Lady Kreihl Tsitul was well into her middle years, but age merely seemed to be another ornament in her jewelry box. Unlike many of her age she did not use strange dyes and spa treatments to keep the color of her hair so white, grey and light blonde intermingled upon her scalp and through her loose bun. Today she was fairly demure, with short gold and onyx earrings and a lightly padded, high necked and long sleeved butter cream tunic, tied high underneath the breast with a stiff sash of brown and a wide flowing gown that reached the floor. On her chest, just under the collar of the shirt she had pinned a small brooch with her house sigil, the rose, emblazoned.
Lord Hekbel Shik on the other hand could have been making the marriage proposal himself, had Lady Archne not already known himself to be reportedly happily wed with twin youths not yet 15 tides and another on the way. His close cut brown goatee gave him the appearance of a perpetual smile and shallow dimples did not help in this regard. He too wore a high necked collar of ocean blue satin edged with a thin gold trim. His tunic was tied just above the waist with a thin grey belt after which it continued down to his knees. Underneath the long shirt was a pair of black satin pants. Like his counterpart, Lady Tsitul, he had since removed his shoes to enter the Receiving Room.
They were both left-eared nobles, leaders of their houses, and both of them lacked a residual right-ear tattoo, indicating that they were in power of their own birthright. Tsitul, meaning rose had a monochromatic blue outline of petals, a stem and thorns gracing her ear while Shik had a simple outline following the path of his outer ear, making a point at his lobe. Before they were a house, before the peoples of the Outer Crest took over the labor intensive work on the seas, the Shiks were the kingdom that relied more on the sea and her produce than any other. A fish hook might seem mundane in this era, but there was a time when people lived or died by it.
They were guests in this house now, so they waited for leave to speak from its ruling Lady, while they kneeled comfortably on amble floor pads. Zaexyl surveyed the pair. "Tea and a honey stick" she ordered, "for my brother and sister. Under the Red, our bonds are never broken."
The house staff were well prepared to receive a fellow Eirdren Lord and had placed an elevated tray of the required comforts before the guests barely after their lady ordered them. "Under the Red, we are stronger together." they both intoned while all three held up their cups of tea while bending their backs slightly to each other in a bow. The three drank. and set the cups down.
"How can I help you Lady Tsitul and Lord Shik? Surely you come with urgent business to have rousted yourselves so late into the night." the Lady Archne asked.
"Ah but now is the best time to speak," smiled Lord Shik, "for both moons abandon us this night. That is the best time to plan for life's intimate choices."
"My Lady Archne, forgive our boldness, we do not come bearing secrets," Lady Tsitul chided her companion for the night, "We only wish for you to take special consideration of our offers. Surely you have met with many now who would like to keep your bed a little less lonely and provide you with an heir, but our proposals should be of great interest to you."
"Yes," Lord Shik had regained a more serious visage, "My son is young, but so are you my lady, and he will be a man soon. He will be a great asset to you, and if you but say the word, he is yours as soon a you wish him. Johlen is a smart boy and while he is a second son, he has been raised side by side with his twin brother, my heir, and will quickly learn the business of the Archne household."
Zaexyl Archne felt herself relax a little bit. Tedious though marriage proposals are, they are not dangerous until you turn them down. Nothing she said tonight would kill her. It might only kill her in a month, or a tide. Yet it still struck her odd that the two would come tonight rather than tomorrow. They must really want ties to House Archne, unless... she let that thought drift away not knowing where it led.
"He is eager to be your groom as well. He was impressed with your ladyship's confident and powerful demeanor at the eulogy of your late husband. Indeed, he offers a token of his affections should you wish to pursue my offer." Lord Shik called to his groom who knelt silently by the door with the Lady Tsitul's lady-in-waiting. The servant stood up, and brought over a small box. He knelt again side by side with his lord, placing the box at Shik's knees before bowing slightly, standing up, and walking backwards, silently, to his prior station.
Lord Shik opened the box and lifted out a thin silver choker necklace that gleamed in the candle light. Lady Archne held her breath but kept her face as solid as stone. That was no mere offering of jewelry to a betrothed, she was sure of it. She had seen a collar that looked too similar to this one on the creature before, as it lay injured, trying to hide in the woods.
But Reiba refused to let herself panic. If it was nothing more than a necklace, then asking about the trinket could pose no harm, but if it was more than a coincidence, then her very response could damn her to whatever blackmail they were trying to boil her in.
"Many thank to you and your son Lord Shik. You do him great credit and I will have to think seriously on this matter." Lady Archne forced herself to not even mention the object he offered to her now. "But as Lady Tsitul too has made the journey, it is only fair to hear her offer as well."
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