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Post by Linyü on Jun 27, 2021 13:23:37 GMT -6
They must have passed muster, since Sorrel didn't say anything except a quiet, "Thank you." He regarded himself in a mirror, pacing back and forth to see how every part of his work reflected, before pacing out of the room again.
Seveth half thought there might be more preparations involved, but no; Sorrel simply headed for the entrance, then swept past it. "Is no one else coming with us?" Seveth asked. Clover had talked of the occasion so much that Seveth had fully expected her to be in attendance.
"No, the correspondences have already been made. I would be the one being accepted into their clan if they agree to the match, and it would be presumptuous of me to bring my own entourage," said Sorrel. There was something else, Seveth thought, from the way he spoke the words, but Sorrel offered nothing more himself, and Seveth suspected he could guess what it was.
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Post by Noa on Jun 27, 2021 13:53:55 GMT -6
And considering what Noa knew about the Eideon's standing in the clan at the time, it was probably doubly true; Esperanza would have considered him beneath her altogether, and the idea of doing anything he had done would have come as an insult to her.
But that begged the question of exactly where they were going. Noa had a hard time picturing the sort of place that would be considered satisfactory by the standards of the more discerning females in the main clan. He knew what fine dining establishments were in his own city, but he hadn't had any dealings with Riverhold personally until after the death of his parents, so his knowledge of such intricate cultural details of Draconic life were sparse at best.
The walk wasn't a long one by Draconic standards, just enough that Noa was starting to tire by the time they arrived at their destination. They were still in the affluent part of the Canyons, and the entrance alone had carvings that must have cost a considerable amount to commission. A Kitava bowed to the lot of them, and exchanged a few words with one of the Makiyans while Esperanza waited off to the side.
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Post by Linyü on Jun 27, 2021 21:33:13 GMT -6
Clover had paid Seveth for his... services, dubious as the word might be to describe their arrangement, and as far as that went, Seveth always thought said compensation had been quite reasonable. But Clover was also sufficiently anxious over the result of her own and now her son's matchmaking dealings with this affluent clan, and Seveth suspected she was not well off, as far as Draconics went.
Sorrel had made no comment on his mother's plans for him either, but watching him making his measured way to this meeting that might seal his fate, Seveth wondered what he thought of all of it. "Do you think you'll like her? The Draconic you're meeting. Or him, or them -- I'm not sure how these arrangements work, exactly."
"Her," Sorrel supplied. He inclined his head very slightly. "And I do not think it much matters, so long as they find me to their satisfaction."
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Post by Noa on Jun 27, 2021 21:42:19 GMT -6
The Kitava led them inside. Past the entrance, the hall widened, but the space to walk did not. On either side there were small rectangular pools, and on the opposite side of those pools were lush arrangements of flowering plants, kept in tasteful trim. The sound of a fountain flowing could be heard, though Noa didn't yet see its source.
They emerged into a wide, open cavern, with a single skylight illuminating yet another carved statue in the middle of the floor. More pools and more plants, with reclining benches interspersed between them, so that those who might wait could presumably do so. None were secluded enough for discussions of a more private nature, but Noa suspected there were chambers for such a purpose.
{Whoa,} said Rhys, eyes wide as he took in the grandeur on display before them. Noa appraised the whole with a glance, but walked on with an indifferent expression. And needless to say, of course, Esperanza proceeded as if she owned the place.
"This way if you please," said the Kitava, and led them down a grand flight of stairs to an ornate door. She opened it for them, revealing a roomy chamber. No pools or ponds here, but the walls were decorated richly with murals.
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Post by Linyü on Jun 27, 2021 21:42:28 GMT -6
Seveth could only grimace at this assessment. "But isn't that -- you must have some opinion about this. I know it's important for your family to advance, but... Okay, well, how about this? A best case scenario. What do you hope she's like?"
"I am to be matched with Esperanza of Riverhold," Sorrel replied. "She has a great number of accomplishments, and her essays are understood to be both insightful and incisive."
"Incisive, huh?" Seveth's face scrunched up. "She doesn't sound like a very good time."
"She is the only daughter of the clutch to be introduced to society. A great beauty." But even as he said this, Sorrel seemed unmoved by what he was saying. However beautiful this Esperanza, apparently it wasn't enough to excite any emotion in Sorrel.
"Have the two of you met already, then?" Seveth asked. It sounded like he knew a good deal about her already.
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Post by Noa on Jun 27, 2021 22:01:00 GMT -6
Inside, there was a long, tall table -- though if one judged merely by the proportions of Esperanza and her siblings, it was relatively low. All four of them arranged themselves along the far side. Noa noted with some mild surprise that the other Lashak took the head of the table, followed by Esperanza herself, and then the two Makiyans.
"You," said Esperanza. "Human. You sit here."
Noa considered pointing out that he had a name, but then thought better of it. It got the point across, and he didn't actually particularly care what she called him. Besides, he was certain that it took the satisfaction out of the insult for her when he paced closer, wearing a complacent smile. "How kind of you to save a seat for me," he said. He was on her other side, between her and the two Makiyans, a curious choice of position.
Now all there was left to do, he supposed, was to wait for the other party to arrive.
Esperanza played at seeming relaxed, but the tip of her tail thumped an impatient rhythm on the floor. In a smaller Draconic it might have been less noticeable, but here her size worked against her.
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Post by Linyü on Jun 27, 2021 22:09:34 GMT -6
"I have seen her at a dance, from a distance. We weren't introduced, but my mother spoke to the family on my behalf," Sorrel explained.
It was one of those arrangements. Seveth knew it was, even before this, and he knew more about these kinds of things than Sorrel or her mother gave him credit for, but the more he listened, the more he felt glad to have escaped such a fate himself. The circumstances under which that happened may not have been ideal, but...
Seveth patted Sorrel's shoulder consolingly, even though he had to reach up a good ways to do it. A little of the glittery mineral powder came away under his touch. "Oh," he said. "Sorry. But uh, you know, hang in there."
Sorrel's eyes creased ever so slightly in amusement. "I will try," he said, and Seveth grinned at him, happy to take that as a win.
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Post by Noa on Jun 28, 2021 19:26:40 GMT -6
At length, the other party did arrive -- not a great entourage, but a single Eideon and a human accompanying. Noa noted with some mild interest that he recognized them both, in a fashion; the human was the same one that he had met last time, a young man of middling height, dark hair and eyes both. The chaos elemental, he recalled, and an individual who had sold him a piece of soul for node making once... or was it twice now? He couldn't quite remember the specifics at the moment.
The Draconic looked familiar too, though Noa didn't think he knew this particular individual. He bore some resemblance to... Oh, Noa couldn't remember. It must not have been too important.
The air in the room changed immediately upon their arrival. Esperanza was more frigid than ever, and the two Makiyans seemed tense, though Noa didn't know why. neither of the two newcomers seemed particularly threatening. Only the other Lashak kept his air of easy amusement, though all four of them dipped their heads in a small bow of greeting.
"I hope the journey wasn't too arduous," said the other Lashak. "Come, have a seat. The drinks will arrive soon, I'm sure."
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Post by Linyü on Jun 28, 2021 19:29:56 GMT -6
The rest of the walk was uneventful, though by the time they reached their destination, even Seveth was aware that the stakes really were different than last time. The buildings here had the finest carvings he had ever seen, and the interior of the... what, the restaurant? that they arrived at boasted even more grandeur than that. But he wasn't left with much room to take it in. They were ushered -- rushed, even -- to one of the rooms, where an entire panel of Draconics, from the looks of it, were waiting to pass judgement on Sorrel, apparently.
Sorrel returned their dip of the head with a deeper bowing of his own. Hastily, Seveth swept into a bow too, though he wasn't sure whether he ought to have or not. At the behest of one of the Lashaks, Sorrel stepped forward and took his seat opposite them, and Seveth did the same.
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Post by Noa on Jun 28, 2021 19:39:24 GMT -6
True to the Lashak's words, drinks arrived in short order. Noa hadn't seen any of them place an order for them, but perhaps they were complimentary -- or perhaps everything had simply been arranged ahead of time. There was a small saucer set aside for each of the humans, but Noa knew better than to sip from his. Draconic refreshments had never quite been to his taste, and sometimes they disagreed quite violently with his constitution. Rhys fluttered down from his shoulder to lap at it, though he did it stealthily, so that Esperanza wouldn't be tempted to flatten him with one of her big foreclaws.
The conversation soon proceeded past the need for him to pay attention. Noa understood that his presence was more of a formality anyway, and he served no real purpose but to satisfy Marric's ideals of human involvement with his clan's pivotal moments. As far as he could tell, the process was more like an interview than anything. The poor schmuck being inducted into the family was the one being grilled, and Esperanza herself had said hardly a word while her brothers proceeded with the grilling.
For Noa's own sake, and a little for the Eideon's, he certainly hoped it would end soon.
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Post by Linyü on Jun 28, 2021 19:44:09 GMT -6
Seveth had been expecting... Well, he didn't know exactly, but something more like a conversation than what they got. The human, the one whose handshake had nearly fried Seveth last time, was here too, but he said nothing and merely looked exceedingly bored. Not that the Draconics paid Seveth any mind, though he persisted in trying to smile and listen for longer, on the off chance they called on him. They didn't. They merely proceeded to bombard poor Sorrel with questions, though to his credit, Sorrel seemed to be taking it in stride.
Sighing, Seveth turned to the little saucer of drink that had been placed in front of him. He had never had the stuff; it was an amber-ish sort of color, and it smelled strongly of spices. With nothing else to do, he knocked it back in one go... then had to stifle a very hard fit of coughing as it seared down his throat.
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