Far from the Madding Crowd [Open]

[Alexis Sapientia]

Timestamp: 33 Aperitus, Summer in the Second Era of the Regency of Milo L'Evienne

One could say that Alexis Sapientia was quite the odd duck, venturing far to the north of the Empire just to be alone...and going to Chelseanna at that. That wasn't quite true, really. He wasn't going far from the madding crowd.

Paxia, the city of peace, had fain had its share after the orcish assault. Now that matters were progressing down south in the Confederation of the Sherian, Alexis had decided that it was time for him to examine how matters were at the opposite end of the Empire. Maybe pay a visit to Arakmat, see how things were.

Chelseanna was along the way, and it wouldn't hurt to do a bit of souvenir shopping. Liselle would most certainly enjoy a few new things.

On the western side of the Piazza del Mare dwells the popular The Marquis and Spider Cafe and Inn. A large sign with a man and a spider hung above the two entrances to the Marquis and spider. The building was white and lined with shadetrees in it's patio area. It stands four stories tall is split into two separate parts- the Cafe and Inn. There were two entrances- one entrance for the inn and the other for the Cafe.

The Cafe

The First floor is dominated by the cafe. Tables were set up outside along the Piazza where people would meet for their breakfast and drink the dark, strong coffee prized by the Chelseannans. The Cafe was clean and full of sound as it attracted a range of people- families, the elite, and it was known as the favorite haunt of the students at the Conservatorio. Every darkening the house band of violins and cellos would play traditional Celsiannan tunes while the famous soprano Ines Piera would sing ballads over candlelight.

Curious people, these Chelseannans. The Marquis and the Spider, indeed. At least they knew food...the feast of the seven fishes had been well worth the trip alone...and the Gnocchi con la ricotta was proving to be quite addictive, that and the Pitta coi pomodori...

He'd been busy poring over the lastest budget figures and troop estimations over lunch, two marines, Saunders, his Alyssan aide, and a navy yeoman close by, to make sure the Imperial Minister of War didn't wander off, get his foot into his mouth, or do some such other faux pas.

The Bicerin was magnificent, and he'd already had four in the course of two candlemarks. Working on his fifth, he'd perused the wine list, and had been pleased to send for 3 Marsala Soleras Riserva, 4 of the Superiore, and 2 of the Fine. This didn't include the 4 Brunello Soleras Riserva, 2 of them Superiore Riserva. Of the 11 bottles of Chianti Fine, 5 of them would find themselves aboard ship to adorn their captain's pracenda tables.

One had to take care of one's own, after all. Never mind what the price was. It was still cheap, no matter how one looked at it.

Wiping his chin and mouth, so did he look around, savoring the warm drink as he held it in his hands, gazing at the peaceful surroundings, wondering why on Telath the whole Empire couldn't be as tranquil as this place...

[Ythri Drega Dun]

Ythri wasn't a spendthrift, but she did like a good meal every now and again. And so, this particular brightening, she made her way to The Marquis and Spider Cafe and Inn. It was, she thought, rather an odd name for an eatery, but aside from that, it looked like a good place to eat.

The half-sea elf sat down by herself at a small table and began looking at the menu. Something not too heavy. Maybe one of these fish dishes that they liked so much here. It sounded like a good idea.

She put the menu down while she waited for a waitress, and glanced around the room. Students, families...and a group of what looked like military officers. Her curiosity was momentarily piqued, and she gave the group a second look. She didn't remember to have seen much in the way of a military presence here in Chelseanna, and it occurred to her to wonder just what it was they were doing here. There were problems in much of the rest of the Empire, that much she knew, but here in the islands, things seemed to be fairly at ease.

It was impolite to stare, however, and so she dropped her head back to the menu. Inwardly, however, she was still curious. Maybe they were here for some kind of routine inspection. She hoped there weren't any problems that she didn't know about, nothing untoward going on beneath the rather idyllic surface of Chelseanna.

[Alexis Sapientia]

A tippler he was not, though he did take note of the whispering that appeared to have emanated once he'd placed his order for the good tipple. Had he been recognized? Possibly not, though it wasn't a remote possibility. He was the Imperial Minister of War, after all, and while he wasn't quite the sort of fellow people set up for their wall etchings and engravings (evidently, his sovereign ad interim, Milo was becoming quite the poster boy), he did seem to get his face and name in the Herald for the recent tragedy that had befallen his wife.

Thank the Gods she lived. Yes, there was that. Somehow it seemed that brighteningly life was very much a tenuous matter, with them mere playthings in the hands of the Gods.

Looking up and leaning back, so did he notice the citizen over there. A little bit like Saraid, but she had this certain...grace, yes, a certain grace and elegance that wasn't lost on anyone with true breeding. Perhaps she was aristocracy? One never knew here, of course. Ieffreon was quite the playground...

[Ythri Drega Dun]

One thing no one had ever accused Ythri of was being incurious.

She looked back at the menu, but she couldn't help wondering what the military folk were here for. Maybe there was something she ought to know about. Or, perhaps, one of them might know something about her mother, the mystery she was constantly trying to solve. It was unlikely, perhaps, but the fact of the matter was that she'd already looked in most of the likely places that she could think of. And at any rate, there wasn't any way to know unless she tried.

Carefully, the half-Theylri stood, pushing her chair back in with her hand. She walked over to the other table, confidence in her eyes. When she was close enough, she gave a broad, genuine smile.

"Serale, sirs," she said warmly. "Is there a military exercise going on? I've only recently arrived in Chelseanna, and I hope there's no trouble afoot."
Indeed, if there were problems, she'd prefer to know about them, so that she could plan accordingly, though she somehow doubted that these men would be eating a meal in a cafe if something were seriously wrong.

At any rate, the gregarious smile remained on her face as she waited for a response. The worst that could happen, she figured, was that they'd politely tell her it wasn't any of her business, which was fair enough. But she did so want to know what brought them here -- as well as whether or not one of them might have the missing information about her mother that she was looking for.

[Alexis Sapientia]

[b]"No, there isn't any military exercises going on...at least to my knowledge,[/i] temporized he with the steady and secure smile of someone who was in the know.

Sipping the Bicerin with relish, so did he beckon her over to the vacant seat on the table opposite him. "Please."

"I'm Alexis." Gesturing the to nearby tables, so did he continue. "This here is Cencoris Johanas Saunders, my aide; Daekins Gruidnh and Hutzu of the Imperial Marines," oddly enough, a pale Rhagrhnd Human and a similar pale Kemite, both with alert eyes, "...Navit Sirinee of the Imperial Navy, my yeoman." The latter was a female of the Silrosian elven persuasion, willowy, and graceful. Saunders was a male human, very much tight-lipped, with a silent intensity that could prove very interesting.

"May I offer you Bicerin, or a glass of wine?"

[Ythri Drega Dun]

She assumed that Alexis had some sort of title, though he didn't seem keen on using it. Someone named Alexis was Imperial Minister of War, wasn't he? Was this him? If so, she felt herself rather fortunate, given that he was offering to buy her a drink and all.

"A glass of wine sounds wonderful, thank you," she said, sliding into the seat that Alexis had indicated. She flashed the grin at the rest of his companions. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you. My name's Ythri." She pronounced the word with a slight roll of the r, a liquid, almost musical sound.

"Well, if you're not here on a military exercise, are you here on vacation?" the half-sea elf asked, a bit teasingly. "Surely you have some kind of interesting story -- if you're allowed to tell me. At any rate, I bet you can beat I'm looking for some family members, which is all I've got to offer."

This, she thought, was both more interesting and more pleasant than eating alone. She was glad to have found these people so friendly, and hoped she wasn't intruding too much on their privacy. Though, people seemed rarely to mind Ythri's company -- though how much of that was simply due to the fact that friendly, attractive women are rarely unwelcome, at least in certain company, was a question to which she was totally oblivious.

[Alexis Sapientia]

"Ythri," exclaimed he, almost like a sneeze, smiling as the wine arrived, and a gust of wind from the sea blew in, ruffling his blonde-brown locks, which he fixed by combing his right hand through his scalp. Fascinating place, Chelseanna; almost peaceful in its surroundings, though the odd murder or political assassination wouldn't seem so terribly out of place.

"A Thelyri...err...Telera, perhaps?" He squinted at first, trying to focus. She didn't look like a spy, though her cover would have been sufficient as one. Sometimes the most learned of spies were the most obscure.

Welcome to the Empire in this second Era of the Regency of Milo L'Evienne, noted the Imperial Minister of War almost sardonically, rolling his eyes at that and shaking his head momentarily, as if a fly had buzzed past.

"So, what's your story? Why are you here?"

[Ythri Drega Dun]

For a moment, Ythri looked at Alexis blankly. Not only had he not answered her question, but he hadn't even acknowledged it. It was almost as if she hadn't said anything at all. There was a short pause in the conversation while she digested this fact.

"Half-Thëlyri," she said at last, trying to be friendly. "Which, in a roundabout sort of way, is why I'm here. I'm looking for anyone who might have some information on my mother, Kiari Dun. She's passed away now, but I know that for a time she lived in Aelyria Prime. I didn't find anyone there who knew her, so I thought I'd look elsewhere. Chelseanna has a Conservatorio that teaches Song, so even if I don't turn up anything here, it won't be a wasted trip."

Ythri wasn't entirely convinced that Alexis was sober enough to remember the name Kiari Dun, even if he had heard it before. But it couldn't hurt to try. And, lest she forget, he was the one buying the drinks here, and so she could afford to be even more patient than usual.

[Alexis Sapientia]

"I knew a Kiara once, also a Telera, I believe, but damned if I can remember what it was she did. I think she was Thane of Taralon several eras back as I recall. Milo was just Consul then."

Silent cerulean eyes made their way to hers, seeking, searching, inquiring. A curious little creature, she most certainly was, and while not obviously a spy, didn't quite look like an adherent of the Fists of Rage. Oh, absolutely not. She was just too tranquil. Harmony was within her soul, and because of it, confidence brought her wherever it was she needed to go.

Interesting how she seemed to be looking for her family as well. That tended to be quite the common thread within the Empire these brightenings, what with all the individuals uprooted by internecine strife, injustice, or just the need to eke out a living.

"Prime, and then Chelseanna, eh? You've certainly come a long way...in some ways, reminding me of me. I used to live around here, actually."

He pointed southward, towards the Sodality of Carmelyn.

"Thereabouts. Just east of Arium, but I live in Prime now. It's a long story," explained he, before finishing yet another serving of the Bicerin and regarding the empty vessel with what looked like sadness.

After a period of silence, which he spent absentmindedly rolling the cup around with his finger, so did he look up.

"Wait...if you will forgive me...you did say you were a half-Thëlyri, right? It might be good to likewise work with your father. What do you know of him?"

Alexis found himself leaning forward, suddenly getting intrigued.

Perhaps this had possibilities. It certainly got his attention away from border skirmish scenarios with the Xet and the outlanders west of Arakmat.

[Ythri Drega Dun]

Ythri nodded. She had come a long way, though perhaps even her journey was rivaled by that of the man sitting across from her. It didn't much seem like a story he wanted to tell, and Ythri was polite enough not to press the issue.

At Alexis' mention of her father, however, she couldn't quite suppress a laugh. It wasn't a mocking laugh, but a silvery sound of girlish amusement. "No...it isn't like that," she said, a smile on her face. "My father is Niandryn, of the Noble House Ilach’nyas. I assume he's still in Trelore, which is where I left him, along with my brother, Vhinn'dreja - Venn Drega. My mother and my father were happily married for many patterns, until her death. But mother was from the Empire, though she didn't much like talking a lot about it, and so I'm sort of on a quest to find out more about her."

She laughed again and shook her head. "It sounds kind of silly, no? Especially since my mother's been gone from the Empire for almost a hundred and fifty patterns. Really, once I didn't find anything in Prime, where she was from, I'm not sure how much I expect to find. But it gives me a reason to talk to people, and to see the Empire. And like I said, I'm studying at the Conservatorio, so it's a good trip regardless."

Her drink had arrived, and so she took a sip of it. She really did have a tendency to sort of rattle on and on if she wasn't interrupted, and so maybe it was for the best for her to focus on the wine and give Alexis the chance to talk. Or, barring that, for some of his entourage to enter the conversation.

[Alexis Sapientia]

The silence was long (), Alexis either busy contemplating that which was just said, or taking time to enjoy the scenery, the conversation, and, well...the moment. There was something about Eunesia, if not Chelseanna, that made the passing of time seem particularly irrelevant; almost as if one could spend one's entire life in this place and not feel the least bit discomfited by it.

Eunesia was a world unto itself. Alexis was liking the possibilities.

"You didn't find anything in Prime, eh?"

Now that was a curious thing, particularly that a lot of people thought the Imperial City as the center of the entire known civilized world, as the powers-that-be (may have) wanted them to believe.

Maybe the old boy didn't want to be found?

...then again, with the Imperial Government, they always had ways.

The grin he gave was eerie, in retrospect.

[Ythri Drega Dun]

Ythri gave a slightly sad smile in return. "No, nothing. I suppose perhaps I didn't know who to ask. But like I said, it's been a hundred and fifty patterns, and a lot has changed in Prime since then, what with Julos, and then the Ancient Aelyrians and all. I might have been over-optimistic." It was a word that could easily be applied to the half-Telera, who was notorious for her insistence on seeing the sunny side of life.

She took a second sip of her drink, and her expression once again became more cheerful. "Here we've just met though, and I'm already rambling on about myself." The girl laughed again. "I don't know much about the military; what sort of things do you do in your job? I'm sure it's not all cafes in Eunesia, though I don't know how much you can tell me."

She had little interest in the military as an entity, but she had a great interest in people; as such, she'd be happy to listen attentively to anything Alexis told her, given that he'd be talking about himself. Or maybe he would. Ythri had already noticed that the man seemed disinclined to do so, but it was going to be a short conversation if Ythri was the only one doing the talking.

Well, maybe not as short as all that, given the girl's tendency to prattle. But the principle remained a valid one. As it stood now, Ythri managed to restrain herself from saying anything else, taking another drink and giving Alexis plenty of time to say whatever it was he wished

[Alexis Sapientia]

"We kill people," mentioned he in an almost-teasing vein, hazarding a smile and a sip of his drink before continuing to gauge her reaction, just as a gust of wind came to tousle with his blonde-brown hair, causing him to raise his right hand and brush the same back into place with his fingerss.

"No...that's not entirely true. We defend the Empire from all tangible threats, both foreign, and domestic. Granted, of course that there hasn't been much trouble with, say, the Xet, or perhaps the Kattarians, one could hazard the guess and say that it's mainly the preservation of internal law and order that we're concentrating on, at the moment." Oh yes, no secrets there. Jaedexia, Narim, and Paxia were, without a doubt, a matter of public record.

Eyeing her with a little smile at his lips, so did he grin, a typical Alexis Sapientia grin. This always meant danger, for it indicated that the feisty young man had yet another silly idea up his sleeve.

"A Telera, you said? Ever wanted to join the Imperial Navy? We could always use a few good swimmers." Then again, maybe not. Since she had a great interest in people, it always made good sense to increase the intelligence-gathering capabilities of the Imperial Ministry of War.

Goodness knows how many times they'd been burnt by a failure of intelligence. Look at Narim and Paxia.

[Ythri Drega Dun]

Touché, Ythri thought as Alexis gave his one-sentence summary of life in the military. A flush came to her cheeks; she was embarrassed by the cluelessness of her question. The feeling subsided a bit, however, as the man expanded on his reply.

"The Imperial Navy? No, I don't think I've ever considered it," she said with a smile. She was a singer, a bard, not a warrior, but the simple fact that the question had been asked intrigued her. "I'm not much of a military strategist...as I imagine that you've gathered by now," she added self-deprecatingly. "What does the Navy use its swimmers for? Boarding ships, or invading islands, or some other things that I haven't thought of?"

It took little to arouse Ythri's interest, and it was obvious that she was giving Alexis her rapt attention as she awaited his response. Whether she would act on it was another question altogether, but her curiosity in the subject was real.

The girl took another sip from her glass. It was better than whatever she might have bought would have been, that was for sure. Ythri was almost out of money, and would have to manage her affairs carefully in order to avoid exhausting her funds altogether. Thank the gods for the kindness of strangers, she thought, her gratitude mingled with a sort of naive certainty that fate would unquestionably provide for at least her most basic needs.

[Byari]

the only thing she could think about was her wasted effort at a foolish dream and the beauty of chelseanna which surrouned her. she never thought how the world outside her humble small home would be like. bad things such as wars,betrayals of race, and murders made her believe the only life an enclosed person could have was a world of solitude which would perserve serenity. but after all the various events which have happened, this way of thinking was lost. yes the events may have been small and only consisted of wandering place to place but it was that wandering and searching that gave her meaning. byari thought to herself what better way to start a new by getting your feet wet and trying the fish special at the local cafe of chelseanna. as she browsed through menu byari also wacthed the faces of many people she never seen before. so many expressions and so many features, it all was percieved as artwork in her eyes.
as she ate the fish special the only word that came up to mind was yum.