Strange Kin|Neo'anar, New Anarlina

[Darastrix]

"We have no such requirements here. The head of one of our more recently-established noble houses is wedded to another man," Dusk said. "They have two children. The younger is his husband's daughter by a Generous priestess who was delighted to gift her to the pair of them, and the elder was adopted last spring."

[Kender Bard]

"How very nice for them. We have adoption as well but adopted children are not considered viable heirs unless absolutely no other kin of the House is available to take over," Delilah explained. "The same with bastard-born children. This bit of structure is absolutely critical to the function of Grandisle. People pride and need a strict, linear or near-so progression of their lines in order to recount their heritage accurately. And to have something to compare the family hedges to."

"Pardon?" Twilight said, not sure how to make sense of that last bit.

"Oh a playful name we give for the lineages of all of those bastards, consorts, and other things," Delilah laughed. "The name was coined when someone commented in court, long long ago, that a true family tree of the Houses would look more like a hedgemaze dreamed by a madman. Someone else compared these shadow lineages to creeping vines."

Twilight could only stare, for a moment, lost for words.

"If your Highnesses prefer, I could try to explain the significance of this in more relatable terms," Ragnar offered.

[Darastrix]

"That would be lovely, yes," Dusk answered, glancing at Twilight. It wasn't often that she saw her beloved so utterly speechless. It sounded as though Delilah meant they kept separate trees for full blood and marriage kin and their unwedded lovers and half-children, which was...well, ridiculous. If she or Twilight had children by anyone else, she'd be damned if she allowed the child's name to be stricken from their family tree.

[Kender Bard]

"In Grandisle, all of the wealthy and oldest blood live," Ragnar began. "I'm sorry if this sounds elemental but I really must start from the beginning to better couch the culture in a frame. Anyway, as my queen has said, all of the families are, if not Soahcian, heavily influenced by the religion. To the point that it dominates the society. We have money, yes, all of us, but the real coin in Grandisle is intrigue and infamy. I don't know at what point it started, but how prestigious a family is in the social hierarchy has less to do with how rich they are or how grand their estates or any of that; it's how much notoriety they've accumulated. Naturally, of course, the royal family is always at the top no matter how little scandal they perpetuate."

"You're telling me that the social superiors are the most scandalous members of your society?" Twilight asked, incredulous.

"Essentially, yes. And one of the most common and appreciated manners of going about this is to commit affairs and have children by other people other than one's spouses. And so people do this. With intense frequency in fact. The family trees became so tangled by all of these affairs and illegitimate children and everything else that Grandisle's social structure threatened to collapse under the weight of it all. Nobody knew who was in what House, did not know what grudges were to be nursed or absolved. It was pure chaos, which, as most Soahcians will tell you, is all well and good but not conductive to longevity. So it was decided to create two separate family trees; one with the 'pure blood' and true heirs, so everyone was absolutely certain who was in what House, and one with all of the others. This second family tree can be better called a tree of intrigue, I suppose. It's used mostly to determine who has or hasn't done what with whom."

Twilight rubbed at his temples.

Ragnar smirked. "Yes. Welcome to my world."

"Isn't it grand?" Delilah sighed, dreamily.

[Darastrix]

Dusk blinked. "But...if scandal is so commonplace and desirable, doesn't that make all of the affairs and such the very opposite of a scandal?"

[Kender Bard]

"We just simply haven't invented a better word for it," Delilah said with a shrug. "To the other islands, we are still very scandalous, I suppose. It's only on Grandisle that it is commonplace. Oh and of course we act as though it's all worth shaking your head over, even as we smile behind our veils and fans."

"Much of what goes on in court is pretense and acts," Ragnar added. "Though every now and then something will get out of hand. Someone will become honestly insulted or angry and the Houses quarrel with each other in a manner that is not playful, fashionable, or pretend. That's when the royal family must intercede. In a grand, showy hearing of course."

"Of course," Twilight repeated wryly. "But why?"

Delilah shrugged. "That's how it's been for as long back as anyone can remember. As far back as most of our records indicate."

[Darastrix]

Forces, they'll be delighted when someone in court decides to bring up Sunray's abdicating the throne. And Marion's display before we presented Sunlight. Even their own most dedicated courtiers might find themselves outmatched by Delilah's entourage. That, at least, was an amusing thought.

"I daresay you may find yourselves in fond company come Audience," Dusk said. "It's held daily and is open to all."

[Kender Bard]

"Oh that's pleasant," Delilah remarked. "We hold ours twice."

Twilight winced and Ragnar gave a bark of amused laughter at his grimace.

"Perhaps Dusk could lead you both to the temple at this time while I see to the preliminary ball details?" Twilight ventured.

[Darastrix]

Dusk tittered softly and leaned over to kiss her husband. "Of course, dearest. And Snow will be delighted to hear the news of a ball. She loves to dance," she added to their guests as she rose. "Follow me, if you please. The temple isn't very far away at all."

[Kender Bard]

"I greatly enjoy dancing as well," Delilah commented as she followed.

Ragnar walked along, smiling pleasantly at Dusk. He apparently had decided that he liked these people enough to relax his general grumpy facade. He glanced at Delilah at that comment and warned her, "You will have to be cautious and warn our people that dancing may not have as many connotations as it does back home."

Delilah nodded. "In Grandisle, dancing is a second language. But I think they should grasp that soon enough on their own. I'll still put in a word though, just to soothe your poor mind."

"Thank you, Majesty... Speaking of which, Queen Dusk, I beg you do not take offence if any of our young men are forward with you. You are a lovely young Queen and I'm certain many of them will be interested in perpetuating a little 'scandal' with you if they get the opportunity, despite my warnings to them. A firm word from you will put them in their place, though. Grandisle men are gentlemen."

[Darastrix]

Dusk smiled and fluffed her feathers a little. "I doubt I would take much offense in any case," she told him. "Twilight and I are both fond of flirting. As long as they can accept a refusal, there shouldn't be any problems."

"Now, would you like to be shown to Etaf and Soahc's wings first, or to High Priestess Snowflake?"

[Kender Bard]

"High Priestess, if you'll please," Ragnar answered promptly.

"I would like to see the Etafian wing, please," Delilah answered brightly. "But you need only point it out."

"Delilah," Ragnar said softly. "Do behave. Not all of them have my patience."

Delilah kissed his cheek. "I will," she promised gently. Ragnar smiled in a lopsided manner, a flicker of genuity. Then it was gone.

[Darastrix]

"Of course," Dusk replied, giving the pair of them a speculative look before pointing Delilah in the right direction. The priest--oh Forces, she hadn't even gotten the man's name--looked a bit older than Delilah, but at their ages didn't seem different enough that attraction was impossible. Perhaps since he was a strict Etafian, he didn't have any desire to dally with the queen?

"You must forgive me," Dusk told Ragnar as she moved to head for Snow's chamber. "All this chatting, and I still haven't gotten your name."

[Kender Bard]

Ragnar's eyes widened a fraction. "My deepest apologies," he said, clearly embarrassed. "This trip has been too long and I am unaccustomed to seeing so many new people." He bowed slightly. "I am Lord Ragnar Simeon, head of House Simeon. I should have said as much as soon as we were taken to speak with you more privately. Do forgive me?"

[Darastrix]

With Delilah gone, the odd "pulling" sensation Dusk had felt, but not really noticed, grew stronger, though she had no idea what it meant. She'd never felt a Clear's aura before.

"Of course," Dusk said. She would have forgiven him in any case, so nothing strange really registered with her at agreeing. "Come, Snow's office is this way." She headed the rest of the way to her sister's chambers and knocked lightly on the door.