Heims, a wonder of the world. Snowfall and ice covered ponds and lakes. Which was the place he found himself. Tavariss needed a ride. His best ideas came to him when out on a stroll or a ride. The air was fresh, crisp even. It was the lack of wind that made the ride bearable.

Circling the lake, he watched the people on the ice covered lake push themselves around with canes and sticks. He had a mind to try himself. Noticing a woman along his path watching on at the same scene.

“ A wonder what the mind can create to help combat the lack of excitement in the day.” He said aloud as he stopped his horse some distance from the woman. Gazing at the lake still, giving a side eye to the woman before him. She looked familiar but couldn’t yet place the face with a name.

People would always find a way to occupy themselves even when there was little to do around them. Time and time again this was proven by nee inventions and creative outlets that they came up with. Ice skating was only just the beginning. People would find a way to make a competition out of it too, and that's when the competitive side of the brain would ruin all the fun.

She looked up when she heard a horse snort and come to a stop just a little away from her. A man started to speak while looking over the lake. Scout chuckled lightly, nodding in agreement.

"Fantasy and wonder are the things that keep this world going", she responded, eyeing the rider and his horse. "Beautiful horse you got there." She smiled once more before turning to take a peek at the activity on the ice again.

“Truer words have never been spoken, malady.” She definitely had the truth of it. Vision and those with it, lead the world in directions many could never fathom. Yet some how benefitted, at least in some ways. There were always those who’s visions were not for the benefit for the many. The collars being a good example.

Giving her a brush along her mane he smiled, “ She would thank you. If she had the words to.” he stated before dismounting.

“Have you ever tried?” he asked motioning his head to the people on the lake. It was a curiosity for sure. Not one he had a mind to try in the past, but variety was the spice of life was it not. He searched the ground for a rock with his boots. Picking up a fair sized one, he gave it toss toward the lake. He was sure the ice was thick enough, but his cautious side got the better of him.

If there was something to be said about Scout, it was that she had terrific People skills. It came in incredibly handy with her title as Lady Steward. She aimed to do the best for people, trying to understand them to the best of her abilities and sympathising with them.

She smiled at the man when he agreed with her words. Then she complimented his horse, to which he responded with a smile and a stroke of her mane. Scout laughed at his words and watched him descent from the horse.

"I can't say I have", she responded truthfully to his question. "But it looks like they're having fun. I'd just be so afraid of the ice breaking." Just after she had finished talking, the man picked up a rock and threw it on the ice. With a low, vibrating sound it skipped over the ice, coming to a stop eventually. Nothing happened. The ice seemed thick enough.

"Have you?" she then returned the question.

She had a warm laugh, he had to admit to himself. There was something about this woman he couldn’t shake. He knew her from somewhere. Official of the court perhaps? Courtier more then likely, one of the faces in the crowd. That would be a hard face to forget for sure.

“ Not till today. Fantasy and wonder always come with risk.” He replied to her question. Turning to face her with a grin. Clapping his hands together, he scanned the landscape looking for sticks long enough and thick enough to be useful.

“ Come let’s take a risk on the wonder of the day.” He chuckled a bit as he set off to pick up a few sticks he felt were sturdy enough. Giving them a light testing, just to be sure they wouldn’t snap when he pushed off from them. He had been watching the others on the lake long enough. He felt he had a good feel for the concept. If these sticks could handle his weight they surely would be fine for the lady. Offering them to her, whether she took or not was up to her. He would find another pair for himself if she did choose to take them.

“I’ll take the first step, if the ice can handle me. Surely it would be kinder to the lady.” This would be fun. He felt like a child again, if only for this moment. There was excitement in the unknown. Given his activities, maybe it could be said. He had grown attached to the enticement of taking risks. When approaching the lakes edge, he tapped his foot around before him. Testing to be sure the ice was solid enough for him to step on to. Then usi g the stocks to test further out. Looking to the lady he gave a nod.

“Remember as I was.” He said before he shot his long leg out onto the ice. His boot shifting slightly as it landed on the ice. Bringing his other foot to meet that one. Stopping midway as he felt his first foot shifting again. Standing with one foot out as he grained his balance again, planting his sticks to help. Letting his free foot come to meet with his other on the ice. With a sight of relief, the mist giving away his relief to anyone watching.

“ Shall you show me how its done properly?” He asked with a teasing smile.

If she knew what he was thinking, she would have playfully pretended to be offended. She wasn't really a face that blended in easily, and she was definitely more than a courtier. She was a great Lady Steward and she worked her ass off each and every day. This was one of the rare occasions that she took a little time for herself. But that being said, she barely ever took offence to people not recognising her. She considered it to be a good thing. It meant that didn't have to come see her about any issues yet. Even though her job came down to being a mediator between the queen and the people, she did far more than that. She actively sought out issues, to try and resolve them.

A grin formed on Scout's face when the man proposed they go ice skating too. They had both never done it before but now was indeed a wonderful time to try for the first time. She watched as he tested and accepted them when they were offered to her with a smile. "Thank you."

The dark-haired man tested the ice first, taking some steps after a funny remark about remembering him as he was. The woman laughed and followed his example, carefully placing her feet on the ice and trying to keep herself up with the sticks. She slid around a bit and moved her upper body left to right to maintain her balance.

"Me?" she laughed. "You seem to be way better at it than I am, my lord." Scout pushed herself forward with the sticks, which went alright for a bit. With the next push, she pushed herself in the man's direction and that's when she realised it was very difficult to steer. Not being able to stop herself, she crashed right into him.

"Oh my, I am terribly sorry", she said, hoping she didn't hurt him.

A mile and a laugh, lighten the day for another was always a good feeling. She seemed to enjoy his company. Life was to short to spend it not doing something interesting when the opportunity presented itself. It had lead him to live a intriguing life so far.

“I clumsily led the way, the lady will surely master the ice.” He claimed as he began to skid over the ice. His boots slide with little effort on his part, trying to figure out how to turn on the ice. He had been lost in his experiment to turn, he had not noticed the lady rushing towards him.

At the last moment out of the corner of his eyes he saw a figure. The lady had crashed into him, his legs wobbled on the ice. He had to bend his knees to maintain his balance. Dropping his sticks he placed his arms around the lady. To hold her in place and help them both stay upright.

“My lady but only need ask if she need a warm embrace. I didn’t think it was that cold out.” He Stated with a chuckle as he looked down at the lady. Lifting his hand to move the hair from her face.

“There, a lady must be presentable at all times.” He joked. “I always thought it was considered rude to be so intimate with one who’s name you did not know.” He poked at her again jokingly. Smiling he bowed his head slightly still holding the woman.

“Tavariss Anwir, baron Anwir. My lady of the ice would be?” he asked moving his hands from around her holding her just above the waist. Looking at her inquisitively, to confirm she had her balance again.

He had more trust in her ice skating abilities than she had herself. While going forward was easy enough, turning and stopping were another thing. Scout slid towards the man and bumped into him. Luckily, neither of them fell down, and the man put his arms around her to keep her upright.

She chuckled at his words but the chuckle stopped once he moved his hand to move some hair out of her face. Flashbacks of rumours about her and Dresden surfaced.

If he had intended to hold her after the initial remark about a warm embrace, it would fail because she stepped back, uncomfortably adjusting her clothes and scraping her throat. She didn't need any other rumours, especially not now she was about to get married.

"Thank you", she said stiffly. "Let's meet each other from an appropriate distance. My fiance wouldn't appreciate another man being so close to me." She folded her hands in front of her.

"Scout Kane, marchioness Lady Steward Kane", she answered his question, using the way he had phrased his introduction to introduce herself.

They were having a good time until her mood has switched. She stepped away from him, seeming to gather herself again As if she had forgotten herself. Tavariss rose a single eyebrow at her as she did this. Waiting for her to regain her composure. He held out one of the sticks as a cane and leaned on it some.

There it was, she was engaged. Given her response and the way she responded. She was definitely a lady of some repute or her family was. He looked at her inquisitively, as she responded to his introduction. Yes! There it was, he knew she looked familiar for a reason. The lady steward. He had found himself in the presence of a lady of great repute.

“You harm me my lady.” He said placing a hand on his chest feigning hurt.

“I would never encroach upon the virtue of a woman engaged. I would not lower myself or the lady to the gossip of the courtiers. Oh an how do they love to gossip.” He said with a chuckle still holding his false tone of hurt. Smiling to the lady he gave her nod of understanding.

“it is an honor to share this experience with the lady Kane. Let it be known the lady of the lake, was the model example of noble modesty one could ever behold.” He gave a bow while making the claim as if he was a harrold introducing a noble at a ball. Not as loud as a harrold would of course not wanting to draw attention.

Tavarris seemed understanding of the situation, which calmed Scout's nerves a bit. The soft smile returned to her face.

"My apologies, my lord. A lady can never be careful enough when meeting someone new." She smiled, making sure it was obvious that it wasn't anything personal. "They sure do love to gossip. Where they find the inspiration for their gossip is beyond me." Scout laughed.

"Why thank you", she responded, politely bowing at him too. She shuffled a bit closer to the edge of the lake. "Tell me, lord Anwir, what is it that a man like you does for work, if I may ask?" Now they were getting to know each other, it only seemed like a logical question to ask.

He was glad she was in a better mood. The day would have been ruined should she had remained in such an uptight mood. He could understand the way politics worked in Lorendale. Something he felt was more of a hindrance than a benefit, but this was the way of things here.


“No offense taken my lady. I'm sure such guilty pleasures help them through the dull days of their uneventful lives. It has been said the walls of the palace whisper at times, perhaps the ghosts of the past haunt the place? ” he smiled as he asked the last in a joke, but was curious how she would respond. He gave himself a small push as he maneuvered his feet to try and angle himself. So that he could start to turn, and he was met with some success. Moving slowly in an arch that might be a complete circle should he continue.


“Oh, I'm a merchant for the markets. I help source the many products found amongst the city. During the turmoil of the past few years, it was my father who helped keep the supplies running to the war effort. Amongst others of course, it was not us alone. A collaborative effort, although it was organized with great effort on my father's part.” he replied genuinely.

“Perhaps the crown would have need of me, I would offer my services to the kingdom in earnest should it be needed.” he said, pausing his circle and bowing. A Gesture of sincerity. “Many names go unsung when there are war hero’s to be praised. There are those who go unseen in the background that help make those stories of valor possible.” There were many things left unknown during war time, many of which would never be heard by the masses.

His joke wasn't lost on her, but she pretended like it was. Scout put on a serious place and looked from her left to her right before inching a bit closer to Tavariss again. "Oh I can assure you the ghosts haunt the place. You do not want to be in the offices after midnight. They will whisper horrible things at you, tell you about their deaths and how they will avenge the ones responsible for it." She pretended to shiver and took a step back. Then she laughed, shaking her head slowly. "I'm just kidding, but who knows."

She watched as he skated a bit while talking. "You should see my uncle, commander Tybalt Zane or the military advisor, duke Simon Michaels about that, I'm afraid", she responded with a soft smile. "I don't deal with military equipment and supplies." Back when she had been in the military, she might have helped a bit more with setting up a connection, but now she had more than enough issues to take care of. "I suppose you're right, I must say I hadn't heard of the Anwir family before meeting you here today." Scout looked around before sitting down on the land, with her feet still on the ice.

Scout was becoming quiet the delight to Tavariss. He gave an uncontrollable chuckle as she warned him of the haunts that called the galls of the palace their home. Losing his balance a bit he wiggled to regain it. Looking like a scarecrow who was first learning to stand under its own weight. “The palace must be cleaned pure! As Lady steward I petition you to allow me and my haunt slayers to purge the halls clean.” He said as he held up one of the sticks as a sword bending his knees in a striking stance. Swirling his stick around as if fighting off some invisible foe. “If only the skeletons of one’s closet were so easily defeated” he chuckled to himself mostly.

Tavariss’s considered the idea, when his father had helped supplied the armies it was for the benefit of a larger benefactor. He could see the wisdom in making the attempt, it would give him insight into the movements and plans of the military. Valuable information indeed. “Perhaps a bird would be so kind to sing the name of a humble trader to the Commander Zane. Should it be convenient.” He said with a bow of his head. Knowing full well he was asking a small favor of the lady.

“Well that is a story indeed, we are new among the nobility of Lorendale. I was but an orphaned boy, my parents were lost to me during the turmoil of the years past. My father is a man of Arynn Frey. He felt a boy of the land in which he found himself visiting frequently, would be advantageous to him.” When he said it aloud, it sounded very cold. Then again the people of Arynn Frey had that reputation before this story. “He has taught me many great things and as cold as the circumstances sound. I find myself grateful for the opportunity that has been given to me. Not everyone is so lucky.” He has become accustomed to the lie of his families history. He’d had many years to practice. His skills were honed like sharp steel.