The Orlesian Visit (Closed - Gespard)

[corineshalen]

Kirkwall, week 2, day 2

"Is that the chantry? Did you really meet a prince in there, Mamae?", Amon said in an excited voice, clutching his mother`s hand tightly, his long ivory hair fluttering in the mild breeze. "How did he look, Mamae? Was he like papa?", he added moments later, his sky-blue eyes growing brighter. Usually the chantry was a scary place to him, but his mother`s story of meeting a prince in the dreaded place, made him forget the fear for a moment.

"He`s a shemlen; stupid, violent, cowardly, liar...no matter the status, shemlen are all the same. Some just wear prettier clothing, but that`s it", Daeron said in a snarling voice, crossing his arms as if to close the topic. Having let his hood down, the white hair of the former city elf was left at the mercy of the wind. And just like his grandson, his hair was quite long as well, reaching to the middle of his chest.

"Don`t be like that papa, you know that`s not true". Dressed in the drakeskin armor and dark cape, Corine`s face was as usual fully hidden in the shadows of her hood. "But yes heh, that is where I met him, a prince of Starkhaven" . Ignoring her dad for now, she ran her gloved fingers through Amon`s hair, brushing them over his round ears. Usually she would never have brought him this close to the vicount`s estate, but today most of the city were down by the docks, or gathering outside the Vicount´s place. The Orlesian emperor had arrived earlier on the day, and he would be the center of attention the next three days, which left the streets less crowded.

"Oi! Move out of the way!!"

Recognizing the Orlesian accent, Corine looked over her shoulder, noticing the rather large gathering of men outside the temporary estate of the emperor. Based on their armor they were clearly guards, but why would they be yelling for them to move away? Taking a quick peek at the surrounding areas, caused her heart to skip a bit; Long shadows, a mostly orange sky...Maker, had it really gotten so late!? The meeting would without a doubt be over by now. She had to get out of there, quickly, before her father-

"Why don`t you move yourself, or are you too stupid to move on your own two feet, eh shem?". With a hand on his sword, the 5`5 tall Daeron laid his head back, glancing up at the trained guard of Orlais like they were children. "It would`t surprise me, considering you can`t think without having a weak man with pretty words to lea-"

"How dare you speak such of our Emperor!? Know your place, peasant!". With a fire burning in his Orlesian accent, the lieutenant stepped forward, his dark eyes locked on the snarling elf in front of him. They had been send to keep peace, so that they would. The fact that this puny thing dared to talk back was bad enough, but no one would escape without punishment for sullying the name of the Emperor.

"There there papa, I think you have had too much to drink now..". Talking in a raised voice, Corine put her golden-threaded glove onto Daeron`s shoulder, pulling him back a bit before the guard could chop off his head. "I am sorry about this, honorary guard of Orlais, its been a long day for him, he dosen`t know better". Speaking in a cheerful voice, she made sure to keep her head bowed, doing her best to act like the underdog. "We will be on our way now, come Amon, Papa..". Wanting to avoid an open battle, she grabbed Amon`s hand, and turned around to head back to Lowtown.

"Hold it woman! Do not think that this will go unpunished! Remove your hood!". He was about to reach out and grab her by the hand, but he suddenly halted, stood back up and made a bow."Y-our grace! I!...". Unable to finish his sentence, he swallowed deeply, clutching his armored fingers tightly. "I-I am truly sorry that you had to witness this...I shall dispose of them right away"

[Gespard de Chalons]

Three years had passed since the events in Kirkwall sent shockwaves across Thedas, and as the Orlesian Emperor now headed back home from Antiva, after establishing treaties that would benefit the Empire, he choose to stop by for a visit. Upon his arrival he was met by those most loyal to him; the Templars, the guards, the nobles and a few commoners. The city had changed a lot after what had happened, it was now under martial law by the Templars and without a viscount, it was ruled by Knight-Commander Cullen and Prince Sebastian Vael from Starkhaven, who worked with Gespard`s close ally, Lord Seeker Lambert. A curfew had been set up, at night none except the guards or the Templars was allowed to be in the streets and those who was caught under heavy suspicion of using magic was either locked up in the gallows or executed. The Chantry itself, which had been heavily damaged by the actions done by Anders the apostate, was rebuilt, although it did not stand as a large structure that it used to be.

From the docks to the viscount`s palace, Emperor Gespard was escorted and once within the throne room, a meeting was held to discuss business. The talk lasted for hours, as Gespard settled the relations between him and the Templars, as well the Orlesian nobles who lived in Kirkwall. Guillaume de Launcet and Dulci de Launcet were very much honoured to meet him, but unfortunately they always tried to suck up to the Emperor, in hope that maybe he could increase their status as nobles. The Viscount`s home would have suited the Emperor well as a place to rest in Kirkwall, but due to certain matters it was not possible, thus he was granted the home of the Launcet family instead. It was not what he wanted, however nonetheless he accepted it, knowing that he could torment the family later as he pleased.

After finishing the business within the palace, Gespard headed outside with the Orlesians, his guards and servants. It had been an exhausting day, but he was staying for three days in Kirkwall, before he next would leave to participate in the Grand Tourney. Although there was much to prepare for what was to come, the Emperor believed he had it all settled, and with letters and messengers sent to all fronts it would certainly be surprising should he not succeed in what he planned.

Walking down the many stairs from the viscount`s home, Gespard was surrounded not only by his own personal escort, but also the city guards that insisted on keeping him safe. As he approached the bottom of the stairs he could see a group of commoners gather, all who wished to see the sight of the Emperor who they admired and supported, but from the short distance he also noticed an argue that grew more intense by the second.

An old elf was shouting insults and the guard close by tried to handle the situation, but the elf did not seem willing to yield, even though the female elf next to him tried to calm him down. While the rest of the guards kept on pushing the crowd away, such that the Emperor could head to the Launcet family`s estate on the others side of the square, Gespard stopped to watch the conflict. Then just as the guard realized who stood behind him, he bowed respectfully and apologized for what the Orlesian Emperor had witnessed.

“Why reach for the woman, when it is clear that the old elf should rather be hanged for his insulting words!”Gespard spoke out loud with a strong Orlesian accent as his glare turned from the guard toward the elves, what he saw in the old elf was despise and discontent against humans, a behavior which in Orlais was not tolerated. The elf deserved to be hanged, especially after what he had said about him. The female was not the problem here though, which was why he left her untouched, believing that the death of her father would be suitable enough.

“Oui, of course your grace. He must be hanged.” The guard answered nervously as he ordered two other guards close by to grab the man, if the Emperor demanded that the elf should be hanged, then so be it. With a content smile on the face, Gespard watched as the guards did their orders, but just as he was about to turn and leave, his glance fell across the female elf and the child who stood by.

[corineshalen]

It wasen`t unnecessary to turn around; a strong commanding voice speaking in a thick Orlesian accent, the guards speaking like they were confessing their love...Restricting herself from punching her dad, she lowered her head slightly. This had to be dealt with, without putting Amon at risk, and the entire hanged thing would`t be a good thing either. It was a bit tempting to turn around and cut the guard`s head off, but in less than two seconds she and her dad would be beheaded. and Amon would panic, unleashing magic in the middle of the Vicount`s courtyard...

"Mamae, I`m scared..", the young human mumbled, tugging Corine`s hands with both of his own. The tall man with a funny accent resembled a dragon; big, scary, and with a lot of power. "What are we gonn-". Amon`s words died in his throat, as he felt his mother`s fingers run through his hair, the act signaling him to be quiet.

"It would be waist of a decent rope, to have this man hanged". Releasing her hand from Amon`s grib, she finally turned to face the lieutenant, knowing that it would be disrespectful to look at the Emperor directly without permission. She had only had a few encounters with Orlesians before, but most of them had the same traits; an almost sicking devotion to their beloved Emperor and his court, accents that could provides hours of laughter when parodied, and the worst thing you could do, was to insult the name of the Emperor.

With that in mind, she laid her head back, her short size of 5`2 making the guards look like tall towers of metal when compared. "As much as I agree to my father`s punishment, he is not the one who your rightful anger should be directed". Placing a gloved hand on her chest, she lowered her head, keeping her voice at a calmed pace, yet also at a level that made it sound apologizing. "Due to the curfew, we don`t get out that much. I really wanted to visit the chantry with my son and him, but my father would rather stay home. And in a foolish stubborn act, I forced him with us, despite being aware of his moronic attitude..".

A chill suddenly ran down her spine, as she felt someone`s gaze on her. Taking a peek to the left, and ignoring the crowd of whispering nobles by the stairs to the Vicount`s estate, she took notice of the man who, without a doubt, was the Emperor. At first it appeared that he was looking at his guards, about to order more...but wait, haden`t he already given the command? Yes he had, to have her father hanged...so why had he stopped all of a sudden? Looking at his face, which was handsome as expected given his position, she met his gaze. It only lasted a moment through, as she forced her eyes upon the lieutenant once again. She would`t question why the all mighty Gespard de Chalons was looking at her, but it was an opportunity that would`t be wasted.

Drawing the hood back, the chest-nut bundle of soft hair was released, falling loosely around her nimble shoulders. Her lips, despite not wearing make-up, held a soft tint to them, as she began to speak again. "I am sorry for wasting the Emperor`s time with my words, so I shall keep it brief". Turning to face the "mighty" Gespard, she kept her head lowered. Loose strands of brown hair fell down across her eyes, the orange rays of the sun getting caught in them. "A dragon that needs to be slain, a castle that needs to be cleaned...I accept whatever punishment, that your grace sees fit for someone like me..".

Letting Gespard consider her words, she glanced over her shoulder, her eyes quickly catching sight of Amon`s wide eyes, as he observed the whole scene in silence. Her dad was still held by the guardsmen, through remaining quiet for once, knowing what would happen if he threw another insult.

"..Anything", she mumbled in a rather submitting tone, looking up with sky-blue eyes, to meet the gaze of the Emperor.

[Gespard de Chalons]

Having given the orders to execute the old elf, Gespard turned to make his leave, but as the female elf stepped forward in defense of her father, the Emperor remained. From where he stood he saw the guards grab the man as commanded, and he noticed despair and shock in the boy`s eyes, his glance then turned to the woman who was about to offer an alternative. Intently he listened, although as she revealed her face by removing the hood, he could not avoid, but to fall in awe. She was a pretty little elf, one who seemed to wish to protect her family at all cost, which the Emperor admired. Believing that it was just the same what he did, the Empress known as Celene had usurped the throne from his father and after years of living in exile because of her had he managed to retake what was rightfully his. Now that he was the Emperor, he had the power, and with it would he bring glory and wealth once again to the Orlesian Empire, in memory of his ancestors. The way he treated others, could be somewhat compared to how he himself had been treated over the years, and perhaps was it his way to get payback.

Meeting the female elf`s gaze with keen eyes, he remained silent as he got aroused by her words. It was unexpected, yet it made him smile of satisfaction. It was not common for people to speak with him without being allowed, and especially not by looking at his eyes. However in response he calmly approached as he reached out to touch her chin, and as his hand moved up to rub her cheek, then placing a lock of hair behind her ear, he leaned close to whispered. “Anything you say? Well, in that case. Join me tonight, and I`ll let your father go. Who knows, maybe you`ll even enjoy it.” Gespard spoke only for her ears, while the others around watched in anticipation for what would happen next. Would the old elf be hanged, or would the plans change because of the female elf.

With the face next to her cheek and the mouth close to her ear, his good breath breathed her in the neck and as he withdrew to stand up straight, he kept his eyes fixed on hers, which flickered of passion, but which also exposed his soul that told of his pain and hatred. Meanwhile, the guards restrained their grip on the old elf and the lieutenant who stood by kept his hand on the hilt of his sword, in case he had to act.

Waiting on an answer from the she-elf, Gespard`s took the moment to look at those who stood behind her, the old elf and her boy. It was pleasing to see them afraid of him, and especially to see the old man`s hatred boil over within him. It was obvious that he wanted to throw more insults and maybe even kill the Emperor, however now as his life depended on his daughter it was little he could do. Power was the Emperor`s might, and by using it would he get what he wanted.

[corineshalen]

The last rays of the sun now filled a silent air, as everyone waited for the reaction of the Emperor. It was hard for Corine to keep silent through, as thousands of thoughts flowed through her sharp mind; Would he order them all killed, would he spit on her, call her dirty and have her father hauled off? Or maybe even...No, he had to accept her offer, he simply had to! She could`t let her father die, not like this. Their worries had always been the templars, there was no way she was gonna let her father get killed, simply because he spoke his mind. And certainly not by some Orlesian pet-soldier.

After what seemed like hours, the Emperor finally made his move...and approached her calmly? Standing up, she could feel her heart pound faster; He was, of course, taller than herself, and the posture of him certainly belonged to a powerful man...but it was the eyes that caused her to feel unease. Fiery like a dragon`s breath, hidden behind a pool of determination and confidence...

Such eyes would usually make her run away, yet she barely moved as he leaned down. His rougher fingers brushed her soft hair behind the sharp ear, the hot breath trailing across the pale neck, flustering her cheeks. Biting her lower lip, she kept her gaze focused and determined, refusing to satisfy the bastard by showing fear.

"...What did he say, Mamae? I could`t hear it". Brushing past the tall guards, the pale mage grasped his mother`s left hand, tugging at it nervously. "We can do it tomorrow, right? I wanna go home before it gets dark...Mamae? Can you hear me, Mamae?", he said in a panicking voice, pulling at Corine`s arm for response.

"Heh, yes I hear ya...I`m not old yet". Brushing her hand through Amon`s hair, she kneeled down, pulling him into a tight embrace. "His kitty has gone missing, so he wants me to find it. We don´t know where it is through, and his house is veeery big so...I have to look for it all night. But don`t ya worry! I will be back tomorrow...". Being on the edge of breaking down, she kissed his forehead, standing up to once more face the Emperor.

"V-very well, I..humbly accept your assignment. Allow my father and son to walk, and I fulfill the...assignment..". Corine closed her eyes as the guards released Daeron, who wisely kept his mouth closed for once.

[Gespard de Chalons]

Curious and fascinated, the Emperor`s gaze stayed fixed on the she-elf as he waited on answer, but when suddenly the moment was interrupted by the child, his eyes lit up in frustration. Without being summoned, the boy had walked up to his mother and broken the conversation. At once the guards had gone alert and just as they were to grab him, Gespard simply gave a look for them to leave it be. Certainly it seemed that the boy had no manners, and what he did was considered a severe offence to the law, which he could be punished by, but on this day Gespard did not feel to cause the child any more harm than what he already had witnessed.

Standing still, listening intently, the Emperor watched the conversation between the mother and the boy and he noticed that she lied to him, to avoid confusion and tears. The child seemed tired and scared, wanting to go home. Although the mother knew very well she could not leave, because if she did than her father would be punished for his crimes, and all she could do was to accept the Emperor`s demand.

Then as the woman turned her attention back to the Emperor and agreed, he replied. “Good, so be it.” Thus he made a movement with the hand and the guards were ordered to release her father, which they did. “Now, send your boy home with your father. We have matters to attend.” He said as he gave her a pleased look, happy that she had accepted his wish. Kindly he reached out his arm for her to link with, and as she did, they began to walk through the crowd, up the stairs and toward the estate that had been given the Emperor by the Launcet family.

Followed by guards and servants, as well the Orlesian nobles, they reached the door and as soon Gespard and the she-elf stepped inside, the Emperor turned around to tell the Launcet family what he wanted of them. “Merci monsieur and madam for allowing me to stay here until my departure, you can take your leave now.” He said and shocked the Orlesian family with those words, turning his back to them, as he walked further into the house and up the stairs with the woman. In desperation the family screamed after the Emperor, asking where they should sleep at night, but the answer was quickly given when the guards begun to push them out of the house. They were to live on the street or in some other home until their visit had left.

Gespard was amused; the family got what they deserved after all the pain they had let him through earlier that day. He hated people who sucked up to him, and especially those who clung tight to gain favours. It was only on rare occasions that he gave people what they wanted, most who did get such things was his closest friends and allies, but the Launcet family had yet much to prove before he could give them anything, although giving the estate to the Emperor during his stay in Kirkwall was a start.

As Gespard and the she-elf reached the second floor of the estate, they walked into the noble`s bedchamber, which was large and cozy. Its walls was red and upon them hung various different paintings that expressed the likings of the Launcet family, in the center of the room stood the double bed, that had curtains hanging down from its frames, and on the side of the bed was the night tables. More to the left was the closet and a few bookshelves’, while on the right stood a desk and a mirror. With head held high, the Emperor glanced across the room, before he turned to look at Corine who stood by his side. “This seems like a great place to spend the night, don`t you think?” He asked and walked to stand at the edge of the bed, facing her as he waited.

[corineshalen]

Having half expected to be dragged into the estate by guards, she looked confused at the extended arm. Was this the same man who, mere minutes ago, had ordered her father to be killed without hesitation? Well, as much as she regretted this, there was nothing to do about it. He had displayed a sign of mercy and accepted her offer, which she had given him out in an act of desperation.

Avoiding eye contact, she forced herself next to his side, curling a pale arm around the one he offered. And away they went, as the Emperor entered the large estate, almost dragging Corine by her arm. By the door they bumped into the current owners of the estate, but they were quickly dispatched by Gespard, who`s loyal guard-puppets quickly forced the family out of their own home.

Eventually they reached their destination, which turned out to be the master bedroom of the estate. Th decoration of the room was fairly normal, which caused the short elf to raise a brown eyebrow. The family was clearly Orlesian nobles, yet the room looked...normal. Either the rumors of the Orlesian people had been pushed too far, or these particular nobles were trying to be different from those in their homeland.

As nice as the room looked through, the feeling of safety was removed as her taller company of the night decided to speak, leaning against the side of the large bed...Corine remained silent for a moment, observing the dark haired emperor with her blue eyes. Just how many women had seen this picture? The emperor, a bed, his eyes watching your every step like a cat watching its prey...

"It does indeed; a roof, four walls, even a floor to walk on". Considering that he haden`t jumped on her right away, she pondered how much patience he had..no,, he didn`t need patience. This room was were she would spend the night, he knew that she would`t run. "I..uhms..". Trying to think of a topic, she moved herself from the door, sitting down on the edge of the desk, trying to keep some space between them.

"I..am grateful that you accepted my offer, your grace..that you find me so interesting, that you would let someone who insulted your name go is..very flattering". Trying to keep her tone formal and submitting, she slipped her cloak off, folding it together next to her on the desk. The rays falling in from the window hit the polished leather of her drake-skin armor, granting the fine armor a soft glow. Golden stitches curved around the sections of the armor, forming into the noble Talin family`s emblen on the back. It was a wonder to see such an expensive hand-craft, compared to the rough spun cloak she wore above.

"I..My name is Corine Shalen..". Keeping to her cover name, she unhooked the daggers from the belt, placing them on the desk as well. Like the armor they were of fine quality as well, the shimmering silverite of the metal reflecting the dying rays of the sun.

[Gespard de Chalons]

Proudly Gespard stood next to the bed, facing the she-elf, listening to what was said about the room, but the things she said came as a surprise, as it was unexpected, yet amusing to hear. Most woman the Emperor had encountered had not dared to be so outspoken, out of respect or out fear for him, although the woman who now had accompanied him didn`t seem to care much about it, no she rather seemed relaxed and that very fact made him intrigued. With keen eyes he followed her steps toward the desk, and as she sat down on its edge, he continued to listen to what more she had to say and for some reason she was thanking him, when it actually was he who should be thankful, believing that had she not accepted to come with him, then his night in Kirkwall would have become very grim and lonely.

As Corine removed her cloak and revealed more of her features in the last rays of the sunset, Gespard`s eyes lit up in awe as well excitement, becoming aroused by her very presence and beauty. She was stunning and the leather she wore enticed the new crowned Emperor, which increased his attraction to her greatly. From bottom to the top his gaze went, overlooking her fine curves that soothed his desires and when she gave him her name, he smiled and approached. “Oh, you certainly are interesting Mademoiselle Shalen, you have already surprised me in more ways than one already. A pleasure it is to get to know you and I hope our night together may prove to be the beginning of something great.” He answered, but then noticed all the weapons and items she laid on the desk. Those were not supposed to be there, with him in the same room. For some reason the guards had forgotten to do a search, which was also considered a grave offense, but nonetheless there was little one could do at this point and had Corine intended to kill him, than she most likely would have done so already.

With a few gentle steps, Gespard walked to the side of the table and picked up one of her daggers, which he examined. It was of fine quality and very sharp, what sort of woman would be carrying these around? He thought, growing more and more curious. “Such fine weapons you have, Mon Cherie. I wonder, where did you get these? And what does a lady such as yourself do with such things; you are not a thief are you? Or worse, an assassin?” He asked cautiously, wanting to get to know her some more. Then suddenly, Gespard clapped his hand and once he did so, an elven servant entered the room; it was his Page, a nervous elf that had huge strange looking eyes.

“If you don`t mind, I`ll let my servant take these things. It’s best that these stay out of the room, just a precaution of course. I have many enemies that want me dead you see, and one can never be too sure in these parts, would be very bad and tragic to say the least should the Emperor end his life in such a place, even with a pretty woman such as yourself.” Gespard smiled and then gave the servant the daggers, wishing them removed from his sight, until further notice. Once the weapons was given the Page, he took his leave respectfully and closed to door such that the Emperor and his new found woman could enjoy the night together alone. Turning the attention back at Corine, Gespard glanced at her and said. "Now, where were we?"

[corineshalen]

"Assassin, thief, liar, mother, daughter...Depends on who you ask". Crossing her armor clad arms across her stomach, she directed her gaze to the windows, not wanting to see her beloved weapon in the hand of the Orlesian dragon. Normally, anyone even thinking of touching her armor or weapons would have been stopped, either by a knife in the leg or a fist to the long fingers...But this wasen`t just "anyone", and he could easily call in a whole platoon of his guards, faster than she could grab the daggers.

The mere sight of her weapons apparently worried the Emperor, as he moments later clapped with his larger hands. The door to the room was silently opened, as an elf, a bit older than herself maybe, entered. His movements were silent and quick, the eyes large and nervous. It was no secret that the Orlesian nobles valued their elven servants high, resulting in their living conditions being better than elves in other countries..yet she could`t help but to feel pity, as the page left. Having this man as his master...Maker, what had that poor thing been forced to witness?

Glad that her precious daggers were out of Gespard`s hands, she a gloved hand through her hair, glancing up at her "company". Well, you were calling me beautiful for the tenth time tonight", she remarked with a little smile, finding it amusing that he found her..well, beautiful. Perhaps the Orlesian women were very ugly? It would certainly explain why there weren`t any empress yet.

"As for were I got them...well, a person cared for me very much, so he gifted me these things before me and my family ran away due to..Ah, I should`t bother your grace with an old story you would`t believe. Why don`t we just say that I stole the daggers and the armor?". The urge to flush out her long, and tiring, story wasen`t really something she wanted to do. It could put Amon and her grandfather in danger.

Ah, you have given me so many compliments, it is only right if I do the same..soo..hms..". Tilting her head to the side, she locked her gaze with his, for once actually looking at the Emperor. Far from ugly, and he was holding himself well, despite being at least a decade older than herself. "Your...eyes are strong?"

[Gespard de Chalons]

The answer Corine gave when Gespard asked what she did for a living was not exactly what he hoped to hear, she wanted to remain a mystery it seemed, which was fine by him. Although once he had removed her daggers and turned his attention back at her, he was given a more straight answer. The daggers was given to her as a gift, from a person that cared for her…but the uncertainty in her voice when she told about why her family had to run caught his attention. Was there something she tried to hide, or was there something else? No matter, he thought, whoever she may be, or whatever her reasons for leaving was, the two of them were going to share the night, which hopefully would please them both.

As Corine tilted her head to the side and kept a fixed gaze on him, he could not avoid, but to smile back as he looked into her eyes. For the very first time, a woman who he barely knew really looked at him; it made him feel uncomfortable as he got afraid to show what he felt, what pain and sadness one could see in his eyes, as if he had something to hide. Intently he listened to what was spoken, though instead of answering her he remained silent. Slowly he reached out to touch Corine on the cheek, and from there and down to the neck he trailed his hand.

Then as the moment felt right, Gespard moved closer and with great passion he went for the kiss. Whether she would accept it or not he did not know, but she seemed to be a kind woman, a woman who understood him, which was rare and intriguing. With the eyes closed, he leaned down to feel her lips against his, and with his hand carefully placed on the side of her neck, he rubbed her softly as he allowed himself to forget everything about the world and its troubles, hoping to enjoy the night with the beautiful she-elf that had chosen to join him.

[corineshalen]

When no words sounded from the taller Orlesian, she felt a tingle in her spine. It wasen`t cold or anything, in fact it was rather hot since she wore her full armor, but something in the room seemed to...change? Soon the only sound was that of her fast beating hard, and the soft ruffling of the Emperor`s sleeve, as he slowly placed his hand on her cheek.

It..well, it was hard to describe. His skin was rougher than her own, not by much through, and his passion filled gaze added to the urge of running away. His hand was also quite warm through, creating a strange sense of comfort, as she felt his heat rush through her now flustered cheeks. And as the hand slided down her jaw, and onto the back of her neck, the sky-blue eyes grew wide.

"W-wait!", she mumbled out in a hesistant voice, her long arms wrapping around the noble waist of the Emperor. Feeling the soft fabric of his shirt brush against her cheeks, she closed her eyes briefly, hoping this sudden action would`t get her beheaded. "I..this..armor means a lot to me...I would not want it to get..damaged..". Knowing this had little chance of getting accepted by the noble Orlesian, she tugged herself tighter against him.

"So..could..I remove it before we proceed..please?". The young mother knew that there was no chance of escape, but the least she wanted, was to sully Azreal`s name, by kissing another man`s lips, while wearing the armor he had given her to display his feelings. "It would..uhms..Mean a lot to me, Your gra-...Gespard.."

[Gespard de Chalons]

Just as Gespard were about to kiss the she-elf, he was stopped when Corine suddenly wrapped her arms around him. In shock and disbelief the Emperor opened his eyes and as he looked down to see what had happened, he saw the woman press herself against him, totally unexpected, yet pleasant at the same time. What a delight, he thought as he listened to her words, as well watched her pretty hair. She was a fascinating woman, never had he experienced anyone like her, maybe it was because she was a commoner, an elf, or perhaps it was because of the different culture. None the less, he could not avoid, but to be drawn toward her. She was unique, different from all other women he had encountered.

As she tugged closer and asked to remove her leather armour, Gespard had to smile, how could he refuse such a thing? If she wanted to reveal more of her body, then he would allow it, after all the clothing was supposed to fall of eventually. Slowly he moved his hand up to touch her hair and as his fingers straddled through, his eyes lit up in excitement. Certainly she had made the Emperor look like a fool when she prevented the kiss, but because of her behavior and how she made him feel, he was not angry, nor did he want to punish her, instead he allowed it to happen.

Her very presence made him feel content and with a satisfied sigh, he pushed her chin up so that she could look at him and as he took a stray of hair behind her ear, he whispered kindly. “Go ahead Mon Cherie, if that is what you truly wish.” He then glanced at her eyes, and with those words spoken he waited for what she would do next. Although he had to wonder, what sort of attachment did she have to the leather armour, as she so nervously had asked to remove it before they kissed. Was it truly because she was afraid it would get damaged, or was it because of other reasons. It made him curious, but he said nothing as rather remained silent, knowing that he would get enough time later to ask questions about her past and what she seemed to hide.

[corineshalen]

The permission was given in the form of a kind whisper, which sounded quite appealing, as it was spoken with the Emperor`s thick Orlesian accent. Taking in a deep breath, she pressed herself against him further, breathing out so that her warm breath could be felt through the fine fabric of his shirt. Hoping this would satisfy him for the time, she stepped back, her fingers fumbling with the straps of the armor.

Piece after piece, a strap here and there...Slowly the armor pieces were removed, and placed on the desk as if they were made of fragile glass. Underneath the armor, Corine wore a simple combination of worn cotton clothes; A pair of brown pants, black socks and a black short-sleeved shirt that clung to her upper body, outlining the hips and burst which the armor had teased at.

Her skin was "decorated" by an ocean of scars. Due to the light tone of her skin, most weren`t visible, but a few did stick out, each telling their own story; Long claw marks on her left arm, a straight cut from a long sword on the other. There were even marks on her throat, through these were smaller, which hinted at the weapon used was a knife. The larger of the scars ran underneath her clothing, meaning even more were hidden behind the layer of cotton.

A simple locked hung around her neck, with a pure blue gemstone embedded in the middle of it. There was a small cut in the side of it, meaning it could be opened. The chain and the locket was of pure silver, indicating it was from the same source as the armor and daggers.

Brushing her fingers across her forearms, she glanced over her shoulder, looking at the armor on the desk. Despite being fully clothed, she still felt naked. It would be easier to cope with this without wearing the armor, but she always felt unsafe and unprotected without..both emotionally and physically. And the fact that she was about to face an "Orlesian dragon" without it, caused goosebumps to appear on her "decorated" skin.

"S-sorry for making you wait, your gra-...Gespard", she spoke hesitantly, as she finally returned to him. Long arms gently curled around his broader figure, her forehead resting against the lower section of his chest. "Is all the clothing of Orlais this soft? It feels comfortable..". Trying to put him in a relaxed mood, she decided to compliment the fine wares of Orlais. After all, the Emperor would love his country, as much as they loved him.

The silver chain around her neck felt cold, as she laid her head back, glancing up at the proud Emperor, still locked in a tight embrace. "I talk to much, for that I am sorry...its not every day I find myself in these kind of..situations".

[Gespard de Chalons]

As Corine`s warm breath was felt through the fabrics of the Emperor`s clothing, a pleasant shiver ran down Gespard`s spine. The way she pressed herself against him was very satisfying, but even though he wanted to feel more of her, he allowed the she-elf to withdraw so that she could remove the leather armour. With keen eyes he followed the movements she made, and when piece by piece was laid on the desk, his interest peaked as he saw how fit and beautiful her body curved. The clothes which remained on only made Gespard more aroused; as some would say perhaps he had a thing for fun in clothes, but also seeing her naked skin intrigued him. She had so many visible scars, though there seemed to be more underneath her layers. What had the women done to deserve such inflicted wounds? Gespard wondered, yet said nothing about it.

Silently he waited for her to finish and once she was ready, he could not avoid, but notice in the few seconds he got, to see that she carried a locket around her neck. It seemed beautiful, but before he could look at it closer, she clung to him again and spoke words that soothed his mind. In embrace, Gespard looked down and as she turned to glance back up, he met her eyes with his. Thus he became completely lost of words, she was so pretty and so fair, why had he not met her sooner? Truly meeting Corine was magnificent, for some reason she brought out the best in him, which rarely happened and in her presence he felt calm.

With a kind smile on the face, Gespard replied. “No need to apologize mademoiselle, I understand.” He spoke confident and paused, but continued shortly after. “And oui, most clothes that comes from Orlais is this soft; fashion is very much our passion, though women dresses themselves a lot better than us men ever can. I take it you have never seen the beautiful Empire which is Orlais no? If not, then that is a pity. Perhaps you someday should come and visit?” The Emperor asked in a very fluent and strong Orlesian accent. With that said, he took the hand of the she-elf and in gracious moves he guided her to the bed, where he hoped they could sit next to each other.

[corineshalen]

And again, she was met with a kind smile, as he reassured her in his thick accent, that her actions didn`t bother him. The passion in his eyes were obvious, but his movements weren`t forceful or rushed...no, they were gentle - both in pace and touch. She silently admired this gentleness, as he took her hand in his, slowly guiding her towards the bed. No pulling of the arm, not even a loose hand that crept across thigh or hips.

"Only once, and it was not to see the splendor of Val Royeaux", she spoke in a distant voice, eyes darting to the nearby paintings of Orlais. She had followed him to the bed, but remained standing, her back straight and the long arms hanging relaxed down her sides. "For four generations, my family has been on the run. Not that we are evil, but because of our...condition, most sees us as monsters, ready to be slain or enslaved".

Finally sitting down next to him, she seated herself on the far edge of the bed, her head turned to the side, the veil of brown hair covering up the view of the face. "Always moving, always running away...It dosen`t leave much time to stop and enjoy life, let alone relax..". Nimble fingers were folded together in her lap, her eyes closing briefly. It was hard to tell why she was telling this to the most powerful man in Orlais...Maybe because of the brief window of kindness he offered, or maybe warmth of an embrace had been enough to lower her guard? Either way, it amazed her how much he allowed her to say and do...not once had he barked an order.

"But the few weeks I spend in Orlais, were very pleasant The music, the odd clothing and the funny accents...I was merely a child, and here this fantasy land was, ready for me to explore". Bringing her hand up, she brushed her hair behind the pointed ear, the short body shifting so she faced him. "But it never got that far; Those hunting us followed up on our trails, and we quickly had to scurry back to the shadows in Ferelden..after making them soil their armor of course".

The trademark smirk of the elf appeared on her lips, as her face seemed to relax, as she spoke in a low and soothing tone. "I am surprised, your grace. It is not uncommon for someone of your power to lay with a woman when he desires...But I wonder". Edging closer to him, she brought her hand up, pale fingers briefly brushing across his beard, before settling on his cheek. "Do you offer this patience and kindness to them as well? You treat me like I am precious; A fragile child of royal birth...Yet I am merely an elf, who`s history is left in the shadows..A woman you met less than two hours ago".

Her hand remained on his cheek, the sharp eyes not leaving his. A small blush could be found on her paled cheeks, her breathing relaxed yet also a little...halted? For some reason, the skilled rouge and mother was..nervous. She had faced templars, crow assassins, even a mature dragon once, and this feeling had not been present.

"You do not have to answer if its too personal..after all, I am merely a knife-ear...well, dwarf-ear in my case", she added at the end, the smirk growing ever so slightly, as she tilted her head to the side, the short point of her left ear becoming visible.