Edward
Sir Robert Cromwell
Zahrada, Astoria

"I'm sure the Council of Marin can wait." He said, leaning into the comfort of the couch. The Brandy warmed him and gave him a sort of comfortable feeling while also giving his face a sort of flush. Anya's yawn triggered a sympathy yawn from Robert who then couldn't stop yawning either. 

He let the liquid roll around in the glass for a minute, tilting the glass back and forth watching it before draining it. Robert really didn't want to get up.
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Zahrada, Astoria

"It's going to have to, at this rate." She agreed, and twisted to pull the blanket from over the back of the couch. It draped over her legs and part of his lap though unintentionally, and she looked to his empty glass. "Want another, or are you fine?" She asked, finishing her own before setting the glass onto the rug. As long as she didn't kick it when she got it, there wasn't really a risk of it breaking and she didn't want to get up to go put it away. 

Instead, she shifted once more, realizing with immediate regret that her leg had fallen asleep where she'd tucked it beneath her. Anya hissed, straightening it out with a point of her toes as she placed her leg over Robert's lap. "_Fuck_ that stings. Am I old? Is this what age does? _Fuck_, Robert," She laughed, but there was pain in it as the tingling and burning sensation crept up from her calf to her thigh. "Fix it." She demanded with that pained laugh, as if he could even do anything to help.
Edward
Sir Robert Cromwell
Zahrada, Astoria

"I'm fine." He said, setting his glass on the carpet too, watching her adjust herself. "You're not old, and I'll try to fix it." He said, gently placing his hands on her lower leg, below the knee, Robert is gentleman, and started to softly massage it to get the blood flowing again. "You're no old, _I'm_ old. I'm still a few years older than you, and I look even older. You can still pass for twenties easily."
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Zahrada, Astoria

Anya winced at the pressure he applied, but it helped take away the stinking in the wake of his thumb. "Ooh, you flatter me, Cromwell. I pass for early thirties at best, Mikhail is way too old for anyone to believe otherwise." She reminded him, and let her head fall back a bit into the cushions, her hair spilling over the fabric. "You're not that old, you're what, eighty six, eighty seven?" Anya asked, lifting her head back with a wicked grin.
Edward
Sir Robert Cromwell
Zahrada, Astoria

"You're flattering _me_ I'm at least 93. Personally, I think I look okay for 93. Feeling better?" He offered, not wanting to seem too eager to keep his hands on the queen's leg.
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Zahrada, Astoria

Anya clicked her tongue, feigning disappointment. "You know, now that you say it you definitely look 93." She confirmed, and gave a nod when he asked about her leg. "Yes, thank you." She said simply, and let her leg drop from it's place on his lap towards the floor. She wasn't keen on getting up yet, so she simply settled into the new spot she'd accidentally migrated to in the center of the couch. Readjusting her blanket, she looked to Robert. 

"But really, you don't seem much older than I am. Maybe a year or two?" She questioned, trying to prompt it from him as another yawn made her cover her lips once more.
Edward
Sir Robert Cromwell
Zahrada, Astoria

Robert had to do the math for a moment, "I'm around forty-two, I believe. Yeag. Forty-three in a couple months." He adjusted himself so he was more comfortable laying into the couch. 

"Though I believe you're as old as you feel. I feel _old_."
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Zahrada, Astoria

Anya snorted, unable to contain the laugh that came from him saying he felt old. "Well old man," She started, watching as he adjusted as well. "Keep me company until they come and pull me away to my doom." As she spoke, she draped the blanket over both of them, leaning her head on his shoulder with a yawn. 

"Maybe if they come to wake me you can tell them to fuck off until I just miss the Council entirely." She mused, her voice starting to drink as her eyes closed.
Edward
Sir Robert Cromwell
Zahrada, Astoria

The second glass of brandy was starting to amplify is exhaustion also, he accepted the blanket absent mindedly, "Telling people to fuck off is my favorite part of the day." He said his head sort of lolling as he sunk into the couch, eyes fluttering shut.
Miguel
Zane Harmattan
Zahrada, Astoria

Zane was leant back in the chair in his office, having already packed a trunk and leaving it in his room. When he got the announcement to move out, he'd throw it in with the rest of the baggage, but until then he had things to do. 

Such as this upcoming conversation with Robyn.

His door opened without a knock, and Nero's blonde hair came around the corner, a two fingered salute being the only greeting Zane got. Nodding to the young man, Zane idly watched him drop into a chair on the other side of the desk, Robyn following quietly behind. His son sat in the other chair, and raised a brow at.

"What's going on?" Robyn's voice was a bit confused, and Zane tried to mask the small smirk he had gotten.

"Well, you're going on a trip with us. There's a council taking place, and you're coming along." Zane announced, sitting up and placing his arms on his desk. "No if's, and's, or but's about it."

"I mean, I wasn't going to give any of those, I was just confused." Robyn rolled his eyes as he spoke, a small smile being sent to his father. "Was that all you called me here for?"

"Nope." Zane's good mood disappeared as fast as he said this, wetting his lips a bit as he stared at his son. "You and me need to have a conversation about something."

Robyn just raised a brow, but shrugged a bit. "Okay? What kind of conversation?"

"Do you know how Astoria was founded."

Robyn just shrugged once more before answering. "Aunt Anya was chased from Vincentien by my mother, and she formed Astoria due to a pact or something, correct?"

"Skipping a lot of details, but that's okay. We only need to focus on that first bit." Zane shook his head a bit, before locking eyes with Robyn again. "Do you know what transpired when she fled?"

Robyn just shook his head, and Zane cursed under his breath.

"Well, your mother killed Mikhail." He announced, deciding to rip the bandage off. Although when he saw Robyn's face morph from shock, to a small smirk, he raised a brow.

"Ha, funny. Next time you tell me a joke, father, make sure it's funny." Robyn kept the smirk for a few terse moments, before it changed to confusion. "You are kidding, right?"

A small shake of the head, and Robyn's eyes widened.

"But he's alive."

A small nod, and Robyn wet his lips.

"Explain."

"When we met in the Witherlands, why did you think we were there?"

"I was told by some soldiers that Aunt Anya had run off for something."

"She did." Zane nodded, thinking back to one of Anyanka's 'greatest' ideas. "She went to get the corpse of Mikhail back."

"And he came back alive?"

"Mmhmm."

Robyn's eyes narrowed a bit as he thought about this, but just shook his head. "Okay, and how does this tie into this trip?"

"Because, if we run into anyone from Vincentien, they need to be wary."

"How will my presence make them wary?"

"Because, seeing the son of Amalthea, being friendly with an alive Mikhail, will allow you two an easier time on a future trip." Zane shrugged a bit as he finished. "And we're talking about that trip when the time rolls around."

"Why does it need to be me though? Wouldn't Aunt Anya be enough?"

"She's not the son of Mika's killer."

Just like that, Robyn's face dropped.

The three sat in silence for a long time, Robyn's face morphing through multiple emotions, before settling on acceptance. He stood abruptly, and nodded to his father.

"I have a lot to think about, but thank you." Robyn mumbled, a tight smile on his face as he walked out of the office, giving Nero a small pat on the shoulder as he left.

"So what's my place in these trips?" Nero asked as the door closed, turning to face Zane.

"You're going to be on protection duty."

Nero just nodded before standing, stretching his shoulders out as he did so. "Well, I'll get a group together, and we'll arrive a few hours before hand to scope the place out." The young man left the office, another two hand salute being sent.

Zane sighed as he sat back into his seat, reflecting over the conversation that just happened. While it pained him to tell Robyn the truth, he knew they needed to have this conversation before any of their trips. He'd rather tell his son, then let him learn from someone else, and potentially hate him more for hiding it from him.