Tavi of Calderon (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
student_of_impossibility) wrote2015-02-20 12:50 am
student_of_impossibility) wrote2015-02-20 12:50 am
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[OOM, Garrison] Family Dinner
Masha clung to Bernard slightly as he carried her to the room for dinner. Amara kept an eye on her with a little concern. As much as the little girl had borne up well, she’d spent little time with Isana, and had some understandable uncertainty about exposure to new and previously unknown family—especially as it included Marat.
“They’ve been looking forward to meeting you,” she told their unofficial daughter, who remained dubious. “And Kitai loves horses. She may try to steal you for a few hours.”
This did not entirely reassure Masha, apparently. “Kitai?” she ventured.
“Your cousin is marrying her,” Bernard explained. Amara noted he did not actually mention that she was Marat, or who her father was; she wasn’t entirely sure it was a good idea, but it was part of reinforcing that none of those distinctions mattered in the extended Calderon family.
Calderon-Gaius family, she thought wryly. It was still strange, in a way; she would never have guessed as a young Academ that this would be her life. The added notion that, if things had been different, ‘family’ would have technically included both Gaius Sextus and Aquitaine was frankly entertaining. She wondered what would have happened.
“Her father will be there too, and your aunt and some of our closest friends.” Bernard was still talking. “The whole family, really.”
“Oh.” Masha remained uneasy, and he ruffled her hair as they reached the door. The Garrison men who had taken over guard duty nodded, recognizing them, with Giraldi flashing a quick grin and wave at Masha as he opened the door.
She was not entirely surprised to find that they were the last, having had to detour to pick up Masha. Ehren and Kitai’s presence was practically a given, as was Araris and Antillar Maximus’s. Araris had, by unspoken family consensus, briefly shifted his guard duties from Isana to Octavian for the transition of power.
Doroga and Isana had apparently beaten them, though. Kitai was making the introductions with Max as Tavi greeted his mother. “…sorry I’m stealing your assistant for the healers,” he was saying. “We’ll find you someone soon.”
Isana shook her head. “Tavi, you really don’t need to do that, there’s…”
“The Dianic League has been following you,” he interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argument, “and you’ve been doing relief work for years. Ladies Placida and Cereus will be too occupied to deal with it. There’s no one else with as much experience. Please, Mother.”
And, Amara noted silently, it leaves the Crown with partially direct control over the Dianic League’s activity, effectively adds their funds to your working budget, keep relief efforts primarily out of the hands and out of the credit of political opponents, to say nothing of maintaining her popularity to solidify yours by proxy. It was something of an unfair thought, and a thought rather like Tavi’s grandfather would and did have. While they weren’t Tavi’s primary reasons, of course, she knew it had to have occurred to him. Bernard and her roles were similar.
She wasn’t sure if Alera had ever had a First Lord both genuine and devious at once. She wasn’t sure it was prepared for one either.
Isana sighed at her son’s softened tone. “You don’t fight fair anymore.”
“I know. I’ve avoided them for years,” he admitted ruefully. “But we need this. Hopefully it won’t be long before you can retire from the madhouse.” He meant it, of course—but Amara wondered if that would ever really happen for any of them.
Kitai noticed them first and made her way over. Masha had been hiding her face a little, and Amara couldn’t blame her. Ehren and Araris were the only men in the room under six feet tall, and Masha already knew them a little. Max was broad and Doroga simply massive, too—and Tavi had come far from the undersized, rather pretty boy he had been.
Though Kitai nodded at them, most of her attention was focused on Masha. She seemed surprisingly gentle; Amara hadn’t seen this out of her before. “You are called Masha, yes? I am called Kitai.”
It was enough to get the girl a little out of her shell. “You’re Marat,” she said quietly. “They said you’re family.”
“Yes.” Perhaps it was Kitai’s direct manner that was easing things a little. Amara honestly could not tell. “So is Doroga—he is the large one over there—is my sire. Like Bernard is yours. My Aleran is his nephew.” Amara’s lips curled in a smile. The family unity to welcome her continuously reminded her that she loved them almost as much as her husband, the continued tension with Isana notwithstanding.
By this time Tavi had seen them and begun walking over, the same wide smile from earlier back on his face. He was already visibly more relaxed. As he came over, Masha squirmed a little, so Bernard let her down, though she promptly hid a little behind his leg. “Hello, Uncle,” he said brightly, as the grin turned slightly mischievous. “Auntie.”
After a shocked moment, Amara blinked at him incredulously. She had never felt so old. He wasn’t even that much younger than she was! Auntie? Bernard just snorted. “Well, boy, you’re enjoying yourself.”
“Like you wouldn’t believe,” Tavi said fervently. And then he crouched down, entirely without condescension. Amara rather suspected he’d learned it from his uncle. He simply waited quietly until Masha peeked out from around Bernard, his bright green eyes crinkled gently. “Hello.”
Masha seemed to be weighing him, somewhat surprised by his attitude. While she wasn’t really aware of the politics, or of just who Octavian was to the rest of the Realm, between his size and obvious confidence she clearly hadn’t expected him to give her the time of day. “Hello.”
Tavi offered her a hand to shake, just like if she were one of the adults. After a moment, she inched out tentatively to take it, and his smile deepened. “I’m your cousin Tavi.”
The introduction wasn’t really unexpected after their conversation earlier. The simplicity of it, cutting past any questions or issues or qualms, still touched her deeply. Amara smiled warmly at him, though he didn’t really see it with all his attention focused on the little girl.
Masha smiled back shyly. “I’m Masha.”
“I heard you’ve been learning to ride a pony,” Tavi began. Again, Kitai picked up the thread as if with practice. As much as she had suspected they were bonded as Doroga and Walker were, this was the first time Amara had really seen it so clearly.
“I ride a very wonderful horse, and my mother-sister’s kin ride many. I think you will like hearing about them.”
Surprised into a little more boldness, Masha peered up at Kitai with interest. “Will I get to see the ponies, too?”
As good an idea as it was, and as inevitable as it was, Amara thought it best to interrupt before somewhat unwise promises got made. Tavi and Kitai were not always known for heeding common sense—despite their respective excellent upbringings. “When there are fewer people around,” she said firmly, and Bernard nodded in confirmation.
And fewer Vord. No one said it out loud.
Tavi smirked slightly. “I also have a wonderful horse, and Max, the oaf over there,” Tavi’s friend clearly heard and looked over with indignation, “does too. But we’ve been riding something a lot worse than horses lately. He’s had some trouble getting used to it.”
Maximus’s outraged expression prompted a snicker out of Kitai’s father. “Careful, Calderon,” he growled. “There are some stories that—”
“There are many stories,” Kitai interrupted. “We shall tell them. But I wish to eat. This one barely makes any time for it.”
Almost the entire room turned to give Tavi a rather stern look, to which he frowned. “I haven’t been that bad. And how had that been affecting how you eat? You should be eating well.”
She rolled her eyes in exasperation, though Amara wondered a little at Tavi’s insistence. “When was the last meal you ate, chala? We have both been busy since then. Come, and enough with the other. Your word.”
It dawned on Amara, as Tavi somewhat sulkily rose to his feet and they all made their way to the table, that this dinner wasn’t simply about giving him a few, brief moments of relaxation. It wasn’t even that these people were the ones who could give him back some of his equilibrium and likely prevent him from getting irritated to the point of needing more control over his actions. He wanted this time, and clearly found the effort to get it even in the middle of the war more than worth it.
She had really thought he couldn’t astonish her anymore, but perhaps she should have expected it all the same. Of course he would do things so differently from his predecessor. Calderon and Kitai had left their marks on him. She found herself beaming as Masha clambered into a seat between her and Bernard, Tavi already beginning to explain about the Canim’s traditional mounts.
This was a unique quality in a First Lord, especially one known to be prone to over-committing himself, which most people would never see. Family dinner. Amara nearly laughed. Of all things to give her hope for the future, she had not expected this one. Typical.
“They’ve been looking forward to meeting you,” she told their unofficial daughter, who remained dubious. “And Kitai loves horses. She may try to steal you for a few hours.”
This did not entirely reassure Masha, apparently. “Kitai?” she ventured.
“Your cousin is marrying her,” Bernard explained. Amara noted he did not actually mention that she was Marat, or who her father was; she wasn’t entirely sure it was a good idea, but it was part of reinforcing that none of those distinctions mattered in the extended Calderon family.
Calderon-Gaius family, she thought wryly. It was still strange, in a way; she would never have guessed as a young Academ that this would be her life. The added notion that, if things had been different, ‘family’ would have technically included both Gaius Sextus and Aquitaine was frankly entertaining. She wondered what would have happened.
“Her father will be there too, and your aunt and some of our closest friends.” Bernard was still talking. “The whole family, really.”
“Oh.” Masha remained uneasy, and he ruffled her hair as they reached the door. The Garrison men who had taken over guard duty nodded, recognizing them, with Giraldi flashing a quick grin and wave at Masha as he opened the door.
She was not entirely surprised to find that they were the last, having had to detour to pick up Masha. Ehren and Kitai’s presence was practically a given, as was Araris and Antillar Maximus’s. Araris had, by unspoken family consensus, briefly shifted his guard duties from Isana to Octavian for the transition of power.
Doroga and Isana had apparently beaten them, though. Kitai was making the introductions with Max as Tavi greeted his mother. “…sorry I’m stealing your assistant for the healers,” he was saying. “We’ll find you someone soon.”
Isana shook her head. “Tavi, you really don’t need to do that, there’s…”
“The Dianic League has been following you,” he interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argument, “and you’ve been doing relief work for years. Ladies Placida and Cereus will be too occupied to deal with it. There’s no one else with as much experience. Please, Mother.”
And, Amara noted silently, it leaves the Crown with partially direct control over the Dianic League’s activity, effectively adds their funds to your working budget, keep relief efforts primarily out of the hands and out of the credit of political opponents, to say nothing of maintaining her popularity to solidify yours by proxy. It was something of an unfair thought, and a thought rather like Tavi’s grandfather would and did have. While they weren’t Tavi’s primary reasons, of course, she knew it had to have occurred to him. Bernard and her roles were similar.
She wasn’t sure if Alera had ever had a First Lord both genuine and devious at once. She wasn’t sure it was prepared for one either.
Isana sighed at her son’s softened tone. “You don’t fight fair anymore.”
“I know. I’ve avoided them for years,” he admitted ruefully. “But we need this. Hopefully it won’t be long before you can retire from the madhouse.” He meant it, of course—but Amara wondered if that would ever really happen for any of them.
Kitai noticed them first and made her way over. Masha had been hiding her face a little, and Amara couldn’t blame her. Ehren and Araris were the only men in the room under six feet tall, and Masha already knew them a little. Max was broad and Doroga simply massive, too—and Tavi had come far from the undersized, rather pretty boy he had been.
Though Kitai nodded at them, most of her attention was focused on Masha. She seemed surprisingly gentle; Amara hadn’t seen this out of her before. “You are called Masha, yes? I am called Kitai.”
It was enough to get the girl a little out of her shell. “You’re Marat,” she said quietly. “They said you’re family.”
“Yes.” Perhaps it was Kitai’s direct manner that was easing things a little. Amara honestly could not tell. “So is Doroga—he is the large one over there—is my sire. Like Bernard is yours. My Aleran is his nephew.” Amara’s lips curled in a smile. The family unity to welcome her continuously reminded her that she loved them almost as much as her husband, the continued tension with Isana notwithstanding.
By this time Tavi had seen them and begun walking over, the same wide smile from earlier back on his face. He was already visibly more relaxed. As he came over, Masha squirmed a little, so Bernard let her down, though she promptly hid a little behind his leg. “Hello, Uncle,” he said brightly, as the grin turned slightly mischievous. “Auntie.”
After a shocked moment, Amara blinked at him incredulously. She had never felt so old. He wasn’t even that much younger than she was! Auntie? Bernard just snorted. “Well, boy, you’re enjoying yourself.”
“Like you wouldn’t believe,” Tavi said fervently. And then he crouched down, entirely without condescension. Amara rather suspected he’d learned it from his uncle. He simply waited quietly until Masha peeked out from around Bernard, his bright green eyes crinkled gently. “Hello.”
Masha seemed to be weighing him, somewhat surprised by his attitude. While she wasn’t really aware of the politics, or of just who Octavian was to the rest of the Realm, between his size and obvious confidence she clearly hadn’t expected him to give her the time of day. “Hello.”
Tavi offered her a hand to shake, just like if she were one of the adults. After a moment, she inched out tentatively to take it, and his smile deepened. “I’m your cousin Tavi.”
The introduction wasn’t really unexpected after their conversation earlier. The simplicity of it, cutting past any questions or issues or qualms, still touched her deeply. Amara smiled warmly at him, though he didn’t really see it with all his attention focused on the little girl.
Masha smiled back shyly. “I’m Masha.”
“I heard you’ve been learning to ride a pony,” Tavi began. Again, Kitai picked up the thread as if with practice. As much as she had suspected they were bonded as Doroga and Walker were, this was the first time Amara had really seen it so clearly.
“I ride a very wonderful horse, and my mother-sister’s kin ride many. I think you will like hearing about them.”
Surprised into a little more boldness, Masha peered up at Kitai with interest. “Will I get to see the ponies, too?”
As good an idea as it was, and as inevitable as it was, Amara thought it best to interrupt before somewhat unwise promises got made. Tavi and Kitai were not always known for heeding common sense—despite their respective excellent upbringings. “When there are fewer people around,” she said firmly, and Bernard nodded in confirmation.
And fewer Vord. No one said it out loud.
Tavi smirked slightly. “I also have a wonderful horse, and Max, the oaf over there,” Tavi’s friend clearly heard and looked over with indignation, “does too. But we’ve been riding something a lot worse than horses lately. He’s had some trouble getting used to it.”
Maximus’s outraged expression prompted a snicker out of Kitai’s father. “Careful, Calderon,” he growled. “There are some stories that—”
“There are many stories,” Kitai interrupted. “We shall tell them. But I wish to eat. This one barely makes any time for it.”
Almost the entire room turned to give Tavi a rather stern look, to which he frowned. “I haven’t been that bad. And how had that been affecting how you eat? You should be eating well.”
She rolled her eyes in exasperation, though Amara wondered a little at Tavi’s insistence. “When was the last meal you ate, chala? We have both been busy since then. Come, and enough with the other. Your word.”
It dawned on Amara, as Tavi somewhat sulkily rose to his feet and they all made their way to the table, that this dinner wasn’t simply about giving him a few, brief moments of relaxation. It wasn’t even that these people were the ones who could give him back some of his equilibrium and likely prevent him from getting irritated to the point of needing more control over his actions. He wanted this time, and clearly found the effort to get it even in the middle of the war more than worth it.
She had really thought he couldn’t astonish her anymore, but perhaps she should have expected it all the same. Of course he would do things so differently from his predecessor. Calderon and Kitai had left their marks on him. She found herself beaming as Masha clambered into a seat between her and Bernard, Tavi already beginning to explain about the Canim’s traditional mounts.
This was a unique quality in a First Lord, especially one known to be prone to over-committing himself, which most people would never see. Family dinner. Amara nearly laughed. Of all things to give her hope for the future, she had not expected this one. Typical.