Second Impressions are the Most Important

[Lord Alejandro Cerevotos]

The encounter with Lady Mouse had been very interesting, indeed. Alejandro concluded that she would likely be a useful ally in Court or a person he should end up avoiding. Fortunately, he was not a cynical man and had faith in her. There was something in her eyes that clearly communicated to him that she was eager to learn what Alejandro could teach her. Now, the real question was, could she teach him how to be so damnably invisible when it was most needed? Only time would tell.

For now, he set his mind on the upcoming meeting with the foremost Lady of St. Claire. Before arriving at the  meeting, he tried to find out what he could of the family by listening to the commoners that milled about in the streets of Twinport. The Lintenese duke managed to glean several interesting traits and facts. The St. Claires were an old but still very strong house. While the Dragon of St. Claire was not a kind or gregarious man, he was fair and just. It is clear that he has the best interest of the House intertwined with the well-being of his subjects. They are not to be crossed. Their tempers could be fiery and sometimes terrifying. His daughters are the jewels of the Duchy and many lament the passing of the Duchess. 

The commoners were also troubled regarding the inheritance. Would Lady Julia become their duchess? Would Lord St. Claire marry again and attempt to produce a son? Would a relative be named heir? The commoners realized such things were beyond their control, but a change of power could always be unsettling. Overall, however, Alejandro concluded that the St. Claires were a good and respectable family. 

Once he was within the castle, he notified a servant of his arrival and appointment and asked to be shown to the Lady Julia. As he moved through the halls, he drew in a breath. There was no reason to be nervous! He was Alejandro Cerevotos de Serranos! He knew exactly who he was and how he should be. And from what he gleaned, Julia had a quiet appreciation for such even if their first meeting had gone rather poor.


Lady Julia St. Claire

[Lady Julia St. Claire]

Her misgivings regarding meeting the Lintenese duke in Twinport were strong, but better, Julia felt, to escort him to Triadon herself and deliver him to Lord Lancaster. He could be Lancaster's problem then, as would the smugglers be. She was not looking forward to explaining things to her father either, yet there was no avoiding it.

Awaiting Lord Cerevotos's arrival in Twin Tower Keep, she was groomed more appropriately for a Lady of St. Claire versus the sneaking about creature she'd been on their initial meeting. A gown and properly arranged golden hair were simply required for a St. Claire daughter, seated in her father's rather grand chair in the study. Daven likely would not approve of her appropriation of those symbols of his power, but as his surrogate, Julia deemed them merely prudent. Informed of the Lintenese duke's arrival, she nodded for him to be brought to her.

She doubted a trip through Twin Towers Keep's halls would intimidate a man of such arrogance, no matter how proud she was of her ancestral home. However, it might impress upon him that she would make a better ally than enemy. Straightening in her chair, she gestured for the man to be escorted in, a cool smile on her lips.

"Good day, Lord Cerevotos. Welcome to Twin Towers Keep."

[Lord Alejandro Cerevotos]

Oh, how very interesting, indeed. When Alejandro entered the room, he immediately glanced about the place. This room clearly belonged to a man with very specific tastes and he had the ability to convey that he was in command. That Julia was able to wield it as her own, however, was equally impressive. Alejandro's respect for Julia increased a few notches when he finally gazed upon her. She looked every part the Duchess of St. Claire.

"Dona," he greeted and opted to drop into a respective bow, "I thank you for your welcome. Your home is as impressive as the reputation of your family suggests." The man was speaking truth rather than mere flattery. "Thank you for taking the time to see me. I think we can agree that these are better circumstances than our first encounter, no?" Straightening from the bow, his dark eyes rested upon her face for an initial reaction.

[Lady Julia St. Claire]

As he technically outranked her, Julia rose to greet the Duke with a graceful dip of curtsy. It was a gesture of courtesy towards a foreign visitor. "They certainly are, and the sort that will likely grant better results with which we may both be satisfied. Please, Your Grace, will you be seated?" There was a chair of slightly less grandeur than the one Daven typically occupied, but still ornate and comfortable, clearly intended to hold noble guests. She allowed a slightly warmer smile to grace her features as she resumed her chair.

"Perhaps when we have finished our discussion, you might like to see more of the Keep? I would be delighted to show you about, as I am quite proud of my home." The place had gone a long way towards making Julia into whom she was as a St. Claire, tempered with a little of her Marbury mother's tendency towards graciousness.

[Lord Alejandro Cerevotos]

The gesture, as simple as it was, much appreciated as was indicated by the smile on his face and he took the offered seat. It was, indeed, quite comfortable. The package was placed within his lap. "Ah, that would be much appreciated. I am told that the view from the top of the towers is most impressive. One of them doubles as a lighthouse, si?" It made perfect sense to him, since this was a major port for Demeria.

Alejandro paused for a moment, "Dona," he began and considered his words for a moment. Vivianne's suggestion came flicking through his mind, but he fought the smile that threatened to rise to his lips. Julia was a beautiful woman, but that was not yet the point of this conversation. Besides, she would have been instantly put on guard as she would view as an attempt at flattery. "I wish to apologize. I allowed my passions and situation to get the better of me during our first encounter. When one's home is robbed consistently, it tends to bring out the worst in a person. I do hope you can forgive me."

[Lady Julia St. Claire]

He was well informed to know that one of the towers served as a lighthouse, one that could be seen for leagues. A nod indicated he was correct before she smiled gently. "It does indeed. This part of the bay is very rocky, and the fogs that roll off the shore are very thick. Too many ships have been laid waste for us to neglect the light; there are some who say they can see it from the sea itself." Julia herself had never tested the theory, preferring simply to accept it as truth. To her, there was a comfort in knowing there was a guiding light by which to go home, whether literal or metaphorical. Considering the sheer volume of trade that was accomplished via Twinport, it was merely prudent to maintain the light.

Her attention caught by the foreign address, Julia directed her g00aze to the duke's face as he spoke. The apology was... not what she expected, yet the surprise was a welcome one, a courtesy that she hastened to repay. "Of course I can forgive you, Your Grace. We have suffered similarly at the hands of these dreadful brigands, so it is completely understandable. I apologize as well for my less than cordial reception of you and your men." She dropped her gaze with a wry smile. "I have enjoyed very few interactions with the people of Linten, and know even less; my ignorance was at the root of my rudeness."

It was only right and fair that she extend her own contrition, she felt; this was an opportunity to gain additional assistance and ally in resolving a serious, ongoing problem that affected not just one but two nations adversely.

[Lord Alejandro Cerevotos]

They were being rather diplomatic and that was all well and good. However, Alejandro was not one to stand on ceremony at all times. Doing such could be incredibly dull. "Still, there was a benefit to having such a bracing interaction. We didn't have to bandy about with words and we got straight to the heart of the matter. Well, after my attempt at establishing dominance in the field, of course." He sniffed, and then chuckled at himself. "You held your ground. Though I was, mm, agitated at first, I have come to appreciate your reaction. This is not a world for the meek."

Alejandro paused and then offered her the package containing the article of fine silk clothing. "To add to the apology, I offer you a gift. It was stolen from me from those very pirates, but I am hoping that you will appreciate it for what it is far more than those brigands would. You are a woman of refinement and taste, after all."

[Lady Julia St. Claire]

He was clearly neither a humble nor a reticent man, she swiftly realized. There was little of the subtle or the discreet about Alejandro Cerevotos. Whether that was due to his Lintenese birth or simply his nature remained to be seen. Smothering a desire to laugh, it reflected in her eyes as she gazed at him. "I may be a woman, Your Grace, but I have the blood of dragons in my veins, you might say. Surrendering my ground when it was just that - my ground," she shrugged with a sweet smile, "would be unthinkable. Still... you are right. It is a refreshing change not to engage in a diplomatic and tedious dance of words."

Julia was not precisely trying to encourage him in that - some politeness was merely correct and appropriate - yet she respected his unvarnished candor She was not accustomed to it as a rule, but decided she could almost come to prefer it... from him. From others, she felt it would be unacceptable. The package interrupted such a train of thought, however, and she accepted it gingerly. "Thank you, that was not necessary... if poetic justice." Aware she should not accept, there was a part of her that stubbornly insisted on it. Lowering the package to her lap, she tilted her head curiously. "You've encountered these fiends on a more personal level, then?"

[Lord Alejandro Cerevotos]

"May I say, my Lady, that that you are a blend of the blood and strength of dragons with the natural, graceful beauty of humans. The resilience of steel but with the ..." he was searching for the appropriate word in the common tongue before he smiled at her, "the velvety feel of a fine glove." It was only afterward that he realized the double entendre of statement, but he did not push it. Alejandro was not a crude man by any means! "You also know that I am not merely flattering you, since I do not think we could be bothered with mere flattery. Such a waste of time and words, no?" The conversation was proving surprisingly... fun. "A perfect combination to hold valued ground."

"I have," he nodded solemnly. "They go both ways, as is to be expected. They smuggle goods in and out. Some of the goods, however, do not belong to them as I failed to find any bill of sale. I suspect they destroyed them before I could find them, however." They were good at covering their tracks, that much was for certain. "The finest silk we have to offer, Dona. The visual elegance is only matched the feel of it upon your skin."

[Lady Julia St. Claire]

My, my but he had a quicksilver wit and a gilded tongue. Julia understood rather quickly that fencing words with this man could conceivably land her in trouble if she did not watch her step. Lips twitched, threatening to laugh at his double entendre, aware that he did not precisely mean it that way, but she controlled herself admirably. That he admitted it was no mere flattery only made it the more amusing, prompting a question to rise to her lips. A question she was not about to voice, not suspecting that the answer would be a resounding affirmative. Julia preferred to maintain some measure of control over the meeting, however skillfully he attempted to pry it from her.

"Of course not," she agreed smoothly, "Especially as I believe you are fully aware that I am not the sort to succumb to mere flattery. But I do thank you for your kind assessment of my abilities; it is a pleasure to be appreciated for aspects that are far from the mundane and predictable." That stance was one shared by all of the St. Claire ladies - they vastly preferred to be appreciated for their minds, their wits, their skills other than the usual beauty for which women were all too often praised. Boring. "You are correct, though. The grounds I hold are more than valued; they are sacred to me."

Fingers worked the wrapping free of the package in her lap, spilling a rich pile of fine Lintenese silk. It was softer than anything she'd encountered in some time, dyed in a lovely blue color. Gentle hands moved over the fabric almost caressingly, knowing it would make the finest gown of her owning ever, with some left over to share with her sisters. "I am sure that is so; this type of silk is prodigiously expensive, and would bring them a fine profit if they were able to sell it." The color alone was difficult to achieve, much less the fabric itself. "It's beautiful. Thank you. I..." Julia looked down at it, praying she wasn't blushing at the thoughts flickering through her head. "I appreciate your generosity."

[Lord Alejandro Cerevotos]

The conversation was turning into a bandying of words and wits, but with the undertones of attraction. Carlos and Vivianne had been right: Alejandro was certainly feeling the frisson of excitement associated with meeting a lovely woman. It was more than just a weakness for blondes and green eyes, but something more visceral and real. Vivianne's suggestion of maintaining discretion all of the sudden became far more valuable. Not only was this woman firm on keeping control of the situation, she was also determined to maintain the reputation she had built for herself. Fortunately, he knew how to shield several things from the eyes of the public. Stripping every once of self-control of Julia St. Claire was going was enticing, indeed.

"Isn't it? I do believe that you should be admire for many things. The shine of your hair, the glitter of your eyes and perhaps even the sound of your laugh," though she had yet to laugh during the conversation, another aspect she was attempting to control. "I would imagine, actually," he tapped his chin in thought, "That you enjoy games of skill and wit. Such as chess, or .. fencing." The thought of Julia fencing was certainly an interesting one. He had no doubt that the woman could effectively wield a blade.

Watching her enjoy the gift, he smiled with approval. "You are most welcome, dona. I hope you enjoy as it is meant to be enjoyed. I confess that silk is very much a guilty pleasure of mine, especially for how it feels against the skin and yet warmth can still penetrate it just so." The thought of hands over silk upon skin had not escaped him, noticing how she continued to admire. Once again, Alejandro was forced to banish thoughts from his mind. He was going to have to leave if his mind continued to wander in such a manner!

[Lady Julia St. Claire]

Were all Lintenese so bent on turning serious discussions into flirtations? Julia was beginning to wonder, considering the skill the Duke displayed in wresting control of the conversation away from her to lavish her with compliments. While the compliments were artful, skillful even, she was not in the market for a flirtation and cleared her throat lightly with the intention of reclaiming control over the situation. "I enjoy chess, though I cannot say I am skilled in the arts of fencing. It was not a skill my father wished his daughters to learn." She was not of a mind to reveal, however, that Daven ensured they were given some instruction in the use of daggers; a lady could not always rely upon gentlemanly restraint in the protection of her virtue. Julia paid rapt attention to the lessons given in wielding dagger properly and with greatest efficacy, especially knowing that her likely use of them would be in closely confined spaces. A well-placed dagger, even in threat, gained all measure of rapt attention.

Gentle fingers folded the silk neatly once more, aware that he had yet again twisted the topic to his liking. Setting the silk aside, Julia made a point of deliberately altering the subject. "About these smugglers, Your Grace. Perhaps you might speak of how they have been harassing your coasts? Surely His Grace, the Duke of Indigane, will want to know such details in preparing his lands to capture them."

[Lord Alejandro Cerevotos]

"Ah, that is a pity," Alejandro lamented with spread hands, "I do enjoy a rouse match of blades. It gets the heart racing and the blood flowing." Passions could become equally heated, but there was no need to mention that just yet. Besides, Alejandro was of a mind that Julia could aptly figure that out for herself. Even more interestingly, the Duq knew that Julia was not revealing everything to him. A woman was, however, entitled to keeping a few secrets about her life. "But, perhaps I could entice you to a match of chess? I'm certain the challenge you present would be quite enjoyable."

The deliberate alteration of the subject had him briefly study her face. She was not offended, but she was trying to regain control. The woman was proving more and more enticing with each passing moment. For now, he shifted the topic entirely to business. "For the past several months, the profits in my market place have been on the steady decline but the quality and quantity of goods being purchased has remained the same. That is to say, people are still obtaining luxuries, just not from my markets. I set my men on investigating. These smugglers and pirates have been using coves much like the one in which we met and have been loading and offloading goods. They also harass honest merchants to either take their goods or drive them away. They are quite determined to ensure they receive all of the profit, sharing none of it."

[Lady Julia St. Claire]

He was a clever one, and a man she had to watch her step around every moment. He would not hesitate to seize upon a slip of the tongue and turn it around on her to his advantage. Julia had limited experience in dealing with men like Alejandro Cerevotos, putting her on her guard more than ever. "Perhaps once our business is completed and we have the leisure time to enjoy such pursuits. I imagine, however, that you would like to see the miscreants in question brought swiftly to justice."

Satisfied that they were firmly back on the solid ground of impersonal matters, Julia allowed herself to relax marginally. "I have heard some whispers that these smugglers are being aided in no small part by the Artonians, who are looking to undermine the economies of both our lands, Your Grace. Which of course only provides me greater incentive to bring them down." Standing, hospitality compelled her to offer him a glass of the Rose wine they kept stocked in the keep. She poured two glasses - considerably less for herself, the better to keep her wits about her - and extended one to him.

[Lord Alejandro Cerevotos]

That, naturally, made Alejandro wonder just how susceptible she was to the power of wine. Lintenese wines were stronger than some of the vintages found within, but he also knew of the variety sported by the Rose's. El Rey had griped, ranted and pontificated at great length on how the loss of House Rose had been a great blow to Linten and harbored hopes to bring the lost Duchy back into the fold. However, most of the Court dismissed such a notion as unlikely and have repeated bade His Majesty to abandon such talk. Nonetheless, it was something that Alejandro intended to keep a very close eye on. "But of course," Alejandro finally stated, "it can be a risky manner of handling things. That is, mixing business and pleasure. Just where, oh where, would the lines be drawn." The smile was a warmly amused one.

The mention of the Artonians briefly made him stiffen and then scowl. "They would, wouldn't they? What makes that prospect even more unpleasant is that this means the Emperor is no longer relying on the brute efficiency of his armies and turning to strategies that possess a great deal, how you say... finesse." The wine was sipped and briefly savored. "It is worse than that, dona. I believe there are agents from both of our kingdoms, as well, who are aiding these smugglers. Traitors." The word was almost spat out.