– Present–
– Dargonus –
Abelard's point of view -
Abelard was woken up by his servo-skull, which emitted a kind of fanfare music as it enounced happily : " Glory to the von Valancius dynasty ! "
It was still dark outside. Abelard felt confused for a second - was he on the flagship ? On Dargonus ? From the open windows came a scent of pines and thyme. Dargonus, then.
With the training of years in naval service, which left the old man with no complacency towards himself, he quickly swung out of his bed. After washing his face and body in cold water and arranging his long, grey hair in his classic ponytail, Abelard straightened and gestured for his servants to come in.
" I need recaff, and quickly !" he barked.
The young servant swiftly retreated in the shadows of the anteroom and came back with a silver mug steaming hot, filled to the top with hot, delicious recaff. Abelard went to sit by his diner table - a table sufficient enough to welcome twenty persons, made in pure wood imported from Janus. There was a time when this table had been bristiling with life - children, grand-children sat together around him. Now he was alone and he had been so for a few years.
He took his morning breakfast in silence. Only the soft steps of the servants bringing him food, meat, and fruits could be heard. His data-slate and bead comm started regularly buzzing as the reports from the night came in. The sun would not rise for two hours at least.
Abelard loved to wake up early. This moment was the only one that was purely his during the whole day. After that, there would be nothing but problems, big and small. But here, for a few minutes, with his steaming mug of coffee…there was silence. Blessed, blissful silence.
As he finished his breakfast, he straightened and stepped towards a huge painting decorating his reception room. The artwork covered the whole wall. It featured Abelard and his wife, with their six children and, at the time, their first four grand-children. He was younger then. His hair was still black, but he had already lost his left eye and his visor flashed red with patriarchal authority in the framework. The younger Abelard looked proud, holding on to his beautiful wife's arm. Her face was ever so serene and intelligent. Laughing wrinkles had narrowed down her strikingly clear blue eyes. Her brown hair was styled in an elegant hairdo - he remembered fondly how she had complained about the hour she had spent to get the hair right. It was years ago. Still, he thought he could hear her warm voice, her laugh like bells in the night. She wore this stupidly expensive dress he had bought her a few months after becoming Theodora's Seneschal.
Lady Werserian. The light of his life. Gone, except in his memories and in this painting.
As the servants left the room discreetly, Abelard bowed his head in sadness.
" I miss you, my love", he said.
Just as he said every morning, ever since she had come to pass. His mourning knew no end. It would always feel wrong to stand in this room where they had lived, where they had loved each other. His wife was everywhere and nowhere at once. Sometimes he wished he had Idira's powers, sometimes he wished her ghost would visit him. Those were heretical thoughts, for such was the weight of the pain. Love could twist any man's mind. Still, everything remained painstakingly empty. Or rather, filled with the notion of her absence.
He got on his knees in front of the altar dedicated to the God-Emperor and prayed for a few minutes, asking for His guidance and strength to do his duty.
After that, he entered his anteroom, where the last of his servants waited for him, presenting him with his uniform, armor, and boots. Abelard flashed them an indifferent look as he slowly pressed his fingers against the fabric of the uniform, checking that it was correctly unwrinkled. The servant responsible for this task started quivering in terror as the old officer took an absurdly long time to check that the work was done to his liking.
" Hmpf", finally said Abelard, which was the closest thing to a compliment he could muster towards his servants. They relaxed and helped him put on his equipment.
Time to meet with the officers. Abelard took the lead towards the wardens' room, where most of the guards and officers were waiting for him in line. As he entered, the hundred men stationed there stiffly saluted, echoing all together at once :
" First Officer Werserian, Seneschal of the illustrious Rogue Trader ! Glory to the von Valancius dynasty ! May His light ever shine on the Rogue Trader !"
Abelard clasped his hands in the back and surveyed the room patiently, slowly walking amongst the ranks of men and women. He examined their posture critically, the state of their uniforms, the overall cleanliness of their armors and weapons. The youngest officers couldn't quite hide the tremor of fear in their eyes as the Seneschal leant above them, his visor flashing red.
" Is that a wrinkle on your uniform, warden ?" asked Abelard slowly to one of the newly arrived officers.
The young man looked straight at a point situated to the right of Abelard's shoulders - just as the First officer had taught them. Never look a commanding officer in the eyes. That would just provoke them.
" My deepest apologies, Sir ! I will correct it at once !"
" Do we have time to lose, warden, over the fact that you can not present yourself in an acceptable state for your morning patrol routine ?" asked back Abelard, his voice now dripping with acid.
A wave of fear rolled through the rank of men as the nearest neighbors of the young officer started straightening stiffer. Cold beads of sweat dripped down their foreheads. It was very hot in the room. One perceptive ear could even pick up on the soft mumblings looking like a prayer.
" Negative, sir !"
" Remind me what is your sacred duty, officer…?"
" To serve and protect House von Valancius, no matter the cost, sir !"
" Do you believe yourself worthy enough for that glorious purpose ?"
" Aye sir yes sir !"
" Then you and your squad will have no qualms cleaning up the latrines for the next month as rightful punishment for your negligence, shall you ?"
Someone discreetly refrained a sigh inside the rank. A certain newbie officer would certainly pay his inattention dearly as soon as the Seneschal was out of the room.
" I…no sir ! It shall be done sir !" quivered the young man, sweat now dripping abundantly from his face.
Abelard leant closer and menacingly said : " Never present yourself unprepared before me again, young man. Negligence is the mother of mistakes, and I tolerate no mistakes under my watch."
The junior officer emitted a tremor resembling a "yes sir", his eyes widening in panic. Abelard straightened up once again, satisfied. Newly appointed junior officers never failed to amuse him greatly. He had found out, with time and experience, that the best way to tame a group of junior officers was to instill a sacred fear of him so deeply into their bones and brains that even in their dreams and nightmares, they would still obey the old First Officer.
After having properly exercised his authority over the young officers and dispatched them for their daily routines and patrols, Abelard strolled towards the Rogue Trader's office. He waited a few minutes in the anteroom as the servants of Lady von Valancius announced his arrival and ushered him in.
With no surprise, Elena was already up and working. Considering she had served as a specialist for years in the Imperial Guard, it didn't surprise him much. She wore a stern black uniform, buttoned up from neck to toes. Her long blonde hair was braided on the side. Her vividly pale face was cold and imperious. She had black circles under her mutated eyes. Yet, despite her blatant fatigue, she maintained a form of assertiveness and energy at all times, as if a secret chord inside of her was ever vibrating with resolve and conviction. What she saw in front of her that ignited such flame within, the Seneschal could only guess.
She stood behind her office, her servo-skulls bringing her multiple data-slates at once. An empty mug of recaff rested over the railing of her balcony.
Abelard took a good look at her, evaluating her mood and state of mind. He had grown accustomed to Elena von Valancius by now. He wasn't fazed by her strange, uncanny accuracy anymore. But she had developed new quirks lately - such as her strange, new compulsive mania involving spiral patterns. He wondered what it meant.
What amused him, in this exact moment, was the resemblance between Elena and her august predecessor. When he watched over her, he was somehow reminded of a younger version of Theodora. Same hair color. Same haughty look on their faces. To his immeasurable dismay, the same boldness, recklessness. It had sometimes felt, when he worked with Theodora, that he was playing with fire. He never could predict what Theodora would do or say. He never really knew the depths of her mind, never pierced through her secretive nature. He missed the memory of the wayward young Rogue Trader that had snatched him out of naval service.
Elena hated to be compared with her predecessor with a passion. Yet she had a likeliness within her. As time passed by, it became a painful reminder to Abelard. Everyday, he had to face the new Rogue Trader and remember how he had failed the old one. Secretly, an anguish had formed within him - that he would fail Elena too.
Elena unceremoniously threw one of her date slates over her desk and rubbed at her temples, grimacing.
" Good morning, Seneschal. Have you seen the message from the Master Astropath ?" she asked, going straight to business.
Abelard knew what she was referring to. He hissed between his teeth :
" Yes. The young Evayne Winterscale is certainly arriving early for your inauguration ceremony. Sadly, we should expect his father to invite himself soon enough as well", Abelard stated grimly.
The thought of having Calligos Winterscale roaming Dargonus's palace wore him down already. He could only worry about Elena's encounter with him. Considering their respective mindset, it could only go awfully wrong. There would be sparks. But sparks, in Calligos's perception, always led to spilled blood. Abelard reflected already about the best place to welcome the Winterscale guests - as far away as possible from Elena.
" That's not all", added Elena, gesturing for a servant to bring more recaff. " Lord Evayne has also addressed me with a private matter." She pursed her lips.
The servant came back with two more mugs of recaff. The Rogue Trader and her Seneschal gratefully seized them with a common, heavy sigh of satisfaction.
" Lord Evayne has asked for my permission, as the official protector of Lady Orsellio and therefore her dutiful chaperone, to bring the Lady Navigator out at the opera. He also wishes to meet me to discuss…proposal arrangements involving Lady Orsellio. "
Elena's hands tightened around her mug as a look of stormy dissatisfaction slipped through her pale face. She said the last bit with disgust, as if she was poking the words from afar.
Abelard looked at her. He knew Elena had a special bond with Cassia and saw her duties towards the Navigator very seriously. What he hadn't expected from her was such possessiveness.
In a way, he could sympathize with that. He had similar feelings towards other people in Elena's retinue that he wished he could chaperone all right.
" Evayne Winterscale is a clever lad and a kind one", stated Abelard gently, soothing Elena down. " He has been enamored with Lady Orsellio ever since you rescued him from the planetoid prison. He was even behind these strange cargo of birds we received on Footfall. I am sure his early arrival coincides with his desire to properly court Lady Orsellio. I shall make sure that he does, anyway. " The Seneschal shrugged. " He is from a noble and respectable family. I remember how dutiful he was when protecting Lady Cassia on Rykad Minoris. She seemed to have a soft spot for him. I say let them enjoy their time. Lady Orsellio is young…she will not always have the liberty to roam freely on the ground."
One day, in a few years, the young girl would possess too many mutations to even hope to lead her life the way she did for now.
Elena glared at him as if he was the one responsible for Evayne's romantic interest in Cassia. " He is Calligos's son ! We are due to confront him one day or the other " she protested. " And he is no Navigator ! No matter how brave and kind he is, he can not hope to get Cassia's hands. No heir can come out of this…union. I should not accept this. It can only hurt their feelings in the long term. And I don't want Cassia to suffer. "
Abelard smiled at the irony of that. If only the Rogue Trader would apply her own suggestions to herself, it would greatly alleviate his burdens and worries. Sadly, the wisdom she could muster when Cassia was involved completely evaporated when it came to herself.
" Lord Captain, you may need to consider Lady Cassia's opinion on this," suggested Abelard. " She may feel different from you. And though you see yourself as her protector, she is her own person. Surely she would want to have a say in such an important proposal. "
Elena's glare grew somber. " Hmmm", she reluctantly nodded. " You are, of course, right, as usual. I shall…agree to chaperoning this…courtship."
It was good that Evayne could not see the look of distaste over Elena's face. The young man was going to have to work hard if he wished to gain her approval.
" On to our other affairs", continued Elena. " What is the current state of repairs ? "
Abelard drew out his own set of data-slates and gulped down his recaff.
" The palace and capital of Dargonus are as good as new. The major Hive-cities are rebuilt. As for the fleet, sadly, we have salvaged only two ships from the debris. A third one is on the way. It is too few to allow us to protect the planet."
" Hmm. What about Kiava Gamma ? Is the world purged yet ? I need those manufactorums up and running."
Abelard nodded. " The reports are good. No sign of taint or corruption has been sighted for two full weeks now. The Ecclesiarchy remains vigilant. As per your orders, the colony is producing ships once more. Dar-Impulse IV has asked that the Holy Reactor be moved to the manufactorum so that it can serve its glorious purpose once more."
Elena nodded. " Good. What about Janus ?"
" Your…arrangement with the Aeldaris…seem to produce positive results. Provisions routes are duly established. It seems the traces of Chaos worshippers are extinguished throughout the whole planet. Muaran seems true to his words…for now. In fact, the planet has never produced that much resources."
" Footfall ?"
" Vladaym Tocara sends his regrets at not being able to be present for your inauguration ceremony. It is unsurprising : the Liege will not take the risk to cross Calligos or Incendia directly. The Kasballicah is prospering for now, but Vladaym is in a hard place. For the time being, the Winterscale's dynasty has not made any claim to win back the planet. Surely both Rogue Traders are planning to talk to you about it soon enough."
Their meeting continued for some time, Abelard dutifully reporting the state of every colony. They discussed business arrangements, established priorities for the settlements, and ended up talking about the organization for Elena's ceremony. It was Clementia's work to organize that event, where thousands of guests and very notable ones would cross the Koronos Expanse to witness a once in a lifetime sight. Just thinking about the possible breaches in security made Abelard's head hurt.
All was…as well as it could be. After months of endless crisis, it looked like they finally managed to stabilize the protectorate and dynasty.
" What about my adopted heirs, Abelard ?" asked Elena as they reached the end of their daily meeting.
" I have sent a squad to retrieve them from their homeworlds. Only the most efficient and discreet wardens were authorized on this mission. I am told the younglings should arrive in the next few weeks. As per your orders, one shall be placed into the custody of the Administrarum ; the other shall be raised in the ship's orphanage, benefitting from Sister Argenta's patronage."
" Then all is good. " Elena stretched, sighing. " I can not bear to just sit here and do nothing. I miss my ship, Abelard. This planet…it's wearing me down. "
The Seneschal laughed. That was something Theodora had complained about all the time. " And I am sure the ship misses you too, Lord Captain, but sadly the inauguration ceremony will be upon us soon enough."
Elena sighed. " Sadly, indeed. I am told I have to make…"speeches." " She got back to arranging her reports over her desk, putting them in the shape of a broken circle. " Please, Seneschal. Don't let me detain you. I shall need you to put on proper introductions whenever Lord Evayne's vessel arrives."
Bowing, Abelard left Elena.
After checking the training ground for the junior officers, copiously humiliating them by demonstrating his parrying abilities, Abelard went back to his private reception room for lunch.
He had called for a guest.
Said guest had not wanted to come by, but Abelard had made a show of authority, reminding him of his status as Seneschal of the Rogue Trader, and now Master van Calox was busy gracing the reception room with his cold and gloomy presence.
The young man (everyone was young in Abelard's eyes) looked tired, his brows furrowing in a perpetually intimidating expression. Abelard now knew that van Calox did indeed possess enough maxillary muscles to actually change his facial expressions, so he had to suppose that this look of wariness and distance was a choice. It annoyed him.
Truth be told, the Seneschal had never got along well with the Interrogator, for various reasons, the main one being that he didn't like spies and snitches. But Elena's inexplicable infatuation with Heinrix had left him with no choice but to cope with his presence.
And now, time had come to have a serious conversation with the inquisitorial tag-along.
His servants had dressed the table properly and both men were quickly served wine and food in abundance. Heinrix didn't waste time beating around the bush and went straight for it :
" Though I appreciate your invitation, First Officer Werserian, I have to believe that both you and I have many things to oversee and do that would require our attention at the moment. To what do I owe the pleasure of this ?"
Abelard eyed the young man with a sharp, judgmental look. Good-mannered as ever, van Calox hadn't touched anything on his plate. His uniform was perfectly unwrinkled, which was an important detail in Abelard's eyes. As he studied the psyker, he could feel his dark eyes boring into his face as he did. It was unsettling.
The Seneschal cleared his throat. Well, there was no way to approach this long awaited conversation with subtlety.
" Master van Calox, as you very well know, I am a father of many children." Abelard got up and gestured towards the family painting behind him. Quietly, Heinrix analyzed the portrait without saying a word, raising his eyebrows. He was probably guessing where this was heading at.
Abelard clasped his hand behind his back in a military fashion. " Believe it or not, young man, but in my long life, I have experienced everything life has to offer. Unadulterated joy, pride, loss, sorrow. But mostly…love. And grief. There has been plenty of grief in my life. "
Abelard glanced at his late wife's face, always watching him back with that mysterious, serene smile. He tried to picture her by his side, encouraging him.
" Thus I can say, van Calox, that I am more versed in the matters of the heart that most would expect." Abelard turned back to the Interrogator. The man was studying his expression closely. Not a muscle had moved over his face. It was like talking to a living, registering cogitator. Before Heinrix could interject, Abelard raised a commanding finger, gesturing for his guest to let him finish his speech.
" At first, I had thought your initial agreement with the Rogue Trader was merely due to the calling of your duties. I even hoped that, after we were done complying with the Lord Inquisitor's demands, the Lord Captain would kindly show you the way out. I will speak plainly, Master van Calox : I have never looked kindly at your presence by Elena's side and I believe I have made that clear time and time again, both to you and to the Rogue Trader. "
Heinrix kept being silent, but there was a glimpse of something flashing inside his eyes when he mentioned Elena. Abelard couldn't refrain from the sad smile that now tugged over his lips.
" Sadly, Elena is…reckless, and she does not heed my advice. You must realize, though, that everything I try to warn her about is for her own good ultimately. I only wish for her to be safe. Am I wrong to assume that this is something we both have in common, Master van Calox ? "
Heinrix sighed. He paused to pick his next words carefully : " First Officer Werserian, I can guarantee you that I have every reason to sympathize with your predicament."
Abelard smiled back. " Yes, you would, wouldn't you ?"
Heinrix gave him a sharp glare. " What do you mean to imply ?" he asked coldly.
Abelard sat back at the table and sipped his glass of wine. " It has been some time now since I have noticed your growing relationship with the Lord Captain. For a father of many, it has become clear as ice lately. You're always walking in her shadow. Watching her back. You're always there when things get tough. I even hear that the Lord Captain has chosen you to accompany her on her inauguration ceremony. It has become obvious to me ever since that day in the genestealer's base. I asked you to deliver Elena to me, and you refused. I knew then, from the way you clutched at her, that even a professional such as yourself could muster unprofessional affection for someone out of their reach."
Heinrix's face was pale and strained. Abelard could tell he was calculating how best to reply to him. The Seneschal continued deliberately : " But, uh, I believe this has started even before that. I remember that time when the Lord Captain had been attacked in her quarters by daemons during a warp incursion. I was standing right there, the veil so degraded that a rush of fear paralyzed me. Instead of calling to me, she turned to you. Amongst all the members of her retinue, it was you she trusted enough to assist her. She didn't go for the Sister, she didn't go for her Seneschal, she reached out to an inquisitorial envoy sent to spy on her. And you leapt right into the fray without even blinking." Abelard smiled and allowed some sadness to seep into his expression. " I am no diviner. But I knew then she was going to be trouble for you. Just as you are going to be trouble for her. "
Time to pause and wait. Would the Interrogator try to dissipate his assumptions ? Would he tell the truth ? As Abelard waited for his reply, Heinrix's face took a contorted look. Finally, van Calox replied :
" I see no need in trying to fool you, First Officer Werserian. If anything, you are the Rogue Trader's closest associate…her protector and guide. I am aware that you are concerned about Elena's safety and future. How could it be otherwise with her ? She is unpredictable. " Heinrix shook his head sadly, and Abelard knew he had been right in his guess just from that little, vulnerable gesture. " I won't beat around the bush. My interest in the Rogue Trader may no longer be strictly professional. But I can assure you that her well-being is a priority in my eyes ", finished Heinrix, tactfully choosing his words with a hint of prudishness.
So, he had chosen not to try to refute him. Clever. Abelard would not have bought it and his respect for the young man would certainly have been diminished by any attempts at denying the situation and its complexities.
" If this is true", answered Abelard, " then I want to know what your plans are regarding the Rogue Trader."
Heinrix cast him a dubious look. " I do not have "plans" for the Rogue Trader", he replied.
Abelard tapped on the table. " That is the problem, Master van Calox. Do you plan to leave the Inquisition, per chance ? Are you maybe planning to retrieve your noble name ? "
Heinrix looked at him as if spider legs had sprouted out of his mouth. " I will assume these are jokes, for this is the only rationale that explains the absurdities I just heard. One's duty to the Golden Throne is not something that can be cast out." Heinrix deliberately spoke slowly, as if talking to an infant.
Abelard tried not to get ruffled by the young man's attitude, even if he internally wished he could just treat him as any other junior officers and send him to latrine duties for the next week. Month. Year. Truly that would be a blessing. Ah, to be at least delivered from this gloomy presence !
" I am perfectly aware of that. I was just trying to underline that you represent a very poor choice in terms of possible unions. To put it plainly : no good can come out of you. At best, you will ultimately go back to the Lord Inquisitor and never cross paths with the Rogue Trader again. At worst…well, Elena has always been prone to, uh, new and unusual ideas. I certainly hope that it won't be held against her in your many reports. If truly her safety matters to you, that is. If you truly care, Master van Calox, I beseech you to go back to your duties for the Imperium and leave the Rogue Trader be. That is the best you can do for her. "
Heinrix had probably not expected to be cornered by the Seneschal in such a manner. Though he maintained his composure, Abelard now knew the man enough to see the glint of doubt in his eyes. The Seneschal knew he had struck a vulnerability. Heinrix replied sharply, standing up to signify the conversation was over :
" I congratulate your delicacy on reading the situation", he began with irony. " For now my duties are here. I do not wish to elaborate more on this topic. I can only say one thing to put your old mind at ease : I would never wish for any harm to come to Elena. The rest, I believe, is a private matter and does not concern you. I believe that is enough for today. Now, if you don't mind, First Officer, I wouldn't want to detain you from your duties. "
Abelard grimaced and made a dismissing gesture with his hand. " Nor me from yours ", he replied, as he watched van Calox slithered his way out of the room like the snake he was. He grumbled silently for a second, cursing the young man with various colorful names.
Well, there was no way to tell if this conversation had proven fruitful or not. But at least it was…interesting. With any luck, van Calox would take the cue and disappear in the upcoming weeks. That was all a Seneschal could hope for.
It was soon after that awkward talk that his bead comm crackled with Elena's voice.
" Seneschal ! I need you to meet me ASAP at the LZ."
" I'll be there in a minute. What's the matter ?"
" Evayne has arrived. I need you to introduce me properly."
Abelard sighed. Elena's weird dependance on him when it came to announce her name was starting to worry him. He sometimes wondered what she would do if he wasn't around. Would she stutter at saying her own title aloud ?
He rushed out of the palace to meet Elena back by her office, and then they walked down the main alley down to the landing zone. Clementia joined them on the way with an appropriate set of wardens and officers.
They looked official enough when they reached Evayne Winterscale's shuttle. The pilot that emerged from it - Raquel was her name - flashed them a bright smile when recognizing Elena. Her belly had grown rounder and bigger, and she was followed up by her husband. The young couple was a charming sight.
Evayne descended after them. The Winterscale scion wore an elegant uniform in the color of his family coat of arms. Abelard was once again stricken with his overall nobleness : Evayne did not only look like a noble, he embodied the mere idea of nobility in its gentle, dutiful way. The difference with his father was mesmerizing. How could someone so stormy as Calligos could even be related to this calm, discreet young man ?
Upon meeting Elena's eyes, Evayne's face brightened up. His eyes had something glassy to them - Abelard realized he hadn't changed the implants the von Valancius had provided him with after saving him from torture. With years of training, Evayne elegantly inclined his head in a respectful manner. He was followed by a group of wardens and nobles - some of them were his brothers. The Winterscales had decided to pay them a visit in full.
Elena tilted her head slightly to Abelard. " Seneschal, if you would be so kind", she said.
Abelard cleared his throat and made a step forward. " You stand in the presence of Elena von Valancius , bearer of the sacred Holy Warrant of Trade, and anointed to be the Emperor's chosen. Her Ladyship welcomes you on the pinnacle of the von Valancius dynasty, her capital world, to partake in the festivities that will celebrate her inauguration ceremony. We rejoice at welcoming you, Lord Evayne."
" Lady von Valancius !" exlaimed Evayne " It is such a genuine pleasure to meet you again. I am deeply honored to be allowed to witness your inauguration. Thank you for your invitation and your hospitality." Following his lead, his brothers bowed down their heads in various inclinations of respect. " To honor the timeless traditions of inaugurations, I have come with many gifts for your dynasty. See this as a sign of our dynasty's respect for the late Lady Theodora's heiress."
Evayne gestured for his wardens to disembark multiple cargos. Elena and Abelard glanced at their contents in a curious manner. The cargos were full of various trophies of war, weapons, armors, jewels ; it was indeed a thoughtful present. The tactfulness Evayne displayed at offering them in advance of his father, who certainly wasn't planning on gifting Elena anything but his contemptuous rage, was clever. Abelard nodded approvingly. At least someone amongst the Winterscales had a shred of decency and a sense of etiquette.
As Clementia swooped by to bring their guests to their residential palaces, Abelard exchanged a prideful nod with her. His grand-daughter looked calm, with a velvety sense of authority that enabled her to manoeuver the Winterscale scions with ease.
As they made their way back to the palace, they stumbled upon Cassia and her servants, who'd just happened to stand on their way.
Cassia had put on a new dress Abelard had never seen on her. There were more laces than what he was used to. He saw Elena tilting her head towards him with a knowing look.
Of course, the totally random encounter led to a lot of flourishingly noble interjections, along the lines of :
Cassia (theatrically mimicking surprise) : " Oh, Lord Evayne ! It is such a pleasure to see you ! I didn't expect to see you here so soon. "
Evayne (blushing slightly) : " Lady Navigator. Though I regret the circumstances of our meeting, I bless the day my eyes have been graced with seeing you for the first time. My heart fills with joy at encountering you once more. "
Cassia (awkwardly tugging at her hair) : " Such gracious and beautiful words, filled with undertones of magenta and shimmering hues…I have heard that you would like to accompany me to some renowned opera, is this true ? "
And so on and so forth. Elena interrupted the courting by pointingly remarking that Lord Evayne must be tired of his journeys and ushering him off to his residence, to Cassia's dismay. After that, Abelard was dismissed.
He spent the rest of the afternoon with Clementia, overseeing the organization of the ceremony. Abelard was only interrupted twice, once for deciding the fate of mutineers, the other for putting down a xenos camp that had encroached on the planet and were left behind by their kin when they fled.
He returned back from the fight bloodied, his uniform stained. The evening was setting in : it was time to go to the opera to chaperone Lady Cassia. Abelard plunged into a cold bath, jumped back up to put on a new uniform, and rushed back to the shuttle area where Elena was waiting for him. The look on her face was priceless. They spent the evening in Cassia and Evayne's company - the two lovebirds seemed completely enthralled by each other's presence, with Elena showing hints of jealousy and possessiveness every once in a while, interrupting their courting and analyzing everything Evayne did or said with a cold expression. Cassia seemed to enjoy her evening tremendously and every pique of Elena ravished her to no end, while poor Evayne tried his best at pleasing this severe chaperone. To his own astonishment, Abelard found himself to be the reasonable person in the room.
Once that was done with, Abelard returned to the palace to be met with a mountain of reports. Elena and himself spent some time giving out their instructions. After a while, Elena dismissed him and the Seneschal returned to his own office to finish up everything.
Well, that had been a good day, all considered. No one had tried to murder the Rogue Trader, for instance, which made for a nice change of pace. No Chaos worshippers had manifested themselves and there has been no drama with Tlass or Argenta. Abelard sighed happily and lifted his head to the sky. It was pitch night. Time to get some sleep. Today he could hope to achieve some three hours rest.
He went by the family portrait to pay his respects to his late wife, as he always did : first thing in the morning, last thing in the evening. And then finally laid in his bed. His sore back pleaded for mercy and he felt his old age weighing him down. He fell asleep the next second.
It seemed like barely a minute had gone by when he was awakened by his servo-skull, singing in a fanfare :
" Glory to the von Valancius dynasty !"
The First Officer Werserian jumped out of bed, his head dizzy for a second, then barked :
" Recaff ! Now !"
He couldn't even remember resting.
And that was a good day.