Douglas
Rhiander Alder, Thalia Alder, and Head Advisor Robin Swillwater
Meros Castle

"Day dreamin'?"

Thalia subtly brought herself into Brandon's view, looking up into his eyes as she leaned slightly against the tiny windowsill. She'd been advised to wear make up to cover up most of her freckles, but a few still poked through her foundation and blushed.

When they arrived at Meros Castle, she had freshened up from the journey right away, changing into a long, navy blue dress with a high collar and long sleeves. An opening in the dress on her chest left room for a necklace pendant to touch her skin, nestled right above her breasts. 

She was wearing one of her favorite scents, one that her father had always thought rather sweet, when he was still alive.

"I apologize if we all came off sort of gruff earlier. There's just a certain, ah, _type_ of partner The Southern Isles likes ta 'ave. Hopefully, you'll be one of 'em," Thalia said, her voice growing serious for the first time that night. "Hopefully you're prepared to be, anyways."

She casually took a sip of her wine, glancing down for a moment.


Meanwhile, Rhiander and Robin sat and had their fill of food and drink, the two of them similar in their ravenous eating habits. Rhiander kept a traveling eye on Thalia, seeing a few of his comrades doing the same.

"She'll be fine," Robin grunted, taking a long swig of wine. He sighed, wiping his mouth. The soft life did have its perks, the refined food and drink being one of them. Still, a part of him would never lose his detestation of these elaborate castles and displays of wealth.
Rhiander felt similarly.

Provincial Brandon Welles
Meros Castle, Erba.

He couldn't help but have a healthy curiosity about what Leon and Dimitri were discussing in private, but he had several thoughts occupying him from being the life of the party. He took comfort int he fact that it would change. Everything was just so tense right now, but of course it was. No one was entirely sure if he could be trusted, but trust had to be earned. He brought his wine to his lips just before Thalia seemed to appear from nowhere. He turned to look at her, and she looked completely different now. The dress, the jewelry. It transported him back to all the proper Ladies he once knew. He swallowed his wine in one big gulp. 

"No," He said answering her question about him day dreaming. "Thinking ahead, actually..." He smirked then shook his head when she apologized, "No need to apologize. Gruff is one of the few languages I actually understand, and that was mild. I wouldn't expect anything less when you're docking in a place not known to be friendly to its visitors... Especially unexpected ones from the Southern Isles." 

He nodded when her tone shifted, then watched as her gaze turned downwards for a moment. "I could promise you that I am prepared, that I am exactly the sort of partner that the Isles likes, and that everyone in the room will be singing our praises by next spring... That wouldn't actually satisfy you though, and you'd still look at me like I'm a Provincial from Araedia looking to have a little fun with the wild Islanders while I'm young." He'd laugh a little, "All of that is my extended way of saying, I'm not going anywhere. I'll eventually prove myself to you." He tapped his glass against hers then drank from his looking at her from over the edge of his glass. "Now for the important question," He leaned in a little to whisper. "Who is taking bets about how long I'll last? I want in."
Erik
Head Advisor Dimitri Novikov
Meros Library, Erba

Dimitri had spent his entire life around insufferable people. It was practically his line of work. He felt bad for the _real_ dignitaries of House Maith. His heart went out to Sion Prosser. He was tasked with many of the same jobs, but without the guarantee that the person would live to see the next day. The power he wielded as one of the few made men, and the only foreign made man, in the Isles was staggering. The way that Leon would handle this meeting would determine the course of his future, and while for many it would lend itself to a sense of overblown importance and an imposing sense of bravado, Dimitri briefly felt a twinge of empathy for the Provincial. 

Leon Welles was trapped in his own home for disowning his own child, who came back to bite him in the ass when he made a deal with the exact person mothers and fathers told their highborn children to steer clear or. His entire world was being actively flipped upside down from the only angle he was never expecting any upheaval from. It was only until that these countless similarities began reminding the Head Advisor of his _own_ father that almost all empathy was lost. 

"Provincial." The Head Advisor sat comfortably on a chaise lounge, scanning the room for alcohol. It was uncommon to have servants bring anyone anything in the Isles, and for as much as he appreciated his husband's affinity to empower his workers, he really did miss being served. "How are you?"
Douglas
Rhiander Alder, Thalia Alder, and Head Advisor Robin Swillwater
Meros Castle

Thalia laughed despite her better judgement, her tone of voice not very clear in whether it was a laugh of camaraderie or one of mockery. Either way, she decisively set her wine glass down on the sill, looking up toward Brandon and planting her feet to maintain the respectful distance between them.

"Not much uhv ah gambler, Welles, I'm afraid. But if you would like a, say, _motivation_ to perform well, I may 'ave one," Thalia said. "This operation uh mine is a family affair, so to speak."

Her voice had considerably lowered now, and she allowed her smile to settle into an even line, her lips quaintly painted with red, but not emoting even an ounce of the playfulness one might expect from a color so bold. 

"It is the fondest mem'ry I 'ave, of my father. Seeing him conduct this industry, roaming the fields with 'im... So, you see, I wouldn't take it loightly if this all fell through. I loved my father. Still love 'im," Thalia said. Her gaze had been thoughtful, for the most part. Until she hardened her expression and took one step closer to Brandon, bringing them incredibly close, just a breath away.

"You'd be wise to let this motivate ye. If ye manage to screw this up, to me, it will be like killing my father all over again. And I'd be afraid to imagine how I'd cope with going through that kind of pain, again. And, how I'd react to those who inflict it."

She reached for her glass again, taking the opportunity to step back. Her smile reappeared and she took a sip, her hair bouncing lightly at her swift return to her usual persona.

Rhiander Alder, Thalia Alder, and Head Advisor Robin Swillwater
Meros Castle

Robin sighed, finishing off a plate of hors d'oeuvres and looking over to Rhiander. The young lord was watching Thalia closely, seeming as if he would spring up if the young Alder woman closed he gap even more between herself and Brandon.

Robin rolled his eyes. _Does the lad thing she's not capable of handling herself?_

He stood, catching Rhiander off guard and making the young lord look up at him.

"I'm taking a walk. You can keep an eye on the lass, but ye don't need to stare as if yer life depends on it. It may be good to mingle, yea?" Robin said as he strode away, giving a stern look back to Rhiander.

Though the large man had, objectively, given a suggestion, Rhiander knew it was anything but. In the wake of Robin's address, he stood and set to making small talk.

—————————————————

"Seem to be enjoying yerself, Your Majesty," Robin said, pausing in front of where the Pirate King had found himself a comfortable place on a sofa. Close enough to keep an eye on the happenings in the room, but far enough to have his own solace. "Stealing away from the madness, fer once?"

His shoulder was turned just enough to the help to suggest an end to their previous conversation with Bradai. Robin kept his arms folded, looking down at the Pirate King and glancing at his cane. It wasn't often they had the chance to speak face to face, like this.

Provincial Leon Welles
Meros Library, Erba. 

Leon walked in the library ahead of Dimitri. He didn't bother taking a seat though. He went straight to the mini wall safe behind one of the dark wood shelves lining the eastern wall. He pushed the self in, brought out a bottle of aged brown liquor that he managed to keep hidden from both of his sons for what felt like an eternity. There were several glasses next to the amber glass bottle. Leon took out two, begrudgingly. He struggled with it for a moment, but after angering his son so much a little hospitality was probably a good idea. He looked over his shoulder when Dimitri addressed him as Provincial. He was sitting on the lounge chair near the fire, decked out in more jewelry than he'd ever seen any man wear before. Leon scoffed, "You've taken my home, my son, and my seat. Let us at least be on a first name basis." 

He walked back over, taking a seat on the sofa across from the lounge. He poured Dimitri's glass first then his own, and didn't hesitate on drinking it. After his wife was poisoned, he always went out of his way to show there was nothing ominous in his home. The question of how he was sat stale in the air between them. Leon didn't feel the need to answer it, and he wanted to just get it over with. 

"What do you need from me?" His tone was dry, very blunt, straight forward. "I've no patience for civility towards Islanders tonight..."

Provincial Brandon Welles
Meros Castle, Erba.

To Bran, a laugh was a laugh. He didn't read to deeply into it, and thought it was nice she was actually receptive to his jokes because they were constant. He sucked his teeth when she said she wasn't much of a gambler, "No? That's too bad. How do you pass the time at sea? Cards are-" He stopped talking when she continued on about providing him motivation to perform well. "Have you?" He smiled, "I'll be glad to hear it." 

He listened while she spoke, his blue eyes scanned her face when she said it was a family affair. He didn't know how to respond considering his family was an absolute disaster and had been for a while. They used to be close, all of them. The death of their Mother changed everything, she held the family together. Once she was gone, the balance was never the same. 

He could only assume that her father was dead after she spoke of memories, and he wanted to say something comforting but she went all tight lipped and stepped into his personal space. His expression remained much the same, nearly neutral but his slightly furrowed brow and half smile indicated he was obviously taking everything she said in. He didn't back away or avert his eyes when she came close, he just kept eye contact until she stepped away. 

There were very few things that made Brandon Welles relinquish a glass of alcohol before he finished it. He sat his wine down on the sill then leaned against it. She was smiling, hair bounding, and seeming back to normal after her cautionary advice. He simply stared at her for a few seconds before he said, "Thalia..." He smiled softly, "I know you meant that as a threat, and message received..." He leaned in a little closer, raised his eyebrows playfully. "However, I'm especially pleased you went the route of trusting me with something personal. I'm even more pleased it had something to do with family."

He turned away from her to look out the window, "You'll come to find out, because he makes it no secret, I've never made my Father proud. I have no interest in pleasing him now, and about an hour before you arrived he declared his desire to see me dead." He laughed shortly, "In a twisted way, that was something of a compliment." He looked over at her, "My point is, my Father's no motivation. Yours however... I will stop at nothing to make proud. If making him proud means ensuring his daughter thrives within this industry. As discussed, I won't take it lightly if this falls through either. It's all I have. " 

He straightened up, taking his glass once more. He took a drink, finishing the remainder of it. He sat the glass back on the sill for a servant to collect later. "Do you have any more threats for me, Ms. Alder?" He asked tilting his head to the side slightly with a smirk, "I'm beginning to enjoy them."