Xenofos — Getting Drunk
????, Earth Season, Death Week
Context
Earth Season, Death Week, Clayday [[[s02:session-7|Session 7]]]
Xenofos has survived his first duel, but Varanis isn’t done being angry about it all. He proceeds to process the day by way of copious amounts of wine.
Events
Xenofos returns to his lodgings from the baths talking to Zinat a bit ramblingly and loudly. There’s a knock on the door shortly after it closes.
“Enter, it is not locked.”
Varanis walks through.
“Hello dear cousin.” There is a pitcher of wine and water on the table, goblet in Xenofos’ hand.
“You foolish man.” As a greeting, her words leave much to be desired. “You were wounded and you tried to outpace Berra to confront a group of Storm Bulls?!” Perhaps unsurprisingly, she sounds enraged again.
“I did not try to outpace Berra. I tried to hold a steady line. That’s elementary training cousin…” Xenofos explains with wide gestures.
“From where I was, it looked like you were going to pull ahead. While leaving a blood trail in the grass.”
“Well that is kind of the point – have some wine so I don’t have to drink alone – I had lost fairly so I did not want it look like I had allies coming in to help.” Xenofos mixes a pretty stiff goblet of finest Esrolian ruby and seawater, with quite less seawater than customary and hands it over.
Varanis accepts the cup and drinks deeply. At last, more calmly, she asks, “What happened after that blow to your leg? It looked like you were about to fight again for a moment. Then he walked away.”
“I had specified a fight to first blood, unless apology is given. He got first blood and also wished for an apology, which he was not going to get.” Xenofos trails inside of his goblet with his forefinger almost tilting it. “Just proves his lack of understanding of Esrolian language and manners.” He shakes his head.
“You are unhurt now? I saw Mellia reach you.”
He nods. “Yes, hardly a scratch.”
She sighs. “I’m sorry if my concern shamed you in any way. I was not entirely convinced that you hadn’t been tricked into a duel so that an unfortunate accident could be arranged. It wouldn’t be the first time that an assassination was accomplished in such a manner.”
“Your concern just shows you cared.” Xenofos focuses through his wet curls, “Thank you Varanis.”
“Of course I care, you idiot.” It sounds affectionate. Probably.
“But if they wanted assassination they would have made the offence and insisted on fight to death. Not relied on accident.”
“Not necessarily. They could better dodge a feud between families by making it look like you started things and that the intent was never to kill. You are too trusting of other people to see this clearly.” Perhaps she did not skip all of her lessons in intrigue and politics. “House Deleaos could not be seen to be acting against Saiciae. But, a couple of young hotheads who get carried away… they’d have had to pay recompense for an accident, of course. But there’d have been no fault placed after that. Indeed, if it was suggested that you started it, then you’d have been seen to be responsible for your own death.”
“You are reading too much to hotheaded youths’ masculine fun”
“And you are not wary enough,” she snaps. She takes another long drink from the cup in her hand. The gilded fingernails look odd juxtaposed with her armour, though the gold complements the polished bronze.
Xenofos drinks deeply ” That might be true, cousin, that might be true.”
“Mellia and I spoke with Dormal about the gifts. He’ll do some investigating for us.” She changes the subject. “We want to be sure that no one is setting you up or trying to embarrass the House.”
Xenofos looks displeased when Varanis mentions Dormal. She meets his gaze steadily, almost daring him to argue.
Xenofos drains his cup and starts mixing another.1Xenofos rolls a 10 on Insight – even while getting steadily more drunk he seems to know what she’s thinking. Varanis may not be planning to start an argument anymore, but she isn’t going to back down from one if it occurs. She’s still very upset. He nods at pitcher and offers a refill or Varanis.
She holds her cup out for more wine. More is poured. Most of it gets into goblet with token amount of water for mix.
Xenofos holds up hand that is not holding the cup. Almost steady. “Praise Ernalda, it is good to be alive.”
After draining almost half her glass in a single draught, Varanis peers at Xenofos with something that might be the tiniest glint of humour. “I’m very relieved that I don’t need to kill you myself,” she admits. “It would have wasted Mellia’s efforts to resurrect you.”
“What made you decide that would be needed or as it is now not needed?”
“You survived your duel. I was only planning to kill you if you’d died.” She says this as if it makes total sense, and to her, perhaps it does.
Xenofos peers into his goblet “I fail to see that your logic.”
With another sudden change of subject, Varanis points out that there’s a party tonight and the House is hosting. She tosses back the rest of her wine and rises. She appears steady on her feet despite how quickly she’s been drinking.2Passed a CON check She walks over to Xenofos and pulls him to his feet without a care for his own cup of wine. “Don’t do that again, if it can be avoided,” she tells him firmly before hugging him tightly. And with that, she’s gone, making noise about needing a bath to get ready for the evening.
“A party?” Xenofos utters to the disappearing back with unhappy disbelief. He looks at his now empty cup, leaves it to table empty and stretches himself to the couch with quiet cursing. He falls to the sleep almost immediately.
This narrative picks up again in [http://journeyoftheheroes.wikidot.com/xenofos:talk-of-marriage Talk of Marriage]
- 1Xenofos rolls a 10 on Insight – even while getting steadily more drunk he seems to know what she’s thinking. Varanis may not be planning to start an argument anymore, but she isn’t going to back down from one if it occurs. She’s still very upset.
- 2Passed a CON check
