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Before Dinner In The Star Chamber Ingrey Chadwick

Ingrey swirled around the room in a manner and method that seemed practiced, and natural, a glass of wine in his hand. His eyes briefly showed unguarded interest when he gave a glance to Islain, but he merely gave a nod to her as Damien engaged her in conversation. Too, he gave a nod to Doctor Delluth as he headed toward Florimel.

Finally, Ingrey decided, he would make the boy feel a little more comfortable.

"Chadwick." he said as he turned his footsteps, and announced his intentions to speak to Florimel's son as he approached in a casual walk. "Good evening to you."

"Oh, hello," he replied in fascination with the gentleman's outfit. "You're one of the Chaosian diplomats, aren't you? I'm afraid your name escapes me, but I know you're under the Lady... Parloma? I hope that's her name."

Ingrey gave a small indulgence in the form of a smile, even as he shook his head. "Her Excellency is Paloma Baccaran. I won't bore you with her other titles and designations, they aren't relevant." Ingrey said. He then turned a note of kindness at his voice. "You were busy with your own heroics, but I, too, was on the dock this morning, after my visit...our visits, to the Queen. I understand that you did good work in helping contain the conflagration."

"It's only a shame that such accidents occur," Chadwick said. "I tried my best, but some people still breathed in some of the smoke. Besides, under those conditions, what else could I have done?"

"Did you enjoy your visit to Petra Rossi's ship, Chadwick?" Ingrey asked delicately.

"I hardly had the chance to talk to her, but I met..." he looked around to see if his mother was paying attention. Not seeing her, he responded quietly, "a woman of such charm and sophistication as to be unequaled. I don't mind telling you that I'm quite smitten. This morning I returned to give her the finest gifts," and at this he took a moment to look for Morgan, whom he clearly did see and frowned, "that I could find in Amber." Morgan, leaning against a wall holding a glass in one hand and a bottle in the other, caught Chadwick's glance and smiled at him. He lifted the glass in a salute, then made a vaguely obscene gesture with the bottle.

Had it been more obscene and less vague, Chadwick might have understood it. As was, he was forced to raise an eyebrow in response and remember that he absolutely had to delve into the esoterica that the castle's library had on certain subjects. He turned his attention back to Ingrey.

Ingrey didn't respond to Morgan's gesture in any manner. Instead, he continued to focus his attention on Chadwick, taking a sip of wine.

"The staff of the Ramblin Queen can be intoxicating that way." Ingrey agreed readily. "I can see how someone like you would find one of them to your favor, and vice versa." He regarded Chadwick and gave a nod. "I am familiar with many of the staff of the Queen. So, tell me, Chadwick, so I don't have to ask each and every one of them. Which of the staff has caught the eye of the Hero of the Fire?"

"Lily*," he said quietly with a mischievous grin. "The woman... surpasses all others. I rather think we'll wed someday soon."

It was fortunate for Ingrey that years of Diplomatic work had given him experience in dealing with surprising turns of phrase and answers to question. Even given all of this, he could not completely school his surprise at Chadwick's sincere and heartfelt and honest declaration.

Ingrey covered it up with a sip of his wine, and gave a nod.

"Lily is a relatively new member of Petra's staff." Ingrey said. "And so I am not as familiar with her abilities and her position on the ship as the others." he said, giving a smile. "From all accounts, though, she is a sweet girl. But, then, Petra is very discriminating in who she allows to work for her."

"You said that you plied her with gifts already?" Ingrey prompted.

"Oh, yes: chocolates, flowers, and..." He was still uncertain about the sausages. They were certainly something one didn't mention in polite society, for some reason. "And other goods. She seemed quite pleased."

Ingrey gave a nod. "Chocolates and flowers are traditional methods to woo and show affection to a worthy young woman." He considered Chadwick speculatively for a few moments. "If she finds your suit in favor, Chadwick." Ingrey continued. "Although my culture is very different than Amber's, I know a little of what women like. Goods are all well and appreciated, the type depending on the particulars. However, I counsel you not to smother Lily with such things too enthusiastically."

"Instead." Ingrey said. "If your suit is serious and sincere..." he fixed Chadwick with his gaze for a few moments, as if he were a counselor that Ingrey was meeting across a discussion table.

"Then, if I might be permitted to advise you, your next move would be, after a few days to allow her to enjoy the gifts you have already given, would be to give her something of the heart and yourself. Something you own, or something you create, yourself. Something she might look upon not as a good, but as a part of you that she can keep and remind herself of the sincerity and honor of your suit."

He had looked like he had all those bases covered, having rendered a piece of work in chocolate, when Ingrey said "keep". Chocolate gets eaten. He was all ears.

"For instance." Ingrey continued. "Have you heard of the Shadow called Letheras?"

"No," he said with heightened curiosity. Eager to please Lily, he listened closely.

"Well, that world is dominated by humans much like the folk of Amber, a mercenary folk interested only in wealth, and a tall race who live at the margins of the world, a people more concerned with honor and nobility than money. These Tiste have an unusual custom. I don't say that you should emulate it, but their custom of betrothal will illustrate what I mean by a gift of oneself"

"If a man of the Tiste wishes to wed a woman of his people, he forges a sword with his own hands, the finest sword he can create." He then goes to the woman's house, and he presents himself and the sword to her, holding the blade across his palms."

"He offers this blade of his own manufacture to her. If the woman accepts the suit, she accepts the sword, and buries it near the house. A year is set, and a year is the time of the engagement. If at the end of the year the two still wish to marry, the woman unearths the buried weapon, and in so doing, acknowledges that the two are now married, the sword kept as a token of her man's love and devotion to her. If she does not wish to marry him, the sword is not unearthed and the engagement ended. It's the woman's choice, always, that's the way the Tiste are."

"So if you are indeed serious about Lily and want to press a suit for her, Chadwick." Ingrey spoke in all seriousness."What you need must do is present a suitable gift of the heart, from yourself, that fits in with her culture. I myself have not been to Cornaro enough, and know you not well enough to suggest such a gift myself, unfortunately." Ingrey admitted.

"However, if I *were* to advise you." Ingrey continued. "Remarkable as she is, it would be good for you in any event to go and learn more about her world and background, her culture, before you press your suit too much further. Lily would certainly appreciate that the next time you do see her, that you know more about where she comes from and can understand her even better."

He finished his glass of wine.

"But you do have some background in finding out about cultures and such," he added. "Tell me, would the castle library be a good place to start researching her homeland? How can I even be sure she does come from there? Does everyone on that ship come from the same place?" Now Chadwick seemed to be turning inward with these questions before lifting his head.

"Thank you, Ingrey. You are a good man."

Ingrey gave a nod.

"I will tell you of the Three strands, Chadwick, and then I will release you to the rest of your family to converse, for me to speak to others. When *I* research a place, I first read about it, reading accounts of the people, the place, and their history. Second, I speak to someone who has been there, or preferably, someone who has lived there, to get a personal view of the place to inform and expand on what I have read. And then, third and finally, I visit it, and see and judge for myself and weave all of the strands of information together into a whole web."

He took a glass from a passing demon and gave a sincere small bow to Flora's son. "Good luck, Chadwick."