Oh, What a Beautiful Morning (open)

[sheriff_vaizey]

Who: Open to Michaelmas partygoers
What: An after-party brunch
Where: Nottingham Castle, Great Hall
When: 30 September, late morning

Comments

[lucatz_of_arun]

Lucatz's smile broadened into a grin when Isabella said she was tempted. Good, he thought. She might yet have words that could change it, but it seemed as if the day was set to continue in his favor

[lucatz_of_arun]

Why did his conversations always turn into conversations about Guy? It seemed inevitable. Allan was the only one who didn't seem keen to talk about Gisborne. Lucatz sat his glass down and offered some reassurance, "Guy has been at my throat since I arrived, initially without cause. I can handle him

[elle_isabelle]

Isabella watched as Lucatz neatly cut the pear. His manners were so refined. She raised her eyes to his, amusement in her expression as he smiled. "My lord steward is very generous," she replied, as Lucatz lifted the pear to his lips. Isabella looked away. She wouldn't deny that she was enjoying herself--or her happiness that he had responded in kind--but the pleasure was heady. Isabella felt as if she walked a fine line between guilt that she resented feeling, and rushing headlong into the first joyous thing that had come her way in longer than she could remember

[lucatz_of_arun]

"She's alright," he said with a small shrug. She was fair enough, but for Lucatz, a woman's personality determined her true beauty. He didn't know enough of Marian's to pass judgment on how lovely she was, but he was pretty sure her startling wit wasn't what held Guy's interest. Isabella would surely meet the Lady herself, soon enough

[elle_isabelle]

Isabella waited as Lucatz scanned the room. Finally his gaze stopped, apparently caught by something. Isabella turned to see what it was, but she saw nothing remarkable, and when she turned back to him his gaze was on her again

[lucatz_of_arun]

"You were not the only one using a false name last night, I doubt anyone will hold it against you," assured Lucatz. He'd misled Lord Nicholas about his name and chances were very high that he and Isabella were not the only ones who used pseudonyms. "I'm familiar with much of the staff already, but yes, I do have a large task ahead of me

[elle_isabelle]

Isabella perked up in interest at Lucatz's comment. She wasn't a gossip, but people--and why they did what they did--were always interesting. But instead of continuing in that promising vein, he politely answered her question. When he continued Isabella smiled a little, pleased that he cared enough to ask what she'd done with herself while he'd been away. Not much, unfortunately; the ball had mostly been a bust. At least it had begun enchantingly

[lucatz_of_arun]

Lucatz chuckled, "Allan may already know. After we first met, I asked him if he had any ideas who your brother was. He told me the one person he thought of was unlikely." It was amusing; Allan had figured her out within the first meeting. Lucatz should have seen it too, since both siblings had the same beautiful eyes and fiery temperaments. "I just hope he doesn't get in trouble for not mentioning Audrey to Guy

[elle_isabelle]

Isabella laughed incredulously. "Not possible. We are nothing alike." There might be some slight resemblance--they both had dark hair and blue eyes--but anything more than that seemed unlikely. And their temperaments were completely different. Isabella had manners and patience; she knew how to function in civilized society. Guy was thoughtless, hasty, and uncouth

[lucatz_of_arun]

Lucatz nodded in false agreement as Isabella protested her resemblance to her brother. She reminded him much of the way his brothers thought of their resemblance to him. All of his father's children had the same skin, nose, eyes, hair, and general look, and they would proudly compare themselves to each other- but never to Lucatz. He wondered if Guy would be as hurt to hear Isabella laughingly distance herself as he'd been to hear his brothers do it

[elle_isabelle]

The corners of Isabella's lips turned up in a hint of a smile before she drew her hand away. Reflexively, she glanced out over the room, but there was still no sign of Guy