In a way, he had dreaded his return to Verdimond. Yes, the country was beautiful, but he remembered (and remembered very well) the treatment he'd gotten last time. The last Ambassador assigned had been a Lord's younger son and had grown much more used to people simply giving way to his suggestions. His failure had become very known
( ... )
Aria started at the voice, scrambling to his feet immediately and preparing to hurry inside. Then he saw the man who had spoken, the clothes he was wearing, and a memory of a foreign stranger came to mind
( ... )
His condition sickened Kithaniel and, for his own sensibility, he couldn't bear to look directly at him. He hoped that the downturn of his eyes could be perceived as respectful instead of pitying. "Yes," he answered. "I arrived this morn and couldn't believe what I was told of your absence. While many are content to speak of you in whispers, none of their words have the ring of truth
( ... )
Aria couldn't look at him, his cheeks were flushed with embarassment, the shame causing him to want nothing more than to run away somewhere dark and sob until he died. But he had to swallow such desires and instead stood still. "You may speak with me if you truly wish, sir, but my master does not allow anyone inside without paying a fee." he swallowed, "You shouldn't be here, sir, it is not the kind of establishment for a gentleman of your standing to be witnessed to have frequented."
"I'm aware of that," he answered, and oh how aware he was. Already, he was aware of just how many rumours would have been started by his appearance in the area, let alone his stopping before this structure. His social consciousness was screaming, but the blinding light of the Virtues kept him precisely where he stood. "But these are circumstances I cannot ignore, Your Grace. I will pay," he hesitated at the word 'pay', "if I must. For your company for the full night, though at the house I have acquired for my own stay here."
It was that - taking him away from this building - that he knew would ask a higher sum. But once more, he reminded himself: Justice, Kindness, Responsibility. This was necessary.
Aria had not left the brothel since his arrival, the prospect of doing so filled him with hope. He longed to spend some moments somewhere clean, quiet and peaceful
( ... )
He paid the price - steep but expectedly so - in gold and with a silent apology to his family for using the gold in such a manner. But with the fee paid, as he had once before at the ball, he offered Aria his arm. No matter the circumstance, Aria was still His Grace to Kithaniel. This particular social more was one he couldn't understand.
Escorting him to his carriage, he opened the door for Aria to climb inside. He had now been seen in this neighborhood, soliciting a brothel, and departing with a hire for the night. His reputation would never be the same.
He climbed in and sat across from the fallen Bride, eyes scanning the carriage's interior. There still was no hint of a blanket. He would simply have to weather this challenge.
Aria was painfully aware of his lack of clothing and as he sat in the carriage he crossed one leg over the other and folded his arms across his chest in a vain attempt to cover himself up.
He was silent for a while as the carriage started to move, but eventually he had to speak. "What was it you wished to speak to me about? What did you wish to know?"
That answer, at least, was instant and almost instinctively asked. "What happened? What could possibly have happened to have you cast aside this way? I know how your husband reacted to me - but please tell me it wasn't my presence."
If it was, how could he live with himself? But he knew that was not likely the case. Self-disparaging, however, remained a tactic of diplomats. If the fault could be cast upon him, all the better for a lack of disharmony within the country's nobility.
"The things I have heard... They couldn't be possible."
"No, sir, it had nothing to do with you, never fear. It occurred some time after you left the city," Aria assured him immediately. He seemed to become very interest in the carriage floor and his next words were very quiet, "... I would not be so quick to assume what is possible. What is it that you heard? Please tell me, I will not take offense."
"I've heard that, in some manner, you shamed your lord husband. That the offense was unforgivable and you were summarily cast down. But I remember well how affectionate and solicitous he was of you. I cannot believe that you would have acted in any way against him."
Out of character was putting it lightly. Aria had been so enamoured of his husband that they let propriety go to the winds even in public. It had made him uncomfortable then and it made him uncomfortable now - for many more reasons.
"What you have heard is truth," Aria confessed, "But acting against him and shaming him in such a manner was not intentional - if I could change what happened I would do so in a heartbeat. I still love his Highness with every inch of me, I'd give my last breath for one more day with him."
Aria knew that the Ambassador would want to know what offense he had committed, so he decided to save him further questioning. "I was convicted of adultery." As he said it his hand went self-consciously to the 'W' branded onto his wrist.
The gesture brought his gaze to that wrist -- and a wrist was safe enough for him to focus on. A scar. But a scar from what? He frowned, brows drawn, as he tried to puzzle what the W could stand for, and if it had been incised or burned in place.
"I cannot believe that, Your Grace. I saw how you cared for him. Adultery is not in your character."
"Not 'you Grace', just 'Aria' now," the blonde murmured, needing a moment to find a way to phrase what happened to him so it didn't hurt him all over again.
".... The act of adultery was not one I consented to... I was forced into committing the crime."
He could only hope that Kithaniel would understand his meaning.
He did understand, and a hint of anger flashed in his eyes. "And you were blamed for this? For something you had no choice in?"
He knew in that moment that this would be the deathknell for diplomacy between Vendesey and Verdimond. The Empress was very staunch in her opinions of those who forced themselves on others, male or female. To hear that one could be punished and cast down for such things here - that would be the end of it.
"I should have fought harder to prevent it, if I were meant to escape this fate I would have, Rased makes no mistakes. I must have done something to be deserving of such treatment," Aria murmured, but his word were hollow, they sounded scripted.
He was merely relaying what his husband had said when Aria had fallen to his knees and begged him not to exile him from the palace.
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"You may speak with me if you truly wish, sir, but my master does not allow anyone inside without paying a fee." he swallowed, "You shouldn't be here, sir, it is not the kind of establishment for a gentleman of your standing to be witnessed to have frequented."
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It was that - taking him away from this building - that he knew would ask a higher sum. But once more, he reminded himself: Justice, Kindness, Responsibility. This was necessary.
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Escorting him to his carriage, he opened the door for Aria to climb inside. He had now been seen in this neighborhood, soliciting a brothel, and departing with a hire for the night. His reputation would never be the same.
He climbed in and sat across from the fallen Bride, eyes scanning the carriage's interior. There still was no hint of a blanket. He would simply have to weather this challenge.
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He was silent for a while as the carriage started to move, but eventually he had to speak.
"What was it you wished to speak to me about? What did you wish to know?"
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If it was, how could he live with himself? But he knew that was not likely the case. Self-disparaging, however, remained a tactic of diplomats. If the fault could be cast upon him, all the better for a lack of disharmony within the country's nobility.
"The things I have heard... They couldn't be possible."
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Out of character was putting it lightly. Aria had been so enamoured of his husband that they let propriety go to the winds even in public. It had made him uncomfortable then and it made him uncomfortable now - for many more reasons.
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Aria knew that the Ambassador would want to know what offense he had committed, so he decided to save him further questioning. "I was convicted of adultery." As he said it his hand went self-consciously to the 'W' branded onto his wrist.
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"I cannot believe that, Your Grace. I saw how you cared for him. Adultery is not in your character."
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".... The act of adultery was not one I consented to... I was forced into committing the crime."
He could only hope that Kithaniel would understand his meaning.
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He knew in that moment that this would be the deathknell for diplomacy between Vendesey and Verdimond. The Empress was very staunch in her opinions of those who forced themselves on others, male or female. To hear that one could be punished and cast down for such things here - that would be the end of it.
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He was merely relaying what his husband had said when Aria had fallen to his knees and begged him not to exile him from the palace.
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