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PLAYED BY Crocuta
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Post by Bernard Goldsmith on May 26, 2015 22:45:53 GMT
There were a few Goldsmith residences. There were not many, though, given the habitual fratricide the children of the heads of the family went through—it had always been this way, though, and as such there were very few branches upon the family tree. The fact Bernard’s grandfather’s siblings were allowed to possess both the surname and their lives (well, some of them, anyway) was actually quite impressive. Hey, progress, right? Things were getting better. At any rate, among the few Goldsmith residences, the head residence—the Lord’s manor that everyone so covetously admired a palm tree lined boulevard down from the multitude of luxurious condos—was hosting a dinner party tonight. Nothing too big least someone start a rumor that Whitecoast was attempting to take offense at the upcoming Newhaven Ball, but it was large enough to get a small section in the paper. Besides, the weather was nice, and the view from Bernard’s dining hall was to die for. But, before anyone could get to that, they had to get through the entrance hall. Smooth river stones marked the entrance way. Soft, pastel walls with intricate molding made the backdrop to white wood tables with glass ornaments and coral décor. On the right was a portrait of the first Lord Goldsmith; he was a dark skinned man but his hair shined bright as the gold the family had originally worked. On the left, the portrait of Bernard’s late father still stood. The man was darker than Bernard was; after all, the new Lord had gotten his looks from his mother. Bernard’s portrait wasn’t finished yet, and he saw no reason to be so petty as to remove his father’s portrait before it was finished. But, standing in the light of the crystal-and-gold chandelier was Bernard, ready to greet the exclusive few he’d invited to his party. It was the eldest children of four or five children, some of the captains of his city (not all; what if something happened during the night?), as well as a few respectable, young, lovely women from Whitecoast. Dressed in a sweater vest, ascot, slacks, and dress jacket—along with appropriate accessories, of course—the Lord looked appropriately formal but not so stuffy that one might worry this was less than friendly. Always commanding respect, but he truly did think of himself as a benign ruler. To further the atmosphere of comradery, Pokemon wouldn’t be out during the meal itself. After all, they were less companions at best, weapons at worst. And, the evening was all about getting to know each other, right? Right. “Seth Kavanaugh!” Bernard greeted, raising a hand. His sableye looked up from the guest list. While unable to speak any human tongue, the sableye could read very well given its nature in aiding in banking, and it marked off Seth’s name from the roll. It might as well enjoy the social time before dinner, it supposed. “Good to see you again. Come in, come in; some of your peers are here. I think they were in training with you?”
tagged: Seth Kavanaughooc: tfw ur lord is heir hungry |
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Shinxy
| Just let the pain remind you hearts can heal |
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Post by Seth Kavanaugh on May 26, 2015 23:19:36 GMT
for all the air that's in your lungs A couple weeks ago, Seth had run into the lord of Whitecoast while lounging at the beach. It had been a brief, though important encounter. Despite being an awkward experience for Seth, he had learned a thing or two from Mr. Goldsmith. The two had known each other since Seth was a child, seeing as how he was from a wealthy family in Whitecoast and later joined the Empire military. Now that Seth has returned home for his service, it appears that the relationship between him and his lord is taking an interesting turn.
Shortly after that encounter--a mere few days--Seth had received an invitation. Not his parents. Not the Kavanaughs. Seth. It was very clearly labeled Seth Kavanaugh. But why would Mr. Goldsmith be inviting him to his residence for a dinner party without his family? It was enough to make the boy look toward the event with a good amount of anxiety. He had spent nearly an hour debating whether to wear his Empire uniform or a suit. The decision was made when Flamelord singed the uniform briefly. That earned the Pokemon quite the verbal scolding.
Seth arrived in a soft-blue suit accented with ivory colored trim. Blue and white were rather typical clothing colors seen in a coastal town such as this one, so it was a safe bet and wouldn't be at all flashy. It wasn't his first time in the mansion, but that didn't mean Seth didn't appreciate the decoration. It was quite the way to flaunt money--something rather common in Whitecoast, if we're being honest. Seth had his Pokemon safely enclosed in their pokeballs at his belt (you can never be too careful as a soldier) yet he felt their absence upon seeing the Sableye. Kitty always made him more comfortable, and this day was already turning out to be anxiety inspiring.
When Mr. Goldsmith called out his name happily, Seth put on the best smile he could manage and firmly shook his hand. "It's always a pleasure to be in the presence of one's lord." The words felt forced and insincere; Seth would have to do better as the night went on.
At the mention of 'friends' from the academy, Seth struggled to hide a cringe. A place like that was bound to be full of unpleasant memories, especially for someone so gentle as Seth. There had been plenty of problems during his time there, but he managed to get through largely on his family name. Some of his fellow former cadets were likely to feel some animosity at how easily he had been allowed to coast through. On one occasion, Seth had been told he wasn't worthy to be a soldier. Hopefully those weren't the people invited here today.
Seth looked around--at the people, the ornate house, the layout--seeming unsure what to do next. He needed guidance, in more ways than one.
480 ― this poor kid MADE BY KAIZU OF GS & TWF |
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PLAYED BY Crocuta
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Post by Bernard Goldsmith on May 27, 2015 0:53:19 GMT
Well, that was about as blatant an ass-kissing response as he’d ever heard, but the boy looked like he was ready to spook, so Bernard would excuse it for now. Why was Seth so uncomfortable, though? He didn’t have any reason to be.
Did he?
After a few more minutes, the last of the guests had arrived. Bernard entered as well, returning CJ and tucking the guest list into a jacket pocket, out of sight and out of mind.
In the meanwhile, the five other youths invited were socializing. One of the quieter ones nodded passively at Seth while a duo giggled behind their hands, the rattata on one of their shoulders whipping its tail anticipatorily. A more jovial one—though, possessing a very crass mouth—waved the boy over. Would he dare enter the group of youths? There were also senior officers and a few captains socializing with the fair socialites. He might have better luck with the sweet women; they’d consider him a cute young soldier, someone to lightly tease but treat a bit more like a younger brother or such. The senior officers might give him a bit of trouble for presuming they should entertain his interests…
But that was neither here nor there. Wherever Seth had decided to settle—or perhaps none of those places—Bernard would be in the room in short order, taking a glass off a tray the hired help now brought out.
“Thank you all so much for coming this evening. With summer coming, it’s a good season for Whitecoast. I’d like to celebrate the season of plenty with you. I hope we all get to know each other very well this evening.” The final sentence was edged towards a certain senior, anti-social officer. Said man straightened up. “Well. To the dining hall!”
In most cases, the dining hall boasted a long, impressive table. This evening however, there were many smaller tables. Bernard arranged them so that he and the senior officers and the captain would all be at different tables. Aside from that, there were no assigned seats. That said, it was clear one of the women was shamelessly sticking close to Bernard’s side, following him over to the table. There were three more seats available.
Would Seth join them?
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Shinxy
| Just let the pain remind you hearts can heal |
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Post by Seth Kavanaugh on May 27, 2015 2:50:13 GMT
for all the air that's in your lungs Taking a deep breath as if he were about to literally dive into something, Seth went for the young males. They were closest to him in age, and he figured he would be able to find something to talk about with them most easily--along with a few other reasons, of course. He knew two of the men from the academy, and he didn't think either of them held a grudge. A couple of them were cute, too, so why not enjoy the eye candy up close? The few short minutes seemed to drag on with Seth's anxiety toward the situation. Thankfully, the talk took some of the edge off.
Having taken a glass like the other guests, Seth toasted to the season. When they were beckoned to the dining hall, he was ambushed by another decision-making tragedy. He ultimately decided to sit at Mr. Goldsmith's table, seeing the empty seats. He supposed he was here for a reason and it would be nice to know what that reason was.
Once Seth sat down, he felt the need to give the obligatory thanks for the event, "Thank you for inviting me, Mr. Goldsmith, everything looks great!" Now that he was working toward getting more relaxed, the words sounded more sincere. Why were they here, anyway? The invitation hadn't really said... 219 ― decisions are hard MADE BY KAIZU OF GS & TWF |
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PLAYED BY Crocuta
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Post by Bernard Goldsmith on May 27, 2015 5:36:42 GMT
Soon, Bernard’s table was filled by the same bold beauty, Seth, and two of the young males Seth had been socializing with earlier. (Maybe they were trying to be friendly? It could just be that they also wanted to rub elbows with their Lord, though.) As the appetizers were brought out, the man nodded to Seth, putting his drink all the way down before he spoke.
Before he did such, the two other young soldiers followed suit. Hm. Were they playing follow the leader for brownie points or did Seth really have potential to be shaped into a leader? He’d chalk it up to chance, for now.
“You’re all welcome,” he returned.
The woman, however, spoke up. “Mister? That’s an awful familiar way of speaking to your Lord, like he’s your neighbor…”
The Kavanaughs were rather important, considering their wealth and their constant supply of war ready bodies to the empire. As such, no matter how beautiful this woman was, Bernard was quick to cut his eyes towards her, warm gaze going frosty. “Our families are close.” There was an unspoken insult, that hers was not one of the good families. “Again, this is supposed to be a time for us to all get to know one another. I’m looking to expand the family, as it were. But, remember your place.”
Bernard then continued as if nothing had happened, taking the first bite of the meal and thus allowing everyone else to start as etiquette dictated. The snail-stuffed mushrooms might be a bit palette challenging for the youngsters, but that was just another part of his analysis. He would accept no unrefined youth as an heir… in the same manner he would accept no sharp tongued upstart as a wife.
Well, there’s the others my senior officers are examining as well, Bernard thought bitterly, face pleasant all the while.
In the meantime, the other two young soldiers were recovering from shock. Looking to expand the family…?! Rumor had spread of their Lord’s age and his family’s infamous habit of lining up successors clashing, but for him to make this sort of move—would he possibly start looking for an heir to groom to replace him already?!
“How has everyone’s training been? Enjoying being stationed here?” he began, effectively shutting the woman out of the conversation. She ate in miserable silence, trying to keep an appropriate expression but clearly upset to have been cut out of the game so early. “Given the Newhaven Ball coming up, I think I’ll set up a larger night patrol for the week that’s to happen.” He’d let them speculate from there on why he might do that. It would be good to hear their ideas.
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Shinxy
| Just let the pain remind you hearts can heal |
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Post by Seth Kavanaugh on May 27, 2015 7:05:00 GMT
for all the air that's in your lungs Seth was content with the seating arrangements; it would have been much less pleasant to sit with the women or captains as the adults would likely draw attention away from him--or worse, force it onto him. With two other young soldiers, he was likely to have an equal share of the conversation. After their encounter a couple weeks ago along with their family's being acquainted, Seth was interested in getting to know his noble more. It didn't hurt that one of the other boys was quite attractive, serving as a distraction for Seth. I'm sure if someone were observant enough, they would notice his fancy.
'Looking to expand the family'? He wouldn't. Seth wasn't so blind as to ignore the facts: Mr. Goldsmith was thirty, unmarried and childless. He had extended family, but given the family history, Seth knew the competitive tendencies would lead the noble to pursue an heir of his own. Looking around the room at the tables with that in mind, the guestlist finally made sense. Attractive women in their child-bearing years, and young men he might able to 'adopt' in a way. And were the captains here to help him scope out the potentials? No.
With the realization, Seth felt he had the upper hand as he would be better able to pick up on Mr. Goldsmith's cues--it appeared he was already testing them in conversation--though he felt a surge of anxiety. Did he want to be this man's heir? If his parents knew, they would certainly want that. Being groomed to become a noble was nothing to sneeze at.
Seth wasted no time in giving his comments, "You know I'm from Whitecoast, sir, so it's great to be home. What better place is there to be stationed?" Seth gave a meaningful nod to the windows and the beautiful view. "As for the ball, I doubt Newhaven is the only place Spectre will be gunning for--especially with all attention drawn to the city for it. I can see the wisdom in increasing the guard while you're away." There was a short pause for Seth's words to set in, whether to impress his peers or his superiors. "You will be going to the ball, won't you, sir? My parents insisted on going. Representing Whitecoast at such an important event seems almost necessary." Those his tone was shaky at times, belying his nerves, Seth was being sincere. He did love being at home, and he wasn't a complete fool in strategy.
As for the food, Seth took a few bites to give others a shot at the conversation. He appeared to enjoy the delicacy. 436 ― Kiss ass more obviously, seth MADE BY KAIZU OF GS & TWF |
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PLAYED BY Crocuta
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Post by Bernard Goldsmith on May 27, 2015 15:11:03 GMT
The praise of Whitecoast brought warmth to Bernard’s heart, especially coming from another local. He truly did love his home city. It was paradise, to him.
“Certainly not. They’re mongrels—they’ll be desperate for supplies, and we won't give them a scrap,” he insisted. Truly these Spectre tramps were the lowest of the low. The Empire offered them everything—a land where they and their ancestors had lived, free from outside competition, as well as a chance to rise in ranks if they would only put forth the good effort. The whole traitorous nature of the ordeal sickened him. They needed to be culled like a misshapen pup out of a litter. “Naturally.” He had business and social callings to go. Furthermore, he would like to see the executions live. “I participated in the little manhunts after; it’s always good to see more filth cleansed from our great nation’s ground.”
“Who’s going to stay behind to guard the city?” one of the youths inquired, continuing the conversation.
The one Seth thought was cute glanced at him as he spoke. “Right. With how lovely our city is, while going to the ball would be glorious, I don’t think staying around here would be too bad.”
“I should hope not. I feel bad expecting more work from the military during a time we’re celebrating our quick end to a would-be rebellion, so I’ll personally be funding daily catering to those who are on the week’s patrol. Preference for being on duty will be given to those whose families aren’t as… established—“ He was trying to be polite “—so that young soldiers may make a name for themselves, while those whose families might have higher requests on their presence may go to the ball if they wish.” Truly Bernard was a benign Lord, no?
Soon, the appetizers were taken away and a salad was put in its place. The beautiful woman picked at it while Bernard ate heartily. While Seth had the appeal of understanding strategy and being a native, there was more to examine. He wouldn't make a decision tonight, merely make a final list of those he would continue to keep tabs on.
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Shinxy
| Just let the pain remind you hearts can heal |
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Post by Seth Kavanaugh on May 27, 2015 18:37:58 GMT
for all the air that's in your lungs From the conversation, Seth seemed to be winning favor from his lord. The noble wasn't divulging much in the way of his personal feelings, but he didn't react negatively to anything Seth said, so it certainly wasn't going poorly.
As Mr. Goldsmith agreed with his comments, there were a few parts where his tone got rather harsh. Namely when talking about Spectre. Seth understood the rebellion had to be quelled, and that tone said he dare not disagree with the noble. Yet Seth didn't have it in him to think so harshly. Stop the rebellion? Definitely. Punish those who hurt others? Absolutely. But these people were... people.
Another quote that caught Seth's ear was regarding "more established houses". Was Seth's parentage giving him an edge again? He always felt squeamish when he was given unfair benefits like that. Not that he ever refused them. The other two at the table were not from wealthier houses--one of them wasn't even from Whitecoast.
Seth had been silent for a few minutes, taking turns between processing the conversation and stealing looks at the attractive guy two seats away from him. If Mr. Goldsmith was favoring him, he wondered how well his, uhh, fancies would go over. "I think I'll be attending the ball as well. Gotta keep my family safe, right?" Family first. That had to be a good card to play with this guy, didn't it? 234 ― even i'm curious what bernie will think of seth's attractions MADE BY KAIZU OF GS & TWF |
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PLAYED BY Crocuta
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Post by Bernard Goldsmith on May 27, 2015 21:31:25 GMT
After a moment, Bernard realized two of the boys were flirting. Momentarily, mild shock ran across his face. It changed to a split second furrowing of his brows, which was thankfully covered by the servers approving with the main course. Busying himself with the smoked eel, Bernard allowed himself consider, exactly, how this went over with him.
After a moment of debate, he realized many routes could be considered for this sort of thing. What if Seth and another candidate did end up close? He’d have two military minded people co-ruling Whitecoast, then. The only con was that there was no way he could imagine to bring the Goldsmith family back into power after. Well, there were, but those could be considered later. Besides… they’d always ruled Whitecoast. … maybe he could just fold the Kavanaughs into them as a branch family.
Conclusion: odd to him, but he could work with it.
“Family is most important,” Bernard agreed. “I myself can’t wait for the day I have children of my own to dote on, but you boys and the rest of the soldiers will have to deal with me for now!” he joked, laughing himself to let them know it was fine to do such.
Mostly, he was seeing where the young soldiers’ plans lied.
The non-native soldier let out a barking laugh. “Hope you’re havin’ fun with that, sir. Can’t say I’m near ‘bout ready to go havin’ kids.”
The woman found this to be her chance to finally join the conversation again. “I love children, myself. The young ones, especially.”
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Shinxy
| Just let the pain remind you hearts can heal |
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Post by Seth Kavanaugh on May 27, 2015 21:50:07 GMT
for all the air that's in your lungs There was no denying the Mr. Goldsmith's real motive for inviting these select guests for dinner: he was looking for an heir, and Seth was in the running. The Goldsmith's had indeed run Whitecoast for as long as the history books knew. Seth could already see the noble trying to betroth him to a niece. That would undoubtedly complicate things. As for Seth being a noble himself...
It was something to think about. Seth had barely made it out of the academy and was still a rather timid soldier. It would take quite some tutelage to bring him up to a worthy point to become Mr. Goldsmith's successor. After some internal debate (the thoughts furrowing Seth's brow and keeping him out of the conversation for a minute) the boy decided he should go for it. Shoot for the stars right? Even if it only served to make him worry about all the growing up he still needed to do.
Chewing his food thoughtfully and listening to the conversation for a bit, Seth decided to jump on a lull in it, "Looking for an heir, sir? Family is important, and the Goldsmiths have quite the noble history, if you'll excuse the pun." It was a stretch, a dangerous longshot. Seth was bringing Mr. Goldsmith's intentions out in the open. Seth was also giving his own sort of test--testing the waters, really--to see if the lord liked wit in his candidates. The bluntness risked not only the noble's approval, but the awareness of the situation of his peers--assuming they hadn't figured it out yet. Seth was smiling invitingly, though his nerves were starting to show again as well. 276 ― go for gold MADE BY KAIZU OF GS & TWF |
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PLAYED BY Crocuta
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Post by Bernard Goldsmith on May 28, 2015 0:00:30 GMT
The man let out a barking laugh—it was at the pun of course. To be so nervy sometimes, it seems when Seth had a mind to, he could be bold. Very well, then. The boy made it onto the list. He’d see how the boy did over the next few months along with whoever else his captains decided would make good heirs; after they gained his approval, he’d start personally grooming the future Noble.
“I am. And, I’m pleased with the results for the night.” Approval. Tangible proof that Seth had made the right choice, a sentence he could quote back to his parents. “I’ll see how things continue.” A congratulations and a warning. “The family will expand, one way or another.”
The cute soldier let out his own laugh, reaching over to clap Seth on the shoulder. “Well, ambitious, aren’t we?” He nodded. “I like that.”
“This is a lot to take in,” the non-native muttered.
The woman merely continued eating.
As he finished off his eel, Bernard made a mental note: for his boldness, he would see to it that Seth was rewarded. He appreciated honestly and openness. The next time he ran into something good, he’d be sure to pass it along to the boy. For now, it was merely a good tally in his corner. |
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