[center][h2][color=#b3ccff]Esben Mathiassen Cadon[/color][/h2][/center]
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Esben met Izayoi's stare with a level gaze of his own, before she started to speak. It wouldn't take a genius to figure out that she and Galahad were the eldest of their party, after all, followed by Éliane and himself—and he was understandably busy on the other side of the table. Not to mention that he was as surprised as they were, and worse yet, his sister knew it, and she [i]wasn't[/i] surprised.

He couldn't deny some misgivings, given the nature of just what was being proposed and some of what he'd both seen and talked about with Rudolf...but he figured that the younger man wouldn't be the sort of baldly lie to Lene's face when something like a possible [i]marriage[/i] was on the line, nor did he think she'd be the sort not to pick up on any discrepancies between what had been proposed to their parents and related to her and what actually sat across from her.

What she'd do with it from there would be her own business. What was more important at the immediate moment, as even Lene's eyes widened and she gave the smallest shake of her head at Izayoi—

[color=#8fbc8f][b]"Hva?"[/b][/color]

—to try and warn her off from surprising Halvor.

[color=#b3ccff]"Well, Halvor, we told you we still had to travel out of here, [i]ja?"[/i][/color] Esben asked genially, before the viscount had the chance to ask any more questions. [color=#b3ccff]"And he told you what we ran into on the road, of course. Lady Izayoi is perhaps [i]over-[/i]serious, the same as I'm sure you'd be if it was me we were talking about."[/color]

Halvor frowned at him. [color=#b3ccff]"He pulls his weight, what can I say? Obviously we all have our business to attend to, it only makes sense to travel together, and besides, you already mentioned that Cadmon told you he'd be continuing on to Solitude with us."[/color]

[color=#8fbc8f][b]"Well, yes, but..."[/b][/color]

[color=#63ccff]"Halvoooor!"[/color] Lene but in, turning back to their host with a smile. [color=#63ccff]"Doesn't she sound just like Anders?"[/color] The older man just beyond Esben gave her a sideways glance. [color=#63ccff]"Always so [i]serious,[/i] like the world could end at any minute? And besides..."[/color] Her smile grew warmer yet. [color=#63ccff]"It's so like you to leave in little surprises like this, isn't it? Always something interesting, just like the gifts you send us for our birthday every year!"[/color]

[color=#8fbccb]"Ah, uncle, sorry I'm late..."[/color] Halvor's eyes rose at the timid voice, a bit of strawberry-blonde hair poking in through the doorway. [color=#8fbccb]"But I just heard them in the kitchen, Karl had a question for you..."[/color]

Halvor, whose confusion was being preyed upon by both of his relatives sat just beside him, looked up with alarm at the freshest entrance. [color=#8fbc8f][b]"Oh, Hane, we were just...Karl? The kitchen? Oh, no, don't tell me the oven is acting up again, hold on, I'm coming, I'm coming!"[/b][/color] With some hasty apologies, the viscount stood up from the table, following his niece out, before they could hear her quietly chiding him about "getting overly worked up over [i]something[/i] once again" as they went down the hall.

Esben breathed a sigh of relief; he had no real wish to lie to his family's own liege lord, but to try and misdirect from Rudolf's situation was difficult enough without everything almost being blown right in front of them. Lene closed her eyes, turning back to the rest of them. [color=#63ccff]"Sorry for that,"[/color] she apologised to Izayoi.

[color=#b3ccff]"It's like I told you all before we got here, Halvor is...very anxious. And it was made clear to the three of us that met with him when we arrived that Cadmon, and possibly Kayliss, have been keeping him under the impression that Rudolf [i]has[/i] been here almost this whole time. It's likely better not to break that illusion."[/color]

[color=#63ccff]"Indeed. This isn't the sickly, bookish boy that was promised to mother and father at all, is it?"[/color] Lene kicked at his foot again. [color=#63ccff][i]"Hei.[/i] How much did you know about all this, and how much are you at liberty to speak of regarding what you're doing?"[/color]

[color=#b3ccff]"Nothing, and...about Solitude, I'm not. About the rest, I'd prefer not to without mother and father present. Trust that Izayoi doesn't understate the seriousness."[/color]

[color=#a34686]"Theirs is a knightly family, of course. As are the Demets. It only stands to reason that their definition of bookish and sickly should differ from your own."[/color] Lene and Esben both looked to Anders, startled at his sudden interjection, only to be met with a simple shrug, as Halvor walked back in.

Esben looked up to meet his eyes, although Halvor was looking down at Anders with an almost grateful expression. [color=#8fbc8f][b]"Oh, of course, of course...the rest of you, you all met with the earl and his son, didn't you? Very spirited, that one, or so Cadmon says, but he has stories of his own from when he was younger...yes, I may not have thought to explain that as clearly as I should have, forgive me..."[/b][/color]

[color=#63ccff]"I could never be mad at you!"[/color] That finally earned a smile back from their host. [color=#63ccff]"Well, if you've been travelling like this, then, you must have some stories, yes? Please, please, tell me about him, and—Halvor, eat something, please, you haven't even touched a slice of bread yet!"[/color]

Esben glanced back at Anders for a moment, though the sly old man gave no sign of any reaction to the look, before he turned back towards Galahad and Izayoi. [color=#b3ccff]"Ah, should we be nice to him?"[/color] he asked, sparing another look over at Rudolf. [color=#b3ccff]"Perhaps so, but...I rather liked the time he almost succumbed to the sirens' call, if we're talking about bookish and stories."[/color]

Hopefully the rest of them could take the hint and try to spin some of their (mis-)adventures as funny anecdotes, without giving away too much of what actually happened.