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Post by Laena Pyre on Sept 11, 2018 23:19:51 GMT 1
Audience with Shiera Seastar?: 6d6k5 +5 from Virtue 23 Pass Laena sighed in relief as she sunk beneath the waters of the secluded hot bath she'd picked for their meeting. Not just for the relief the warm waters give her, but also for the concealment it gave her stretch marks around her stomach. She had some more at the base of her breasts, but from the fact she had fewer, they were much less noticeable, at least now they'd all mostly faded. Meeting in a nice, relaxing, warm bath had seemed like a great idea to get the other woman's guard down when she first came up with it. She hadn't quite fully realised at the time that it meant exposing her body, which Sylvina, and to a lesser extent, Lander, had run roughshod over during her pregnancies, to that of arguably the most beautiful woman in the realm. She was not someone who obsessed over how she looked compared to others - she was plenty attractive enough for her to love herself - but even her self-image was not invulnerable. The warm water, while helpful, couldn't settle her nerves entirely. Lady Shiera Seastar was beautiful, intelligent, learned, a master manipulator, confident, charismatic, and, at least according to some rumours, utterly ruthless. In Laena's eyes, she really was the perfect woman. However, admiring her wasn't the same thing as being willing to sit placidly by while she used Aerion as a disposable pawn in one of her schemes, as Laena gathered Shiera was considering at the art appreciation evening. If Shiera was set in her course, Laena wasn't entirely sure what she could actually accomplish - self-sacrifice wasn't really her style - but perhaps she could do just enough to ensure they both got through this with nothing worse than bruises, metaphorical or otherwise.
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Post by Father on Sept 12, 2018 18:15:44 GMT 1
Shiera Seastar is indeed a beauty, old enough for her body to have fully developed, but young enough for age to have left any mark upon it. Her smile and demeanor would have disarmed any without a strong will to keep their guard up. "Sister, to what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?" |
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Post by Laena Pyre on Sept 12, 2018 19:45:14 GMT 1
"Sister." She greets her back respectfully, switching to High Valyrian partly to emphasise their kinship, and partly to hopefully confuse any eavesdroppers. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me.
"Just as my fullbrother always looks out for potential physical threats to my person, do I look out for potential social threats to his. And I've had a growing dread that, should you be on the lookout for a competent yet disposable plaything, and be unwilling to consider either of your usual two playthings disposable, you may feel that one had been served up to you on a very fine platter. And I was hoping you would be willing to put my dread at ease." After a moment, she adds. "To be clear, it is the 'disposable' part that concerns me. I am not some killjoy who objects to people having fun."
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Post by Father on Sept 13, 2018 16:07:12 GMT 1
"And what makes my lady think that I would even consider to cast away such toys as may or may not be mine to play with?" By the sound of it, Valyrian is probably her mother's tongue, but with a slight musical tint to it not quite fitting the articulation of the Targaryens. She does a very good job at feigning innocence, as if having no idea as to what Laena is talking about.
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Post by Laena Pyre on Sept 13, 2018 18:30:50 GMT 1
"Because you are my sister." she replies bluntly, with a subtle emphasis on the 'my'. "And because you can replace your toys trivially. Though personally, I would use the word 'expend', rather than 'cast away', as you would, I am sure, make good use of your toys. For as long as they last."
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Post by Father on Sept 14, 2018 14:44:36 GMT 1
"Because I am your sister?" She repeats and dwells on those words. "Do you expend your toys?"
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Post by Laena Pyre on Sept 14, 2018 19:19:57 GMT 1
"I am part of a minor house filled with nothing but honourable, good people." Her voice carefully neutral. "I merely do what is necessary to protect them from dangers they are ill-equipped to deal with. You, however, play on a far grander scale. Men who shape the realm gather around you like moths around a bright bonfire atop the highest hill under a starless night sky. The stakes you wager are far higher, and I know not your goals or motivations."
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Post by Father on Sept 15, 2018 14:43:26 GMT 1
"But what about those outside your house, Marq Durwell, Bryce Bridges and others?" She cocks her head to the side. "Do you not play with them?
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Post by Laena Pyre on Sept 15, 2018 20:45:37 GMT 1
Laena raises an eyebrow, and gives a small smile. "I play, certainly. But Lord Bryce is a big boy; he knows what it means when a young single lady shows interest, he's seen the dance many times before - and its variants. He's just happy to be reminded of the steps." She cocks her head back. "And he likes to show off. Lord Marq?" She trails off slightly, and sighs somewhat wistfully. "We play." She looks across at her sister. "Maybe you have the power to make him your plaything, but that is beyond me. He's more than capable of taking care of himself."
She straightens, with a smile. "No, if I really wanted a plaything, I wouldn't look to old men who knew how to dance women into their beds for longer than I've been alive. Nor would I look to the fascinating and cunning Players. No, I would look to the young. The ambitious. Those who feel they have something to prove. Not heirs, but those who will be passed over, for whatever reason." She looks her sister in the eyes. "The Hungry. No man is harder to move than he who wants for nothing. And no man is easier than he who wants it all."
She shifts herself to look her sister straight on. "Not that you need to limit yourself to easy targets, by any means. But were one to throw themselves at my feet, and I could use them to advance my interests, I would do so. The choice between the well-being of my family, and the well-being of strangers is no choice at all."
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Post by Father on Sept 16, 2018 11:05:27 GMT 1
"It also occurs to me that some of these young hungry men might rise to feast at the table where he so desires a seat" Shiera seems to find Laena's words quite fascinating. "Some are like candles burn so fiercely that one must savor their light and warmth while there remains wax to consume, others are like lamps that can shine for a long time if only supplied with more oil. The former one can only enjoy while they last, the fun never ends with the latter."
"It would be careless to break a toy by overuse before I know how long the fun would have lasted otherwise."
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Post by Laena Pyre on Sept 16, 2018 15:23:44 GMT 1
Something Shiera says makes Laena pause in thought for a good few moments, hiding the conflict within between two fundamental drives, before finally responding. "Well, then. I hope you will find my brother as interesting as I do. Should you decide to meet properly."
She's reminded of Ser Balon's earlier words to her. 'We have to let them grow up and stand for themselves eventually'.
Another, darker, part of her thinks back to the moment that Lord Brandon threw her mother, defenceless, in front of the King. Only this time, her great-uncle wears her face.
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Post by Father on Sept 16, 2018 23:26:20 GMT 1
"I much prefer interesting people"She plays with a strand of hair, mostly she has done as best she can to avoid getting hers wet. "Don't we all?"
While it's likely that Shiera and Aerion would have spoken, it's not been much of that on camera and not any discussion about what might have been going on off-camera, so I'll have to assume that she doesn't really have much of an opinion on him yet.
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Post by Laena Pyre on Sept 18, 2018 19:46:43 GMT 1
"I do, certainly." She nods. "Another reason I'm so glad I had this opportunity to talk with you. You are welcome relief from the tedium of so many others I've had to endure this tourney." With every word, Shiera seemed to Laena more and more like a perfected version of herself. Part of Laena was drawn to Shiera,
part of her was repelled. Part of Laena wanted to insinuate herself into Shiera's life, steadily working to narrow the differences between them;
part of her wanted to run screaming, and never cross paths again. Part of Laena wanted to kiss Shiera - not soft and gentle, but dominating, leaving her breathless and wild-eyed;
part of her wanted to trip her up and drown her in the bath, looking into her eyes as she ceased struggling, acknowledged her death, and slowly went limp. It was, to put it mildly, a strange experience. But all of her agreed that she did not want this woman as an enemy.
And I think that's a good point to transition to an Intrigue. Just looking to Charm her. Hoping to do well enough that I can at least get +1 Disposition from Yield. Between the Devil - Intrigue Initiative: 6d6k5 17ID: 13 Base Composure: 12/12 Between the Devil - Start of Intrigue - Deception (Act): 6d6k4+2 18 +1 ID / DoS vs Awarenss (Empathy)
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Post by Father on Sept 19, 2018 16:23:24 GMT 1
"And we are blessed with so many interesting siblings, no? Her mismatched eyes studies Laena's own intently, can she sense her inner conflicts or is this just some little trick used to make others thinks she already have seen through their secrets so that they grow complacent in what to reveal. "Aside from bedding us, our brothers all tends to have this one thing they want more strongly than anything else." She pauses, as if mentally listing them up. "Sisters? The wants of sisters wants are so complex that it's truly interesting, except the one that has the simplest wants at all, a most delightful lady, but no great mystery. Certainly not compared to what I have here besides me" Her attention is undivided, as if Laena is the only thing in the world that matters. "I wonder, sweetest sister, what do you want?"
Laena gets 1 DoS Free Deception: 6d6k4 16 0 DoS Intrigue Iniative: 8d6k5 28ID: 13 Composure 12 Objective: Friendship, maybe some small favors, maybe. Charm: 8d6k5+3 29 looks like 4x4 influence.
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Post by Laena Pyre on Sept 19, 2018 19:50:07 GMT 1
"You flatter me." She smiles, playing her modesty for mutual amusement, rather than sincerity. "While no Lady Ysilla," making an educated guess as to the sister she was referring to, "My primary want at the moment is hardly a secret." She resists the habit of tossing her hair back, since it would just get wet. "I seek a husband that won't bore me." She gives a theatrical sigh. "Between that and most nobles being unable to point to Starkwood lands on a map of the Reach, for all that they'd have a reasonable chance of hitting them with a thrown dagger, it is a matter that requires serious attention."
Take 1 Frustration to avoid being 1-shot (4 Composure recovered) Between the Devil - R1 Influence - TN13: 6d6k4+4 25 3 DoS - 12 Influence (8 after DR?) ID: 12 Composure: 4/12 (1 Frustration) I'm actually only 4 Influence behind! If I had initiative, I could perhaps make a go of it, but I'll offer a yield here, while things are still relatively even. Yield offer: Laena increases disposition by +3 (0->3), will look favourably on next favour asked by Shiera (Intrigue probably not required, +1D to Shiera's intrigue if it is) Shiera increases disposition by +2 (1->3)
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