Unexpected Encounter [ 4/14, Katalin / Riordan, C]

[Lady Katalin de Winter]

The gardens set aside for the Royal Physician were her intended destination today. Katalin carried a large basket with the seedlings she'd started back in Oakdale, intending to replant them in the gardens to test out their growth and see if she couldn't establish a season-long healing garden from which to keep her stock of healing herbs and plants replenished. Wearing a broad-brimmed hat to shade her nose and gloves to keep the soil from collecting under her nails, she was actually smiling as she nodded to the guard on duty at the large gate leading in, finding the path to the section assigned her easily.

A pouch on her hip carried a few supplies in it against an unexpected emergency, but otherwise, her focus was on the flood of warm spring sunshine, the feel of the fresh air and the scent of the soil she saw spaded up for her especial use. Delighted to see such care taken on her behalf, Katalin reminded herself to seek out the gardeners when she was finished to thank them for their efforts. Reaching the section in which she wanted to begin, she spread oilcloth to kneel on and set the basket down before taking her place.

Humming contentedly to herself, Katalin proceeded to enjoy the next quarter-hour with the plants, finding herself more and more at home. She had yet to be presented to the King, but that was a pleasure currently postponed. For now, she was happy enough finding her routine, spending time with her brothers and setting up her infirmary within the castle. Her mother might even be proud of her...

[Prince Riordan Carlisle]

Just walk it off, just walk it off. It will get better if I just walk it off a bit. That's what you've heard. Walking it off will make the muscles and joints relax, and all would get better. Right? Right?

Ugh.

The Prince of Demeria was trying his best not to show the pain in his face nor the desire to limp as he walked. Needless to say, he was still walking a bit awkwardly, if not slowly. The nature of the injury was just as embarrassing as its cause. The reasonable part of him was screaming at him to go get it examined, especially before it got worse. Unfortunately for his body, Riordan was a surprisingly stubborn man. Thus, the limping went on.

Riordan didn't exactly pay attention to where he was going, but before he knew it, he was moving through a particular garden that he did not often visit. These were the gardens set aside for the Royal Physician, he realized a moment later. A grimace formed. Had his mind or body tricked him into walking here? Damn it all. What made it worse was that he had not only walked into the gardens, but he had been drawn to the gentle humming he heard. It was a pleasant sound. She saw him. It was too late to retreat.

Riordan forced a congenial smile to his handsome face, "Greetings. You must be Lady Katalin."

[Lady Katalin de Winter]

The first thing she noticed about him was the limp. Thankfully so, else Katalin might have panicked at the realization that here was the Crown Prince, in her garden. Looking up, she did a double-take, then jumped to her feet with a chagrined flush. Katalin tugged off her gloves and quickly curtsied, but the smile offered was gentle. "Good day, Your Highness. Yes, I'm Katalin de Winter. Are you alright?" The healer in her couldn't help but note the haze of discomfort in his eyes and the uncomfortable manner in which he stood. "Have you hurt yourself?"

She indicated a bench nearby, moving to aid him in sitting. "Come and sit, get off your feet." Briskly, Katalin waited until he was down in the shady nook before stepping back, the healer clicking into place. She took little to no notice of his looks ore charm, instead focused on his needs and easing his discomfort. "What happened?" As if she hadn't already peppered him with enough questions!

[Prince Riordan Carlisle]

Riordan should have known better than to expect a Royal Physician not to notice the very physical signs of general discomfort. Within moments, he was being asked about his well being and told, gently of course, to sit down in on the nearby bench. Truth be told, the idea of sitting down was a godsend and opted to take such a suggesting. Letting a breath of exertion, he flushed in a very similar manner to her own she posed her understandable questions.

"Ah, I believe I may have been ... overzealous in certain exercises and I am praying the price for them." However, he was still too embarrassed to tell her just which muscles were afflicted.

[Lady Katalin de Winter]

Katalin, it was safely said, was her mother's daughter in every sense of the word. Trained from an early age to recognize the signs of pain, to react accordingly, and to see to soothe that pain, she could no more ignore it than she could cease to breathe. Rather than hover over the Prince, she crouched beside him, lifting a concerned face to listen to his description of the pain's causes. Overzealous in terms of exercising?

She had brothers, she had a better than good idea of what that meant. "I see. May I ask the nature of the exercises you were doing when the pain struck?" For now, she was not asking the locale of the pain. The flush that eased his pallor suggested a level of embarrassment that came from telling someone he saw less as physician and more as a woman what the problem was.

But only for now. Katalin intended to cure him of that little obstacle in short order.

[Prince Riordan Carlisle]

Oh, this was even more embarrassing than he thought possible. If a hole had opened up in the ground right then, he would have gladly dived into it headfirst. Granted, there was a small part of the back of his mind that reminded him sharply that this was the Royal Physician and not some shy, retiring maiden that needed wooing. ... Well, she was rather cute as he observed her face.

By the Five, man, think of something else!

"Squatting," he admitted, his cheeks stained with chagrin. "Squatting and straightening, more or less. Plenty of use of the legs," but he refused to say anything about the hips. No, that would be far too much, even if she was just the Royal Physician!

[Lady Katalin de Winter]

It was terribly amusing, watching the normally poised and confident Crown Prince squirm like a schoolboy in discussing his injury. Katalin quickly surmised the general region of the injury and strove to keep the inquiries delicate, even considerate. He was obviously struggling to speak to her, putting her femininity as her primary identity rather than her role as Royal Physician. "It sounds to me," she began lightly, "as if you have over-stretched or extended certain groups of muscles in your legs. The pain you feel can be eased through a good, hot bath, and if you will send your man around, I have some very effective muscle salve that can be applied."

She was not about to embarrass either one of them by suggesting she deliver or apply it herself. There were limits, that was pushing it, and if either Sebastian or Christopher were to hear of it, the world just might end for all of them. No, better to request his personal servant come and retrieve, preserving everyone's dignity and sparing the gossip that would only couple her name with his in the least likely of manners.

[Prince Riordan Carlisle]

If anything, Riordan had appreciate her discretion on the matter. Besides, she could hardly blame him for putting her femininity before her role as a physician, since she was, after all, quite feminine. Indeed, he would no doubt enjoy watching her apply the salve that was needed in all the right places. There were some things about him that were never going to change. "That would be appreciated," he found himself saying, giving the woman a small smile.

"So, ah, awkward that this should be our first meeting, but I sincerely doubt that it's going to be our last," he glanced about the gardens, "Are you settling in well?"

[Lady Katalin de Winter]

She knew he was looking her over assessingly for attractiveness and perhaps approachability. Katalin, like nearly every young woman in Court, was marginally aware of Riordan's penchant for women, but decided to set the tone of their meetings as brisk and professional. He would soon cease to view her as a woman first, instead thinking of her strictly in terms of her capabilities. If she did not so much as yield an inch, surely it would not take long for him to come around to her way of thinking. Or so Katalin told herself.

A nod acknowledged his appreciation, a slight smile forming in reply. "I'm settling in well, as you can see." A hand indicated the transplanted seedlings in their prim, straight rows. "It is such a pretty day that I couldn't bear to be cooped up inside, and the seedlings are finally ready to be placed in the garden. How are you otherwise, aside from your injury?"

[Prince Riordan Carlisle]

"Oh, I can certainly say that I am alive," he supplied easily enough, "I am getting back into the flow of Court and swimming through the waters as well as I am able. Provided, of course, I don't pull another muscle in a daring feat or during a need to display my various forms of prowess. You know us men and our need to strut and puff. It's a lot of work, you know." A teasing smile quirked at the corner of his lips.

"I am glad to hear you're settling well, though. If you ever need anything for your gardens, do not hesitate to ask the steward or chatelaine. You can tell them that I sent you." If Riordan was to have any influence, he should start exerting it. Or so he told himself.

[Lady Katalin de Winter]

He reminded her a good deal of her brother Jasen, though Katalin very much doubt the Prince would find the comparison flattering. So determined to shrug off any hurt or injury as a minor inconvenience at best, so reluctant to reveal the slightest perception of weakness to a woman that they might very well do themselves greater harm. For now, she let it pass without comment or rebuke, but she intended to keep a close watch upon the Prince for signs of more serious injury. "I am sure it is. I wonder that you don't find it tiring, all that strutting and puffing about. And for what, really?" Teasing right back, she brushed some soil clinging to her apron.

His offer was one that struck her as unexpectedly kind, bringing the blue eyes back to rest on his face with that warm, gentle smile. "Thank you, Your Highness. That is gracious of you. So far, I have all I need, and with two of my brothers within the city, I can occasionally dragoon them into aiding me." In that regard, Sebastian was far more willing than Christopher, whom she hadn't seen in some time. She'd have to change that.

"I have not really attended court since I arrived," Katalin confessed softly. "There are so many people, most of them unknown to me. I hardly know where to begin in correcting that."

[Prince Riordan Carlisle]

Katalin's question caused him to think (by the Gods, he had been doing a great deal of THAT lately!). "It's one of the oldest dances in the world, I suppose. It's how it's been throughout the world, and I have to wonder if it's gotten to the point if men don't really know any better. A man wants to show that he is strong and capable of providing for a woman. I also think a man... gets a certain pleasure knowing that he is admired and appreciated for what he can do." He looked at her curiously, "What do you think a woman's role in the dance is?" It was a serious question, rather than a teasing one. Then he laughed at himself, "I'm sorry. I took a playful question, and turned it rather serious. I've been doing a good deal of thinking lately."

"You're welcome. You are the Royal Physician, after all, and you deserve the have the best equipment and supplies possible. If you're like your mother, I know your work will extend beyond just the tending of us, but to the people. Your mother established a good legacy here, and I want to see it continued." Was Riordan actually starting to sound more and more like a King?

"If you'd like, I can introduce you to a few ladies that will be happy to ease you into the Court. They are older, and have been through several seasons. I'll make sure you meet the more patient and kind ones. There are a few that like tut and cluck. They may very well drive you mad."

[Lady Katalin de Winter]

Katalin was pleasantly surprised by the pensive response to her words; like most, she had heard plenty of the Crown Prince's reputation. Unlike most, however, she refused to judge the man on the basis of gossip, which could be largely exaggerated if not outright lies. She preferred to take stock of a person by listening to their words, observing how they interacted with people and how they treated those in service to them. Thus far, Riordan was utterly unlike what was said of him, making her glad she hadn't pre-judged the Prince. She smiled as she listened, shifting to face him better. "It's hard to say what a woman's role is in such a dance beyond to observe and select, and then entice. But as you've likely determined by now, I seldom do what is typical, so the dance for me might be something else altogether."

Waving off his apology, she laughed softly, "Don't apologize for being introspective. You carry a significant burden, Your Highness. If you were not taking time to think it through, I might be more concerned. But thank you for that. I try to be like my mother, she was an excellent physician, and I miss her more every day." Only the truth was spoken there. Katalin missed her mother terribly. "I promise you, if I lack for anything, I shall let you know."

His offer made her blink, then blush with a touch of chagrin. She'd been too blunt, but he was being kind. "Thank you. I'd appreciate that courtesy. I'm afraid I'm not very good at making friends, something I do not think you suffer from?"

[Prince Riordan Carlisle]

"Maybe the dance is different for the person, no matter what their sex may be," he observed after another moment of thinking. "For men, it as though they are expected to strut around since that's how it's been done since time immemorial. But, I would wager that the end goal is generally same: I think most people want to have some kind of companion in their life. So, perhaps a man and a woman dance in just a way that only a potential companion might recognize." He smiled at her suddenly, not knowing he could think about such a topic so. "So, I think you're right: observe, select and then draw in."

"Why do you feel you are not good at making friends? I find you to be an enjoyable companion, even in the face of my frankly embarrassing injury." Yes, though Riordan was attracted to this woman in a physical way, there was another connection to be explored here. Despite all of his faults, he could see calling Katalin a friend.

[Lady Katalin de Winter]

Katalin grinned at him, glad to know he understood her meaning and she'd not made a proper fool of herself. Most of her life was spent in Oakdale rather than Triadon, where she was not accustomed to the intricate and complex web of words. The knowledge made her relax slowly, pleased that initially, she was able to work with the Crown Prince companionably. His resemblance of personality to Jasen did not hurt in any way. "It makes sense if you think about it, Your Highness, whether for a man or for a woman. Doesn't a man observe, select his desired female mate before he begins his performance?"

The smile faded at his question, however, an uncomfortable shrug given. "I am not... a courtier, Your Highness. I don't dance well, I don't know how to make conversation or flirt like most young ladies, and my interest in fashion is practically non existent. I promise you, I will be invisible to most people here except when my skills are needed." No doubt it sounded self-deprecating, but for Katalin, it was just the truth as she saw it.