Rowaini Musketeers: One For All and All For One

[Fenris]

"Well, I suppose that that makes sense, I guess. I'm glad I could help you in your investigation."

"Wow, Tommy, you're amazing!"

"Oh Triel, no. It was nothing, really."

"Indeed. If I run into your father Tommy, I'll make sure to let him know that you aided an official Royal Musketeer investigation.

So Angelique, what does the Baron DeChevre do with his land up here. I know some of these lands have excellent vineyards, does have vines on his land?"

 

[Shayuri]

"You make it sound so easy, Jacen, but for a young noble, it isn't so simp-le to go on such a long journey, especially when there isn't an official reason. Now, if a young lad were to invite her to the capital, that would give Marie an excuse, you know?"

For a moment Jacen just nods...then doubletakes. "Wait, you mean me? I...I don't see how my invitation could make a difference. I mean, sure, I'm a Musketeer, but I'm not noble or anything. Besides, why would she..." he focuses on Marie. "...would you need an excuse? You've got money, and power...who can say you can't go where you please, when you please?"

 

[Rystil Arden]

(OOC: And...we're...back!)

“I shall do my best, Elise, though I fear my ability may pale in comparison to your own, as your movements show the gracefulness of a natural dancer,” Gabriel remarks with a dazzling smile.

"Well, since I don't know that I've ever met a man who could match me on the dance floor, I suspect you may be right. Of course, that's all right, since a well-mannered gentleman knows not to show up his lady at dancing anyway--his job is to make her look good. Frankly, a man who was the more graceful dancer might have me worrying...Still, I am willing to be pleasantly surprised and impressed," Elise smiles, "So Gabriel, what do you do when you're not Musketeering? What's the most amazing thing you've ever seen in your travels on or off duty? Do you have a sweetheart waiting for you at home?"

“No, I can’t say I’d heard that, though now you’ve got me wondering how they discovered it, Julie,” he chuckles. “So, is there anything else interesting you’ve discovered, my dear?”

"Well, the naturalist and scholar Chalais Durin has made a claim that all creatures in our world have gained their unique abilities by selecting only the best, like the breeding of dogs. The way I see it, the men try to pass their bloodline onward to all the women they can find, so it must be us women of each species who help select for the best by being choosy with our mates."

“Well, I hope you’ll dance with me later then Zoe, as that may be the only thing that will repair the damage you’ve done to my poor heart,” Gabriel replies, his eyes dancing with mischief as he feigns a slightly melancholy smile.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll manage Gaby. After all, wining with a fine vintage can bear grapes for the bruised and lonely heart, and as you so clearly understand, whining, on the other hand, is a fruitless endeavour. Now then, I shall have to think of something more clever to try later this evening. I still haven't gotten a good enough reaction yet tonight. The trouble is when they start predicting mischief, I suppose. That's why new blood is such delicious virgin soil for a friendly jest."

Gabriel laughs politely at Gerard’s play on words, before saying with a grin, “Now, now, Gerard, no need to boast.”

"Gabriel, my friend, it is a mere statement of fact. You must be confident and unafraid to show that confidence. Don't you agree, Elise, ma cherie?"

"But of course. There's nothing more attractive than a confident man."

 

[Rystil Arden]

For a moment Jacen just nods...then doubletakes. "Wait, you mean me? I...I don't see how my invitation could make a difference. I mean, sure, I'm a Musketeer, but I'm not noble or anything. Besides, why would she..." he focuses on Marie. "...would you need an excuse? You've got money, and power...who can say you can't go where you please, when you please?"

"You know, some people among the nobility are more arrogant than others, but every noble line eventually descended from some great person who distinguished themself and earned a peerage. You may not have been more than a commoner before, though you have the look of a young man with at least some noble blood in you, but now that you're a Musketeer, you're something more. My father, for instance, is the Baronet Maurice Fermor. There is but little distance in the rank of a Baronet and a Knight like the Musketeers, you know. You should start thinking better of yourself. A Musketeer at such a young age? I'll bet you'll become something great someday. What do you think, Marie?"

"Well, maybe it could...Yes, wouldn't that be great? I could never wield a sword like in those wondrous stories, so Jacen, how about you become a hero for both of us?"

"Anyway, I have to go check on something now--I'll be waiting for at the garden when the time comes, okay?"

*Marie heads off again.*

"A bit flighty, our Marie, isn't she?" Anne smiles slightly as she shakes her head, then she leans in to play with a lock of Jacen's hair idly with a finger, "So, this is your first gala then? I guess you haven't had a chance to spend much time with a real woman before. How do you..." she drops to a whisper and leans in to his ear for these next two words, "...like it?"

 

[Rystil Arden]

"Indeed. If I run into your father Tommy, I'll make sure to let him know that you aided an official Royal Musketeer investigation.

So Angelique, what does the Baron DeChevre do with his land up here. I know some of these lands have excellent vineyards, does have vines on his land?"

"Not mostly. The land mainly isn't right for it. Too rocky. We do have a small orchard, but the prize of our land is the quarry. We have access to some of the region's highest quality marble, which is used in beautiful sculptures, religious icons, and architecture, like in churches."

 

[unleashed]

(OOC: And...we're...back!)

OOC: So it would seem.

"Well, since I don't know that I've ever met a man who could match me on the dance floor, I suspect you may be right. Of course, that's all right, since a well-mannered gentleman knows not to show up his lady at dancing anyway--his job is to make her look good. Frankly, a man who was the more graceful dancer might have me worrying...Still, I am willing to be pleasantly surprised and impressed," Elise smiles, "So Gabriel, what do you do when you're not Musketeering? What's the most amazing thing you've ever seen in your travels on or off duty? Do you have a sweetheart waiting for you at home?"

“Well, when I have some free time, lovely Elise, I like to indulge in a little gambling, if there are no revels I might attend, and I have no sweetheart waiting for me at home, though I’m sure there are more than a few ladies who wish to change that,” Gabriel offers with a chuckle.

“As for the most amazing thing I’ve seen in my travels, I would have to say thus far that would be you, Elise,” he adds with a dazzling smile, as he gazes boldly into her eyes.

"Well, the naturalist and scholar Chalais Durin has made a claim that all creatures in our world have gained their unique abilities by selecting only the best, like the breeding of dogs. The way I see it, the men try to pass their bloodline onward to all the women they can find, so it must be us women of each species who help select for the best by being choosy with our mates."

“That may well be, that may well be...” Gabriel muses with the hint of a grin, “though, I hope some of us do better by the ladies than that.”

"Oh, I'm sure you'll manage Gaby. After all, wining with a fine vintage can bear grapes for the bruised and lonely heart, and as you so clearly understand, whining, on the other hand, is a fruitless endeavour. Now then, I shall have to think of something more clever to try later this evening. I still haven't gotten a good enough reaction yet tonight. The trouble is when they start predicting mischief, I suppose. That's why new blood is such delicious virgin soil for a friendly jest."

“Oh, I’m sure I’ll survive, Zoe,” Gabriel laughs, abandoning his feigned melancholy. “Perhaps a little insight into my fellow musketeers might interest you then, if you feel you must try again this evening?”

"Gabriel, my friend, it is a mere statement of fact. You must be confident and unafraid to show that confidence. Don't you agree, Elise, ma cherie?"

"But of course. There's nothing more attractive than a confident man."

“True enough, Gerard, though my remark was just a little good-natured banter, nothing more,” Gabriel chuckles.

 

[Velmont]

OOC: Hyacinthe is leaving the room and explore the manor, starting with teh servant quarter, as he doesn't want to go where he shouldn't go for now.

 

[Shayuri]

"You know, some people among the nobility are more arrogant than others, but every noble line eventually descended from some great person who distinguished themself and earned a peerage. You may not have been more than a commoner before, though you have the look of a young man with at least some noble blood in you, but now that you're a Musketeer, you're something more. My father, for instance, is the Baronet Maurice Fermor. There is but little distance in the rank of a Baronet and a Knight like the Musketeers, you know. You should start thinking better of yourself. A Musketeer at such a young age? I'll bet you'll become something great someday. What do you think, Marie?"

"Well, maybe it could...Yes, wouldn't that be great? I could never wield a sword like in those wondrous stories, so Jacen, how about you become a hero for both of us?"

"Anyway, I have to go check on something now--I'll be waiting for at the garden when the time comes, okay?"

*Marie heads off again.*

"A bit flighty, our Marie, isn't she?" Anne smiles slightly as she shakes her head, then she leans in to play with a lock of Jacen's hair idly with a finger, "So, this is your first gala then? I guess you haven't had a chance to spend much time with a real woman before. How do you..." she drops to a whisper and leans in to his ear for these next two words, "...like it?"

Jacen, still a bit flummoxed by the rapid vanishing of Marie, reflexively pulls away a little when something tugs at his hair and is taken by surprise by the voice in his ear. He jerks around to look at Anne, wide eyed, and turns red all over again as he stammers, "Like?! I...oh, you mean the party!"

Relief creeps into his face and he regains some composure. "The gala is magnificent." He nods then at the first woman who spoke (the pink text one ). "And you've given me something to think about. Thank you."

He then puts on his best smile and addresses both women. "I don't know about you ladies, but my glass is empty, and I could use something to drink. Would either of you like more wine?" He offers his hand to carry their glasses.

 

[Rystil Arden]

Jacen, still a bit flummoxed by the rapid vanishing of Marie, reflexively pulls away a little when something tugs at his hair and is taken by surprise by the voice in his ear. He jerks around to look at Anne, wide eyed, and turns red all over again as he stammers, "Like?! I...oh, you mean the party!"

Relief creeps into his face and he regains some composure. "The gala is magnificent." He nods then at the first woman who spoke (the pink text one ). "And you've given me something to think about. Thank you."

He then puts on his best smile and addresses both women. "I don't know about you ladies, but my glass is empty, and I could use something to drink. Would either of you like more wine?" He offers his hand to carry their glasses.

(OOC: Belinda )

"Liret Noir for me, Jacen," Anne smiles dazzlingly at him, flashing her perfect pearly-white teeth.

"And I will have a Turan Rose, please," Belinda adds.

"Ah, yes, boy, could you get me a Pirandel too? Good boy. Good boy. Now as I mentioned a while back, it really all comes down to the nerve, the deepest fibre of a man's being when he is being threatened by the Ghosts of the Headless Ettin Twins. I daresay that..." Aric begins again as Jacen heads off for the wine.

 

[Rystil Arden]

OOC: So it would seem.

“Well, when I have some free time, lovely Elise, I like to indulge in a little gambling, if there are no revels I might attend, and I have no sweetheart waiting for me at home, though I’m sure there are more than a few ladies who wish to change that,” Gabriel offers with a chuckle.

“As for the most amazing thing I’ve seen in my travels, I would have to say thus far that would be you, Elise,” he adds with a dazzling smile, as he gazes boldly into her eyes.

"Well, you have a good eye," Elise laughs, clearly in jest, "No, not really. I'm not that vain. No woman can be with whoever-she-is in the same room. Of course, if flattery's your game, you'd do better with Ygraine over there. She's a beautiful woman, but I think a tad insecure. She likes to hear people telling her how beautiful she is. Lives for it, almost. For me, that's no way to be."

*Elise frowns.*

"Gambling? A dreadfully bad habit. It keeps sweaty men locked in rooms together for hours on end and away from their ladies, the endless call of gold bewitching them, or maybe they just like men more than women...I'm afraid I don't much care for gamblers, Gabriel. That's why that man over there with Ygraine, Julien Sorel, I just didn't care for him when I met him tonight. I think to him, his entire life is some big gamble."

"Well, I think it's important to distinguish between a little risktaking and gambling, you know? A little adventure can be fun."

"Of course, Zoe, that's not what I mean. Risktaking and excitement are one thing. For me, gambling implies that you're playing some sort of game that includes the people around you, and that for you to win, the other people have to lose. It may seem social at first when you see men gambling and talking together, but I find it to be intrinsically antisocial at heart."

"Can't fault you on that one, and you can afford to be choosy, Elise--heck, if I was a man, I'd totally want to marry you. You'll find someone wonderful, at least unless you wind up with an arranged marriage."

"I think every woman is fortunate that you aren't a man. Can you imagine your poor wife, in constant terror of the next cruel prank her husband will play on her--the poor woman!" Gerard conjectures in mock horror.

"Why you!" Zoe laughs at the jest and gives Gerard a playful shove, spilling his wine, "Oops--Good heavens! O woe is me, I am such a dainty and delicate flower that I nearly fainted at your attack on my character."

“That may well be, that may well be...” Gabriel muses with the hint of a grin, “though, I hope some of us do better by the ladies than that.”

"Well, I can say for certain that most men will tell you that they would wish to do better by the ladies than that. But how many would wish otherwise if not for the social constructs of our society. Imagine, for instance, that you could pick your ten or twenty favourite women from this room and keep all of them as passionate and loving mistresses with absolutely no averse consequences. Are you saying you wouldn't do it?"

“Oh, I’m sure I’ll survive, Zoe,” Gabriel laughs, abandoning his feigned melancholy. “Perhaps a little insight into my fellow musketeers might interest you then, if you feel you must try again this evening?”

"That could be quite helpful--how can I embarrass the young lad, do you think?"

“True enough, Gerard, though my remark was just a little good-natured banter, nothing more,” Gabriel chuckles.

"But of course, mon ami. As was mine," Gerard waves a hand as if dismissing any other possible interpretations.