Dinner for Three (Private Alexis and Liselle)

[Atl Myrsa]

10 of Kalendryas, Era XIV Post Fractrum, Era II of the Regency of Milo L’Evienne

The Offices of the Lord Imperial Magus could be found on the top floor of the Arcane Bureau. The stairs lead to a solid oak door that was rather plain except for a circle in the middle that was divided into seven sections each showing a symbol of a different sphere of arcane. The only other future of the room was a man standing outside of the door. He appeared to be youngish in his twenties and human. The man was dressed in red and black with the crest of the Imperial Magus on his breast. Underneath his surecoat was a set of armor and a blade at his other side. The Guards was the physical defense and the a field against spell casting was the primary arcane defense.

The room beyond was a large and comfortable. The primary feature of the room was a large desk. Made of solid oak there were strange images carved along the sides that from the door were hard to see. The light in the room seemed to mostly be drawn there. The desk itself was clean except for a couple folders that were placed into a pile right next to were the occupant worked.

Behind the desk was a large window that took up the whole of the wall. Images showing the last battle of Diana seemed to dance across the glass. Placed in the center of the large window was a map of the Empire with markings for all of the cities and mountians and major rivers of the Empire.

Two more desks occupied the room. Located next to the door. Situated so that the occupents could look at the main desk these two were also carved from rich oak. One was completely clean and another was covered in folders and papers.

One of the remaining walls was completely covered in book selves. They seemed to be almost groaning from the weight of all of the books. Most were normal sized that one would expect to find any were else. A few were small things, and some were so large children could be squashed by them.

The last wall held a fire place that was currently ablaze giving off light and warmth in the cold winter. Four chairs were positioned around the fire each with a little end table between them. They were richly embroidered with geometric patterns on them. One last table sat next to the fire place with a pot of tea, glasses, and a couple bodels sitting on it.


*****

The entrance to the Bureau was designed to greet visitors. Polished wooden boards covered the floor. On the floor was a soft and large black and red silk carpet that stretched down the middle of the chamber towards the back of the room. Located in the center of the carpet was the crest of the bureau of the Arcane. Either side of the carpet was flanked by a couch made of cherry wood and polished till they gleamed. The couches were also over stuffed and had flora patterns in reds and gold.

At the end of the carpet was a large desk also made of the same polished cherry wood as the couches. The owner of the desk was a young elf female. She was sitting behind the desk filling out paper work seeming to be very bus but as visitor approached the desk she would stand and bow to them. While clearly and elf, she lacked the elven beauty that so marked the race, she wasn’t ugly, but almost plain looking. Her skin a dark grey that was off set by her black hair and light brown eyes.

"Serale Visitor. How may I help you?"

[Alexis Sapientia]

One of the vagaries of life in the service to the Empire was an endless array of appointments. Meetings with ministers, functionaries, factotums, endless politicking, report-writing, and for the bureaucrats, gossip was the coin of the realm.

It could be a tad bit exhausting, but one could be glad that one weathered it with allies at his side. For the Imperial Admiral, Alexis Sapientia, foremost among them was his wife, Liselle, now the Governor of the Principality of Prime.

Time between them had a way of getting lost, but once found, could be so wonderfully marvelous. Like several darkenings ago, when...

The carriage stopped with a sharp jolt, as members of the Amethyst Guard began to take their positions, their officer knocking politely on the carriage door.

"And so, here we are," said Alexis with some resignation, kissing her on the cheek as he did so. He continued sitting there with her, just enjoying the silence, the intimacy, the time away from the fishbowl world, away from the chattering of many, the endless questions of heralders, and the dangers inherent in such.

Keeping her hand in his, he set it to his cheek, and just continued to gaze into her eyes. It was challenging (that in itself was an understatement) to have to run the Imperial Capital and the Principality by itself, and Alexis hated the way work could sometimes take its toll on her, and admittedly, likewise, on him. It was a good thing, though, that there was no lack of quality time between them, no matter how scarce such opportunities could be. He continued believing in the maxim that no word should ever go unsaid between them, and that was one of the strengths of their marriage. No matter what happened, no matter what words would be said, it didn't, in any way, change the fact that they were both blissfully in love with each other.

Removing the gloved hand he'd set on her left hip, and breathing deeply, he kissed her fully on the lips, taking his time, before giving her a very private smile, one that was characteristically Alexis, devoid of all but heartfelt emotion.

"All right, Princess, enough play. Looks like it's showtime."

Outside, an Amethyst Guard had already run up to let the Imperial Mage know that his visitors were on their way.

[Liselle Vampyler Sapientia]

Liselle, for her part, was tired. She knew that dinners were part of the deal and that meeting with Atl was more for pleasure then business, but still…she wished for nights to herself…just to be herself and not the illusion that was the Lady Liselle Vampyler-Sapientia.

Alexis was a social and political beast by nature…so he had grown up with notion that these things were all a part of life. Liselle hadn’t, so things were a little different for her. Especially now that she was such an important figure in Alleria Prime. Personal time was precious…and as much as she wanted to see Atl, she also longed for time alone…just to be Liselle.

Taking Alexis’ gloved hand, noting how amazing he always looked in his uniform, she slowly descended from the carriage in a swirl of lavender silk. Giving him a soft smile, she kissed him softly on the lips. He had started called her Princess…short for Princess of Prime, and while the name was ridiculous, she loved it all the same. It was just the sort of thing that brought a smile to her face. He treated her like a queen and she knew that she was a lucky girl to have his love.

"It’s always show time these days. Sometimes I get tired of the part."

[Atl Myrsa]

One of the pages knocked on the door. Atl looked up from his desk and motioned for one of his secrataries to open the door. The halfling bounced out of his chair and opened the door. The page, one Robar, a teenage human bowed his head towards the Imperial Magus. In reality the two were only a couple eras apparent in their equivalant ages, but the elven life span granting a unique aspectg to it in that it allowed one to have much more experiences then others their age.

"Sir." He said. Atl motioned for him to come it. "Her Excellency and her husband have arrived and are waiting for you at the door."

Atl slipped the last of his papers into a binder and stood up. "Thank you. Richarmos could you please finish cleaning up these files." The more series of the two Richarmos looked to Atl as an example of a organized mage and that a mage could be a politician and mage. A very delicate game. "Lokras could you please inform the cook and servants that our guest are here." He said motioning towards the second door in the room.

The two nodded as the elf bounced on his way out of the room. Atl walked up to the page. "Robar enjoy the rest of your evening." He said touching his shoulder before heading down the stairs. Sam followed in quick step behind him, keeping a couple step behind him. In reality Atl's rank would have allowed him to send a servant or even the page to escort them, but he loved and cared for the young couple to much to insult them.

Dressed in black shirt and pants, his cloack was a deep green that hinted at his druidic back ground. That was something he was getting used to. He was a druid, first and foremost, but he also needed to remember that he was the Imperial Magus, and when he did that he was above a particular disipline.

Atl stepped out the front door and greeted his guests. "Serale my friends it is a pleasure to see you." He said holding out his arms to hug each onces they had gotten out of the carriage.

[Alexis Sapientia]

"Greetings, Your Imperial Excellency," noted Alexis with a readily-pleasing smile and a brighter disposition, presenting his wife to him as he did so.

An embrace, the Imperial Mage could well and willingly offer his wife, the Governor of the Principality of Prime; Alexis Sapientia, the Imperial Admiral, was quite content with a smile and nod, taking his wife's hand formally as he escorted her onwards to the holy of holies of the Imperial Mage's sanctum sanctorum.

"So, how are things on your side of the Imperial City?"

[Liselle Vampyler Sapientia]

Her weariness disappeared slightly at the sight of her friend. Smiling, she greeted him with a tight hug and kiss to his cheek. They had both been in the Imperial city for more then a month but it was the first time they were able to meet.

Such was the life of an Imperial official.

She had so many questions to ask she didn’t even know where to being.

"How –are- you fairing? Alleria Prime can be intimidating. Is Tariel adjusting well? Has she had the baby yet? You must tell us everything."

In retrospect, she realized that it was more the fact that if she didn’t say what she was thinking, it would probably slip her mind sooner then later. A horrible thing yes, but reality. The pressures of her position weighed heavily upon the slender girl and more often then not, she found herself thinking about work issues during social times.

It wasn't acceptable…but it -was- Imperial life.

[Atl Myrsa]

Atl smiled at them all and motioned for them to follow him. "I have been doing well." He said taking his friends arm. "Tariel is doing okay. The baby hasn't come yet, but the child will join us within the next month. Something that we are both grateful for." He said with a smile. "She misses Mystique, and the Forest of Light." Atl did as well and his eyes briefly showed that before they returned to their normal vibrant self. "Luckly I managed to purchase and estate in the countryside with some forest around it. We are happy there." He lead them up the stairs to the third floor.

"Please take a seat." He said motioing towards the chairs by the fire places. "Dinner should be ready in a minutes. Would you like some wine or tea while we talk." He indicated towards a table with the said beverages.

[Alexis Sapientia]

"Either would be sufficient," said Alexis affably, mentally kicking himself in the head for not remembering that this old boy was already married. Making sure that his wife was comfortably seated, so then did Alexis set himself to rights, pleased to be among friends, yet again.

Such a rarity it was nowadays, particularly here within the Imperial Forum.

"It's frightfully far between here and Mystique," noted Alexis in polite conversation, his right hand instinctively finding its way to his wife's.

With an affable grin, so did he continue.

"The reason I say that is because I remember when I was made Imperial Admiral and my now-Princess of Prime was still undisputed Queen of the City of Queens. Frightfully long distances I had to travel, with my work here in the Capital and my wife expecting, and the Gut therein not cooperating at all," grinned he with a little soft caress of her fingers with his. "I ended up sometimes with a cycle in Prime, and two cycles off."

So did he shrug, taking time to admire the Imperial Mage's new digs. "You're lucky, though. Mystique is a good ways far from this madding crowd, and I suspect you've the time and the will to head there when all this" he grinned further, "...gets too much."

At that, some silence, and then he asked another question.

"So...my congratulations. Truly. How's life as the Imperial Mage?"

[Liselle Vampyler Sapientia]

She allowed them to continue their conversation in peace, rising to get herself and Alexis some tea. She didn’t have much to add to the conversation as her thoughts were wrapped around work matters. It was nice sometimes to have a husband that could keep the conversation going without her, allowing her a few minutes with her own thoughts.

After selecting a nice elven blend, she added a bit of cream and sugar and returned to her seat with both cups, setting the first down in front of Alexis and gracefully lowering herself back into the chair.

[Atl Myrsa]

Atl smiled at both of them. "Yeah Mystique is a long ways. I miss the city, but luckly I am able to keep a residance in the city allowing me to vist." He said with a shake of his head. "Luckly as well Mystique is a major center of the Arcane so my job should allow me to visit from time to time."

"The job is interesting. It has been interesting trying to reorganize everything and but it in its proper place. I have only heard good things about the previous occupatant of the job, but he worked by himself. The demands of the empire have changed since then and its been a holiday adjusting to the changes."

"So how are you adjusting to the little ones?"