Part of Eirini's beauty rituals included daily bathing in her private pool. A mixture of milk and honey infusing the warm waters that day and upon the morrow they would be drained and replaced with essence of rose and other such flora – a tiresome daily chore for her servants to perform, but one that Eirini could not go without. She wasn't getting any younger and to keep her grip upon the court and in the hearts, minds and beds of powerful courtiers, she endeavoured endlessly to retain the youth that still shone in her facade for as long as she possibly could. 

Fortunately, the gods seemed fit to bless her and so it was not in desperation that she sought such extensive rituals but rather to aid the gods in their work. Nevertheless, Eirini found it all incredibly relaxing as her maids drew sponges over her flesh and massaged away any knot that may have formed within their mistress during the night.  

That morning, however, Eirini did not allow herself to completely relax for she was expecting to be disturbed and not by something that would set her in a bad mood for the rest of the day...but rather she was expecting company –  and right on time, she mused silently as one of the house servants entered the chamber, his gaze kept to the floor. 

"Pardon the intrusion, Mistress, but Lord Gavriil has arrived." He uttered quickly before offering a bow and left the room. Eirini's lips curled at the new and as she rose from the water, her maids wrapped a linen around her naked form. "Hurry now, we must not make the good Lord wait too long." The bathing chamber adjoined Eirini's dressing room and once she crossed the threshold, she started her preparations. 

It did not take long; she dressed simply, in a lavender chiton that accentuated her assets without being overtly sexual (she had learned enough about the man to know that her usual devices would not work upon him) and her dark hair was left loose, the waves falling like freshly spun silk down her back – there could be no denying the natural beauty that Eirini possessed, and that was exactly what she was hoping would appeal to the ageing lord. 

This particular conquest was not 'official' and despite Fotios knowing, it served no particular advantage (not one she could immediately see, anyhow) it was merely one of personal pride and vanity. Everyone and their mothers knew Lord Gavriil to be as conservative as they came; he was a modest and humble soul, one still in love with his long deceased wife and yet Eirini was determined to crack him. 

She had lured him to the manor under false pretences, forging a message from her husband regarding 'business interests', all the while knowing that Fotios would be out of the house for most of the day.  

As she entered the reception room where he was waiting, Eirini greeted the man with a dazzling smile as she swept forward, offering his hand. "My dearest Lord Gavriil, what a pleasure it is to see you again. Now you must forgive me for being the bearer of bad news but I am afraid my husband has been called away on urgent business and is not expect back until this evening." She bit down upon her lip, feigning regret despite being the orchestrator of such plans. "Yet it would please me greatly if you would join me for luncheon...it is all set out on the veranda and I dare say you would never have dined in such a beautiful spot." 

When at his own home, he was at his own leisure. He could awaken at dawn, when the sky was still dark and the air pure and humid, walk the dirt paths along the forest floor, safe under the leafy canopy of the forest. Then he would come home to sit at his desk and work through the missives and sheets of business for his provinces that were sent to him daily. It was an easy, gentle routine that he valued and missed intensely when he was in the stone confines of Vasiliadon.

Here, in the city, he woke up inside walls with windows that looked out onto the flat rooftops of white buildings that looked to go on forever, stopped only by the city wall around the perimeter. Though Vasiliadon was beautiful in its own right, it was a cultivated beauty. One carefully crafted and considered by human hands. There was very little in the way of natural beauty. The ground, when it would not cooperate, was made to yield, so that the whole city was on a mostly flat surface. Its limestone white buildings were gorgeous and punctuated here and there with green vines and leafy arches - but these were not Artemis’s forests. It was difficult to lose oneself in awe in this place.

Everyone here was too aware of themselves and their own self importance. As though to highlight that, once he was dressed for the day, a servant pressed into his hands a missive from Lord Fotios Leventi, wishing to see him. A vague ‘business interests’ was mentioned that left Gavriil racking his brain to remember when he’d discussed anything of the sort with Fotios. As he could come up with no such thing, he decided that this was Fotios’s way of starting a discussion. Grain for the horses, more than likely. Perhaps wine for a party, though Condos would be a better choice.

With such thoughts, he made his way over to the Leventi manor which was within walking distance from his own. Theirs was larger, with far more exquisite furnishings. He and his family were in town so infrequently, that he hadn’t bothered with new furniture in his entire life time unless it was necessary. His father had been the same way and so the servants took care to ensure that the furniture inside the Dimitrou manor received the best care. It lent the manor a distinguished, though antiquated look.

When the Leventi servant showed him into the manor, he waited patiently, curious but not terribly so. Even for someone like himself, business matters were a dull thing to discuss. Especially on such a fine day as this one was claiming to be. His dull expression turned to one of surprise as Erini graced the room, looking far more radiant than he’d ever seen her before. Her gown drew the eye but not in a way that made him want to look anywhere else to keep his thoughts in check.

Her news that her husband was out made him nod slowly, wondering how that had come to be. It did not occur to him to immediately suspect her of lying. No one could be that conniving. Obviously it was a case of some horribly urgent news. Hopefully nothing too serious. He was on the verge of giving her something along the lines of an apology for the intrusion and leaving, when she stopped him by pointing out that lunch was already laid out. His gaze followed where he knew the veranda to be.

“All is not too grievous, I hope?” he asked. He did not want to stay and eat with her. It wasn’t a good idea. He was perfectly aware of her reputation at court, but then, he was likely safe from her...and he was hungry. “Alright,” he acquiesced. It wasn’t like there was anyone at home at the moment. Dorothea was out doing her own thing in the city - no doubt at the archery range where he wished he could be.

Following her out to the veranda, he looked about. There was no way that he was going to tell her that he thought his estate ten times more beautiful than this location. However, with the leaves fluttering above them on the arches and dappled sunlight flickering across the marble balcony, it was certainly a pleasant, cool spot. Sea breezes filtered in and from here, he could see the blue outline of the ocean on the horizon. It wasn’t forest, but it was pretty. And so it was no lie as he said, “It is a fair view, you are correct.”