[attr="class","ic_message_scroll"]Giving both her brothers a smile as they rushed away, Asia found herself laughing when Immeya pulled her hand free, even as she knew that she wanted to go just as much as Asia did. "I doubt it. He is more likely to think that I am the rude one for pulling you away." With a smile that showed just how much trouble Asia could be, she couldn't help but tease her cousin. "Did you want to stay so you could flirt with the commander? He is cute, if you are into older men." Laughing as she made sure to dodge Immeya's swats, they made their way towards the sounds of music playing.
Athanasia never let go of Nike as they trudged along through the crowds, avoiding bumping into anyone as they searched for the musicians. It was a task to be sure, filled with lots of distractions that Asia found that she wanted to explore. The booths with sweets called to her even as the booths that sold weapons made her wish to stop and explore. Just as she was about to keep going, Asia couldn't help but slow her steps as she eyed a particularly stunning bow that was propped up against the side of the stall. "Want to come in and see all the wares that I have in my little shop?" A small man with an easily forgettable face that could blend into any crowd tried to tempt Asia inside, and she would have followed if not for Nike behind her giving her a light push to move along and keep up with Immeya. "B-But... Nike! The bow!"
Who would have thought that there would be so many things to do this night, unknowing to Asia that her brother thought the same thing, it was very much like a festival. She looked everywhere, her eyes missing nothing as Nike and Immeya guided her towards the music. A familiar face in the crowd having her almost call out to him even as he turned away from her. Did she actually see Silanos, or was that wishful thinking? Well, if he was there, wouldn't he come to dance with everyone as well?
[attr="class","ic_message_scroll"]His first visit was to an old market stall owner who often bought goods from him. A standing order that Kreios came back once a month, sometimes every two months to fulfill, he had greeted the old man with an easy smile, unloading the vials and glass bottles of various concoctions as the man had ordered via pigeon mail, which Kreios had received just two weeks prior. His two slaves had been sent to deliver the rest of his smaller orders to any of his patrons in Colchis.
By the time his business was done, his pockets were considerably heavier. Knowing his two slaves would know to return to the ship once they were done, now Kreios merely watched the festivities as he roamed, the sky darkening as time passed. Musicians kicked up the feel of the night market up by a notch, and the lamps were lit up.
By the time nightfall arrived, it was as if a festival was going on.
The arrival of the royal family was hard to miss. Almost immediately, whispers began passing through the crowds, and people surged forward to the start of the market, all eager to catch sight of the royal family. Curiosity was rampant, with the rumors that flew regarding the condition or even the status of the crown prince, it was a given that the people of Midas were eager to see the proof of his being alive.
Kreios went with them, for once curious on the confirmation of such rumors. Doing his best to avoid the jostling of the crowd, he peered through the people - and sure enough, the crown prince rode up at the back of the royal carriage that carried the rest of the Kotas family. It struck the dark male as odd when the second prince arrived separately with his wife, and he softly tucked that tidbit away in his mind, and merely watched the interactions between the royal family.
The approach of yet another commander bemused Kreios - what was it about this crown prince that attracted people to him? Was it the power they wanted with his attention? His companion and friend had commented once or twice that Prince Vangelis was a formidable person, at least that was what the stories of the Blood General said. Kreios however, was one who preferred actual proof rather then just letting his ideas be guided by hearsay and stories.
A litter dragged his eyes away from the royal family, and Kreios found himself wearing a bemused smile again. What was it with all the extreme measures the nobles and royals took to arrive at an event? Gods know Kreios probably had more gold and coin then some of them, yet he found such displays of wealth distasteful. Rolling his eyes, it was then that the merchant decided he's had enough of watching the antics of the rich, and backed out from the crowd who now murmured on the rumors surrounding Princess Evras.
Instead, he ducked to a corner and started heading towards the stalls of other local merchants, perusing the food and other wares for sale. He had the coin, and Kreios was not against spending some of it for his own pleasure.
[attr="class","ic_message_scroll"]If this event had been held under any other circumstances, perhaps Timaeus would have felt a little more inclined to relax and enjoy the festivities. After all, that's what he'd normally do with the promise of cheap alcohol and a fun evening right in front of him for the taking. Tim wasn't a man to turn down life's simplest pleasures. But that would imply that these were normal times and that just was no longer the case as far as Tim was concerned.
In fact, he doubted if there would ever be a sense of normalcy after what had occurred at the Kotas mansion a few days ago.
Even though the immediate danger had safely passed and, as far as he knew, his brother was now safe from Zanon's wrath; Timaeus innately knew that the Valaoritis boys were nowhere close to fully being out of the woods yet. At least, not while Sil ran around the capital free to drink... and drink... and drink himself into his next round of trouble. Frankly, all the troubles for this family were rooted in the boys love of the bottle and how it made them act under its influence. For Tim, it brought out emotions he would otherwise try to conceal or repress, but for Sil?
It made him wild.
Uninhibited. Unrestrained. This version of Sil only sought one thing; the thrill of a good time. If Sil wanted it, Sil would chase after it until it was his. Or at least this was how Tim saw the drunken version of his little brother.
He knew this side of him needed to be restrained, no matter how high the cost.
Timaeus could see this quite plainly now. He also keenly aware that it was his responsibility as the head of their household to do the dirty work and rein the young colt in. It would be so easy for him to cut Sil off from the things Tim now saw as dangerous. All it would take was an order from him to lock the wine cellars and an instruction for the household to keep the boy inside. It could work, Tim knew that, but he also recognized the possible consequences of doing such a thing. Silanos was very similar to his brother, even though Tim would never admit it, and he knew that he would not take kindly to being confined in such a way. It wouldn't be that great of a surprise to see Sil lash out and run off to wherever Sil had been hiding for the past few years.
He wasn't about to let that happen. Not a chance in hell.
So, Tim put no such restrictions on Sil and voiced no protest when his younger counterpart said he was going to the night market. In fact, Tim had said nothing beyond a general warning disguised as a reminder to lie low for the time being. Off Sil had gone on his merry way, fully believing that Timaeus would remain home, too embarrassed by the matching purple-mottled bruises decorating his jaw and chest to appear in public. Little did Sil know that only a few minutes after he headed out, Tim had set aside the project he had been working on in order to head down to the market himself.
This was why Tim was here tonight, hiding among the throngs of people, but still being close enough to keep an eye on his brother. (Or at least that's what he told himself. He didn't fail to notice how any sign of red hair seemed to grab his attention away from the task at hand...) He just had to be sure that Sil stayed safe. They had already done so much to ensure the boy's safety that he couldn't let himself risk watching it all go down the drain because Tim didn't want to be seen with a few bruises.
With this goal in mind, Tim held back from most of the activities. He didn't approach the Kotas family when they arrived in all their glory, for obvious reasons of course. He was relieved to see that Prince Vangelis was alive and well though. As he wandered through the stalls set up for the harbor's reopening, he didn't let himself be tempted by the various wares that were for sale. Instead, he took pride in how Silanos had seemed to take his warning to heart and was also choosing to lie low this evening. It almost made Tim believe that he had been rather foolish to not trust his brother in the first place. It almost gave him half the mind to turn back and head home until a familiar face approached the baron's brother and left Tim a little shocked, to say the least.
After a moment, he was able to regather his composure and spurred him to disregard all previous notions of staying a safe distance away from Sil. It had been too long since they had last seen her, after all, Tim didn't want to wait another moment to not have a chance to catch up once more. As he approached he was able to catch the last bit of their conversation and couldn't help, but butt in, "Ah, but the lady didn't say anything about beds now did she, Sil?" He quipped with a light laugh as a way of announcing his presence to the pair. He couldn't help but seize the opportunity to get a quick jab in at Sil's expense. Call it brotherly love at it's finest.
Turning back to the lady, he exclaimed as he enveloped her in a short hug, "Iolanthe! It's been too long!" Could it really have been ten years since the cousins had last seen each other? Timaeus had been fourteen at the time, so the shock of seeing him shouldn't be as great as it had been for Sil who had been a child when she left Colchis. Though it still may have been one for her, Tim had certainly bulked up a bit from his lanky teen years. Io had also changed quite a bit too, but not quite as dramatically. After all, her signature button nose had stayed quite the same over the years.
Moving on to more customary greetings, Tim somberly said to her, "We're truly sorry for your loss." He glanced over at Sil at the first word, still somewhat unsure as to how the boy was taking his brother's surprise arrival. "But it's wonderful that you've come back home." His tone was a bit more jovial at the end, clearly trying to not let them dwell on the past. They had all suffered serious losses since they had last seen each other and surely it would do none of them any good to focus on that now.
Seeing the two brothers together now, there was little doubt in Timaeus's mind that Iolanthe would be able to piece the basics of the story of their matching bruises together. Thankfully, though, she wouldn't be capable of surmising the whole story. She could poke and prod all she wanted, but Tim had a sneaky suspicion that both of the brothers would be loathe to share the exact details.
Speaking of which, Tim quietly thought to himself as he turned to face the Kotas family who was further away. He wanted to ensure that there was a healthy distance between them and the Valaoritis cousin but instead found himself locking eyes with Prince Vangelis. It sent a chill down his spine, but not because he now looking at a man who half the kingdom believed to be dead a week ago, but instead it was the way Vangelis looked past the baron and stared stony-faced at Sil.
A slight sense of panic rose in him, but he gave no outward indication of what he noticed. Tim needed to act like everything was alright and absolutely nothing was amiss, for all their sakes. So, all he did in response was give the prince a curt nod as a sign of respect. Then he carefully repositioned himself to now stand between his brother and the Prince's gaze making it clear to the latter that the boy would be causing no trouble tonight with a slight shift of his feet.
Turning back to his relatives and forcing a bit of a smile to mask the worry now clouding his thoughts, he asked Iolanthe, "So, how is the Lady of Arcanes treating you, cousin. Well I hope?"
[attr="class","ic_message_scroll"]Cautious as always when it came to large crowds, it was a soothing balm when she had Zanon's hand firmly grasping hers as the collective murmurs began growing once she stepped out. On instinct, Evras kept her head ducked. She was a proud woman when it came to her family heritage, yet as proud as she was, when one was thrown too many barbs, one did feel mildly injured, and it was in this stage of that Evras now remained. It took effort, but she manage to at least hold her chin high, and managed to greet Asia with a small smile, her sister in law in obvious bright spirits at the prospect of a market to explore. With a small curtsy to the Queen and the two prince's, she dipped her head in a respectful gesture of acknowledge at the commanders in attendance.
It had been awhile since she had felt at ease when being out with the Kotas family, and Evras was still conscious about the eyes of the other two brothers and the Queen herself on her.
But when Vangelis himself greeted her with an affectionate kiss to her forehead, the look of surprise that showed on Evras face was something she could not easily hide. Blue-green eyes widened, before it melted into a thankful smile that she flashed at the crown prince. Of course he would. In her years with the family, Evras has come to know how the crown prince would do as much as he could to retain his family's name and support of the people. Still, she could not deny she felt at least mollified and put even more at ease by his actions.
A small laugh escaped her when Dion pouted at being denied a ride on his uncle's shoulders, her fingers tightening around Zanon's fingers. She loved the familiar feeling of their hands laced together - it was possibly the one thing she missed the most, the other being wrapped up in his arms while they were abed. "Dion, you're a big boy. Can you protect your Aunt Asia for us?" she murmured affectionately at her son, grinning when a serious look came over the eleven year old's face, and he gave a look at Zanon as if for affirmation, and then nodded.
Watching as the young boy ran ahead to his aunt and Lady Imeeya, her eyes drifted just in time to catch a familiar flash of dark brunette locks, and her heart jumped a little. Zanon, while much content now, was an unpredictable canon that Evras did not want to set off - not now when she was just enjoying the peace they shared now. Besides, Silanos was a momentary lapse of her judgement that Evras now was thoroughly sorry for. He was a nice boy, but simply not anyone she would jilt her husband over.
Drawing closer to Zanon's side as she followed the rest of the family's trek into the market, Evras blocked out the following eyes of the people who were obviously curious on why the previously promiscuous second prince was now attached to his wife's side, and instead turned to flash a smile at Zanon, a cheeky, slightly flirtatious smile on her lips. "Would you dance with me later, love?"
[attr="class","ic_message_scroll"]As Sil stood talking with his cousin in the middle of the night market, he couldn't help but feel a cold stare upon his back. He knew who the eyes belong to even without turning around. Oh for the love of the Gods. Shit, the High Prince had found him after all. However, instead of cowering in which his body was telling him to do, he forced himself to relax as much as possible and act natural. Completely ignoring the stare that was directed towards him, he looked calmly at his cousin waiting for her answer.
Just then a voice he thought he might not hear from at least not this early came from his right. Sil let out a muted groan of despair before accepting his brother's quips with a quick jab to the gut of his own. "Har Har, Timmy. Very funny. Cut it out and be still." He calmly replied but winced mentally. He really didn't have to be reminded, but what happened earlier wasn't him bedding anyone. Instead, it was him kissing someone.
As Sil absently listened to Tim talk to Io, he subconsitionly nodded his head along at the part about their condolences for Io's loss. He vaguely remembered that Io's husband had died. But he couldn't remember if it had been recently or long ago. His mind was whirling, all the while, trying to find a way to get back at Tim for his sudden and very unexpected appearance. Damn it; today was supposed to be at least his last day in which he might be free of his brother. He huffed outwardly before brightening as he thought of something.
"Hmm, actually Io, since Tim is here... why don't you let him accompany you around the night market? I'm sure Tim would be thrilled to be your guardian. He might be able to find you a lovely partner as well?" Sil suggested with a wicked grin towards his brother. That's payback for not letting him be. Did his brother not trust him to keep his promise in keeping a low profile tonight? That was mighty rude of him not to. He might not always keep a promise, but that promise was something he intended to follow through.
Giving the pair a wave and an innocent smile he quickly slipped away after glancing about him, as he called over his shoulder, "Have fun you two. I'm going to get some dancing in with these lovely local girls. Oh don't worry Tim, I'm not planning on bedding anyone tonight. I did promise not to get into any trouble tonight you know. Don't you dare try to follow me, or I might force you to do something even worse!" However little did Sil know, trouble was looking for him as he joined in the happy dancing that was happening in the middle of the market.
[attr="class","ic_message_scroll"]Lazaros was glad the turnout for the market festivities was so good. It was nice to see the city come alive and hear all the laughter and happiness that filled the streets. After the many things that seemed to plague them, it was a welcome change. The man took this moment to let himself fully embrace the life that surrounded him. At this present moment, he was one of the few that remained poised and emotionless for the most part. However, it was hard to be the stone that he normally was while standing there with Vangelis. The man seemed to pull him from his usual state.
Hearing that the prince was fine was a relief, however, not always were men true to everything they said. He knew by experience that as a man, letting other know of a weakness could be their downfall. And of course being a prince, Vangelis was one of those man whom had to keep most to himself and the select few that surrounded him on a day to day basis. But Lazaros nodded to the prince, "That is a blessing to hear Sire. I only wish you good health."
Before he went any further was when Vangelis's brother and little family appeared. Seeing the Prince's of Kotas out and about during this time was good for Midas and the kingdom of Colchis. It made Lazaros even more proud to serve such a royal family.
Zanon's quip about his brother did indeed make Lazaros grin slightly, something that did not happen often. Jokes and lightheartedness was sometimes welcome and today felt light. Vangelis was quick to wave them off with a little snort. All in good humor.
As if nothing had happened, Vangelis motioned for them to follow after the princess, even inviting Lazaros to join them. He was a little taken back at the invitation but gave a nod and quickly motioned for his fellow soldiers to follow behind and protect them from behind and keep their eyes out for anything that might look suspicious and report to him immediatly. After consulting with them, he turned back to the prince, "An honor M'lord. Thank you." He had a hard time not being formal with the prince or anyone of a high rank. Some would say that was a good thing but he had been told it was also quite maddening as well as he had a hard time refering to someone as just their names as well.
[attr="class","ic_message_scroll"]Imeeya gasped and swatted at Asia at her accusations that she just wanted to stay and flirt with the commander. ”Of course not! How could you even say something like that? I just didn’t want to be rude.” But Imeeya’s tone was playful rather than actually offended by the princess’s implications. She had to admit that for an older man he was easy on the eyes. Not that it mattered, she planned to never get married, but she supposed it didn’t keep her from looking. Imeeya turned away from the conversation, continuing to look for a way to the dancing in more earnest. She didn’t want to give Asia even a sliver of a chance to guess at what she might be thinking.
Imeeya led the way through the market, Imeeya’s sharp eyes jumping from stall to stall with one delight more impressive than the last. On stall was selling confections of all types, another jewelry. The shiny baubles almost distracted her from her goal as she pressed on, trying to find her way to the dancing. She passed a weapons stand that she almost didn’t notice until she suddenly realized that Athanasia was no longer behind her but had stopped to admire one of the bows. If Imeeya hadn’t been so impatient, she would have laughed. It was exactly the kind of thing that would catch Asia’s attention. Imeeya didn’t want to wait to watch the princess admire a new bow, and she kept going. The music had to be somewhere close by, she couldn’t imagine it getting very much louder. Luckily, the next time she looked back, she saw that Nike had dragged Asia away from the weapons stall and the pair were not following too far behind.
Imeeya rounded another corner, and just like that, the narrow, vendor-lined streets opened up into a large plaza. A small platform held a handful of musicians off to the side. They played at a lively tempo, and many couples had already started to dance. Imeeya wanted to go ahead and dance before the plaza got too crowded. Imeeya whirled and turned to face Athanasia excitedly. Come on Asia. We should find someone to dance with. Not only would it be great fun to spend time dancing, the crowd of dancers would be just the thing to give Nike the slip. Athanasia might be content to spend the entire night under surveillance, but Imeeya wasn’t. She was going to find a way to actually enjoy this evening.
[attr="class","ic_message_scroll"]Vangelis' greeting of him and his wife brought relief to his heart, it was moving to see the crown prince behave in such a way. He stood up a bit straighter, trying to keep a straight face so that those watching them would think this was normal, but giving his elder brother a nod of gratitude. They had been down such a long road to get to this place, and whether he liked it or not Vang had been instrumental in bringing them back here. The eldest Kotas would be a wonderful king when the time came, and Zanon was happy to be given the opportunity to serve him.
Clearing his throat of any unnecessary public displays of emotion, he gave a nod at his wife's suggestion that Dion run ahead with his aunt. The lad's immaturity still bothered him, but soon enough they would remind him he was nearly a man and once his training began he would no doubt grow to be a true Kotas. Until Vangelis married and had children of his own after all, Dion was the only heir of the next generation.
"Yes, run along and find Asia, we'll follow."
Zanon held out his arm for Evras to take hold of, placing his free hand overtop hers protectively. He had always known his wife was beautiful, desired by many, but after what he had seen he had been driven to be even more watchful and guarded. No one would get past him and he was determined to be entirely sure of that. Chuckling at her question, he gave her hand a squeeze and leaned down to press a kiss to her temple with a smile.
"Of course, my lady. We'll dance until dawn if you desire."
Following the other members of his family down the streets, he took in the many newly repaired shops and stalls that had sprung up for the night market, pausing briefly to greet a few vendors and congratulate them on their success in returning before carrying on. It was his princely duty, to speak to the people, gather opinions and information to bring back to his father and Vangelis. With Evras on his arm and their son running ahead to catch up with his aunt, it felt as if nothing had changed and things were the way they always had been.
[attr="class","ic_message_scroll"]Iolanthe laughed at Silanos' defense of himself, shaking her head slightly as she took his arm. She was grateful that the younger cousin hadn't instantly jumped into condolences, and that he hadn't changed overmuch aside from how he'd grown. Ever since her return it seemed like all anyone could say to her was that they were so sorry, it hardly felt as if anyone but Gala was glad to have her back. She'd been about to suggest they follow the pack of royals when another familiar yet different face approached and Io released Sil's arm to hug yet another cousin.
Tim had grown so much in the last ten years, filling out into a man instead of a lanky teen and by the gods he had a beard now! She had missed so much, lost so much time with her family here by being married across the seas and now she had nothing to show for it except what wealth had returned with her.
"I see the two of you keep in trouble."
Touching his cheek at the sight of yet another bruise, the brunette lifted a brow and looked between the two men with her lips pursed. A brotherly squabble would not be out of the ordinary but for both of them to turn up with such marks as this meant she was missing out on part of the story. Whatever the Valaoritis boys had been up to in her absence, it was clearly quite the tale. And then came the condolences. She looked down to the ground for a moment, her customary response to someone's well wishes in this regard.
"Thank you, Timaeus. It was a difficult loss, but I am glad to be home. And, I believe condolences of your own are in order. I know I wrote, but I'm sorry about your brother."
She'd wanted to come home for the funeral but there had been little time and she had been with child, before losing yet another and so it had been decided that she would have to remain and mourn her cousin from afar. Sil's lively excuses as to why he could not stay had her smiling slightly once again, and she waved him off. Let the lad have his fun so long as he didn't return with yet another bruise.
"Go on then. I'll try to convince Tim to re-introduce me to everyone." Iolanthe smiled as she watched him go before turning to the older cousin and gesturing for the now distant party of nobles. "Shall we?"
[attr="class","ic_message_scroll"]The market circle was huge in Asia's eyes as they finally made it to where all the music was playing, watching the people dance around in a flurry of movements and fabrics swishing through the air as people laughed and enjoyed the musicians playing. Just as she was about to join in on the fun, laughing as Imyeea about disappeared within the swirling masses of people as she looked for a partner, Dion bumped into Asia's hip almost knocking her over as she laughed. "Why hello Dion. Do your father and mother know you are way over here?" As she asked, Athanasia looked around to see if she could spot her brothers anywhere, but with all the stalls and tents in the way, it was impossible at the moment until they caught up. 'Mother told me to come to protect you, Aunt Asia, and I can help Commander Nike do just that.'
Now there were two sets of eyes on her and her plot to get lost in the crowd dissipated for the moment as she took in the sights. Just as she gave Dion a one-armed hug, she spotted a very familiar face in the crowd as he danced with another woman. Was that... from the castle the other day? For a moment that Asia would never be able to answer, she felt a burning feeling deep in her belly as irritation filled her. Jealousy, a new and very understood feeling for Asia, all she understood was that as she watched him dance with another she found that she wanted to hit him. "Dion, I need you to do me a big favor and I will pay you back with a month's worth of desserts." The bargain made Dion's eyes go big before smiling, nodding in agreement as Asia looked at Nike when he looked elsewhere for a moment, knowing that Dion understood his aunt as if she were his big sister. Watching as Dion went over and pulled on Nike's hand, asking to look over his dagger, Asia slipped through the crowd quickly.
Reaching Silanos, she bumped the other woman away with her hip as Asia shoved him back from the crowd. "Why does it seem like you are avoiding me?" Pushing him further back and now secluded from the dancing crowd, Asia looked up at him with irritation as she tried to figure out why she was so annoyed with him. Here was someone that she found interesting and somehow thought often of, and here it seemed like he had forgotten her. "Tell me... why are you avoiding me?"
[attr="class","ic_message_scroll"]Timaeus should have known that Silanos wouldn’t take kindly to his sudden appearance. He could tell from the moment that he approached, that the sour expression on Silanos’s face meant that he was most certainly less than pleased, but what could the brother do? The young baron shrugged the boy’s concerns off as he turned to warmly greet their newly reunited cousin with a hug.
When they broke apart, Timaeus winced slightly when she reached up to touch the bruise covering his face. Although it was no longer fresh and caused him the same amount of pain that it did on that night, it was still sore when prodded. “Trouble is such a strong word cousin.” He said with a tense laugh, not being able to truly hide how tense things were for Timaeus at least. He was constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop, for something to implode on them. Some people may say that laughter may be the best medicine, but it truly did nothing for Tim nowadays. Everything was far too stressful to crack a joke at the brothers' expense.
Luckily, though the next topic demanded all serious from both parties as they completed the customary dance around condolences. No one wanted to talk about this with everyone’s loss far too fresh for their likening, but custom demanded it. “Thank you, Io. Your words were truly a comfort in such a trying time. They will both be sorrowly missed.” He mumbled, almost as if he was a well-trained parrot. The sincerity behind the words wasn’t there. It was just a phrase drilled into his mind over the years. In fact, Timaeus hadn’t even been aware that Io had written to the family at all. So many condolences had arrived and the new baron had been so overwhelmed with everything that he never opened a single one but instead locked them all away in Nicomedes’s old room which had been sealed shut on Tim’s orders. Maybe one day, he will be strong enough to venture in and see what others had to say, but that day would be a long time coming.
With that being said, it was safe enough for the group to move on from the subject none of them wanted to discuss. Though, Tim wasn’t too sure that the next topic was a more desirable on, thanks to his little brother.
His eyes grew wide and his expression took on a sense of disbelief when Silanos made his suggestion of how the evening would proceed now that the elder Valaoritis arrived. Truthfully, he didn’t know what brought on a more immediate panic within him; the fact that Sil now intended to give them the slip or the insinuation through his double words that Timaeus would now take on her affairs. “She only just came home!” Timaeus hissed angrily as he reached out to physically stop his brother from storming off, but his initial reaction had lost him the time he needed. All his hand grabbed was empty air.
Great, just great.
“Sil!” He called out after him out of sheer frustration, but Sil was already moving too far away for the baron’s words to be clearly heard. However, he wasn’t far enough away for the younger brother’s malice-filled words to be lost on Timaeus. Sure, Sil might be hurt that his older counterpart followed him here, but could you really blame Tim? Especially after what happened the last time the boy had been unsupervised. There was no way in hell that he was going to give his brother even the chance to find himself in a similar situation. Timaeus just couldn’t risk losing the only brother he had left.
Resolved to go after him, but he was stopped by Iolanthe’s words. She was so cheery and light-hearted in comparison to the clearly fuming baron. It forced him to pause for a moment and take a much-needed reality check. Breathing deeply, he was able to temporarily dissipate a large portion of his frustrations. Silanos was clearly hurt and they both knew that this was probably one of the last nights he had before Timaeus would double down on reigning him in. Although the Kotases were nearby, this was still a public event. They wouldn’t try anything and Sil knew better than to stir up trouble tonight. He would be fine. Timaeus had nothing to fear.
Shaking his head, he turned back to his cousin and said with a light laugh; the kind that was a mixture of disbelief, frustration, and held no trace of actual humor, “That boy… I swear he’s more trouble than what he’s worth.” He didn’t mean it, truly. Silanos was his brother, after all. Timaeus had already proved he was willing to do almost anything to protect him. It was just frustrating that the younger Valaoritis tried to undermine his efforts at every turn completely ignorant of the fact that his efforts were perhaps too much for the younger boy to bear.
“He won’t always be like this.” He said in a reassuring manner, though if it was for Iolanthe or Tim, it was anyone’s guess, “We’ll be heading back to Eubocris in a few days, he’ll finally start taking on his responsibilities as my heir then.” The mention of heirs made Timaeus’s mind drift to the other Peisistratos who wasn’t here tonight, Iolanthe’s infirm brother Isidore. Confined to his bed and able to do anything for himself beside make the occasional noise. Timaeus hadn’t seen the man himself, but he did have a special interest in knowing his condition. Due to their blood relations, his father and her mother being siblings, Isidore was second in line to take over the province after Silanos. It wasn’t an ideal situation, to say the least. Although he would never admit it out loud, that was another reason as to why Timaeus was desperate to ensure his brother was safe at all times. He didn’t want a man who couldn’t even move in charge of his family’s lands.
When the possibility of Tim reintroducing her to the Kotas family came up, Timaeus internally balked. After what happened the other night? No, the Valaoritis family needed to lie low until the memory of what happened was no longer quite as fresh. “I… err… rather not… not right now.” He stammered out taking Iolanthe’s arm and leading her away from the royal family. His pace was quick and if she looked carefully, she’d see hints of panic in his eyes. Yeah, no. He was not interacting with them. Not until he had to.
Once they were near the edges of the crowd and out of sight of the Kotases, Sil, and any other notable people, he calmed a bit. Realizing that he might have just accidentally revealed more than he wished, Timaeus tried to cover his behavior up with a hurried explanation. “Sorry about that. I don’t want them seeing me like this.” As he said this, he motioned to his mottled face and this explanation was true. (It was embarrassing to have to greet the princes with a black and blue face.) It just wasn’t the whole truth. He could only hope that it was an explanation that Io would accept.
His mind quickly flicked back to his brother’s parting words and Timaeus decided to use them to cleverly change the subject before Io pushed too hard for the details of that chaotic night, “I know Sil meant it as a jab, but he was he actually being serious? You don’t need me to be your guardian, right?”
He secretly hoped that she would say no, that her family in Arcanes could handle it all, but based on his luck so far… well, it looks like Tim may have another responsibility to add to his ever-growing list.
[attr="class","ic_message_scroll"]Her eyes were watchful as she followed the two ladies weaving through the thickening crowds of what was slowly descending into becoming quite the festival. Smiling as Asia hesitated at the bow, she shook her head good-naturedly at the young girl. "You'll get a fine one - your brother will make sure of it. Do you not trust him?" she murmured in response, chuckling as they headed towards the music.
Yet the lively tempo, the lights and the sounds, paired with the amount of people filtering into the Midas harbor meant trying to keep track of two nobles ladies proved to be a harder task then it was. Add on to the fact that Nike had pretty much taught Asia everything she knew about sneaking away - and when one added skill to an already sneaky mind and a cunning way with words. When the Lady Imeeya had invited Asia to dance, Nike had been content to hang back. Never one taught to dance before, as much as she would have enjoyed it (for one would see her fingers unconsciously tapping along with the music if one watched closely), she knew it was not her place.
So the commander hung back as the two ladies danced, thinking it was fine to allow her eye to wander - until she caught sight of a young, curled hair boy darting in their direction.
Young Prince Dion? Her brows furrowed. While he may be old enough now, the crowds in the harbor opening was enough that Nike wouldn't leave the young preteen alone. Dangers lurked in every corner, and the royal family was prime target for anyone unhappy with their rule.
Momentarily glancing up to ensure Asia and Imeeya was still around, Nike chalked them off when she saw Imeeya's face in the dancing crowds, and turned to attend to Dion as he came running to her after seeing Asia. Almost immediately, Nike bent down to catch the excitable young prince when he began chattring away animatedly to her about his dagger that he had evidently recently received from one of his uncles. A wielder of daggers herself, Nike was quick to promise the young boy that he would get lessons from the commander when and if there was the time. Studying the dagger briefly, she looked up...
... And could not spot the young head of the youngest princess at all.
"Dion, come with me." she murmured, taking the hand of the young prince, she tugged as her eyes roamed the area, sharp eyes trying and failing to seek out where both her charges were, all the time cursing Vangelis in her head. She'd like to see him watching over two of the most notorious noble ladies in the kingdom, and see how he'd keep his head straight with them.
[attr="class","ic_message_scroll"]Sil had rolled his eyes a little when Io laughed at his defensive words. He couldn't stay angry with her for in truth it did sound a little silly in his ears as well. He smiled when she took his arm and started to plan out the rest of their night. But Tim had to ruin it all by showing up. It also seemed that his older brother really didn't like his idea of escorting their older cousin, but he really didn't care at the moment. "So what?" He had growled back underneath his breath before stomping off after saying what he had to say.
Ignoring Tim's angry calls of his name from behind, Sil quickly made his escaped after Io gave her permission for him to do so. He wasn't going to stick around those two any more than he had to. He wasn't saying that his cousin was a stick in the mud (Tim was very much so), but he just rather not spend too much time with any of his relatives at the moment. He was getting a little sick of them and just wanted to be alone and have one last night of freedom.
Weaving in and out of the crowds, Sil finally came to a stop near the dancing crowd. He scanned the throng of people hoping to catch an eye or two of the passing maidens. The young lord smirked slightly when a pair of pretty green eyes found him and gave him a wink before holding out her hands towards him in a welcoming gesture. He snagged the offered hand, and the young woman pulled him into a comfortable embrace with her arms around his neck. 'Have I ever seen you around before, handsome?' The woman purred, as they swayed along to the lively music. He shook his head, his dark hair tumbling around his face, as he replied easily, "No if we were to have met before, I would have remembered you, beautiful." He moved his own arms to come to a rest around the young woman's ample hips.
He was about to say more, but suddenly his partner was rudely bumped to the side, and other female came into his field of view. Sil recognized the voice before he realized who the person was. All the pleasant feeling rushed out of his body all at once, and the young man felt that he had been plunged into a bucket of cold water. He stumbled backward when Athanasia pushed in towards the edge of the crowd. "Good evening Your Highness..." He croaked, panic rising from the pit of his stomach as he looked around to see if anyone had followed her. So far so good, no familiar faces. Turning back to the fuming princess, he said quickly, too quickly, "What? No, of course not, milady. I'm not avoiding you at all. Why would I do such a thing like that?" His mind tried to spin a plausible tale to tell the girl so he could make his escape, but none came to him.
The hurt and irritation within Athanasia's eyes made Sil feel guilty as the two of them stopped at a secluded place. Usually, he would be rather happy about the situation he was in, but not at the moment. Probably it's because he actually liked this female in front of him and didn't want her to be in any sort of trouble as well as him wanting his head to be firmly on his body. "Please, milady, you shouldn't be here with me right now. It's not good for you or me. " He pleaded, hoping he wouldn't start babbling in front of her. He usually talked a lot when he got nervous about something. He tried to move to the side, but Athanasia grabbed his arm, stopping him.
Sil wiggled a little in her grasp, desperately wanted to flee without hurting her physically or emotionally. If he had been in this type of situation with her in a different time and place, then he would have no problem with it, however not now, not was so much at stake. He tried one last time, his tone soft and pleading as he begged, "Angel, please. Please do as I say and let me go. If you don't, I'll die." As he said that, his blue eyes widen, so did the girl's eyes. Shit, he had revealed too much. Watching Anthanasia open her mouth, the young lord knew what she was about to ask and did the only thing he could think of doing to stop a female from talking. Shooting a quick glance around him, making sure no one was around, he cupped the young woman's face with both of his hands and pressed a kiss upon her lips. He felt Athanasia close her eyes, her eyelashes tickling his face. Thank the Gods. Releasing her quickly, as if the kiss had burned him, he slipped away without looking backward.
His heart, his eyes, as well as lips, burned as he hurried off towards the night market's entrance. He knew he shouldn't have kissed Athanasia, but what else could he have done to stop her from asking the obvious question. Well, the deed had been done, he could do nothing to rewind the past. Now all he could do was pray. Sil prayed to any of the listening Gods to have luck at his side. He was in no mood to get caught by any of the princes nor the young man who was by Athanasia's side. All his buoyant spirit from earlier had vanished as well as his good mood, and all he wanted to do was to get the hell out of Midas and to his utter surprise, back home to Eubocris. Perhaps he could be safer there than at the capitol.
[attr="class","ic_ooc"]Alright, I hope I did't godmod this post too badly, or too much. If there is anything you want me to change, tell me. I'll be happy to do so.
[attr="class","ic_message_scroll"]Iolanthe stood back, lips pursed and brow raised as she watched the scuffle between the two brothers. With the matching bruises, terse words, and clear tension in the air it was no secret to the cousin who had for many years grown up watching the two of them interact that something was amiss. What it was was none of her business and so she interested herself instead on watching the passers by, giving smiles and nods to those who made eye contact. It had been so long since she'd been home there were few faces she could recognize right off the bat.
Tim's words brought her back from her self-inflicted distractions and she smiled softly, patting his hand and giving it a squeeze before looking up at him knowingly. The reassurances were for himself, not her. It was a difficult situation, with the only other male heir after Silanos being her brother. Isidore was in no fit state to run Arcanes, much less take on the Valaoritis lands as well, and none of them yet had children to pass on the baton when their time came and they crossed over the Styx. It was all the more reason she hoped to marry again soon, praying daily that this time when she found herself with child again it would stick.
"He is young and foolish, as we all once were. Have a little faith Tim, whatever he has done cannot be undone somehow."
Prepared to walk on to meet the other nobles she paused at Tim's reluctance, frowning slightly and glancing over once more at their retreating figures before giving a shrug and allowing him to guide her in another direction. There would be more time no doubt, and with Galatea's connections she would meet people soon enough. She was happy to wander in the meantime, taking in the sights of the harbor that was so familiar and so strange all at once. It had been years since she had last been to this place and the changes, especially after the storm, were evident.
His question brought her pause and she took a moment to study a wooden carving before returning it to the vendor with a smile and a compliment. As the eldest...functioning male member of her family the responsibility of guardianship fell to him, but given his current state and the obvious dread in his voice it seemed as if he might seek to place it elsewhere. She'd never been a widow before, never lived outside the confines of either her immediate family or a marriage. She hadn't the faintest idea of how to go about finding and securing a proper match on her own.
"I suppose...if you were pressed elsewhere as my brother's wife Galatea could take it on. I was simply hoping if you had any connections, any friends or knowledge of who might be suitable, you could advise me in regards to my next marriage. If it's too much, I'm sure I'll be alright. The gods will provide."
[attr="class","ic_message_scroll"]It was funny - that all it took was one comforting touch of Zanon, the way his hands curled protectively over hers, and Evras felt the worries of how society viewed her fall away like water off a duck's back. Oh, give her time and she'll likely notice it again, but Evras knew better then to outwardly show how it effected her. The fact that she and her husband now stood arm in arm in a way they have not in years merely made the whispers louder.
But she simply did not care at this point.
Watching with a light laugh as Dion ran off to meet Asia, who seemed to be just slipping away with her cousin, the commander Nike a shadow behind their backs, her husband's words dragged her gaze back to him, just in time for the kiss to land on her temple, a simple touch of his lips that wrapped her chest with the intense love and warmth she had for the man by her side.
Leaning against him as they strolled with their family, Evras consciously made the effort to not check on where Dion was, trusting the commander and her son to keep himself safe. Instead, the princess let her eyes roam the stalls with the wares on sale, occasionally pausing to examine a bauble or two more. Along with Zanon, Evras would smile at the vendors he greeted, performing her duty as a prince's wife as she has been trained to do, for once actually meaning her smile.
Progressing on, the woman tucked her dark locks behind her ears to prevent the sea breeze from tangling them up further, her eyes wandering before stopping upon a stall displaying various jewelry and shiny decorative items. Halting her steps at one of them, Evras picked up a ruby-studded necklace, grinning as she placed it on her neck and did a twirl for Zanon, almost tripping over her own feet. "Oops. Looks like jewelry and I don't agree." she murmured, laughing lightly to herself as she thanked the vendor, before slinging her arm through her husband's arms, eyes wandering again.
"Where is Asia?" the woman suddenly asked, noticing her young sister in law was nowhere in sight. Had they not mentioned they were going dancing? Curious, Evras tossed a look at Vangelis, and then to her own husband, the unspoken question in her eyes.
[attr="class","ic_message_scroll"]When Dion came over, Imeeya sighed. She thought her chance to escape the group was completely blown. She knew how much the kid liked to follow Asia around. Imeeya grinned as the princess managed to divert Dion’s attention, and Imeeya took Nike’s moment of distraction as an opportunity to slip off into the crowd, expecting that Athanasia would be following along behind her. Imeeya couldn’t believe her luck that the two of them had managed to give their guard the slip. Imeeya grinned widely as she bounced along to the rhythm of the music, scanning the crowd for a potential dance partner. It was always more fun dancing if you could find a partner who knew the steps. Imeeya spotted one man out in the crowd who seemed to have some potential.
She turned around to ask Asia what she thought of the potential dance partner when she noticed that the princess was now completely missing. Imeeya had thought that Asia was right behind her. She immediately forgot about finding a dance partner and started scanning the crowd for any sign of her cousin. As much as Imeeya didn’t want to be babysat all night, she also knew that there was safety in numbers, and didn’t want to find herself alone in a risky situation. Imeeya pushed through the crowd. ”Asia!”she shouted, but her voice was drowned out in the music and the chatter of the crowd. Imeeya started back towards where she had last seen Athanasia when she spotted a flutter of a deep blue chiton out of the corner of her eye. Imeeya pushed through the crowd in that direction, only to discover that she couldn’t find what she thought she had seen. Imeeya kept scanning the area, looking in the direction that she had thought she saw the fluttering of fabric moving.
Imeeya was almost ready to give up on her search and was debating whether she should go tell Vangelis that she had lost her cousin when her eyes landed on a shadowed corner on the edge of the market, a woman with a chiton of the same color’s as Athanasia’s, kissing a man. Imeeya almost dismissed the idea that it was her cousin out of hand until the man pulled away and slipped off into the darkness. For a moment, Imeeya stared at the scene stunned, he jaw hanging open. She knew Athanasia wasn’t one to follow the rules, but she never expected such scandalous behavior from her cousin. Asia should know better; it could mean her reputation and as a princess, that was something that she needed to be careful of. Imeeya noticed that her mouth was hanging open and closed it abruptly. That snapped her out of her stunned reaction and ignited an anger at Asia for what she had done.
Imeeya stormed over to the princess. “Asia! There you are. I didn’t know where you had gotten to.” Imeeya’s eyes flashed with anger. She tried to open her mouth to address what she had just observed, but she couldn’t seem to form the words. It was still hard to believe that her cousin would be so inappropriate in such a public place.
[attr="class","ic_message_scroll"]It was an event that all of Colchis has been waiting for, a bright light that people looked forward to after the disastrous events that had wrecked their harbor and caused the economy of the kingdom to take a nosedive for the few weeks in which the harbor had been closed, and merchants and commoner alike had used the time to recuperate from the damage the rage of the Gods had wrecked on their wares, home and daily life. Strolling along the streets and hidden lanes, Magnus greeted people by their first names, smiling and engaging in light conversation as he walked.
The way he was addressed, it was obvious that the dark-haired male came often to these parts, from the way he was offered a warm, freshly toasted slice of rye bread, to the way in which young children would run to him for a hug, as if they were an uncle he had not seen in too long.
While Magnus could not say he had been entirely happy with being grounded due to the harbor being closed, the master informer to the royal family found his way to being useful. As it was, Magnus already had plans to set sail to Taengea upon sunrise, to make it in time for the coronation of the new King after the shocking events that led to the death of the previous King. After that, he was due to head to Athenia to witness the Senate meeting that may or may not change the rules and history of how the crown passes, before returning home to Colchis again. His informants in various kingdoms have done their best to keep him informed via pigeon mail, but he had always been the type to witness such events himself. There was so much more he could catch through his own eyes after all. Nuances of actions, choice of words, intonation, even down to the minute movements of someone's hands or quirk of eye, all of them would be able to tell Magnus way more then word of mouth ever could.
For tonight however, he was content to linger in the background.
Leto had bugged him to come, and doting brother that Magnus was, he had agreed, allowing Leto to get caught up in the dancing that had begun in the centre square as he wandered away to connect with the various amounts of people he knew, until the royal carriage had rumbled up, people gathering, all eager to see for themselves that the rumor was true, and that the Crown Prince was alive and well.
He didn't need the confirmation. Standing in his heavy leather boots, black pants tucked into the leather and is wheat colored tunic layered over with a leather vest, Magnus looked like a vision of confidence as he watched the rest of Midas stream towards the royal family, a brow raised in surprise when he noticed the wife of Prince Zanon arrive soon after with her husband in a carriage. Last he had heard, there had been an argument outside of the Kotas residences that had escalated between husband and wife just a few days ago. His dark irises registered mild surprise at how affectionate they now seemed with each other, but considering how they have barely been seen out of the residence since the argument, Magnus could've guessed as much.
As the princess darted away, followed by Lady Imeeya and the crown prince's personal bodyguard, Magnus smiled in greeting to Prince Vangelis and Prince Zanon, an easy greeting that Magnus only did from his familiarity with the royal family, equal amounts of due respect given to the family which he had served over the past years. Just as he was about to weave his way through the thickening crowds as more people streamed in to join the fun, a loud call of a name made Magnus turn his head, blinking in surprise when he recognized the young baron of Valaoritis, a house he knew was in charge of the rocky province called Eubocris, and was rarely seen in the city. He had been reported to have taken his new duties as a baron well following the surprise death of his elder brother... yet Magnus found the story of the House Valaroitis one that intrigued him. Something he will look further in upon conclusion of his latest business in Taengea.
His brows furrowed, noting the hurried way in which Lord Timaeus took the arms of a lady whose back faced him, the quickened pace immediately stirring Magnus's curiosity. Looking back and noting the royal family looked entrenched in their own matters, the master informer was quick to change his direction, heading towards the baron of Eubocris. He intended to simply observe from afar, considering how the younger of the two brothers had ran off for some reason.
Plans had a way of changing though.
As he approached, his eyes widened when he noticed the familiar features of the lady on the baron's arm. His photographic memory had, in all honesty, been one of Magnus's greatest features when it came to his career. The ability to remember all of his cases, all the scrolls his read, and to retain information for as long as needed. All it took was one read through for him to recall everything word by word - which helped greatly when he was taking a peek at something he perhaps was not allowed access to.
This was a decidedly different situation however. He remembered her, a smile that had been shy when they had first met, he young and still hopeful in his new career path. A fresh upstair in Midas, who still made weekly trips then, Magnus had been exploring the city, ended up at the harbor where he would have almost knocked the Lady Iolanthe into the water had his reflexes not been quick enough to catch her back, steadying her on her feet. She had informed him then that she was about to travel to meet her future husband, and Magnus had reassured her then, that when she returned, Colchis would be waiting for her, as her home was a rocky kingdom that stood strong against the changing weathers.
So now she has returned.
Galatea? Lady Galatea of Pesistratos was her sister in law? He has heard of the glorious lady with a withering husband, the accident of the baron was questionable, but it wasn't something that Magnus had been called upon to look into. Instead, his curious mind had merely casted the case aside unless it came up again, keeping an ear to the ground whenever Lady Galatea threw one of her lavish villa parties, but his recent travels to the other kingdoms meant Magnus had yet to have a chance to keep up, and the appearance of the Lady Iolanthe at the harbor reopening now had thoroughly piqued is interest.
"Perhaps I could be of assistance, Lord Timaeus?" Magnus's soft voice announced his arrival, his usual charming smile in place as he made himself known to the baron and the lady on his arms. Arms behind him, he strolled to stand next to Timaeus, nodding a head at the baron and then turning his dark eyes on the lady, a sparkle of recognition in there. Would she remember him? It has been almost a decade afterall.
"Lady Iolanthe, it has been a long while. I'm glad to see you returned to Colchis." he greeted, bending at his waist as a form of respectful greeting. Like it or not, Magnus was no man of noble birth, and technicalities aside, all of these people outranked him, even if he technically knew most about all of them. Turning his attention to Timaeus, Magnus's smile was congenial and friendly whilst he spoke.
"I know that your barony and your brother means you have a lot on your plate, Lord Timaeus. Perhaps I could put in a good word to the King and royal family? Lady Iolanthe could even come as my companion to court, if she would want. I would not mind a fair lady such as she as my escort, if said lady does not mind."
[attr="class","ic_message_scroll"]Asking Silanos why he was avoiding her, Asia couldn't answer why she wanted to know. After their meeting in her home, watching him become lost there before seeing his smiled when they talked, she admitted to herself that she was fascinated by him. So when she saw him at the festival, seemingly looking everywhere but where they were standing, Asia found herself hurt. What did she do to have a possible new friend avoid her in such a way? She could hear her name being shouted but Asia wanted answers.
When she saw as he danced with another woman, seeing him flirt with her, Asia would never have guessed the feeling that rushed through her was jealousy. Never having experienced anything like it before, she just reacted as she bumped the other woman away and confronting Silanos as to why. All the thrill she felt when she saw him vanished as his own merriment at seeing her standing there disappeared into a look of, what Asia thought as, disappointment. Pushing him back, bulling her way for an answer, the look of panic confused her. "I don't know, why would you? Did I do something to make you not want to be friends with me anymore?" Hurt, irritation, and pain washed through her as she asked that she almost missed his comment about it not being good for them to be with him right then. Watching as he tried to move, she grabbed his arm to stop him without even thinking about it. "What do you mean?"
Athanasia didn't know what to think about Silanos' actions or what he said, confused as he tried to pull away again, gentle enough that she noted that he did everything to not hurt her. Was it because she was the princess, or because of something else? His next statement shocked her as he tells her one very good reason on why he wanted to get away, even as she didn't understand why as her eyes opened wide in surprise. He'll die? Why? "Wh-?" Before Asia could even voice her thought, Silanos gently cupped her face and kissed her.
Her first kiss, having never been given anything like that before, Asia struggled a moment as she voiced a soft muffled sound of protest before a new warmth settled in. It was a feeling that had her stopping her struggle as her breath seemed to catch, she didn't even notice her eyes closing on their own volition as everything else seemed to fade away. It was a moment as if they were the only two around before Silanos let her go quickly and ran off without even looking back. What had just happened? Opening her eyes slowly, not seeing Silanos anywhere in sight, Athanasia didn't know if she should smile or if she should cry and rage at the suddenness of everything.
Touching her still tingling lips in a slight daze, Asia could hear someone come up as they snipped her name, turning to see her cousin. As if in a dream, Asia blinked a little as she noted her cousin's anger in her gaze. "I didn't mean to vanish, I had seen someone. I thought he was a friend of mine though I hadn't seen him in a long while. I was going to ask him how he had been, but he left before I could.." It wasn't a lie since she was going to ask after he answered her own questions first, but Asia left out the surprise kiss, not even believing that it happened herself. "Ready to go dance, or maybe find a stall that is selling honeycakes?" Giving Imeeya her best smile, she realized that she hadn't moved her fingertips from her lower lip as she felt the tingle in a not so unpleasant way, dropping her hand quickly as if she were caught doing something she knew she shouldn't.
[attr="class","ic_message_scroll"]She supposed she shouldn't have been surprised when they were approached, it was a public event after all and there were as many people milling about as there were residents in Midas it seemed. The tenor was one she recognized, albeit faintly and as if filtering through from a dream, a long ago memory of when she had been young and life had not yet revealed half of its secrets to her. Her lips turned up in a smile as she fought to place the face ten years older than her most recent recollection with the voice and name. They had been younger then when they met on the docks.
"Magnus of...Chaossis is it not? The years have been kind to you."
She had been reaching for his surname but the look on his face gave her a smug reassurance that she had indeed been correct. Last she'd heard of him the man had taken a position as master informer, certainly an increase in standing from the obscurity of his birth. It looked well on him, and she waved a hand to try to dismiss his bowing. She'd grown tired of people bowing to her as if she were someone important when she had no rank, was simply a widow left with her dowry and the estate bestowed on her by her late husband. It was enough to help her live in comfort but she was no lady of high standing any longer.
His offer was intriguing, and Iolanthe glanced over for her cousin's reaction before looking back to the tall man before them, reaching for his arm in a familiar manner. If anyone could find and recommend a match for her who knew all things regarding all people, it would be this one before her. She couldn't deny it helped that he had a handsome face and a winning smile that made the idea of his company so appealing, but relief surged through her at the thought of having someone like him on her side.
"I think that might be what we need. Don't you, Timaeus? If you are truly so busy with your brother and other matters, and my poor sister is busy with the running of my brother's estate. Perhaps the master informer could assist us in the search."
[attr="class","ic_message_scroll"]Imeeya couldn’t help but watch Asia’s hand drop from her mouth, still not able to believe how obvious the princess was being about what just happened. Imeeya frowned, trying to contain her anger but she didn’t say anything. She wasn’t normally one to back down from a confrontation, but out here in the market wasn’t the place to do it. At the very least, Athanasia deserved better than to have something like this spread. It might have been a stupid thing to do, but she didn’t deserve to have her life flipped upside down for it.
Imeeya forced a smile at the princess’s suggestion. She didn’t really feel like going dancing now, but perhaps it would be enough of a distraction from the conundrum in which she now found herself. "Yes, why don’t we go dancing now.” Imeeya glanced back towards the crowds of dancers uncertainly. She almost expected to find that they had not, in fact, lost Nike in the crowd. Imeeya could only imagine the trouble Asia would have been in then. Luckily this wasn’t the case. However, she did spot people starting to group up for a circle dance. This seemed like it would be the perfect distraction from having to deal with whatever it was that was going on with Asia and that man.
“Come on Asia, It looks like they’re starting up a Choreia. We shouldn’t miss it,” her smile was slightly more genuine as she grabbed the princess’s hand. This kind of dance was always one of her favorites, as well as one that was always a great crowd pleaser. This gave Imeeya some hope that she’d actually be able to enjoy herself, despite the fact that she was going to have to have a serious conversation with Asia later when they were somewhere more private.