The peace that formerly reigned in Terra Nova has eroded, now little more than a memory. War ravages the continent. Disputes divide kingdoms; ideals divide families. The quest for power consumes absolutely and indiscriminately. None are immune to its allure.
Who will rise and who will fall? Only time—and ambition—will tell.
UPDATES
05.26.2023
2 month character creation hold for all existing members begins 6/5/2023. Ended 8/5/2023.
10.29.2023
Change in how times flows. Was 4 IC seasons, now only 2 IC seasons per 1 OOC year.
5 whole years of Heir Apparent goodness! When I started the site, I knew I was hunkering down for the long haul, but I never could have predicted the numerous twists and turns this roleplay site has seen. Hundreds of plots, characters, and members have come and gone, all leaving marks on the site. I am so very thankful for those who have invested. Because you keep coming back, keep getting on, and keep writing, Heir Apparent has the legacy it does today. Three cheers to us!
Post by Edith Byron on Sept 30, 2022 17:52:32 GMT -5
[For @temperance and @berengar]
A few days prior, Temperance had told Gunne about the puppy that Thomas had brought home. The Cortell lady had been excited for her friend. Animals were great companions and even though they didn't have any pets of their own, she always liked seeing them. As she was travelling back from Skia, she passed the house Temperance lived in. The woman came to a stop and thought about if she'd drop by or not. She wasn't sure if Temperance would appreciate a surprise visit, but on the other hand a surprise visit could also show you were thinking of someone. After a moment she decided to just see if the witch was home.
Once she reached the gates, she spotted Melody walking around the garden near the greenhouse. "Good afternoon, Melody!" Gunne said excitedly. "Is Temperance home? I was in the area and decided to stop by, I hope she won't mind." She smiled as Temperance's help neared the gate, opening it for her. "Thank you, dear." With a smile on her face she walked towards the greenhouse. With a little luck, she'd be able to meet the puppy. Gunne softly knocked on the door of the greenhouse, waiting for Temperance to open it. It would feel rude to let herself in, especially when she was dropping by unexpectedly.
The day to day in the Towers-Skerrick household was almost always the same. Thomas was the first to wake and by the time Melody arrived, he was dressed. He'd wake Temperance as the maid cooked and they'd all share breakfast together before Thomas left for work. Then Melody would tend to the garden while Temperance opened up the greenhouse and began her work. Melody would do chores throughout the day, including the cooking. Sometimes Thomas would come home a bit early and spend time with her in the greenhouse, but today had not been one of those days.
Artos was being distracted by one of his favorite people and Temperance was so focused on the work at hand that she hadn't heard anyone calling from the gate. Luckily Melody had been pruning one of the plants in the garden, and as Gunne called to her she hurried over and opened the gate, then curtsied. "Lady Cortell, good afternoon. Temperance is in the greenhouse, please go on in and I'll get some tea started for you both." She walked with Gunne toward the greenhouse, leaving with a "my pleasure" only once she'd knocked and heading toward the cottage to get that tea started.
As a knock came to the door, Temperance turned and blinked. "Oh, coming!" She said, shaking her head as she made her way over. "I'm so sorry, this darn door-- Oh! Lady Cortell!" she beamed, giving a curtsy as well before holding the door open for her to walk in. "It's so nice to see you, what brings you by today?" She said as she walked a somewhat heavy empty flower pot in front of the door to prop it open. Generally she left it open all day long so that customers could come and go as they pleased, but the mechanism to hold it open kept breaking. "Give me a moment, I'll have Melody start us some tea."
With his large paws and sturdy build, Artos had probably never been called a small dog, Ber mused as he watched the canine in question run circles around him. Even as a puppy, he was not an insignificant size, and that factor combined with his youthful energy and carelessness had prompted the soldier to suggest that he take the little beast somewhere else for a time, lest he trample or eat Temperance’s garden. Somewhere else ended up being a nearby meadow, a wild open space where Artos could run and play without disturbing anyone except whatever critters called the tall grass home.
If one were to ask Ber, he thought this had been one of his better ideas.
But no one was there to ask him except the black, fluffy puppy who sat down in front of the young man and looked at him with soulful eyes. Ber looked at him, crossing his arms.
“I’m not going to throw it again,” He said, wondering why he was explaining himself to a dog. “The last time I threw it, you never brought it back.” With a wave of his hand, he gestured to the offending stick where it lay innocuously in the grass, some distance away and coated in a layer of dried slobber. Unrelenting, Artos panted at him, tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth as he tilted his head. For a few moments, man and dog were at an impasse. Then Ber finally sighed. “Fine. But if I have to go get it again,” He warned, uncrossing his arms and marching over to where the stick lay. “I promise that will the last time I’m throwing it.” One of them had already walked across the city to get here and didn’t need the extra exercise, and it wasn’t the little beast with four legs.
True to form, Artos raced after the stick as it went soaring through the air. He picked it up and began trotting back, and Ber thought that maybe this time, the dog would actually— No, there he went dropping it half way back again, even as he himself continued to place himself at the soldier’s feet expectantly. Ber pointed at the stick. “How do you expect me to throw that for you if you don’t bring it all the way back to me?” There was no answer. With a fondly exasperated sigh, he reached down and patted the top of the fluffy black head. The dog looked at him, then looked at the stick. “No,” Ber said, shaking his head. “I told you what would happen. And we should head back anyway.” They had been out here for a while, and even if Artos currently seemed full of boundless enthusiasm, Ber had witnessed firsthand just how fast and without warning that energy disappeared.
Indeed, the effects of at least an hour spent running around in a field seemed to be hitting the canine as the pair of them turned onto Temperance’s street. Glancing down at the puppy now plodding along behind him, Ber urged, “We’re almost there. Come on, Artos, you can do it.” In response, the fluffy creature took advantage of the pause and flopped down, paws splayed. “Artos.” Ber went over and tried to nudge him to his feet. Artos refused to cooperate. After a few more fruitless attempts to get the dark-furred deadweight to move, the young man sighed, bent down, and hefted the puppy into his arms, grumbling pointedly, “You must have been some rich noble’s dog; you’ve certainly got the attitude.” He earned a slobbery kiss for his trouble.
Perhaps it had been because there had been no customers when he’d left with Artos, but Ber had expected Temperance to be alone in her greenhouse when they returned. When he heard multiple voices, he paused, not wanting to interrupt her while she helped someone else, but the puppy in his arms had different ideas. Miraculously recovered from his exhaustion, Artos wriggled his way free of the soldier’s grasp and loped into the greenhouse ahead of the soldier, who had been about to tell Temperance that her dog was a spoiled menace when he recognized the woman talking with her. Pausing by the door, Ber straightened up as his good mood was replaced with something more cautious. “Lady Cortell,” He said politely, with a slight bow. Though it had improved as the conversation went on, his last interaction with her had been one whose ending he had welcomed, and he had quietly hoped that might be the end of that. To Temperance, he offered, “Artos and I can go elsewhere, if you’re busy.”
As she made her way over to the greenhouse, she thought about what a lovely woman Melody was. This was now the second time she had met her, but the maid was very kind and nice. Her greeting had made Gunne feel very welcome. After knocking on the door of the greenhouse, she heard Temperance's voice telling her she'd be right there. Patiently the lady waited in front of the door. Even though she had already felt welcome, the feeling even increased when Temperance realised who it was behind the door. "Temperance, I'm so glad you're home. She walked through the door and turned around to see Temperance struggling with a big flowerpot. "Oh, let me-". She was just about to help her move the pot when she finished the task. "I would've helped you, you know", she laughed.
"I was just returning from Skia when I passed by your house and remembered you told me about the puppy Thomas has gotten you. I wasn't sure if you'd be home but saw Melody through the gate and asked if I could come say hi." Temperance said she'd ask Melody for some tea. "Oh, she's already on her way to get us some tea. She told me I could already go to the greenhouse and she'd be right there." Noise behind her made the woman look and she saw a young man and a dog by the door. It took her a moment to realise where she had seen the man before. She felt a bit ashamed of the way she had treated him now that it looked like Temperance and the soldier knew each other. "Berengar, good afternoon." She showed him a genuine smile before softly touching the pendant around her neck that the man had so kindly returned to her. She had thought he had stolen it and she had been rude about it too. If only she could turn back time. When Ber addressed Temperance, Gunne crouched down and put her hand forward to allow the dog to sniff it. Artos stepped forward and cautiously sniffed her hand before returning to Berengar. It seemed like he wanted to be sure it was okay with the man before he approached Gunne more.
"Oh, no need to bother with it!" She said once the pot had been moved. "I'm lugging these things around all the time. You'd think I'd have more muscles by now." She laughed with Gunne, but paused before leaving as Gunne said Melody was already preparing some tea. "Wonderful! I'm so glad you were passing by, then. Lucky for us, and Artos loves meeting new people," she smiled, putting her hands on her hips.
"Though, at the moment I'm afraid Artos is away but I'm sure he'll be back by the time we've finished our tea. One of his favorite people is with him. I'm not entirely sure I'm included on that list, either. I think he like's Thomas, Melody, and Ber--" it was just then that the boy and the dog returned, walking into the greenhouse without hesitation. She smiled. "Berengar, more than he likes me," she finished, shaking her head at the time, though she blinked a few times when Gunne and Ber greeted one another as if they were familiar. "Oh, the two of you have met? Great! Ber, Melody is fixing us some tea. Stay and have a cup with us. I hope Artos didn't boss you around any? You know you have to be stern with him."
She watched as Artos sniffed Gunne's hand and then retreated back to Ber. "See what I mean? His favorite person. Artos, come here you silly pup," she said, crouching down beside Gunne to usher him over. The puppy did look back up at Ber, making Temperance laugh and roll her eyes. But he eventually padded back over, rolling onto his back in front of the two women in a request to have his belly rubbed. "Isn't he so big to only be a puppy? I'm terrified that he'll grow to be so large that he'll barely fit through the greenhouse door. We'll have to build him a cottage of his own." She stood up, allowing Gunne to be the one to show the puppy the attention, and walked over to pat Ber on the arm. "You can live in there with him, Berengar. He'd be devastated if you didn't," she joked, though it probably wasn't a false statement. If only they could speak dog. "How did you and Lady Cortell meet? Something through work, perhaps?"
Lady Cortell smiled at him, and the motion of her hand drew his attention to a familiar pendant resting in her collarbone. Well, at least she had gotten that fixed, then. “Good afternoon, my lady.” Or it had been, at least. He wasn’t in the mood for the mincing of words that came with encountering nobility, but he could be polite. As Artos abandoned him to inspect the newcomer, he entered the greenhouse properly instead of lingering in the doorway. A nod and a “Once, briefly,” were all he was willing to offer to answer Temperance’s surprised inquiry; he was not about to make himself look foolish by complaining about behavior that was entirely expected from a noble, especially to a woman who undoubtedly had her own share of unpleasant experiences. Such was the life of a lowborn commoner, even if it rankled.
He would, however, stay for tea at her bidding. He would even do so for the sake of her company, and not just that of the spoiled canine who had wormed his way into Ber’s heart as Ber had infiltrated his. “Tea would be nice,” He agreed and then crossed his arms when she questioned his ability to remain firm with the dog, only slightly affronted. “Do you really think,” He asked, but there was little heat to his words. “I’d let Artos, a dog boss me around?” Never mind that he had let Artos boss him around, no less than five minutes ago. But she didn’t need to know that, and Artos wasn’t about to tell on him. He was a good dog, and Ber indulgently scratched behind his ears when he returned; the young soldier had no qualms about being the puppy’s favorite.
But he was a favorite only to a certain extent, it seemed, for he was abandoned soon enough for the prospect of belly rubs from two sets of hands instead of one. With some amusement, he pictured Artos in a miniature version of Temperance’s quaint cottage, sipping tea out of little mugs, and almost made some comment about her being the one who would spoil the dog, not Ber, when she stood up and came over to him. “Probably would be a better roommate than some of the soldiers I’ve lived with,” He said with a shrug and small smile ghosting across the corners of his lips. It faded a bit at her next question, and scratching the back of his neck, he glanced briefly over at Lady Cortell before turning back to Temperance. “We met in the market,” He said truthfully. “She dropped her necklace, I returned it.”She, in not so many words, accused me of theft. I, in not so many words, told her that was close-minded of her. She insulted me, then defended me, then told me about her family, and let me talk to her son. And then I escaped and hoped I’d never have to see her again, but here we are. It was as to be expected of nobility. He shrugged. “Like I said, very brief.”
Berengar came in just as Temperance was about to say his name. Gunne and Ber exchanged some looks and words although it was fair to say there was some tension between the two of them. Temperance didn't seem to pick up on it and the soldier told her briefly that they had indeed met before. Gunne wasn't about to let the sight of Berengar ruin her afternoon and instead laughed with Temperance as the puppy plopped over to show his belly. She rubbed his belly, nodding when his owner said how big he was. "Now I understand why you were worried about your flowers getting trampled by him", she said, giving the pup one more pat before getting up.
Temperance asked how the two of them had met and lady Cortell was more than happy to let the young man answer that question. She hadn't expected him to say it had been an unpleasant way of meeting each other, but she was still surprised how well he put it, of course not knowing his intern monologue that took away from it. She then nodded. "I'm very thankful that he returned the necklace to me, although perhaps I didn't quite show it correctly." She looked over at the soldier, hoping those words would make him feel a little better about their encounter. "How did you two meet, then? Small world", she asked them. Then she got distracted because Artos was rubbing against her leg, which made her laugh.
"Oh, that's wonderful, no need for introductions then," Temperance said happily, none the wiser at the somewhat awkward way the two danced around the conversation. A lot of commoners were nervous around Nobles, even ones they had met before, because so much could be said or done wrong. But Temperance didn't really think she had anything to worry about. Gunne was a good person, and Ber was always polite. She couldn't see any reason that they wouldn't get along.
Her eyes shifted somewhat, as if to say 'really?' when Ber insisted that he wouldn't let Artos boss him around. "Are you so sure about that, Berengar? You've been gone for a while. And I know how those big puppy eyes play on the soul." She poked Ber in the chest, laughing lightly. "I'll take your word for it then. Who's the boss between the two of you will stay between the two of you. Thus far, however, neither Thomas or I are the boss. He only listens to Melody and you can't blame him for that."
Moving toward her desk, she gestured to the chair she kept by her desk for patrons. "Please, have a seat, Lady Cortell. I'm sure the tea will be done in no time." Her hands moved to her hips and she groaned. "Down, Edith, down. We've got guests," she told the Maine Coon that had stretched out across the desk. Edith yawned and looked at her, then stood up, stretched, and jumped down. Artos would run to the cat immediately, who for now doubled him in size, and begin trying to play. Edith was mostly unbothered, raising to paw to press against Artos's head as if to deter him, but not hurt him. She'd gotten use to the pup rather quickly. Temperance took that time to use a damp cloth to wipe the top of the desk clean. "I don't doubt that at all. I can imagine your roommates in the barracks are much louder. At least Artos's little barks are so cute."
The story he told was brief indeed, and it made Temperance smile. She was proud that Berengar was such an upstanding boy. Even being a soldier, there were some who might have taken the necklace for themselves. Money was tight for a lot of people, but especially young soldiers. She knew that wasn't her Ber though. "That's great, I'm glad you were the one to find it. Who knows if Lady Cortell would have gotten it back otherwise." A frown did form shortly at Gunne's words, wondering what exactly she meant when she said she hadn't shown her gratefulness correctly. But Temperance didn't want to pry if neither of them wanted to talk about it.
"Berengar, why don't you run inside and grab a chair for yourself, and see if Melody needs any help with the tea? Edith seems to be babysitting Artos for now," she said with a smile as she sat down in the other chair by her desk, returning to Gunne's question. "I actually went to a tavern recently to look for one of my customers that hadn't shown up for his potion. I saw Berengar while I was there and we conversed for a bit. I invited him to dinner and he seemed to really like Artos, so he's become part of the family," she said, a content smile. "He's a good kid. And Melody likes him way better than Thomas or I."
“I am a soldier in the military, Temperance. We know how to withstand puppy eyes,” Ber responded as she poked him, refusing to give any ground despite how much of a lie he and Artos knew it was. “It’s not my fault if Thom’s forgotten how to do that. And he’s a smart dog – of course he listens to Melody.” The older woman may have always been kind to Ber while he visited, but he was familiar with her type; she had a no-nonsense way about her that suggested she wouldn’t hesitate to wrap his knuckles with a serving spoon if he pushed too far.
Much to his relief, the awkward tension between him and Lady Cortell seemed to entirely escape Temperance, who Ber thought genuinely only saw the best in everyone around her, for she continued on as if nothing was amiss. The witch began moving away to her desk, shooing Edith down from where the cat had been lounging in utter satisfaction across the wooden surface, and offering the noblewoman a seat. The smile she gave at his abbreviated retelling of his and Lady Cortell’s previous encounter had him nodding and glancing over at the latter as she expressed her gratitude for his actions – along with what, possible regret for her own? Ber turned that over in his mind, not quite sure how to feel about it, though he noted without surprise that she seemed equally as unwilling to elaborate beyond that brief summary as he did, instead asking for the story of how he and Temperance had met.
Was this going to turn into an afternoon spent rehashing how they had all met? Should he ask the same question of the two women? As far as he was concerned, Lady Cortell was not his friend, and just as he didn’t need to know how she and Temperance seemed to have become friendly, she didn’t need to know how the same had happened with him, just so she could find another reason to judge him worthy or unworthy of her regard. The poor orphan boy who couldn’t afford a decent meal had to rely on the charity of others. Then Temperance suggested that he go grab a chair from the cottage and check on Melody, and he took the escape gladly, hearing the witch began to answer Lady Cortell’s question as he ducked back out the door; resigning himself to standing there awkwardly while they talked about him was not high on his list of enjoyable activities.
The cooler air and slight breeze outside the greenhouse helped clear his head a little of the prickling discomfort that had quietly been pooling since he’d come back to find Lady Cortell at the greenhouse. He’d been in such a good mood from time spent romping around with Artos. Why did she have the power to erase all of that and make him feel like he was back to walking on thin ice, just by being there? It wasn’t even like she had been wrong about accusing him of being a thief – he had been one, a good one, in the past. It was just… he was trying to be more than that, to build himself a better life, and to be looked at while doing so and been seen as nothing more than the street rat he once was… frustrating. Ber took a deep breath, kicking at a stray stone that lay on the increasingly familiar path from the greenhouse to the cottage. It was fine. Lady Cortell was acting exactly how a noble acted, and Ber should know better than to let it get to him. Even if the nature of her relationship with Temperance had seemed entirely different, one closer to friend than client, so clearly there was something about him that screamed trouble, and if she told Temperance…
Whatever. It was fine. Taking another deep breath and running a hand over his face, Ber shoved aside his churning thoughts and squared his shoulders. After opening the door to the cottage, he wiped his feet at the door and called out, “Melody?” Even without the warm company of Artos, Thom, and Temperance here, the room felt cozy and welcoming, and he strode over to rest his hands on the back of the nearest chair at the table where they’d eaten dinner before. When the maid appeared, he explained, “Temperance sent me to grab a chair and see if you needed help with anything.”
Post by Edith Byron on Oct 16, 2022 5:55:25 GMT -5
Even though Temperance considered Gunne to be a good person, it was obvious that Berengar didn't feel the same way about the Morrigan woman. He couldn't be blamed for feeling like this. The two of them hadn't exactly met under the best circumstances and Gunne had indeed acted like the young man had stolen her necklace, leading her children to believe just that. Berengar had talked to Ruben about the military for a bit but she had made it clear that it was unlikely that her son would join after his mandatory training, which only made the gap between her and the commoner feel bigger and deeper.
She listened a bit to the two of them joking around about the dog, smiling politely while doing so. She didn't feel like it was necessary for her to join in as she wouldn't be able to add anything to the conversation. Once they were done, the woman followed her friend to the desk where Temperance gestured towards a chair. "Also a new cat, or did I simply not have the pleasure of meeting this beautiful girl yet?" she asked as she bowed down to pick Edith up. Artos made a little sound when he saw that Gunne placed the cat on her lap, almost as if he were jealous that Edith could curl up there. The cat let her tail hang down Gunne's leg, and Artos absolutely loved this. He kept trying to catch it and jump at it. While the animals were entertaining each other, the lady asked how the two others had met.
Then Temperance told the young man to run inside to get a chair for himself. Gunne watched as Berengar left the greenhouse, continuing to focus on the garden while Ber was already out of view. Then she turned back to Temperance, who had started to answer her question. She smiled at her friend. "That sounds lovely. You're always so nice to people. Berengar definitely seems to love Artos. Now you finally have someone to babysit him so he won't go around eating your plants." She laughed. "I didn't know you already had company over though. I can come back later if that's easier. Berengar seems to be a little uncomfortable now that I'm around."
Temperance only nodded to Ber as he insisted that he could easily take charge of Artos. She knew very well that the fluffy puppy was the boss of nearly all of them, and even on occasion Melody when it came to scraps of food. But she'd let Ber have it and she'd laugh about it later. When Gunne was gone, she'd make Ber show her how good he was at making Artos listen to him.
The Apothecary had forgotten that Edith hadn't been hanging around the first time Gunne had come by. "Edith comes and goes as she pleases, I think she had found a rogue ray of sunlight peeping through the clouds in the garden last time, because shortly after you left she trotted in covered in pollen. I've had her for around two years now." She watched Gunne pick Edith up and plop the cat in her lap. It was no small task to lift the Maine Coon like that but she managed, not surprising as she was surely used to picking up her children day in and day out. And Edith didn't complain a bit as long as she was off of the ground and away from Artos's slobber.
As Temperance sat down in her own chair, she looked over at Gunne. No, the tension between the two had not gone unnoticed. Unacknowledged, certainly, because it was none of Temperance's business if something had happened between the two. But now that Gunne had brought it up, Temperance felt compelled to acknowledge it. "I'd like you to stay, if you're comfortable with that," she said, resting her hands in her lap. "You said that you might not have showed your appreciation in the best way. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but it would be nice if it could be resolved. Berengar has never been given a reason to like Nobles but perhaps if he got to know you a little better, it would show him that we're not all that different from one another. I think that's an important perspective."
She chewed her lip slightly, becoming a little more serious. "However, he's become like my family. He's welcome to this place as his home as much as it is my home, so if there are any negative feelings that you might have toward him, I do think it best you leave. You're a very good friend to me and I'd like for us all to get along, but more than anything I want Berengar to know that he has at least one place he can come to where he is not judged or looked down upon. I hope you understand."
Inside, Melody walked over into the kitchen, waving the boy off. "I've gotta bring this tea out, you just hold the door for me, Berengar. Thank you dear." She said, putting everything on the tray for the tea, including milk, sugar, and three cups. Then she lifted the tray and with Berengar holding the door, walked through and out toward the greenhouse. "Teas done," she announced, carrying the tray over to sit it on the desk. Then she leaned down and rubbed Artos on the head. "Edith will not take that but for so long, Artos," she warned. Then she nodded her head to Lady Cortell, patted Berengar on the shoulder as he brought his chair in, and disappeared once more.
Even though Melody's back was turned as she piled everything onto a tray, Ber nodded his understanding and made his way back over to the door, abandoning the chair for the time being. Obligingly, he held it open for the maid before quickly ducking back inside to grab the chair closest to the exit and maneuvering his own way outside. Once on the path, he caught up with little trouble to Melody - the strength training and drills that the officers enjoyed putting them through every day evidently had unrelated benefits as well - but waited for her to enter through the propped-open door first, taking the chance to take a deep breath before he walked in himself. A glance around as he strode toward the desk told him that Lady Cortell had apparently befriended Edith, for she was now sprawled across the noblewoman's lap, but that little else had changed. After waiting for Melody to pass by him, acknowledging her touch with a nod, he set the chair down by the desk to form a little triangle, and if he positioned himself a little closer to Temperance than Lady Cortell, it was certainly coincidence and nothing more. "Tea?" He asked of the group, pouring out a cup for whoever wanted one before he grabbed his own, sat back in his chair, and busied himself with blowing on it and watching the steam curl into the air.
Post by Edith Byron on Oct 26, 2022 10:49:41 GMT -5
She smiled at the cat while its owner explained to Gunne why she didn't see the animal the previous time she had visited the greenhouse. The cat paid absolutely no attention at all to the words and purred as Gunne was petting her. "She's a beautiful cat", she responded, barely taking her eyes off of Edith while speaking. She was certain that if she were to be an animal, she'd be a cat. Just lounging about, living their best life and doing only what they wanted to do. Yes, it sounded like a dream.
After they were both seated, Gunne had asked if she should leave the two be, for Berengar seemed to be uncomfortable with her presence. Now was the ideal time for Temperance to ask about the weird, brief conversation that the noblewoman and the soldier had shared prior to him leaving the greenhouse to check on Melody, and Temperance took that opportunity. She waved away the suggesting to resolve the issue. "I think it'll only draw more attention to it, I'm sure Berengar wouldn't want that. It's best to just leave it." She let the latter part of the other witch's comment slide. She Didn't appreciate the 'not being given a reason to like nobles' reasoning for it didn't make any sense to her. She was more important to him, so he should just act nice towards her without taking his feelings about her into account. It was the way commoners were supposed to behave. It wasn't her fault that they weren't born in a family like the Morrigans.
Gunne did look up from Edith to meet Temperance's gaze when she turned more serious, talking about how the boy had become like family to her. She raised an eyebrow, a little taken aback by the way her friend was talking to her. The idea that she was putting this commoner above her made her agitated, but she swallowed the remark she was about to make and simply stated, dryly: "I understand."
Temperance knew nothing of Berengar and her encounter, leading Gunne to believe even more that her friend shouldn't speak that way to her, but she really did not feel like making a scene. She had already made a scene before in this very greenhouse and wasn't about to repeat that. Luckily - for the both of them - Melody entered the greenhouse with the tea. Gunne put a smile on her face although it wasn't as genuine as it appeared to be and looked up at the maid. She returned the nod Melody gave her and looked over at Berengar, who was now speaking. "Yes, please", she replied when he asked if they wanted tea. "You're good with animals, judging from how much Artos likes you", the woman said while doing the same thing as the soldier was doing: blowing on the tea to allow it to cool down so she wouldn't burn her tongue. Although it would perhaps be a good lesson for Gunne to burn her tongue. It would teach her to not make so many rude comments with it, although she was now trying to be nice to the kid.
Temperance didn’t like the idea of arguing or making things harder than they had to be. She had a lot of respect for Gunne, really enjoyed her company and valued her as a friend and person. Although their relationship had begun with conflict, she thought of Gunne as a good person and since their relationship had bloomed the differences between commoner and noble had blurred somewhat. They were able to be more open with one another, and while Temperance still upheld the standard of commoner to noble etiquette, she didn’t necessarily feel as worried if she stumbled around Gunne.
That said, she had taken Ber in like a son and though by Nevermeran standards he was a grown man, Temperance was determined to show him that the world wasn’t all soldiering and serving. He’d been through a lot as a kid and no, that wasn’t Gunne’s fault in the least, but Temperance wasn’t going to let anyone come to her home and make him feel like he was the one out of place. She wanted everyone to feel welcomed and comfortable, but Gunne could go home and have that safety and comfort. Where could Ber go for it, if not here? It was not a matter of taking sides, Temperance had decided, but a matter of fairness. Everyone deserved to have that, and it was not fair to give Gunne two safe places while Ber had none. It was in this instance that a side of Temperance that was rarely seen would come out. The soft spoken, passive woman was not one to instigate but she did not mind being stern when she felt it necessary, no matter to whom it might be. Her words to Gunne had been as soft as they could be, as understanding as they could be. But if Gunne had some kind of preconceived idea of Ber in her mind that she couldn’t let go of, Temperance would simply not allow her to disrespect him. In the streets of Skia the apothecary had no power, but if nowhere else, she had it here, in her own home.
Gunne, however, replied that she understood. The words simply accepted Temperance’s terms, and she could tell that her friend had not been happy with the warning. She couldn’t blame Gunne for that, and if it changed how the noble felt about Temperance, that was unfortunate, but she wouldn’t apologize for saying how she truly felt. “Thank you,” she said simply in response. It did make the air between them a little tense, but luckily it did not last. Before she knew it, Melody and Ber were re-entering the room and Gunne and Ber remained cordial to one another. She took a cup of tea as well, thanking Ber for pouring it, and dumping some sugar into it. While she lifted the tea to her nose, she watched the interaction between Ber and Gunne, and smiled. Although she hadn’t liked very much what Temperance had to say on the matter, Gunne was making an effort to converse with Ber and be kind to him, and really that was all she could ask for.
Temperance allowed Ber to respond first, then added: “Berengar was here the day that Thomas brought Artos home. He took to him immediately. They say animals can sense when a human has a kind soul. I made him promise to visit often so Artos could see him. Thomas takes him to work sometimes, but there are days when we can’t make sure he gets enough exercise, so Berengar helps us with that. Artos is so large, even for a puppy. He has tons of energy. Poor Edith gets so tired of being chased around the garden.” She said with a chuckle. “I forget, did you have any pets at all, Lady Cortell? I don’t remember seeing any at your home.”
If Ber was vaguely aware of the slight tension in the air that lingered over all three of them as he poured the tea, he dismissed it as part of his own feelings toward Lady Cortell projected upon the entire room. Having settled back into his own seat and started waiting for the tea to cool, he had expected to be spoken of and around rather than to, particularly by the noblewoman sitting across from him. So when she turned to him and commented on his apparent skill with animals, he blinked at her for a moment before lifting one shoulder in a noncommittal shrug.
“Don’t know many other animals, Lady Cortell,” Ber said, glancing over at the puppy, who appeared to have grown bored of Edith’s tail - or perhaps endured one too many swipes from her paw - and had started looking around for someone or something else to entertain him. This was when he tended to start testing the edibility of Temperance’s plants, so the soldier patted the side of his leg to call him over. “Artos is easy; he likes anyone who will give him attention or food.”With a preference for both. He gestured toward the cat sprawled across the noblewoman’s lap. “Edith is a little harder to please.”
Temperance spoke up then, and Ber took the opportunity to sip his tea, nodding alongside her words when appropriate. He would be polite for his own sake - Lady Cortell was a noblewoman, after all, and he knew how these things worked - but he would sit here, weather her company, and answer her questions without complaint for Temperance. The two were friends, and regardless of his own personal feelings, he owed it to the kind woman to at least be cordial, even if he couldn’t manage happy. Artos, as always, helped. The dog had sat beside his leg, but as the soldier watched, the puppy’s forelegs slowly slid forward until sitting down had turned into laying down. Naturally, Artos had panted happily the entire way to the ground.