“No, I don't think that's necessary. Continue to entertain him, if it keeps you occupied.”<br/><br/>Everything seemed to line up with the Langlais boy having not changed all that much, and if that was the case, Sovele didn't care. Perhaps it would take Basren's mind off of others who may or may not have made their interest known. He could tell he'd upset the boy, despite him trying to hide it. That had been his goal after all, and while he didn't fully mean those words all the time, Basren was an easy target for his frustration.<br/><br/>“You can go, unless of course you have other<i>curiosities</i>you need sated. I've no need of you tonight, and there are things I must finish.” Basren hadn't pleased him that night, and so he was sending him away. Of course, things could have been much worse if Sovele had asked him to stay, given his dark mood.<br/><br/>Gifts were sent like a balm, never quite an apology, because Sovele never had any remorse for the game he played with his favorite. This time it was in the form of fanciful clothing in decadent colors, and a roll of fabric he'd procured that Basren could have crafted into whatever he'd wanted. Sovele was forced to deal with his wife's company, with her in a mood apparently as well, and another child wasn't the only thing she was pushing for. With Basren's age she kept hinting that it wasn't appropriate for him not to present more aggressively at court this year. It didn't go unnoticed that Sovele either chased off any suitors, or kept him carefully out of reach. He wanted her to stop talking, so that he could enjoy his meal in silence, and so he commented, still only partially considering, that he would try for an arrangement with the Langlais heir if he found it suited him.<i>Himself</i>, not Basren.<br/><br/>Sovele had no idea that the women would take the notion and run with it.<br/><br/>Alaras was invited to take a meal with the royal family, and he expected to meet Sovele then, but he was not present. Just the queen, her three children, and Basren (her request likely coming as a surprise). She was a wisp of a woman, perpetually tired with thin, pale hair. It was hard to say if she'd gone grey, or it was simply that translucent shade that was reminiscent of her bloodline. Her children were much the same, the eldest a son, the middle one a boy close to Basren's age, with a girl being the youngest. They had the same tall, spindly frames as their mother and father. It was hard to imagine that Maes was related to the family, even a bit more distantly. He chanced a look to Basren, wondering if perhaps he might offer him some sort of hint. Introductions were made, the eldest being<a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=http%3A%2F%2Ffotos.fotoflexer.com%2F0b85d9f9c41f97f12ef488478a0f2045.jpg&amp;hash=14555530f81a42b7533bdc503552c08b" href="http://fotos.fotoflexer.com/0b85d9f9c41f97f12ef488478a0f2045.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">Reynell</a>, then<a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=http%3A%2F%2Ffotos.fotoflexer.com%2Fc55313801399e93674952f0c82413cfb.jpg&amp;hash=2eedf9b3fc8f674a7051d5e3c2c36d4a" href="http://fotos.fotoflexer.com/c55313801399e93674952f0c82413cfb.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">Wendal</a>, and the young girl,<a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=http%3A%2F%2Ffotos.fotoflexer.com%2Ff87ba4f4f4ac28fc29bb1e3ef63f5fdb.jpg&amp;hash=868930538ad55bb990062d5aa30f6e5c" href="http://fotos.fotoflexer.com/f87ba4f4f4ac28fc29bb1e3ef63f5fdb.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">Labelle</a>. Then of course the Queen herself, who didn't want to be addressed by her name taken in marriage, but by<a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=http%3A%2F%2Ffotos.fotoflexer.com%2F3c6ba1186a40e500686818bb4bc45a7c.jpg&amp;hash=458825fdeb664296a5dd10ae9ef4dd65" href="http://fotos.fotoflexer.com/3c6ba1186a40e500686818bb4bc45a7c.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">Anis</a>instead.<br/><br/>“Please, sit, Alarastian. I hear you were unwell upon arrival. You are likely due some hospitality, because I doubt my husband went out of his way to offer it,” she spoke, motioning for drinks and appetizers to be served. Alaras was unsure why she'd decided to be so gracious, but he thanked her regardless, and took his seat, trying not to make a fool of himself when he recalled upon etiquette that he'd never actually grown up with. Alaras would quickly find out why she was making it a point to flatter him.<br/><br/>“I'm glad you would consider such a pairing,” she started, and Alaras was suddenly nervous, because last he remembered, him and Basren had discussed a pairing with Sovele and himself. Something the queen surely would not take kindly to. He sat his napkin down, expecting the other shoe to fall. It did, but it wasn't what he expected.<br/><br/>“Given his.. undesirable qualities, you can imagine it's been difficult to find a suitor, but this year at court, we're determined to.” Anis glanced at Basren, trying to feign a fondness that simply came out looking wrong on her hawkish features. “With your given interest, we will surely consider it.” If she had it in her power, she would give the boy over right then, for Alaras to take away, back to his home, far away from her husband. Sovele of course would have a say, but she hoped to back her husband into a corner, and limit his options.<br/><br/>“Oh,” Alaras started, clearly a bit surprised. “I..” he stammered, looking once again to Basren, wondering what he'd told them, and how it had come to this instead. “Thank you for graciously considering me. I know Sovele thinks of him as one of his own, and it's likely not an easy decision.” She smiled at that, but she was a little tight around the eyes, like the comment had displeased her as well.<br/><br/>“Of course. There has been other discussion, of Sovele wanting him to remain here, and pairing him with one of his own children,” she went on, and Alaras could tell she was not a fan of the idea. “We shall see how the season plays out.”