No Greater Taint Than Grace

[Faiz]

Faiz listened patiently to the man on the other side of the dorr as he rambled on and on about who he was and Faiz's father. Gently he freed his hand from the man - Oliver Lucraft if he was ot be believed - and managed to keep his other hand still on the hilt of his katana hidden in the doorway. It was then that Nyx started to bark.

Good girl Nyx, you smell the fox and don't trust him.

He could tell that the fact that he had only answered the door with a raised eyebrow had upset or insulted him to some degree until the man had somehow reinflated his own ego. That gave him a general grasp on his personality - typical self important noble that had an 'important' job. Being more inclined to solitary studies and the battle field Faiz himself could never bring himself to be so garrishly egotistical. When Oliver was done hearing himself speak Faiz interjected in his quiet and calm way.

"I must apologize Lord Lucraft but I do not remeber you. As my I barely remeber my father I am afraid your claim that your father was his friend holds no bearing over my decisions. I am afraid that I must insist you tell me your business in my home before I invite you inside."

While maintaining his position of blocking the door he signaled Nyx - who was standing in the library door watching him - to stay there and keep an eye on things, but not to interfere. Understanding the command instantly she lay down and blocked the doorway. Partly to watch Faiz and the stranger and to protect thier guest Alita.

[Oliver Lucraft]

(Vykie gave me permission to cut ahead until Lucraft has either been cast away or is welcomed into the house :3)

He really wasn't expecting this, not from an impudent little scrote like Faiz anyway. There was something he had learned from being part of the upper class circles, and that thing was to respect those with political power. He would sooner cut off his fingers than to have spoken with such suspicion and malice towards say, one of the Queen's appointed government officials.

Though he did have to laugh a little at the boy's ignorance. As grateful as he was for being referenced to as a lord, he certainly was not so honoured so by the Queen. He could accept and even encourage it from the little pieces of riff-raff that littered the street, but from a man of wealth? Surely he must know his titles, it would be somewhat of an offence if he did not. Then again, he was not here to squabble over frivolous things like titles and their proper use, he would simply take it to swell his massive ego.

"You have your fathers suspicious blood, I see. Do not take me wrongly, it is a good thing for you to have such an agile mind. You are a reasoning man, are you not? This is an issue of such grave importance that it is best suited to be sweetened by a warm study and hot mug of coffee."

He smiled, "I am not a man of war or weapons, Mister Arias. I know only the use of my hunting rifle, and though Valerie tries to tell me otherwise I'm an awful shot."[/b]

He quickly glanced at his wristwatch, mourning the waste of time this was. Time was money, and though Arias might have had just a little more wealth than him, it was Lucraft's time that was far more valuable. So he supposed that completely ruined that phrase. He would ponder upon such a conundrum later.

"This is an issue that could revolutionise the whole of Alexandria and send it's beating pulse to sweep up the entire Mist Continent. We are intellectual men, ones educated and enriched with money and power. We have the power to change things, and yet we are suppressed and drowned out by petty favours, but no matter how much gold they shove down our throats the message will still choke through."[/b]

He flicked his hair a little, eyes narrowing, "Now stop it with your poppycock and suspicious thoughts. I am a man of integrity, a man of trust. And as much as I simply adore what you've done with your doorway, there is only so long I can admire woodwork. Perhaps we may retire to your study?"[/b]

[Faiz]

Faiz saw the man's reaction to the title of Lord. Surely the man knew that unless you were a lord you generally didn't get a government office? Also once you did Lord was an acceptable title to call him by since Faiz wasn't about to go around spouting Chancellor every time this dandy needed to be addressed. Oh well, if he wasn't a lord then maybe he wasn't aware of this hidden etiquette that Faiz himself had grown up on. Not his problem since he didn't really like the fellow and didn't care what he thought.

Faiz did however take some time to think through if he should let the man in or not. His cause sounded slightly suspicious and something that would most likely bore him. Plus having sensible caution being called poppycock was slightly unnerving. He could read people well and what he had read of this fellow he wasn't keen on, whereas the guest in his library was far more welcome. He could also tell that Lucraft felt that his time was of great import - from the obvious glance at his watch. If the man had truly known his father and him when he was younger surely he would have known that Faiz was not fool enough to let a stranger into his home without thinking on it some no matter what title the man gave himself. He also didn't like the glare that the man was giving him - it bordered on rude. It was Faiz's home that the man was trying to get into after all, and Lucraft had been the one to knock on his door without so much as a note or a letter to say he was coming.

Despite this man's obviously large ego and lack of foresight Faiz was slightly intrigued. After all the man clearly felt he was too important for pretty much anyone so why would he 'deign' to come all the way to Treno to park himself on his doorstep?

"You may not be a man of swords or guns sir, but you certainly are a man of frivolous speeches that say very little more than could be accomplished in a sentence. Against my better judgment - since you have sent no notification of your arrival prior to it and have no proof of your claim of rank I shall let you in. You should, however be warned that I will most likely say no to whatever you have to say. A prospect that will become more probable the more unnecessary words you spout. I have no inclination to inform you of your lack of etiquette past this however since it bores me."

He stepped back, rehid the katana by the door - he had one in every room so he wouldn't be unarmed anywhere. Plus he had the feeling he could take this dandy barehanded. He went down the hallway without a backward glance at the man - leaving him to close the door and simply follow (hopefully without comment although he doubted he would be so lucky) - and went to the library where he looked in on Alita and spoke to her.

"I'm afraid that this meeting will have to be moved to my study, if you would follow me?"

He then left without a back wards glance and Nyx followed in his footsteps. Faiz changed the maid's course and the number of guests for tea when she went by him and, smiling, she went back to the kitchen for another cup. His staff was like family to him.

Faiz led them to the study he used for meetings such as these instead of his private study. There he left the door open for them and sat down behind his desk and Nyx settled at his feet. Should either of his guests be foolish enough to explore or steal something he would find them easily enough. There were two chairs in front of the modest size wooden desk and he figured that they would sit there. If neither of them showed by the time the tea came he would simply send someone to find them and bring them here.

[Oliver Lucraft]

{I apologize if I am inaccurate about Lucraft not having his identification, I'm not sure as to what extent it existed in the Middle-ages and I was having trouble finding any information on it. Yes, I'm that sad that I had to look it up aha.}

Lucraft was not one to be suspicious. He was not one to deny entrance to his home, and he could tell a pauper from a prince quite easily. It wasn't very hard to distinguish from the obviously cheap wigs and the grandeur of those silken brown curls, nor from the tattered suit and the tailcoat with it's tails beneath the knees. Ah, yes, how he worried about being murdered in his own home after inviting a posh looking stranger in, how often did he fear for his pregnant wife and her unborn child. Paranoia was a pain he could do without.

He curled his lip and raised an eyebrow to Faiz's little condescending ramble, clearly not impressed by what he had to say. He wasn't about to go about leaving letters so that this man could later denounce him the monarchy. No, this little worm could writhe and scream all he wanted, call upon his servants to justify his presence, but it would not be Oliver's head on a pike for treason. As for evidence of his claim to rank he had not though he would need any, his face was well known enough and besides, he wasn't prone to carrying around his papers nor was he particularly enthused by the idea of carrying around his insignia stamp.

Mmm, he was starting to doubt this Arias. He clearly did not have revolutionary blood, though perhaps he was jumping too quickly to conclusions. Perhaps he was lacking etiquette. Lacking grace. Oh of course he was, he was an awfully abominable creature, one tailored by the rotting flesh of disrespect, one to be beaten with birch branches and told to behave like a stubborn child. Please, he was not nearly that disgusting.

Still, he laughed a little, smiling and musing, "You sound like my wife." Flicking his tail he followed after the boy, carefully examining the interior of his house. It was certainly nice, most manors in Treno where. He had always pestered Valerie to take up residence here, but she was strictly against it. Apparently something about the smell. He suspected she was more afraid of being stabbed by some vicious vagabond in the middle of the eternal night, and it was with that that he connected Faiz's mindset with the scenery. Oh, of course, he was born here. He had had to fight of criminal scum with his own bare hands, no doubt performing backwards flips and other wonderfully entertaining feats to defend his little mansion. A soldier. A solider. Ha, what an awful occupation. He was worse than those middle-class scum, no, he was doing the work of the bloody working class.

"You mustn't let me forget to pop down to the market after our little conversation, Valerie..."[/b] He paused, explaining himself since the boy obviously didn't know him, "My pregnant wife, is having terrible cravings for that awful pottage. She's far too embarrassed to ask a servant to fetch it for her so the task falls on my hands. I think she would have my head if I forgot, so if you could be so kind my skin would thank you."[/b]

Following him to the Library where the second guest remained, he glanced over his extensive collection of books and then at the gaping hole in the ceiling. No wonder a draught still hit his chilled skin, "Oh my, what happened here?"[/b]

And then he saw her.

It was the middle of night, okay well, it would be the middle of the night if this place ran upon normal hours. Anyway, it was the conventional middle of the night, and here, a rather scraggly, dust covered girl stood. His ears pricked and his eyes widened in shock as he heard what Faiz had to say about continuing the 'meeting' in the study. If Valerie knew he was doing deals with whores in the room... If anyone knew he was fraternising with a whore, even by extent...

He said nothing to her, giving her only the most displeased of looks before retracing Faiz's steps to his study. As he entered, he gasped, sighing out, ""Oh, it's less chilly over here."[/b] Settling in his wooden chair, making sure to say his words right in front of the girl who would presumably be following, "I apologise, I did not mean to interrupt your meetings with a strumpet. It's a vulgar sin anyway, particularly for an unmarried man. I would say it is quite ungodly to be unwed before you first vanquish your purity."[/b]

He was in part a hypocrite, but never, never had he been tempted by the long lashed prostitutes with their bulbous bosoms and revealing gowns. Well, only once. But that was an incident long hushed by guzzling of wine and the sting of opium. It was Valerie who had been his true sin, he eighteen her fifteen out on the long rolling country fields where the rain would wash away their secret lust. Oh how fondly he dreamed of those days, how fondly he kept them quite in front of all the other nobles.

Enough about his ridiculous sex life. It was time for business. And glaring at whores.

[Alita Tress]

Slightly baffled at the sudden change, Alita followed Faiz without a word, staying close to Nyx. The dog gave her an odd kind of comfort while the air surrounding them shimmered with discontent. She glanced at the new face, taking in the details. Alita often prided herself on her ability to read people, to know them in a glance, it had become a kind of game to amuse herself at rather boring functions, but this man perplexed her. He kept his cards held tight to his chest, which was perfectly fine, because so did she.

She stood at the edge of the study, rather awkwardly. What was one to do at times like this? Her mother had been right, the graces of society would never come easily to her.

And then he spoke.

Words like venom, dripping with disdain and suggestion. Her ears pricked as he said them, her shoulders tensed and she took it in.

Graceless, Alita may be, but one thing she had learned to do was defend herself from the cruelty of a well placed jibe. This was something else all togther.

She lifted her head, shoulders fell back and her entire being screamed of strength as she strode her way to a chair, putting on an air of confidence to fool this mongrel of nobility.

"Perhaps, sir" she said, setting her hands on the knee of her crossed leg "You should check who you are speaking of before such accusations are made." Her words rolled over her tongue in a lazy fashion, allowing the icy tone to become diluted and almost friendly, if you did not see the mask of utter disdain upon her face.

"My name is Alita Fae Tress" She said, pronouncing every syllable, letting her family name hang in the air for a moment. Anyone with knowledge of nobility would know that name, she was old nobility, powerful. Her lips curved into a deadly smile "And I believe you owe me an apology, my lord."

The rebelious girl who flew over rooftops of a nightime was no longer present in this room, she had been replaced with everything her mother had wished for. Everything Alita despised. She found comfort only in the knowlege that it was a facade , and the steady panting of Nyx, who was currently out of veiw. It was tempting to look around and see where she was, but Alita refused to take her eyes from Lucraft, a challenge. She would not be insulted, no matter how amusing the insult would be when thought about at a later time

[Faiz]

((They would most likely have a signet ring. It would have a specific crest on it that would be unique to his station. Also, FF9 is more akin to the Victorian era than the middle ages I'm a history freak xD Wow Lucraft is so annoying in that last post >.> you must work on these insults.))

Faiz felt a mental snap while he watched Lucraft analyze his home, his life, his social standing. The man was clearly a pig whose ego was far above his reality. He had little tolerance for those who dealt such 'poppycock' and Lucraft's obvious lack of manners was getting extremely annoying. He could also tell the man hated what faiz was - a warrior. No doubt the man had no idea about it's realities and how soldiers kept the dandies like him safe. That was of little concern to him though.

Faiz's true icy countenance was brought out when the man insulted Alita. How dare the man make such a presumption. Once Alita finished speaking - tearing Lucraft and new behind quite nicely - he spoke up. His voice was frost and filled with lethal intent. It was the voice of someone who had killed, who was an extremly high ranking officer and the voice of osmeone who expected to be obeyed.

"You will apologize most profusely to the Lady or I shall remove you from my household. I care not about your office - perhaps you do not realize you are dealing with the two most powerful families in all of Treno which is full of powerful families. The only reason you still have your head is because the Lady did an excellent job of bringing your ego down into reality. You have exactly 30 seconds to make the best apology I have ever seen or I shall throw you onto the street and have you banned from treno. Is that clear Lucraft?"

That Faiz had removed his title was an extreme insult. If Lucraft had any brains at all he would realize his mistake and smarten up. However, Faiz doubted the man had enough brains to encompass a situation that did not deal with anything but the man himself. Faiz was already well aware that Lucraft wanted to use him for some reason and already knew that he would be unsuccessful.

Faiz refused to take anything for this man - this man who clearly only wanted power.

[Oliver Lucraft]

He remembered musing that he would rather cut off his fingers than to be so rude to one of the Queen's government officials.

He'd rather knaw off his own leg, no, take off a couple of arms, and maybe his head than to call a member of the Tress family a whore. Particularly not the sweet little daughter who had not so long ago been so infected by a life crippling disease, oh goodness, he'd be hanged for such insult.

Yet when Faiz spoke he honestly had to suppress a laugh. His face showed absolutely no flicker of emotion, but internally his lungs heaved with laughter. Oh god, was he supposed to be scared by that tone of voice? Was he supposed to feel like he was at the end of a blade that Mister Arias was using to tickle his beard? Well, he didn't have a beard, but still, the imagery stood clear.

If Faiz Arias really thought he was being terrifying in that robe he best speak to his dearest friend and somewhat of a mentor Sir Anguine, in fact, he could imagine his face now and his skin at the mercy of his lips and words shredded him in two. Oh gods, he could imagine Valerie now as well and the shrieking he'd gain from her. He wanted to sob a little.

Still, in time he could perhaps laugh about this at a banquet. He knew quite a few of his social elite who would weep with disbelief at how utterly insane and rash his actions had been, while praising him for his bravado.

Ban him from Treno? Please, He was not all show and talk, he was the bloody chancellor of Alexandria. If they banned him it would be seen only as a direct insult upon the city, and banned him for what? Mistakenly taking a rather ravishing looking girl as a whore when she had been visiting a young man's house at late hours?

The two most powerful families in Treno? Oh gods, he wanted to drop names, wanted to ask him what of the owner of the auction house, Lord King? What of Queen Stella? Still, he halted his tongue and stilled his face. Now was not the time to argue. Now was the time to grovel. Still, he offered Faiz one quick little look, a tiny snark, just one second of expression that whispered Bring it on.

He found himself down on one knee, shamefully grasping Alita's soft hand and placing his warm forehead against it. He did not care how melodramatic the scene may have looked, he would pridefully embarrass himself a thousand times over if it meant avoiding unleashing the Pandora's box of an enraged pregnant wife.

"Sweet Lady Tress, I offer you my sincerest apologies. I would shower you in yellow roses if I could pluck them from your dreamy tresses. I am overcome with grief at my misidentification, but you must understand my horrid presumption. Even the moon's face cracks with weariness at this early hour, and so many men seek a warm vassal to pour their wretched desires into. I was mistook by your beauty and blinded by my own foolish misconceptions."[/b]

He desperately wished to proclaim that she would have made a lovely strumpet if she wanted to be one, but decide that would have been taken in a bad light.

"I offer you and your family dinner at my abode as true offering of my apology. I assure you, my child and my wife would never be so bold nor brash and would make a far better example of my family than I could."[/b]

With that he manipulated his face, looking up to her and releasing her hand. He did a great sincere face, one that would melt into his words and allow them to seem jaded with the absolute truth and nothing more. At least, he thought that was what his face so portrayed, he had worked on it for a while but not too many of those who knew him fell for it. (In fact, Valerie tended to burst into a fit of giggles which was wonderful for ending the argument on a good mood but still did nothing to actually win his case.)

In truth, he loathed bending to the upper circles of society. Yes, an apology would be required here, and he accepted that full heartedly, but the way he grovelled now. He would not do that to say, a mere Baroness or some middle class friend of his. He would certainly have done so with the Queen, only maybe have turned it up a few notches.

Ah, nobility and the Queen. How sweet. How neat. How perfect. He had been listening to far too much Liberal gush recently and yet he had come to accept that what was said was quite true, beyond the barbaric demands for heads and the like.

It was unjust.

Ah yes, it should not be some little oik born into power pulling all the strings. It should surely be the choice and desire of the intellectual men, (yes, even those middle-class dogs which he so despised but really belonged more around the ranks of) who deserved a say on how this great nation was run. After all, if such had been true Brahne's war would never have happened. The debts that spilled over Alexandria's hands, in blood and money would simply not have happened.

Too much power was held by far too few people.

And though yes, he imagined himself as the elected leader of the New World, it would be wrong if Faiz presumed that was all he chased. Power was secondary to love. He wanted to be loved and glorified by the world, to be looked upon as a hero and a revolutionary, to grace cheering crowds who would stand so loyally with him through thick and thin. A romantic image maybe, but one he felt necessary. Yes, the gains where for himself, but what other motivation would he have if it was not? The gains would also so benefit the more common folk (God no, not those on the bottom of the barrel, as if they could articulate what democracy meant). Yet a revolution could not happen by the hands of one man.

That was why no paper trail had been left, no identification brought. Because if it really got out, his wife would say he had spent the night in her bed. He would fight for his life in court and make these two out to be devilish liars.

So as he begged for forgiveness, he hoped against all hells that she would accept him, and that, if his words where ever heard, these two would take his side. If not, his plans would be thwarted. A family war would spark. It might take years to resolute, years in which he would be far past his prime.

"And to you, Mister Arias, I apologise profusely for my contemptuous manor and attitude towards your guest. Again, my invitation extends to you as well."[/b]

[Alita Tress]

Alita arched an eyebrow at Faiz, she appreciated the gesture, but it seemed like overkill to namedrop himself when it was she who had been insulted. Something about the way he spoke told her that he slightly enjoyed using his rank. It repulsed her. (She wondered, for a moment, if Faiz had known her from the start, for if he had any surprise at her identity he did not show it. But then, why the act of asking for her name? This man was either the master of his features so much so that she would not register his surpirse, or he had known all along. One way or the other, it made him a danger.)

Alita's use of her family name had been necessary, rather dispute the misconception now than risk Lucraft approaching her with her parents. Her mother would never see the funny side.

The very throught of her mothers face, while hilarious, was not something she would like to witness. Still, she could not hide the faint amusement that played over her features as teh thought passed through her head. But that amusement faded into bewilderment as her hand was grasped.

This man who moments before had insulted her was now on his knees before her, speaking words of such sweet surrender that Alita could not mask her shock. 'You play the game well, Sir' she thought 'But I am not a romantic noble girl, I see past your pretty words.' (Alita knew not, that her opinions of nobility and Lucrafts ran parralel to each other, and it is doubtful she ever would.)

"And so," Alita interjected, her voice strong and a slight smirk playing over her features "In this early hour you would mistake any young lady for a common streetwalker? Sir, you must be a plague on the red light district, you do know that some of those girls are simply servents to the brothels, not the courtesans themselves?"

Alita stood, freeing her hand from Lucraft's grasp and swinging her hair over her shoulder. Her face passive and somewhat cold she said, "Your offer, while generouse, is most graciously declined, good sir. My family and I have appointments ever evening for the next few weeks." Lie.

Very big lie, in fact. But accepting such an offer would place Alita directly in her mothers war-path. Her mother, who dressed her up pretty and tried to make her seem funny when she insulted her peers. Her mother who accepted Alita's tendancy to run away from functions only because she could hide it under the pretense of her taking ill. Poor sweet, sickly Alita, who cannot attend the many balls she is invited to, and whom shies away from the men who seek her out from fright. Poor, sweet, sickly Alita, who flys through the night in the chilled air because it is the closest thing to freedom she will ever have, whom insults her peers because she finds them frivilouse and petty, whom does not shy from her suitors, but rather, runs from the full pelt because them thought of tieing herself to any of them makes her gag.

Poor, sweet, sickly Alita. Only daughter of the lord and lady Tress. What a shame, what a dissapointment. If only they knew.

[Oliver Lucraft]

{Vykie asked me to post early :3)

Where the devil was his coffee? Or tea or whatever other vile drink he was getting? If he was Faiz he would have fired that housemaid for taking so much time, no matter the tears and the tantrums she pulled. And he would write her a terrible reference so as usurp any petty little job she wanted. Ha. Feed her seven kids with that he'd say! Stupid little sewer rat, it was her own fault for taking so long and then bringing him something disgusting. He'd treat his maids well but only if they actually did their jobs right, oh god where the hell was his coffee? How long could he worry about this hypothetical situation for?

Mmm, perhaps he should distract himself with what Lady Tress was saying. He grabbed his wedding ring, playing with it nervously as she spoke. Red light district? He was actually getting slightly offended at that, as if he'd play around with those disease ridden, sewage eating little whores. Anyway it was only once. And he had been high. And Drunk. And everyone else was doing it, he didn't want to be left out and made fun of and and.... If it made matters any better Alita was far prettier than that devilish little strumpet. Especially when she smirked.

As much as he wished he could actually say that he kept the babble down. Instead he coaxed and dared himself into making a joke. Should he actually do it? What if she didn't laugh? Then he'd just look like a donkey's rear end. But if she did laugh she might actually like him and then this whole silly little issue would be resolved. Well, he had always claimed himself to be a gambolling man, so he threw the dice.

Grinning sheepishly, he began, "I'm very naive my dear, but I have actually been barred from much of the red light district for being thrown out of nearly every brothel for assuming the server girl to be part of the act. It's a terrible tragedy really, but you know what they say,"[/b] He put on a rather low-brow accent, "Money can't buy ya everythin'."[/b]

Oh god, he couldn't believe what the hell he had just said. It wasn't really all that funny and oh my god, money can't buy you everything? Did he honestly just imitate a pauper to the heir of the Tress family fortune? He wanted to put his head in his hands and scream and cuss and call himself a moron a thousand times over.

He was really playing with his ring now, his calm façade starting to crack a little. Bugger. She had rejected his one claim to fame and his only real method of making up for what he had done. Rather weakly he piped up, remarking, "Oh of course, I wouldn't expect less of your family. But keep in mind, you are always welcome into my home. Perhaps then I can really make good of this awkward situation, that is of course, if I am not thrown out in the next 30 seconds."

He tried to smile at her pleasantly, glancing back over to Faiz to see if he had been judged yet.