Politics? Intrigue? Let's play Choice of Romance: Affairs of the Court!

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#41

:blushing:Uncle Pedro is the true MVP :blushing:
Can NepNep just stay at home with him :hauu:

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#42

Fairly said. In any case, you are off to the capital with your uncle and aunt as soon as your clothing can be made.

From that point on, time seems to move faster than it ever has before. Two months are scarcely enough time to put together the wardrobe you will require as a young lady of the Court: gowns, shoes, scarves, hose and garters, bejeweled trinkets. Almost before you know it, the day of your departure is at hand, and you find yourself jolting over the roads with Uncle Pedro, Aunt Leonor, and Magdalena.

For Magdalena is accompanying you. She is too young to be presented at Court, of course, but your mother and Aunt Leonor thought it would be well for you to have a companion, and well for Magdalena to get an idea of how the Court functions. You wouldn’t have thought it would be much fun, to be dragged along to the capital and once there, spend most of the time under Aunt Leonor’s supervision and none at all enjoying Court functions–but Magdalena seems delighted. She chatters excitedly the whole journey, hardly even stopping for breath.

So how are you feeling about having her along?

  • Pleased. I will not know anyone at Court, after all; it will be good to have someone I can talk to.
  • Annoyed. I have plans, damn it, and I worry that Magdalena’s presence will make them harder to execute.
  • Indifferent.

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#43

I doubt a small insignificant child would make a difference to our greatness!

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#44

We should adopt and train her. We will need loyal allies.

#45

I’d propose renaming her Fido.

#46

Without her, you might be totally alone. At least you will have someone to share your thoughts with.

At any rate, the four of you arrive at the capital before you have gone completely deaf from Magdalena’s chatter, swallow some supper, and fall into bed.

Early in the morning of your first day at Court, your aunt takes you to Their Majesties’ private rooms, where all the ladies- and gentlemen-in-waiting are assembled.

A servant opens the door at your aunt’s knock, and the first thing you see is a tall, middle-aged man addressing an assembly of ladies- and gentlemen-in-waiting. He turns and regards you and Aunt Leonor with a raised eyebrow.

Aunt Leonor curtsies. “Don Benedicto,” she says. “May I present my niece, NepNep de Flores.”

“Oh,” Don Benedicto says. “Yes, of course. Thank you, Doña Leonor.” Your aunt curtsies again, and leaves.

Don Benedicto looks at you in a manner more appraising than friendly. “We are rehearsing a masque to be performed before the Court this evening. It is somewhat late to be adding another part. Perhaps it would be best if you took a seat and observed.”

“Oh, but Don Benedicto,” says one young woman. “Doña Teresa is feeling ill. Why could I not take her part, and Doña NepNep take mine? I am only being rescued,” she adds, turning to you. “It would not be difficult to learn at all.”

That proves to be an understatement. You soon discover that the role assigned to you consists of waiting atop a tower while battle rages beneath you. Eventually, the hero of the masque will fight her way to you, and release you from imprisonment.

Still, despite the small and boring nature of your part, you have to admit that the masque being rehearsed is very impressive indeed. You have seen them before, of course; even staged some small ones with your siblings; but the scale of this is immense in comparison.

A masque is an after-dinner entertainment in which ladies and gentlemen disguise their identities and play assigned roles. In this case, the story is of a mage, Perseverance, who uses her magic to dispatch many evil creatures–Greed, Pride, Gluttony, and so forth–with the aid of helpful sprites with names like Purity, Devotion, and Endurance. At the end, Perseverance reaches her true love, Virtue, and rescues Virtue from imprisonment.

You think it is likely that the young woman who used to be playing Virtue considered it a significant advancement to take the part of Devotion instead. Devotion has many lines, and participates in a dance of all the helpful sprites.

You watch the rehearsal from atop your tower, admiring the construction of the tower and the care that has been put into the costumes. If this is an everyday entertainment, your time at Court will be dazzling indeed.
At last Perseverance succeeds in reaching you, and you rehearse the rescue. Perseverance is a nice-looking young woman
although “young” is perhaps not quite the right word, you realize suddenly. She is older than most of the ladies- and gentlemen-in-waiting assembled here, in her mid-twenties at least.

As you climb down from the tower, your gown catches. You quickly pull it free, thankful it did not tear. “We will have to be careful not to do that tonight!” you say to Perseverance, trying to make conversation.

“Oh, it will not be ‘we’ tonight!” she says.

You look at her in confusion.

“The Queen is taking the part of Perseverance tonight,” Don Benedicto says. “Except of course you must not recognize her.”

“I must not
?” You can’t imagine what they mean.

The young woman playing Perseverance explains. “The Queen will come in disguise to play the part of Perseverance. We are all to behave as though we cannot tell it is she in disguise. The Queen does this on occasion, so that she can be certain her riding and dancing and magic is admired for its own sake, not merely out of deference to her title.”

You try to make sense of this. “So
we are to admire the performance of the one playing Perseverance, and then feign surprise when she removes her mask?”

“Exactly.”

This is
unusual behavior, to say the least. What do you say?

  • “But the Queen must know her courtiers recognize her.”
  • “You are having a jest with me because I am new to Court, are you not?”
  • “Very well.”

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#47

Perseverance smiles at you as you turn back to the tower. “Very wise,” she says. “It is a somewhat ridiculous game we all play, but it’s best not to say that out loud. By the way–I ought to have introduced myself before. Gabriela de Mendosa, at your service.”

Don Benedicto curtly orders the rehearsal to resume, and it does.

You return to your room with time to change before the evening meal. You look at your wardrobe, and consider the choices before you.

You have been assigned a part that has you standing passively while others in the Court draw attention to themselves.

Is that good enough for you, or are you going to do something different?

  • I shall play the role as I was instructed, and gain approval by acting properly and modestly.
  • I shall play the role as I was instructed, but there’s no reason to fade into the background. I shall dress in such a way that attention is drawn to me instead of the combatants.
  • Once the masque has begun, they cannot very well stop me from changing the role into something more to my liking. I shall seize this opportunity to show all the Court what I am capable of.

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#48

A clever compromise position. You select the most form-fitting of your gowns, one that emphasizes all that is praiseworthy about your figure. At your throat, you knot a scarf the color of your blue eyes. You are most pleased by the effect you observe in the mirror. Your aunt looks at your choice of attire with some disapproval, but does not actually rebuke you. You walk down to the Great Hall between her and your uncle.

You sit at a table in the Great Hall with the other young ladies- and gentlemen-in-waiting (most of whose names you don’t yet know) and enjoy a most delicious meal. Between courses, you look around.

At the high table sit Queen Agustina and her consort, Esteban. The King Consort is a Life Mage, from the formidable Family de Aguilar.

At the Queen’s other side sits Luis de Vega, foremost advisor of the Court.

At the King Consort’s other side sits Princess Juanita, the only living child of the Queen and her King Consort. Unfortunately for all, she is a Death Mage like the Queen, and therefore cannot inherit the throne.

But you notice that the eyes of both the Queen and the King Consort go often to a lower table, where sits a small boy whose resemblance to the Queen is unmistakable. This must be Tomás de Reyes, whom you have learned is the Queen’s illegitimate Life Mage child. His illegitimacy makes it difficult for him to inherit, but it is noteworthy that the Queen sent for him to live at Court after the stillbirth of the most recent royal child. Between a Death Mage daughter and an illegitimate Life Mage son, the succession is a thorny issue.

The Queen sends a dish down to Tomás de Reyes’ table, and the King Consort’s lips tighten a little.

At last, the final course is cleared, and it is time to change for the performance. As you leave the Great Hall with the other young ladies- and gentlemen-in-waiting, you see de Vega making a big production of seeking the Queen’s attention. “Your pardon, Your Majesty, but there is a matter of some urgency
”

The Queen rises. All of the ladies- and gentlemen-in-waiting stop. The Queen waves a hand. “Go on with the performance, for the entertainment of the King Consort and the Court. We will return when we are able.”

The King Consort’s smile seems somewhat fixed.

You don your mask, and take the opportunity to remove the scarf knotted around your throat, and tug at the neck of your gown, to display as much decolletage as possible. You loosen your hair as well, allowing it to swirl over your shoulders.

You take your place at the top of the tower, and strike a pose.

Perseverance and her companions enter. Perseverance is so obviously the Queen, you cannot see how anyone could ever pretend to be fooled. The Queen, as Perseverance, uses a light wooden practice sword to “vanquish” Sloth and Gluttony. She strikes actual blows, rather than merely touching her opponents; but at least the blows don’t seem to be very hard. They probably only sting.

She switches to magic to fight Greed and Wrath (using the wand presented to her by Fortitude), and likewise, casts very small lightning bolts that seem to only sting.

None of her opponents even touch her with weapons or magic; they only feint in the air around her. Those playing aids rather than opponents lavish far more attention upon her than upon Perseverance’s companions. You cannot help but wonder if the Queen is really vain enough to believe they do not know who she is.

At last the Queen vanquishes the final obstacle (Pride) and looks up at you. You stretch out your hand beseechingly, as you have been instructed.

When de Mendosa was playing this part, she only handed you down from the tower. But the Queen surprises you by reaching up, grasping you under the arms, and swinging you down beside her.

And then she whips off her mask in a grand gesture.

Do you pretend to be surprised?

  • Yes
  • No

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You guys are checking the stats after each choice right? :3

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#49

I think I will repost them just so we can check the variations because I definitively hadn’t checked those stats.

Name: Doña NepNep de Flores
Booksmart: 50%
Charm: 70%
Subtle: 74%
Magic: 25%
Wealth: 25%
Reputation: 45%

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#50

From the other players in the masque, and from everywhere else in the Court, you hear (impressively realistic) gasps of surprise. But you only smile at the Queen. “I knew it could only be you, Your Majesty.”

She frowns. “You knew me?”

“Of course,” you say. “So handsome and so bold–it could not be anyone else except you!”

The irritation smoothes from her face
mostly. “You pay a pretty compliment.” Her eyes run appraisingly up and down your figure, and then she reaches out and pulls off your mask. “But yours is a face unknown. What is your name?”

“NepNep de Flores, Your Majesty,” you say, and make a deep curtsy.

“Ah yes, of course. Don Pedro’s niece.” She smiles at you. “Well, we have been most pleased to rescue you this evening, and we hope you will enjoy your time in our Court.”

You have a most delightful time the rest of the evening. There are other performances, and in between, you make the acquaintance of many different people. The Queen granted you her attention; now you have the attention of the rest of the Court, as well. You think you catch the Queen looking at you, now and then. You are certain that de Mendosa is.

Your aunt comes to you, leading a plump, middle-aged woman with a red face and expensive clothes. “NepNep,” she says, “Doña Carlota Torres most particularly desired to make your acquaintance. Doña Carlota, my niece NepNep de Flores.”

“I am enchanted,” Torres says to you. You murmur something conventional in reply.

The rest of the night passes in a blur. You ride the wave of exhilaration back to your room and tumble into sleep.
A few days later, you attend a lavish banquet in honor of the newly-arrived Ambassador from Sahra.

Your aunt inspects your attire narrowly, and pulls your collar up a little higher. “It is very important that you be dressed respectably at an important function such as this. The honor of House de Flores is at stake!”

You follow her and your uncle down the stairs, and join the crowd milling about the Great Hall, sipping wine and waiting for the Queen and King Consort to enter with the Ambassador. You stand for a moment in the doorway, watching the room.

“Good evening, Doña NepNep,” a voice says at your elbow. You turn to see Carlota Torres.

She is again dressed in clothing that is obviously expensive, but not flattering. She wipes her sweating red face with a silk handkerchief. “Very warm in here, isn’t it? But it doesn’t seem to be troubling you. You look enchanting this evening. May I have the honor of escorting you?”

“My niece would be delighted to have you as an escort,” Aunt Leonor says meaningfully from your other side.

You seem to have no other choice but to take Doña Carlota’s arm. She leads you in a promenade about the room.

What do you do?

  • Torres is both wealthy and respectable–clearly well-established and of an age to be seeking a spouse. I could do a lot worse. I encourage her attentions.
  • Torres is not what I had in mind, exactly, but is better than having no suitor at all. I had better seem interested, at least until something better presents itself.
  • Ugh. There is nothing I want less than the courtship of this sweaty old person. I search for a way to disentangle myself.

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#51

Torres who? Uncle Pedro all the way! :blushing:
Dona NepNep don’t be stupid!

#52

You look around the room desperately as Torres drones on beside you, but can’t see a way to escape.

Torres talks about herself at some length. It seems she is a merchant who has made a substantial fortune and now, as you inferred, is in a position to marry. She makes a comment about wishing to have a gracious presence in her home–it might have been a flattering compliment from someone else, but it comes awkwardly from her. You can’t quite tell if she really is lonely and just isn’t good at paying compliments, or whether her motives in seeking a spouse are more practical: she has risen as high as she can on wealth alone, and needs to ally with a noble family to advance any further. It is probably a little of both.

After a while, Torres asks if you would like a glass of wine.

You smile. “Yes, thank you.”

She trundles off to secure it. You turn–and find yourself face-to-face with Doña Gabriela de Mendosa.

Who gives you a dazzling smile. “Hello, Doña NepNep! What a pleasure to see you again!” She is holding two goblets of wine, and extends one towards you. “Would you like a drink?”

  • “Yes, please.”
  • “No, thank you. Doña Carlota has gone to get me one.”

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#53

Alright. I’ve been looking at our stats and I think we want to up our booksmarts and our charm if we want to get where we want to get going. Reputation as well.

So, what do we think will accomplish improving those? Or are there other things we should up to go evil genius overlord?

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#54

De Mendosa smiles at you. “I saw you with Torres. I can’t imagine you like having someone so old and boring court you. I know it is ‘how things are done,’ but things do not have to be done that way.”

“Really?” you say.

“Yes, really. I am not married.”

“Did you not receive an offer when you were my age?”

“I did, many of them–but I turned them down. I won’t play the game. You don’t have to either.”

You consider this. ‘Not playing the game’ has put de Mendosa in a strange no-man’s-land, neither young enough to be courted nor established enough to be able to afford to support a spouse. She cannot really mean to court you, not seriously
on the other hand, it is plain that she does like you. You are uncertain what her intentions might actually be.

Before you can decide what to say next, she says, “Oops, here’s Torres returning–I’d better be off! I look forward to seeing you later.” She disappears into the crowd.

Torres reaches you just as the herald announces the entry of Their Majesties and the Ambassador. She escorts you to a table and sits beside you. Aunt Leonor beams at you from across the table.

The food is delicious, the hall full of a dazzling array of gorgeous clothes and flashing jewels. Alas, Torres’s conversation is not particularly interesting and mostly directed toward Uncle Pedro.

You are surprised when a servant pauses beside you, and offers you a plate of fresh fruit shaped to look like flowers. “From Her Majesty,” the servant murmurs.

You look towards the high table, and find the Queen watching you. Your eyes meet, and she inclines her head slightly, with a smile.

You turn and help yourself to the fruit, heart fluttering. When you look around the table, you see that Torres does not appear to have noticed, but Uncle Pedro is smiling and Aunt Leonor frowning.

It is not so uncommon for a young lady or gentleman recently come to Court to receive the attention of Her Majesty the Queen. The Queen is known to frequently take lovers, both male and female. Tomás de Reyes is the product of one such liaison, with a young woman who has since died. (A particularly valuable Life Mage spell is the one that allows two women or two men to become the blood parents of a child. One assumes the Queen must have been quite taken with Tomás’s other parent, to have participated in this ritual.)

But still it is something thrilling to know yourself the one who has caught the Queen’s eye.

The banquet goes until very late. You sleep in the next morning, and the whole family is content to let you recover, well aware of how late you returned the night before.

The whole family, that is, except for Magdalena, who bursts into your bedchamber. “Get up, get up, NepNep! It’s so exciting! The Queen herself has sent you a bouquet of flowers and an invitation to join her at the tourney tomorrow. The Queen! Oh, and de Mendosa sent you a poem extolling your virtues. She wants to accompany you to some sort of musical event–a chamber recital or some such. So if you are wanting poetry and music, you can have that, too! Oh, NepNep! It’s all so exciting!”

How do you feel about this?

  • Right now, I just want Magdalena to go away.
  • The Queen is sending me flowers? It’s like a fairy tale!
  • Excellent, my plans are developing nicely.
  • De Mendosa sent me a token? That’s wonderful! She must really care!
  • How will I ever decide between the Queen and de Mendosa? It is so difficult. I feel torn.

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#55

Well, time to take the Queen?

#56

You smile to yourself. You are nicely positioning yourself for numerous opportunities. You dress carefully for the day, and then leave your bedchamber to examine the tokens yourself. Your aunt Leonor greets you with a smile as you enter the sitting room. “Ah, NepNep, how good to see you this morning. And after such a successful time at the banquet. Carlota Torres has sent you a very nice scarf–imported silk, no less!–and an invitation to tea. I do hope you will accept.”

“Ah, I had not heard of that token. Magdalena mentioned only the invitation from Her Majesty and from de Mendosa.”

Leonor makes a face and waves her hand dismissively. "You know children. They have childish ideas. But you are not a child any longer. You are a young woman and you need to think like an adult. Romance is all very nice, but it does not put a fine roof over your head and give your children an inheritance of which you can be proud.

“If you want my advice,” she says, continuing without waiting to hear if you do, “forget about Her Majesty and de Mendosa. It would be all very well to marry the Queen, but she is married already. And you are both Death Mages–you could never truly hope to marry her. Better to be married to a respectable lady than to be the amusement of even the Queen. As for de Mendosa, she can barely pay for her own needs. You would be embracing a life of suffering if you were to marry her. Torres may not be exciting, but she is wealthy and would provide for you well. If you must think of romance, it is only sensible to wait until you are a wealthy widow.”

How do you respond to your aunt’s opinion?

  • Gratefully.
  • Thoughtfully.
  • Sarcastically.

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#57

“Thank you, Aunt Leonor. I know you always have my best interests at heart.”

“Your uncle will also want to speak to you about this. But you should remember that sometimes his reach is greater than his grasp, eh?”

What do you do now?

  • Accept the Queen’s invitation and attend the tourney.
  • Accept de Mendosa’s invitation and listen to a chamber recital.
  • Accept Torres’s invitation and go to tea.
  • Ask my uncle for advice.
  • Examine the gifts and invitations personally.

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#58

FINALLY!!!11

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#59

You rap politely on the door to your uncle Pedro’s study.

“Come in,” he calls out tersely. As you enter, he brightens, puts aside the quill with which he had been writing, and stands up. “Ah, NepNep, come in, come in. I was handling some of my correspondence, but I am more than happy to interrupt that for you.”

“I want to ask your advice, Uncle. How should I decide among my suitors?”

"Ah, yes. You have made quite the entrance at Court, quite the entrance.

“I would begin by saying that you simply must encourage Her Majesty’s interest. She is, after all, the Queen. You might manage to displace the current King Consort, but even if you cannot, better to be her lover than anyone else’s wife. If she takes you on as a lover, you would have access to influence, riches, and power. How could you pass up an opportunity like that?”

How do you respond?

  • Aunt Leonor cautioned me against settling for being the Queen’s lover.
  • But I want to get married! And being someone’s trifle, even the Queen’s, does not sit well with me.
  • You are right, of course, Uncle.

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#60

UNCLE PEDRO KNOWS THE BEST! :wahaha:

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