Private Tales At Her Patron's Table

The mage escort her patron sent to help her get to Alliria was not the talkative type. After using the portal stone near Elbion, they arrived in Allir shortly, but still had a carriage ride to Lord Iskandar's estate. Not finding any conversation, Virdalia pulled the curtains of their carriage window back and decided to take a look around the city and ponder all the things she had learned in her first semester at Elbion College. Firstly, she noted upon arriving in the city that the seal on her inner thigh began faintly pulsing. In her engineering courses, she had noted the strange seal pulsating on occasion. Most notably when she crafted her creations and thought to herself that it could be useful to her lord. She also noted that those creations specifically seemed to always come out perfect and operating at peak efficiency.

The seal looked like an exact replica of House Iskandar's insignia brandished on her inner thigh. However, unlike a brand, it was not raised, but rather incredibly smooth and somewhat cool to the touch. Whenever she felt the pulses of energy as she did now, without looking she knew it was very faintly glowing with an amber light mirroring the hue of Petrus's eyes. Its meaning remained a mystery, yet she believed this power could be shaped into something worthy, to allow her to make a creation to honor House Iskandar. Still, she could not ignore how it quickened whenever her thoughts wandered to him, to Lord Petrus Iskandar himself.

Which was probably more often than they should, he had been sending her letters and other correspondence on occasion asking about her progress, learning what she knew, and were generally laced with a polish of formality. Each word dressed in courtesy, yet beneath them lingered something... warmer. Between the lines, in pauses and signatures, desire shimmered. Not yet confessed, but undeniable in each exchange between them. She fantasized often about using the stones to come see him, without invitation, just to be near with him. However, she knew he was a busy man and she herself often had late nights studying for her next examination or meeting with friends and colleagues. So, she never got that chance.

When she got the news that Petrus invited her to visit him in Alliria, she was ecstatic. She had spent the last few weeks thinking about this day and had even gone into town to buy some clothes with her friends for the affair. Under her black cloak, she wore a gown of deep crimson silk, the fabric clinging like liquid fire to her lithe form. She had gained some weight while there and her malnourished form was starting to take the shape of a woman's. This was shown clearly in the bodice of her gown which embraced her figure with a sculpted precision, the neckline daring but not immodest. The sleeves were long and fitted and the skirt of the dress swept the floor. A slender slit along her leg revealed glimpses of her pale skin as she shifted in her seat. The deep red of her gown making her storm-gray eyes all the more arresting like lightning against a burning sky.

"Ready yourself, we are arriving." The quiet mage said brusquely.

As the large structure came into view, she began to anxiously wonder what kind of welcome she would receive from Petrus.



(Image source: social sight)

Petrus Ritus Iskandar

Virdalia sat surveying the area before arriving, stunned at the display before her. Never had she seen such a massive display of wealth and power flourished like this. She knew that the Iskandar family name held power and weight, but to see it in front of her was nearly incomprehensible. Though she had tried to look the part, she still had no idea how to carry herself before these men laden in... wait, was that real gold? Seeing their intimidating military strength on what she thought was full display, she felt herself get clammy with fear. Those swords were just so big, there's no way they could swing them. But in surveying the men, she noted, they absolutely could and would if need arose.

There was just something about the greeting that unsettled her as she couldn't help but imagine the carnage those swords had seen and what it would feel like to be beneath one in her final moments. She fought hard to combat her rising anxiety. She tried to soothe herself with the thought that these men weren't here to kill her, but protect her, they were under the same banner serving the same lord and soon she would be reunited with him.

As her fear dwindled, the carriage came to a halt. With a pang of disappointment, it was not Lord Iskandar who greeted her but rather a quite handsome human man. As her eyes began assessing him, she thought to herself he must be quite the charmer. Unlike the lord's weathered charm and hard edged allure, the man before her was a refreshing type of dashing. His words though, did lighten her heart, home she thought to herself. A gentle smile found its way onto her face as she took the man's hand and stepped out.

She began to wonder what his relationship with Petrus was as he commanded the knights to follow with a natural ease. As they formed around the pair, she took brief glances between the men to survey their arms and weapons with the keen eyes of an engineer. Not to mention taking on the sight of the manor itself as they approached by foot, the imposing structure seemed to radiate ominous energy, yet inspired awe at the mastery of its craftsmanship.

As she began inwardly pondering whether the men's swords were wrought iron or tempered steel, the man remarked on her appearance and posed a question to her. She flushed a bit with embarrassment, she was still underweight but did work hard to present a better figure before arriving here, hearing that acknowledgment though was quite odd to the ears. A bit flustered she answered quietly and briskly, "Yes, t-they're fine..." and she pushed her hair back behind her ear in a sort of shy gesture blushing harder at the fact she stuttered. Scared to find judgment there, she flitted her eyes to him for a moment, but they revealed nothing to her behind his polite smile.

As the man remarked on, mentioning the stay of the Empress-Regent of Amol-Kalit, her back straightened. How could someone so small and unremarkable as herself ever dared to walk these halls, let alone call them her home? She felt like a single note in a symphony far too grand for her. Her heart filled with regret, thinking of how meager she was, how insignificant. Surely, Petrus had far weightier matters to attend to than herself, the thought hollowing her and filling her with doubt.

Eyes downcast, a brief flicker of vulnerability crossed her expression. She quickly masked that with composure as she ventured to the man timidly, "Um... excuse me sir, I never got your name. Also, please, you may call me just Virdalia, the lady title doesn't quite suit me. Are you sure Lord Iskandar has time to meet me today? I can just wait for him if need be, I would hate to take his time away if he has important guests to attend to." Her gaze flickered toward him, wary yet inquisitive.

Something about the man's laugh and the way he mimicked her left her feeling a tug of nostalgia for a life she hadn't lived. His teasing reminiscent of something akin to a little brother. She just listened as he went on with his jovial remarks, her body relaxing. As he nudged her, she let out a genuine soft chuckle, resisting the urge to reciprocate a playful push. Though when he began describing her duties, she once again felt anxiety knotting in her stomach as she fought to remain calm.

Working closely with the Lord when she was still so inexperienced was daunting, to say the least. Her jaw tightened a bit upon the reminder, but there was no room for weakness. She was determined to prove herself, to show she was more than capable and someone worth notice, so she kept her gaze ahead eyes shining with quiet resolve.

As the young man introduced himself, she had the realization that she was very grateful it had been him to meet her. His playful glee warmed her heart, and she thought inwardly that Lord Iskandar was good at picking his people. A man whose easy jokes and disarming smile made him incredibly charming, yet who also bore the immense responsibility of being Petrus's messenger gave her reason to feel hope. Hope that she may yet join him and prove her worth to the House Iskandar.

His compliments made her blush again shyly, she wasn't accustomed to praise and the attention embarrassed her. But when his smile suddenly faded, she caught a glimpse into another side of the man's personality. The sudden shift told her this was important advice, and she decided firmly to take it to her heart and not forget it.

"So, Lord Drystan..." She remarked, drawing out the word Lord to let him know she would reciprocate his formalities in a playful manner and smirked with a light bit of laughter, "Tell me about this place, how long have you been here? What's your story? You walk these halls like they belong to you, should I be curtseying?" Mirroring his sentiment earlier, she playfully nudged him with a slight mischievous smile and laced her hands behind her back, mimicking him now.

"Also, I truly do hope I won't be expected to remember every turn here for some time. I've already surrendered myself to being lost without you." As they entered the grandiose archway that left Virdalia amazed with the design and feat of it, she glanced over to Drystan waiting for his response.

Petrus Ritus Iskandar

She chuckled a bit watching his reaction to her words. As he faked swooning and made his remark about love letters, Virdalia's cheeks heated, "I would hardly call those love letters, and you read them?" She said quietly to herself, making note of that revelation. Still, determined to seem unruffled, she rolled her eyes in mock exasperation, a smile tugging at her lips. No matter how much he teased, she found it impossible to stay upset with him for long.

She drunk in all of Drystan's explanations with keen interest, curious to know more about her patron. At the mention of nature magic, she wondered if that was the cause of that stupor she felt during her presentation as he made the model for her to demonstrate. Had it been on purpose, had he been testing her? Or was it something else..? Unsure, she turned her attention back to the man. As she listened to Petrus's business model, she was struck by how thoroughly it had been crafted, every detail calculated to deflect any potential backlash.

However, the sheer amount of gold needed for those investments must have been staggering, again, she found herself baffled by the thought of it. Her mind drifted to the wineries, she’d have to visit one someday, study the craft, and see if inspiration for her own creations might strike. Then her ears perked at the mention of a spot on the merchant council, and the brief insinuation to keep it quiet. Entrusted with her first secret, she nodded in silent agreement between them not to mention it.

As they traversed the seemingly endless stairs, she could feel her stamina waning, yet the man remained completely unfazed. She was used to running all over a manor, albeit not one of this size, so she held herself fairly well but still found amazement in his complete ability to maintain his demeanor as they ascended. Standing before the study door, she couldn’t help but think she would have placed hers on the ground floor if only to spare herself such an exhausting climb.

A tremor of nerves coursed through her, leaving her skin damp and clammy as she braced for whatever awaited her beyond the door. She felt disheveled and all the thoughts she had been pushing away came running back into her mind about what Petrus would think of her, of her appearance and her capabilities. Yet when Drystan adjusted her dress and smoothed her hair with a brotherly air, she managed a warm smile, "Truly, thank you for your escort, I look forward to working with you greatly and hope we can meet again soon Lord Drystan." His playful wink drew a giggle from her as he walked away, but as she turned to face the door the weight of it pressed in on her again.

At the command to enter, her heart lurched, and she swallowed hard, hands trembling as she reached forward. As the door swung open, a wave of warmth from the fire washed over her. The faint scent of parchment and ink lingered in the air, carrying her back to long hours spent studying at Elbion. Timidly, without yet looking at the man she knew would be waiting for her, she turned around and closed the study door. Avoiding his gaze, she dipped into a low curtsey, unintentionally letting the folds of her gown fall open to reveal a flash of her pale leg through the slit as she spoke. "Thank you for your gracious extension to me, my lord. I am wholly grateful to be in your manor, and am ready to begin my work."

She couldn't help but think about the time they had spent together at the gala, and a deep blush spread across her cheeks, still struggling to meet his gaze. Rather than take a seat, she wandered over to the double doors and stared down into the courtyards below, leaning lightly against the frame. "You have a truly remarkable home Lord Iskandar" She murmured, voice tinged with awe, "From its design to its grandeur, you never cease to amaze me."

Petrus Ritus Iskandar