Further Planning

[Lord Jasen de Winter]

Pacing the floor of the public library, Jasen lightly drummed his fingers on the table top, having chosen one of the private study rooms for this meeting. There were things his siblings needed to be warned about and plans they could get started, for the feeling of unease, combined with Katalin’s earlier warning gave him reason to think, as did the confirmation of possible danger from their brother. Perhaps it was time to put the plan Katalin suggested earlier to action, before the trap closed on the four of them, and warn them both, for he did not know how aware Sebastian and Katalin were of possible danger.

Still, his brother was aware, and would be able to take care of himself or come for help, yet he was uncertain about his other two siblings, the ones more likely to be targeted. Deciding to wait for his siblings’ arrival, and maybe turn this into an early supper, for he had noticed the time and figured that either or both of his siblings probably forgotten about existence of food, Jasen turned the table with an expression more amused than the one he started pacing the length of the study room with, and waited for his siblings to arrive. The page he sent for them would probably take some time to locate each one, depending on the various levels of completion of whatever tasks they were doing, but this was a discussion that couldn’t be put off for much longer.

Lady Katalin de Winter, Lord Sebastian de Winter

[Lady Katalin de Winter]

Arriving in response to her brother's request, Katalin wore a smile, not suspecting that there was a serious topic awaiting discussion. The private meeting room only suggested it was intended to be for family only, but she had to wonder if Jasen was going to tell them about the lovely blonde lady with whom he'd been seen spending time. It was like him to make a formal family meeting out of a romance. Stepping inside after thanking the page, she greeted him cheerfully. "Hello, Jasen... it's been a while. How have you been?"

[Lord Sebastian de Winter]

Sebastian had been busily working on two separate things when the page came to summon. One the one hand, he had been working on his project for his chains, but on the other, he was working on what had to be the sixth letter he had composed to Samara. Katalin was right. He really should just speak from his heart, but it was remarkably shy at the same time. Needless to say, it was just a bit frustrating to have to struggle so greatly with words. The page was a welcome distraction.

The man arrived a few moments after Katalin did, smiling at the sight of them both and then looking curious about for Christopher. He would have to track the knight down. It had been too long since they last talked. "Hello, brother, sister. How are you doing today?"

[Lord Jasen de Winter]

Halting mid-pace as both his siblings arrived practically one after the other, Jasen quirked an eyebrow up at their cheerful moods, both amused by them already and sorry to bring them down. “Hello, Katalin, Sebastian. I suppose well enough, though it seems you two had better luck at a good day than I did.” Spreading his hand around, he thoughtfully looked toward the door, debating whether to close it or leave it open for their other brother, if he chose to join their little gathering, but decided to close. Leaning against the door, he glanced toward his sister first, as it was her idea he was about to bring up, then toward his brother. “How do your respective searches, any news?” Gentle amusement for his siblings’ sake, and a more serious tone directed toward Katalin, for he knew the two were working together. Though whether it was a project of purpose or some other matter remained to be seen, much to his amusement. The presence of his siblings, as usual, never failed to raise his mood.

[Lady Katalin de Winter]

Seeing the look on Jasen's face, Katalin felt her smile start to fade. He was troubled, his eyes darkened by what looked to her physician's eyes to be worry and strain. Taking a minute to better assess her oldest brother, she wondered if he was giving himself time to rest and recover from the rigors of dukedom. The question only added to her mounting concern as she replied, "We were able to isolate three of the four ingredients in the compound, but only able to narrow the fourth down to a number of potentials. I am trying to be subtle, but knowing that the King is watched, it's challenging." She took the liberty of answering for them both on that point, glancing to Sebastian to add anything he felt was pertinent to the matter at hand.

[Lord Sebastian de Winter]

"Katalin has summed it up well. I am trying to make some discreet inquiries, but it is difficult to do so without arousing curiosity or worse, suspicion. Researching poisons for scholarly purposes is usually done under great scrutiny and as I am a student of engineering, it's even more difficult." He gave Katalin a curious look, "An inquiry from the Royal Physician will probably not arouse as much suspicion. I believe Master Llewelyn is returning soon. We could meet with him, then."

[Lord Jasen de Winter]

Nodding to their responses, Jasen lightly drummed his fingers on the tabletop, gathering his thoughts. “Very well done, both of you. Katalin, remember our conversation from some time ago? I believe it’s time for us to start with our own attempt. Perhaps it would distract whoever’s watching the Carlisles and help you out a little.” Pausing, he glanced around toward each sibling, meeting their eyes. “For now, there are just the rumors, among them our misplacing our parents on purpose to be at the posts we currently have. Yet I can’t help but feel the Festival may bring more such accusations to the front, and perhaps, either or both of you might be in danger already.”

Not quite knowing how to explain things to make them clear, Jasen walked across the table again, resuming his pacing though he was aware that it was likely giving both his siblings collective headaches. “I need ideas and advice on how to proceed, however, and I would welcome help from Master Llewelyn if you believe him trustworthy, Sebastian. Any direct action might only make the existing evidence, which so far can only be based on our positions at the castle, weaker or stronger, and I honestly know not on how to proceed.” Pausing in his speech, Jasen glanced from his sister to his brother, allowing them to catch up to the information given and perhaps offer any solutions they had right away. However, it was a short notice meeting, he was aware, so perhaps neither of them would be able to do so right off. Still, what they could offer would be helpful in making decisions on which way to thread.

[Lady Katalin de Winter]

Katalin frowned at her brother, watching his restless pace about the room and table. "What foolishness is this? Rumors that we did something to our parents?" Her eyes burned a bright blue with indignant fury at the very idea of patricide and matricide. Had no one any notion of the devastation that wrought havoc on the four children left orphaned? She missed her mother every day, and her father almost as much. "People are actually listening to that nonsense, much less spreading it around?" The thought disgusted her, turning away in an effort to control herself.

She was not certain how to respond to Jasen's request for advice and ideas, despite her counsel to him to play the game. A quiet sigh escaped her, her breathing almost ragged for a few minutes as she forced herself to calm and begin thinking past her anger and the fresh wave of grief that passed over her. "I... distance yourself from Lynesse St. Claire, I suppose. That would be a start. Also, start meeting with the de Vere duchess or Lord Rupert. Few trust the de Veres, so rumors are bound to start over that."

[Lord Sebastian de Winter]

"Wait. What rumors? Who is saying these things? Where have they come from?" Sebastian demanded of his brother before controlling himself. Like Katalin, he was quite upset that anyone would dare to accuse them of such actions. Why would anyone even think that? Sebastian has assumed that the de Winter reputation of being peaceful and quiet was well established in court. Then again, it proved once again that he knew and understood little of its machinations. It made Sebastian feel all the better knowing that it was Jasen's realm than his own.

"Wait," he said, looking perplexed. "Should we even be doing this? I realize that owe our allegiance to the King, but would he want us putting ourselves in such danger? Does he even know what you would like to do, Jasen?" Sebastian was clearly hesitant, he was thinking of the preservation of his family before the honor of serving the crown.

[Lord Jasen de Winter]

Sympathetically placing his hand on his sister’s shoulder, Jasen gave a brief nod. “I fear we stepped into the very viper’s nest that Sebastian counselled us to avoid when we arrived, and now we have to deal with it, sister love. If there’s as much as a speck of evidence to us being behind our parents’ deaths, it will be used against us by those who’d like us out of their way, for it seems your research is getting close to its completion. They, whoever they are, must be getting desperate.” Listening to both of their siblings before speaking again, Jasen inclined his head in agreement with Sebastian’s words. “That is why I hesitate to act just yet. In part, I believe that our best course of action might be to continue as we were, in other, we might try to take some action against them. Brother, all I hear is whispers, for the words are too quiet to be spoken aloud, yet they make me worried. Perhaps I worry for naught, but some of those accusations strike close, as I can see already from both of your reactions.”

Pausing again, he glanced from one to another. “But alliances are needed. I intend to speak with Duchess of Shalefort, and perhaps the others, including the St. Claire Duke and perhaps his children. They might be of counsel, depending on whether they share the belief in rumors or no.” Glancing again from one to the other, he continued in a mild tone of voice which still held a hint of worry. “Perhaps the two of you might speak with your friends, but be careful. The walls in the castle have entirely too many ears willing to listen.” Being one of said ears, though out on the open rather than spying on people, Jasen thought himself usually going past the listening, but sometimes, things said in the relative open were of interest to him as a Duke, and so were listened to with as much curiosity as any other person, though he was careful to conceal such. He wondered whether his siblings would find such a skill useful to have, and shelved to ask once they had time to absorb his words.

[Lady Katalin de Winter]

The shoulder under Jasen's hand was taut with tension as she lifted her eyes to his face. Trust, love and a measure of anger tempered by fear shone in the blue as she nodded quietly, seeing the sense behind his words. Katalin did not like the situation, or the morass in which they found themselves, but as her eldest brother said, whomever sought to discredit them was either the same as the one who sought the King's life or working with that one; desperation led to larger, more broadly sweeping efforts to remove obstacles. "We have done nothing to suggest we had anything to do with our parents' demise, and I don't know that we can live much more transparently than we do.... I am seldom alone," except when she worked in her still-room, bringing a sigh to her lips. It would be too easy to suggest that she was aiding and abetting the King's would-be murderer, now that she considered it.

She blinked at the mention of the dukes, then furrowed her brow. Katalin wanted to object, to counsel her brother keep his distance from them, but he was right. They needed alliances, they needed supporters to speak openly to their respective innocences. Hesitating for a moment, she added quietly, "I've struck up a measure of friendship with Lady Natalie Kendall, who is a vassalwoman of Lady de Vere. Perhaps she might be of some assistance in negotiation with the Duchess." She looked over at Sebastian, curious to his thoughts and reactions.

[Lord Sebastian de Winter]

Sebastian gave a dry chuckle, "I have made a curious friendship with the Crown Prince as you well know, but most of my contacts lie within the University. I do not have many friends in Court," aside from that Lady of Silver, but Samara wasn't a creature of the Courts, either. "I think we may need a courtier of a friend for this," and he looked at Katalin, "Like your Lady Natalie, for example. I may not attend Court, but I have heard of her." Sebastian also thought she was quite pretty, but far too ... aggressive for his personal tastes.

He looked at his brother, then, "I think it's a good idea, though. I don't think we can afford to keep apart from the Dukes, especially if these accusations are flying about. While I believe firmly in facts, what I can measure and prove with my own eyes, I do know the power of presentation. How you present the facts is just as important as having them." Academia had its own games and plays of power, unfortunately. "If you present us in a positive light, the facts will speak for themselves... and for us."