Details, Details, Details

[Darastrix]

Forces, Jane could hardly believe this was happening.  She and her son were arriving at the Palace of Winds to meet with the Queen and discuss a betrothal contract.  Of course, she'd known that Tristan had been among the young men Luminous was considering, but this was still a surprise.  And she worried a bit, of course.  Zira was such a romantic, and in the end hadn't been able to abide the thought of staying where he couldn't marry for love.  She didn't want to see her youngest son in such a situation.

But Tristan seemed to have inherited a great deal of William's pragmatism and wasn't quite so romantic.  He liked Luminous and enjoyed her company.  Since his dinner with her, he'd thought over it more, and the idea of marrying someone he wasn't in love with...wasn't really a bad one, as long as they could like and respect each other.  There were worse things than living with and working with a friend, though he was still enough of a romantic to hope that love - mutual love - would enter the picture eventually.  And they could do some good for the kingdom together.  His family's business was profitable, but not exactly world-changing.

"You are sure?" Jane asked again, pausing before the door.

"I'm sure.  Everything will be fine," Tristan assured her, clasping her hands briefly before turning to walk in with his mother.

[Kender Bard]

The servants, having expected the arrival of the Fells, were swift to usher the pair into a room that was generally set aside for business meetings of the kingdom. As such, it had a large table for laying out plenty of documents with plenty of space for maneuvering and standing side-by-side so multiple people could read. Already there were a few sheets of parchment with writing waiting, but also copious amounts of blank sheets, inkwells and quills. Lya sat in a chair nearby with Luminous walking about, caught mid-sentence as the servants ushered in the Fells. "--shall have to write him. Oh!"

Luminous locked eyes on Tristan first, and her smile was broad and welcoming. Then she looked at Lady Jane and it became a bit more... nervous. She curtsied to Jane. "Lady Fell, thank you for coming."

Lya rose as well, regarding the scene with amusement. At least she had never had to deal with the nervousness of confronting an in-law. Then again, this was a far different scene from her own engagement to Shadow. "It's good to see you, Lady Jane. And Lord Tristan, a delight to meet with you in far too long. Would either of you like refreshment or shall we begin?"

[Darastrix]

Tristan smiled back at Luminous, wishing for a moment that their mothers weren't there.  They were getting engaged; shouldn't they do...something more than stand there and smile at each other?  Oh well, formal it was.  Tristan gave a bow while Jane curtsied.

"It's good to see you both," she murmured, "particularly under such pleasant circumstances."  Even if she was 'losing' her other boy.

Tristan turned his smile on Lya then, saying "It's lovely to see you again, Majesty.  Refreshment would be nice, thank you."

[Kender Bard]

Lya went to speak with a servant about bringing something to drink and perhaps a bit of dried fruit to nibble on. With her mother occupied, Luminous approached Tristan (with a nervous glance for Jane) before taking Tristan's hand in her own. "I'm excited," she told him in a light tone. "I didn't think I would be, before this, but... Well... I just..." Words failing, she hugged him instead and hoped nobody minded.

Lya glanced at the pair with a slight smile before focusing her attention back on Jane. "How is Lord Wintersong doing? Do you think he'd accept an invitation to dine or perhaps to a party of some sort? I feel that there really should be a celebration to mark the event."

[Darastrix]

Oh, now that was better.  Tristan grinned and hugged her back.  "I know," he said quietly.  "I think all the planning and considering kind of distracts you, and then suddenly, we're here."

Jane looked at Tristan and Luminous with a somewhat wistful expression for a moment before smiling at Lya.  "He's doing well, though busy.  I understand there's a great deal of rebuilding in Anarlina, and his was the first province to be overrun.  I'm sure he'd be happy to accept an invitation, though.  He and Tristan are close and I know he'd want to meet his brother's betrothed."

[Kender Bard]

Luminous nodded her agreement, letting go of him but keeping hold of his hand.

"Excellent," Lya enthused happily. "Well then I know what my daughter and I will get to plan next." Luminous made an excited sound; she loved parties. Lya thanked the servant that brought the refreshments then and helped herself to a little cold apple pastry.

The queen waited for the guests to help themselves and make themselves comfortable before broaching the subject of their being there. "I think foremost we need to decide what an appropriate timeframe would be for the wedding." She glanced at Luminous. "In that I leave the decision up to you on how long you wish to wait for Tristan to grow older. As long as there is a contract in place, I feel no need to rush an actual wedding. All I ask is that there be a clause that states that should I fall victim to an untimely death before the decided upon waiting period is over, that a marriage be moved up immediately. Luminous will need to marry and secure the throne as soon as possible in that event."

[Darastrix]

Jane nodded at the mention of a clause. "Understandable," she agreed. "Tristan?" She was content to let him and Luminous decide on the timing. She'd married fairly young herself.

Tristan looked at Luminous. "I think I'd like to wait until I'm seventeen," he told her. "That would give us almost a year and a half."

[Kender Bard]

"That sounds good to me," Luminous agreed.

"Next point of order is that while I'm certain Tristan's education as a House head has been full and will mostly applicable as a king, there are certain points of matter that he will require further tutoring in," Lya said. "Primarily the finer points of legislation, law, and foreign diplomacy."

"Could I tutor him?" Luminous asked.

"You will be busy too," Lya told her. "You can feel free to offer assistance on your own free time."

[Darastrix]

And theeeere was the work Tristan had known would be coming.  He smiled at Luminous' suggestion.  "When you do have the time, I'd appreciate it."  They would be working together one day, and that was a good way to start.

"Tristan has his own tutors, of course, but are there any specific tutors for those areas of study that Your Majesty recommends?" Jane asked.

"Should I make arrangements with Lady Calder to start observing audiences and the like as well?" Tristan added.

[Kender Bard]

"I was actually about to suggest Lady Calder," Lya agreed with a smile for Tristan. "I figured that Tristan's own tutors could teach him these things. I merely ask that an emphasis be placed on those areas in particular. But I do think that that time should be spent observing Luminous and Lady Laura at work. Perhaps when he nears his seventeenth birthday, he can even begin to do some work alongside them, in a capacity."

"Don't go rushing into the tedious bits so fast," Luminous whispered jokingly to him with a faint giggle.

"All in all, I leave the details to you," Lya concluded with a nod to Jane. "Next order of business is the dowry."

What, being made king isn't enough? Luminous thought with more humor.

"Considering our status and the fact that we are taking time away from what would ordinarily be Tristan's normal noble duties, I think that a sum of..." Lya rustled her feathers as she thought, trying to foresee what the royal coffers would look like in a couple years. "Mm... Fifteen gold? To be paid to House Fell upon marriage."

Luminous's eyes widened at the sum.

[Darastrix]

"But it gets them over with more quickly," Tristan whispered back with a grin.

Forces.  "That is a very generous sum," Jane replied, only able to conceal her own surprise by virtue of the fact that she'd had to deal with her late husband's business ventures since his death.

Tristan just looked poleaxed.  His family was wealthy and money and financial accounts were things he was familiar with, but a single payment of such an amount was unheard of to him.  Fifteen gold. 

Welcome to royalty, kid.

[Kender Bard]

"That may need renegotiating when we arrive somewhat closer to the actual date," Lya cautioned. "But I imagine the amount won't fluctuate too much. I believe that covers all the most important parts. Is there anything you wished to add before we read over the contracts?"

This went a little quicker than I expected, Luminous thought. She certainly didn't want to stand about while their mothers made sure to check the writing on everything though. "When they're done, I'd like to have a word with you alone," Luminous murmured to Tristan.

[Darastrix]

"There is one matter of inheritance," Jane said thoughtfully.  "I know Tristan will be Head of the House by the time they wed, but if - Efil forbid - something should happen to him before they have children, I would like to see a portion of our vineyards and assets be given to Zira.  Those that are located within Anarlina, at least.  It's mostly sentiment; our House's business has always been passed from parent to child, and even though he has his own House, he's still part of William's line."

"Of course," Tristan said with a nod as he listened to his mother speak.  He had no objections himself, it was his brother.

[Kender Bard]

"That's no trouble to me," Lya agreed.

Luminous tried not to cringe at the discussion of children though she did silently wince slightly. Forces. I hope that won't be for a very long time. She might be growing excited at the prospect of marriage, but being saddled with a child was not on her list of things to look forward to.

Well. Royal duties were what they were. Those can wait though.

"Anything else?" Lya asked.

[Darastrix]

Tristan wasn't eager to get on with having children as soon as they married, either.  There would be enough for him to learn and get used to without throwing a child in the mix.  Thank goodness for babybane.

"I think the terms are acceptable, then," Jane said.  "Tristan?"

He nodded.  "I don't have anything to add, either."