The Light of Mythos IC

[NeoSeraphi]

"Stand up!" a man barks.

Nonius Legionari looks up from the ground as the powerful orc soldier towers over him, a greatclub stretched out and pointed at his chest. "If I was your enemy, boy, you would be dead right now. This isn't enough. Your puny little legs aren't getting out of the way when I swing. Do you want to wear that armor? Then I suggest you learn to start moving in it!"

He raises his greatclub and swings again, this time barely missing Nonius's skull by a hair's breadth. "Are you even going to fight back? I guess it's true what they say. Small blade, small -"

"Are you quite done, Linnaeus?" a voice asks coldly. The orc freezes up and drops his weapon. He turns and bows politely. "Forgive me, my Lady. I did not see you enter."

Spoiler

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From the kitchen, Lady Felicia Legionari steps out into the courtyard. She gazes over at her son with concern. "Nonius, my dear, you simply must show some improvement soon. Else, I fear your father shall see little point in continuing these lessons."

She folds her parasol and holds it in front of her, touching the ground like a cane. "Honestly, have neither of you stopped to look at the clock? We have quite a busy night ahead of us."

Nonius had nearly forgotten. Tonight, there was a gala being held at the Presci estate. His elder sister, Cersi, and her fiance would be the guests of honor in preparation for their wedding next week. He needs to put on a good show of things.

[hannahbbug3]

Nonius gets up from the ground, raising the visor from the helm of full plate Linnaeus had insisted he try out. Told him it would build his strength, make him more of a real knight, like his father was. Nonius is pretty sure he'll need a can opener to get out of this armor. He nonetheless manages a stiff, awkward, clanking bow to his mother. Lady Felicia had married into the Legionari house from House Imblase, and she hadn't lost any of her grace and beauty which that upbringing had given her, even after having two children. Nonius is especially conscious of that fact as he fumbles to take off his helmet. Blond hair is plastered to his forehead with sweat, and he lets out a small groan as he feels the soreness in his muscles from the day's training.

"I remember, mother," he insists, though he is internally scolding himself for forgetting. "We were just wrapping up," he says, casting a pointed glare from the corner of his eye to his tutor. The full plate would have to go. Nonius is nowhere near light enough on his feet wearing it. He isn't used to hefty two handed weapons, and he sort of misses his rapier. He doesn't see the point of this war drilling, really, there hasn't been a war for so long, and in times like these, duels to settle differences aren't just about winning. They're about grace and form and... well, that's what Cersi had been telling him, anyways. And she is as skilled a duelist as anyone could hope for. He'd miss her, once she was married and gone to House Presci. He hasn't yet met this fiance of his sister's, and he isn't sure if she has, either - he knows they have been corresponding, and that they've likely been to grand balls at the castle together, but Nonius can't say he remembers the man, particularly. He'll have to make a point of meeting him, tonight.

"I'll be ready. Don't worry," he assures his mother, dipping his head to her again - and nearly falling over. Heaven, but this armor did make him feel top-heavy.

[NeoSeraphi]

Nonius enters his home to prepare for the evening. As he walks down the hallway, he hears a happy bark.

Romulus, his father's faithful pet fox, trots up to him. The fox barks again and wags his tail, demanding attention.

"Have you said your prayers to the Commander yet today? You know that you can thank her for what skill you possess with the blade."

Felicia halts in the hallway as the pair pass by a portrait of Nonius's grandfather. Felicia sighs as she looks up at it, then turns away.

[hannahbbug3]

It takes Nonius nearly ten minutes to get the armor off, and he doesn't have much care for it as he drops it onto the floor of the armory. Once liberated of the metal, he stoops down to pet Romulus, feeling the ache in his shoulders dissolve the longer he's without the platemail. "Of course, mother," he says. "Every morning, just as I was taught," he says. He looks up to the portrait once they're out in the hall, noting the way his mother observes it. "Is something the matter?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Romulus yips and runs around Nonius's legs.

Felicia looks over at Nonius as if she has forgotten he was there. "What? ...No, nothing. Your grandfather...it's still hard to believe he's gone."

The former lord of the house had only passed away a scant three years ago. Felicia and her husband are not too much older than Nonius, with Felicia having given birth to Cersi when she was thirteen and Nonius when she was fifteen. "In any case, you are needed elsewhere. Put on some decent clothes and go see your sister. She's probably having a fit right now."

[hannahbbug3]

"Cersi has never had anything I would describe as 'a fit,' mother," Nonius says, a smile on his features and in his tone as he says the words, nonetheless. He nods and clicks his tongue for the fox to follow him, if he wants to, before heading over to the east wing of the house. This is where he and his sister had their rooms - Cersi's was on the end of the manor, with the most windows. He heads straight there and knocks on the door.

[NeoSeraphi]

As Nonius walks through the halls, he nearly bumps into a cute young human boy with blonde hair. The boy is wearing a white and black suit and carrying a silver tray with a tea pot on it. He lets out a quick gasp and tries to steady himself, but he falls forward. He crashes into Nonius and lands on top of the young lord, with the teapot shattering and both of them covered in hot black tea.

The boy looks down at Nonius, his wet hair matted against his forehead. He blushes and quickly stands up. "L-Lord Nonius! Please forgive me, I wasn't watching where I was going..."

The servant's name is Plaster Blanc, and he is seventeen years of age. He was born in Legionari Manor and has been a servant of Cersi's since he was seven years old.

[hannahbbug3]

Nonius can't help the small smile that appears on his face with he runs into the servant. The younger boy has always been clumsy, and while it used to aggravate Nonius, it's now caused him to develop something of a soft spot for the servant. The boy is always rushing, always eager to please and do his best. "It's all right," he says, pointing at the broken teapot and using his Mending spell so that it reassembles itself. There's still the drink to clean up, but the teapot looks good as new, now. "What's the rush?" he asks.

[NeoSeraphi]

Plaster thanks Nonius for his help and sets the teapot back on the tray. He pulls a handkerchief from his pocket and starts dabbing at Nonius's cheek, looking up at the older man timidly as he cleans him up.

After a few minutes, Nonius is mostly dry again.

"There was a surprise visit to the Manor, my lord. Your father has a very important guest in his study. Oh no...now I have to brew a fresh pot of tea..."

[hannahbbug3]

"An important guest?" Nonius asks, looking absently in the direction of his father's study. "Who?" he quizzes the boy. Nonius could only hope their surprise visitor hadn't had a view of the courtyard where Nonius had been making a fool of himself in training.

[NeoSeraphi]

Plaster gulps and looks around for a moment before leaning in and whispering. "I think it's the king, my lord!"

[hannahbbug3]

Those whispered words made Nonius' shoulders go rigid with surprise and nerves. "Are... you serious?" he asks, his own voice dramatically lowered. Now he really hopes he hasn't had a surprise spectator to his training. "How long ago did he arrive?" he asks.

[NeoSeraphi]

Plaster opens his mouth to answer, but then a loud crash sounds from the hallway behind him. It sounds like a vase or something just broke against the wall.

"Where is Nonius?!" a woman yells angrily. A few servants meekly mutter about fetching him.

Plaster blinks. "Sounds like Lady Cersi is looking for you, my lord..."

Perhaps his mother wasn't joking after all.

[hannahbbug3]

Nonius bristles at the sound of the vase shattering, jerking around and hand going to his hip - like he's reaching for a sword, but there's not one there - before he recognizes his sister's voice. "I've never heard her like that," he says, under his breath. "I'd better go," he decides, hurrying off down the hall to Cersi's quarters.

[NeoSeraphi]

Spoiler

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Cersi turns around as Nonius walks towards her. "There you are! Oh, little brother, I've been so lost without you!" She reaches out and snatches Nonius up, pulling him into a hug as she sobs gently. She pats his head and whimpers for a few minutes before giving him a chance to breathe again. "Nonius, what ever am I to do? There will be so many beautiful women at this gala! All of them will be drawing my fiance's gaze. Those shrews and harpies! If I were the queen it would be the gallows for anyone who even looked at my prince!"

She stomps her seven inch heel angrily. "Well, I will show all of those harlots! I will be the most spectacular sight in the entire kingdom tonight. That's what I called you here for, sweetie. I need your help to look as beautiful as possible."

[hannahbbug3]

Nonius easily wraps his arms around his sister and draws her close when he sees the state she's in. He can count on one hand the number of times he's seen her cry, so this - whatever's wrong must be quite serious. "I'll help you, of course," he promises, taking hold of her hands gently when she breaks their hug. "You look so much prettier with a smile, Cersi. Let's see what we can find for you to wear," he says.

[NeoSeraphi]

"A smile...right." She takes a breath and smiles down at Nonius, looking like her old self again. "Oh, all of these rags are worthless. Purple is so two months ago, but I simply fell for the craze...anything I try on looks outdated and childish on me."

Her room is a mess of outfits, with gowns of various shapes and colors discarded all over the floor. There are streaks of lipstick across the mirror at eye level, likely the result of Cersi getting frustrated and marking over her own reflection. A few hair pins sit on the bed, and two of Cersi's servants dash around the room quietly, eager to clean the mess up without giving her reason to turn her ire against them.

[hannahbbug3]

Nonius doesn't know much about court fashion or trends like that, but he does know enough to help his sister out. "Well, all right, no purple. What about red?" he asks. "You'll catch everyone's attention if you're in red. I know mother has some fabric, ah," he glances down the hall as he hears another crash. Poor Plaster.

[NeoSeraphi]

Cersi's face turns bright red. She squirms uncomfortably for a moment before bowing her head. "I don't...have Mother's...figure," she admits after a few seconds. "There's no time for us to sew a brand new gown out of fabric!"

[NeoSeraphi]

After a few minutes of searching around, there is a knock at the door.

Cersi growls and throws it open, about to yell at whoever is interrupting her. However, when she sees her mother standing on the other side, she instantly cheers up. "Mother! Oh, it's so awful, I-"

"Believe me, my dear, I know exactly what you are feeling right now," Felicia replies with a smile. She hands Cersi a box. Cersi blinks down and rips the top off. She pulls out a bejeweled silver gown and an emerald necklace.

"M-Mother, I...I don't know what to say!"

"I think you have a lot of preparations still to do tonight, dear. Your brother and I will leave you to that."

Cersi nods firmly. "Thank you! I won't let you down!"

She grabs Nonius's arm and shoves him out of her room so she can start changing. Felicia follows with a chuckle.

"Ah...to be young and in love." She turns to Nonius and nods. "Nonius, you might need to miss the party tonight. Your father wants to speak to you. It sounds urgent."