Okay, so apropos of nothing I have another teaser scene here for you, one from the Noble path this time.
To set the scene, a young lady (you) with an exceptional mind has been enjoying one of the first great balls of the season in the Royal Palace of Kadana, and the party has now progressed to the stunningly maintained Royal Gardens, where the nobles in attendance are desperately looking to gain face-time with anyone who can improve their social standing. The two Royal Twins are in attendance, practically drowning in pretty debutantes and strapping gentlemen.
Young Prince Etienne is quite uncomfortable with this arrangement, but is obliged to keep notions of political union in his mind, distasteful as the idea might be.
There is also a pretty big Star Trek reference in this scene, inspired by @Quaintrelle’s comment about coming home to a Victorian Spock.
Ten points to the first person to spot it. Twenty points if you can give me an episode title.
As the sunlight begins to fade, servants begin surreptitiously lighting torches throughout the lavish palace gardens. Many of the guests have come to take in the evening air, or perhaps to corner potential political partners for a more private conversation.
Your Mother is currently feigning interest in a rambling lecture on the merits of breech-loading artillery from a General of the Western Territories, her painted lips pursed demurely as he orates. You see a small collection of society ladies gathered by a great balcony overlooking the waterfront and surmise that the Prince must be nearby.
You wander nonchalantly into the conversation, seeing the seemingly ever-present Madame de Bouté at his side like a rash. She angles her body in such a way as to seem interested but deferential, with more than a hint of décolletage on display.
Must her every action be so intellectually infuriating?
The Prince Etienne looks as out of sorts as ever, somewhere between flustered and uninterested in the attentions of the women fawning over him. He seldom makes eye contact with any one of them for more than a moment, yet the ladies press on hoping for some whiff of affection or favour. You gently insinuate yourself into the conversation, the other ladies greet you with the false companionship you are beginning to recognize as a hallmark of High Culture in Kadana.
“Young Mistress Calinas, you simply must join us. Darling Etienne was just telling us some awfully fascinating things about his studies, weren’t you, my Prince?”
Madame de Bouté smiles prettily and flutters her eyelashes at the Prince, who seems not to notice. His little blue companion bird Calthistenes flits anxiously from the left shoulder to the right, then back again.
“Actually I was just asserting that if one carries the premise that the air is as prevalent as the water yet less dense, then the mechanics of flight are remarkably similar to the mechanics of sailing. Where once only fish could travel across the waters, with cleverness men can go anywhere a fish may.”
The ladies all nod and murmur words of agreement among themselves, clearly entirely uncomprehending yet willing to suffer through any lecture to win Etienne’s affection.
“My Prince you are possessed of an enviable imagination. Why I could almost picture men sailing through the air in gondolas! Such a charming fancy!”
The lady who says this titters amusedly, and many of the others look ready to enjoy the joke with her, but Etienne’s face darkens enough that they hold off a while.
“And why ever not, my Lady? Both the fish and the fisherman cross the waters, yes? At one point people must have considered a sailing boat to be a ‘charming fancy’ in my estimation. I say that if a bird may fly, then so may a man. What we lack in wingspan we must gain by cleverness.”
Madame de Bouté chooses this moment to daintily clap in agreement, staking her claim to Etienne’s attention.
“Bravo, my Prince! You have quite convinced me, I should think that one day we might sail ships through the airs as readily as we do through the harbours. You have a rare gift for foresight, my Prince. May it serve you well upon a throne one day.”
The ladies all chatter and murmur, similarly ‘convinced’ of Etienne’s genius. You remain silent, unwilling to lower yourself to such base sycophancy . After a moment you notice that Etienne looks quite displeased with the compliment.
“A throne, yes… The one thing I am apparently suited for…”
The distaste in his voice is not well disguised, the ladies can feel the conversation turning away from them. Once again it is the Madame de Bouté who speaks out, hoping to push her advantage while relieving the Prince’s mood.
“Oh my dear Etienne, do not look so very melancholy. Thrones and crowns are not chains and shackles. You should have the power to enact any law that you can imagine, and such a powerful imagination as yours will have much to give.”
She makes her play, gently stepping into his personal space and gently taking his hand in both of hers, holding it as if to entreat him to some melodramatic romantic gesture.
“My Prince, are you afraid of the good you might do?”
Etienne looks into de Bouté’s pretty eyes and his expression becomes inscrutable. Calthistenes makes his opinion plain however, flitting away from Etienne’s shoulder and taking refuge high in the branches of a nearby blossom tree. After a moment Etienne steps away, gently extricating his fingers from the lady’s delicate grip. He turns from the ladies, seeming to require a moment of repose.
“I fear you are entirely too kind, my Lady. A crown would suit me ill, I think. I am seen by many as an idle man, unwilling and unfit to rule. There is some truth in that, but not a great deal. A man is not idle merely because he is absorbed in thought. There is visible labour and there is invisible labour. I am ill-suited to visible labour, the sort that Kings are bred to excel at. I fear that indecision and gold crowns make for a poor mixture.”
The ladies all seem quite unprepared for such frankness. This was supposed to be easy for them: dance divinely, talk politely, smile prettily and the Prince will surely fall quite in love with them before sundown. Now they find themselves quite out of sorts, discussing sciences of no interest to them with a man who reciprocates their indifference. Even the Madame de Bouté seems to be losing patience with the ‘difficult’ Prince.
You decide that you have been silent for quite long enough.
“Your fears are theoretical in nature, my Prince. You have not given the problem sufficient experimentation.”
Against all odds, your bluntness seems to have worked in your favour, Etienne turns to look directly at you, not shying away from your gaze like the others.
“Being split into two halves is no theory with me, my Prince. I have a human half you see, as well as a divine half. They are submerged, constantly at war with each other.”
You activate many of the secondary functions of your eyes, causing them to pulse with small flashes for extra effect.
“I survive it because my intelligence wins out over both, makes them live together.”
You take a step forward, moving from the periphery of the group to its centre.
“Your intelligence shall ensure your survival as well.”
Etienne’s face is as inscrutable now as ever, but little Calthistenes flutters down from the blossom tree and you raise a hand for him to daintily land on. The tiny bird sings sweetly at you, preening his feathers comfortably as if you were an old friend.
You endeavour to press your advantage, confident in your appraisal of the handsome enigma that is Etienne.
“As to your notion of human flight, I believe it to be an inspired notion. I believe that the future has several names. For the weak it is impossible, for the fainthearted it is unknowable, but for the valiant it is ideal.”
Etienne thinks for a moment, seeming to bore into you with the intensity of his gaze. In the space of a second his melancholy seems to dissipate, and something of his manners returns to him. He steps forward and primly offers you an arm.
“Mistress Calinas, would you care to see the Upper Gardens? I feel a walk might prove somewhat invigorating, don’t you?”
You smile sweetly and take the arm offered. Calthistenes flits gently back to his Master’s shoulder and the two of you disentangle yourselves from the other ladies.
“Won’t you please excuse me for a moment, ladies? It has been quite charming to speak with you all.”
As the Prince leads you away, you risk one glance back at the other ladies.
Madame de Bouté looks positively furious.
If anyone was wondering, Madame de Bouté was named for the fact that she has a significant amount of Bouté…
