[h2][b]Royal Scandal[/b][/h2][sup][Aelious + Elise, with a dash of Leras][/sup]

Damn was it loud.

The evening had just begun settling in, and the smell of profit was in the air, spiced meats and simmered soups drowning out the stench of unwashed bodies and sweating beasts. After a hard day of work, miners and labourers flooded the streets, following their habits and their senses to whatever open-air restaurant caught their eye. And damn, were there lots of them. Merchants peddled exotic wares, yes, but others had to [i]feed[/i] those merchants with their exotic tastes, and a wonderful cultural of cuisine burst to life every night at Harrow’s Keep. Though Freecloud could be satisfied with a bloody chunk of fatty meat, and though other nobility were perfectly comfortable with their home chefs’ artful delights, Aelious strode through the streets looking for something more...interesting.

He had heard, after all, of curious delicacies such as roasted lamb arranged upon a vertical spit and slow-roasted from the side. Of simple potatoes, transformed into beautifully fried spirals laden with spices. Of colorfully layered vegetable preserves, jams and sauces chilled until they had a [i]bite[/i] to them. And oh, the sheer breadth of alcohol available! From earthy beers to bright bubblies to seasoned wines, from all corners of the world. Though the bespectacled Heir was no glutton or alcoholic, the prospect of a new discovery, a new flavour, still excited him.

A more boring person could have simply ordered all those things and had it shipped to their estate, of course, but that’d ruin the fun of it, wouldn’t it? A more vain person could have come to the market and demanded all the best, deigning the act of shopping beneath him, but that’d make Aelious puke. It was one thing to put up a dashing posture from afar, quite another to live the reality of being a spoiled prick. He had dressed down for the occasion instead, his ornate cloak swapped with something of similar quality, though lacking in fine embroidery, and he wore a simple collared shirt and suspender trousers underneath. Still a tier above what the working class had, but he’d pass for an affluent merchant, one with a taste for a fine saber. And in the amber glow of night, it’d take a perceptive fellow to see past his gleaming glasses into the heterochromatic eyes beneath.

Feeling secure in his anonymity and perhaps even slightly eager for some trouble, Aelious strode through the scented streets, seeking something interesting to break his evening fast with.

There was an awful lot of choice. It soon became apparent that Aelious was not the only person searching for a nice place to eat. A little behind him, for some time, was a pair of bickering women that were gradually becoming louder and louder. It was beginning to become something of a shouting match.

[color=d8cfbe][b]“No, we can’t go there. I’ve heard too much seafood is bad for you, Elise.”

“Northern propaganda! I shall eat all the oysters I like, and you cannot stop me.”[/b][/color]

[b]“Heard seafood was a good alternative to meat myself,”[/b] Aelious said, passing by them. [b]“High in protein, low in fat, and naturally seasoned with salted water.”[/b] He broke into a lopsided grin towards Lady Dalris and her sword-bearing retainer. [b]“Suppose they spread such propaganda in hopes of keeping such miracle-food to themselves, don’t you think, Lady Dalris?”[/b]

Leras blinked, staring at the strange man who had just intruded in their conversation. It took her a minute before she was actually able to identify him, while her lady’s eyes lit up immediately. [color=d8cfbe][b]“Oh, Mister Aelious,”[/b][/color] she gasped. [color=d8cfbe]“[b]What a surprise! You look fantastic. Leras, say hello.”[/b][/color]

She didn’t.

[color=d8cfbe][b]“Well, I’ll deal with you later,”[/b][/color] Elise said. [color=d8cfbe][b]“Honestly, I’ve been surrounded by commoners all day! Now, it isn’t as if I dislike commoners, but they truly are filthy.”[/b][/color] She turned to walk alongside Aelious, taking Leras with her. [color=d8cfbe][b]“It really is a pleasure.”[/b][/color]

[b]“Indeed it is,”[/b] Aelious rumbled, ducking under the flaps of the stall. [b]“Quite a shame that we’ve yet to make plumbing affordable for all the small folk of our domains; with proper hygiene, I’d reckon that these markets would be so much more pleasant to be in.”[/b]

As he spoke, he flicked the brass bell hanging from the side of the stall, catching the owner’s attention. Pointing towards one particularly delectable set of grilled oysters, the meat simmering in its own juices, the heir ordered two for himself, before turning back to his lady companion. [b]“Suppose you’re sampling for that food review publication I’ve been hearing about recently? Or just for personal pleasure?”[/b]

[color=d8cfbe][b]“Just because I can, really,”[/b][/color] Elise said. [color=d8cfbe][b]“Leras, get… four for me, and then anything you want for yourself.”[/b][/color] The guard nodded, obeying the orders. She was keeping her distance from the two, but she still watched Aelious with eyes like a hawk. [color=d8cfbe][b]“Why, I’ve been so busy that I haven’t gone out for food in months. Though, since it’s my birthday next week, I suppose I could spare some time for that.”[/b][/color] She clicked her tongue, expression brightening. [color=d8cfbe][b]“Enough about me. It’s been some time, isn’t it? I want to know how [i]you[/i] are. Come on, come on! What has the heir to House Aureolin been getting up to lately?”[/b][/color]

[b]“Oh, just the same as always,”[/b] Aelious grinned. [b]“Slaying dragons, saving princesses, and riding off into the sunset. With the occasional drudgery of moving around Althein’s paperwork and all.”[/b] He paused for comedic effect, before saying with mock secrecy, [b]“And I have it on pretty good authority that Lady Nols still hates me, if you could believe that. Don’t suppose your guard there is her in disguise?”[/b]

Elise squinted at Leras. She looked serious. [color=d8cfbe][b]“Hmm. I... don’t think so. Though I wouldn’t put it past Miss Esmerelda - if a woman was ever a snake in disguise, it would be her. The sheer amount of paperwork and numbers that get sent our way! You’d think a house like that would be able to deal with its own problems.”[/b][/color] She huffed. [color=d8cfbe][b]“And don’t even get me started on the rest of House Nols.”[/b][/color]

[b]“I’m sure it’s the nature of their work that bides them to act in such manner, Lady Dalris,”[/b] Aelious replied. [b]“We’re all products of our professions, after all. Just that some have more difficulty than others separating their personalities from their responsibilities.”[/b] As he spoke, the stall owner began plating the oysters, drizzling lemon juice and pinches of seasoning on top of the meat. The Heir let out a low whistle at the aroma.

[b]“We’ll both have plenty of time to gripe about our Nols-based grievances tomorrow, Lady Dalris. For now, let’s just enjoy the food, shall we?”[/b]

[color=d8cfbe][b]“Oh, but I haven’t even gotten started on that man... Miss Esmerelda’s husband, whatever his name is. There’s so much that really, it’s difficult not to talk about,”[/b][/color] Elise whined. She watched the oysters out of the corner of her eye with delight. [color=d8cfbe][b]“But I will say, I am hungry.”[/b][/color]

[b]“Wester,”[/b] Aelious supplied, before going on to supply plates of oyster to Elise as well. Taking his own share, the man pierced it with the toothpick and watched as the glistening juices flowed out. Delightful, truly. He raised the plate to Elise as a small toast, before going right at it.

…

Damn, that was some fine seafood. Eternal youth may not be so difficult to achieve after all.

Elise passed the plates off to Leras as soon as she got them, leaving the poor bodyguard to juggle her lady’s other three plates as well as her own. [color=d8cfbe][b]“You ought to be nicer, Miss Dalris. You never know when it’ll come back to bite you,”[/b][/color] she grumbled, but didn’t protest.

As for Elise herself, she wasted no time in eating the oysters. For such a refined woman, the look in her eyes was oddly primal. [color=d8cfbe][b]“Oh, these are good,”[/b][/color] she muttered, pouring the liquid in the shell down her throat. [color=d8cfbe][b]“Oh, these are good! I haven’t had oysters in too long.”[/b][/color] She piled the empty shells up on one of the plates Leras was holding. [color=d8cfbe][b]“I’ll go off on a whim and say you like seafood too, then?”[/b][/color]

Aelious polished off his own oysters with enthusiastic gusto. The broth may have actually been better than the meat itself, and he wished he had some fresh bread to dip it in. Techniques to apply for another day though. [b]“Seafood’s quite a staple in House Aureolin’s lands. With my usual forays in the interior territories, I don’t have as many chances as I’d like to enjoy it.”[/b] A pause, then a grin. [b]“So I suppose I do quite like it.”[/b]

As he spoke, he nonchalantly whisked a couple empty plates from Leras’s arms, stacking them on top of his own. [b]“Where’s our next stop, Lady Dalris? Have another hidden gem in mind?”[/b]

The guard dipped her head in gratitude. [color=d8cfbe][b]“House Dalris is rather good for seafood as well. A pity I  never have the time for it.”[/b][/color] Elise gestured at the door, starting to make her exit. [color=d8cfbe][b]“I was planning to pick up a few gifts, and perhaps stop off for a little more food along the way. I’d be delighted if you accompanied me, if it would please you.”[/b][/color]

[b]“Tis the duty of any gentleman to escort a lady as lovely as you through such vulgar streets,”[/b] Aelious responded, tongue-in-cheek. [b]“Though I’d do so even as a wayward scoundrel, if only for the pleasure of your company.”[/b]

[color=d8cfbe][b]“Ever the charmer, aren’t you?”[/b][/color] Elise said, batting her eyelashes. [color=d8cfbe][b]“Ah, a real shame. Two more years… oh, but don’t mind that. Come now, you’d better be keeping me safe from any ruffians that care to follow us.”[/b][/color]

[b]“Rest assured, m’lady, though I’d imagine that even the keenest blades will be insufficient for thwarting what scandals we leave in our wake.”[/b]