Athenćum - In Character discussions
Ilero takes the books and wand from Branwyn and slides them into a small bag that he can carry under one arm. "What we do wit' ot'er book? And you give flower. Hye know not'ing bout flowers."
Branwyn smiled. “Yes, since I promised, I will give the prize tulip to the Queen. But what you do with the book is your choice, as what we did with the bulbs was Hoffman’s. If it was me, I would give it to her. I think she will be pleased, especially since the title is “In Defense of Female Lineage in Drillian.”
Ilero nods in agreement, as it sounds reasonable. "Hokay. Hye back soon, yes." Turning, he exits through the door, closing it silently behind him. Making his way down the halls with his customary light tread, he soon arrives outside the Queen's quarters. He raps on it twice to announce his presence, then waits for an answer. He keeps an eye out down the hallway to see who might see him. Best to know if he'd have to come up with some sort of story or excuse before they ask.
The door to the Queen's chambers opened and a maid stuck her head out, "Yes? Who are you?" scowling at Ilero's temerity to disturb the Queen. As Ilero started to speak up Toybin the Queen's Consort came up behind the maid. "Oh Ilero, How are you today? Just getting started here today, Mina" the maid scowled at Toybin for the diminutive name, "we are a bit of a late start. You know how it is when a woman is with child. Maybe if you talk with Medero? He can set up something for you a little while later today. I am sure she wants to hear about whatever it is that she sent you and Branwyn out on."
With that the maid snorted and firmly closed the door in front of Ilero leaving him standing in the hall alone.
Branwyn calls for Medoro, and while she waits, sits and stares at the pot on the table. ‘It really doesn’t look like much,’ she thought to herself, ‘This bulb better be truly magnificent when it finally blooms.’
After a few minutes, Medoro enters the room. “Good morning, Medoro,” Branwyn says cheerfully. “Hope you have been surviving the Queen’s visit well enough while we’ve been away. I have a couple of things to ask if you don’t mind. First, I’d like you to schedule an audience for me with Her Majesty. I, ummm … need to present her with this,” she says pointing to the pot on the table.
“Also, do you think you could find me a painter with some talent in Jistelle? If you are too busy, I can send Jilly out on this mission. She has proven herself quite capable on our latest adventure,” and after seeing the look creeping onto Medoro’s face she adds, “And no, Medoro, don’t go making faces at me! It’s not a portrait I want. I’m not going to sit still for that. I need someone to paint a design on the outside of the tower and if I do it myself, it won’t be recognizable.”
Medoro smiles at Branwyn. "No I was going to say I told you she would be a big help, but I am happy we both agree on that now. I am certain that I can find time this afternoon for you to visit with the Queen. Perhaps you want a bow to go with that... lovely pot? I will see what I can do about finding a decent artist for you. Did you have a particular design in mind? Are you adopting a new blazon?"
Ilero grumbles under his breath as he stalks away. "So secret hush-hush, got make public appointment, shout all 'Hey, here somet'ing going on.' Not even chance say why go direct. Hokay. Hye do stupid way t'en." Once he's back in his own room he stashes the bag of books where, to the best of his ability, they won't be found.
He then sits down at his writing table and scratches down a brief note to Medoro asking for an private audience with the Queen at her earliest convenience. Or, as it actually looks on paper: "Medoro- Please need see Qween private issue when she kan. - Ilero"
Ilero folds and seals it and marks Medoro's name on it. Once that's all done he calls for someone to deliver it to for him. After all that is finally finished he flops down onto his bed, still fully clothed, to get a bit of rest and a few moments of peace and quiet.
Branwyn shook her head. “No, it isn’t a blazon. It’s just something I feel like doing. I would like to have a scroll with an inkwell and quill. When you find the artist, I shall describe how I want the quill to look. I think it shall provide a nice contrast to the catapult Tristan is building for me at the top of the Tower. Don’t you agree? People won’t know if they might be educated or crushed by a large rock if they come to visit.”
"Very well My Lady." Medoro said with a smile "I will have the official request completed and signed by the Queen. I can send it off to Terraguard if you wish to have it formally recorded there; however I would not get my hopes up on that particular official blessing." He gave Branwyn a nod of his head as he left the room. Meeting the scullery maid with a note in her hand on the landing, he takes a note from her. "Who is this from?" "That foreigner sir, the one no one can understand." she said with a bob of her head. Medoro opened the note and scanned it. "Please return to see Sir Ilero and inform him that Branwyn the Mysterious is waiting for him in the library. I will send word to them there when the Queen is available. Do be nice about it, Branwyn the Mysterious has some unusual friends and you would not want to upset her now would you." Medoro nodded as the maid hurried back up the stairs to gather up Ilero.
Ilero grumbles as the maid rousts him back out of his bed after only a few minutes. He's also less than pleased with her message. After she leaves he starts muttering to himself as he works at retrieving the books from their hiding place. "Hye just come from Branwyn in library, now gots go back? What is point? Go give bag to Queen, no, nevermind, come back, she not want now. Maybe later. Go make public appointment for talking secret stuff."
Once he leaves his room though, he's back to his normal taciturn self, barely acknowledging anyone else he passes in the halls. He eases the library door open and lightly closes it behind himself. "You ask for me come back? Hye not give books yet. Queen busy."
Branwyn looks up from her book surprised to see Ilero. “I didn’t ask you to come back. Medoro must have sent for you. I’m just waiting for my audience and then I can go back to my Tower and relax and not have to worry that I’m going to do something awful to this pot of dirt. If the Queen is busy then maybe she wants to take care of both of us at the same time. Want a book to read while you’re waiting? Here,” she slides a book across the table to Ilero with the title, “Drillian’s Second Civil War: Death of the Drakes and Rise of the Matriarchy.”
Ilero grimaces slightly as he reads the title. "Drake. Nice man, Count is. Wonder when he try kill me?" He sighs quietly and takes a seat and starts flipping through the book, stopping on random pages to read short passages. "Hye see King William Drake nice man too. Must run in family."
He stops to try and puzzle over one of the more detailed descriptions of the political maneuverings of the time. "Politics here weird. Like not normal people at all, everyone crazy."
Branwyn laughed. "That's definitely true. But I wouldn't worry too much about the Count. I think he's having too much fun flying around being a vampire to worry about past squabbles."
Ilero grunts in acknowledgment and turns another page. "Know where put your book? Gots secret library buried somewhere? Or just keep wit' all ot'ers in public?" He shakes his head over the book. "How many wives William kill? And still nobles try marry daughters to him? Stupid."
A boy walks into the library wearing the Jistille Estate colors. "Branwyn the Mysterious, Ilero of Blackwater, your presence is requested by the Queen. My fath.... The Chamberlain bid me to escort you to the Royal Bedroom."
Branwyn smiled, "Very well done Gerard, but it is Ilero Sauscha of Blackwater" she glances over at Ilero with a wink, "and we would be very happy to accompany you."
Ilero looks at Branwyn who whispers "Medoro's son" and then gathers up her flower pot and Ilero his satchel. Following down the hall and back up the stairs to the tower rooms, the page's legs taking extra steps to keep ahead of Branwyn.
With a pause then a proper KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK on the door. Toybin's voice calls out "enter". The page opens the door for Branwyn and Ilero and ushers them into the room. Entering the room the Queen is sitting in a large wingback chair with Toybin standing behind her on her left. Seated behind the Queen several chambermaids and the Royal Secretary look up at the new arrivals.
Branwyn curtsies and Ilero bows to the Queen. "Welcome home. I hear you have something for me?" Branwyn and Ilero glance at each other. Branwyn looks at the Queen then glances down at Ilero's satchel nodding. The Queen's eyes widen then sparkle. "Toybin dear I need something to eat. Could you please take Archibel with you to fetch a few things from the kitchen. He might need you to run interference with Cook. The Royal Secretary frowned slightly, "it was only one pie tray" he muttered. Toybin clapped him on the shoulder, "Come let us to battle with anticipation of a sweet reward, What say you Gerard? Join us in our quest?" Gerard bounced on his toes and smiled. Then straightened up and bowed formally, "It would be an honor to serve you Sir" The Queen smiled, "Melinda, please take the ladies and assist Gerard in bringing back suitable linens for our lunch with our guests."
Ilero and Branwyn stood watching as suddenly the room was emptied of people and the Queen turned her attention to them.
Once the room has emptied out, Ilero opens the satchel and steps forward to present the contents to the Queen. "Here items from Quelkin, Highness. Like asked for. Painting also fix, but hye not artist. It look terrible."
Taking the books the Queen looks at them. 'Redistribution of noble assets under George I' and 'Bartholomule I: A brief history of the Drake lineage'. She handles the wand lightly with a smile. "Now I will be able to keep things secure from everyone, maybe even the Royal Mage." She opens one of the books and starts to read, then with a guilty look stops and looks back at Branwyn and Ilero standing there.
"I do hope that the information I am searching for is in here. Did you find the tulip you were looking for for your friend Hoffman?"
Branwyn looked at Ilero quickly wondering about the third book, but then turned and answered her Queen.
“Why yes, Your Majesty, we did, but of course, not in the way we expected. It is a long story, but suffice it to say that Hoffman saved a Lord of Lyon from ruin and protected what is sure to be the most beautiful tulips in all Drillian this year. We all took a liking to this Lord who had worked so diligently to perfect his art. When it was all over, I wished to help him further and told him that I would mention his talent to you. He was much honoured by the thought and gave me this,” she says holding out the pot.
“I would like to present you with this gift from Lord Johann Lydsund of Lyon. This bulb will become the Tulip of the Silver Moon which will shine under the Moon, even in the Mists of Drillian. It should be a truly beautiful thing indeed. There are only three in existence and he can think of no one he would rather have one of these rare bulbs than you, Your Majesty, and he hopes that you will accept it and that it may bring you happiness.”
The Queen smiled broadly at the presentation. "This is a very nice gesture Branwyn. I do think that I will have you do it over again however. If you present it to me in public at tonight's dinner then all of the Court will hear Lord Lydsund's name and he will build on his reputation that way as well."
The Queen looked down at the books in her lap. "If there is nothing else? I will take the opportunity to read and see if I can find a few more pieces to the puzzle I am trying to work out. I maybe have a task for you and Sir Indigo in the future if my hunches about what is in these volumes is correct. With that chapter house refusing to allow me to see these tomes I believe there is something here that will help my cause."
The Queen looks at Branwyn and Ilero "Is there anything else?"
Ilero glances over toward Branwyn to see if she has anything and gives a small shrug and headshake to indicate that he doesn't have anything further.
“Before we take our leave, Ilero brought up a good point to me earlier. How secure I should keep the books when I store them? I was going to lock them up out of sight. Is that acceptable or should I take even more measures to ensure their safety? I also have Medoro looking for an artist so that he can paint the proper sign upon my Tower. Other than that I have nothing else, Your Majesty.”
"If you do wish to join the order I will arrange for some of the other members to meet you and see if they approve. I will say that you should keep them as secure as you would your spell books. Think about what you will collect and what you will be willing to share with others before you make too strong of a commitment."
She nods in dismissal calling out "Toybin! Gerard! Where have you gotten off to?"
Branwyn and Ilero take their leave and start walking down the hall. Turning to Ilero, she asked incredulously, “Do you know what just happened there? I distinctly remember when the Queen gave you this task that you were going to get the books, she was going to read the books and then give them to me, and I was supposed to paint feathers on my tower and keep them safe. Now she makes it sound like this is something I was asking for. And I’m supposed to apply for membership and be judged by whomever and collect more books. If it’s going to be that much of an ordeal, I don’t have to hold the books. I didn’t ask to hold them and I certainly wouldn’t volunteer to go paint secret signs all over my tower. It will be like painting a big target on it.”
She pauses for a moment and then asks, “Oh and what happened to the third book? Did you decide you wanted to keep it?”
Ilero pauses, "Hye t'ought it yours. Hye have in pocket. Is why hye ask what want do wit' it." He pulls the book out and hands it to her. "Hye want not big library an dozens books. It yours." As they walk down the hall he thinks more on it, "Yah, hye t'ink hye member somet'ing bout us being part At'enum now too. Mebbe not, I not pay much t'ought to it. Hye mostly t'ink bout my task getting stuffs."
"Hmm, Count Drake not have sign outside tower, no? His inside on mantle, yes?"
Branywn looks down at the book in her hands with surprise. “Why, thank you! I thought you would give it to the Queen or keep it to sell. I will add it to the library. Thank you Ilero.
You have a good memory. Now that you mention it, the count did have his sign in his library, but then he had a big sign coming into Ghostwood that it was friendly to the society. I don’t know what I’m going to do, I suppose except see who Medoro comes up with as an artist, and then what the Queen says we must do for this secret club of hers.
This book obsession with the Queen is a bit unsettling. The last time Queen Wilamina got overly interested in her reading material, she disappeared without telling anyone, got kidnapped by werewolves, took to hiding in the Count’s castle and then ended with me taking part in making that fiend Count Drake a vampire. Doesn’t she have a parade to watch or something?
Maybe we should go see how Hoffman is doing with his pot of dirt and see what the plan is for his next foray into the swamps. After hearing Indigo’s tales from the last trip, I’m thinking I should go along on this one. Though Miranda was quite fierce and did quite well without me,” she said with a slight smile.
"Hye hope Toybin and child keep Queen from run away again. She got duties now here, not free for running away for fun no more," Ilero responds. "Hye not sure hye go after if she run again."
"You welcome go in swamp, but it very wet and uncomfortable. Make sure papers and books well protected."
Branwyn nods, "Toybin is the only hope to keep the Queen safe at home. And Gerard, he is a sweet boy but he couldn't influence anyone to do anything other than get them to come to dinner. If those books send anybody running, most likely it will be us. Whether we like it or not. How do you say no to the Queen?"
Ilero shrugs and gives a small smile. "Same as anybody else, hye guess. Just not often as. Women gots own special ways of saying no wit'out saying it straight, yes? Gots go wash hair, or visit from Aunt, stuffs like t'at, yes?"
Branwyn laughs. “Those are excuses women use to make men go away. You can’t use them on women!”
Coughs and says in a deep voice, “Sorry Majesty, Hye canst save kingdom from ruins just now. Gots go wash hairs. Mebbe next time we do mission, eh?” Branwyn grins. “How was that? We’ll see how that goes over. Look, there's Hoffman. Come on, let's see what the plan is.”
