The Notion of Nobility
Noble 1: Is that the third scion of Alberia?! Princess Chelle?!
Noble 2: A member of the royal family's got some nerve showing their face here in Raywall.
Noble 1: I'm of the understanding she is to be wed to the marquis.
Noble 3: Sending his daughter to curry favor, eh? It's plain as day what the king's thinking!
Cat Sìth: They certainly don't hold back in this town. And here I was under the impression this was supposed to be your welcoming party.
Chelle: Actually, I find it almost refreshing how they wear their true preferences right on their gilded sleeves.
Chelle: Still, I suppose it best to educate those who are so woefully unaware of proper decorum during social interaction.
Cat Sìth: Mrow?!
Chelle: I am so very pleased to make your acquaintance, honored guests! I am the third scion of Alberia, Princess Chelle.
Nobles: ......
Noble: What nerve to come over here! You're either fearless or brainless— I don't know which.
Chelle: I simply understand the norms of proper etiquette, General Bertrand.
Bertrand: You know of me, then?
Chelle: I would not dare come to Raywall without knowledge of the storied general who single-handedly leads its military.
Chelle: May I presume the esteemed personages behind you are Secretary Constantin and the Lady Doriane, Baroness of Bonnard?
Nobles: !
Doriane: Your providence does you credit indeed, that you would study so diligently in effort to secure a place in our good graces.
Chelle: Oh, I've studied other things as well— including the young artist called Vincent.
Doriane: Ah! Er...I'm afraid I don't know what you are talking about.
Chelle: He is said to be a young and nameless painter, though of late I hear he built an atelier most grand. You are unfamiliar?
Doriane: M-most unfamiliar!
Chelle: Goodness, is that so? It was my understanding that you frequented the young man's workshop, Baroness.
Chelle: ...As recently as last afternoon, even.
Doriane: How could you know that?!
Chelle: Eee hee hee! Perhaps it would do simply to say that a curious little kitten whispered it to me in passing.
Doriane: ......
Bertrand: Intimidation through blackmail hardly befits one of your standing, Princess.
Chelle: And such words hardly befit a general. Or perhaps you are the sort who charges into battles without strategy or plan?
Chelle: If you are one to lead such an army, I would be better served to take the tales of Raywall's great military with a grain of salt—or even the entire shaker.
Constantin: I say! Princess or no, I will not tolerate such contempt for Raywall!
Chelle: I am showing no contempt whatsoever! Merely discussing a hypothetical.
Chelle: If the army is NOT, in fact, a band of feckless warriors, then I am certain its general would understand the way in which I choose to do battle.
Bertrand: Nnngh...
???: I think that's quite enough "enthusiasm," for one day, everyone.
Bertrand: Marquis.
Elua: A pleasure to meet you, Princess Chelle. I am the Marquis of Raywall, but I pray you do me the honor of calling me Elua.
Elua: Though I suspect you already know of me.
Chelle: Most certainly—though it casts a decidedly different shade in the memory having been greeted in person versus having not.
Chelle: For example, one might modify appropriately their petting of a kitten if it were baring its fangs, no?
Elua: Gracious me, it seems as though the others here may have carelessly stepped upon a dragon's tail.
Bertrand: It would seem so. I apologize for my impropriety, Highness.
Chelle: Not at all, General. I myself have on occasion been known to take things rather too far—let us simply say that there has been impropriety on both our behalves.
Bertrand: However, I would have you bear in mind that our feelings towards the royal family are...complicated. Now then, if you will please excuse me?
Elua: Permit me to greet you once more, Your Highness—or perhaps I ought to simply call you my betrothed?
Chelle: The honor is mine, dear fiancé. Ah, but my heart has been aflutter, wondering what sort of man my husband-in-waiting might turn out to be.
Elua: And what are your impressions now that you have beheld the man in person?
Chelle: They are positive indeed. Beyond that... Well, we shall simply have to see how things develop in the days to come.
Elua: A most frightening thought; I shall endeavor not to disappoint.
Chelle: And what are your impressions of me?
Elua: I am intrigued. If you will forgive me a bit of bluntness, I had heard you were a rather self-absorbed princess, and was surprised this union was allowed to proceed.
Chelle: You suspected I would never have acceded to a political marriage?
Elua: I did. However, as it was decided upon with a surprising degree of readiness, I felt you were also the type who set aside her own happiness for that of her house.
Chelle: Though I might be royalty, in the end I am little more than a bird in a gilded cage.
Elua: So I thought—but your recent exchange has made me reconsider that assumption.
Elua: It made me feel as though you are indeed a woman who knows the meaning of nobility—and of being waited upon.
Chelle: Whatever do you mean, sir?
Elua: This is but a theory of mine, but I see nobility as something not decided by those above, but by those below.
Elua: It is only because our vassals and people acknowledge us as noble that we aristocrats can BE noble.
Elua: To perpetuate that, we must protect our vassals and people while maintaining an environment in which they can quite readily recognize our nobility.
Elua: One such method is a political marriage, and I imagine your understanding of this fact lead you to acquiesce to our union.
Elua: ...Well? How did I do?
Chelle: All this time, Lord Elua, I have had a thought:
Chelle: What an efficient thing, political marriage!
Chelle: So efficient, I think, that there is no better method for manipulating both popular and political sentiment.
Chelle: Yet even in high society, there are many who avoid such unions, which is foolishness to the extreme.
Chelle: Such people know nothing and less about what nobility actually is.
Elua: Nobility is, by nature, a meaningless thing. People do not inherently have degrees of value, yet we impose rank upon them, and so nobility is born.
Chelle: Just so. And to ascribe value to such an empty thing, we've no avenue other than to humor, soothe, and distract.
Elua: Indeed, those of noble rank must soothe the people so they might welcome such palliatives with gladness in their hearts.
Elua: Avoiding what is necessary to accomplish that puts one worlds apart from the notion of nobility.
Chelle: Heh... Eee hee hee!
Elua: Princess Chelle?
Chelle: I confess, despite my interest in the Marquis of Raywall, I have had little interest in YOU, Lord Elua.
Chelle: Yet this conversation has set my opinion in quite the opposite direction.
Elua: I trust I may take that as praise?
Chelle: You may. Ah, it seems as though I will like this city far more than I anticipated.
Chelle: ...And you as well, Lord Elua.
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