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[mansuetus]

[ Lucrezia is in one of the lounges! Sprawled on one of the sofas, fingers busy turning a pendent of gold in the shape of a sea-horse. There are no poems today, no joyful greetings, something is different. She looks more pensive than anything else but there is a shade of concern there as well as quiet annoyance.

When she speaks, her voice is devoid of any of it. Her eyes still focused on the sea-horse. ]

A riddle, Tranquility.

How to mourn for someone who does not deserve it?

If your duty demands it and you have no desire to - do all men need to be mourned for? Is it a a more grievous sin not to mourn than it is to speak false words of grievance?

[ a beat. ]

Perhaps I must fast again.

[ a moment later she puts down her necklace, smiles. ]

I would have a cup of wine with your answer, if any of you have some to spare. You will join me in the lounge.

[ and it is not a question. ]

Comments

action;

[talkstoengines]

[Kaylee grins, and takes a drink. Not a ladylike sip, either, but a pretty generous gulp.]

Gettin' drunk is only fun with other people.

video; locked

[mathematically]

I'm holding you to that, Lucrezia. Because this is something no one else can know.

[ Somewhere deep inside Lydia she wonders if she can really trust her, but there's this part of her that really needs to tell someone this without that much of it hidden behind hypothetical comments. ]

The person who I don't wish to mourn is on this ship.

[ And as soon as she say it, she lets out a sigh of what might be relief. ]

action;

[tumbleweeds]

Good.

[ Her hand slides under Lucrezia's chin, thumb stroking her cheek. ]

We are, [ she decides abruptly, ] going to do something girly that people your age do in my world instead of worrying about asshole husbands and whether they should feel bad about them being dead.

[voice]

[yardbird]

[Haha, for his girlfriend's sake, he hopes that to be the case.]

D'you think you ever will?

text; private;

[chaineddog]

Why waste your time with someone who probably fucked you over in more than one way? If they didn't care about you, I don't see why you should bother giving two shits about them.

[culver]

Thank you.

[and now nill turns on the video so that they really are in one another's presence. it seems more polite, at least. she gives a small wave, wings flitting.]

[video] -> action

[doggedly]

[He laughs at that, screwing up his nose in a moment of consideration.]

Are water nymphs very patient? They seem the sort of creatures to be a bit flighty-- but all right, then! Six minutes!

[And six minutes (more or less, but who keeps good and honest track of time aboard this ship?) sees him wandering through lounges with the promised wine, whistling as he looks for her.]

video;

[stimulations]

Then no. If there was no feeling there before, there's no need to for you to try and summon some up now.

Voice

[servant]

You were sold?

[Whoops, he sounds upset.]

action

[mansuetus]

[ she is still sprawled on the couch, pendent at hand. She turns it once and then again and then - Sirius Black! ]

Water nymphs can be both, Sirius Black. Patient or flighty would depend on their company.

video;

[mansuetus]

There was a feeling, but not love.

[ the contrary, it is implied. ]

I wonder if shall pass, now that the man did.

Voice

[mansuetus]

[ gdi. ]

For ships and armies of the Sforza family. To aid my Holy Father in Rome's war, an alliance sealed in marriage. As marriage is a union that cannot be broken.

[ unless your brother cuts your husband's heart with a dinner knife. erm. ]

video;

[gilding]

If the response to your riddle is any example.

[Which it is.]

And I think the answer you may be looking for lies in this: who do you believe is watching?

action

[doggedly]

[Oh, there she is. He grins when he sees her, and wolf-whistles at her--not that she'll know what that is--and approaches, holding out one of the bottles of wine to her.]

What sort of side would I inspire, I wonder? Patient nymph or flighty? Pretty, certainly--that one's a given.

video;

[stimulations]

It will fade. But the memory will always draw something up. [A pause, a small smile.] That's just how we're built.

Voice

[servant]

[He's quiet for a moment. A marriage for ships and armies isn't so different from the sort of marriage that Arthur might have in his future, a marriage that would strengthen alliances, unite kingdoms. The word 'love' may never be uttered.]

[But Arthur still wouldn't be the kind of man that she describes.]

You shouldn't mourn him. At least I don't think you should.

voice

[mansuetus]

Unfortunate.

[ she hums in thought. It was unfortunate that she married to begin with. Not a mistake she'll do again, being sold to a man for ships and soldiers. ]

The one in question cared nothing for me, so I suppose he may die without my forgiveness. It would not change a thing.

video;

[mansuetus]

Here? The Red Smiley, but I care nothing for them in this instance.

[ she smiles though it fades a moment later. ]

God is always watching.

action

[mansuetus]

[ why are you whistling you silly boy. ]

Sit with me and we shall see. For now I shall keep it a secret.

[ she takes the bottle, sits up on her elbows. ]

Where did you find it? Did you magick it into existence?

video; locked

[mansuetus]

What will you do? Now that they are here. I cannot imagine what I would do if the person I speak of was here with us.

Shall I tell you a secret in return?

action;

[mansuetus]

We are?

[ she smiles up, suddenly giddy. ]

Tell. What shall we do?

action;

[mansuetus]

I only became intoxicated once. Cesare had to carry me to my room and tend to me the the entire day after. It was the feast for his birthday. He had not complained.

[voice]

[mansuetus]

I -

[ at Rome she would have said no. That men are to be played with and not marry, that she will never put herself in that position again.

Here. Here she has Robb Stark to consider and with him in question, her answer changes. ]

I might.

text; private;

[mansuetus]

[ for all the crude language she takes his words in, finds wisdom in them. Finds comfort too; for someone else seems to think about it as she does. ]

What is your name?

[mansuetus]

-- You are an angel!

[ there is no other explanation to it. The wings, her pretty face. ]