force him to socialise if they spotted him. The crystal glass in his hands clinked as the ice inside it bashed the edges as he manoeuvred his way into the hearth room and finally escaped the crowds of people. This room was much lower in its population, only him a servants and a few other guests. Not really a surprise to him as the main events were all taking place next door, the noise could still be heard though as he had not gotten far away.
His eyes landed next on the exit to the garden, even if it was Saun and the sun outside blistering hot at least it was quiet. So he began the long march over to the door, not expecting to stop until he was out of that door but in his tunnel vision he found himself almost falling over a short young Lady who he had completely missed. At first glance he may have said she was a child but as his eyes fell over more of her body it soon became clear she was a grown woman. Although, her stature did little to support that as he looked down at her with apologetic eyes.
"Oh I am most sorry my Lady, I did not see you this is my fault I hope I did not disturb you." He smiled at her charmingly, his facade up and working as always. She was quite a pretty young thing, her eyes seemed full of passion to him and her body was more than shapely. His eyes fell more than once to her side on rear and he shook his attention back each time as he made sure he did not stare. Of course he had no intention of laying with her or pursuing her romantically but even he could not help his natural instincts to examine a woman in such a way. He may not be a in search of a relationship or even something casual but he of course could not help noticing her appearance.
He looked from her to the door and wished he didn't have to do what he felt obliged to do next, damned etiquette forcing his hand. "I was just on my way to the garden, would you care to accompany me. It is hot outside but I am sure we can find some shade from the suns." He offered her his arm and then looked towards the door again, his blue eyes determined to make it out there. He took a sip of his whiskey and then spoke. "Oh and of course, how rude of me." He took her hand and raised it to his lips delicately planting a kiss upon the knuckles. "Lord Xander Krome, at your service." Then waiting for her response he would lead the way outside assuming she agreed to follow him.
Yndira might have been more upset if her glass had been full. As it was, she had already finished her drink when the much taller man collided with her. One hand flew up to grasp at his wrist as she tightened her hold on the empty glass. She stumbled back a step, eyes widened for a moment. The last time someone had done so, it hadn’t ended well. But she was in a place of some repute, so the Naer merely offered up a surprised smile as the man began to speak. Her Common was, at best, not the greatest. But she could understand some of what he was saying, given he was using simple words that she had heard often. “Not at all,” she dismissed as she smiled wider. She did not miss the way he appraised her; she was used to it at this point. As he looked over her, she did much the same to him. He was handsome, for sure, and his style of dress was not bad at all. Maybe she’d hang around him for a while. Their gazes met and Yndira found another reason to like him. His eyes were a disarming blue that held her attention for a trill, smile dropping just the slightest and she almost missed his next words.
He looked over her head at something behind her before he spoke. It was something about a garden, and finding shade. Why he would want to venture out into the heat? If it had anything to do with the party, there could have been plenty of places indoors for him to hideaway in. It wasn’t, though, her place to comment on this as it was. A conflict would not be an appealing way to attract attention. He offered her his arm, smile inviting. It could have just been a courtesy to ask her to come with him. She considered it for a moment. As hot as it was, she found boredom less appealing. The man before her could possibly keep her entertained for however long she chose to stay.
Before Yndira could respond, the man introduced himself. She blinked, taken aback for a moment. She had expected to see a Krome, but for one to run into her was something else. Her interest in Xander piqued, she would certainly take up his invitation. “Yndira Kraelin,” she responded, curtseying accordingly. It was only a little bit of a pity that Xander would likely not know of her. She was a presence usually reserved for lower circles, a coveted figure unattainable to most if they couldn’t afford her. There was no change in her smile as she took his offered arm. “I would love to join you in the gardens.” She attempted to match his steps, annoyed partly by his wide strides though she didn’t remark on it.
Xander smiled as she seemed surprised to hear his name, he had seen the look multiple times and although it amused him it still made him feel different, distant from the people. Obviously, the girl he was speaking with now was not noble, otherwise she would not have reacted in such a way. "Nice to make your acquaintance Yndira, I hope you are enjoying out party and may I get you another drink, yours appears finished?" He gestured to her empty glass as he finished off his own with a swig. There was a servant with a tray stood ahead of them and they would pass him on the way to the garden door so it was really no hassle to grab one on the way by.
He guided her across the room and as they passed the servant he took a drink for himself and if Yndira wanted one also for her. His legs were longer than hers and he walked with a longer stride due to it, normally he would have walked with smaller steps when with a Lady but it had slipped his mind to do so. Thanks to that he made it to the door faster than he should have and probably to the frustration of his companion, she must almost have been jogging with his long strides and quick pace.
He opened the door now, stepping to the side and allowing for her to exit first. "Please, I will follow." He smiled at her his eyes always meeting hers when he spoke to her, it was only polite and not to mention he could tell a lot from another's eyes. People often portrayed hidden emotions through their eyes as well as their stance, so he kept a close eye on both. Of course, when examining someone so closely it can look much more like you are checking them out in another way. He tried his best to make this not seem the case as they exited the house into the garden, it was well kept with a multitude of different plant species.
"Here, I know where we can sit." The sun was already red hot, the rays covering his exposed skin with energy and causing a slight sheen to come to Xander's skin almost straight away. He offered his arm again and then lead the way, leading Yndira too a small two person bench that was set up bellow a large willow tree. His pace was slower now and his steps shorter as he had remembered to accommodate his much more petite partner. "So, my Lady, what brings you to Krome? Besides the lovely company of course." He used his charm with the girl, his ever revolutionary mind looking for uses and information. He was always interested in learning what people may be able to offer him and of course intelligence, parties like this were fonts of knowledge in the intelligence department. Much could be learnt from the semi drunk members of a party, especially rich members.
Yndira had almost forgotten the empty glass, wrapped up in her thoughts. It would be too ambitious to attempt anything other than trivial conversation unless he pushed for more. If he was anything like the other men that had been graced with her presence, it wasn’t likely that he would. She took the second drink, figured she might as well given the heat they’d be engulfed in momentarily. That, and she might need a drink after the pace Xander had set for them to get to the door. It wasn’t far, but is strides were long to warrant a jog if she hoped to keep up.
She met his gaze again as he opened the door. He held eye contact when he spoke to her, though she looked away after a trill or two. The Naer hadn’t even stepped beyond the threshold and she could already feel the sweltering heat. It had been a good idea to wear a dress with lighter fabric. It had, though, been tailored to cling to her curves, amplified by her walk. She lifted her dress enough to avoid the hem dragging along the ground as she sashayed out. Her attention momentarily landed on the flowers, a spectacle of color. Not bad at all. At Xander’s direction, she followed him to the bench. He must have realized his previous pace was faster than Yndira would have liked, his gait slow. With her free hand, she fanned herself to cool down some before they entered the shade. Beneath the willow proved to be much cooler, for which she was glad. She had already begun to perspire as she took a sip of her drink.
Her reasons for the visit to Krome could be summed up easily. It was, and wasn’t, her choice to be here. After leaving one partner for another, she found that distance was required if she were to be bathed in luxury. Hence her being with Andrius. The man traveled enough that she could relieve him of breathing at any place. There was no telling what could happen when one traveled; vanishing was just one of those things. As she looked at Xander over the lip of her glass, she figured she would need to come up with something vapid to feed him.
“For pleasure,” she started. Rharne had a bounty of rowdy gatherings, but Yndira had come to enjoy the more sophisticated venues of revelry. Shallow at best, they provided her with a menu of tender flesh that she couldn’t get in Rharne. Not anymore, at least. She shrugged, head lolling to the side slightly. “And because travel suits me.”
Her reasoning just about satisfied his curiosity, although he was not convinced as Krome was not exactly the most pleasureful places. For someone seeking pleasure he would have assumed time in Andaris or Venora to be much better suited. Still, he decided it best not to press her for a different answer, he was the prime example of someone with secrets and knew how he would not want to be pressed for his secrets. He placed his glass on the arm of the bench and gently ran two fingers over his brow in order to remove some of the perspiration from it. "It is mighty warm out here, at least the shade keeps us cool." He smiled at her as he recollected his glass and sipped the iced whiskey, condensation had formed on its edges from the heat difference.
He rubbed his chin which was covered in a light stubble, he made a mental note to shave the next morning. "Ah, a traveller, I might have guessed from your appearance and name. You are not a Rynmere native I suppose?" He looked at her, as was customary for him searching for more information. He asked questions that seemed casual but could be of great value in learning a persons secrets or just gauging their personality. "Are you travelling alone? I did not see a man by your side inside." He inquired further now, searching for the small snippets of information that could reveal something useful. He sipped his drink again before adjusting his stance a little more and turning slightly in his palce to face her more.
He rubbed the edges of his lips as he thought about who she might be, what she was really doing in Krome. His eyes were casual and none revealing but behind those deceptive eyes his mind was working. First it was searching for any memory of her name being mentioned in the past, which there appeared to be none. Next it began to think about her attire, she was dressed like a single woman whether she was or not she appeared clothes to seduce. The dress also did not appear cheap, it was not of noble standards but not something any normal citizen could afford. This dress that was certainly a tastefully tailored item must have cost a fair bit, Xander assumed this meant this woman was more than she seemed or possibly there was someone buying her gifts. Although this was all speculation of course,without her telling he could never know for sure.
His mind calmed as he awaited her reply and he quickly examined the work of the gardener. As Steward the man did report to him and therefore he should look out for any suggestions he may have for the man. As far as he could tell from the current vantage point everything was good, the flowers were well distributed and varying in size, shape and colour. The bushes were well trimmed and did not intrude onto the paths and the willow was not hanging too low as to stop people walking underneath.
Krome was certainly not a place of pleasures that Yndira was used to. Unfortunately, she wasn't in charge of their destination. As it was, she would have preferred Andaris, but Andrius was of a mind to explore the "less savory" duchies. She might have even passed the trials lazing away if not for his insistence on showing her off. The Naer had long since made a note to deal with his habit. She glanced down at her glass before she set it down, contemplating the idea of pressing it to her neck in hopes of cooling down. Though, it was likely the glass was already warm from her hand. She twirled her hair between her fingers, looking up in time to see Xander rubbing his chin.
She responded to his observation with the raise of her brows. While his question wasn't out of the ordinary, he was charming enough that she didn't quite care. "Not at all," she replied, smiling. The course of her travels had corrupted the Rhanian accent she'd carried beforehand. Not that she minded. "I'm with a friend. He's still inside." She had hoped her words didn't sound so broken. And for whatever reason, she felt like there was more she needed to give him. It was not the first time she had encountered this sensation of inadequacy in her responses, but the unpleasantness remained. Now, if she were to speak her native tongue, she might have so much more to say.
His examination of her was partly missed. Her attention was divided momentarily as she reached for her drink. Much to her delight, it was still marginally cold. A thought came to her as she took a sip, smile formed around the rim. He would have more questions and this would merely be the quickest way to answer them. At least it wouldn't be mundane, regardless of how juvenile it might seem. Yndira set her glass down on the bench, eyes alight. This could possibly be the most entertainment she could have all day. Better make the best of it. "Let's play a game. You can guess whatever, and I will answer with 'yes' or 'no'. If you get one wrong, I ask questions."
She punctuated her words with a small flip of her hair, letting the air hit her skin to cool it. The Naer leaned in towards her partner, brows raised and smile inviting. While she had no doubts that some assumption of her had to be formed in his head, she was partly eager to see what it was.
Xander nodded from behind the crystal of his glass of whiskey as he took another skip. "I am glad to hear you do not travel alone, the open road is a dangerous place for anyone never mind an attractive young lady such as yourself." Xander's trained seduction began to come into play now, there was something off about the lady. She seemed completely pleasant but the way she seemed to say so little yet imply so much intrigued him. "This friend, is he just a friend or something more?" Xander asked his final big question.
As she took a sip of her drink he saw some kind of spark come to her eye, her lips forming into a smile around the rim of her glass. Then came her suggestion, that the play a game. Before she said what it was Xander began to feel a sinking feeling in his stomach, he was not much of a games player. No Xander preferred conversation. However, as she described the game to him Xander found himself too smiling, this was more of an interrogation than a game and he liked the sound of it. He just hoped he was as good a judge of character as he thought, otherwise he may be giving up some secrets of his own.
"It sounds quite exhilarating, I would be happy to play with you." He curled one half of his lips into a smile and then considered his first question. To him it was clear she was more than meets the eye but he would prefer to confirm that and so he got his first natural question. "You are more than you seem are you not?" He was already sure her answer would be yes and assuming she answered so he would move onto the next question. This one was harder to decide, he based it off his earlier thoughts about why she would not have remained in Andaris or gone to Venora to seek pleasure.
Xander placed his arm across the back of the bench as he turned to face her more and looked into her eyes. "You seek a pleasure beyond that of simple parties, correct?" He smiled knowing he was right, nobody would truly come to the North for the kind of parties a young lady such as herself would be looking for. So came his next question and here was where assumptions became the main source of his questions, little fact to back them up. "You like and prefer the company of men?" He said the statement as a question as one of his eyebrows raised.
His facade was working outwardly, his appearance as a charming noble was holding and his attempts at seduction might have been working. In theory he was attempting to butter her up so that she would reveal the secrets she kept, knowledge was in many ways power. He liked to think himself somewhat skilled at gathering information and so he attempted it now, gathering intelligence on the young woman. He sipped his whiskey again as he watched her curiously over its brim.
The dark-haired woman could appreciate the compliment given. His question didn’t sour her mood as much as she would have thought. Is he just a friend or something else? She knew better than to think of Andrius as such. He was like a cheap side show attraction that had caught her eye. Once he lost his appeal, he would be cast aside. Whether or not he would find usefulness exceeding that entertainment was entirely up to him. “Just a friend,” she responded easily.
Her suggestion was met with compliance, widening the smile on her face. This was not the first time she had suggested such a thing. It was a ruse of appraisal, used to gauge what her prospective companions thought of her. It was often obvious what they might as, regardless of order, but Xander seemed to consider his question carefully for a moment. Once the words had left his lips, she knew this would be interesting. He was either paying a little more attention than the others had, or she was slipping up. Either option was unfavorable, lest he conclude that the wrongness he might have felt looking at her was something to act upon.
“Yes.” Her first answer was a given. That was fine. It wasn’t a dead giveaway of all that she was, just scratching at the surface. No alarm were to be signaled at it, though the next question was close. “Yes,” she answered again, tone eager. Parties were like menus, dishes dressed in finery and waiting to be served to her. She found most lackluster and unappetizing. Now, if one equated pleasure with eating the way she did, then the answer most certainly made sense. There was no greater feeling—well, almost—than being full. At this, she licked her lips, tongue sliding over the arch of her full lips slowly.
Yndira allowed his last question to stew. She could throw Xander off his game, which would be interesting, but perhaps it was too early. If he built up the confidence to go further than he already had. “Yes.” The answer could have gone either way. She wouldn’t say she preferred them so much as she found men easier to prey upon. And what hunter wouldn’t stick with what they could hunt best?
He was not overly surprised by the yes answers to all his questions, he was generally a good sense of character and he had only been asking easy questions so far. "What next?" He mumbled to himself as he watched her, she had gotten much more excited with each question. "You are a fascinating woman, I must say that." He threw out more flattery, attempting to keep himself being the seducer. Although he knew as soon as he got a question and assumption wrong she would be the one on top and subject to her interrogation. That was his main risk in this game, losing his advantage to her and becoming the victim.
He tapped the rim of his glass then asked his next question, flattery aside as it became time for him to continue the game. From watching her, even if he felt in control, he could tell he was not. The whole game and feeling of the time they were spending together now was being manipulated by her. He was also doing his own fair big of directing the events but he could not shake the feeling she was somehow still in control. He may be in control of what he let out but she was guiding and directing it all like some kind of conductor.
"You like to be in control?" He smiled as he realised the next question had been in front of him the whole time, this one he was pretty sure of and so quickly moved onto the next one. This would be more difficult as he reached for more assumptions and grasped at strands of random hints and feeling she had gotten from her. Would it be wrong of him to say she was, well a woman who sold herself to men? He had no doubt it would be rude but it sat in the back of his mind, possibly a question for later. He could not dismiss it completely from the options, instead he phrased a new question.
This question was a little more fiddly but he had high hopes for it, of course he could not be sure of it. "You seduce men into thinking they are in charge of the situations involving you?" A smug smile came across his face as he kept thinking and then came out with something that was most likely wrong but he was in the zone and did not think. "You are a spy?" He looked at her now, his face a little more serious as he considered the possibility. He was doubtful and if he could have retracted the statement he would have. Alas, he could not have stayed on top the game forever, on some ways it was only fair she got to ask the questions now.
