(2021-09-14) Excellent Advice

Details

Author:	Luridel
Summary:	Cressidha and Ismene have a conversation about how one goes about proceeding with a courtship as a proper lady.
Rating:	T for Teen

Cressidha looks up from her mug of hot chocolate and plate containing one (1) pastry and smiles.

Cressidha: Miss Callis?

Ismene enters the tea house, nervously straightening her dress. Then her hair. Then her dress again. She looks around, notes the smile, and smiles back tacking on a little wave.

Ismene: Lady Aspenwood. Thank you so much for agreeing to meet me.

Cressidha: It's no hardship at all. Please, order whatever you'd like.

Ismene orders a cup of lemon tea, smiling at the server.

Ismene: I'm afraid I'm terribly nervous. I'll likely apologize at least fifty times today, so I should probably start by apologizing for how much I'm going to apologize.

Cressidha: That's quite all right. I have no idea what this is about, so I confess I am quite curious.

Ismene tucks the hair on both sides of her head behind her ears. "It's really a matter of… deportment, I suppose? Or… propriety? I daren't ask my mother, and I cannot ask Niris, and I just don't know anyone else. Naturally as Sir Elohad's assistance I know something of you, so I decided to throw caution to the winds and just submit you to a horribly awkward conversation."

Cressidha takes a deep breath. "Very well."

Cressidha: You may call me Cressidha, if this is to be horribly awkward.

Cressidha takes a sip of her hot chocolate.

Ismene flicks a smile again at the server and picks up her teacup to sip daintily from it. "How kind. Please call me Mizzy." She smiles. "It's Ben's nickname for me."

Cressidha smiles at her.

Ismene takes a breath too, then begins what's obviously a rehearsed little speech. "I'm uncertain how to proceed with a proper courtship."

Ismene: You should understand that my parents are not nobles, but are quite wealthy and would like to be ennobled some day. They have, accordingly, raised me to abide by certain standards.

Ismene glances over to make sure this is all clear so far.

Cressidha: Have your parents any prospects for you yet?

Ismene: Not that they've informed me. I'm eighteen, so I anticipate that they will shortly. They also do not approve of my leaving the orchards to come here and be a priestess. My mother only grudgingly permitted it as she felt I might make a suitable match in a Ismene: large city.

Cressidha nods. "Have you found someone you'd like to court?"

Ismene smiles helplessly. "Well, that's the rub. Ben Hazan is—" She stops, turning pink. "That is, he's asked me to go walking with him. He's been sending me flowers regularly, and sent me a kitten."

Ismene: He's really wonderful. *Her pupils turn to little hearts, basically.*

Cressidha: Are you interested in courting Mr. Hazan, then?

Ismene: I don't know! I just don't know how this should proceed. I cannot think my parents will approve of him, but then he was just adopted by Sir Elohad and, as it stands, will inherit the title.

Ismene: And then how do I go about it? We um… There was some… Improprieties, let's say.

Ismene turns pinker. Any pinker and her hair is going to singe.

Cressidha relaxes a bit as Ismene admits she knows Ben was adopted, and then tenses up at 'improprieties'.

Cressidha: Were you seen alone together?

Ismene thinks that over. "I suppose the guard may have seen us walking out of Stormwind."

Ismene: And I'm afraid we weren't too discreet about… about kissing.

Ismene puts her hands over her cheeks. Oh dear.

Cressidha covers her mouth. Oh dear indeed.

Ismene: I'm sorry, I know this is… Well, I did say it would be awkward. If you don't want to continue, we needn't!

Cressidha: Well, the future Lord Ference would be an excellent match to introduce to your parents, I imagine.

Ismene sits up a bit. "Oh. That's an excellent idea."

Cressidha: Someone like Sir Elohad himself ought to make that introduction.

Cressidha: The Ference estate may be a bit… uninhabitable at the moment, but the name still holds weight, and if that is what your parents are primarily concerned with…

Ismene: I'm sorry to say it likely is.

Cressidha: Then I imagine they should be quite pleased that a lord has taken interest in their daughter, yes?

Ismene: I would hope so. Sir Elohad has impeccable manners and breeding, they can't object to him! I suppose if they want to meet Ben, that's a bridge to cross when we come to it.

Ismene: I don't suppose you have any idea what I should say to Ben? He hasn't the least idea how to court someone. He refers to it as 'dating' and I can't imagine that's at all the same thing.

Cressidha: He's sent you flowers and a kitten; I'm certain he must have some idea.

Ismene looks into her teacup. "I suppose I'll have to tell him that we oughtn't to kiss anymore."

Ismene peeks over? Because maybe?

Cressidha: Certainly not where you might be seen.

Cressidha smiles as she offers Ismene the one loophole she knows about.

Ismene's eyes widen. "We should be alone in private and kiss?"

Cressidha stares off into space like she's doing calculus for a little.

Ismene waits anxiously for the answer to see if it's what she got.

Please show your work.

Cressidha: If you'd like to continue kissing him during your courtship, that seems the only viable solution. But your parents mustn't hear of that.

Ismene accepts that. "No, I should think not." She looks around to make sure no one's hovering, then leans forward. "He also bit my neck. I didn't know men did that. I put an immediate stop to that."

Cressidha: Goodness.

Ismene nods, eyes wide. She wouldn't say "I KNOW RIGHT?" but that is the sentiment in her expression.

Cressidha puts a hand to her neck. She clearly didn't know men did that either.

Ismene takes a sip of her lemon tea. Her mouth is quite dry. "There is… one other very awkward…"

Ismene: Well you see now why I couldn't go to Niris. She did ask me to call her that, but it feels terribly familiar, so I do beg your pardon.

Cressidha: Oh, no, Niris insisted we all call her Niris the day we met her.

Cressidha: I believe that's what she's most comfortable with, even though she might be Lady Ference now.

Ismene: She's so poised and refined, it feels proper in any case.

Ismene: The other thing is…

Ismene: Well.

Ismene gestures fitfully.

Ismene: I know most women are married when… it happens. But some aren't. So I don't want it to happen to me! Um.

Ismene: P-pregnancy?

Ismene looks around again and shifts in her chair.

Ismene: I don't suppose you know how that occurs.

Cressidha looks thoughtful.

Ismene: I'm certain my mother would cover wifely … things before a wedding, should one occur. But I thought, what if it's kissing?

Cressidha: Ah… well, it can't be the marriage itself that does it, or else how would anyone have more than one child?

Cressidha: I don't think it's the kissing.

Cressidha sounds mostly sure.

Ismene: And it can't be simple proximity, or everyone who lives with a male at home would be pregnant.

Ismene sips her tea thoughtfully, relaxing some since she hasn't been shrieked at and ejected from the tea house.

Cressidha takes a bite of her pastry to stall for time. She might also be trying to figure this one out too.

Ismene: It must be something that non-married people are subject to. So it can't be anything in the ceremony itself, like a blessing of some sort.

Cressidha: I'm sure Niris must know.

Cressidha: And our mothers. Any mother, for that matter.

Ismene says with dread, "Probably. But as her, well, adopted son will be courting me, that would be even more awkward than this."

Cressidha: That's true…

Ismene perks up a bit. "Do you know a mother who might be amenable to such a conversation? Purely in the interest of avoiding such a fate, pre-maritally."

Cressidha: Oh! Perhaps Auralind.

Cressidha knows a very limited amount of mothers.

Ismene: Oh! That's a thought. Do you suppose it's different for the Kaldorei?

Cressidha: She is one of the kaldorei, she is incredibly wise. I… don't know, I hadn't thought about that.

Ismene: She might know. It could be worth pursuing.

Cressidha: Have you met Auralind?

Ismene shakes her head. "But of course I'm familiar with everyone in the Company."

Cressidha nods. She has finished her pastry and is now picking crumbs off of her plate.

Ismene smiles. "I'm sure your mother will be much more forthcoming than mine. And you'd never find yourself in such a sordid situation in the first place. You've been so very kind."

Cressidha: She has a lion with her always. Elu'shalla, his name is. You mustn't be afraid of him, he won't harm you.

Ismene nods her eager understanding.

Cressidha: He is her companion, he aids her in battle. He is well-trained.

Ismene: I must say, you've quite eased my mind. I can't possibly thank you enough for your understanding and discretion.

Cressidha: I'm glad I was able to be of assistance. I'm sure Sir Ference won't mind introducing Ben to your parents as an interested suitor.

Ismene: … I should probably make sure Ben wants to proceed that way.

Cressidha: Ah. Yes.

Ismene: Please allow me to pay for your cocoa and pastry. Small recompense for your assistance, I know.

Cressidha blinks. For some reason, she stalls out on this for a moment before clearing her throat. "If you insist, that would be most kind of you."

Cressidha secretly ordered two (2) pastries and ate one before Mizzy arrived.

Ismene: I did invite you, after all.

Ismene: Well, any future conversation we have can't possibly be as difficult as this one.

Cressidha: That's quite true.

Ismene smiles merrily. "And should it come to a wedding, I may well ask you to stand with my family as a sort of older sister."

Cressidha: I would be most honored. Oh, you simply must let me design your dress.

Ismene: Oh! How kind! I'd be honored. Having seen some of your designs, I couldn't possibly find anything more lovely.

Ismene laughs. "Though of course we're being rather optimistic, I suppose."

Cressidha: Oh, well, I suppose so.

Ismene: I think he'd be ideal, but what if Ben is one of those "wild oats" sort of men? What if he isn't contemplating marriage at all?

Ismene stares again. Oh no what if Ben isn't contemplating marriage at all????

Cressidha: Oh, he must be, if he's trying to court you properly.

Ismene: Oh. Well. Yes, of course! He did send me a kitten. It's so tiny, a little white bit of fluff.

Cressidha: Oh, what's your kitten's name?

Ismene: At bedtime, she has a habit of curling up on top of my head, so I named her Hattie.

Cressidha: How precious. I've a cat as well, we rescued him from being eaten by a murloc. His name is Oswald.

Ismene: A murloc was going to eat him?!

Ismene: And to think I felt sorry for those wretched creatures!

Cressidha nods. "He was so terribly skittish at first."

Ismene: I should think so.

Ismene: Well, you mustn't let me keep you. I know that you have many important duties to attend to, as one of the premier mages in the Company, quite apart from your duties as Stormwind nobility!

Cressidha finishes up her hot chocolate. "It was a pleasure, Mizzy. Might I ask your favorite color?"

Ismene holds out the hem of her dress, where embroidered green leaves — each leaf in three shades to give them depth — chase each other all the way around her dress. "Green," she says. "Or anything with apple blossoms."

Cressidha leans over to admire her dress. "Lovely."

Ismene laughs lightly. "Embroidery was a mother-approved activity."

Cressidha nods knowingly. Embroidery was a mother-approved activity in her household as well, clearly.

Ismene gestures the wait staff over and hands over a few silver coins without asking for the bill.

Cressidha: Of course. Thank you for the invitation, I had a wonderful time.

Cressidha leaves a silver on the table. Probably a tip.

Ismene rises. "I can't thank you enough for such excellent advice. If I can ever help you with anything, please drop me a note."

Cressidha: Ah, well, if Auralind has an answer for you, perhaps if you wouldn't mind relaying what she tells you to me?

Ismene: I'd be happy to. So wise to learn ahead of time, to avoid any complications.

Cressidha nods. "I'm most grateful. Have a good day, Mizzy."

Ismene: Farewell, Lady Aspenwood.