The Claim of the Rose: An Interlude of Questions has started at Outside Arx - Lyceum near The Roseward - Tor - The Roseward - Outside the Roseward.

The rainy days from the battle that repelled the band of raiders from the village neighboring Roseward has given way to sunshine and sweltering heat. People go about their day-to-day affairs, and the great hall built impromptu to serve as the Marquisate's seat is bustling with activity.

They have guests, the heirs of House Eco, who are just now recovering from several rough weeks in captivity.

But they still need to be questioned.

The seat is arguably the safest place in the area. There are walls. There are soldiers. There are extra soldiers, even, owing to the fact that the di Fidante themselves have come home, arguably to see what progress is being made on things like the market and the crafters guild, so that the Arcuri can poke around and meet prospective spouses, but also so that the Marquis and Marquessa can attend to their guests.

So it is that the heirs of House Eco have been invited to breakfast in the garden - or what will be a garden, when what's been planted there has time to mature. A number of cuttings have been brought from Tor, thirteen species of white and near-white roses to cultivate around the little space. None of them are flowering yet, but that's fine. In a year or ten, they will all be lovely. Lora is already at the table, picking carefully at the spread. There are plenty of options, but all she's got on her plate are some bits of toast, some fruit, and some tea. Perhaps she's nervous about the interview?

And oh how the Arcuri's have come. One from Lenosia, and one from Arx. Josephines children and all of them somewhat the spitting image of her for the most part. The two that are not already married it would seem. They have been off getting tours and talking, meeting prospective husbands while Josephine is busy with Lora and Dante. The older woman who is wearing her frailty just a little more these days is taking breakfast with the rulers of this corner of the Lyceum. The heat doesn't touch her, not in the least and she's got much the same on her plate as Lora does.

Curiously observing the Arcuris as they've been taking tours and generally getting to know the Roseward, Dante is now sitting next to Lora at the table, his own plate rather spare. Some fruit and toast, a cup of strong tea. Deep in thought, he occasionally flashes a smile at his wife or Josephine, but the Marquis has been uncharacteristically quiet. He's mainly been checking in with the soldiers and keeping an eye on the walls.



"Before anything, allow us to introduce ourselves. I am Arturo Eco, and this is my twin sister, Canossa." The young man is very much the picture of needless bravado and the need to prove oneself before his peers. After gesturing toward Canossa, he goes on to add, "We are thankful for your efforts in retrieving us from our captors. They are an unpleasant bunch, and threatened to feed us to starved wolves if the ransom didn't come through in time."

"Lord Eco. Lady Eco." Lora lifts both of her hands as they approach the table, a faint, fey smile manifesting. "Please. Will you join us for breakfast? As you can see we've more even than too much and we are most curious to hear what happened." At Arturo's thanks she tilts her head, careful formality rendered in the inclination. "We could not leave you there. We have also passed our thanks to Lord Mazetti for his most timely intervention."

Sipping some black tea, Dante nods at the Ecos when they come towards the table. "Lord and Lady Eco. I am pleased to see you both well. As the Marquessa said - feel free to join us for breakfast. Likely they didn't feed you well if they planned on giving you over to wolves." A scowl briefly flashes across his features at such savagery.

Josephine's rising when the two nobles come, the older woman offering a bow to them as she should, being not noble and all. There's a glance to the sword at the Lordling's hip, listening to it and waits to be given leave by someone with nobility, to take her seat again.

"My Lady," Lord Eco states, first, sighing. "To preface it, I can only say it was due to misfortune that we happened to have been in a village that was raided," he goes on to start, laying his hands on the table. He avails himself of food, as does his sister. A show that they appreciate hospitality given.

"But those raiders, the Remnants, have long since started attacking our holdings. Lately, however, they've become more vicious, as if more and more of them are part of the elite we'd learned that Vladislav leads. He intended to use us as leverage to conquer the holdings of our father."

They sit and Josephine sits, the jewler remaining attentive, smiling and eating her breakfast as she listens.

Lora's prompting is very gentle. Simply, "Misfortune?" She picks along the edge of their presence in the village with careful interest, though it maybe doesn't matter. The rest is listened to in rather impassive silence, a sidelong look for Josephine partway through. "We encountered them attacking another village. They are vicious, and well-organized, and well-trained." Which leads to the barest little lift of her chin, but also a faint smile, as if this isn't particularly troublesome to her. Surely not. "What can you tell us about where they held you?"

The prompting from Lora removes his need to ask, Dante deciding to continue sipping tea and listening for now. Then Lord Eco mentions Vladislav, the Marquis unable to suppress an expression of distaste. "Very much all of those things," he murmurs to his wife. The next question from her has him particularly interested.

When Lora looks to Josephine, there's the faintest nod from the jeweler, though there's a scrunching of her nose.

"An encampment Lord Vitalis found us in," the Lady Eco, Canossa, remarks, "But they didn't intend to keep us there. They wanted to take us to a place known as the Bastion of Blood; you know, one of those haunted, abandoned castles that exist in the outskirts of what used to be Volkov Wood. Apparently, Vladislav has taken quite a liking to the place, which is odd, really. They've been dragging more and more villagers there, lately. Those that they don't kill in the raids, there is."

"The Bastion of Blood?" Lora repeats this back but with a palpable sort of dismay, like the words taste foul on her tongue. She ends up washing it down with a tiny sip of tea. There comes, too, a slow blink. "I wasn't aware there were any abandoned, haunted castles on the outskirts of the wood." So neutral. Like the glance she gives Dante, which does not quite imply that possibly he ought to have known about this, but maybe carries along something in that vein. She draws a breath, after a bit. "Were they holding you ransom for silver, then?"

Josephine checked composure + etiquette at difficulty 15, rolling 23 higher.

"The Bastion of Blood? That's certainly a dramatic and gruesome name," Dante comments uneasily to Lora, although her glance that conveys that perhaps he should have known about a haunted, abandoned castle is met with mild surprise. "Kind of disturbing that Vladislav has taken a liking to that kind of place. Very disturbing, actually. Did you see anything odd there?"

Josephine keeps eating. Toast with butter eaten, then some fruit, the salt haired jeweler looking to the sword now and then but mostly the attention still kept on the two nobles. "Well that sounds like a disturbing place and perfect for more than a few people we know to travel to."

"It's due to the rumored blood sacrifices that happened there. So many that the floors were permanently slicked in the stuff." Arturo explains, frowning with unease, as well. "Yes, that's what they told us, at least. But I wonder if there had been other plans. Father opposes the Remnants, doesn't trust them. To be fair," he looks to Lora, "he doesn't know much about you, either. Neither do we, but still, you saved us, so we owe you a debt of gratitude. More than we can truly pay."

Lora checked composure at difficulty 30, rolling 13 lower.

See, there's how Lora wants to answer the Ecos, and then there is how Lora does answer them. Further description of the place and what happens there leeches the color from her already wan complexion, and whatever interest she had in breakfast subsequently flees. There's a full stop in between where she now looks at Josephine and a particular pang of sadness washes over her expression, when she reaches out to try and take the jeweler's hand in hers. But there's a huge disconnect. A gap: what the real answer is and what she says, which is, "What you owe is your loyalty," she points out. "House Eco is sworn to us. One of our vassals. We could not leave you to such a fate."

Probably good that Lora's taking Josephine hand. The jeweler might just up and leave if the look on her face is anything. her knuckles white around lora's and she looks to the table. "Her excellency is right. He may not know much about the Marquise and Marquessa of Roseward, but they are his leiges. Perhaps it means that he should visit them. Get to know them. Better understand what is expected of him and what they can expect of him. Forge this relationship anew as he offers his oaths to them before limerance."

"Of course. It was our duty to come to the aid of our vassals," Dante says in agreement with the Marquessa, noticing her pallor with a concerned expression. Then Josephine is looking less than pleased too. The Marquis gives them both a long look before turning back to the Ecos, "We are very open to receiving him and discussing any concerns he may have."

Canossa and Arturo look at each other briefly before the latter shakes his head. "We did not mean any offense, my Lady, my Lord. But these are difficult times, and we were in peril. So if we can help you secure our father's support, count on us. But I should warn you: correspondence to our lands would be very difficult to send, right now. Even as we speak, I have no doubt in my heart that Vladislav's goons are making their moves. These are troubling times. We certainly did not expect House Volkov to be destroyed from one day to another."

Lora cannot help but frown. "Have we even notified him that you are alive and safe? If not..." That does seem like a touch of an oversight. Josephine can keep her hand; she fair ignores Dante and that look of concern, watching the Ecos instead. "Perhaps we should go there, instead. At least to deliver you home."

"Yes, I suppose that we ought to let him know," Dante says over a sip of tea, looking away from Lora to gaze at the Ecos. "Bringing you home does seem like a good idea to ensure nothing happens to you, unless you'd prefer to remain here and have a message sent off."

"We will go with you. We miss home." Canossa remarks, bowing to both the Marquessa and the Marquis. "And hopefully we can learn more about eachother on the way there."

"Hopefully, we can get that sword cleaned up and a little less.... energetic and... well, energetic, before you get home hmm?" Josephine offers, one last squeeze of Lora's hand before she lets go.

"We would like that," Lora assures. Then comes the squeeze and she glances at Josephine and smiles, very, very faintly. "Lord Eco, would you mind if the Guildmaster here has a look at your blade? I think she might be able to polish it up for you, a little. Surely something that has... served you so well might need a good cleaning. And maybe a proper scabbard?"

"This was the sword of one of our captors," Arturo remarks, though he draws the sword and offers it towards Josephine. "I was supposed to receive our House sword after the tour to the villages, but as you can see -- our plans changed." A wry smile for this. "Either way, here's to enjoying a good, worthwhile breakfast with you, my Lord, my Lady, Mistress Arcuri."

"yes. I could tell. It's a little.. exuberant and not in a good way. I'll tend to this. Perhaps give it a good talking to and re-adjust it. See what the guild here can do so you have something appropriate to at least see you home with and proper instead of that... thing." She doesn't even -hold- it with reverence. Just winces and gingerly take its. "Oh shush you." This to the blade. "We;re going to have a talk about your mouth."

Josephine checked luck + smithing at difficulty 30, rolling 48 higher.

Dante nods quietly at the Ecos, approving of their decision. "Anything you need, just let us know. I am sure Messere Josephine will give you a much more improved blade than what it is right now."