(514-06-22) Family Reunion
Summary: Caerdin runs into his older sister in Sarum. They have a chat.
Date: 06.22.514
Related: None
caerdin eleri 


On this fair June day several patrons of the tavern hang about outdoors in front of it and in the yard. A few people look up when a lone female rider draws up by the tavern, herself wearing a light green travel cloak that covers most of her slender frame and head, her saddle bags bulging. She ignores the looks as she dismounts and ties the horse to a beam. Only then does she push back the hood a little to reveal black hair, tied into a practical braid and a pale face in which dark eyes feature prominently. A middle-aged man, who happens to stand nearest, finds himself at the receiving end of a fairly cold look. "I'm looking or Caerdin de Broughton. I've been told he can be found here.", she says without further preamble and the man gestures wordlessly towards the entrance door. She nods a curt thank you and heads on into the tavern proper.

Caerdin de Broughton is to be found here, in fact he is sitting at a table in the rear of the room. It's in a nice little niche that's out of the way of most of the foot traffic in this place and at least affords a bit of privacy. He is taking in a small meal that consists of bread and soup and with it, he has a tankard of ale. It's not what he would normally be drinking at this time of the day but he did need to get a few things out of his head. Especially what happened at Buckholt. When the door opens, he glances up and spots a familiar face. Smiling, he stands up and waves her over.

Eleri sweeps through the room with a look of haughty disdain initially until she spots her brother in his niche. Suddenly her posture changes as she spreads her arms a little and a smile appears on her face. "Little brother Caerdin!", she calls out, approaching him quickly, "My, you've grown up, haven't you?" She wraps him into an embrace, engulfing him with a heady scent of horse and perfume.

Caerdin grunts as Eleri gives him an embrace. Laughing, he wraps his arms around her and pulls her in to return the embrace. "A little. What about you though? You are looking well and it is good to see you after all this time. Here, sit sit. Would you like something to eat? Something to drink?" He gestures to a seat at the table as he takes his own seat. "I will order you anything you like, just tell me how you are doing."

"I'm a little thirsty after the ride.", Eleri admits and once she's released him from her embrace, she does take a seat at his table. "I came here all the way from Grosmont…" She pauses for a moment and her expression of joy in seeing him again fades into a thoughtful look. "Tell me, little brother, do you live here now? Have you taken rooms? Something like here?" She gestures around the tavern with one gloved hand, before beginning to pull the riding gloves off her slender fingers.

"Thirsty? Very well." Caerdin leans over and flags down one of the serving wenches. When she arrives, he has Eleri put in an order for anything she wants and then lets the wench go to it. Glancing back at Eleri, he smiles. "Ah, yes. Grosmont. Do I live here? Not… quite. I spend time here, certainly, but I spend most of my time back in Broughton. As heir there are many duties that father is having me cover to help me prepare for the time when I must take over his role as the head of our family."

Eleri does order a refreshing white wine - "Something decent, not the usual plonk, please" - and settles in to listen to Caerdin. However, her face falls at the revelation that he mostly lives in Broughton. "You're such a baby, living back home with the parents.", she teases, though it comes across not as a joke but as a moan. She plays thoughtfully with her gloves, considering. "Are there places one could rent here?"

"Well, I am the youngest of us, so…" He grins at his sister and points at himself. "I am also the only son, so you know… I got most of the attention. I know, I know, it is all my fault." Caerdin chuckles lightly, one hand toying with the spoon that is in his bowl of stew, stirring it around a little aimlessly. "THere are rooms here you could get, but you could also return home with me. I am sure you would be welcomed home with open arms."

Eleri doesn't participate in his chuckling. She accepts the cup of wine the serving wench brings and takes a little probing sip. And then a bigger one. "I don't think I want to go home.", she finally says, looking into her wine cup instead of facing her brother. "I'm not here on a courtesy call. My husband is dead. I left Grosmont. I… I can't face the idea of our parents plotting another marriage for me. I'm done."

Caerdin considers Eleri's words for several moments, a slight frown on his features. "So things did not go that well in Grosmont? I am saddened to hear that. Well, if you wish to stay here in Sarum, I cannot fault you for that. Very recently Buckholt was assaulted by Saxons." Eleri would recognize the name Buckholt as a manor very close to Broughton. "We pushed them back but more danger could be roaming around out there. My suggestion? Speak to the Earl. Perhaps you could gain a position at court and use that to stay here in Sarum and work towards building a new life for you."

Eleri looks a little worried when he mentions the assault on Buckholt but remains quiet, absorbing all the information presented to her. She doesn't seem to be keen to elaborate further on Grosmont, but she does finally nod to his suggestion. "A position at Earl Robert's court, that is a sound idea, brother. Could you introduce me to him?", she asks curiously, "He may only remember me as some annoying little teenage girl…"

Caerdin spoons some stew into his mouth and swallows it down with a sip of his ale. Afterwards he says, "Of course. I cannot promise a visit very soon, but I will try and arrange something. Oh, and keep an ear to the ground, sister. There are times when he holds open audiences and anyone may inquire about something. If I am not around and such a thing happens, that may be a good opportunity for you. Also, you should try and meet some other ladies around town, perhaps build up a group of friends to spend time with? I can introduce you to a couple of people, I think."

"Anything you could do to help is appreciated, little brother.", Eleri smiles warmly, "I have brought only few possessions with me. Others I shall sent for once I have secured lodgings. For the first nights I expect there are rooms I can rent here? Money is not an issue.", she assures him quickly with the same little smile that seems tacked onto her face, "Should give me time to meet your ladyfriends…. you do have one at least, don't you, brother?", she asks hopefully.

Failed.
You check your Honest at 10, you rolled 15.
Critical Fail!
You check your Deceitful at 10, you rolled 20.

"Of course. You are family, I am always happy to help family. If you find yourself in need of anything, please let me know and I will see what I can do, okay? And yes, we shall get you settled with some rooms." Caerdin smiles broadly at Eleri, quite happy with being able to help his sister. Or maybe to have one of his older sisters come to him for help. Who could say. "Uh, there…" His face goes a little crimson. "There may be a lady I quite interested in learning more about." The words come out slow, hesistant and then something breaks and the words flow out of him very quickly. "IMetHerJustTheOtherDayAndSheWasTheMostWonderfulLadyIHaveEverMetYouShouldReallyMeetHerEleri." He sucks in a breath and tries to calm himself. That was far more than he had intended to tell her.

""Wonderful!", Eleri responds to his offer and suggestion of finding rooms. But when her brother first flushes and then babbles, her eyes widen in surprise and she bursts out laughing. "Awwww, you're in love!" She claps her hands in delight. "That's quite sweet actually. I look forward to meeting your ladylove.", she declares, eyes shining bright - hopefully not with potential mischief. She empties her cup of wine and sets it down. "Well, eat up, let's find a room. I need to store my things somewhere safe and I long for some hot water to clean myself.", she says abruptly.

Love? No one said anything about love. "No I am most certainly not in… love. I just think that she is quite a wonderful lady and there is much I would like to learn about her. Nothing more, nothing less. And please, her name is Lady Aldreda and she is not my ladylove." Caerdin gives his sister a serious look, or tries to. He is still blushing though. "I think I am done with my meal, I do not want to eat too much. Come, let us find you a room then." He stands and steps to the side of the table to offer Eleri a hand up from her seat.

"Not in love, just in lust?", Eleri teases, still amused by his whole behaviour. "Ah well, I still look forward to meet the girl who makes my darling brother blush so." She takes the offered hand and in one fluid movement rises to her feet. "Do they have rooms here? In that case I should fetch my things inside. Though I wonder if there isn't…" She looks around with a slight wrinkling of her nose, "something less basic?"

"Of course not, I try to keep my thoughts pure and clean whenever possible." Though there had been several very unpure thoughts about Aldreda that time in the Apothecary's Shop. It had been… well, it wasn't something he had been accustomed to. "I am sure they do. There's a few more places in Sarum if this one is not to your liking." Caerdin gives a faint little shrug. "You could just stay here the night and then worry about finding something else tomorrow. At least take a chance to get off your feet and bathe."

"Good boy, Mother would be proud of you.", Eleri smiles when he declares that he's trying to keep his thoughts pure. She considers for a moment and the lure of a hot bath wins out. "Alright, I'll go and fetch my things, can you inquire for a decent room in the mean time? And by decent I mean private. I'm willing to pay for my privacy.", she insists firmly before striding through the tavern to the exit, hoping horse and saddle bags are still where she left them.

Success
You check your Generous at 13, you rolled 8.

Caerdin snorts. "I am sure she would. Very well, I will ask about a room, you go do what you need to do, sister." He watches her leave, a little smile on his face, he's glad to see her again. A couple of strides and he's at the proprietor and inquiring about a room for the night for Eleri. Something that fits her specifications. Feeling a bit of generosity flow into him, he hands the proprietor a few coins, paying for the room for Eleri. He hopes she won't be too cross with him.

Eleri takes a little while before she returns, still empty-handed. She actually looks a little touched when she realizes that her brother has already covered the cost. "Ah, you shouldn't have.", she sighs and nudges him playfully, the way they would have done as children, "I'll make it up to you.", she promises and turns around when a skinny boy wanders in, trying his best to keep upright under the load of her saddle bags. Eleri turns back to Caerdin with a fresh smile. "Well, better get settled then. Shall I find you here later?"

"Oh, think nothing of it. You are my sister and family takes care of family." Caerdin smiles, shruggling a little, maybe even a little embarassed by it all. He glances over at the skinny boy and feels a little sorry for the lad but he's sure Eleri is paying him to carry all of that stuff. "Yes, I will be back later on and perhaps we can sup together. Until then, take care Eleri. Rest well and take a nap or something, it will help you feel better."

"Thank you… little brother. It's good to see you again.", Eleri replies softly, "I shall be happy to sup with you later…" Then she hurries to follow the boy who's already making his way up the stairs before he collapses under his weight.

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