Tristan Addinell

"It is not enough to conquer; one must learn to seduce." Tristan Addinell. 33 years old. King of Orilion.

[thewarlockstefanromenel]

Honestly,

[thewarlockstefanromenel]

"Thankfully?" Stefan asked as he proposed the same question in his mind, before raising a brow as a slight smirk spread across his lips once more. "I wouldn’t want to press you any further if you cannot bear it, my lord. Your fragile bones are far more precious than my own, though if you prefer we can both plant ourselves somewhere and enjoy a glass of ale."

[tristanoforilion]

"Unless you'd like to be as familiar with my tongue as my lady, then yes, thankfully," Tristan replied, an easy and joking smile tugging at his lips. It was all in jest -- and, anyway, it wasn't as if he had a lady to begin with. It was rather difficult to pin one down when nearly every unmarried woman in the country was seemingly so eager to marry Elric.

"A cup of ale sounds too good to pass up. I'm not sure I got your name, by the way."

[brandy-n-soda-blog]

Dark Things ♰ Tristan & Lilith

[brandy-n-soda-blog]

Lilith continued to frown at the stranger. He was well dressed and had a sword at his side. There was something familiar about him… something about his blue eyes. It didn’t sit right with her. She scoffed, “odd thing for a man to mention once he’s been caught in the dark. Do you often worry about girls?” She took a step towards him, “worry about them so much you follow them home late a night?” How many men had offered to ‘help’ her before trying to pin her to a wall or grab at her ass? Men only helped women if it was in their best interest to help.

“You are correct, I don’t need your help,” she said, their icy blue eyes clashing against each other like swords. “I know this city and its outer walls well. It’s easy to avoid drunks and dogs and heat if you know the back alleys of the city,” she explained. “Or so I thought,” she said with a poisonous tongue.

She bit the inside of her lip when he spoke his title. Just her luck she would run across the blood of Addinell. If it weren’t for the laws of the city she would kill him now, send him down the river and cleanse this world of another son of Addinell. Nothing was that simple however, and she already tempted fate so often—coming out to the river at least once a week to dispose of bodies and sometimes to hunt for an animal she could drink from.

“You say that as if I am the odd one for being here.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I live in Abdera, from what I understand you do not. Furthermore, if it’s dangerous for me to be out on this night what about you? Where are your guards?” She pretended to look around them. “Unless that is, you came out do something you should hate for anyone to know about.” She took a few steps closer, getting close enough that she only had to whisper for him to hear her. “Now, now, no need to fret. You are only a man with a title… no lands or claim to anything, I’m sure many men would revert to your sad state under those circumstances.” Each word dripped with false sympathies. 

[tristanoforilion]

Tristan could practically feel the woman studying him as her pale eyes raked over his form. There was something about her that put a bit of frost in his veins, but he wasn't sure just yet what exactly it was. "Often might be an overstatement," he allowed, feeling his lips flickering into a smirk. He was well aware of all the raping and pillaging that men were so fond of once the sun had gone down. It hadn't ever appealed to him, as surprising as that might seem to a few people. "To be perfectly fair, my lady, I've not followed you home at all. Unless you live in the river."

There were poison barbs in her words but he brushed them off with a sense of nonchalance. A drunk and a dog were among some of the nicer things that he'd been called.

"I'm visiting my cousin; I don't think it's very odd for me to be in the city..." His eyes followed her as she moved closer to him, until she was close enough to be able to drop her voice down to no more than a whisper that he could feel ghosting coolly over his skin. He focused on her lips with a renewed interest, and then smiled.

Fangs. They glinted sharply behind her full lips, longer and much more fit to puncture than his own canine teeth.

"You speak as if you know me," he said lowly in return. His voice hadn't taken on the same thin whisper, but he did murmur, so that the deeper sound didn't travel any farther than her ears. His eyes glinted. It was a dangerous game, but there wasn't any point in playing if you never took any risks. "Which I'm sure that you mustn't. You couldn't even connect my face with my name until I told you, and now you seem to forget that I'm a king and a cousin of a king moreover -- not just a man with no lands and no claim."

[thewarlockstefanromenel]

Honestly,

[thewarlockstefanromenel]

"Well that is surely not for me to say, though perhaps all men have their ways, my lord. Your lady, would obviously know more about your tongue more than I." Watching the smile spread on Tristan’s face, Stefan knew that there was much more to him that he first thought. It would be interesting to get know the King much more in depth and while he knew not what he might find, he knew it wouldn’t be easy to read the unspoken words of the King.

[tristanoforilion]

"That she would. Thankfully."

"If there's anything else you think you could teach me about sword work, perhaps we should spar, my lord. If not..." he trailed off, and then shrugged. "Then maybe I should give my old bones a break and find somewhere to sit down."

[thewarlockstefanromenel]

Honestly,

[thewarlockstefanromenel]

"Now and then, are you sure, I believe it’s much more often than that."

Chuckling every so slightly, Stefan couldn’t help the grin that forced its way from his lips. “Perhaps so my lord, though now we couldn’t have that. for whom would we have to put on the show for the ladies? I’ve heard it’s all in the hips.”

[tristanoforilion]

"Oh, I'd argue that the majority of it is in the tongue. Why else would I exercise mine so much?" he asked, smiling wide enough to flash his teeth for the first time since the warlock had first spoken to him.

[thelady-catriona]

"Of course, we must keep up appearances, your Grace.", she lowered into an exaggerated curtsy and pecked the ring on his left hand in a dramatic show of royal courtesy.

She could feel him looking at her and knew that it was time for her to leave him so, without looking back at what was sure to be another entrancing grin, Roslin stood from her seat yet again and started for the door. “Until our afternoon trip to the markets then?”, she asked, fervently wishing for confirmation. “Then she’s sure to appreciate it.”

[tristanoforilion]

His fingers twitched almost imperceptibly as Roslin leaned to kiss the ring on his hand, and his jaw worked with the effort to hold back another smile. "That we must, or else I might get sent back to Orilion in dishonor."

Tristan watched her go with only a little disappointment. It was probably for the best. And it left him with time to finish the painting, if nothing else. "Until then, my lady. Have a pleasant afternoon, and do try not to stumble into anyone else's chambers by accident."

[thewarlockstefanromenel]

Honestly,

[thewarlockstefanromenel]

"It may be, though as I’ve said, the judgment for that still seems to be out, or perhaps you’ve explicit knowledge of that as well."

At the sight of the King’s smirk, Stefan knew he’d found himself a worthy opponent in the realm of words, though as what extent, he believed would be quite a feat to endure. “And here I thought you wouldn’t notice. I apologize if my propriety has made his grace dizzy, shall we sit you down? Gods forbid you lose your footing and then I lose my head over such trivial matters.” 

[tristanoforilion]

"I can't claim to, it was just an observation. I make those, now and then."

"Gods forbid I lose my footing and break a hip, more like," he replied, letting a little self-deprecating humor creep into his voice. "Then my creaking might be a little less graceful."

[thelady-catriona]

"No, no. Don’t stifle it. If I’m being honest I kind of like it. I miss the familiarity I used to have before becoming a courtier. The teasing feels familiar.. so if you don’t mind it. I don’t mind it." 

"I’m sure whomever receives your work will appreciate it as much as I do." Roslin said objectively, still watching the easy tug of a smile at the edges of his lips. Then the brunette looked distinctly away, hoping he didn’t notice her staring at his lips so long. Refocusing on what his lips were saying, Roslin recognized a certain specificity in what he was saying. Still she wanted to sound objective, trying to give the advice she would give if she were in fact talking about someone other than herself, "I think that.. if whomever this lady should be thinking about isn’t making the effort that you are, she will see that.”

[tristanoforilion]

"If you say so. I'll have to remember to hold my tongue when we're in mixed company, though. Everyone else might think it's rather inappropriate."

"I can only hope so." His eyes followed her as she looked away from him. While she wasn't looking, he wet his lower lip and then grinned, a flash of teeth, and nodded. It was trouble, which he had tried so carefully to avoid from the day he'd stepped foot in Nysa. But there was a rush and a crackling excitement to the idea, too. "If she didn't, I'd be heartbroken. It'd be more effort than I ever put forth for a lady before."

[thewarlockstefanromenel]

Honestly,

[thewarlockstefanromenel]

"Now that may be out for judgment, my lord. Though I must admit, they do help me hear more scandals that I’d care to hear."

"If his grace allows it. I would recommend less of the flourish and more in defense. While it may make for quite the show, we would rather his highness claim victory than defeat for fantastical swipes of the blade, wouldn’t you agree? I would only hope that one day it would not get the better of you to put on a show rather than to fight a man who would wish to take your throne or anything else of yours." Stepping back, Stefan turned with a bow to the King. While it was only proper for him to agree with the King, the warlock, knew better than to overstep his loyalty. 

[tristanoforilion]

"That may turn out to be more problematic than it is helpful. Men with big ears seldom keep their heads for long."

Tristan's brows inched upward, his lips easing into a smirk that was altogether more typical of him than the serious expression he'd been wearing before. "I see... You know, you went from calling me 'old man' to 'his grace' and 'his highness' so quickly that I'm almost dizzy. You're flourishing with your tongue as much as I apparently do with a blade."

[thelady-catriona]

"You’re just lucky I don’t mind being teased.", Roslin said, a smile creeping up in response to his. "As long as I have your permission, your Majesty.", she curtsied, only half joking with him still, "Oh yes. Women love things such as that. Even if they say that they don’t, they do. Both options are sure fire ways to make a lady think about you hours on end." 

"I wouldn’t dream of canceling on a King. Even if he does enjoy teasing me."

[tristanoforilion]

"All the same, I'll keep it to a minimum from now on. Except for when you make it so easy."

"I'm a better painter than I am a poet, so that'd be the way to go," he mused, leaning back with a small smirk. He was probably only setting himself up for more trouble than he needed, but something about the woman made it extremely difficult to care. "But what if this lady that I want to be thinking about me should be thinking about somebody else? That wouldn't upset her, would it?"

[thewarlockstefanromenel]

Honestly,

[thewarlockstefanromenel]

"Are you sure? I couldn’t tell by your overly exciting tone, my lord." Biting back the gigantic smirk he wished to unleash, Stefan only nodded with a raised brow while his eyes fell to the floor. 

"It was more of a graceful creak, if that makes you feel any better. I would never imply such a thing to the King of Orilion, it is not my place, though if I were to be asked then I would give any advice to help, your grace."

[tristanoforilion]

"Your ears are as good as your sword arm."

He slid his sword back into its sheath and nodded once, his thumbs hooking in his belt. "By all means, I'd love to hear it."

[thelady-catriona]

"Don’t tease me! It isn’t nice.", she pouted a bit as him as Roslin could tell that the King had started poking fun at her. "You asked me a question and I answered it. So throw me out if you must." She sighed then, of course this whole time he was asking about another, why did she get her hopes up about anything anymore? "Show her that you’re thinking about her as well. And if she likes such things, make it grand and romantic." 

"I highly doubt that, but you’ll soon learn what a pain I can be.", she said ruefully before giving him a second look. Perhaps this Tristan wasn’t as dastardly as some at court had made him sounds.. perhaps he was just as dashing as he seemed to Roslin, "I will make you keep this engagement though, so no tying to weasel your way out when I ask for you."

[tristanoforilion]

"I wasn't teasing in bad spirits," he replied, quick to smile widely to reassure her. "I promise, my lady, if I wasn't already quite fond of you then I'd be acting completely serious. You can stay, but keep humoring me." A few gears turned in his head -- grand, romantic gears -- but it only showed subtly on his face. "Like painting her a picture or writing her a poem, perhaps?"

"I wouldn't dream of it. And you'll only be a pain if you cancel on me and leave me sitting up here alone."

[thewarlockstefanromenel]

Honestly,

[thewarlockstefanromenel]

“Decent when not causing bodily harm, my lord. Other than that, you move like an old man, when was the last time, you dueled?”

[tristanoforilion]

"Your honesty is overwhelming," he replied flatly.

"Other than while you were watching me creak about like an elderly man? I can't say. Are you offering to teach me how it's done?"

[thelady-catriona]

His admission of her success made Roslin smile just a tad too proudly, but his words caused her more pride. Was he insinuating that she was queen material? It felt good to have someone think so, even if it wasn’t the someone Roslin wished it was. Still, she took the compliment, “To charm a lady like me? Well.. it’s a very complicated matter.” Roslin was kidding mostly, as she found it didn’t take too much to charm her, “You have to be clear and concise as to what you want. No wishy-washy words or mixed signals. Ladies that are queen material don’t want to sit in their chambers wondering about what your smile meant all day. They have better things to do.” 

"Do you have a habit of that, your Grace?", she countered, "You’ll clear your schedule? Please, Tristan. A shopping trip with me couldn’t be so important." Still, it was refreshing to Roslin. Since becoming King she’d sacrificed a lot of time with Elric. Letting him grieve and take on his new duties as King, but it still felt nice to be treated as a priority. 

[tristanoforilion]

Tristan propped his chin in his hand as he pretended to listen to her intently. There was an amused gleam in his eyes. "Fascinating. I've been going about it all wrong for years," he said. It wasn't entirely a lie; he was rarely honest, especially with the women he was flirting with. "I feel like I should be taking notes... Assume that I do want this lady to be thinking about me all day, though. What should I do then?"

"More often than I'd like to admit. My foot does so love ending up in my mouth... Well, 'clear my schedule' might be a little more like 'skip my mediocre painting for a day.' Shopping with you will be an improvement."

[thewarlockstefanromenel]

Honestly,

old man, you can’t even wield a blade anymore.

[tristanoforilion]

"That was uncalled for. And here I thought I was at least decent at it."

[thelady-catriona]

"I’ve been trying just a bit as well.", she admitted sheepishly. There was an uncomfortable pause a Roslin waited for his reaction, and was only slightly disappointed in it. But the girl recovered quickly, "Onto the streets?! How Cruel!", she mocked before giggling, "Okay, fine. What would you like to know?"

"Should I be wary then, of those that are kind to me?", she asked pointedly, trying to jest that he was a false friend. "The dresses though, I am serious about. It’d be nice to know what a man thinks I look good in for once."

[tristanoforilion]

Manners kept him from looking smug at her admission, but there was no hiding that it pleased him. "You've been succeeding... You could start by telling me exactly what a man has to do to charm a lady like you. Elderly serving women are hardly queen material."

"Well, now I've dug myself a hole, haven't I?" he joked. "Yes, you should be wary of those that are kind to you... Whenever you want to go, tell me and I'll clear my schedule." It wasn't as if he had endless pressing matters to attend to; he could spare an afternoon and hardly miss it. Spending it with someone who was so close to his cousin was only one of several advantages.

[thelady-catriona]

"Because thus far you’ve been trying so hard..", she said doubtfully. His smirk reminded her of someone and Roslin remembered exactly why she shouldn’t be flirting with Tristan. "Maybe I-I can help you, though. To charm women that don’t work in the kitchen. You too need to find a wife, old man." 

She nodded, listening to his words intently. Roslin had no experience with this sort of thing, but for Tristan it was all he’d ever known. “I would really appreciate that.”, her voice genuine, “I have female friends but none of them know much about court fashion and I fear I’d be rubbing my newfound wealth in their face if I invited them along.” Her brows crinkled in slight frustration, “I never want anyone to feel inferior to me, especially my friends. It’s not something my father would have wanted for me.”

[tristanoforilion]

"Well, I've not not been trying." He arched an eyebrow. All that came next had him caught between laughing earnestly and letting his mouth fall open in mock hurt. Instead of doing either of those things, he smiled and shook his head. "That's an insult and you called me old. Now I've got to toss you out -- after you give me some advice."

"I understand... I wish I could say that part gets easier, too, but I'm not sure that it ever does. There are always people who are hurt by your success, or only want to be your friend because of the advantages that it could give them. Real friends are few and far between."

[thelady-catriona]

"Really? How about me then?"

"It seems fairly easy thus far. Mostly people keep urging me to spend my new money on gowns, jewels, and furniture. I’ve never been good at spending money, however so I find myself a bit lost.", she looks down, an embarrassed blush crossing her cheeks yet again, "I hate to admit it but I am most lost shopping for gown for myself. I’ve worn high collars and simple white my whole life. I don’t even know what looks good anymore."

[tristanoforilion]

"I can't say about that," he replied with a small smirk. "Are you feeling charmed? If not then I suppose I'm failing miserably."

"That all gets easier with time. People never stop pestering you to spend more, though." His demeanor became just a little more serious as she blushed and looked away, unsure what was coming next. The fact that it was something so simple made him smile. That he could handle. "That gets easier, too, but if you need a little help in the beginning, I'd be happy to visit a seamstress with you and give my opinions. My knowledge of ladies' fashion isn't the best, perhaps, but I can tell what looks good and what doesn't."