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Post by Helaena Caltarys on Dec 6, 2018 12:34:21 GMT
Situated at the edge of the Valyrian Quarter, the house given to Helaena Caltarys by the governor resembles the fancier manors of the quarter in make if not in size. Its off-white walls and pillars look recently painted, but once you step in, it becomes clear the house hasn't seen use in years. The previous moth-eaten curtains have been swapped for fresher ones and the furniture looks unused, yet a stagnant smell hovers in the rooms. The house is void of any decor and signs of inhabitants. In the back, there is a decent-sized garden and a small orchard.
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Post by Helaena Caltarys on Dec 6, 2018 14:57:58 GMT
Having spent the better part of the morning in her garden without paying any mind to possible callers at her front door, Helaena had missed the news about her sister coming to town that particular day. It was likely Aeradar had sent someone to check with her, but she'd missed them. The two slaves and two guards at her beck and call she'd left waiting on the back porch.
Humming an old Valyrian tune, she brought the cleaver down on the pig carcass once, twice, and extracted from it a small lump of meat. "You're going to have to do that yourself soon enough," she mused with a slight smile, well aware what a peculiar sight she would make, standing in the middle of her garden in a bright yellow dress and a wide-brimmed sun hat, up to her elbows in pig blood. "Feed," she called, and almost gingerly, threw the piece of meat to her left, watching the little dragon leap after it and greedily gobble it down. "Just... try to stick to animals," she added conversationally, turning her attention back to the pig carcass. "I don't know if there're any children here, but..." she lopped off another piece of pork, "...just in case." She threw the piece aside for Jaes to snap up again.
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Post by Lord Aeradar Caltarys on Dec 9, 2018 17:30:17 GMT
On the way back to the family manse from the docks, Aeradar had his palanquin stop in front of Halaena's dilapidated abode. Knowing full well how lost his sister got in her diversions and hobbies, her brother had the buglers announce his presence at the front gate.
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Post by The Terror on Dec 9, 2018 20:26:43 GMT
A Valyrian boy named Iggy (formally Aegon) had volunteered to serve as Hel's assistant on the property. His father was Maekar the Magnificent, a noted tailor who lived nearby. Iggy had originally only hung around the gates for a glimpse at the dragon itself. Now he had gravitated to butler, zookeeper, and occasional cook.
"Lord Aeradar!!" He wore fine clothes sewn by his father, but his silver hair was a wild mess. "Lemme get Lady Helaena, your Excellency!!"
Then he runs off shrieking, "HEEEEELLLLL!!! YOUR BROTHER IS HEEERREE!!"
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Post by Helaena Caltarys on Dec 9, 2018 20:50:39 GMT
Helaena was startled by the sudden shriek cutting through her perfectly peaceful afternoon like a blade. She waited for the boy to approach her and closed the distance over to him to ruffle his hair, leaving red streaks all over his silver hair. "Well, let him in, will you? And have one of the slaves fetch me a bowl of water," she said, and smoothed down some of his wild hair before letting him go and turning back to finish her task of feeding the dragon. Jaes looked as if his stomach would soon burst, so one or two strips of meat was all he could still hope for.
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Post by The Terror on Dec 9, 2018 21:14:20 GMT
Iggy nods and vanishes.
A beautiful woman bearing the marks of a house slave appears and presents her a golden bowl of water. The water is as clean and clear as a child's soul. In its reflection, Helaena is as beautiful as Nissa herself.
***
Outside, Iggy leads the Lord inside.
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Post by Lord Aeradar Caltarys on Dec 9, 2018 22:06:03 GMT
As Aeradar stepped out of the palanquin, he opened his mouth to greet the child in turn, only for Iggy to run off to fetch Helaena before the words passed his lips. When the boy did return, now with slightly less unkempt hair, the lord greeted him with a warm smile and tussles it, undoing his sister's efforts.
"Aegon, my boy, how do you fare today?" he inquired as they made their way back towards the garden. "Do tell your father to expect a visit from me soon. I will need to look my best for the 7 days of games to come. Has he decided you're old enough for the thrills of the arena yet?"
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Post by The Terror on Dec 9, 2018 22:57:38 GMT
"Yes, my lord!!" He nodded and grinned, even if he didn't know for a fact what was the case. "I would dearly love to watch Baleria in action." He was walking slowly. Somehow, that told Aeradar the child was trying buy time for his sister to either get dressed or collect her wits.
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Post by Helaena Caltarys on Dec 10, 2018 9:15:44 GMT
Helaena looked down at her reflection and smiled a little at the sight, perhaps a bit sadly. She then began washing her hands almost meticulously, getting rid of every single spot of dried blood on her hands and forearms. The sleeves of her dress that she'd rolled up earlier were of course another matter; they'd likely keep a tinge of reddish orange even after she'd had the dress washed.
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Post by Lord Aeradar Caltarys on Dec 10, 2018 12:13:00 GMT
“Well for such a true friend of House Caltarys, I will have to arrange a private exhibition so you can meet the Black Dread in person,” Aeradar suggested to the excited young lad. The ulterior motives for this were twofold. On one hand he prized his wardrobe and knew the benefits of endearing himself to the only competent tailor on the continent. On the other, he was grateful for the company Iggy provided his sister when the ludus demanded his attention. Whatever kept his sister from burning down the manse and the entire Valyrian District with it on a whim.
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Post by The Terror on Dec 11, 2018 7:12:49 GMT
"Really?! Oh, I wonder if she speaks proper Valyrian! I should hate to offend or annoy the Black Dread with my presumptuousness. I saw Lord Adaxios. He speaks like a proper Valyrian, but he looks like a terrible savage. Father says he is as rich as Lord Maltalos though and has a hundred warriors and once wrestled a tiger."
Aeradar had heard all these rumors too, but Artumar Adaxios never attended the games and rarely stepped inside Linyanti itself. His disdain for the sacred institution of slavery was quite legendary.
Iggy lead Lord Caltarys to his sister and her plain wooden bowl of rather ordinary water.
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Post by Helaena Caltarys on Dec 11, 2018 14:15:55 GMT
Helaena was in the process of drying her hands on her skirts. "Aeradar," she greeted, looking up. Jaes peeked at him from behind her, his intelligent yellow eyes tracking the man's every movement even if his current body language was that of a content freshly fed little critter. "What brings you here?" she asked.
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Post by Lord Aeradar Caltarys on Dec 11, 2018 16:12:22 GMT
He chuckled as Iggy rambled, humoring the young lad with his rapt interest, before turning to his sister.
"We missed you down at the docks," Aeradar replied to Hel, stressing the plural in a playfully chiding tone, in an effort to remind his sister that today had in fact been the day of Aelyx's arrival.
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Post by Helaena Caltarys on Dec 12, 2018 10:59:15 GMT
Hel looked past him, and failing to notice anyone else, seemed confused for a moment. Then, it dawned on her that Aelyx was reportedly coming to town one of these days, and her face lightened up. "Is she here?" She looked past him again, as if expecting Aelyx to make an entrance.
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Post by Lord Aeradar Caltarys on Dec 12, 2018 18:21:02 GMT
"No, she decided to go on a..." he paused, to let out a long drawn out sigh, "walk." He said the word as if she had decided to take a shit on the governor's doorstep.
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