Who: Noah, Balthier, Aedan, Courfeyrac, Emmett, Sebastian When: Current Where: Craigcrook Castle, Edinburgh What: Courfeyrac gets some sword practice, but it gets out of hand. Afterwards, they run into Noah and Balthier looking over a potential crown for Noah. Noah's not entirely sure if it's okay to want to make something like it, or if Sebastian will be happy, and they all end up talking. Rating/Warnings: Mild stuff from the sparring Status: Complete
Balthier left Courfeyrac to have fun in the practice yard, and he's pretty sure that Emmett's around too. Noah's sitting down with him in a sunny room in the main castle to look at his work so far. "You see what I mean about some motion." Balthier nudges the ring and the leaf hanging off of it. "I wasn't sure you'd like it, but it's a way to add a bit more drama to something."
"I'm not sure he'd like it," Noah says gently reaching to nudge the leaf as well. "I thought something I could wear or he could wear wouldn't be bad. Something not too unusual, but - something that was mine."
Most tiaras here, in Noah's limited research, were also used as necklaces, mostly by women, but it's not too different from things at home. A floral theme would mean he could weave something that wouldn't matter what season it was.
Aedan stopped over to snag Courfeyrac and Emmett when they were finished up, and he’s not commenting on the fact that they’re bleeding a little (Emmett) or really bruised (Courfeyrac). They can come up with their own reasoning behind THAT one, but honestly, he’s not all that sure they’re ready to do this with Iomhar being the one to spot them, since he’d kind of just given them ice packs and had been doing that as Aedan came around from lunging Cas.
Instead, he’s leading them in and upstairs, and to a collection of kilts he’s got laid out in his room. “Let’s see, Courfeyrac...you’ve got a dance and running so let’s try sticking you in one that’s NOT a Great Kilt to start. It’ll be less confusing.”
Marginally, anyway.
It takes a bit of coordination, anyway, but eventually they do have it on and it looks decent.
“Now, getting you to SOUND like you belong in Brigadoon..”
“Better you than me.” Emmett snorts. “I’ve never been glad to be British before. I mean I haven’t THOUGHT about it much, but..”
Aedan snickers. “We should go and show them. Think Balthier will lose his mind about you being a little messed up, Courfeyrac?”
“I fell.” Courfeyrac says simply. “We fell together.” It’s a time honored excuse, right?
Balthier looks up when they come in, frowns, and immediately asks, "Are you icing that? How was practice?" He's getting up, leaving the floral spray, and the test tiara on the table to get a better look at the kilts. "And nice. Practice for the play?"
Noah turns to look as well.
“Iomhar had us stop when things started getting a little heavy.” Courfeyrac eyedarts. “And got out the ice and first aid kit, yes. I needed that, though.” He looks calmer. “And it is, yeah. The rate renting them out goes, we won’t have much time for getting used to it and I DO need to look like I know what I’m doing.” He slouches a little against a wall. “Do I look bitter at being stuck forever in the same town, yet?”
Emmett snorts. “Honestly, I don’t think YOU could look all that bitter. You’re the nice one in this equation. And blimey, I did get a little carried away.”
“You’re awful liars.” Aedan points out, leaning over for a look at what Balthier’s working on. “That’s sort of brilliant.”
Balthier blushes, with it immediately spreading to get his ears very red. He was trying to be all sensible and say it's good that Iomhar intervened -
Noah steps in for him. "I'm glad Iomhar was spotting for you. It can be really dangerous, especially with people who don't know themselves well or are stressed, if you go too far." He hesitates and picks up the tiara and balances it carefully on his head. "I asked if Balthier could make something for the wedding. Something Sebastian might like."
“Definitely can.” Emmett agrees. “It was good though. I think maybe using the hilt was going a little too…” He eyedarts. “Well, this isn’t home. I don’t NEED to break anyone’s nose to get away from them here, do I?” He hesitates a little. “I...just because J...someone showed me that a few times…”
Courfeyrac blinks. “And I think I did a little too much slashing around without a faceguard on you. Still, it worked.” He smiles.
Aedan shakes his head a little. “If I hadn’t been over the other side…” he’s not bad with a sword, but stuff like this DOES go a little far. Then again. “Your aunt has that cane thing she does.” he tells Emmett. “Maybe she’d be able to show you THAT.” Evie’s more sensible, arguably.
And he’s looking back at Noah, tilting his head a bit.
“Hmm, I bet he would. Is it much like yours at home then? Well, aside being cast and not fresh?”
"Perhaps we'd have to do this again, making sure you can hold back when it's just an actor holding the sword." Noah takes off the tiara and offers it to Aedan. "The - other bits were things that Balthier was experimenting with. Ideas. It's . . . pretty close. Having only one flower usually means you're marrying in the height of summer, or you're rich. Or it's important to you. I don't know if there's anything that Sebastian finds sentimental."
Noah's sentimental about roses. The little curve is some twining vines mixed with rose leaves and less flowers, with a few violets and an Archadian style lily that's not as obscene as some on wedding furniture but close enough to get a laugh from Noah when he saw it. The other sample piece has the moving decorations and leaves.
“Probably.” Courfeyrac smiles. “I WAS good at that with Cyrano. The conditions kind of shifted.” Admittedly, he’s used to treating it like a bout, which is why the face slash happened. “I’d have been disqualified as it WAS when I got too close.” He agrees cheerfully enough. He may, at some point, have started just reacting, too. Emmett was a little scary.
Aedan studies it for a moment, and then thinks. “With him, hmm. Andraste’s face?” It’s mostly a joke. “You’ve all seen his belt by now. Not that he’s worn her lately. We talked him down to a normal buckle.”
Noah winces a little. "He said . . . I think he still loves the church, but I think he's conflicted sometimes about it." He leans back a little, looking - he knows he looks uncertain. Maybe this wasn't the best idea. Sebastian might think he's pushing too far for something.
“It WAS mostly a joke.” Aedan says, and catches that look. “Something wrong?” He can try to figure out something to do to help, he hopes.
Noah shakes his head. "I'm all right. I suppose I should discuss the idea with Sebastian. I don't want to presume something he'd not like."
"I can go check on him?" Balthier's moving to gesture at Courfeyrac. "Come with me? I've been sitting a while and sketching stuff with Noah. It'd do me good to stretch out." And he can reassure himself that Courfeyrac's fine.
“Sure.” Courfeyrac figures it’s worth the chance to try walking a bit. The kilt feels a bit odd on, after all, and he’s going to need to dance in it, alongside a claymore, so it’s good practice, too.
“I can’t think he’d hate anything you wanted.” Aedan says to Noah. “Honestly. I just am not much sure in the way of what you’d put into wedding things. There’s slain arch demons on our standard, but…”
Noah lowers his voice a bit. "Balthier wouldn't admit to anything in a crowd, usually, so I suspect he wants to make sure Courfeyrac's not too sore, knowing him." He leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees. "I don't think arch demons would really work, would they? Aren't they a bit - winged? Spikey?"
“Dragons, mostly. Well, dragon shaped.” Aedan smiles. “Romantic dragons.” He suggests, a little grin on his face. “Dragons in the shape of a heart. Entwined.”
He can’t help that suggestion, really.
Noah clears his throat. "Griffons, I suspect would be your father's preference. I could ask?" He's not going to discuss slightly silly lilies with Emmett here. "Do you want off your feet, Emmett? Or some water? I'm used to how we'd spar at home, and you'd usually be thirsty afterwards."
“Water would be good.” Emmett says, nodding. “Thanks. And you know, for this...if anyone asked ME what my father might prefer,I’d be going to my aunt. Not that it’s my business, but the prince DOES have brothers right here. Whichever could be counted on not to be a troll may have ideas.”
He’s stepping around to the bag he left here earlier and fishing out a couple bottles. “I should take these now, anyway. It’s about time.”
Noah's moving to get him some water, and slides over some of the crackers and nut butter that Aedan might eat along with it. "Medicine? I've been getting told I might be better to take a little extra iron, but the last time I walked in a chemist's shop it was a bit . . . rough." The combo of bright lights and the millions of bottles and the various ads for how this or that would be good for you was dizzying, particularly if you just got told to bring the morning shift at work a bottle of aspirin.
“Keeps me from convulsing on the spot.” Emmett explains, making a little face. “Well, time released and daily, but prevention’s worth a pound of cure or whatever they say.” It’s not amazing, but it’s more just a pain at this point. “Keeps me from worrying all of them TOO much, too. Combeferre helped me figure out a routine that works. And that’s not really a bad idea. Shaun maintains we’re all going to get scurvy any day now, so better taking track when you can.”
"Isn't scurvy the lack of vegetables and fruit?" Noah's looking amused as he gets a glass of water and a cracker. "How did your chicken pie come out?"
“Good, actually.” Emmett smiles. “And yeah, it IS. Shaun’s convinced we’re all going to kill ourselves and each other, left to our own devices. So far, it’s not come to that. We did make a dentist nearly leap out from behind the counter with glee when they realized how much everyone needs DONE, but...we’re not bad really otherwise.”
So far at least.
“I accidentally bit mine last time.” Aedan eyedarts. “To be fair, I did warn her and she was NICE about it I sent a fruit basket to apologize. Fluoride treatments are the WORST.”
“It helped.” Sebastian says, emerging now. “Unpleasant as the experience was. “ And he’s nodding to Emmett there, then Noah. “Balthier said you had something you’d like to run by me?”
Noah freezes and raises his chin. "I wasn't -" He trails off again. "Come here? Sorry for pulling you out of your work. I was talking about Balthier making something that you might like. I think surprises are traditional, but I - think I want you to see."
If Noah was Basch, he'd probably manage something graceful instead of just holding out the test tiara at him, but - it feels . . . weird trying to ask for something that's just something you'd have, in Archades or home.
“It’s fine.” Sebastian shrugs at that part. “Nothing that can’t wait. And I’d be interested to see actually.” And he’s blinking a little as he sees the tiara. “Oh that’s lovely. Something along the lines of what you’ve been trying for, then?”
Noah bites his lower lip and nods. "Something I thought you . . . might like. There's - variants. We were experimenting." He holds it out. "Do you want to see what it looks like?"
“I’d like that.” Sebastian smiles. “Would we match, then? Or…” He wants to know more of what Noah had in mind here, if he can help with more of it or is needed to weigh in.
Noah reaches to help Sebastian settle it on his head and looks - uncertain. "I thought . . . you said I might need something for formal occasions. And it'd be nice to have flowers that can't wilt. There's - some other options if we want to try them."
“I like it. And aye, you may. “ Sebastian nods. “I think that it would suit you fairly nicely. You should have the choice after all. Out of curiosity, what else could come up? I’m just wondering. This is lovely but if it doesn’t feel quite right to you... “
Balthier moves to show him. "I did one with more flowers, and one with some motion. They can clip on, so you can see them actually on. Noah wasn't sure if you'd like it. If it'd look good."
“Hmm.” Sebastian looks thoughtful. “We should maybe look at them with photos too. That’d probably give us a reference.” He thinks that’s a thing people sometimes do.
Noah nods. "If you're . . . is it okay? I wasn't sure if you want to have surprises."
“Of this sort?” Sebastian smiles. “It is. Bigger ones, like telling me you’ve…” He thinks for a moment. “Decided to become a professional mime and move to Paris, on the other hand, I’d like to know about ahead of time. I would be happy for you, mind, but I’d like to know.”
Noah smiles and takes the tiara back off to set it aside with Balthier's sketches. "My secret urge to make gestures about boxes." He offers his hand. "Have you had lunch?"
“It’s that time already?” Sebastian blinks. “I did get started a little later than usual, to be fair. Cal had Hans walking me through a few things for the bank, so we grabbed a few things from what you’d frozen, after. And please, make all the gestures you like. I do appreciate this one. Whatever you like and decide is fine, though, truly. It’s not like it’s those socks.”
Noah snorts. "Do you need to head back, Emmett? I could cook for all of you."
“I'm good for hanging around a bit longer.” Emmett looks thoughtful. “I’m supposed to call when we’re done.” And he clearly doesn’t WANT to head back just yet. “I can help with all sorts of things.”
"Well, think about what you'd like to help with, and maybe let him know I'm doing lunch, and you can take some back with you? How does that sound?" Noah's watching him. He's - gotten the feeling that Emmett and Jacob are strained, but frankly, he's not sure how you start to probe that mess.
“Sounds good.” Emmett nods. “I don’t want him to worry, or anything. Which he might. He does that.” he ges why too. It’s just...hard. “I’ll see if it’s still all right with him that I hang around. “ he sighs a little. “We...aren’t great these days so better I don’t make it worse.”
“The rugby thing?” Aedan makes a face. “He found out?”
“That’s the thing he was disappointed about.” Emmett sighs. “That I snuck around to do it. But I couldn’t just…” He’s turning to his phone and typing a few messages in, and then wincing. “He wants proof from someone not Aedan that I’m here, but it’s all right I stay a bit. I deserve the scrutiny, in retrospect.”
“Got it.” Sebastian’s pulling out his phone. “You two really need to talk at some point, sounds like.” Before it goes the way Aedan did after he was trying to recover and running around like an idiot.
"Did he not even say he was interested in us bringing lunch?" Noah makes a face. "He could be more polite. No offense."
“Still typing something on my end.” Emmett explains. “So that’s probably coming. He did appreciate being over...ah he wants to know if there’s anything he can bring when he comes to get me later. In exchange.”
Noah looks thoughtful. "Maybe see if Shaun wants a ride? He said it helped grading papers here."
“Sounds good.” Emmett types for a second, then he laughs at something. “He’s sending memes.” He explains. Clearly things could be worse, even strained as they are right now. Nothing he’s seen or heard so far has him thinking that things are as bad as they were with Jacob and his grandfather, after all. “Bet Shaun would like that again. We DO put him through a lot without meaning it.”
Noah shrugs. "It'd be better if he could ask, but I'm trying to give him the chance. Let's go do some food then." He hesitates, and then digs out his phone to take a picture of the tiara to send to Jacob. "He might be curious."
“He’s doing that part too, I mean.” Emmett explains. “The meme was more a response to that but he’s waiting for Shaun to text back. Thanks by the way, for...I get we’re sort of a weird problem right now, and…” He takes a deep breath. “It’s been up in the air for a while and we didn’t..I didn’t realize it. It’s nice having a way to clear my head.”
"It sounds like it's been tense." Noah shrugs. "I don't know what's going on, and I'm hardly the guy to ask about it, but I don't mind having company."
“Company can help.” Sebastian slings an arm around Noah. “You going to be all right, love?” And really, given what Jacob’s texted back, he should grab him for a conversation at some point soon, since a lot of the worries WERE him about two years ago, along with the making things worse, but for the moment, he has other priorities in mind.
Noah tucks an arm around him and leans into his arm. "I'll be all right. Are you all right?" He's politely not noticing Balthier cheerfully guiding people off to make lunch. "I think I'm feeling a bit . . . I don't know. Balthier put lilies and roses in, because he remembered I talked about my mom's rose bush. And the lilies are common in Archadian wedding things." It's not surprising that Balthier remembered, but it's - powerful? Maybe that's a word for it.
“Then we’ll tell Calum we’d like lillies too, when we’re down to ordering them.” Sebastian says, nodding at Noah. “I didn’t quite have ideas for those so we should do something with each since they matter to you.”
He hopes that’s going to help at least and not make things more weirdly intense for Noah.
Noah laughs. "Not - matter as much as - think of it like innuendo, in Archades, with the calla lilies. Women sometimes go for fruit, or the like. The roses are sentimental. It was - I wanted something that'd mean something. Aedan suggested a dragon for something that'd mean something to you. I guessed a griffon, but - I don't know if there's something like that for you."
Sebastian smiles. “I’ll give it some thought. Had I actually been a warden, the griffon would be fitting. I did very much wish to be.” But he’s not sure he would have survived the joining as it is. “Maybe something from here would suit and fit a little better.” It’s good to come up with options, after all.
Noah leans to kiss his cheek. "I suspect that'd be bluebells, or thistle, or heather, from the books, but we can see what you like."
“Aye, most likely.” Sebastian grins. “I like the idea. Thanks for showing me and talking this out a bit. I know it isn’t always easy.”
"I didn't think it'd be - I don't know." Noah hugs him again. "Thanks for listening, my love."