Mistborn: Birthright

[Red Thunder]

​

For millennia, ash has fallen from the sky, spewed forth from the Ash Mounts. For millennia, the Lord Ruler, the Sliver of Infinity, has ruled the Final Empire; its king and its god. For millennia, the skaa, descendants of those who once opposed the Lord Ruler's rise, have served the noble families, those with ancestors in the Lord Ruler's favor. For millennia, the Obligators have carried out the Lord Ruler's will, organizing and running his empire like a well oiled machine, enforcing laws and managing agreements between noblemen. For millennia, the status quo has been maintained, with only minor and quickly subdued skaa rebellions to punctuate the monotonous centuries.

But even the nobles can think for themselves. And sometimes, that train of thought leads down paths best left unexplored.

The Character Sheets:
Gabriela
Draulin

@rissa

 

[Red Thunder]

The smell of books never grows old.

Draulin Recontyl sat upon an unadorned chair in his study, head in his hands as he poured over bland and uninteresting texts ennumerating the various manners in which a nobleman was required to conduct himself during a House Ball. His brow was knit in concentration, the furrow causing the lines of tattoo upon his face to twist strangely. They were few in number, the lines of ink that traced a path across the Obligator's face; he was still of low rank, having only recently come into the Canton of Orthodoxy, and indeed the Ministry itself. He'd yet to earn further such markings. The robes he wore further supported that assessment; they might once have been considered of outstanding quality, but the aged cloth was frayed and faded, and even the few jewels sewn in reflected the nearby candlelight poorly, as if they had lost their sheen.

No, the smell of books might never grow old, but the same couldn't always be said for their content. The minutiae that the Ministry demanded of the nobles astonished Draulin on occasion. It was even more impressive that these nobles could maintain their lives by these rules with little in the way of misstep, though it was likely they had their Obligators to thank for that.

And so here was, stuck in a stuffy room, studying yellowed manuscripts and memorizing details of the lives of others so they wouldn't have to. His mind wandered briefly; he missed serving the House in a more martial manner. But wishing served no one, so he shook the thought from his head and focused.

"...Should a potential suitor wish to make conversation with the lady in question, the lord of the manor should make every effort to engage him in dialogue before hand..."

Draulin sighed heavily, sitting back to rub his temples. Would this blasted book ever end?

@rissa

 

[rissa]

Crouched atop Keep Elariel, mists curling around her thin woolen socks, the Mistborn surveyed the inky darkness of Luthadel. The factories were silent, the markets empty, and the skaa were huddled together in their homes, warding themselves against the mists that roamed the night. Not her. She stood sentry amongst her nighttime friends, straight backed and proud despite most her metal reserves being dangerously low. Dawn was approaching, her surveillance of Luthadel had only taken a few hours, but being Mistborn had it's advantages. Though it was late autumn and she wore only her mistcloak and a stolen factory frock, Luthadel was experiencing an unusual cold snap… yet pewter kept her from feeling it's lingering touch just as it kept her from feeling exhaustion's seductive kiss.

With a sigh, Gabriela Elariel shrugged out of her mistcloak and hid the tasseled fabric in an alcove atop the towered roof. With tin enhanced eyes she was able to pierce the mists and see that only a few Keeps within Luthadel were lit. She dropped a coin off the side of the roof and burned steel. Instantly blue lines sprung forth from her chest and with a deep breath, she leapt off.

It was always a rush. An inexplicable feeling that screamed this is right and whispered that she was meant to do this.

With a rather sloppy Push to soften her fall and a momentary flare of pewter, Gabriela landed in a graceful crouch on the ground below.

The feeling always fled too quickly.

Standing straight once more, Gaby extinguished her steel and lowered her burn of pewter. The Keep was dark, her mother and father both having fallen asleep hours prior, before she'd even left for the night. All was quiet, all was still- Gaby glanced up as she rounded the back of the Keep, the light from the second story blinding her. Reaching for a vial that was sewn and concealed on her belt, Gabriela snatched it, uncorked it, and was halfway to her lips before she realized what she was seeing. With her tin, despite it being a soft burn, made the oil lamps flicker like giant flames, illuminating the small garden in the estate's backyard. Gaby cocked her head and curiously, Pulled herself to the window by it's large metal frame.

She should have known it'd be the Obligator.

Through the stained glass windows, Gaby watched the young Obligator as he hunched over a book, muttering something about potential suitors. She considered opening the window and strolling in, but her secret… Not even the last Obligator knew that she was mistborn and not a Misting.

But this one was different, right? He had saved her life after all.

Intrigued for an unknown reason or sleep deprived to the point she wasn't thinking clearly, Gaby Pulled herself upwards, to her own quarters two floors above. She slid through the window like a shadow, like the mists themselves. Briefly she considered changing out of her frock and into a more appropriate night gown, but the house was asleep… except for her and the Obligator.

With tin enhanced eyes and a pewter enhanced body, she climbed down the spiraling staircase -unadorned and simple, the servant staircase at the back of the house- to the second floor. On silent feet she stalked into the study without even a knock.

"What are you doing?" She asked softly. There was barely an accusation in her tone, it was mainly curiosity.

@Red Thunder

 

[Red Thunder]

Instinctively his shield raised in almost parallel motion to the assassin. Clips impacted the wooden face with a series of thuds, the bronze coins lodging themselves into the sturdy frame deeply. He felt at an impasse: if he moved to attack the Coinshot, he risked opening his charge up to a death blow. But he had only a wooden shield and cane, the weapons of a Haze Killer. In tandem with others of the order, they were deadly against Mistings and Mistborn alike. Alone...he grimaced. His companions had sprinted off to attend to various reports of separate assaults on the lord and lady of the house, leaving him to look after their daughter. Who could have guessed that such an experienced Misting would have found his way into her very room?

He took deep breaths, his chest rising and falling. The Coinshot was proving incredibly agile. Suddenly the Coinshot launched right unnaturally, apparently Pushing off the metal candle holders in the wall. And the Haze Killer, a mere moment afterward, followed.

Draulin snapped awake, Gabriela's voice breaking into his dream like a pick through ice. He turned his head wearily; apparently he'd fallen asleep, exhausted by the long night of study, and his neck ached for the dead weight it had born as his chin rested against his chest.

"I- well, I was studying. But it's healthy to rest the mind as it is to rest the body, so I was...taking a break.

"And what of you, Gaby?" He glanced out the window. It was perhaps an hour or two from dawn, and color was only just creeping into the eastern horizon. "Surely you aren't just coming awake at this hour?"

@rissa

 

[rissa]

Gabriela; heir to the Elariel fortune, a lady of the court and mistress of the mists, stood in the presence of one of her God's Obligators, low in rank and station, but for the first time in a long while, felt completely at ease. What a… unusual circumstance. Turning her head to follow his gaze, she took a moment to study the approaching sunrise while deliberating her reply.

"I've been… restless." Gaby mumbled.

She grabbed a straight-backed chair and angled it so she could see all entry points into the sparsely furnished room before reclining. It was uncomfortably uncomfortable. Momentarily, as she surveyed the Obligator's exterior quarters, she lost the train of thought that had brought her here. Since the replacement of her family's Obligator, she'd barely been to this side of the Keep, the renovation lasting through the summer. The layout was familiar but the once fabulously furnished room, if a bit utilitarian, was gone. A shell of a room stood in its place and she took in her surroundings, coming to agree with the servant talk she'd overheard the night prior.

Gaby glanced out of the window and watched as the last of the darkness faded from the world. It had been three nights since she'd slept more than five hours. Pewter could do amazing things, but she needed to rest… yet the restlessness, the sense of foreboding emanating from her bones, the warnings she sensed from the mists… It all came full circle. Her training needed to be complete because something was coming. An attack, a battle, another Mistborn, she didn't know… but something bad churned and it was coming for Luthadel.

"What do you know of Coinshots and Lurchers?" Gaby asked.

She would wait for his response, and curiously chose not to reply. Soaking up what he'd said into her psyche, Gaby inclined her head out of respect, signaled for her dismissal and walked to the door on soft feet. Before taking her leave however, she glanced back sheepishly.

"Perhaps…" Gaby cleared her throat. "You know House Elariel is hosting a ball the week after next? Well, erm, perhaps you could… replace your wardrobe with something newer. The room could use some sprucing up as well… You represent not only the Ministry, Draulin, but now also House Elariel. My father, well, I suppose it'd be easier hearing this from me…"

She waited for his reply before inclining her head once more and burning pewter, climbed back up to her quarters for some much needed sleep.

@Red Thunder

 

[Red Thunder]

His eyebrow raised curiously.

"I know a little, though perhaps an actual Coinshot or Lurcher would be better subjects of inquiry."

In truth, Draulin had studied little in the way of the various allomantic abilities. His study thus far had been solely focused on law, customs, and hierarchical rules that accompanied a nobleman's day to day existence. No, his knowledge was more practical, coming as it did from his own experience fighting against them. Regardless, the question struck him as odd, and he longed to know why she'd even asked. But she didn't elaborate, so he did not inquire. His role was to impart knowledge, regardless of reason. Having accepted her answer with the grace befitting her position, Gaby had walked to the door, only pausing to turn back with a request. The audacity of it shocked him, and Draulin pursed his lips.

"This robe is full of history, child, and bears the weight of the Ministry's authority. As to my study, I hardly think it will be the object of consideration during your father's ball- which I am assisting him in preparing. But if the room is not clean to your liking, I welcome you to send the skaa to tidy it up. Merely have them leave my desk as it is."

Gaby bowed her head appropriately and left. The Obligator frowned; her questions were becoming more forward and less considered. It was perhaps a mistake requesting the Lord Elariel as assignment. His daughter knew Draulin before his anointing, and the familiarity was hard to abandon in favor of the more respectful mannerisms. Though he had to give credit where it was due: she toed the line just enough to get away with it.

But Gabriela had the right idea. Standing stiffly and stretching to relieve his sore muscles, Draulin left the study and made for his room, being sure to lock both doors as he closed them. He didn't wish to be walked in on again by curious individuals.

 

[rissa]

There was a knock upon her interior chamber door. Then another. Gabriela, groaning, rolled over unto her back and glanced out the window. It wasn't even midday. Growling softly, she threw the blankets over her eyes and slowly started to fall back asleep. If it was an assassin, they wouldn't have knocked. Wouldn't have bothered with pleasantries before gutting her with glass daggers… Another knock.

"What?"

"Your Lady mother intends for you to ride with her to the boutique this afternoon to meet Lady Lawlis. She has asked the Lord Obligator to accompany her as well."

Reaching under the bed, Gaby pulled out a glass vial from within a hollowed out piece of wooden frame. She downed the contents and rose with a stretch. Tin roused her fully awake and pewter flung away the tiredness. Copper of course, she burned before either, and eliminated exposure from any Seekers. She stretched once more, reeling in the strength pewter provided.

"My lady?" Her skaa servant called through the wooden door.

"Yes, I'm awake Lizela." Gabriela said, a little too loudly for her own ears.

"Shall I start a bath for you, Lady Ela?"

"I would like that."

The next two hours were spent readying herself for the afternoon to come. A warm perfumed bath - almost burning hot to her tin-sensitive skin - red hair brushed and styled in the latest of fashions, and then dressed with courtly attire. Thankfully, do to their trip in the carriage, her skirting was slimmer than the standard bulbous style. She topped it, despite her mother's loathing, with her favorite out-of-date hat. When she walked out of her interior chambers, she was met with a tsk of disapproval from Lizela. She shook her head and pursed her lips but said nothing to Gaby.

Lizela, once a wet nurse to Gaby and her older brother Garrett, now took care of the entirety of the Elariel children and their quarters. Well into her thirties, she was nonetheless beautiful for a skaa. Long, dark tresses peppered with grey was plaited behind her back, and she had a clean face and her hips filled the well-made cotton frock all the Elariel servants wore. Gaby had known the woman all her life and she served her House well.

"May I ask a favor of you Lizela?" Gaby asked with a hesitant smile.

Lizela, brows furrowed with suspicion, asked, "What are you up to now, girl?"

"Well, I spoke to the Lord Obligator last night and he agreed I could, er, tidy up his room a bit." Gaby said softly.

"Is that right Ela? And why did he tell you this and not me?"

"Well, I mentioned it to him. Not only are the kitchen servants talking about it, but so are ma and pa. Lizela, please - why are you looking at me like that?"

"That is no way to speak to an Obligator, Gabriela!" She tsked again and waved her forward. "On with you, your Lady mother has been waiting long enough."

As Lizela scooted her out of her private quarters, she reached up and straightened the hat Gaby wore and mumbled something about instigation. But Gaby refused to give up so quickly. She turned to Lizela and spoke softly. "Why not replace the furniture in the Lord Obligator's exterior chambers with something more comfortable? I'm sure my mother and father would appreciate reclining in something more plush than those hardbacked chairs whenever they call to visit. All I ask is that you leave his desk alone, not even to straighten a page."

With that, she walked down the catacomb-like hallway to walk down the main staircase. Lined with fresh rushes, the grand staircase was an exquisite work of art. She lifted her skirting fabric out of the way as she climbed down and was welcomed with the pursed, dissatisfied face of her mother. Thankfully she was saved from the reprimand by the arrival of Draulin, the Lord Obligator.

"Ah, lovely, my Lord," Her mother said sweetly. "Thank you for accompanying me into town. I will need your services when we met Lady Lawlis. Her Lord Obligator is unable to leave the House."

Barely, for her mother had a soft touch and she wasn't burning any metals, she felt the rioting of her emotions. She could tell her lady mother wasn't reaching intentionally; like her father, their use of Allomancy was almost completely unconscious. Still, she wondered if the Obligator could feel the riot of his loyalty and overall good feelings.

"The carriage is waiting outside, my Ladies," Lizela said from off to the side. "My Lord Obligator." She said with a bow and an arm outstretched to the majestic front doors. Two servants opened them wide and Lizela strolled out first, opening a parasol against the ashfall as she did.

@Red Thunder

 

[Red Thunder]

Draulin stood just within the doorway, watching dispassionately as the Lady Elariel walked out to the carriage, Lizela providing what protection was manageable against the falling and occasionally wind-blown dust. He frowned; it was one thing to use Emotional Allomancy intentionally on an Obligator with intention to manipulate, to twist, to gain. He'd received training in detecting its use on his own emotions, and while there are far more competent Obligators than he at feeling their rise or drop, he could still detect all but lightest touch.

Not that he thought badly of the Lady of the House. Haze Killers were always treated well, and he received even preferential treatment beyond that after the assassination attempt on their daughter. So the subconscious touch on his emotions that the Lord and Lady would occasionally do was overlooked, if perhaps not entirely acceptable by the Canton of Orthodoxy. Looking up, Draulin frowned; the ashfall was getting thicker, and the darker clouds promised more. The Ashmounts must be particularly active. Having escorted her Lady to the safety of the carriage, Lizela then returned for Gabriela, proffering the umbrella for the noblewoman. As they stepped off, the Obligator raised his hood and followed. Old and venerable his robe might be, but Draulin was raised from a rougher stock. A little ash didn't bother him. It wasn't raining, which meant it wouldn't stain, and a simple shake would free him of the ashy covering he was already acquiring. When Gabriela had secured herself within, he gave his robe a good shake and stepped up after her.

The night, or rather the morning, had been restless. His bed had been distinctly uncomfortable, and his mind would not quiet down in spite of the exhaustion. It wandered listlessly, drifting between memories of the past, policies of the present, and machinations of the future. The plan for the day had been further studies concerning the upcoming House Ball; he felt certain that he'd have the next chapter memorized. But his duty, his responsibility, was to the Lord Ruler first, the Ministry second; and the House Elariel third, and when the third didn't compromise the first two...

"Lady Elariel," he smiled, almost crooning, as the carriage rocked with the mounting of the driver and footman. The whip cracked and the box lurched forward, the horses that pulled it striding forward in attempt to leave the hurtful whip behind. "I am of course happy to lend my aid where I may. However, I'm afraid I have been overlooked regarding the sharing of pertinent information. For instance, for what reason are you meeting with the Lady Lawlis? I find myself curious that the Obligator assigned her has found himself...unavailable."

@rissa

 

[rissa]

When the Obligator smiled, the tattoos framing his eyes crinkled and shifted, and it was a curious sight. Gabriela had always wondered how they tattooed on such tender flesh, how the lines and twists came out so elegant and sharp, and how they never seemed to fade. Beside her in the carriage, she heard her mother tsk and she tore her eyes from Draulin and glanced over at Lady Elariel who, it seemed, was fussing over a fleck of ash. Gabriela rolled her eyes in the opposite direction and wished silently that she was in something more comfortable. Damn gowns and all their frivolous layers. The only good thing about hers, at least, was the fact that they were made for a Mistborn.

"I am of course happy to lend my aid where I may. However, I'm afraid I have been overlooked regarding the sharing of pertinent information. For instance, for what reason are you meeting with the Lady Lawlis? I find myself curious that the Obligator assigned her has found himself...unavailable."

Gaby looked at her mother expectantly; she hadn't been told anything either. Of course there was the matter of her ball gown, but the seamstress had yet to pay visit. Normally she came to the keep and rarely did they travel into town for such trivial matters.

"Ah, yes, I apologize Lord Draulin. With all the excitement over the ball I've forgotten to inform you. Lady Lawlis and I are planning a ball and we need you to witness not only the agreement, but a few of the arrangements we're to be making today. I apologize if it seems trivial, my dear Lord Draulin, but as you know, nothing is official unless witnessed by an Obligator. As to your other question, Lady Lawlis gave word that her Obligator will be in a financial meeting with her husband."

"You mean to say, mother, that you and Lady Lawlis are planning another ball, when ours has yet to even be hosted?" Gaby said exasperatedly, glancing at Draulin with wide, unbelieving eyes.

"Come now, Gaby, it's the way the Great Houses work. And you should know that all the best balls are planned and rehearsed months prior to their reveal. Why, look how long our Lord Obligator and your father have been planning this one! It is no mean feat, Gabriela."

Rolling her eyes once more, Gabriela nodded her head absentmindedly and stared out the window as the carriage moved further into town. She couldn't help but wonder if there was an ulterior motive behind taking Draulin out of the house. She was running low on allomantic metals and she could guess that so were her mother and father… Not even the last Obligator, who had worked for House Elariel for over a decade, had known Gabriela was a Mistborn… A Misting, sure… but no one outside the immediate family knew that hidden among the Elariel's, whom all had Snapped besides her older brother, was a Mistborn. Usually their shipments came early in the morning, supervised by Lizela and Skab, loyal skaa servants. Gaby would bet that a case of metals would be waiting for her when she returned home. And maybe, just maybe, her father had acquired a bit of atium.

@Red Thunder

 

[Red Thunder]

As Lady Elariel addressed his questions, the Obligator dipped his head, fully answered. But when Gabriela expressed herself, Draulin smiled, perhaps a bit patronizingly, as he dipped his head once more in agreement.

"It is not. As with every aspect of noble life, there are details beyond what most, eh, eligible young people such as yourself consider. The Lord Ruler is perfection himself, so it is only natural that he demand perfection from his subjects, or at least, as near as they can manage."

Perfection. Internally, he scoffed. As if anyone could even come near. No, they bickered and machinated, smiling to your face while their friend slit your brother's throat. Usually because you had done similar to him previously. Very occasionally, such back-and-forth led to all out war between Houses. While Draulin enjoyed a good martial conflict as much as anyone, such things were wasteful, unnecessary, and did little for the Empire as a whole. For all the impetuousness of her reaction to her mother, Gabriela was perhaps closer to seeing through the facade such niceties as House Balls created. She would learn in time. They all did.

It wasn't a terribly long drive, but Draulin soon fell silent, occupying his mind with recalling the ins and outs of House Ball agreement law, and the details involved in it. Arms crossed and eyes closed, he nevertheless remained bolt upright, rocking with the motion of movement.

 

[rissa]

Squinting her eyes suspiciously, Gaby took a moment to decipher what Draulin's comment could mean. Eligible as in young? Or hinting at something deeper? Her mind flashed to Garrett's life-long engagement to the Venture heir; seven years older and besides the lovely shade of her eyes, wasn't worth two glances. A sudden unease swept through her as the carriage rolled through the cobblestone streets of Luthadel, growing ever near their destination. Burning copper, and then tin and pewter, Gabriela let out a soft sigh of pent up anxiety. Thinking about her brother's betrothal always seemed to frighten her… and then Gaby would remember that she wasn't her House's heir.

But if she was… Gaby shivered, pushing away the dangerous what-if questions and flaring tin to clear her mind. Only moments later did the carriage come to a halt. Gaby glanced at the Obligator, his arms were still crossed and his eyes closed, and a little furrow between his brows made her wonder what he was thinking of.

Lizela promptly opened the carriage door, produced a footstool and with a flourish, opened the parasol for her mother. The skaa driver had parked on the opposite side of the road and Gaby waited patiently as Lizela deposited her mother inside the parlor. The ashfall was growing thicker and though she didn't mind a bit of ash, Gaby had standards to uphold. She glanced back at the Obligator, wondering what his reaction would be when he returned to his refurbished study. A hesitant smile crept up her lips and Lizela, who extended a hand to help her down, looked at her quizzically. Gabriela shrugged conspiratorially and strolled across the street, raising her skirts ever so slightly against the ash packed onto the road.

Lady Lawlis was already inside the seamstresses parlor when Gabriela was ushered inside by Lizela. She spared a glance at the skaa servant, pursed her lips and sashayed away, apparently to gather the seamstress's attention. Gaby gave Lizela an apologetic look, but the dark haired lady merely shrugged her shoulders, gave her a small nod, and took her place by the entrance.

The Lawlis' weren't even of the Great Houses, their manse located within the suburban settlement of Fellise, not far from the capital. Still, the Lady Lawlis liked to parade around Luthadel, enjoying the comfortability of alliances with Houses greater than her own. The court was abuzz with the recent rumors of Lawlis' House striving to build a Keep within Luthadel. She groaned internally, reprimanding herself for thinking of courtly matters while not attending court. Politics and intrigue, rumors and secrets; she'd been raised with the utmost care. Not only could she charm her way through a ball, dance with the grace of the mists, but she could crack a hardwood staff across the face of any foe.

Her mother appeared out of nowhere, and over her arm she held the ball gown Gaby would wear the week after next. "Come," she said, "Try this on, I think the seamstress added too much fabric around the waist… Ah, Lord Draulin, there you are. If you will, Lady Lawlis is over here." Pulled from a coin pouch were a handful of imperial boxings and deftly, her mother handed them over to the Lord Obligator.

"On with you." Her mother said, pointing towards the back of the room, where the seamstress -- and changing chambers were located.

Gabriela stifled a moan, retrieved the gown from her mother, and walked to the back of the parlor. The seamstress took the dress from her and ushered her into the wide but low ceiling chamber, and helped her remove the layers upon layers of the gown she currently wore. Flaring tin and ignoring the slight touch of the seamstress, Gaby listened to her mother, Lady Lawlis, and Draulin.

"Lady Elaine," said the Fallisenite. "Lord Obligator."

"Have you selected the venue, Lady Lawlis?" her mother asked.

"Indeed. My husband and our Lord Obligator are currently in a financial meeting with Lord Venture. For a hefty price, he is allowing us to use his ballroom. I assume your eldest son will be in attendance? I've heard many rumors, Elaine, about the engagement between Venture's heir and your own…"

"They are just that, rumors." Her mother replied, a bit of venom lacing her voice. She smiled despite herself, and the seamstress gave her an odd look.

Wiping the smile off her face, she stepped out of the dress and into the gown. She studied herself in the floor-to-ceiling mirror and was slightly… stunned. The gown was dark blue in color, almost black, and twinkled like sometime-stars in the night sky. The skirting wasn't as bulbous as the current fashion stated, but it was gorgeous. It fell a few inches past her feet but with heeled shoes the gown would glide against the granite and marble floor of House Elariel's ballroom. She smiled, twirling in the gown, watching in awe as the fabrics and folds danced. Her mother was right; the waistline wasn't as tight as it usually was, but that only added extra movement.

The seamstress looked at her hesitantly, and Gaby, for once happy with a gown, smiled at her. "This is lovely, Mistress Aguire." The woman bowed and leaning forward surreptitiously, whispered softly.

"There is a fold here," Aguire said, pointing to her hips. "Where vials can be placed and easily concealed. Notice the extra folds here… four vials can easily be hidden." She hesitated, a hint of a smile forming on her lips. "I am glad it is to your liking, Lady Ela…" With a raised voice, she said, "Would you like to show your mother before changing back into your dress?"

Gabriela nodded her head, exited the changing chamber, and walking barefoot through the parlor, found her mother, Draulin, and Lady Lawlis deep in conversation. Waiting patiently until her mother was finished speaking, she twisted in the gown, watching appreciatively as the fabric fluttered around her feet.

"Ah, Gabriela, the dress befits you." Lady Lawlis said kindly.

"Yes, I must agree." Her mother replied. "Though I do think the waist needs to be hemmed in a bit; it makes your stomach look a bit portly."

Rolling her eyes, Gaby nonetheless smiled, twirled once more on nimble feet, and said, "I quite like the looseness, but I will ask Mistress Aguire to do as you ask." Before turning back to the changing chambers, she asked, "Are we finished here, mother?"

"Not in the least, Gaby; Lord Draulin, Lady Lawlis and I have yet to finish the ball arrangements. Lord Draulin, how soon do you think we can finalize the arrangement once Lord Lawlis and Lord Venture have finished their negotiations?"

@Red Thunder

 

[Red Thunder]

Draulin dipped his head in a nod, smiling the pleasant, vaguely disinterested smile of an Obligator.

"That will be up to both you ladies here, as well as your husbands. As far as the Lord Ruler's requirements of state are concerned, the fee has been paid; only the contract itself remains. Regrettably, the official document is at Keep Elariel in my study, so it cannot be signed now. But by my authority as Obligator, I may officiate an oral agreement; the signing can be accomplished later. Ah, but stay, Gabriela; it believe you've yet to witness any binding contract greater than the purchase and transfer of goods."

Clearing his throat, he turned to Lady Lawlis, eyebrows raised in bland expectation. She gave a small curtsy in response then looked to Lady Elariel. The heavy cost of renting Lord Venture's ballroom was clearly forefront in her mind. It was no small consideration; the Ventures were not known to do things charitably, and given the low status of House Lawlis, it was almost certain that the endeavor had set the family back a full 10% of the full cost of their entire estate.

But it was a calculated risk; by teaming with House Elariel, a great House itself, to host such a gathering within the confines of Lord Venture's ballroom, Lawlis would gain notoriety for itself. They would be more visible to the greater Houses, and hopefully seen as desirous for a merger, or even land within Luthadel. At the very least, it was good publicity for her estate's primary export of textiles, for positive impressions meant interested customers. She cleared her throat and placed her right hand across her heart.

"I, Risplinda Lawlis, do so take oath by the Sliver of Infinity that, contingent upon agreement between the Lord Lawlis and the Lord Venture concerning the use of the Venture Keep ballroom for a social ball, House Lawlis shall pay in full the amount determined by said agreement. Further, in the interest of equality, fairness, and cooperation, I pledge House Lawlis to provide the skaa needed to run this ball."

Satisfied, Draulin dipped his head to Lady Lawlis in acknowledgment before regarding Lady Elariel with the same expression. The former dropped her hand as the latter raised her own, placing it daintily on her chest.

"And I so swear, by my name of Isabel of the House of Elariel and by the Lord Ruler, that House Elariel shall arrange for all details of the ball itself, apart from those already articulated by the Lady Lawlis, up to and including harvest and meat for dinner, decor for the ballroom, music for entertainment, and invitations to the other Houses."

One could say, and indeed the rumors would almost certainly later circulate, that Elariel was taking the bulk of the burden financially, expensive though the cost of renting Lord Venture's ballroom would certainly be. It was perhaps true, depending on what the lords' agreement ended up being. But House Lawlis had far and away better connections to Venture than Elariel did. Though the rumors Lady Lawlis stated were in fact untrue, Lady Elariel certainly hoped to substantiate them in time. In any other situation, the two house heirs would either not be allowed to enjoy one another's company, due to decades old bad blood between the Houses, or more likely never attend the same ball in the first place. Lawlis would be the bridge between them. And hopefully the catalyst to bringing the two Heirs and maybe even Houses together in unity.

As Lady Elariel finished, Draulin dipped his head again. He offered a hand apiece to each lady, and they each grasped it. He smiled.

"By the Lord Ruler and my authority as Obligator, this agreement is binding and legal, and any such break of contract will be dealt with severely, as suits best the extent of the breech and the one breaching it." Releasing their hands, Draulin looked to Gabriela. He pushed back his hood, still up for the ceremony, and raised his eyebrows. "Now we are finished here. At least, as far as I am concerned; Lady Elariel may have yet more to say on the fit of that dress."

@rissa

 

[rissa]

She cracked a smile, she couldn't help it, yet at the same time her curiosity spiked: Had Draulin, newfound Obligator, told a joke? She eyed him curiously, wondering if the Haze Killer she'd known was still in there somewhere. Tearing her eyes from the tattooed face, she bowed politely and addressed her mother.

"Well, mother? Besides hemming the waist, is there anything else Mistress Aguire should alter?"

"I think not," Her lady mother said promptly, "I believe we're done here." She turned towards the front of the parlor, "I shall ask Lizela to ready the carriage. Lord Obligator, you have my greatest of thanks. Before we leave town, is there anyplace you must need to visit? If not, we can depart almost immediately. Lady Lawlis, we shall meet again the day after next-- I shall have a full list of invitees by then. Until we met again I pray the Sliver of Infinity blesses you." She said with a curtsey and then proceeded to walk to the front of the parlor.

Gaby watched as Lady Lawlis stood there, curtseying to the retreating form of her mother. Turning as well, back to the changing chambers, Gaby was hailed back by Lady Lawlis. "If I may, Gabriela, may I ask of your brother?"

Raising an eyebrow, and reminding herself that she didn't overhear their prior conversation, Gaby nodded, wondering what she could possibly want to know about Garrett.

"Garrett, I assume?" She said with feigned curiosity. "What of him, my lady?"

A faint flush crept up her neck before she spoke and when she did, she refused to meet her eyes, and instead spoke to her bare feet. "Well," She cleared her throat, shooting a furtive glance at the Obligator standing between them. "It's, ah… Well I've heard that he's unhappy with his current… situation."

"Current situation?" Gaby repeated back to her. "What do you mean Lady Lawlis? House Elariel is one of the most financially stable of the Great Houses, as you know, and if my brother were unhappy, I'm sure we'd know."

"Ah… Excuse my intrusion, Lady Ela, it's only that my daughter has, er, mentioned him quite often since they danced together at the Hastings ball the previous month…"

"And what has she mentioned of him?" Gaby replied, perhaps a bit more biting than she meant it to be. The flush on Lady Lawlis' neck creeped into her cheeks and Gaby watched, with a hand on her hip, as she grew ever more uncomfortable.

Why doesn't anyone ever get to the point of things? Gaby thought irritably.

"Excuse me," Lady Lawlis said quickly, "I just remembered I forgot to pay Mistress Aguire."

As she walked off, Gaby glanced at Draulin, confusion lacing her features. With a shrug, Gabriela turned and made her way back to the changing chambers. She stepped out of the gown carefully and began piling on the layers of the dress she wore into town. Thankfully, Mistress Aguire arrived just in time to help her finish getting dressed. After a quick explanation of her mother's wishes, she curtseyed to the seamstress and made her way to the front of the parlor, Lady Lawlis nowhere to be seen. Waiting by the entrance was Lizela and Dralin, and she nodded to the pair.

"Shall we?" She asked, and without waiting for a reply, pushed open the door and waited for Lizela to escort her to the carriage, ash falling persistently.

 

[Red Thunder]

Draulin watched the exchange emotionlessly. His duty was finished; what need had he to attend to the insignificant machinations and subtleties of the nobility? The Obligator in him insisted that he exit the room and make for the carriage. But he stayed, curious as to what the Elariel family might yet do in the Lawlis household.

It was entertaining, the inquisitiveness of Lady Lawlis and Gaby's predictably obstinately evasive response, and he chewed the inside of his cheek to prevent a smile. But the look his former ward gave him was too much. Draulin smirked faintly, glad that Lawlis had turned away and didn't see it. Gaby certainly did, but he cared little; they'd shared more jokes between them in years past than a simple glance. As she retreated into the room to undress, he turned to Lady Elariel, who'd returned from he conversation with Lizela.

"Lady Elariel, your business is of course your own, and in any other circumstance I'd not resurrect the topic yet again." He frowned, looking toward the entrance and the skaa standing there. Lizela was a devoted servant, as far as the peasant class could be considered to be, and she perhaps was rewarded for it, if her finery was any indication. "Your treatment of the skaa within the confines of your own Keep remains your own business. But remember, please: the skaa are a worthless lot, little better for anything than what they are directed. The other Houses take note of your treatment, I assure you. And it will inevitably lead to gossip, most of it bad."

"Your concern is noted. And appreciated." Lady Elariel smiled, placing a familiar arm on his. "But Drau, this is how House Elariel works. You may not have much noticed it until you became an Obligator, but I assure you it has always been so. So don't worry." Pulling gently, she lead him to the front door and into Lizela's earshot. "We shall take the bad with the good. It is, after all, all anyone can do."

She retracted her hand as Gaby walked up. Greeting the two, the young woman pushed on, escorted out by Lizela. Draulin watched after them; Lizela seemed to have muttered some joke or remark to Gaby, for the skaa was chuckling softly to herself. Lady Elariel seemed to have noticed, for she nudged him.

"See that? You won't find that level of commitment in other Houses. There is a reason for everything, my friend; some are simply less obvious than others."

Lizela returned, parasol in hand, and took Lady Elariel to the carriage. Draulin lifted the hood to cover his head and followed, considering her words. And considering the future of the House."

@rissa

 

[rissa]

The carriage ride back to Keep Elariel was taking twice as long; the momentary stopping and swaying was annoying and continued to eat away at her calm demeanor. She yearned for the mists, for another kind of transportation that only she, and a handful of others, were capable of. Gabriela yearned for the sweet, cool touch of the mists, of her friends, her allies, but dusk was hours away and she still had one more agenda before her daytime frivolities came to an end. The Obligators study, Gaby thought to herself, I wonder if it'll be completed by the time we return… at this pace, Lady Lawlis would finish her preparations before we ever managed to get back to the keep.

Glancing over at her mother, who was in deep thought, eyes roaming greedily over her pouch book. From what Gaby knew, it was a book containing ledgers and notes of both great importance and otherwise. All she knew, is from the one time it went missing, her mother valued the small thing quite dearly. Her lips pursed, usually when viewing something distasteful, or like currently, when she was concentrating. It was amusing, for awhile, watching the minute changes and expressions upon her mother's face, but it grew tiring. Like the carriage ride.

Gabriela huffed haughtily, glancing out the window, trying to understand why it was taking so long to get back home. From her vantage point she saw nothing particular, and with a sigh, glanced around the carriage and this time, her eyes fell on the Obligator. Per usual, her mind drifted back to when she was younger, when Drau was not an Obligator and instead one of her family's Haze Killers. She liked him better as a Haze Killer; he had an actual persona then, a sense of humor that'd many a times set her laughing, not anymore; all that was left was just some Ministry facade. At least, that's how she felt, and who was she to judge?

"Lord Draulin," She said finally. "How does one go about joining the Ministry? Are there any female Obligators?"

 

[Red Thunder]

He smiled, forcing some small amount of condescension into his voice, as was expected of his title.

"Do you have such aspirations, m'lady? I admit that I had not taken you for such."

It was something of a jarring inquisition, for all the simplicity of its answer. Draulin's mind was still back at Lawlis House, or rather at its front door, and the words of Lady Elariel kept repeating over and over in his head. Commitment? What did commitment have to do with a skaa's existence? And what need had a Lady of a Great House to pay attention to the level of pleasure the skaa took in their duties? That was for the Taskmasters to ensure the peasants did their jobs. And yet, in all his employ with House Elariel, Draulin had never known Lady Elariel to fritter away her time or mental energy. The contemplation of it had left him silent and somewhat brooding for the carriage ride thus far. But he focused his mind to address Gaby's apparently sudden interest.

"There are female Obligators, though they are a rarer sight. They mostly find employ at the Canton of Finance, as the Prelans believe them better suited than most males to the task of money management. It is a policy that has served the Final Empire well; to my knowledge, the gross revenue has increased since the start of that inclusion a decade or so past. Though I admit, my time is best otherwise devoted, and I spend little of it pouring heavily over the monthly reports.

"As to entry..." Draulin fell silent. It was a detailed process, once that he'd rather not have to recite for a girl who's interest was almost certainly a passing fancy to drive away the tedium of the drive. "It is a... complicated process, full of more waiting and paperwork than I care to recall. In addition to checks into your personal history, the investigators also conduct tests, both of mental and emotional stamina, as well as to discover whether or not an individual is a Misting. I understand it differs from case to case, but my process took nearly a full year before I was admitted. And after that, training."

Draulin paused, hoping the young woman's curiosity was sated.

"Is...that enough information?"

@rissa

 

[rissa]

Gaby shrugged her shoulders, eyeing the Obligator with scrutinizing eyes. What had he omitted from the end of his speech? Was it monotonous detail or perhaps some secret Ministry dealings? Still, the thought of female Obligators was intriguing and perhaps even more frightening than the Steel Inquisitors. Male Obligators had a tendency to roll condescension into their very being, something Drau was already learning and the Steel Inquisitors… while inhumanly freakish were outlandishly frightening on purpose. Or so she thought.

Imagining a female Obligator, oddly similar to her mother in her mind's eye, Gaby shivered and thought of all the pursed lips and see-through looks those female Obligators would give. She turned to Drua and smiled politely.

"I've never seen a female Obligator, my Lord, I asked out of simple curiosity." Gabriela said finally. "I wish this carriage would get a move on, I'm exhausted and hungry."

@Red Thunder

 

[Red Thunder]

Draulin sighed softly through his nose with perhaps a bit more force than he'd intended. He shared her rather forthright opinion, and the muttered You're not alone was uttered before his training could halt it. His nose wrinkled ever so slightly at his indiscretion, subtle though it was; the Ministry expected better of him. He expected better of him. The...crudeness of his past kept rising to the surface, particularly when his wit became engaged. He would have to be wary of that.

The rest of the ride was borne in silence, likely much to young Gaby's frustration. But Draulin and the Lady Elariel both were absorbed in thought and schedule for the ball. It wasn't until they'd finally arrived back at Keep Elariel that Draulin spoke up.

"At last," he Obligator breathed, stepping from the carriage. He held out a hand to the women inside to assist them down.

 

[rissa]

Gabriela waited until her mother had exited the carriage before accepting the Lord Obligator's hand out of the carriage. She lifted her skirting ever so slightly and hurried -she had appearances to keep after all- after Lizela who escorted her mother to the vestibule. The ashfall had thickened since their departure earlier that morning and the dutiful skaa were scrubbing the exterior cobblestone pathways of the Keep even as they fell. Gaby looked at them fondly; the man was well past his prime yet still worked as hard as the boys he trained to replace him. The boys, in ages between eleven and seventeen were tough little things that Gaby insisted on sending leftover food to whenever they feasted, which was almost daily.

Once within the vestibules protective embrace, Gabriela shook her skirts and with a small tug on a single barrette, untied her long, straight locks and sighed in relief. She was just about to kick off her shoes when she caught her mother's vicious stare.

"What do you think you're doing?" Her mother asked icely. She never raised her voice, that wasn't ladylike, nor was Gabriela's apparent "undressing". "You are in the presence of one of our Lord's Obligators, surely you have more sense then to behave such as you are." Red blossomed across her mother's cheek and she took her chidings in stride.

With a bow not only to her mother, but to Drau as well, Gabriela muttered an apology before attempting to excuse herself. She stopped hesitantly however and waited for a dismissal.

@Red Thunder

 

[Red Thunder]

But Draulin had paid no mind. His attention as otherwise occupied; he'd stood under the increased ashfall rather longer than he'd intended to assist the ladies from the carriage, and his robe and hood had accumulated a gray film. As the ladies Elariel had spoken of him, the Obligator had remained perhaps some twenty feet from them, attempting to rid his clothing of the dust just underneath cover. The skaa had been waved off, and were now retrieving brooms and other cleaning implements. At Gaby's muttered apology, Draulin looked up.

"Oh! Um, yes. Such discretions will not serve you well in public appearances, and while I am certain you aren't in the habit of, er, relaxing in such a manner while among your fellows, I am not family either." He hesitated before giving his robe a final shake. A last small cloud fluttered to the floor, and looking up, he genuflected smartly. "And Lady Elariel, please ensure your daughter abides by proper social expectations."

There was another pregnant pause, and Draulin coughed into his hand. He hated this, the chastising, the correcting. What did he care if Gaby took her shoes off? But as there were expectations of Gabriella, there were expectations of him. With a nod to Lady Elariel, he turned and strode away, making for his study. And utterly unprepared for the rearrangement he'd find there.

For her part, Isabel Elariel gave a final cold glance to her daughter.

"Nothing more needs to be said."

As Draulin had done before her, Lady Elariel turned and walked away at a soft clip, leaving Gabriella alone to her own thoughts. And her own machinations.

@rissa