Keep Me Company. [Brenner, Jane, Stefan]

[Eitan Angevin]

70th of Ash, Year 121 Steel
A swanky restaurant

The pair were dressed up to the nines, though there had been a bit of sixes and sevens when they arrived. Thankfully, Eitan and Lucrece had arrived first so he could smooth things over. Brenner had been keen on this place, whether for his own sake or at the request of his date; Eitan had been only too happy to oblige and Lucrece seemed amiable enough about it, glad to be shown off before his friends and his sister.

"We really ought to work on our timing, Eitan," she said, tossing her blonde head so a seemingly errant curl bobbed fetchingly. "Better fashionably late than early to the party." But she smiled, not truly bothered as they took their seats in a small, private dining room that would comfortably seat the three couples. He smiled back, taking her hand to brush his lips across her knuckles.

"Your patience overwhelms me, dove."

"As it ought to, crow."

"Mm, shiny," he said, nibbling on her knuckles.

The maître d' cleared his throat apologetically and the couple turned their smiles upon him as if nothing was the matter.

"May I offer you something to drink while you wait?"

"Ah, we'll need a bottle or three of champagne for toasts, but..." He glanced at Lucrece, who nodded. "We'll wait for the others to arrive before we'll want any."

The maître d' nodded and left them to chat. They were starting to be able to communicate in looks and gestures, which would be helpful when they were seen together more often. Eitan was less concerned about that in the coming company. He wanted everyone to like her and to like them together, of course, but it would be less of a game of social masks and more intimate. So much of her reputation for recklessness and rebellion was carefully calculated. He rather thought part of why she liked him was that he had sussed it out.

[Brenner Dornkirk]

Brenner had never been blessed with the sort of bronze tan with which his brother often glistened, but time on airships had put the sun near enough to kiss his complexion when was on a tour. A month in the Warrens, however, had stripped that colour from his cheeks and his complexion had yet to recover. He was about as tan as a polished pearl, and his eyes were slightly bloodshot as they met Eitan's.

"Sorry we're on time." He said, placing his hand on the small of Jane Farraway's back to guide her to their table and the waiting company. Brenner's suit was brown with brass accents, and artfully asymmetrical patterns plied with leather straps and buckles. It looked vaguely militant, but certainly wasn't standard issue.

"Milady Esterházy." He extended a hand and leaned down to kiss the top of hers when it was granted. "I trust you're acquainted with Miss Jane Farraway?" He promptly straightened up to present his date, lest she take his chivalry amiss. They might have seemed an unlikely pair, and Brenner hadn't introduced her with any sort of designation to the nature of their relationship, but the Air Commander seemed comfortable enough in present company.

He turned to pull Jane's chair out for her, but a member of the restaurant staff leapt to intercept, leaving Brenner posed awkwardly for a moment as she was seated. After a beat, he followed suit and claimed the seat at her side.

"We came straight from a matinee of 'The Flying Gelerian' at the-... Oh, well." He glanced to Lucrece, "I'm certain you know where it's playing. Didn't your family commission it?" He chuckled, glancing to Eitan with a wink.

"Anyway, the opera was delightful. All those hours and I didn't doze once."

[Stefan Dornkirk]

Stefan glanced over at his wife as their carriage pulled to a halt. She gave his hand, which he had slipped around her gloved one, a little squeeze and a smile. This would be their first real outing, together as a married couple since their marriage.

Between Stefan's much hushed-up disappearance two days after the nuptials and the time it had taken him to recover from what occurred during said disappearance, plus the general allowance society made for newlyweds wanting to spend time alone together, it had been easy to avoid. Delia had been out and about through the town, paying calls, thanking people for their gifts, and generally doing the duties and enjoying the pleasures of a new high society wife. Additionally, she had spent a great deal of time making over White Knight Manor, where they currently resided with her brother, Eitan Angevin.

Even after only the weeks of absence, the differences were noticeable, and her taste, Stefan was happy to realize, ran parallel to his own. He might not have made all the choices she had, but he enjoyed them. Perhaps more so because they were different enough but still in the realm of, his own.

He returned her smile. Smiling was easier, somehow, now. Stefan's world had changed in practically every way it could have and still been his world. He had always been afraid of change, fought it wherever he could, so it was with surprise that he found himself stretching toward something that might, in time, be happiness.

Opening the door he stepped out, noting the lack of pain with relief, and held his hand out for his bride. She was wearing an elegant dark blue evening gown with brass embroidery and long sleeves as was appropriate for the time of year. He was wearing a black suit but the vest was of the same fabric as her gown; a wedding present from her that made him feel proud in a way he never had before. She wanted to be connected to him, wanted their bond to be visible to strangers.

Delia took his hand and did not let it go as they made their way into the restaurant. The doors were already held wide to admit his brother and Lady Farroway, who he had mentioned to Delia several times. The two couples swept in together, the married one a few steps behind. Brenner made his greetings, and while he did Stefan gave his small smile to Jane, bowing over her hand to kiss it.

"Good evening, Miss Farroway. I am not sure if I had the chance to thank for you coming to our wedding, but of course, you've met my wife." Delia curtsied, a slight flush of pleasure on her cheeks, and greeted Jane. Then Brenner was introducing her and they were seated, so Stef stepped forward to make his own greeting to Eitan and Lucrece.

The girl wasn't exactly what he'd been expecting, but then, he hadn't really spent time imagining the woman Eitan had fallen for. Delia and Lucrece knew each other, though he did not know how strong the acquaintance was, and they greeted each other in a friendly manner. A servant came to pull out Delia's chair for her but Stefan stared the poor man down in a manner he would have never imagined himself implementing before. His wife was all but grinning at him as she sat, and his own smile returned as he took the last chair around the table.

The conversation seemed to flow, as it usually did between Brenner and... well, anyone really, even that great oaf Piers Lightborn. The insult was more of a habit now, almost an affectionate one. The man had done his job admirably and saved the lives of likely every member of the expedition. Settling down he nodded to Eitan to order whatever drinks he felt appropriate, he knew his sister and brother-in-law's tastes quite well enough and tonight was his night.

[Jane Farraway]

Ash 70th, 121, Zaichaer

Jane had been surprised, but pleased, when Brenner had invited her out for the evening. Her mother, while happy that someone would call upon her daughter outside of her own influence, reminded Jane tokeep her options open. It was tiresome; Ever since Stefan and Delia Dornkirk’s wedding, Carmen had increased her efforts to pair Jane with suitable heir from one of the many families she had spoken with at the event. Though her mother made no direct comment on the matter, her sudden coolness towards Brenner and any previous “suitors” now made it seem like any well-to-do gentleman was no longer enough. Regardless, great efforts had been made to give Jane the finest clothes for the occasion. After several exchanges with various consignment stores, Carmen was able to find her a fine, powder blue satin gown in relatively good condition. It was a little brisk for the season but a mink stole from her mother’s closet paired with it well. A set of matching pearl and silver earrings and necklace completed her ensemble and allowed her to blend in with the posh crowd, but all the fuss and posturing that Jane had endured throughout Ash had soured her mood. She was, in short--sick of it.

The opera, however, had been exhilarating and Brenner’s company was always welcome, so the night was more enjoyable than most. The restaurant was an added treat, especially since it had been so long since she had eaten a fine meal. The bar fare at the Gobbler was delicious of course but it didn't quite compare to the subtly presented in high cuisine, or perhaps her breeding had made her more biased than she realized. The sight of Eitan and his date brought her out of her musings and a smile came easy as they approached their table.

“You can blame me for that”, Jane laughed, playing off Brenner's joke, “He wanted to linger after the show but, well—I was afraid we'd never arrive if we had.” She blushed lightly, partly at her own admission and at the touch of Brenner's hand as he guided her to her seat. The fastidious waiter, however, broke the mood as he went through the motions of pulling out her chair. Jane pursed her lips as she tried not to titter nervously at the awkward movements between the two men. She understood how hard it was to break habits that formed in the order of service, fully expecting their waiter to cringe silently to himself when out of sight.

“Oh of course! We both shared a class in finishing school. It's been a while, hasn't it, Lady Lucrece? You look lovely tonight,” Jane nodded cordially towards the blonde. Their acquaintanceship had always been somewhat cool, having often struggled to find common ground in any conversation, and generally being discouraged from having any association with her by her mother, who considered her something of a reprobate. Truth or not, it was more than a prominent rumor that did make Jane wonder.

Jane laughed and pushed lightly nudged Brenner's shoulder with a gloved hand, “Oh, stop! You speak as though you were not the one who insisted on going. And as much as you deny it, I know it wasn't the first time you've gone. I swear you already knew half the songs!”

She turned to Eitan and Lucrece, “It really was fantastic. So much of it was in Gelerian so I struggled at times to follow the story, but the singing was glorious. And the effects were so ambitious! The way they suspended the actors on those wires really made it seem like they were flying.”

As Stefan and Delia arrived, Jane's mood sobered. They were as beautiful a couple as they were on their wedding day. She had to remind herself that they did not witness the emotional moment she had in the powder room after she had congratulated them, but it ate at the back of her mind. She suspected that Brenner might have known that something had been amiss, but he had enough tact to not bring it up. Delia and her shared a glance as Stefan leaned down to kiss Jane's hand, the two women wordlessly acknowledging the differences that stood between them. The corners of Mrs. Dornkirk's flushed lips ever so slightly curled and Jane glanced away, humbled and only a tinge embarrassed.

After the obligatory niceties, the rest of the evening went smoothly, the first course consisting of a delicate salad of greens that were far out of the season, paired with a modest portion of cream soup. As the gentlemen of the table exchanged banter, lightly alluding to their recent expedition, their waiter gently approached Jane and tapped her on the shoulder.

“Apologies, Miss Farraway, but a carrier has just delivered a message for you. It appears to be urgent. A carriage has already been arranged by the sender and is waiting for you”, His voice was soft, barely above a whisper, and carried a graveness that sent a chill down her spine.

“One moment please”, Jane stood, excusing herself from the table. Her mind raced for what could possibly be so urgent as to interrupt her evening. The waiter stood close to her and inconspicuously slipped a bright yellow envelope from his jacket into her hands. Her mouth went dry. No one would send a message in a yellow envelope for anything less than an emergency. To do otherwise could be construed as a serious offense in Zaichaer. Jane walked a distance away and began to read, eyes watering as she poured over the terse letter from their family physician, Doctor Albright. What Carmen had thought was hoarse throat from too many cigarettes was worse than what either of them had dared to think. There had to be some mistake. The letter ended practically demanding Jane's presence immediately, along with a dire concern for her own health.

Fighting tears that burned both out of fear for her mother and the cruel situation she had found herself, Jane briskly walked back to the table and collected her mink stole. Throwing it over her shoulders, she turned regretfully to her party.

"I'm sorry but there's been an emergency. My mother needs my help. I must go.", Jane said as she tried to hold her voice steady.

Panic eroded her sense as she leaned to Brenner and kissed him on the cheek, just shy of his lips. It had been an expression long held off, saved only for a proper peck on the hand, but in this moment it felt as though her entire world was falling apart and this was her one last and only chance. Regret struck her, both from the gesture and from the sudden realization of what she might transmit should she happen to also carry the same, insidious illness that had stricken her mother. Her hand flew to her mouth and she backed away, pulling the stole tighter around her shoulders.

"I'll write you", her voice cracked, "Goodnight everyone, it's been nice seeing you all again".

Jane Farraway rushed out and jumped into the carriage that waited for her at the door. As she watched the warm lights of the chandeliers that peaked from the windows disappear with a turn on the dark road back to her apartment, she twisted a handkerchief against her mouth, hoping the driver would not hear her cry.

[Rune]

R E V I E W

Lore:

Eitan:
None Requested

Stefan:
None Requested

Brenner:
None Requested

Points:
10 each, not for magic

Injuries/Ailments:
Sadness from being stood up? =P

Loot:
None

Notes: Sad this couldn't go further, looking forward to Jane returning.