[log] no one ever died from wanting too much

[apostatised]

[06:43] * Martel is...in the nexus again, but at least this time he's from the right goddamn time period. ...depending on your perspective. He's working-from-bar again.
[06:48] * Teobhan comes in and just ...stares. He might recognize her ethnicity, he might recognize the style of dress, but he certainly won't recognize the woman herself, as she was born years after he even left the Order.
[06:48] Teobhan: "What--" /Where/, more like.
[06:49] * Martel gives her a politely blank look, recognizing both of those things and /her/ recognition besides. "The nexus, little sister. Are you lost?" He's gonna guess 'yes'. (Hey, it's been a while since he got to call someone that.)
[06:55] Teobhan: "I--believe so?" she tries, gamely. "I only meant to round a corner, I hadn't...where is this?"
[06:55] Martel: "This is in the nexus," he reiterates, setting his pen down and folding his hands. "You're in a bar called Stigmata. This happens, sometimes."
[06:58] Teobhan: "Yes, the Ne--that's a bizarre name for a bar--" She has no idea what Catholicism is, so she doesn't know what the term means, either. "...Morray is going to be annoyed with me," she speculates.
[06:59] Martel: "This place inspires that constantly." Martel eyes her with interest - she's the only other Styric he's seen here bar Sephrenia. "You recognize me." This is not a question.
[07:02] Teobhan: "You look like someone I have /heard/ of," she says, cautiously, "But I don't mean to assume."
[07:04] Martel: "Wise of you. Who do you think I look like, then?"
[07:05] Teobhan: "I know his wife better than the man himself. And his daughter. He's very busy, and..." And she isn't really one of the Inner Circle, so to speak. "Martel?"
[07:08] Martel: "Yes and no."
[07:12] Teobhan: "...not the Lord General, then." She stays by the doorway, looking around with wide eyes.
[07:13] Martel: "Ehlana's pet renegade? No." He smiles, briefly. "That's an interesting outfit for a Styric woman."
[07:14] Teobhan: "I think his wife would disagree with the first part of that description," Teo murmurs, "And--ah, yes. I'm married to an Elene."
[07:15] Martel: "My sympathies." And he doesn't even know WHICH ONE. Yet.
[07:16] * Teobhan smiles at him, faintly, and goes to enter the room more fully. "Duke Maldis is my husband--so it's necessary I dress to accomodate my station."
[07:16] * Martel coughs on his drink.
[07:17] Teobhan: "Pardon?" she asks, innocently.
[07:17] Martel: "I remember Maldis, Lady." Yeah, she probably got that, Martel.
[07:19] Teobhan: "He does tend to make an impression." There's a long-suffering note there.
[07:20] Martel: "Tragic that he hasn't seen fit to make one in the earth yet. ...I should explain this place, hm?"
[07:21] Teobhan: "...that's an unusually vehement sentiment, even toward my husband, considering as far as I know /you/ don't have a daughter who tried to marry him." YES, REALLY. IMAGINE, MARTEL. "Yes, please."
[07:26] Martel: "I didn't care for the boy." 'The boy', yes, because the last time Martel actually /saw/ Maldis, he was probably about seventeen at most. ...he's moody. People from Eosia set his teeth on edge. "The nexus is the space between time and reality."
[07:30] Teobhan: "Morray said it was an in-between place with worlds, yes. I can't say I like it, present company excepted--it rakes at me, and I'm not quite sure why." Thaaat might be the magic. Styric.
[07:32] Martel: "Sensitive to it. It's a powerful place."
[07:33] Teobhan: "Do you stay here?"
[07:34] Martel: "No - I live in another world." He smiles, dryly. "A world without Elenes."
[07:35] Teobhan: "...truly. I can't imagine."
[07:35] Martel: "The possibilities are limitless - as you can see simply from how I'm standing, figuratively speaking, in front of you."
[07:36] Teobhan: "...oh?" She wonders if he's going to explain that.
[07:37] * Martel rubs his thumb against his jaw briefly, thoughtful. "How old is Maldis now?"
[07:48] Teobhan: "Forty-eight." She's twenty-seven. By the way.
[07:49] Martel: "Making the General...fifty-eight." Right, a little mental math, then, "From your perspective, I died...roughly, let's call it sixteen years or so ago."
[07:50] Teobhan: "Died." She looks faintly disturbed. "I'm sorry to hear that, sir."
[07:52] Martel: "In Zemoch. The specifics are likely before your time, but I'd think twice before offering me your sympathies, were I you."
[07:56] * Teobhan raises her eyebrows. "I offer my condolences for any pain suffered, sir; it's not for me to judge any missteps, owing to my very different world. My name is Teobhan."
[07:57] Martel: "A world with Maryani is, I'm about certain, a unique place. Martel." A wry beat. "Clearly."
[08:03] Teobhan: "You said that you had died, sir. But you seem quite alive to me. Is that--to do with this place?"
[08:07] Martel: "The nexus resurrects people, occasionally. There are side-effects, but it's a living, if you will."
[08:09] Teobhan: "...and--then, that person must find a new home?" she guesses, with a shrewd look in her eyes.
[08:10] Martel: "Even if someone's not in my position, it's incredibly difficult to go back somewhere after dying, yes."
[08:11] * Teobhan paces, quietly, mulling that over. She gets quiet when she's putting pieces together like this.
[08:12] Martel: "Out of the way places are best," Martel says, almost casually.
[08:21] Teobhan: "...I wonder--" Does Morray /know/? She'll have to mention this. But when? How? "May I pose a question to you, sir?"
[08:22] * Martel spreads his hands. "I can't promise I'll answer."
[08:23] Teobhan: "Someone has appeared in the court recently," she tells Martel, turning on her heel to face him, "He's admitted to me in private that the Lord General's youngest daughter found him in the Nexus and requested her father set up a home for him in Cimmura. He's presently an aide to the Earl of Lenda, and considered a Baron in the court, as well as a cousin to the Lord General."
[08:23] * Teobhan pauses to let that sink in. "Additionally, his wife and child were recently killed--murdered, by reputation."
[08:24] Martel: "The youngest," Martel tilts his head, like he's trying to place her. "Small, wide-eyed, too friendly?"
[08:25] Teobhan: "Fifteen--Sephara. Called Sera. She's very--popular, at the court."
[08:25] Martel: "I gathered that. All right."
[08:28] Teobhan: "You've met her. Does she wander here often? I try to keep an eye on her for her sister and mother--and her father, poor man, it's no fun for any man to see his daughter discovering boys, and Sera appears to not only be discovering them, but collecting them."
[08:29] Martel: "I've only run into her the once - I didn't quite catch her name. What was your question...?"
[08:30] * Teobhan isn't sure she wants to ask, but...it seems more and more likely. "The Baron is quite closed-mouthed about his origins, and owing to the recent murder, all the details I have...it seems likely his position is not dissimilar to yours. Do you think so?"
[08:31] Martel: "It's possible." He considers it, suddenly laughing. "He picked the worst possible place for a dead man, if he is."
[08:32] Teobhan: "Oh? He was recently set upon by Prince Sparhawk and some Pandions, I don't know what they talked about."
[08:47] Martel: "Do you know what 'Anakha' means, Teobhan?"
[08:49] Teobhan: "...yes." She sounds uncertain--not of the meaning, but where this is leading.
[08:51] Martel: "No fate, no destiny. Men - or women - who've died, who have lived out their lives and been brought back the way I have...we don't have one either, ours is finished. We don't age, we don't grow sick - it's crass, but in terms of lifespan, think of us as trolls." :]
[08:53] Teobhan: "I'd rather not," she says, tartly, "though I get your meaning. You don't seem distressed by the notion."
[08:54] Martel: "I'm unlikely to outlive my intended, and frankly, considering my brother, I think it's incredibly funny."
[08:55] Teobhan: "I'm glad you've made your peace with it. I don't think the Baron will feel the same way--if I'm correct, the night he was murdered, his pregnant wife was, too."
[08:55] Martel: "What an unpleasant twist of fate."
[08:57] * Teobhan is quiet for a few seconds. "You said you have a wife to be of your own?"
[08:58] Martel: "I did. Not Maryani."
[08:58] * Teobhan pauses. "I assumed not, given the different universes."
[08:59] Martel: "You're the first," he says, moderately cynical.
[09:00] Teobhan: "I admit it's difficult for me to see, but the Lord General has been with the Marquise nearly as long as I've been alive. What is your intended like, then?"
[09:02] Martel: "In another world, she might have been a knight herself and bested me." The last part of that he might not say if Candice were actually present.
[09:04] Teobhan: "A female knight." She looks entertained by the idea. "It'd be nice to have had those."
[09:09] * Martel inclines his head. "Pandion or Genidian," he hypothesizes.
[09:10] Teobhan: "Almost certainly. I've told Maldis--if we had a boy, the Pandion Order wouldn't be such a bad thing--" She's briefly speculative.
[09:13] Martel: "Better than another damn courtier." Continued discussion of knighthood provokes a certain 'cat rubbed the wrong way' reaction in Martel.
[09:14] * Teobhan is noticing that. "Oh, I don't know--as a courtier, I do think I'm somewhat useful." She smiles, slightly.
[09:16] Martel: "I always thought court would have been the downside if I'd remained in Elenia. I suspect the Lord General broadcasts my opinions well enough."
[09:20] Teobhan: "We hardly see him in court," she says, lightly, "I expect he has little tolerance for some of the gossip--particularly pertaining to his youngest."
[09:21] Martel: "Armed and short-tempered father of beautiful daughters. I can't see myself making a very cooperative addition, no."
[09:26] * Teobhan frowns a little. "No--did Sera mention what they say about her? It's not as bad as it used to be..."
[09:26] Martel: "Not in so many words, but I caught the general gist of it."
[09:28] Teobhan: "There's a persistent rumor she was fathered by the Emperor of Tamul. Ridiculous--not to slight Maryani, I don't mean it like that--the Lord General never would have stood for as much, and she doesn't /look/ Tamul at all."
[09:29] Martel: "The Emperor of Tamul." Martel shakes his head, vaguely, distantly amused. "They did go far afield."
[09:34] Teobhan: "And...the Marquise did earn her title from him roughly around when Sephara was born," Teobhan says, diplomatically, "You know how the court is. They live for conjecture. It makes them feel as if they're involved in something mysterious during peacetime."
[09:35] Martel: "I haven't been to court legitimately since before your husband's voice broke," Martel says, brightly.
[09:35] Teobhan: "I'm certain it hasn't changed," she returns, unruffled.
[09:37] Martel: "Between Aldreas's rule and Ehlana's? I'll hope you're mistaken."
[09:39] Teobhan: "Do you really think they gossip any less now?"
[09:39] Martel: "It's not the gossip so much as the atmosphere I suspect is different."
[09:45] Teobhan: "One hopes, certainly, but courtiers will always be courtiers."
[09:46] * Martel smiles, briefly. "If nothing had changed, my lady, I wouldn't be using that address and Ehlana would've died when we poisoned her."
[09:47] * Teobhan pauses. "I took your point in the beginning, though I appreciate your methodical use of details as conversational weaponry." ...hi.
[09:48] Martel: "I do so like to be appreciated."
[09:51] Teobhan: "I think, on that note, I'd best return to my home world. Good luck with your engagement, and thank you very much for the explanations."
[09:52] Martel: "Thank you." He is /capable/ of manners. ...manners not used as weaponry, even. He pauses, and adds, "For his sake, I hope we're both wrong about this Baron of yours. Goodbye, Teobhan."
[09:53] Teobhan: "I hope so, too." But she doesn't think they are. Teobhan smiles at Martel, and goes.