Private Tales En Route

A private roleplay only for those invited by the first writer
"I may be a queen, but my heart is still wild. So do not fret, a deception would mearly be avoiding my council or other members of court when the mood strikes."

The wind began picking up and Esme had not yet drank enough wine for her body to be warm enough, "Please excuse me while I go fetch my coat."
 
"Well, I don't mind you dodging them, as long as you trust me to keep them occupied. It'll be enough to keep them from searching for you." He replied with a grin, the cool breeze and ocean spray misted over the deck and he noted the shiver beside him.

"Nonsense, let me get it for you." His thumb gave her hand another gentle caress before his fingers worked their way from hers. He then rose to his feet and pulled his gambeson off, draping it over her shoulders to combat the cold while he was gone. It was heavy, would fend off the cold, and bore some of his scent. "Until I return." He still wore his tunic beneath so there would be no indecent moment between them. He then stepped away towards the galley, where her quarters were.
 
"Thank you," Esme pulled the gambeson tightly around her shoulders. Whilst Valdr made his way to her quarters she called over Brandr. "Sir Brandr, do you mind having a word?"
 
"Please, sit down." Esmerelda patted the seat next to her.
"Brandr, you fought at by brothers side and served him with loyalty and honour. I trust you will extend the same honesty towards myself as you would my brother."

"I wish to know what your opinion is on making Wesley the Captian of my personal guard. I thought him the best as he was Raydens second, but then again... he is still very young which is both an assist as well as a risk.'
 
"I'll stand, my Queen." He would say after glancing at the seat. At her request, however, he would nod his head. "As you will."

He took a moment to compose his thoughts. "Wesley is very young, and inexperienced. Like Rayden, you went off of personal connection when choosing. Rayden chose Wesley because he was easy to control. The only advantage to his age is potential longevity, but his inexperience means he may not last long enough for that to pay dividends. He's a good kid, but he shouldn't be leading us. All my other thoughts on the matter are tied to a different conversation."
 
Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar said:
but he shouldn't be leading us. All my other thoughts on the matter are tied to a different conversation."
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"Thank you for your honesty Brandr." She stood up now too to meet his gaze.
"Find out from the others if they feel the same as you, if the vote lies in your majority, I would like you all to agree apon a nominee and I shall take it into consideration. You have until we reach the harbour to decide."
Esme nodded her head in dismissal and went off in the same direction as Valdr.

Brandr had a point. In order for her to become a successful ruler and grow her kingdom. Her decisions from now on had to be political, what was best for her people.
She had become to caught up lately in her own emotions. Esme was never one to put heart before what was right. She needed to re-evaluate, figure out why her brain had been so scattered lately. Was it Valdr? Was she to caught up in her possible future with him and her feelings that she forgot when to separate her emotions from rule?
 
Brandr bowed his head and turned to leave. "It will be done, my Queen." He then disappeared to return to his posting.

Esme would find Valdr as he exited her quarters, cloak in hand. He would offer her a smile. "I was just on my way back. Hopefully, i hadn't taken too long.." there was a pause as he sensed something on her mind. "Everything okay?"
 
A small smile made its way onto Esmes face once she spotted Valdr, "Yes of course," she took off the gambeson he had lent her and exchanged it for her own coat. "I think I am going to retire early, it has been an eventfull day."
Esme hardly looked him in the eyes as she spoke, her mind now in overdrive.
 
His gambeson was draped over his shoulder and he would help her with her coat. "Okay.." he had thought to let her go without another word, but decided against it. His hand would gently take hers. "You can confide in me, whatever it is, I am here, Esme." He then lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her palm. "Good night, my Queen." He wouldn't try to make it so she looked him in the eyes, if she did however, she would see some concern reflected in those golds.

He then released her hand. "I'll be here if needed." If she said nothing more, he would turn to leave, but if she spoke, he would remain where he was.
 
Esme left without another word.
When she woke up the next morning she was greeted by a cold ocean breeze.
Once she had changed out of her night gown and into some warmer clothes Esme found herself on the deck, standing in line, painting waiting for a hot bowl of soup.
 
She left and he felt as if he had done something wrong. He wouldn't sleep that night and instead kept vigil with Brandr and his Wardens. Often through the night, his gaze shifted to her quarters, he wanted to fix whatever was wrong, but he would stay himself. She had been assaulted by a friend, which no doubt she hadn't fully registered and he had no way to help her with that.

Once she was through the line for her food, Valdr would be seated at the bow of the ship. He had at some point changed his bandages and his clothes. He just seemed to be looking out into the ocean and deep in thought.
 
Once Esmerelda got her food she saw Valdr on the opposite side of the ship. Deciding to get a bowlfull for him to she wondered over and sat down next to him, "here."
She gave him the bowl, seeing Valdr was not completely with her she wondered what thought had invaded his mind. "Is everything alright?"
 
Footsteps and a lovely voice pulled him from his thoughts, just in time for a bowl to be placed in his line of sight. "Oh, thank you, Esme." He said lightly as he took the bowl from her. At her question, he nodded. "Yes, just thinking on things I can't likely change. How was your sleep?"
 
"Tossed turned a little. I had a word with Brandr last evening and it kept my mind busy."
Esme looked out onto the ocean, "And what is it that happens to keep your head so busy?"
 
"I see." He mused, scooting over a little and patting the deck beside him. "Worried about you. Yesterday was... a lot.. but I had felt we turned around the ugliness of the morning and then your mood suddenly seemed soured."

He sighed. "I was concerned I had done something irreparable."
 
"Oh no," she placed her free hand on Valdrs forearm, "You did nothing of the sort."

Esmes slowly retracted her hand and peered into her soup bowl as if it had the answers to all her worries.
"I just fear I made the wrong decision regarding Raydens replacement. Brandr expressed that it felt as if he was being led by a child, purly off of personal relationship rather then merit.. and it got me thinking . So I asked him to aproach the others to see if the feeling was mutual and if so, they are to come up with another nominee which I shall consider."
 
Valdr looked somewhat relieved by that and set his bowl down. "Well, that's the problem with having protectors that are younger or the same age as the one they're protecting. You're exchanging experience for longevity, at least a risk of it during the early years." He would muse. "Brandr is the oldest.. and he's still younger than me."

He sighed. "Maybe we make some changes to how the Routen military operates?" He would offer. "See if there are things we can improve on?"

Esmeralda Sophia Le Roux
 
Changes? As far as she was concerned there was no probablem when it came to them.
"What exaclty is it you wish to change about my warriors Lord?" A slight change of tone, almost growing hostility was clear in her voice.
 
"Rayden alone, is proof you can't have every guard raised at the same age as the leader. You need actual experience mixed in, so maybe two or three veteran warriors and the rest can be the same age. It ensures that most of the guard will age with their king or queen and also ensures they will have experience to help mold them.. to keep them in line." He would say, his tone level. He noted the hostility, noted it and knew it was misplaced.

His gaze shifted to look at her. "The Captain of your guard.. tried to force himself onto you, Esme." His tone was quiet so none of the others could hear, but there was worry in his tone. "It wasn't a younger member, it was the leader.. An older Captain would have curbed that, nipped that in the bud. And they need to have families. If you are their sole focus, it runs the risk of them developing feelings, which compromises the unit. I understand that these are traditions.. but the tradition just backfired. I am not trying to erase your traditions.. I'm just offering suggestions as someone from the outside looking in, someone who cares about the future of this kingdom."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "What if we do marry and one day we have children.. or you don't choose me and go with someone else.. what you decide today ensures that they or their descendants never experience yesterday? Is that not worth changing it?"
 
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Esme was taken aback by his words.
Her eyes narrowed as she said her next words, "I have  never prevented any of my people from having families Valdr. That is a decision they have made purely on their own."
She got to her feet, "if anybody knows how important family is, it is me, now if you will excuse me."
Esme thrust her bowl into Valdrs hards and without a second thought, stormed off.
She needed to calm down, get fresh air and as much distance from him right now as she could on this floating coffin.
If she decided to stay, get even angrier... she did not want Valdr to see that side of her, not yet, not until their betrothal was secured anyways.
 
When she spoke he was in disbelief. That was her takeaway. "Then Rayden and Wesley were liars in the fact that they said your protectors are discouraged from having families." He had his own temper and when she shoved her bowl into his hand he just tossed it over the railing of the ship. He cursed as she stormed away. Gods she needed to learn how to handle conflict or it would be a short reign.
 
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The next few days on the ship went by quickly. Valdr and Esme exchanged few words with one another and she spent most of the trip in her own quarters until one quite evening came before they would reach land once again. It was already dark and it was late, the only people above deck being the crew and one or two wardens mixed with her own guards.
Alone she stood at the bow of the ship, watching a pod of dolphins seemingly race the ship.
 
They had to make port in a small port town to get more supplies. For the most part, Esme avoided Valdr. He couldn't wait to see how long such occurrences would last once they were married, but he resigned himself to that outcome.

He wanted to marry her and nothing would change that. He had gone to make the purchases and give Esme a chance to stretch her legs on the deck if she wished it. He was just going to give her space and hope for the best.

This night, however, he was up in the crows nest, keeping watch on the boat. Seated inside the nest, he was obscured from view, but if she looked for him, one of the guards would tell her the where.
 
Esme waited patiently for Brandr to come to her with his proposal regarding a new Captian. She had given him until they had docked ship, the time had come and gone and still no word. Had he decided to leave things be and not speak to the others or was he simply waiting for the right opportunity.

An hour or two had passed and the dolphins long gone. Esme wondered around the deck and eventually sucked up her pride, finding one of the Wardens and asking them where Valdr was. She had checked his quarters but to no avail.

"Up in the crows nest." One of them had told her, "Thank you. "

Esmerelda took a slow walk to the ladder at the bottom of Valdrs look out point. Took a deep breath and climbed up.
Once reaching the top she found him among company of another Warden, "Leave us." She instructed.
 
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