Take the Mask Off

[Kaiden Dellario]

Vireron City. Although much smaller and quieter than North Eldridge, it should come as no surprise that it is full of just as much hustle and bustle as it's larger sister city. The center square did not house any fancy fountains or statues but focused on being a place for the people themselves to gather. Lined with businesses around the edges and down many a main street, packed with shops and stalls, the city square was always busy and loud, full of local families and business owners, flooded with farmers showing off their produce and livestock. There were a few benches and planters with neat, if slightly wild flowers as a buffer between the road and the shop fronts where most of the people walked. Above the cobblestone streets, old brick buildings, and steep rooftops, the lush green of the isle wrapped snug around the city, a constant reminded of the farmlands and woods beyond.

Often, it was frequented by citizens of the upper class. Those looking for a 'quiet' retreat from the politics of North Eldridge, some visiting family, others exploring the novelty and 'rougher living' of the people of Vireron. Undoubtedly many returned to tell dramatic tales to their peers of how they slept in an inn or saw massive herds of sheep guided through the streets.

The sun had just about reached it's zenith, the distant warmth that had been missed for so long drawing out quite a crowd.

Elyscia Demarais

[Kaiden Dellario]

Compared to North Eldridge, Vireron 'City' was hardly a city. Compared to home...it was just about right. The capital of Ithias might be a bit more...grand in some ways being as it had a castle, but it was just as small and lush and full of similar people. Perhaps that was why he kept a small estate close to here and not closer to the main city. It reminded him just a little of home.

Kaiden wasn’t entirely sure what to make of his first meeting with Elyscia. He liked her. She was charming and sweet, beautiful and bold (maybe a little too much for her own good but he liked that hidden fire). Whether she liked him...he wasn’t certain, though she seemed to like him enough to write back and promise to meet him. That was enough for now.

While he had been busy reestablishing connections and getting back into good standing in the Savatier army, he hadn’t directly spoken to the woman. In the interim, he had written a few letters to his...fiancee. He hadn’t wanted to seem too...overbearing, but he had wanted her to know he was thinking of her. Were his mother here, she would be talking of marriage already, so he was actually quite glad to avoid that. He hadn't mentioned the arrangement to her when he had been home since things had been so uncertain but now...well, if today went well enough, he would have to write her of it, if just to give her something more positive to obsess about.

Today, however, he had finally managed to get some personal time that aligned with that of the Lady Elyscia, and after arranging it in their letters, invited her to meet him in Vireron City. He hoped they could visit the tea shop, and enjoy the sights of the simple city. While still a bit nippy after Yuletide, with the bright sunshine as a balm, Kaiden found he quite enjoyed the crisp outside air and the growing hint of spring.

He’d brought his gift from the jewelry shop with him, though after his conversation with the owner, found himself less and less sure he should give it to a woman he had only met once. Miss Savatier had suggested it was quite a handsome gift. Kaiden didn't want to set an expectation that he was seeking to buy the young noblewoman's affections or that he would buy her jewelry on every occasion, he simply hoped it made her happy.

The foreign duke waited in the central square of the city, sitting in one of the benches and watching the crowd as various farmers and merchants and shoppers went about their day. As he only lived a short ride away, he had taken his horse and had the black mare tied to the back of the bench where she seemed also content to watch, though he had had to waver her away from lipping his hair a few times.

[Elyscia Demarais]

Elyscia hadn’t received Kaiden’s last letter to her. She hadn’t even bothered to check the deliveries for the last couple of days, because she wasn’t expecting anything from him. Not only because of the words she had last written to him, but also because it seemed to take longer than a couple of days to receive his letters. She wondered if he had even received hers yet.

After she had placed her letter in the outgoing deliveries, she thought about her words and regretted them further. She had been too rude and bold and spoke her opinionated mind so openly when she perhaps should not have. She was quite sure she had come across as offensive, and regardless of whether she was engaged or not to him, it wasn’t like her to speak poorly to anyone. But when she returned to take back her letter, it was already gone and out of her hands.

She did her best to keep everything out of her mind by keeping herself busy around the palace. Sometimes it helped, but whenever she would catch a glimpse of the ring around her finger, from him, she would remember the impending date and needing to face him after what she had written in her letter to him. Not to mention, she was nervous as it was just to be spending time with him.

When the hour drew closer, Elyscia stood in front of her mirror staring at herself. Her stomach twisted in knots and she was beginning to question if this was a good idea. Did she really have a choice in any of this? Kaiden seemed so sure in his letters that this was what he wanted. How was he so certain and confident about everything, when she was so doubtful, hesitant, and nervous? Why would any man wish to be with a woman like her? She was too opinionated, too headstrong...Boring, and there were plenty of other women in all of Elysium that made for a more suitable wife than she was. Nevertheless, Elyscia told Kaiden she would give him a chance, and she was never one to really go back on her word.

She finally got herself ready after stalling for far too long. She left her hair down, placed the necklace from Kaiden around her neck, and dressed in a dark blue gown speckled with a silver floral design. She decided to wear boots under her dress because it was still cold out and mud season was approaching. She threw a cloak over her shoulders just as she was leaving the palace and got into a carriage that would take her to Vireron city.

The ride seemed to take forever, and the more time that went on, the more nervous she got. Her mind raced with the various things she thought to say--things she wanted to say that she rehearsed over and over again. Her fingers twisted subconsciously into the fabric of her dress, and several times she looked out the window to see if they were getting closer.

When the carriage finally stopped, she took a deep breath and released it in a long, steadying sigh. For a moment she sat there, trying to gain the courage she needed to leave the carriage and walk to the city’s central square where several situations came to mind: She would be the first to arrive and she would wait, either for him to not show up where she would become horribly disappointed in herself, though completely understanding of him, or it would be the opposite, and he would arrive, and she would need to face whatever awkwardness or confrontation that might unfold between them. Or he would be there waiting for her, to which she would feel horrible for, because of the nature of her letter and that she had told him she would wait for him, and not the other way around.

She smoothed the skirt of her dress out as she walked quietly down the path that led to the square. And then she saw him, seated on a bench, looking around as he waited for her. Her heart immediately sank but shortly after began to thump wildly in her chest. He couldn’t know how nervous she was feeling--she needed to be her usual, confident, strong self.

Another deep breath escaped her as she pushed forward and finally approached him, forcing herself to smile warmly at him, though she imagined some of her nerves showed through on her features. “Lord Dellario.” She paused and shook her head slightly, correcting herself, “Kaiden… Please forgive me if I have kept you waiting too long… I had hoped to arrive before you.” Her fingers curled into the fabric of her dress at her sides as she fumbled nervously, not really knowing what exactly to say next. Her gaze shifted downward at the ground before she spoke again. “I--” She inhaled another breath, trying to steady herself. “I would like to apologize for my deeply opinionated and cruel letter…” She hesitantly looked back at him, and then continued to speak, her words coming out in just one breath, “It was so very wrong of me and you did not deserve it and I do not know what had gotten into me, and I should have torn it up or stopped it from getting out, but I was too late and I am honestly surprised that you are here-- if it were me, I would already be on my way back to Ithias and-- and…” She inhaled quickly before finishing her sentence, “And I won’t blame you if you never want to see me again… I do appreciate that you came here to at least tell me that, if that is why you are here.” The corners of her lips twitched slightly and she looked back down, not really wishing to see his expression at the moment. She felt mortified.

[Kaiden Dellario]

Kaiden certainly hoped he wasn't waiting in vain. He preferred to think a lot more positively of people. Considering her last correspondence with him had been to the affirmative, he hoped to see her. Even if she hadn't received his reply, he didn't think he had said or written anything to express he wouldn't want to see her.

He wasn't entirely sure how long he was waiting, but time being as imprecise as it was and the fact that it was a much longer ride for her than him, he didn't pay too much attention. He glance up at every passing wagon and carriage, though most were far too simple or local transports to convey a proper lady. It made the arrival of the carriage rather conspicuous. He stood as she descended the carriage and made her way to the square, a hesitant smile on his face. Hopefully she wasn't expecting him to be so eloquent with his words in person. That was always a downfall of writing.

"Lady Demarais," he greeted in turn with a half bow, mirroring her more formal language a bit awkwardly considering they had made it past that. "Not at all, Elyscia," he said gently. She seemed nervous and he struggled for a moment to figure out how to amend that feeling, but while he debated internally, he could tell she was preparing for some sort of explanation. He could only hope it wasn't about her delay in arriving, because she looked lovely even after a long drive and he was more than enamored with her choice of dress.

To hear her explain the letter was...both reassuring that she wasn't so vain but also...more awkward. Clearly she hadn't received his reply before she left. Frankly, he was a little indignant that she thought she was the only reason he was here, and that he did not in fact have other diplomatic or military affairs he was pursuing in the name of their kingdoms alliance. Though he supposed he could forgive her for that since she didn't know him very well. That said, he took an internal step back from the moment and actually felt more amused and empathetic than anything. Had she really worried over all of this the whole way here?

Kaiden stood there speechless for a moment, mouth half open before he had the sense to close it and collect his thoughts. "Elyscia," he had to pause to collect his thoughts and try not to laugh. Not at her, but just at how...ridiculous this all was. "I forgive you," he said, first of all, before he got any further. "Pray tell me you did not spend the entire trip worrying over that letter," he said, taking a half step forward, though he was hesitant to reach out to her, he almost wanted to, just to provide another sort of comfort other than verbal. "I read your letter, and I see no reason for you to apologize except perhaps that I felt you had a lot of prejudice against me for simply accepting our arrangement. I welcome your take on Tresterian society and it's failings, but I was rather hoping we could enjoy today getting to know each other as two people who enjoyed talking at a party." His words were almost hopefully and he held his arm out to her to invite her to walk with him.

"For the record, if you will permit me, you look gorgeous," he added with a charming smile. "Though, I had hoped I would be meeting with the confident and opinionated young woman I saw talk back at the Yule ball." He didn't want Elyscia to feel she had to address that now unless she wanted to, but he was quite willing to listen if she had more to say.

[Elyscia Demarais]

Elyscia stood there silently, her eyes remaining focused on the ground. She wasn’t entirely sure what to expect for a response from Kaiden, so when she heard him say her name, she nearly cringed. It wasn’t until he said he forgave her that she looked back up at him, her brows furrowing slightly in confusion, even more so when he asked if she had been worrying over her letter the entire trip here. “I…” She smiled sheepishly, slightly embarrassed, and nodded. “A little?” She breathed a small laugh and shook her head, standing still as he moved closer to her.

As he explained that she had nothing to apologize for, she relaxed slightly. Until he accused her of having a prejudice against him. She pulled her head back slightly, her brows lowering deeply as her expression clearly read that she was taken aback by his choice of words. Her lips parted to correct him, but he continued. But what he followed with, only fueled her feelings of being taken aback. Trestian’s failing society? She may not have agreed with the way women were treated, but she would not go as far as to say its society was failing. Perhaps he misinterpreted or assumed by her anger as such, but she had not once ever said that Tresteria was failing her or in its society. Regardless, she decided to drop it. Perhaps things were that much better in Ithias that Kaiden saw Tresteria as a failure in comparison.

She forced a small smile and nodded to him, stepping closer to take hold of his arm. “Of course,” she finally said in response to his request that they enjoy the day getting to know one another a bit more. “I think I would like that,” she said politely, but there was still a twinge of uneasiness in her tone.

Elyscia walked alongside him, glancing sidelong to him as he offered his compliment to her. Her smile became a bit more genuine and she looked back down in a failed attempt to hide her smirk and cheeks as they reddening a bit. “Thank you,” she said before looking back at him. “And you look rather dashing, yourself.” He really was a handsome man, admittedly, and she was just fully noticing that now as they walked in the sunlight rather than in the dimly lit castle.

"Though, I had hoped I would be meeting with the confident and opinionated young woman I saw talk back at the Yule Ball." Once again, Elyscia’s eyebrows lowered in a look of displeasure, “as compared to what, my lord?” her words escaping her lips in a sort of defensive tone. Did he not think she came across as confident now? She hadn’t quite given much of her opinion of things yet...but the afternoon was still young. She almost always was a confident and opinionated woman, but it sometimes got her into trouble and she knew it was not always appreciated--especially when Kaiden admitted to feeling her opinions and guilty admission of her first impressions and anger towards him, was considered prejudice.

[Kaiden Dellario]

Kaiden got the feeling he had offended her, but lacking any context or explanation, he wasn't sure how. She had seemed quite upset at someone in her letter and if it was not himself or authority, he didn't understand why she had written the letter at all. Clearly she had had some expectation of him to be not worth getting to know. But if she wasn't going to talk about it, he wasn't going to make her. It wasn't what he came here to discuss with her. She had been the one to initiate the discussion in her letter and she would have to be the one to continue it. He would encourage as much, but not directly.

He smiled slightly as she returned the compliment. He too enjoyed getting to see her out and about in the sunlight. It was perhaps not a proper a meeting but she was even more of a pleasing distraction to look out, especially when she smiled. He didn't say anything further, but clearly he liked looking, even if he was trying to be subtle about it and not embarrass her or come off inappropriately.

That look again. She really didn't seem to like him all that much. Maybe he shouldn't have written so much in his letters or better, not read so much into hers. He was quite confused. "To the woman apologizing to me for writing her feelings down on paper, m'lady," he said. The words came easily enough considering he was just as taken aback as she had been before. Even falling back to using a slight honorific over her first name.

He glanced over at the tea shop he had visited before, not entirely sure if now was the best time for that distraction of not. He didn't have an agenda for their topic of discussion and while he had a rudimentary itinerary, he wasn't that worried about changing things. So perhaps it was best they simply walk first and get accustomed to the air and each other company outside the context of any letters or arrangements. "The forests here remind me of home," he said, a bit awkwardly.

[Elyscia Demarais]

Elyscia had prepared herself in the long carriage ride. She had put up her guard and thought of everything she wanted to say to apologize, but also she had mentally prepared to defend herself. In all honesty, she wasn’t entirely sure why she thought Kaiden would say or do anything that would cause her to have to be defensive, but she barely knew the man and sometimes forgot that he wasn’t from Tresteria.

Part of her was not expecting him to dismiss her apology so easily. All of the words she had prepared suddenly became obsolete, yet they remained in the front of her mind, which may have been why she was so quick to challenge him with everything he said--as if she expected him to say the things she needed to put her guard up for.

After Kaiden answered her question regarding the difference between meeting with the confident and opinionated woman she was, compared to the one apologizing for her words, Elyscia sighed and shook her head. She hesitated for a brief moment before speaking again, a bit calmer and less defensive this time. “I am afraid that I am not always that confident and opinionated young woman… Sometimes it is tiring...and it is just easier to--” She paused, trying to gather her thoughts and think of the right way to explain what was on her mind. “...conform,” she quietly admitted, waving her free hand dismissively.

Her gaze shifted down to the ground as they walked, falling silent once again as she tried to organize her thoughts. As Kaiden spoke, his voice nearly startled her back to reality. The words were so random, that it took her a moment to register them. There was a strange awkwardness that lingered there and Elyscia glanced up at him curiously. He was trying to make conversation, she supposed. Her eyelids fluttered slightly and she forced a smile. “Oh?” She asked, wondering if he would elaborate on his observation. “Why is that?” She had been alive for twenty years, grew up in Tresteria, and she couldn’t say that she had ever been able to wander too deep into the forests. At least not the ones that existed outside of the castle grounds.

Once another silence lingered between them, she spoke softly, “I love my home, though… Regardless of its shortcomings.” Elyscia placed an emphasis on her last word, hinting that she certainly wouldn’t consider their society to be failing, as Kaiden had put it. “I do wish things could change...That I could have a say in my own life, be my own person, and not feel like I should have to conform.--” She shrugged her shoulders. “But that’s not the way things are here...and some days are easier to accept that… While other days, I become enraged by the fact.”

The slightest hint of a smirk played along Elyscia’s lips and she glanced back up at him. “You never know what you are going to get with me, my lord,” She quietly teased.

[Kaiden Dellario]

"Well, I don't wish to tire you," he said, almost apologetically. He knew he had done something wrong, but he still wasn't entirely sure what. "Whatever sort of women you would like to be, I am happy to see her," he added vaguely, glancing at her only briefly, feeling a bit embarrassed about the words he spoke, but he meant them. He meant to be better about showing that too. Less judgemental. Less defensive.

Kaiden hadn't actually expected her to ask a follow up question. Not with his poor attempt at conversation. But since she was clearly a better conversationalist than he was he tried harder. "I spent a lot of time in woods like these. Learning to track and shoot." A lot of hunting, but that wasn't very good polite conversation. "My childhood home was a small manor, deep in the woods, just on the edge of a woodworking village. There's something...comforting about foliage and tree cover. Like blankets," he finished a bit lamely but with a small smile. He'd also spent some time in the castle, but...that building was more of a symbol and a place to gather, not the real seat of people in Ithias.

"Tresteria is a lovely country," he agreed easily. Perhaps he didn't realize that was the something. Or perhaps he did. Maybe he just wanted her to know he liked it here. "A lot more populous than home. Much livelier," he added. It was a lot more exciting than home. Different. But he suppose many people said that about the places they traveled to.

He listened as she continued to express a similar feeling as she had in her letters. the notion that her mood changed frequently earned a smile. "I'll keep on my toes then. "Perhaps someday you be able to be your own person. Wherever you are." Kaiden smiled encouragingly and much more easily.

[Elyscia Demarais]

Elyscia sighed quietly as Kaiden stated he didn’t wish to tire her, in regards to her statement. It was tiring being confident and opinionated at times--but she didn’t mean to make Kaiden feel that he was causing that stress. Her shoulders slumped in a sign of defeat and she shook her head, “No, that’s not what I m--” she muttered quietly but cut herself off as Kaiden continued, claiming she could be whatever sort of woman she wanted to be. Why was that so difficult for her to believe? She forced a small smile and nodded in response.

She fell silent as they walked along, and she listened to Kaiden explain why the forest reminded him of home. It was a bit surprising to hear that the Duke of Ithias grew up in a small manor in the woods, but then again, his home wasn’t Tresteria, she had to (once again) remind herself. The nobles in Tresteria typically relished in showing off their wealth by ensuring they had these large and grand homes.

Her gaze lifted upward towards the sky, glancing at the blanket-like canopy of trees that covered them and she couldn’t help but breathe a small laugh out her nose at his analogy. It was a bit corny, but she appreciated it. Elyscia decided that Kaiden seemed rather nerdy, which could be rather entertaining. “Ah, I suppose you are right--though I can’t imagine it being a very warm blanket.” She lightly joked, equally lame, but she was unsure of what else to say.

As he spoke of Tresteria, a forced smile replaced the soft genuine one. It wasn’t that she disagreed, it was just that she was holding such a bitterness regarding her home, at the moment. She nodded and laughed softly. “Populous and much livelier. I feel like that might be an understatement?” She didn’t know much about Ithias, really, or how it compared to Tresteria, but she could at least assume it wasn’t as overwhelming as Tresteria may have seemed to any traveler.

“As you should,” she laughed in response. Elyscia knew she could be hard to read at times, or unpredictable, but she was intelligent and spirited enough to know what she wanted for her own life and she would fight as much as she possibly could to have that life. She was her own person and should be allowed to be such. If her future husband did not like that about her, then it would never work out between them, Ely was certain.

"Perhaps someday you will be able to be your own person. Wherever you are." His words caused her to pause for a brief moment and she turned her gaze to look up at him. It wasn’t something she had been used to hearing and she wasn’t sure if he was being genuine or mocking her, regardless of how encouraging his words sounded. Elyscia smiled and nodded slightly. “Thanks. Perhaps someday I will.” She returned her gaze to the path ahead of them. “Wherever I am,” she repeated his words before falling silent for a moment.

Various thoughts swarmed her mind in their silence and once it started to become too loud, she finally blurted out the first thing she could think to say. “Could you tell me more about Ithias?”

[Kaiden Dellario]

There were those in Ithias that loved to show off there wealth, even in the royal family. But his cousin and his own family was not one of them. Certainly they had a lot of wealth in land and goods and and even gold, but they took pride in living somewhat smaller and off the land. Which...could be a bit much at times, as with anything but was certainly different from here.

He smiled faintly. "As warm as I could make it," he said easily. They were both a bit uncertain he gathered, but that was the point of doing this before taking any more serious steps. "But even in the cold it is comforting, warm or not." He smiled again. "Well, the capitol is quite busy, lots of trade and festivals...but in the country where I am from it is much more...quiet." He wasn't really sure how to explain in the moment. But even where his home was was a decent ride from the next or the closest village. Time seemed to move...slower.

Kaiden was quite serious about the joke, and he was glad she seemed to understand he meant it. At least he thought so. It was still hard to tell. He took another step when she paused, turning to look back at her. Had he said something wrong again? When their eyes met he didn't look away from her or say anything, he simply looked at her. Someday. But not right now. He understood and tried not to take that personally. They were still barely acquaintances after all. It would take time for her to believe him and for him to figure out how to best support her.

He moved slowly ahead again to encourage them back along the quaint cobbled street. "Ah, of course," he said. "It's a small mountain island, dense with mystic forests. Some of the trees there are so large and ancient, they are revered as spirits." It was not 'magic' perhaps, but certain there was something powerfully serene about the deep forests. "We're craftsmen by nature. Working the land and woods and stone. Most of our buildings are built into the landscape in some way, in tiered earthen homes or even in some of the trees." Though they had a castle and many newer structures that pulled influence from more Tresterian and Aralore architecture. "Is there...something specific you would like to know?"