07.08.3013: Arboren Tour
Summary: Viannea runs into Llacheu in the Gardens of Nora. Tristan joins them and it turns out she's not as familiar with the Arborenin city as the Sergeant would have expected so he offers to show her around.
Date: 07.08.13
Related: None.
Viannea Llacheu Tristan 


Gardens of Nora
While these gardens act as the courtyard between the Heartwood and the Elder Seat, they have managed to obtain a peaceful ambiance despite all the foot traffic. There is a gently angled esplanade that leads up from the Heartwood, interrupted here and there by short segments of stairs. When it reaches the main promenade of the gardens, it flattens out and continues to provide a pathway directly toward the grand doors of the Elder Seat.

Flanking either side of the esplanade are parcels of well-kept garden that are divided by smaller pathways that lead off from the main esplanade. These parcels vary between thick carpets of moss and forest flowers to clusters of wild roses to a very small orchard of fruit trees that bear red apples and pale peaches in the summer. Natives and visitors alike are encouraged to wander throughout the Gardens of Nora — named for the first High Lady of Arborenin, the daughter to Hugh Arboren — but there are also Arborenin guards who equally frequent the area.

07.08.3013 Afternoon

It started out a rainy night that lead into a misty morning. The sun has finally burned off the mist to leave the gardens sparkling if a little humid. There seems to be a tea party of some sort with regal ladies meeting in the gardens to socialize, a few musicians strolling to entertain. A typical Arboren wearing a compound bow with quiver of arrows stands to one side to listen to someone playing a harp. Llacheu's actually on duty watch so his grey eyes continue to skim over those who are moving through the gardens, though he's not wearing his armour at the moment. He subtly moves his head as something comes over his ear bud but as it's not for him, he keeps his place, watchful. It's a pleasant enough duty, restful, compared to the more demanding exercises of the past weeks.

A figure in leather and satin enters the gardens, unarmed but unescorted despite that. Viannea takes her time, not rushing once she enters the gardens proper, her pace slowed to what can best be described as 'meandering'. One of the fruit trees eventually draws her close to where Llacheu keeps his watchful guard, her eyes lifted upward. "I wish…" she half-whispers to herself, "that I could have one…" after noticing one particularly delicious looking specimen growing upon a low slung branch. She refrains, though.

Tristan arrives from the The Heartwood.

The slender, dark haired Arboren archer turns his head when the woman arrives. Llacheu catches at least some of her whisper to herself, his grey eyes to slip from Viannae to the fruit up in the tree she's admiring. Bold perhaps, he simply turns and reaches up to pluck it from the branch - carefully, so not to bruise it, then offers it to her, "Unless you have a dietary restriction that forbids it, the gardens are here for all our visitors to enjoy." Wait, should he know her? Something about this woman's face is familiar if he can place it. A very faint thinning of his mouth as he studies her, "Sergeant Llacheu Ancanthus, pardon my manners."

There is a gathering in the gardens of Nora, a tea party for the ladies to enjoy it seems. Or perhaps some birthday of a child, who knows? A few musicians stroll after the morning dampness has burned off, playing instruments softly. Everything is laid back and festive in a relaxed manner. Viannea has meandered out to stop by a fruit tree near to Llacheu's position where he had been listening to a harpest playing who's seated on a bench in a small clearing.

The offered treat gains Llacheu a smile and a bobbed head in thanks, Vi's eyes sparkling. "I didn't know it was allowed but I will definitely keep that in mind for the next time I come to visit. Thank you." The fruit - a peach - is held gently in one hand but not bitten into yet. What she does do is introduce herself since Llacheu has done so himself. "Viannea Peake," is the name given without the titles. "Pleasure meeting you, Sergeant."

Stepping out from the direction of the Elder Seat itself, it would seem Tristan has just woken up, as he looks a bit tired. Stretching as he steps outside, he blinks a bit at the people present, looking around a bit carefully now.

Llacheu inclines his head and places his arm over his heart to quietly salute her, "My Lady, Sir." Yes, he's connected the name with the face now. Nothing overly stiff and formal other than to pay his respect to her, for the titles she did not provide. Llac looks up at the tree and steps once to reach up and remove another of the fruit, "Better they be enjoyed than gather upon the ground. The bees can get nasty if they are left to rot." He examines it, doesn't mind the small blemish from some past insect that healed over on the fruit, then takes a bite of it. The harpest plays on, an ancient tune with nimble fingers that carries over this part of the garden softly. The archer looks back to Viannae, "I'm surprised you haven't been here many times. Surely you have?"

Viannea shakes her head, the smile growing by leaps and bounds. "No need for titles while we're just visiting casually." Of her entire family she's probably the least likely to be concerned about formalities of that nature under all but the most formal of situations. "You're right," she adds but not before taking a bite, the sweet fruit causing her to hmmm in pleasure. "It would be wrong to let such wonderful fruit go to waste." Tristan is caught out of the corner of her eye but isn't greeted yet. "I do think I might've been here as a child but my duties as a squire kept me busy. I didn't allow myself much in the way of recreation until recently."

Tristan makes his way further into the area now, shrugging a little bit as he reaches for a water bottle he's carrying with him. Taking a sip as he looks around, he heads over in the general direction of where Viannea and Llacheu is, but doesn't greet them at the moment.

The bowman has noted the direction of Viannea's glance and sees Tristan for himself. Llacheu bows his head, "My Lord," because of course he knows the members of the House he serves, even if he's not really met them on a conversational level. A glance between the two nobles, "I will remove myself if you have business to discuss, my Lady?"

"Oh no. I am not here on any offical capacity today. Just merely enjoying some sightseeing. Please stay." Vi waves to Tristan, inviting him over. "Good day, Lord Tristan," she calls out without raising her voice too much. "I do hope you have been well."

All right then. Llacheu's offered due courtesty so he takes another bite of the peach in his hand. When his mouth is clear he says low in his baritone, "I'd have thought you'd be busier recently, what with the Hostiles arriving." That seems to be directed to Viannea.

"My lady," Tristan greets Viannea, offering her a bit of a smile, before he adds, "I'm well, thank you. I hope the sights are to your liking." Offering a smile to Llacheu as well, "Sergeant."

"We've all been busy, yes. Makes finding down time all the more important. Helps one get rid of stress." Vi smiles at Llacheu. When greeted by Tristan she bows her head respectfully. "The sights are stunning. Sergeant Llacheu has been very pleasant company as well which makes the experience all the more wonderful."

Llacheu might raise his dark brows slightly at the compliment Viannea pays him, quite unexpected. He finishes his peach and bends down to pick up a dry leaf to roll the peach pit into before slipping it into his tooled leather belt pouch. He'll plant elsewhere, later. "Well, I could offer the my lady a tour, if it has been some while since lady Viannea has visited Arborenin. If it pleases you, Sir." The last 'Sir' being directed to Tristan himself.

Tristan smiles again as he hears that, "I'm glad to hear that, Lady Viannea. I hope all is well at Khar-Mordune as well?" Nodding a little bit as he hears Llacheu as well, offering him a bit of a smile now. "If the lady would like that, it sounds like a good idea," he offers.

Viannea considers the offer before nodding, her piece of fruit forgotten for now. "I would like that, Sergeant. I do believe I have time for a tour, if you'd be as so kind. Lord Tristan will you be as so kind as to join us?" The peach is finally remembered and swiftly devoured afterward, Viannea's enjoyment of it causing the normally-polite Lady to forget her manners for as long as it takes for her to finish it off.

When Viannea has finished her peach, Llacheu offers a hand to take it for her without explanation, only a leaf to fold it up into neatly. The harpest has stopped playing, speaking to someone else while she rests her hands. It's getting a bit warm in the gardens but the humidity may be dropping such that it will become very pleasant once more by evening. "I trust you have seen the Elder Seat?" That he asks first, "There is the Heartwood of course, where the shopping district lies. And the observatory platform above where the bonfire festival was recently held?" Llac fishes to see if Viannea has a preference which direction to explore first.

"It would be my pleasure," Tristan replies, with a bit of a smile now, listening to the others now. He doesn't say much more at the moment, as he looks between the others, as he waits to hear where they will be going first.

It doesn't take long for Vi to decide after Llacheu lists off some options. "Shopping district would be great," she all but yells out. The tomboy of the Peake household rarely allows herself to do so, it usually being something she allows the staff to do for her, but today? Well, just consider it an unusual day for her.

Llacheu smiles at them both, "Excellant. If you weren't from around here I'd say our wares are a bit quaint and old fashioned compared to the big, fancy cities, but we pride ourselves on finer handmade natural crafts than any, save maybe the Vale. But you both know that already." He chuckles and turns to lead the way leisurely towards the winding stairs and bridges between the great trees that will take them to the Heartwood.

(they leave the gardens and walk into the Heartwood)

Viannea slides easily into place next to the guard who is nicely-and-dutifully showing her the sites, her pace kept to match his as well as Tristan's. "I don't mind old fashioned," she quips easily while she looks around, her expression pleased. "Unlike some, I prefer my… trappings, for the lack of a better word, simple and natural." As they approach the shopping district Viannea's footfall slows, her gaze drifting to a storefront's window.

The array of shops are varied, clothing, jewelry, fine imports in one, handmade bowels and cabinets locally crafted in another. Street vendors play music, sing, offer freshly made food or drink on the spot with free samples for the pass crowd and especially for the children, a willowy girl sells whistles made from the nuts of ancient trees, cleverly carved and oiled to a sheen while an older man peddles herbs and tobacco. That last one catches Llacheu's eye.

"If you see anything here you'd like to go and look at more carefully, by all means do so, my lady. There's a very good dressmaker there," he points out, keeping his baritone lilted with the accent of the mountains low in volume, "A sweets vender there, teas and fruit juices there should you thirst, preserved meatery over there, this man here sells some of the finest herbs and tobacco you'll ever seek to find. And that old woman over there is an astounding silvermith, she and her husband."

All sorts of sounds and smells mingle here surprisingly pleasantly, mixed with the earthy scent of the trees and forest all around them, leaves softly whispering amid a few birds singing. Light dapples down through the canopy, here and there like dancing motes.

A small gaggle of children, ages less than 10 years, come running through giggling and laughing as they play tag. A girl runs smack dab into Tristan and almost falls down, then beams a smile up at him and curtsies, "Sorry m'lord!"

When Llacheu speaks her attention returns to him and Viannea blushes a bit. "I am fine for dresses right now, Sergeant, but perhaps I'll come back and have one made for me." Not that she ever really has occasion or desire to wear gowns, as she's told Michael in the past, but who knows. Maybe she is 'growing up' and becoming a lady finally.

As the children run by she smiles and watches them only to then right the one who just ran into Tristan. "Careful there," she laughs out. "You might hurt yourself or others if you run into them. Watch where you're going." The kids are sent on their way with a wave from Lady Peake but her attention has already drifted upon smelling some kind of meat being grilled just down the way. It gets her stomach to growl loudly much to her embarrassment. "Perhaps something to eat is in order?"

"My brother pinched me!" The young girl explains to the pretty lady. Llacheu reaches out a hand to ruffle the child's hair, "Then go pinch him back, Maggie. You're faster than him, but do mind where you are going, lass." The little girl dashes off and while Viannea is momentarily distracted by the smell of one of the food vendors, Llac fishes out some money to slip some of it to the herb seller, "Give me a little of that northern Sweet Spine, will you?" A bit of pipe tobacco is measured out and the small pouch handed over, "Thanks, Masthus." Who replies something like, 'Of course, Sergeant'.

The tobacco is discreetly tucked into his already full belt pouch, peach pits and a pipe taking up most of the small space there. Llac returns his attention to Viannea, "Certainly, my lady. I'd be pleased if you let me treat you. Though mind you, that meat roll seller there, makes a mean, spicy roll that isn't for the timid."

Smiling as he moves with the others, Tristan keeps relatively quiet now, before he adds, "And there's also a few other very good vendors here, including an excellent baker." A brief pause, as that girl almost falls down. Reaching out to steady her if needed, he smiles, shaking his head a little bit. "Don't worry about it. Enjoy your game." Spoken quite lightly as he watches the children play for a few moments.

Viannea's instinct is to argue and offer to pay for the gentlemen instead but something keeps her from doing so. What she does allow herself to do is gracefully accept Llacheu's kindness as well as his suggestion. "The roll sound delicious. I would love to give one a try." She then turns slightly to watch Tristan's reaction to the kids. When she seems him smile and send them on their way she laughs, her good mood getting the better of her. "This is so much fun. I can not begin to tell you both how much I appreciate you coming out with me."

Llacheu is pleased that Viannea accepts both his offer and challenge. He looks to his lord Tristan, "I'm certain you're familiar with the fare here, Sir. Likely you know this vendor well - be glad to treat you as well. Not like I get the chance, much. House Arboren takes care o' all my needs so I nae be lacking." He leads the way and unless Tristan would rather have something else or declines, Llacheu asks for three spicy meat rolls, his own extra hot with lots of vegies.

It would seem at first that Tristan has the same instinct to offer to pay, but after a few moments, he nods a little bit. "If you want to, I thank you for the kind offer, Sergeant. And we take care of your needs with pleasure, since you are doing such a fine job in our service."

The roll is bitten into as soon as it is paid for and handed to her, Viannea not waiting to test the gastronomic waters by taking a small nibble first. It takes a second for the heat to truly take hold and two second after that for her to start coughing, her face now red and her brow beaded with sweat. It'll be a bit before she can talk, too. Wow. Llacheu was not kidding.

"Thank you, Sir. Don't get to play guide much, except as a Scout 'n that's nae the same thing." Even so, he's keeping a sharp eye out. Those children aren't pick pockets but he watched them all the same, in case the girl was an intentional distraction. Llacheu accepts his own hot roll and is mindful not to dig in too fast lest his burn himself. He inclines his head to another vendor, "Good drink there." The Sergeant pays the little bit owed to the meat roll vendor with a decent tip.

And then Viannea is coughing her poor heart out! Llacheu looks startled, makes certain she's not choking, then skips asking the stupid questions if she's all right. He firmly but gently pushes past the meat roll vendor to jog a few quick steps and buy a cold drink, one made of sweetened taro root milk that'll cut the heat well. A moment later he returns with it, "I'm so sorry, my lady. Try a sip of this to ease the spicy heat."

There's a brief pause as Tristan sees Viannea's reaction to the spicy food, and he can't really hold back a grin, although it's quickly covered by himself taking a small bite of his roll. "You okay there, my lady?" he asks, after a few moments, before he nods a bit as he sees Llacheu's quick thinking now.

"I am fine," she croaks hoarsely, Viannea's voice coming back to her enough to hopefully reassure the others that she's not dying. When Llacheu brings the drink she hurries and grabs for it, the drink then all but guzzled in her need to put out the flames. The taro milk does its trick and soon she's standing up right, cup in one hand and the roll in the other. "Gods, that is spicy," she grunts before laughing, the scorching of her mouth and throat unable to remove her of her ability to see the humor in just what transpired. "Thank you, both of you."

Llacheu looks a little meak for what happened, "He makes them without being so spicy if you want a mild one, my lady. I didn't think it was spicy enough to be bothersome." He did ask for his own extra hot. The color high in her face is kind of nice but he distracts himself by taking a bite of his own food. Which he's used to, so it's not terribly hot to Llac. "Is yours all right, my lord?"

Tristan smiles as he watches for now, looking a bit relieved when it seems the lady's doing better. "Quite spicy, but also rather good, isn't it?" A brief pause as he hears Llacheu's question, he nods a bit. "It's quite good, thank you," he replies, before he takes another bite now.

Viannea blinks once at the men and then down at her roll, her nose wrinkled and her brow creased as she thinks. "Maybe I got yours by mistake, Sergeant Llacheu." She holds it out, offering him a bite. Maybe he'll be able to figure out if that is indeed the case or not. She's really hoping that's what happened as it's explain her explosive coughing fit and be a lot less embarrassing for her. A quick look is given to Tristan and she can not help but to smirk. "Don't you go laughing at my pain, Lord Tristan."

"Ehm, yes, that's likely." Llacheu accepts it and the meatroll vendor who's perceptive of making a sale and not offending the nobility both, slips the Sergeant the subtly requested milder meat roll. "Thank you. As I have already taken a bite of the one I was given, here is a fresh one, my lady." And now Llac has two! He folds his own up and tucks it into his belt, then tries the one that Viannea originally had. "Yes, I think you are right, my lady."

The archer turns and looks to see what else might amuse his guests. He points out the girl playing one of the nut whistles, "If either of you are fond of hunting dogs, or falcons, you might care to view her wares. She makes clay, nut shell, and antler whistles of various kinds. Also some made of bird bones. Folk high up in the spine often use'm to call back their hunting animals for visibility may not be good when there's often a mist." As Viannea will know, being from the higher elevations herself. "Some of the whistles we can't even hear, the but animals do."

"Please forgive me for laughing, my lady," Tristan replies, with a momentary smile now, bowing his head a little to the lady. Nodding a bit as he hears the rest, he smiles, as he continues eating, a bit quietly.

Any sneakiness between Llacheu and the vendor's missed by Viannea who is busy taking another bite, this one much smaller. The milder meat is not about to burn a hole in her mouth and throat and she finds herself actually able to relish it. "Hmmmmm. Now this is very good."

A second bite is taken as she looks towards the whistle vendor, her eyes widening. "I would love to look…" Drifting off, she heads towards there, nodding absently to Tristan. "It is alright. I don't mind a good laugh at my expense," she eventually says.

The meat roll vendor is pleased to hear Viannea likes his food. He smiles and bows his head until they move off to see other things.

Llacheu mouths the word 'thanks' back at the fellow and then goes over to see what the whistle player has made. She has wonderous things laid out upon the table over a mix of brightly colored local weavings as well as animal pelts, which are also for sale. Whistles are carved into fanciful animals, swirls of wind and leaves, some set with precious or semi-precious stone, others more rustic and simple in materials, oiled and smoothed. All of them are affixed with thin leather or horse hair loops to slip a wrist through, tie to a belt, or to wear around the neck with slider beads to adjust length or to remove the bindings. Llac idly starts to look them over, then picks up one that's more like a flute than a whistle. He makes no attempt to play it, setting it down after a moment. "She carved the tuning pegs for my lute."

Tristan follows after the others, keeping silent as he listens and watches the wares now. Every now and then glancing around at the rest of the area, but all in all focusing on the vendors.

The bone whistles are pretty but not picked up just in case some kind of faint scent lingers on them. Would be bad if that were the case as Viannea's falcon might pick up on it and not like it. What she does pick up are a few whistles made of nut shells and wood and pays for them all. "My brothers might like them," she explains with a smile. "Especially Aidan. He seems to like all kind of nature things." A bag is given to her and she puts them inside, the bag then taken. "Thank you." Shopping done for now, she finds a quiet place for the three of them to stand so they can talk. "You play, Sergeant? You should play for me someday… if you'd be of a mind to, of course."

This time the Sergeant doesn't buy anything and stands aside to finish eating his meat roll until he's licked his fingers. Llacheu wipes his hands and tucks the waste paper bit into his pocket to dispose of later. "Me? Aye, a little. Not winds though, only the lute. I'm not very good, my lady. My talents lay elsewhere." As they are outside, he draws out his pipe from his belt pouch and starts to stuff a pinch of the new tobacco into it, "Mind if I smoke? I won't, if it'll bother either of you. Shifted ended a bit ago."

As he listens now, someone comes by with a message for Tristan. Frowning a little, he nods to the man, before he turns to the others. "It seems I have some business to attend to now. I hope you both will excuse me?" Waiting for a few moments more, before he hurries off.

"I don't mind…" Viannea starts to say but then a coms device cheeps at her, causing her to look at her wrist. The time is noticed and she sighs, shaking her head. "Looks like I need to go as well. I do apologize. But I do hope we can do this again Lord Tristan. Sergeant Llacheu. I do hope you'll both be well until then." And like Tristan, she too turns to depart.

"Of course, my lord. A good day to you, Sir." Llac fills his pipe and waits to see if Viannea wishes to go and see the observatory if she's finished shopping here. Instead he gives her a nod, "Enjoy your evening, my lady. It's been a pleasure. Don't forget to see the observatory some time - it's best on a clear night when the stars are out and the humidity is lower." When they both move to depart, Llacheu turns to start meandering towards the local pub. He'll light his pipe, first.

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