RP:Nothing More Deceptive

Part of the Rise of Larket Arc

Summary: Krice runs into Josleen in the fort's courtyard. Josleen's sulky behavior over Kelovath leads Krice to suspect that Macon has abused her. Josleen, who knows that Macon has not abused her, is confused by Krice's demeanor. Both want information from the other, but neither one of them wants to give up what they know. They part on strange terms.

Fort Freedom, Larket

Josleen walks along the inner courtyard of the fort (between the exterior-most wall and inner wall of the castle proper). She wears a long, silky winter dress beneath an expensive looking fur coat and hat. Though she looks healthy and looked after, a heaviness weighs on her shoulders, dims the light of her spirit. Her walk seems aimless, unlike her thoughts which seem engrossed in something far away from this place. One thought in particular makes her frown.

Krice was allowed into the fort with his katana strapped to his back, probably because of his good reputation in neighbouring Kelay - as long as he kept the weapon sheathed, and visible. Opposing Josleen's pristine attire, he wore his usual black clothing, smart-casual slacks with a button-down shirt, the collar open and sleeves rolled to his elbows. The enigma arrived at the courtyard just as Josleen passed by, which caused him to halt on the threshold. Only two steps separated them before he called to her by name, his tone harbouring bewilderment that was further reflected in the finer lines of his expression. He was almost surprised to see her.

Josleen looks up when a familiar voice calls her name and yanks her back from her dark reverie. "Krice?" His surprise is reflected in her face. She also understands his surprise, the Thane of Frostmaw who was run from Larket shouldn't be here, and yet she cannot bring herself to explain anything just yet. It's been a whirlwind few weeks that have left fissures in her soul. To speak of those wounds may reopen them so she cautiously avoids the subject of herself. "What brings you here?"

Krice was privy to Josleen's evasiveness and allowed her to maintain it, answering her question as to his presence in Larket. " I was visiting a friend, among other things." His gaze briefly drifted from her face and strayed across the fur wrapped around her shoulders. With a brow arched, he commented, " Nice coat. Looks warm, at least."

Josleen sees her evasiveness reflected in Krice. Surprised and cagey, two people who have no obvious reason to be here avoiding the needling comments and questions of the other. She simply smiles at his coat comment then returns to the subject of what brings Krice here. "Valen?" She guesses. "I met with him recently. Your name came up in passing." Knowing how touchy Krice is about people speaking of him, she adds an explanation. "He thought of setting me up with a date to a play I want to see here in town. He suggested your name as a possible date." She grins impishly at the warrior. "I don't think he will follow through on this match making, don't worry."

Krice arched a brow at Josleen's guess, and it remained up through her following words. He wasn't particularly -touchy- about people using him as a topic of conversation, but it -did- pique his interest. And switch on his cautiousness. Once reassured that her meeting with the red-haired vampire had been for match-making purposes, the warrior inherently settled and he diverted his gaze, looking around at the fort's courtyard. " You're beautiful and intelligent. I don't think anyone would worry about being matched with you." Thereafter, he answered her guess with a shake of the head. " But no - I barely know the guy. I was here to visit someone else."

Josleen grins at the compliment which is much more forward than anything she is used to from Krice, and thus much more precious. "Then perhaps I'll ask you to the theater, if I find the time." She tells a small white lie here, as she has plenty of time and little to occupy it. Her real reason for not wanting to visit the theater with Krice, or any hetero red-blooded man, remains a secret. A guard spies on Krice and the Thane and Josleen, taking notice, suggests with her body language that the pair should keep walking a little ways around the curve of the wall. "And who is your friend?"

Krice managed a small smirk at Josleen's reply for reasons that remained his own, but as she directed him to keep walking, he did so and let the expression fade naturally from his face. A brief glance was sent in the direction of the nearby guard, but ultimately, his focus returned to - and remained on - the woman at his side. " Someone I've known for a long time," was his indirect answer to the woman's query. Lowering his voice so that only she could hear, and attuning his senses to noises and presences outside of their immediate bubble, the warrior discreetly asked, " How're things going here in Larket?"

Josleen sighs for a long time as she thinks of the best way to answer Krice's question. Her gaze wanders round the courtyard as if looking for her cue cards. What can she say? "... I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to say. War, politics, schemes, but nothing that should lead to more blood spilling, that's my goal. As for me personally..." She can't help a sudden, severe frown and she turns her face abruptly away from Krice. Once she has composed herself she says, "The King treats me well. I have a lovely room, dine as his guest, and then there's all this." She gestures at the furs and dress. "I believe he wants to resolve this war with Frostmaw peacefully, but that's all I can say. It's been..." Her voice grows thick with unspilled tears. "There's been a lot of surprises and I'm..." Again she frowns and her lip quivers. She turns her back to Krice and wipes away a rogue tear. "Sorry."

Krice was not expecting -any- of that. He stopped as Josleen turned away, taken aback by her revelation that she was the King's guest. Whilst the woman wrestled with her emotions, the warrior turned his attention away from her to coolly scan their surroundings, searching for signs that the King was nearby. Maybe that was the reason for the Guard's unwelcomed interest in his visit with Josleen? Watching her activities with which he could report back to a jealous, controlling King? The strong beat of his heart quickened in response to an abrupt but small spike in watchfulness and schooled apprehension. When he faced Josleen again, Krice clenched a fist at his side, keeping his hands to himself just in case that was usable against her. " I know little about him," the enigma murmured quietly, his voice marginally unsteady with emotions that he couldn't quite define, but managed to contain. " So far, everything I've heard makes me like him less and less." Josleen's secrecy about the King did little to assuage him of his discontent about Larket's political situation. War was coming, and secrecy was the last thing he needed.

Josleen didn't expect the emotion in Krice's voice and scans him over her shoulder through watery vision. She too doesn't dare touch Krice before the guards for fear of gossip, but her concerns are a degree different from his, resulting from the gulf between what she knows and what he knows. "What have you heard about him?"

Krice stared at Josleen studiously but made sure to keep his senses attuned to their surroundings, ready at a moment's notice for incoming Guards - or the King himself. His answer for the woman's query was a stiff, " Nothing to which you're willing to speak." His expression softened slightly, then, sympathy rendered in his gold-streaked eyes. " But you say it all without a word."

Krice's sharp reply puts Josleen on the back foot. 'The hell?' she thinks. Though she does not guess what Krice assumes has happened to her, she senses whatever his assumption may be, it is wrong. it's impossible for him, or anyone else, to guess the truth, the real source, of her suffering. In the wake of his sharp reply she feels unable to confide in him, too frayed and prone to sobbing. "Then I should go before by face betrays me further," she says regretfully, keen to disentangle herself and be alone in her room.

Krice likewise was not necessarily on the back foot, but his hackles were raised; there was uncertainty in the air between them, much more so than before. The woman's words of departure earned her his keen scrutiny, but it was not as harsh as she had perceived his answer before it. " When you're ready to openly speak the truth," he murmured, quiet enough for no nearby guards to overhear, " I'm a good listener." To spare the woman the awkwardness of leaving, the warrior pivoted away from Josleen and moved through the fort once more, calmly seeking the exit.

Josleen isn't sure what to say to Krice. His approach to her confuses her. What does he know? What does he believe happened? The feeling that she's missed something nags at the bard as she watches Krice go. Eventually she leaves too, to hide in her room until called upon by the king.