#baronyofthesilverwolf

In search of the Baron, he is neither at the stables or on a ride, nor in his office. Finally she hears voices coming from upstairs, as she heads towards his bedchamber. Aiden's voice is clear, but whoever he is speaking to is muffled. The door is ajar.

She stops, and waits at the door as if waiting for an appointment rather than eavesdropping. In fact, she can do both

However, she will, within the minute, simply knock

"I don't-" Aiden says, and then stops, and calls, "Enter."

"My apologies" She says bowing as she enters "If my timing is poor, I can withdraw entirely?"

"Nadeen?" His voice latching on like a lifeline. "No, please. Come in."

She enters in fully, noting the relief in his voice. Curiosity fades and becomes a protectiveness

Aiden, of course, catches her attention first, coming into view as she pushes the door open. The Baron is in a state of devastatingly attractive disarray - his hair, damp and tousled, untied and draped back onto the towel over his shoulders. A dressing gown - black silk, of course - with an attractive gape at the neck that shows his chest, and bare legs and feet that indicate that this is all he wears - and perhaps all the more compelling in that he doesn't seem to realize the effect he may have.

The Baroness feels her pulse quicken and her toes curl as she is caught off guard. Fortunattely she does not betray her admiration that others can tell, and with a focus she tears her eyes to see who the hell he's WITH?

Aiden catches Nadeen's eye, and then lifts his eyes to the other occupant of his bedchamber - Flo?? Her handmaiden has sunk into a curtsey all the way down to the floor - indeed, she is so low that she is on the floor, legs folded under her, face nearly kissing the hardwood, and arms in a beseeching posture.

A brow lifts, and she kenns Flo, not for enchantment, for glamour of a cantrip sort

Kenning can be an inexact science, but as far as Nadeen can tell, Flo is just flo. The faint glow of enchantment, stemming from the bright spark of treasure hanging around her neck - same as usual.

Flo either hasn't noticed Nadeen, or hasn't shown that she's seen her - but from her facedown posture just shy of groveling, she trembles, and so does her voice.

"M.. my lady, it is not... I would never..." Scarcely audible.

So many emotions writhe under her skinn, but she is Varich, and they pride themselves on staying frosted. Of course, the icy flicker in her eyes might be another reason to be worried, " I have questions. Baron, you are not mine to command, obviously, but I would have an explanation while Flo composes herself"

His eyes flash for a moment, going from befuddlement to affronted at what could be taken as just shy of an accusation - but he tamps down his temper, with only a hint of it betrayed in his slightly clipped tone. "My lady, your guess is as good as mine as to why your handmaiden is within my chambers. As to why she is on the floor, she put herself there, when I entered."

A hand gestures back behind him to the en suite washroom, where the door is ajar and the mirror glimpsed within, still steam-frosted.

She notices the mood shift, and realizes she is torn. She does not accuse. Rather, a feeling of.. envy? Jealousy? She's not sure. So lost is she in introspection just for a moment that she has missed something without, a breath "My lord. I merely seek to understand and flo seemed, flustered and needing time to explain. I hoped you knew the story so to get to the heart of it." She looks to Flo, "Flo, please explain?"

"Please, great lord, my lady." It's amazing how the same manner of address can feel so different based on the tone and the speaker, but from Flo, it is a beseeching tone, and she does not dare turn up her gaze. "It is my own fault, none but my own, I knew that I wasn't to come up here, so please, if you must- if it please you- punish me, however you see fit."

Aiden stirs, taking a half step forward towards her, and then stills his motion, looking to Nadeen.

He clears his throat. "It is not my place to punish my lady's handmaid, were punishment warranted." He tries to speak softly, but a touch of frustration puts an edge on his tone, and the maid winces.

"I cannot punish nor spare until I know more details," She says, a bit of frustration of her own. For a moment, she almost envies nockers or redcaps who can insist someone just ANSWER THE FUCKING QUESTION... "Why did you come up here, Flo? "

Flo pauses, and in her hesitation, something else catches Nadeen's attention - and Aiden's, at the same time. A soft sound from beneath the impressive, king-size, 4 poster bed. "aaa-aaa-choo!" It scarcely looks like someone could fit under there, except perhaps if very small, or very slippery.

Oh, well, that's it, forgetting for a moment this is not HER room, she looks under the bed, takingg her cellphone to use as a flashlight

Moving in concert with Nadeen, Aiden swiftly shuts the door with a sharp motion to close off the exit, and then striding to the opposite side of the bed - or he would, if Flo hadn't dove for his legs and clutched at his feet. "Mercy, my lord. Don't punish him!"

At the same time, she flicks on the light and it reflects off WIDE eyes, at first only the reflection in a small head, almost Smeagol-ish - but then she will realize it's not a shrunken or slithering intruder, but a pint-size one, with dust smudges on his plump cheeks and mussed hair.

(Flo's son?)

(The very same!)

"FLO, calm yourself" She pulls the boy out, then craddles him "Aiden, please forgive my handmaiden's hysteria. Her last hold she was treated as property raher than person. I fear it has scarred her. This is Rien, a ..energetic young lad you may have heard Marigold coo over"

Flo was on the edge of hysterics, but releases Aiden and moves to Nadeen's side. Rian, who was fine before, now has his chin wobbling a bit as he sees his mother upset.

Even though her face is wet with fearful tears - now evident that she's not staring into the floor - she tries to use a soft voice so as not to worry the toddler. "Mama's here, Rian. It's going to be okay."

"Yes, I was aware that she has a child... but why is he HERE?" Aiden says, flustered.

"I suspect he snuck in" She hands Rian to her mother, "Is Rian why you came in here, Flo? or was it you had no place to put him while you worked? "

She clutches him to her as though he would slip through her fingers if she loosened at all.

"No, I left him with Miss Rabbit, the pooka - she was so excited to play with him... but then he wasn't there, and I don't understand what she meant..."

Rian laughs suddenly. "Rabbit!" His 'R's' sounding a bit more like W's, in an Elmer Fuddish way. And he shakes something clutched in a chubby fist. "I find it."

A somewhat bedraggled dustbunny is clasped in his hand!

"Oh dear" She says "Bluebell," A deep breath of.. relief.

"Flo, your son seems a bit dirty but none the worse for wear. However, you have given the baron and I a great deal of confusion. The next time I ask you a question about why you are in a place or how things came to be, give a complete answer. I'm not going to harm your son and neither is he"

She bows low to Nadeen, and then to the Baron as well. "I'm sorry, my lady. Please forgive me. I believe you, I do, but... I have known sidhe before... and they are not always...." She struggles with a way to end this without insult. "...Kind." She settles on.

Aiden runs a hand through his damp hair, and says, "Perhaps your reunion might be better situated elsewhere." Tactful, but drawing attention back to the fact that they are in his room and he is still in his robe...

Flo glances over, realizes this and turns bright red. She and looks to Nadeen. "My lady, if Rian and I may be excused..." She delicately prys Rian's hand open, and the boy makes a soft complaint as the dustbunny springs free and dashes back to the safety under Aiden's bed.

"Yes, you are excused. We'll talk further later, but for now, unless there is an immediate chore Marigold had you assiggned to, take the rest of the day off with your son. I need to smooth some matters over with the Baron."

Flo thanks her again, bowing on her way out the door left the sidhe lady change her mind, and then is gone, leaving the Lord and Lady alone in his bedchambers.

Aiden sighs, relieved, and sits on his bed. "I will speak to Bluebell. Later."

"Yes, but first, I want to apologize to you." She says taking his hand, "Not for her behavior, but my own. When Flo was proving evasive, I wanted answers and turned to you for them in a manner that in retrospect, borderline accusatory, which is not how I meant it to be. I was stunned and baffled..." A sigh "And a bit .. insecure."

He squeezes her hand, inviting her to join him seated on the edge of the bed. "If I have given you reason to doubt my affection... for that I am sorry, as well. I am not... expressive, at times. I hope that I am not such a one that your maid would describe as... 'unkind'... but I am not... open." His eyes on hers as he presses her hand between both of his own, then lifts it, leaning his head to press a kiss - not onto the back of the hand like a chaste knightly greating, but more intimately into her palm.

She does join him, "I think..." Then nadeen shudders slightly at the kiss on her palm, "I think it troubled me that it took this for me to get you even close to a state of undress" A blush cascades from cheeks to ear tips, "You are are remarkably fit figure. All the horse riding tones well"

"Beltaine approaches. A time of growth, and new beginnings. Even those of winter hearts may thaw this time of year." He exhales, and says in a low voice, "Do not doubt that you fill my thoughts... and that you stir me, as a woman to a man. I have doubts, of many things... But not of you, Nadeen. Only of myself, and that which I am able to offer you."

"You underestimate yourself , Lord.. I think" A smile, then a sigh "Ah, but Beltaine. The reason I sought you out"

"Ah, yes. Bluebell has been atwitter, and Marigold tells me that she's feeling better than she has in years, and even speaks of hosting in the garden... though I imagine that she may mean next year, as even Spring miracles only go so far, and there is work yet to be done out there..." He leans in and kisses her cheek. "Thank you, for finding someone to help Marigold. She practically raised us, years ago. She is... special, to Silverwolf. And to me."

She enjoys the kiss, then says "You are welcome. I'm rather fond of her myself. Headstrong or no," A sigh, "What are Silver Wolf's plans if any for Beltaine?"

"We have not celebrated beyond an observance of the holiday, in the past. I had hoped, that with the way you made Carnivale shine..."

"Is that not why you sought our Kubera neighbor?"

"Oh my, and here I feel torn." Nadeen takes a breath "Nay, Dru's alliance should be cultivated, but that is not why I sought her out. Aiden, I would love nothing more than to open my heart to Beltaine near you. But I confess, a clash of events is occurring. Dame Dagmar has been offered a chance to swear fealty to the Baroness Brekke, annnd be sworn vassallage in return.. but the swearing is on Beltaine at Rivervale. I am invited"

"I... see." He sits back, mulling this over.

"I was so excited for her, It took me a moment to realize this coudl be a clash of duties"

After a few moments, "It would be foolish to overlook the opportunity to maintain cordial relations with the Gwydion barony to our south." A political answer, to which he adds, "And it would be churlish of me to ask you to stay. She was your vassal, and is your friend. Of course you must go."

Nadeen plants a kiss on his cheek impulsively, political or not, he had every right to complain, "I have a work around I think?"

"Oh? I am afraid that the Baroness, indulgent as she may be on her court's high holiday and on such a special occasion, she may draw the line at you bringing a Winter court guest." A smile shows the intended jest.

"You are worthy of any court" A fierce look escapes her, then "But no. I was wonderingg. If I can find out when the Oathingg is, at waht Hour, I might, by intruding upon Gerd or Siv, gain transport rapidly to and from. It is perhaps unfair, but we might work our Beltain around that annd still have one. "