InsaneJournal

Who: Gia and Rune (plus NPC Synnove)
Where: Elkwood Castle
When: Evening

Haldor had been very firm when he had told Rune that he was having dinner with Gia Ridell this evening, and there was nothing else to be said about it. They had been in Kingswood for nearly a week now and Rune had made no indications whatsoever that he intended to be a good son and see to fitting women for himself. He had had fun instead with going into taverns in the city and the tourney, and there had been a rumor flitting that he'd taken his cousin to a tavern of distinct repute. Haldor hadn't been pleased. Sigfinna had been even less so, and Rune actually felt a little bad for disappointing them like this. So he had decided not to argue. Instead of preparing for a meal with his family with a few tankards of ale to help him sleep in a lonely bed - provided one of the serving girls didn't offer to warm it for him - Rune dressed for a meal with a lady. He thought he'd always looked good in the dark blue of Halvari, and he admired himself in his dark blue doublet for a moment before he went to make his way to the room he'd been instructed to use.

He'd really have preferred another feast. But his parents knew him too well. They knew that even sitting him near Gia at a feast wouldn't guarantee anything. He might even do what he had multiple times before and ignore her, knowing it'd be irritating and result in her not wanting to see him again, and better yet, her parents wouldn't like it. Neither would mine. He might need to start behaving better in those regards.

Rune had been hoping that he'd get to the room first so that he could get his bearings, but his eldest sister had beaten him there. "You are my guardian?" he asked, stopping dead in his tracks with the door still held open.

Synnove gave Rune the closest to a smug smile he'd ever seen out of her. "Someone has to be here to make sure that you do not do something stupid." A pause. "Mostly, though, I am here to make sure no one says anything about Lady Gia after the dinner. It would not do to have her honor slighted."

"I would rather have mother," Rune grumbled as he made his way to the table and sat down.

"Mother would rather you have me."

"Which one is Lady Gia again?"

Synnove sighed and pressed a finger between her eyes, muttering something Rune was likely glad he couldn't hear. "She is from Avalon, the younger sister of Lord Ilario Ridell. She has never been wed, and she is quite lovely." Rune felt like there was something more to that statement, as though he'd heard something about a Lady Gia who was unwed, but before he could ask another question the door opened again and he rose automatically.