Rules of Engagement (Celvi)

[Celvi Gray]

It was interesting to feel the slight irritation in the Grand Duke's reply, and Celvi allowed herself to be at least a bit smug. No one could say she didn't know how to get to him! Not that she wanted to, but it gave her no little satisfaction, given the fact she was the outsider of all the court ladies fawning over him, searching frantically for a way to get his attention, or to be the one making the difference.

She nodded in acknowledgement to his statement, for once fully agreeing with him. But as she really was at loss for honorable deeds for women, she wanted to check if he was too, or if he could think of something, therefore she asked: "Any suggestions, Mylord? What would be honorable for a lady like me? Aside from being her husband's adornment of course", she finished with little audible quotation marks around the last few words, as if she was citing something from a book – which indeed she was.

Furrowing her brows ever so slightly, she listened to his evasive remark. 'How pretty my dress is' – what in the Goddess name is that supposed to mean?
What was he hiding behind that pointless flattery? Did he think she would be put off that easily? On the other hand, did she even bother? What was his private life to her? As far as she cared, he could be planning his next rendezvous with one of her fellow ladies-in-waiting. Did she want to know about that? Certainly not!
So all she gave him in return was a curt "If you say so, Mylord" and a knowing look.
Some flirtatious lady would have had some witty remark ready, like: 'Do you like only the dress, or what's inside it, too', but even if she could have mustered such a phrase easily, just why should she? What was it that the girls her age and even older found so irresistible about this peacock?

Her long explanation left him silent for a little while, too, and for a moment there Celvi thought she had won. What could he possibly say against it, after all? He knew nothing about women, really, except from how to make them fawn over him, dying for a look and a smile. She snorted inwardly. Not that she wouldn't do the same when it came to Chase, but that was a different case after all. Chase she did love, and come on, none of those girls could really love Grand Duke Redwood!

Something was wrong! The notion (or was it some kind of sixth sense?) invaded her with almost brutal force, as she watched him approach. The tone of his voice had changed, from businesslike to almost …husky?
What did he mean by 'returning the favour'?!
Celvi was momentarily reassured as he stretched his arm above her head, to apparently grab a book. Most likely he just wanted to hand her down a book about tactics – until she realised he was not about to remove his hand anytime soon, and as he spoke her whole body stiffened in sudden understanding. He wasn't talking about the battle ground far away, but right here and there!

There was only one thing she could do and she better did it fast! He was so close like no man had ever been before, and far closer than was proper. His intentions were unmistakable.
"You clearly misunderstood me, Mylord", she snapped, adopting a brisk and sharp tone, but also aware that her voice was slightly trembling. "I have no intention of being taught that kind of a lesson, so step back to a respectable distance immediately!"
She sounded a lot more sure of herself than she felt. Would he let it go so soon? For once she understood her fellow ladies. This proximity was unsettling… but not alluring in any kind. Right? Runnori help, what had she done?!

[Grand Duke Alexander Redwood]

She wasn’t content to let the matter rest, of course. He resisted the temptation to roll his eyes. Suggestions? Surely she had a better idea of what constituted honor for women than he did? But of course – this was a test. For whatever reason, she wanted to provoke him. Well, she wasn’t going to get him that easily. “To be honest is honorable. To ply one’s trade, whether it be farming, housework, or war, to the best of one’s ability is honorable. To bring glory and avoid casting shame upon one’s family – this is honorable.” He smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. “But I’m sure there are many authors who can say it far better than I can.”

Alex wondered if she was completely fooled by his evasive reply. From the look her strange eyes gave him, he couldn’t tell. She was frustratingly hard to read, her words by turns sharp and teasing, her body veering from hostile to almost flirtatious… It made him annoyed and intrigued at once, and terribly interested, particularly once she started to strut around the room, running a delicate finger along the shelf with a teasing smile. Surely this was deliberate! She had to know the effect her looks and coquettish demeanor had on him. She was no child and no idiot, after all. She wouldn’t fawn over him like some other ladies did, but this wasn’t the first time he’d seen a girl play this sort of game to ensnare his affections. Not that said affections were ever anything but ephemeral.

She seemed comfortable enough as he made his move, seemed to anticipate it, almost. She knows her strategy well enough, he thought, amused as he leaned over her. This will certainly be a change of pace. Lady Celvi had proved far more of a challenge than he’d had in… well, forever, honestly, but eventually every woman succumbed to him. He liked to think it was because of his charm and accomplishments, but deep down knew it was about his royal blond hair and rank. It wasn’t a thought he liked to dwell on. It wasn’t as if he could change who he was. He could almost see her tremble at his sudden nearness. She really wasn’t different from other ladies at all, he grinned.

Alex blinked at her sudden, sharp reply. What in Runnori’s name…? She had been the one playing the flirt, all but beckoning him closer with her slender finger and now she was protesting his proximity? Truly, she was the most confusing woman he’d ever met! Next to Celvi, Bell looked perfectly rational. He cocked his head, staring at the girl with a confused frown. Was this another of her games? He couldn’t tell, and he hated to lose. He removed his hand from the bookshelf to comb it back through his hair yet again; it was starting to stand up from all the mussing, making his expression look more surprised, though he was unaware of it.

He smiled, chuckling a little. He had it figured out – he was going too fast for her. Not every lady was like Johanna, ready to leap into bed as soon she’d said hello. This one was going to require some cultivation, a little bit more coaxing. He didn’t mind the challenge. He had all afternoon. “Forgive me, I didn’t mean to frighten you,” he said, choosing his words with more care this time. “But you have to admit there’s a connection between us.” Let her deny it if she liked, but he knew better. No lady went to the war room without ulterior motives.

[Celvi Gray]

Celvi nodded slightly to everything he listed. Nothing extraordinary did he come up with, just the basic verbiage that could be produced by anyone. She couldn't quite decide if she was disappointed or not. What could she expect of him anyway? Like he said, he was no man of words, and he female need of honor wasn't his world either.
"Many authors do indeed spend much words about what they think is honorable for women", Celvi confessed with a sigh, "but they stick to basics. What about exceptional circumstances, apart from court or household? Can a woman act with honor there or is it simply not her place? What if, say, a woman saved someone's life but couldn't do so by behaving as a woman should. Would you call her honorable or impudent?"

She couldn't tell herself why she did ask him so many questions about his views of the world. Frankly enough, he was the only male of rank she had happened to talk to in quite a while, and there were just too many questions been accumulated of late.
On the other hand, it might be simple curiosity. She had always listened or watched with interest when the other ladies gossipped about this very man, or behaved oddly the instant he happened to pass by. Longing sighs and inviting glances had been the harmless things. Celvi wanted to know what was it in him that drew so many ladies to him, young or old, like moths to the fire. More than one had gone up in flames by getting to close.
But until now she hadn't found one good reason for this behaviour. There might be something like honor and dashing good looks, but overshadowing it all was arrogance and cockiness.

While the Grand Duke made his move, thousands of thoughts raced through Celvi's mind. What exactly had she done to trigger such actions? How could he have mistaken her earnesty for flirtation? Now she had her dear consequences for her out of place behaviour – only far different from what she had expected. But yes, of course, now that she recapitulated her motions and words in her head, looking at herself with his eyes… she had been a fool! How could she have forgotten even for a second who he was, or what he was known for?! The tracing of the spines, the teasing glance… Runnori, no!
Celvi vowed to herself she would learn to control her actions better. Something like this could never happen again – if she made it out of it in one piece, that is…!

Grand Duke Redwood on the other hand seemed not ready to take her no for a no yet. He did remove his hand, so that she didn't feel as trapped anymore, although he stayed annoyingly close.
Shaking her head firmly at his words, she replied, still curtly to mask the growing fear:
"A connection? Please point it out, for I see none. I didn't mean to attract you in any way, Mylord, and I'm sorry if it came across as that. But if you are the gentleman you claim to be, then you will step back now! Else you force me to do something drastic."

She didn't know if appealing at his honor and threatening him did mix so well, but her mind was numbed by panic that intensified with every second that passed. To add to it, she didn't have the slightest idea of what she might do to him, let alone if it would be enough to stop him. She knew the theory, alright, to hurt him where it hurt most, but doing it was something completely different.

[Grand Duke Alexander Redwood]

Alex sighed as she pursued the question of honor yet further, unsatisfied by his latest reply. She hounded after him like a terrier after a fox, Runnori knows why! She spoke with such disdain to him, and then turned about and demanded further explication of his opinion. Did she really care or was she simply intent on driving him mad? Well, he was older and far more patient than she. Let her be the one to break this conversation off. He would remain the consummate gentleman and answer all her questions until she wore her tongue out!

“Exceptional circumstances call for exceptional measures, of course,” the grand duke replied, quoting from Auric’s Tactics. “It would be a fool indeed who valued the appearance of propriety over the saving of a life, man or woman. The only rule that should never be broken is that, naturally, of honor itself. Even the laws of chivalry may be bent in service to a higher cause.”

Would that satisfy her? She was so odd, so different from the other girls he’d known, for all that her desires – in the end – appeared to be the same. (And who could blame her?) Innocent, beneath her sharpness. He wondered how much of it was a show and how much steel really lay beneath to support it. Most of it was probably a show, he decided. Courtiers learned from the cradle to cultivate a careful façade, showing one face to the world and their true self only to the mirror – and for some not even then. It was this deceit at court he disliked. How could he ever get to know a woman if he could never trust the face she presented to him?

Alex listened to her explanation with a bemused, superior smile – surely the lady doth protest too much! He knew he hadn’t imagined the come hither glance, the wink in her fairy eyes, but she claimed it unintentional? A likely story. No one was ever that unaware of their demeanor in his presence, to act flirtatiously without meaning more. She was scared, that was all, terrified of the path she’d started on. Well, he was no man to force an issue. Her last words, however… He couldn’t help it. He sniggered, his face screwing up in suppressed mirth before he burst out laughing, stepping back and leaning against the table for support. “Something… drastic?” he repeated, snorting with amusement. He covered his mouth, his blue eyes shining with merriment, nearly crying with laughter.

He wiped the tears out of his eyes, shaking his head. “You are, without a doubt, the most peculiar lady I’ve ever met.” He couldn’t keep the wide grin off his face. “Tell me, what is this terribly drastic,” here he broke into fits of laughter again, then repeated, “terribly drastic thing you propose to do?” Thoughts of romance had flown from his head, replaced by irrepressible hilarity. What did this little slip of a girl think she could do to hurt him, a proven warrior? Was she really so arrogant as to think she could possibly do anything to harm him? Sweet Runnori, she’s a spitfire!

[Celvi Gray]

Celvi raised a brow in surprise and mild approval. Yes of course, it was still unnerving to hear him talk about his twisted sense of honor as if it was the best thing on earth, but she did approve of his claim that saving a life was more important than rules and manners. She was not sure if Aunt Dagmara would agree with her on that part, after all. Wasn't it her who had said countless times: Better die in honor than live in shame? For a moment Celvi was distracted by the thoughts of how Dagmara would react in a life or death situation. Would she ever bend or break her selfmade rules to save someone else? It was mean to doubt it even for a second, but somehow the young woman couldn't help but wonder.

She decided to let the matter drop for now. Apparently the Grand Duke had revealed a great deal more than he had initially wanted to, she sensed that, and maybe even more than he realized himself. There was something right underneath his annoying shell and somehow that bugged Celvi. It was easier to think of him as a cocky prat who was nothing but self-centered. He was all that, yes, but detecting something more could turn out dangerous. What if he realized it too, and threatened her to keep it a secret. How could he know that she was not prone to gossip? His image of court lady was very biased, after all.

Deep down inside her, Celvi had always known that her last words had been too pathetic to pose any threat to the experienced warrior so close to her, but seeing him actually bursting out with laughter, didn't help to cool her down. Her panic turned into anger once again, and she couldn't even feel relieved about the fact that he had, after all, stepped back.
"Yes, something drastic", she hissed at him, her eyes almost throwing out sparks. "And as it seems you didn't want to take the risk after all!"

She knew she should just be glad that she had pulled him off from thoughts about doing… whatever. She should walk past him, leaving this disturbing encounter behind. But the challenge was too much. He still didn't take her seriously, not at all! What she had had achieved during their talks about war and tactics had been wiped away in one single mistake. Shouldn't she just let it go? Why did she care if he saw her as just one other, what did his respect mean to her? Nothing!
Still, the insubordinate part of her being which unfortunately had been nutured too much already today, couldn't stand being laughed at.

"I might be peculiar, Mylord, but believe me I'm serious. And I might be a mere woman and not a match to your strength, but I won't let anyone get away with loutish approaches. Believe me, you would have been hurt."
Her eyes weren't filled with sparks anymore, they were cold as ice. Now she could remember again just why she couldn't stand this man.

[Grand Duke Alexander Redwood]

His reply had seemed to quell her incessant questioning for now, at least. He would have sighed in relief, except for his father’s lesson drilled into him from a young age: never let them see you sweat. Most people thought Alex came by everything easy, and as far as rank and looks went, this much was true. As for archery, swordplay, the encyclopediac knowledge of strategy and tactics, he’d had to work hard at all of these to become the best, or at least, one of the best in Lamora. Long hours of sweat and toil on the archery range and in the practice courts, making his muscles sore until they responded to every attack with graceful ease. And the worst part was that he had to make it look easy, like he was born fully ready to do battle with a sword in one hand and a bow in the other. Never let them see how much it cost you to be who they needed you to be.

As for her retort, the lady reminded him of nothing so much as a cat trapped in a corner, hissing and spitting. It probably didn’t help that he couldn’t stop chuckling at her continued threats. He, afraid of her? The very idea sent him into renewed peals of laughter, unmitigated by his hand across his mouth trying to hold it in. He probably looked terribly undignified at the moment, but if he did, she did far more, threatening a seasoned warrior as she did. Sweet Runnori, his training had never prepared him for such a weak and feeble peril, if one could call it that! He didn’t envy whatever man had to marry such a harebrained girl, so quick to take offense that she was all but spitting at the highest ranked man in all of Lamora.

“After all the battles I’ve been in, I don’t that I can call your ‘something drastic’ a risk,” Alex replied, his laughter finally subsiding to a broad, mocking grin. The ire in her eyes made her more attractive, strangely enough, and he was tempted to pursue that line of attack again, but decided the better of it. Clearly she was in denial over her feelings for him – the vociferous nature of her response was evidence enough – and he would be better off simply waiting for her to come to him. He wasn’t in the business of wrangling with angry cats, after all!

It was too bad, really. He’d liked her fierce curiosity about matters of war and honor and even enjoyed (though he could scarcely admit it) teaching her a little of what he knew. Then she had to flirt with him – an inevitability, really – and wreck the whole thing. It just confirmed his suspicion that one could never really be friends with a woman. Whatever connection he’d felt was clearly just an illusion, fostered by her clever feminine wiles. And now she was calling him a lout? This his pride could not withstand.

“The only reason I could possible be hurt by you is that I am an honorable man, and honorable men do not strike women. Even in extremis.” His voice had turned from amused to something colder and more distant, irritated at her attack on his honor. “As for my so-called ‘loutish approaches’, whatever rumor says about me I am not the sort of man to venture where I am not invited.” The implication, of course, being that her behavior had prompted his amorous advances. In truth, the blame likely lay with both parties, mistaking one thing for another, but the grand duke was not in the habit of taking blame when he felt himself in the right. Why had he ever thought this was someone he could get along with?

[Celvi Gray]

Celvi could do only so much to keep herself from balling her fists and stamping her feet like the little girl he saw her as. Calm down…, she urged herself, it worked before… don't let him get to you that way… breathe in… breathe out… relax… don't be offended…
Gladly the tactic worked at least a little bit, and so she was able to face his anew outburst of amusement with a deadpan face, without blindly lashing out at him.
Now that she thought about it more coolly, what was she thinking?! She couldn't seriously harm a member of the Royal Family and expect to get away with it. She had allowed herself to be carried away far too much already!

She chose to bow her head instead of letting him see the hatred that was flashing up in her eyes. One had to be either powerful or crazy to get on an important man's bad side, and Celvi was already dancing on knife's edge. Better not push it further. Her mouth, however, couldn't accept the strategical withdrawal just yet, and answered:
"That might be true, Mylord, but even an experienced man will get hurt when he is too sure of victory. And there are battles that can't be won!"
Of course she was not only talking about battles in general, but tried to make it clear he could never win her over. As if she was like one of those others, doing him the favor of walking into such a trap willingly. If he still thought that to be right, he really hadn't learned anything about her during the past minutes.

Celvi was glad he had changed his tone from that of a cat of prey, husky and purring, to cold and almost repellent. That was something she could deal with. It was almost like talking to Aunt Dagmara – well, not quite, but the image helped her to get it together, too.
Inclining her head, she replied coolly: "That does indeed do you honor, Mylord. I'm glad to hear that this is solved between us."

It was by no means solved, that she felt deep inside. Even when noticing him from afar, she had always known that one day, if they ever happened upon each other alone, there would be problems. How could she possibly be so composed as to mask her contempt about his "I'm-all-that-and-you-want-it" ways, she who had always found it difficult to stay behind the mask? Her little mistake had triggered a chain reaction with unknown outcome.

"You'd be surprised what rumors really say about you, Mylord", she replied with a sneer. "They are not so far fetched from reality. Though it has always been a mystery to me why my fellow ladies invite you at any time. The problem is that you are so used to be 'compelled'", she ephasized the word in such a manner it was clear what she thought about its validity, "that you mistake even an innocent remark for an invitation. Be careful, Mylord, that's my humble advice, because I'm sure I'm not the only one with a mind of her own."
Then she cast down her eyes again and pressed her lips tightly together, afraid something far more impudent might slip through them. She was in enough danger as it was.

[Grand Duke Alexander Redwood]

For a brief moment, Alex thought she was conceding defeat as she bowed her head, but no, of course she wasn’t – she was far too stubborn for that. She was as keen as he to get in the last word, it seemed! Why did she despise him so? Her hostility seems to have roots deeper than this conversation. She was just like all of the others, taking him as they saw him and treating him according to how they envisioned him instead of the reality. Most of the time this worked in his favor, frustrating as it was, most people thinking him a great hero of the war and a worthy successor to his late father. Lady Celvi, however, seemed to have formed a terrible opinion of him before they even met. He wondered what had given her cause. There was so much going on behind those fairy eyes that he couldn’t begin to figure out.

He raised an eyebrow, skeptical, as she set forth her latest retort. He had every reason to be certain of victory; Lamoran strategies never failed except when misapplied. But that wasn’t what she was talking about at all, of course. What made her think her wanted to win the battle for her heart now? He didn’t like mind games and whatever ultimate goal she was working toward (or if she was merely insane, as he was beginning to speculate), he knew he wanted no part of it. No woman was beautiful enough to deal with this sort of teasing and threats.

Her behavior had brought to mind forcefully why he hated court so much: all the fakery, the intricate games, the lies and the jockeying for position in a contest that meant nothing to him! He longed to depart straightaway with his regiment to the front lines, where life, while miserable, at least made sense to him. But there was no chance of the queen letting him leave until after Bell’s birthday ball, where evidently there was a great surprise brewing. He couldn’t care less. Bell was insufferable, irresponsible as she was, and apparently her influence had rubbed off on at least one lady-in-waiting! “Sweet Runnori, she’s almost as bad as my cousin!” he muttered, barely audible. What he wouldn’t give for his mother to still be alive, to advise him on such perplexing matters! Why did she hate him so?

He was prepared to let matters rest as she declared the situation resolved – he was quite ready to return to his original purpose in coming here – but then her wretched tongue continued to wag. Had she no sense of self-preservation? He had been more than patient and lenient with her, allowing her to mock his sense of honor with scarcely a rebuttal, and yet she continued! “I care little for what the rumors say,” Alex snapped, crossing his arms. Realizing his tone had been far too sharp, he attempted to sound more nonchalant as he spoke again. “A word of advice for you, Lady Celvi. Any man who thinks he knows me is an imbecile. Any woman as well,” he added, feeling vindicatively happy that he had anticipated what was sure to be her retort. “You would do well to remember that.” His intimidating words also had the unintended consequence of making him look defensive, a nearly tangible slam of the gates to his psyche. She wouldn't get under his skin so easily again!

[Celvi Gray]

It was out of question he hadn't recognized the second meaning to her words, and for a moment Celvi wondered why the Grand Duke didn't reply. Was he out of answers already, did she really bring it that far? Or was he simply trying out a new tactic, letting her run against the wall of his indifference without exposing himself. Wasn't it like that on the battelfield too? When the archers sent shower after shower of arrows against the enemy and the enemy didn't return fire, they would soon be out of arrows, because they couldn't collect the missing ones shot by the enemy.

Celvi had to admit it was about to work. Soon it would be futile so say anything more, because he would simply choose to ignore her. Being ignored was actually worse than being threatened. But of course she had to appear as if all she wanted was to end this encounter as soon as possible herself. This was what she wanted, right?
But not without a victory on her part, that was more than clear!

That was when she heard him mutter something under his breath. She couldn't make out every single word, just fragments and at first she couldn't put the puzzle together, until the last word was spoken with a bit more emphasize – probably completely unintentional. He was comparing her to Princess Christabel??!! That had to be some kind of bad joke! How could anyone in his own mind – ever assumed the Grand Duke was in his own mind, and she had begun to doubt that for quite a while now – draw a comparison between two girls who were as different as night and day, and not just concerning their looks!

Princess Christabel was a spoilt brat in Celvi's eyes, not unlike her cousin standing right in front of her now. Whether this was an illness that runned in the family or if it was simply royalty-related, she didn't know and didn't care.
Both the Princess and her royal cousin were unbelievably self-centered personalities, whilst Celvi had been raised to always cut back in favour of her family's immaculate name. Who could blame her for the occasional breakouts?
"Believe me, whatever you may think of me, your cousin has no part of it", she said with forced nonchalance, only her eyes betraying how fiercely she felt about that matter.

A smile had to be bit back by the young lady as the Grand Duke so hastily denied that any rumors could ever faze him. Suuuurely not! The readiness with which he replied, showed that he was all but lying. And why not, actually? Someone as cocky as him had to rely a great deal on his reputation, and what people thought of him. Realising that not everyone took part in his hero-worshipping must be a heavy blow for the poor man!

He was an adaptive pupil, Celvi had to admit, as he denied her the all too easy retort on how she was no man and therefore not prone to imbecility. If this strange encounter had provided him with anything, then that he watched his words more carefully around her now, which could be almost described as little victory itself.
Raising an eyebrow, she replied instead: "Well, then it's good I don't pretend to want to know you better, Mylord. So I will not even be tempted to fall prey to the mentioned imbecility, and everyone is happy." She shrugged. "If that would be all, Mylord, I'll leave you to develop your tactics." Certain of having the last word, she started to walk past him.

[Grand Duke Alexander Redwood]

His eyebrows rose at her response to his muttered complaint. “Hmph. I find that hard to believe,” Alex said, snorting with derision. Only his cousin ran as wild with her tongue as this lady did, and he doubted any noble family would allow their daughter to speak such, particularly in the face of royalty. No, she could only have learned such impudence from Bell, he was quite certain. No one else had ever treated him this way, until Celvi bounded along and interrupted his pleasant afternoon in the war room. The warrior in him admired the courage (or lack of self-preservation) it took to address him so casually – caustically, really – even as the grand duke side railed at her insolence. He wondered that he had never heard of her before. Surely such a departure from the usual shrinking violet lady-in-waiting ought to have come to his attention before now, but even her name was unfamiliar.

The way she threw his words back into his face made him chew the inside of his cheek with annoyance. She didn’t want to know him – well, all the better for her, then! He didn’t wish to know her further either, the madwoman. If her words struck past the surface, he didn’t let it show on his face. He had had far too much practice at that, pretending not to care, pretending not to sweat. His father would have rolled his eyes and called her a stupid girl… No, his father would have never entered into a conversation with Lady Celvi in the first place, disbelieving that any woman except the queen should care to know anything about war. In this Alex was kinder than his predecessor – his father would have said weaker – and look what it had gotten him! It only confirmed his opinion that everyone at court preferred the façade to the reality. O, for the bittersweet clarity of the battlefield!

His pride was too great to let her walk away without having the last word, but he could hardly admit he was wounded by her words. Which he wasn’t, of course. He was hardly as thin-skinned as that! He was a warrior and a grand duke, the only nephew of the queen herself, as his blond hair showed daily. He had his pride, and his honor. He was reminded of something said earlier in their conversation, about only fools confusing pride for honor. It wasn’t dishonorable to let her have the last word, exactly, and let her leave without a better opinion of him than when she had entered. And yet… it didn’t sit aright with him either. He wondered what his mother, lost in the mists of memory, would have advised him to do. From all accounts she had been a calming influence on her more impetuous husband. He knew what behavior would make his father proud, but his mother…?

As she walked toward the door, Alex frowned, taking a quick step and removing a book (Auric's Tactics) from the shelf. As last words went, it was more conciliatory than most, and yet… Why did he want her to see that he wasn’t the monster she thought him to be? It was a mystery, even to him, but he had seen a glimpse of something in her that he didn’t want to let go of, not yet. “Aren’t you forgetting something?” the grand duke asked, his tone still superior, but quite friendly compared to just a minute earlier. He wasn’t pleading – he would never beg for anyone's esteem – but his blue eyes regarded her with something other than disdain.

[Celvi Gray]

Shrugging nonchalantly, Celvi replied – more indifferent than she actually felt – "Believe what you want, Mylord, the truth stays the truth."
Really, where could she ever have learned such behaviour from Christabel? It was not like the two of them were best friends, Runnori prevent! Most of the time Celvi was content to be overlooked, treated as a mere shadow. There had only been some rare occasions when the princess had exchanged more than a few curt words with her, and that mostly to chide or taunt her about something she had done wrong or too slow.
Funny how she now treated Grand Duke Redwood like she had always wanted to treat Christabel one day, standing up to her, throwing words back into her face. Was she a fool to think doing this might leave her without dire consequences? No one insulted royalty and got away with it!

And still, there was something about this meeting that made her reckless. Maybe it was the seclusion of the war chamber, the illusion of privacy. You hardly catched the princess alone and those rare occasions were hunting trips where you had other things on your mind than starting a debate on principles.
In the beginning she had wanted to prove one single point: That a woman was capable to understand and study battle tactics, and she had fairly won on that part. For a while they had been talking almost as equals, discussing rather than lecturing.
Then, the turning point. All of their weird connection destroyed in one single misunderstanding. From there on it had only been a fight that nobody seemed to know what it was even about.

Was she glad it had turned out that way? This she asked herself in the few seconds she needed to take a few steps towards the door. It was certainly easier that way, her misfavor being met to the point, she didn't even come close again to see a different side of him, as she had started to before. At the same time, Celvi hated herself for being so judgemental, something she usually choose to avoid. She wouldn't want herself being prejudged that way, now would she? But was it really just prejudice? Hadn't he proven himself to be the ignorant, self-centered jerk she always had seen in him?
This matter was beyond confusing, really, time to get out of it before her brain started to fry…

His voice made her stop dead and turn on the heel. She should have known he wouldn't let her go that easily. How typical!
"And that would be?" she asked, before she spotted the book in his hands. She couldn't read the title from so far away, but she judged it to be the one she had been looking for: 'On Tactics'.
A little inner war broke out in Celvi. She had detected the change of tone in her counterpart, and was oddly touched that he apparently didn't want this meeting to end on such a sour note. Then there was the curiosity of finally taking a look at this famous book. But out of his hands? Wasn't that like giving in? On the other hand, what did she want to prove anyway?

In the end, she settled on what was maybe best for both sides. A truce, however long it might last in the end. Walking back over to him, she took the book from his hand, her eyes brushing the title. It was indeed the work of his great-grandfather.
"Thank you, Mylord", she said with a slight smile lurking in the corner of her mouth, "how very… thoughtful of you! I'm sure I will have a good time reading it!"
It was all but a peace-offering, albeit a fragile one. Any misstep of his could make it burst.

[Grand Duke Alexander Redwood]

The truth stays the truth indeed. Whatever Celvi might say, it didn’t dissuade him from thinking he was right in thinking his cousin had had an influence on the outspoken lady. It was the only reasonable explanation for her behavior. Sweet Runnori, was Bell training up a whole group to be just as reckless and silly as she was? He hoped not. It would make court life even more insufferable than it was. At least with propriety holding sway he knew what to expect from most people – Celvi being the obvious exception to that particular rule.

Bell, for all her spoiled behavior, hadn’t changed hardly a whit since her childhood. He’d thought her behavior almost amusing, then. Bell was the closest thing he had to a sister, after all. But once she hit her teens and her behavior stayed the same, he began to become irritated. He’d had to take on responsibility by that age; why couldn’t she? And more importantly, why didn’t the queen make her? She was older now than he’d been when he’d seen his first battle, killed his first man. His father had never allowed him to act out the way Bell did, his tutors being there to remind him of his duty even when the grand duke was not there to lecture him. And now, years after his father and tutors were gone, he had his conscience to remind him: duty above all.

Alex couldn’t help a smile when Celvi stopped and turned back. From her reply, she was clearly expecting another onslaught. It was satisfying to see her confusion at his kind gesture. “You came here for a book, I thought. And most emphatically not for a man,” he added, unable to resist a little dig. He watched as she approached, his blue eyes amused but not uncharitable. He wondered what she was thinking. It was so hard to tell. Was she suspicious of his motives? She hadn’t trusted his previous assurance that he didn’t pursue those who didn’t want his attentions, even though he had only made his move once she’d flirted with him.

She accepted the book from his hand, and he gave it up willingly, dismissing the idea of playing games with her to get it. Their truce was fragile enough to be shattered by such a friendly game, and he didn’t want her to go just yet. It wasn’t that he was lonely, of course. Alex had his men and his horse and everyone at court was quite desperate to be on good terms with him. No, he didn’t lack for company at all. He simply thought it might be fun to teach a little bit of tactics to someone who would never need them. It didn’t hurt that his potential pupil was beautiful, but he wasn’t going to go down that road again without an engraved invitation!

He smiled. “I don’t know about enjoyment. It’s fairly dry stuff. Auric starts with penetration of the center, but I’d advice starting with the sixth chapter, attack from a defensive position, and then going back to the beginning. It will make more sense for you that way.” Alex looked down, twisting the signet ring on his finger. Had he surrendered? It didn’t feel like that. He was still maintaining the upper hand, the position of teacher, and he rather liked it. He had an enthusiastic enough pupil, occasional bouts of madness aside! “Also, ignore the illustrations in the preface. They’re not, um, relevant.” This copy of On Tactics – one of several in the library, why had he picked this particular one? – had also seen the markings of Alex’s youthful attempts at art, if he was not mistaken.

[Celvi Gray]

Celvi felt Alexander Redwood was still by no means convinced by the truthfulness of her words, but she decided to let the matter drop. It was an easy explanation after all, and somehow this particular man seemed to like easy explanations. She couldn't blame him, to be honest. When every decision you made could turn out to be one of life and death, you didn't want to rack your brain in the little spare time you got, too. That was what she imagined it to be, anway. She would never presume she knew his way of thinking, even if it was so annoyingly obvious what was on his mind sometimes. She would grant him his little secrets. After all... what was it to her?

If he needed comparisons and pigeon-holing for the sanity of mind and soul, who was she to deny it? She had made the mistake of letting the mask slip for a short time, and she wasn't surprised he couldn't deal with what was behind it. No one really could, that's why she needed to keep up pretenses as long as possible. Most people didn't even know this kind of Celvi existed, even Dagmara only could guess. It was like locking away a beast behind thick bars and curtains of manners and courtesy, and most of the time it worked. But the beast was demanding and vulpine. As soon as something happened to make her lose her grip on the situation – and the Grand Duke teasings and approaches had been unsettling if nothing else – it managed to break out. To retain it was almost impossible and in the majority of cases the damage was already done.

Judging from this Celvi was more than just a little relieved as things took a turn for the better. His explanation was simple and even if it did contain a side blow, it was an almost friendly one.
It seemed like there was indeed truth to his words: He didn't venture where not invited, and her rejection had been nothing but clear. Of course, he might try again, but for the moment he seemed far more concerned with licking his burnt fingers – metaphorically speaking only of course.
„Why, Mylord, you actually got me right for once!“ she replied with a hint of mockery in her eyes. „What else should anyone do in a library than looking for books?“ Returning the dig with fake innocence, she approached him further, still a bit uneasy. He was an honorable man, of course, but also someone who liked to play games. Would he let her take the book without asking for a price? She knew far too many stories of that kind, even if they had never happened to her.

But all her fears had been needless, their relationship had changed to a mere business teacher-pupil one once again, for which she was glad.
With attentive ears she listened to his intructions on how to best read the book, feeling oddly at ease again. This was terra firma, knowledge and teaching, nothing more, nothing less.
„I have found even dry stuff to be halfway interesting“, she commented with a little laugh. „On the other hand, maybe you should someday poke your nose into Bernardus' 'Pillars of wedlock' – there's dry stuff for you, and me and my poor fellow ladies are tortured with it almost every week.“

She wondered if she shouldn't have rather taken another example for dry reading, not exactly Bernardus' treatise about the good and lawful marriage. Rumors had it that Grand Duke Redwood shied away from the subject like a superstitious citizen from a New Moon Night.
She just snapped out of her reverie in time to not miss his next statement that made her surpress a chuckle. Didn't he know that he had made her all the more curious now about these certain illustrations? Were they his doings? Funny to think even the so very accurate and almost swotty Grand Duke Redwood might have once been a different type when he was a boy. It made him almost look nice... almost!
„If it's your wish, I will page past them, of course“ she promised, but added a 'at first' in her mind. She wondered if her eyes showed what she was really thinking. No way would he get away with this, now he had set himself up for that one!

[OOC: sorry this is ridiculously long...]

[Grand Duke Alexander Redwood]

What else would anyone do in a library? Alex could think of several things off hand that would draw a person to the library aside from books, chief among them solitude, which had been his original purpose in coming here. Why then had he drawn her back when she was so nearly out the door, leaving him to his thoughts? He’d wanted the last word, of course, but there was something more than that. Perhaps the grand duke craved company instead of seclusion. The voices of the dead men who lived on in the books of the war room were as familiar to him as old friends, albeit particularly dry, fusty ones. The grand duke wasn’t in the habit of second-guessing his own actions and the motives behind them, but his dissatisfaction with life lately had turned over a new introspective leaf in his psyche.

He didn’t let on any of this to Celvi, of course. As amusing as she was for the moment, she was hardly to be trusted. She was, after all, a courtier, and his father had had many a sour word for that sort of person. Alex tended to agree with the late grand duke. There was no in the palace, even the queen herself, who didn’t want something from him. He settled for a noncommittal answer to her false inquiry. “What indeed,” he agreed dryly, turning over the book without contest. She seemed almost flirtatious again, but he wasn’t going to do anything to wreck their temporary peace. Yet.

He felt oddly happy that she accepted his advice without protest – a victory indeed, with this particular lady, he thought. His gaze drifted around the room as she replied, only to be brought back with a snap at the word ‘wedlock’. He couldn’t suppress the grimace that appeared on his face, not that he wanted to. If there was one rumor that could stand more exposure it was his aversion to the idea of marriage. Those who knew of it seemed to take it as a challenge instead of a warning, however, so maybe it didn’t help after all. Sometimes it seemed no matter what he did people were determined to treat and think of him a certain way. Would that they showed such tenacity in other aspects of their lives! Some of his more lax soldiers looked positively pious next to a lot of courtiers in his opinion.

He coughed into his fist. “I’m far too busy to bother with that sort of thing,” Alex said, deflecting the whole question with something less than his usual grace. Sweet Runnori, he hoped she didn’t mean anything by bringing it up! She’d turned down his advances, but she certainly wasn’t the only lady to be playing a deeper game, of that he was certain. He decided to remain here for now, but at the next warning sign he would be out of here!

If asked to explain his aversion to marriage, the grand duke had difficulty. He would do his duty if the queen demanded, of course, but he couldn’t imagine a woman he would want around for more than a little while. They were all far too insipid or else manipulative, with hordes of family members jockeying for the kind of favor marriage to the grand duke could secure them. He riled at the idea of being a pawn in someone else’s games and sought to avoid the whole question altogether. So far it had been a grand success, in his estimation. Even the queen had not mentioned the matter to him since his latest return from the front.

He was grateful for the distraction of her next statement. “It’s your choice,” Alex said with a shrug. “I only wanted to let you know that they’re not important. At all. Some later addition to the text, I believe.” He didn’t know if his indifferent tone fooled her at all, but somehow couldn’t bring himself to care. Who would she tell that he had vandalized a library book, anyway? She would have to explain why she was in possession of it in the first place!

[Celvi Gray]

Celvi could tell her counterpart was irriated once again, it showed in the way he so briskly turned away without contesting her statement. Had she been too equivocal again, however unintentionally? Good Runnori she really needed to get a grip on her actions! Maybe she should confide in someone? A female her age, but with more experience on these matters, who could teach her to do the right thing at the right time? But who would that be? Was their even one lady at this court she trusted enough to talk about such matters, let alone call a friend? No need to fool herself, there was none. And Dagmara? She dismissed the thought with a bitter inner laugh. No, never! What could an old lady, so fixed on manners and rules, possibly know about which path to tread on in this particular situation? Judging from her point of view, Celvi should have never talked to the Grand Duke to begin with.

No, she could do nothing right now, except hoping to pass the test without further traps to fall into. Really, she would have never imagined talking to such a man could be like running the gauntlet! Come to think of it, she hadn't been talking to so many men in her life yet, let alone without company. Surely, there was Chase, but Chase… well, it was odd enough: What should have been difficult with the messenger because she secretly loved him, turned out to be not, and what should have been easy because she didn't feel anything for the Grand Duke except annoyance, turned out to be not easy either. Where was the logic in that?
So she chose to remain quiet, not knowing what to reply to that anyway. He knew what she had intended to say, or so it seems, and that was enough, it didn't need further commenting.

The mentioning of marriage had triggered the sort of actions Celvi had expected and she felt oddly reassured. This man was predictable after all, and the rumors about him couldn't be as false as he claimed them to be, either. She bit back a grin at his obvious discomfort.
"Good for you. I wish I could say the same about me!" she countered, rolling her eyes. Really being raised to constant talks about marriage should be enough to make anyone repellent to the sheer thought. Oddly enough this was not the case. Most of the ladies she knew already had about everything planned out to the tiniest detail, only lacking the right man as a simple adornment to the whole event. It was unnerving sometimes to hear them babble on and on about just this one subject.
"Actually, to be honest, I should be listening to those treatises right now", she confessed with a sigh, "I sneaked away."

With every single word he said, he got himself in deeper and deeper. The more he denied those illustrations to be relevant, the more curious she became. They would actually become the first things she'd look for as soon as she was alone, she decided. If that was mean, then so be it, and anyway 'what the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grief over'.
Still, she couldn't bite back a comment completely, she was in far too a reckless mood.
"Important or not, maybe they're still good. I have an eye for art, you know, even if my own sleight of hand doesn't match it."

Good Goddess, why was she telling him all that? She must have really become crazy now! She should just take the darn book and leave…