Meetings in the gardens

Writers: AL, Amy
Date Posted: 23rd August 2009

Characters: Taelana, Zathris
Description: Taelana makes a trip to the Hold, and ends up unknowingly meeting the Hold's new Lord
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 4, day 15 of Turn 5
Notes: Mentioned: Ikassa (NPC)
Mentor Approved

Zathris

The Hold gardens were certainly pretty, of that much Taelana had decided, but all the same wandering around in them was not how she'd planned to spend her afternoon. No, Tae and her cousin had planned a nice afternoon together catching up, they were both agreed it had been far to long - but, best laid plans and all that, one of Ikassa patients had gone into early labour and the midwife had needed to cancel their plans last minute.

Not that Tae was angry with her cousin, of course not, these things happened and so be it... but, it still left her not quite sure what to do with herself for the rest of the day - and she'd resorted to wandering the gardens while she tried to decide.

The sound of someone walking alerted Zathris of an arrival. "Isily?" Zathris called out and stepped around the corner. His smile turned to an expression of surprise. "Ah, I'm sorry. I thought you were someone else."

Tae hadn't expected to bump into anyone else in the gardens - which was silly she knew, lots of people lived at the Hold - but she still paused as someone stepped around a corner addressing her - or well, this Isily person. "Sorry," it was perhaps, a bit of a strange thing to appologize for, but Tae felt suddenly like she'd disappointed him - got this strangers hopes up only to dash them. "I can... go? If you're waiting for someone I mean."

"Go? Why should you have to go?" Zathris chuckled and clasped his hands behind him as he gazed down at the young woman. "This is a public place and you are welcome here. Don't feel like you must go on my account."

"I... I didn't mean to disturb you," she still felt a little like she was, but the slight laugh was reassuring, and as Tae glanced up at the man properly she couldn't help but smile a little, he certainly didn't look upset, and that too was reassuring. "I'm Taelana," it felt a little forward to introduce herself first, but her mother had always encouraged politeness - and, honestly, Tae wasn't sure what else to say to this man who was a total stranger.

"Well met Taelana." Zathris swept a small bow. "I'm Zathris and I'm pleased to make your acquaintance. So what brings you to the gardens? Simply needed to gaze at their beauty?"

Zathris... the name was familiar, but where from Tae couldn't place... for a moment she paused to consider it, but the answer remained at the edge of her mind eluding her. So, with a slight frown she dismissed the train of thought - it probably wasn't important, he was the name of a new father Ikassa had mentioned or something. The small bow had Tae giving a curtsy back, before she gave a small shrug at his question, "I was visiting and my cousin was," how to phrase it? "- called away...? I was, debating how else to spend my afternoon."

"Wandering through the gardens is as good a way to spend your time. Of course, you could also wander through the various hallways, explore the hold." Zathris suggested, his smile growing. The girl had no idea who he was, of that he was certain. It didn't matter - the pomp and circumstance that came with his title often got tiresome. It was nice to simply talk to someone like he was a person, not a Lord Holder. "But the gardens are lovely. Lady Benani makes certain of that."

"They are..." Just as she'd been admiring them to herself earlier, now she admired them out loud to her unplanned companion, "- and they are a credit too her," Lady Benani was another name ringing little bells in her head, but the title helped a little in at least figuring out the woman's roll in the Hold. The talk of the gardens had Tae looking around again, and while part of her mind was on the beauty and the colours, the other part of her mind couldn't help but wonder if any of the plants were edible... and if they were, what they would compliment. "I think I would get lost if I tried to negotiate the Hold," Tae admitted, as she glanced back at Zathris.

"It can be a daunting place." Zathris looked around as if to be sure that no one else was watching, then leaned over in a conspiratory manner. "I got lost quite a bit when I first came here."

"It is..." casting a glance up at the Hold as they talked about it, Tae wasn't lying in her agreement - that fact that it wasn't her home and she only visited now and then meant she really didn't know her way around. "I still get lost," she admitted, "though I visit my cousins often enough."

"Ah, so you don't reside here?" Zathris hadn't recognised her, but that was hardly unusual considering the size of the Hold, especially with all the people from Amethyst Cliff. "Where are you from?"

The question had Tae shaking her head, and looking back at Zathris again, "I'm from the Vintner Hall, born and raised." Which, had her thinking about the statement Zathris had made earlier, "- where were you from before you moved here?"

"Ah, well, I've been in a couple of places." One side of Zathris' mouth quirked upward. "Jade Harbour, Willow Bend, then I came here not long after I married my wife."

Once upon a time Tae would have been jealous of the variety Zathris had obviously had in his life, seeing the different places, different people, and for a second a bit of a distant dreamy look did cross her face, but she shook it off moments later. Traveling was not what she wanted most out of life anymore... still... "- do you miss them? miss the differences and such?"

"Sometimes." It was Zathris' turn to get a far away look upon his face. "Mainly I miss the sea. That was probably my favourite thing about Jade harbour." He had gotten some experience in seafaring. Not much, certainly not enough to craft, but enough to know how to handle a boat and where to get the best fishing. "I often used to go down to the beach near Willow Bend with my first wife. We spent a lot of time by the sea."

The sea... it might be strange for some people to... but Tae had never seen it, could barely imagine it infact. It made Zathris seem impressive somehow, he seemed to have seen so many places, and with that probably done so many things. The first wife comment only added to that too, first wife implied there had been more then one - and then here was Tae, eighteen and without even a proper relationship under her belt. It left her kind of quiet, honestly, she wasn't sure what could she say that wouldn't make her seem, well... as inexperienced as she was.

Zathris studied the young woman for a time before remarking, "You've never seen the sea?" A lot of people hadn't. Zathris had probably traveled more than most, especially women who didn't usually craft. "It's quite lovely."

"Is it as vast as they say?" Undoubtedly, Zathris would hear the awe in her voice, and if she'd noticed it she would have been embarrassed for herself. Her mind was on the sea though, she'd seen the Sea of Azov, and that seemed vast enough for Tae's imagination - and she had a fairly imaginative one, she knew. Maybe she'd visit one day, maybe, one day her future husband would take her. She could dream, right?

"It is, and more so. More than I think someone could truly imagine." Zathris did wish he were closer to the sea, but not enough to move Benani and him. Besides, he had come to love Amber Hills as well. "If you have the chance to travel, I suggest you take some time to go out on a boat and..."

"Lord Zathris!" The call came before Zathris could finish his thought. One of the Assistant Stewards was hailing him and walking toward them at a fast clip.

"Ah, so much for the break." The Lord holder quipped, his tone dry.

Lord Zathris. /Lord/ Zathris. That was why Tae had known the name, he'd been the subject of many a conversation lately, and here she was chattering away about nothing important and wasting his valuable time. She was, put bluntly, ashamed of herself. How had she not remembered who he was, how impolite did that make her look?

"I'm sorry, Lord Zathris, very very sorry," Tae had been reasonably relaxed before, now she was fretting, wringing her hands together for a moment before dropping them to curtsy - a much lower one then she had before, "- I'll... I'll let you get on now." The curtsy complete, Tae swung away - all but running towards the nearest gate. Once there she paused, turning back to curtsy again at the Hold's new Lord, "- have a nice day, sir," before she was on her way again.

"Please Taelana, enough with the curtsying!" Zathris' laugh was full and warm as he called out to her to make her stop before she could whisk away without letting him say goodbye. "It's certainly not necessary as protocol is not required under pleasant and casual circumstances, of which this has been both." Contrary to his relaxed tone, he swept a bow toward the young lady. "Unfortunately, protocol does call me away. It was a pleasure to meet you and I hope that we may have another conversation some time in the future." With a wink and a smile, Zathris turned and followed the puttering Assistant Steward who nervously gestured as he spoke in hushed tones. From the way Zathris moved, he did not think the subject called for as much urgency as the assistant did.

Last updated on the August 29th 2009

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Meetings in the gardens