An Interview with
Chloe walks slowly up the hill to the Keep, footsore and puffing wearily. "You'd think they could...puff... put this down there...but NO....they had to put it..puff...up here!" She stops at the entranceway and glares at the two people in the funny-looking outfits. "The Queen is expecting me," she says haughtily, then giggles at the impressive sound of it. "The Queen is expecting me," she says again, then stops talking as one of the guards swings his weapon her way. "Honest! She IS!"
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) could hear the commotion at the entrance to the keep echoing off the stone walls, she nodded to a servant as they looked hat her questioningly. Quickly the servant went to escort the noise maker in. As the servant reached the entrance, he raised his voice, "Ah you must be the one they sent, the High Queen is awaiting you in the Feast Hall." he said formally. Elva was sitting on one of the low cushioned seats almost lounging as she waited her guest.
Chloe gives her best impression of a gracious nod and sails through the passageway and in, appearing almost elegant for a moment until she trips over a raised section of the path. "Oh, FUDGE!" she utters as she catches the wall and levers herself back up. She holds her head extra high and walks the rest of the way down the dank stone passageway behind the servant, stepping very carefully indeed. At the end of the passage she comes to a dead stop staring at the apparatus in front of her. "Umm...what's that?" she chirps, pointing at the wooden structure in front of her with its stairs, and platform, and trapdoor and beam....and nooses. "Hope you do not learn," the servant replies, and she nods quickly with a gulp. "Ummm....sure." She meekly follows the servant the rest of the way to the Feast Hall.
[Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) turns as the feast hall doors open, her crimson eyes coming to rest on her guest, she quickly gave her a once over, appraising her appearance. Elva nodded to the servant and he went out of the room giving them space, She gestured towards the seats but said nothing, just continued to stare at her.
Chloe giggles nervously. "Umm....hi. Are you....ummm...her?" She glances around, noting the low table and couches where the drow lady sits, and the stone walls, the tables, and the pile of cushions in the center of the floor. it looks less elegant than the Tavern she's used to, but unexpectedly luxurious too.
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) 's lips twitch slightly as she tries to repress a smile, "I suppose that depends on who you mean. Am I the one who is expecting you? Siyo, I am." Her tone was softly dark, and it was almost as if she were saying something else as well. Elva gestured again to the seats, "If you truly wish to stand you may, but I suggest you sit. Will make me more comfortable."
Chloe shifts from foot to foot and stares a bit at the floor. She attempts to bob a quick curtsey, and starts to tilt a bit toward the lady..."Oopsie!" she chirps gaily and nervously as she catches herself on the edge of the dais. "Umm...sure!" She looks at the stairs, sees the grim male there with his polearm, and turns again to go up the other way, clomping in her thin sandals. With a heartfelt "Oof!", she falls awkwardly back onto the turquoise silken cushion by the High Queen.
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) 's lips twitch slightly as she tries to repress a smile, "I suppose that depends on who you mean. Am I the one who is expecting you? Siyo, I am." Her tone was softly dark, and it was almost as if she were saying something else as well. Elva gestured again to the seats, "If you truly wish to stand you may, but I suggest you sit. Will make me more comfortable."
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) raises an eyebrow as she watches Chloe turn towards one of her guards then turn away. She watched with slight amusement at her progress, as she is finally seated she raised both eyebrows as if to ask if she was ok, but again she was silent and said nothing, just watched her, almost a little too closely.
Chloe feels the Queen's eyes on her and shifts nervously in her seat, smoothing her hair. "Sorry," she chirps as she fusses with her hair and then her outfit and shifts her sore feet in her sandals. "I got all messy walking all the way here. It's a long way from the Tavern. And it's a long way up here, too! My feet got really sore...and...and dirty." She looks down sadly at her bare, dusty toes. "Really sorry."
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) glanced down at the womens feet as she spoke, still the amused look on her face, "The dust that clings to you does not bother me. I was under the impression that you were here to ask me questions. So far you have asked me one, I am beginning to think that I have invited the wrong jalil to sit with me." She reached over and picked up a goblet of wine off the end table and began swirling it, her eyes never leaving the woman, "If you are not here for questions, then I would ask you tell me your business here so we so can get on with it."
Chloe blushes. "Oh!" Her hand covers her mouth as she looks at the elegant gray-skinned woman in dismay. "Gosh, you're right." She straightens herself a bit on the cushion and attempts to look professional. "So....umm...how long have you been here, Majesty ma'am?"
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) blinks at the woman a moment as she tried to understand the question, "How long have I been where?" She swirled her wine, "Here waiting for you, only shortly" Her lips curved into a smirk, "But if you mean as High Queen of Taure Ru, I would say I have always been High Queen, but the people here have only just acquainted themselves with the idea of one such as myself on the throne. If you mean in these lands, I have traveled a very long time and remember kingdoms and lands forever lost. Or where you speaking of somewhere else?"
Chloe blinks as she considers the answer, slowly, repeating as much of it as she understands under her breath. "Here...in the Hall, or...here.... High Queen...or here....lands......" she brightens finally with a smile. "Oh, here in these lands!" she chirps.
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) nods slowly taking a sip of her wine before speaking, "This is the second time I have called these lands home, though before we called it something else. When my time came to leave I did, and once I returned they had renamed the land. A shame really. Since my return, I have only known myself and the former king Baelwhelar as rulers, I could not say the exact time, once you are a certain age, time becomes irreverent in all things but magic and potion making."
Chloe looks over at the Queen, her eyes innocent and wide even as she takes in her posture and the expression in her red eyes. "How'd you come here, each time?" she chirps a bit more quietly this time, as she nearly feels the weight of all those years on her slim shoulders.
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) tilts her head and frowned, pursing her lips together as if she didn't think the question needed to be asked "Where else would one go for power? I do not wish to rule a land of weakness." she shook her head slightly, but continued, "There is also the draw of the land itself, it calls to those who are worthy to hear" she eyed the woman carefully, "I would assume you do not hear its call else you would not need to ask such a question."
Chloe giggles again, nervously. "Oh no, Majesty ma'am. Sylvhara is so very clean and shiny and pretty. You know?" She composes herself and thinks for a moment, tapping her lower lip with a slightly-dusty finger without even noticing. "Umm..... have you done yet the things you planned to do?" She looks around at the Feast Hall and again at the Queen. "Like...umm...being Queen?"
[Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) blinks at Chloe for a long moment, then says very slowly, "I would assume so." Her amusement of the woman beginning to fade.
Chloe studies her toes again for a moment as she hears the tone in the woman's voice, and gulps quietly. She murmurs very quietly and quickly without breathing in the middle, "Umm...what kind of stuff do you plan to do still if you don't mind telling me of course Majesty ma'am," taking in a long breath at the end of her sentence and looking over at the Queen with wide, worried innocent chocolate eyes.
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) slowly sets her wine goblet down, as if she were taking great pains to insure it was not spilled, but when she leaned back the looked at Chloe again, "I do not mind telling you what you ask." Elva took another slow breath, "Of course I have plans for the future, for myself and my kingdom. One does not get to where I am by not having goals and plans. My goals and plans are as any leaders is, to spread the influence and prosperity of my people to all known parts of this world." Elva paused a moment, then smiled darkly at the woman, "And perhaps others...."
Chloe smiles and nods, bobbing her head several times. "That's really nice!" she chirps uncomprehendingly. "You must be a really smart person, your Majesty ma'am. And you're really nice, too. Not like I thought!" she adds with a bright innocent smile.
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) actually chuckled, a soft dark sound that had a dash of menacing, "Oh I am rarely what people think, Did you have more questions jalil?" She was back to staring at Chloe expectantly.
Chloe looks down at her hands, finally noticing the dust on her fingers but only idly...... thinking of the tone in the Queen's voice. She looks up at the Queen and smiles into her bottomless red eyes. "Oh no, ma'am...umm...Majesty ma'am. You've been very nice and I'm sure Dishan will like everything. I have to get back to the Tavern, ma'am. I can show myself out...Umm...I'm sure I can, yes. Thank you very much, M-Majesty ma'am." She jumps up and steps on her hem, catching herself on the small table to her left and spilling fruit all over the floor. "Gosh! I'm sorry, ma'...umm...Majesty ma'am." She kneels down and starts to pick up the fruit from the floor around the table.
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) leans back as Chloe began moving, when the fruit hit the floor she waved one of the guards to help the woman pick them up, "As my guest I am honor bound to insure you make it safely from my keep, and I believe you are a danger to yourself, My guard will escort you...." She stood slowly making sure not to step on a piece of fallen fruit, "Does anyone from your kingdom know you are here?"
Chloe giggles, nodding repeatedly. "Dishan. He's a cavalier. He's very tall and really handsome. He tips well, too. He asked me to go around and talk to folks." She leans in closer to the Queen and murmurs as if imparting a great secret, "Barmaids aren't shy, you know."
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) stares down at her a moment then nodded, "No they are not. Very well, he will show you out." Elva said as she gestured at the guard, "Darkness keep you, barmaid." Elva said as she began to make her way out of the feast hall. only glancing back once to watch the woman leave.
Chloe waves and calls out "Bye!" on her way out the door, being very careful to watch her footing so she does not trip as she leaves.
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) could hear the commotion at the entrance to the keep echoing off the stone walls, she nodded to a servant as they looked hat her questioningly. Quickly the servant went to escort the noise maker in. As the servant reached the entrance, he raised his voice, "Ah you must be the one they sent, the High Queen is awaiting you in the Feast Hall." he said formally. Elva was sitting on one of the low cushioned seats almost lounging as she waited her guest.
Chloe gives her best impression of a gracious nod and sails through the passageway and in, appearing almost elegant for a moment until she trips over a raised section of the path. "Oh, FUDGE!" she utters as she catches the wall and levers herself back up. She holds her head extra high and walks the rest of the way down the dank stone passageway behind the servant, stepping very carefully indeed. At the end of the passage she comes to a dead stop staring at the apparatus in front of her. "Umm...what's that?" she chirps, pointing at the wooden structure in front of her with its stairs, and platform, and trapdoor and beam....and nooses. "Hope you do not learn," the servant replies, and she nods quickly with a gulp. "Ummm....sure." She meekly follows the servant the rest of the way to the Feast Hall.
[Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) turns as the feast hall doors open, her crimson eyes coming to rest on her guest, she quickly gave her a once over, appraising her appearance. Elva nodded to the servant and he went out of the room giving them space, She gestured towards the seats but said nothing, just continued to stare at her.
Chloe giggles nervously. "Umm....hi. Are you....ummm...her?" She glances around, noting the low table and couches where the drow lady sits, and the stone walls, the tables, and the pile of cushions in the center of the floor. it looks less elegant than the Tavern she's used to, but unexpectedly luxurious too.
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) 's lips twitch slightly as she tries to repress a smile, "I suppose that depends on who you mean. Am I the one who is expecting you? Siyo, I am." Her tone was softly dark, and it was almost as if she were saying something else as well. Elva gestured again to the seats, "If you truly wish to stand you may, but I suggest you sit. Will make me more comfortable."
Chloe shifts from foot to foot and stares a bit at the floor. She attempts to bob a quick curtsey, and starts to tilt a bit toward the lady..."Oopsie!" she chirps gaily and nervously as she catches herself on the edge of the dais. "Umm...sure!" She looks at the stairs, sees the grim male there with his polearm, and turns again to go up the other way, clomping in her thin sandals. With a heartfelt "Oof!", she falls awkwardly back onto the turquoise silken cushion by the High Queen.
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) 's lips twitch slightly as she tries to repress a smile, "I suppose that depends on who you mean. Am I the one who is expecting you? Siyo, I am." Her tone was softly dark, and it was almost as if she were saying something else as well. Elva gestured again to the seats, "If you truly wish to stand you may, but I suggest you sit. Will make me more comfortable."
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) raises an eyebrow as she watches Chloe turn towards one of her guards then turn away. She watched with slight amusement at her progress, as she is finally seated she raised both eyebrows as if to ask if she was ok, but again she was silent and said nothing, just watched her, almost a little too closely.
Chloe feels the Queen's eyes on her and shifts nervously in her seat, smoothing her hair. "Sorry," she chirps as she fusses with her hair and then her outfit and shifts her sore feet in her sandals. "I got all messy walking all the way here. It's a long way from the Tavern. And it's a long way up here, too! My feet got really sore...and...and dirty." She looks down sadly at her bare, dusty toes. "Really sorry."
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) glanced down at the womens feet as she spoke, still the amused look on her face, "The dust that clings to you does not bother me. I was under the impression that you were here to ask me questions. So far you have asked me one, I am beginning to think that I have invited the wrong jalil to sit with me." She reached over and picked up a goblet of wine off the end table and began swirling it, her eyes never leaving the woman, "If you are not here for questions, then I would ask you tell me your business here so we so can get on with it."
Chloe blushes. "Oh!" Her hand covers her mouth as she looks at the elegant gray-skinned woman in dismay. "Gosh, you're right." She straightens herself a bit on the cushion and attempts to look professional. "So....umm...how long have you been here, Majesty ma'am?"
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) blinks at the woman a moment as she tried to understand the question, "How long have I been where?" She swirled her wine, "Here waiting for you, only shortly" Her lips curved into a smirk, "But if you mean as High Queen of Taure Ru, I would say I have always been High Queen, but the people here have only just acquainted themselves with the idea of one such as myself on the throne. If you mean in these lands, I have traveled a very long time and remember kingdoms and lands forever lost. Or where you speaking of somewhere else?"
Chloe blinks as she considers the answer, slowly, repeating as much of it as she understands under her breath. "Here...in the Hall, or...here.... High Queen...or here....lands......" she brightens finally with a smile. "Oh, here in these lands!" she chirps.
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) nods slowly taking a sip of her wine before speaking, "This is the second time I have called these lands home, though before we called it something else. When my time came to leave I did, and once I returned they had renamed the land. A shame really. Since my return, I have only known myself and the former king Baelwhelar as rulers, I could not say the exact time, once you are a certain age, time becomes irreverent in all things but magic and potion making."
Chloe looks over at the Queen, her eyes innocent and wide even as she takes in her posture and the expression in her red eyes. "How'd you come here, each time?" she chirps a bit more quietly this time, as she nearly feels the weight of all those years on her slim shoulders.
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) tilts her head and frowned, pursing her lips together as if she didn't think the question needed to be asked "Where else would one go for power? I do not wish to rule a land of weakness." she shook her head slightly, but continued, "There is also the draw of the land itself, it calls to those who are worthy to hear" she eyed the woman carefully, "I would assume you do not hear its call else you would not need to ask such a question."
Chloe giggles again, nervously. "Oh no, Majesty ma'am. Sylvhara is so very clean and shiny and pretty. You know?" She composes herself and thinks for a moment, tapping her lower lip with a slightly-dusty finger without even noticing. "Umm..... have you done yet the things you planned to do?" She looks around at the Feast Hall and again at the Queen. "Like...umm...being Queen?"
[Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) blinks at Chloe for a long moment, then says very slowly, "I would assume so." Her amusement of the woman beginning to fade.
Chloe studies her toes again for a moment as she hears the tone in the woman's voice, and gulps quietly. She murmurs very quietly and quickly without breathing in the middle, "Umm...what kind of stuff do you plan to do still if you don't mind telling me of course Majesty ma'am," taking in a long breath at the end of her sentence and looking over at the Queen with wide, worried innocent chocolate eyes.
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) slowly sets her wine goblet down, as if she were taking great pains to insure it was not spilled, but when she leaned back the looked at Chloe again, "I do not mind telling you what you ask." Elva took another slow breath, "Of course I have plans for the future, for myself and my kingdom. One does not get to where I am by not having goals and plans. My goals and plans are as any leaders is, to spread the influence and prosperity of my people to all known parts of this world." Elva paused a moment, then smiled darkly at the woman, "And perhaps others...."
Chloe smiles and nods, bobbing her head several times. "That's really nice!" she chirps uncomprehendingly. "You must be a really smart person, your Majesty ma'am. And you're really nice, too. Not like I thought!" she adds with a bright innocent smile.
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) actually chuckled, a soft dark sound that had a dash of menacing, "Oh I am rarely what people think, Did you have more questions jalil?" She was back to staring at Chloe expectantly.
Chloe looks down at her hands, finally noticing the dust on her fingers but only idly...... thinking of the tone in the Queen's voice. She looks up at the Queen and smiles into her bottomless red eyes. "Oh no, ma'am...umm...Majesty ma'am. You've been very nice and I'm sure Dishan will like everything. I have to get back to the Tavern, ma'am. I can show myself out...Umm...I'm sure I can, yes. Thank you very much, M-Majesty ma'am." She jumps up and steps on her hem, catching herself on the small table to her left and spilling fruit all over the floor. "Gosh! I'm sorry, ma'...umm...Majesty ma'am." She kneels down and starts to pick up the fruit from the floor around the table.
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) leans back as Chloe began moving, when the fruit hit the floor she waved one of the guards to help the woman pick them up, "As my guest I am honor bound to insure you make it safely from my keep, and I believe you are a danger to yourself, My guard will escort you...." She stood slowly making sure not to step on a piece of fallen fruit, "Does anyone from your kingdom know you are here?"
Chloe giggles, nodding repeatedly. "Dishan. He's a cavalier. He's very tall and really handsome. He tips well, too. He asked me to go around and talk to folks." She leans in closer to the Queen and murmurs as if imparting a great secret, "Barmaids aren't shy, you know."
Elva'ree Do'Valtor (elvaree.llewellyn) stares down at her a moment then nodded, "No they are not. Very well, he will show you out." Elva said as she gestured at the guard, "Darkness keep you, barmaid." Elva said as she began to make her way out of the feast hall. only glancing back once to watch the woman leave.
Chloe waves and calls out "Bye!" on her way out the door, being very careful to watch her footing so she does not trip as she leaves.