To Speak of Goodwill

Mastery 

''Taking up most of the lower east wing, the mastery of Bloodwood Manor is built with a solemn air. Somber brown oak covers the walls, and the windows are designed to come to a point at the top as they look out into the gardens.''

''On the eastern side of the room, a heavy desk sits, stacked with papers, and with a line of shelves behind it for holding books. A pair of chairs sits in front of the desk, to speak with the master when he's behind it. Nearer the door, however, a small, round table has been constructed, for more personal meetings.''

A few small statues sit in nooks through the room, trinkets or busts collected over time, and a tapestry is placed just behind the desk, depicting the fields around Jade Gardens.

It's quiet in the manor this evening, and Gefrey is sitting behind his desk, frowning to himself as he goes over the paperwork that is piling up on his desk. Currently, they seem to be going from 'pile A that the Duke has not looked at' to 'pile B that the Duke has not looked at' as he thinks.

A faint tune can be heard whistled from the hall, the source of the sound becoming more apparent as Duke Norran Lomasa ambles into the mastery. The tune gentle fades away as he takes notice of Gefrey, the Lomasa's lips quirking into a grin as he bows his head toward Gefrey. "Light's Greetings, Duke. I hope I'm not intruding? I quite understand the annoying matters at hand once you've been appointed."

Far from appearing put off by the Lomasa Duke's arrival, Gefrey actually appears to be a bit relieved at the excuse to stop shuffling around papers. "No, not at all," he says, giving Norran a nod in return. "These are relatively small matters, to be honest. I will look into them a bit later tonight, I believe. Have a seat, Duke Lomasa." He gestures to a nearby chair as he starts combining his unread piles.

A hand reaching up to undo the clasp at his neck, Norran removes his cloak as he approaches the offered chair, bowing his head once more as he takes his seat and folds the cloak neatly into his lap. He glances toward the parchment, giving a chuckle before commenting sadly, "See that you do, because it'll never. Stop. Growing. Even more reliable than the setting sun. Such matters aside..." pauses Norran, his expression turning jovial again as he grins at Gefrey. "I believe you wanted to discuss something with me? Sought my advice, perhaps?"

Gefrey's smile shifts a fraction. "Yes, yes there was," he says, leaning back in his chair. "Like you said, business always piles up. I have been listening to the criers lately, and what others are saying. I wish to speak to you about old wounds between our Houses, and of Northreach."

"Hm? Thought you, would, eventually. The truth of the matter is any troubles House Lomasa has ever had with House Seamel and House Nillu has been quite entirely in the hands of their respective Dukes and Duchesses," explains Norran, breathing a slight sigh as he leans back in his chair. He relaxes visible, propping up his chin with a spare hand as he leans against the armrest and continues the conversation, "I know you're an honorable fellow, I've known it since you got into that situation with one who was once my kin and I think I've proven as such to you even when you were a Baron as I once was. With Duhnen, his wife was usually the center of that conflict. As much as I tried to make peace with my sister, she's prone to irrational fits and seems to think there are no real consequences to anything she does in this world. She wasn't always that way, however, but she's far removed from the little sister I protected during our youth."

"Duhnen is an honorable fellow as well, but unfortunately, he seems to have no willpower at all when it comes to his wife. He seemed to agree with absolutely anything she did, didn't even offer a glimmer of an apology when she threatened to gut my squire or the amount of times she's thought it necessary to threaten or lunge at people with a dagger. Throughout the entire time they've been wed, he's watched over and covered her. It's because of her that he had to relinquish his former position of Justiciar so he could be home for their children. I do not begrudge her that, of course, but she seems to have not had any respect for the man's duty whatsoever and continued to take advantage of his hospitality with no sign of remorse. Opposing anything my sister did was akin to opposing him - and when the sake of Houses are on the line, your personal feelings should have nothing to do with your duty."

Norran shifts from one side of his chair to the other, his voice calm and relaxes as he continues his explaining to Gefrey, his tone growing somewhat sadder. "As for Sahna...my personal relationship with her is entirely my doing. I wronged her quite gravely in the past and I doubt I'll ever forgive myself for doing so, and she's hated me since, and rightly so. However, she let this cross over into her dealings with our House. I eventually found it impossible to reach any sort of agreement with her as she seemed determined to oppose me at every turn. During a council meeting, she even once went on a rant of my supposed stupidity, right infront of all the others. In truth? I'm quite grateful that you've replaced the both of them. From what I know, you're a very reasonable and honorable fellow, and I'm quite glad I don't have to have my House suffer for personal squabbles."

"Well, I hope that we don't have that problem in the future," Gefrey says simply, picking up a quill and twirling it in his hand. "I'll admit, I have had quarrels, but they have not been with you." He smiles and extends a hand. "We can let the problems of the past be just water under the bridge."

"Oh, you don't have to worry at all! I quite trust you completely, Duke Driscol, quite as I had with the Kahar's last Duke before they merged. Between him and I, we shared our experience in the Blades although he was far older than I. Between you and me, I can see many similarities between the man you were before you took this position and the man I was before I took mine," cheerfully replies Norran, beaming a smile at Gefrey as he reaches to clasp the other man's forearm in a hearty shake. "Honestly, we've always gotten along quite well with the Seamels and the Nillus before the trouble with the Duchy. My own mother is a Nillu, my first wife a Nillu and my Aunt a Nillu. I spent some amount of time as Steward of my Aunt's keep in Hawk's Aerie," fondly recalls the Duke Lomasa, the young nobleman giving a grin toward Gefrey as he returns back to his seat.

"This in itself, however, is a shame to me. Now that you arrive and my duty is suddenly tenfold easier, it's at such an inopportune time. If only this could've happened a year ago. I'll share something with you that only a select few in my family and whoever the Prince of Blood has chosen to tell is aware of: I will not remain among the Duchy long. No, my time has passed as one of the two original members of the Duchy that were proclaimed among the upset nearly a year and a half ago. As we speak, I came here to meet and congratulate you as my one of my final acts of the Duke of House Lomasa before I seek a possible replacement. A position has opened that I'm far better suited to than this arena of politics, and I've decided to graciously accept. I'd tell you the specifics, but honestly, I'd much rather not ruin the surprise!"

Gefrey blinks, and claps Norran's arm in return. "Moving on?" he asks. "Well, congratulations, I think, and good luck in your new position." He smiles warmly before reclaiming his own arm. "I do look forward to hearing of this, I suppose, and of hearing who your replacement will be."

"Thank you very much, your appointment is the only thing that's made me regret the decision, honestly. I was looking forward to finally repairing our ties and working with you, but I'm certain my replacement will do so in my stead. A woman most likely, I'll forewarn. Not my wife," Norran explains with a light chuckle, hands resting on the armrests again as he quirks a brow at Gefrey. "My apologies for rambling...but you also mentioned Northreach? Is there something the matter with it?"

Gefrey quirks a small smile. "A few things," he says. "For one, it is far removed from the rest of our territory, and a stretch on our resources to hold, especially as we are looking into developments in our closer lands."

"Hm? Yes, I haven't quite looked at how all the territories have manifested themselves these days. Northreach borders our territory along with Wedgecrest, but both are quite economically valuable. Northreach was quite a surprise, more than just the Lomasas were jealous of that acquisition," continues Norran with a quirk of his brow toward Gefrey. "You're finding it a burden? That's quite strange."

"For us, it is on the opposite side of Fastheld, if I could remind you," Gefrey says with a small smile. "Quite literally - we are stretching ourselves, and I never knew of many Seamels who went there. To be entirely honest, our southern holdings are stronger for us these days - trade in the kingdom is more steady, for everyone, and more likely. The Aria provides an easier path between us and the wild city."

The Driscol Duke puts down his quill. "Northreach, however, still does hold some benefit, but this benefit is much more likely to be felt by those who are near enough to exploit it. There is good land around the city."

Norran still appears to hold this all to be slightly dubius, blinking somewhat as he peers toward Gefrey. "Are you saying what I /think/ you're trying to say? If you are, I must say, I didn't think my immediate impression would be so successful," replies Norran, his grin returning faintly. "Or, perhaps, I've finally gone senile like old Oren."

Gefrey nods slowly, a bit of a wry smile on his face. "Mm, it is a good city, and I am fond of it, but there is much for us to be doing elsewhere. I would offer it to your House, as a peace offering."Long distance to Norran Lomasa: Gefrey tries his best to make this seem like a reasonable, well-thought out strategy rather than something required by OOC fiat. ;)

"Well, that's /quite/ a peace offering. Possibly...actually, perhaps it is best not to refuse a gift offerred by friends. I suppose it sounds wise, as it does border our territory. I'm quite certain anyone sore over the previous Lomasa-Nillu ordeal would be quite stifled after that," replies Norran, his voice still somewhat disbelieving as he glances toward Gefrey. "You've the gratitude of House Lomasa as a whole, I'm certain. There's nothing else you'd request?"

"Anything else? There is one thing, I might ask, in trade for this new city I suppose." He folds his hands before himself. "I trust you listen to the news criers. I am not sure if someone said, or if it was a lucky guess, but we do have designs to rebuild Apple Village - though I believe we will be renaming the place."

Norran gives a chuckle. "Criers? No, I prefer to get my information from tavern chatter. Far more reliable and swift, I've found...but no, I've not heard of it. Much of its original appeal is that it was a freelander village, but I suppose that too must change. Why do you ask?"

"There is a large sum of capital which must be dropped into a project such as this, of couse," Gefrey says with a smile. "I know that you more than likely will not be in office when we do start, but I imagine you will still have the ear of the new Duchy. I ask you for... a word in our favor, and a reminder of Northreach, if we ask."

"I'll see what can be done," agrees Norran with a slight nod and a grin,rising from his chair. "Is there any other matters? I should be returning to meet with my potential quite soon."

"No, nothing more. I do hope you enjoyed your stay, Duke, and I hope to see and your successor about more."

Return to Season 7 (2008)