Echo Swansong
Committed
Roleplay posts: 62 
Age: 32
Physical Description: Echo wears a heavy fabric covering over his eyes, and his hair and beard are unkempt. A small hummingbird can usually be found sitting on his shoulder.
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Clothes and Equipment: While his clothes look like those of a wealthy noble, they are in poor condition and show signs of heavy wear. A green bejewelled brooch is pinned to his chest.
Registered: Jul 3, 2017 4:33:59 GMT -8
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Post by Echo Swansong on Jul 13, 2017 9:39:56 GMT -8
Smiling at the cook's obvious interest in the adventures of the open road, Echo thought of the many events that had occurred since he left the monastery shortly after Blind Tad's death. "Well, the wonders I seek are not the typical wide open vistas and breathtaking landscapes that others may seek, such views are wasted on me." He motioned to the fabric covering over his eyes before continuing on. "My first destination after setting foot on the road was the Cathedral of the Sacred Lady."
He remembered the moment he had stepped into the main basilica of the huge gothic cathedral. A choir was singing, and the acoustics enriched the noise into something Echo had never witnessed before or since. Overcome with emotion, he had sat within the chapel and simply listened as the voices of the singers reverberated from the high domed ceiling, inspiring feelings of spirituality that he had never before felt. He had stayed at the place for over a month, spending every possible moment just sitting inside the large space listening.
He conveyed all of this to the young culinarian. "We also visited the Whispering Caves of Knut, the Great Canyon of Charn, I listened to the ocean waves crashing against the high cliffs of Clifton. These have all been experiences I will never forget, and I find my life richer for it." Wracking his brain for more interesting stories, he conveyed a tale of being set upon by bandits one night while camped under the stars. Fortunately for Echo, it had been a cloudy, moonless night, and the rogues had underestimated the perceptions of the former noble. Thinking the cover of darkness would aid them in sneaking up unsuspected on the seemingly unwary traveller, they had a rude awakening when he had defeated the half dozen men single-handedly with relative ease.
The talk of the siblings had interested Echo, and he was keen to see if he could get any more information from the young man. Whispering to him, he set about enquiring about the younger Robynsons, keen to try and get a lead in identifying the mysterious poisoner. "You say they are both scary, but have you seen either of them engaged in anything underhanded? It's possible that poison has been used, and as a member of the castle kitchens, I wonder if there is anything you may have seen leading up to the illnesses of either Lord Robynson or his now deceased eldest?" It was a long shot, but Echo was still keen to get to the bottom of the mystery, regardless of the marriage. He was unsure if knowing the identity of the poisoner would be a good thing, but his honour dictated he should at least try.
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Post by Strangers and Travelers on Jul 13, 2017 20:50:09 GMT -8
The cook's assistant shook his head, eyes wide. The color drained from his face as he realized exactly what Echo was asking, so close to the young nobles in question. It was a few moments before he found the courage to speak, his soft whisper barely audible.
"Oh no, sir! I never see anything. Neither does Ms. Barbara. When they send us home early with a full day's pay, we pack up and go. When they tell us to make ourselves busy somewhere else, we move away as fast as we can. When they tell us not to see anything, we become blind as bats. Pardon the expression, sir. We're very good at not knowing anything that goes on here. It's a good skill to have, as it keeps us alive. Not knowing is important in my line of work, sir. What sort of lord would hire a cook's assistant who knew things, or saw things? Or worse yet, remembered things or even told things? We wouldn't be around for very much longer. No sir, I'm very careful to make sure I don't know anything. My mother always told me to keep my mouth, eyes, and ears shut around the nobles. Especially the twins. I wouldn't want to accidentally see anything, no sir. It wouldn't be good for me."
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Echo Swansong
Committed
Roleplay posts: 62
Age: 32
Physical Description: Echo wears a heavy fabric covering over his eyes, and his hair and beard are unkempt. A small hummingbird can usually be found sitting on his shoulder.
---
Clothes and Equipment: While his clothes look like those of a wealthy noble, they are in poor condition and show signs of heavy wear. A green bejewelled brooch is pinned to his chest.
Registered: Jul 3, 2017 4:33:59 GMT -8
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Post by Echo Swansong on Jul 14, 2017 9:23:43 GMT -8
Being born a noble, the thoughts of the young man were foreign to him, but he supposed that commoners of the world had a different point of view, especially those in the employ of a family so obviously tainted with intrigue and ruthlessness. He contemplated what life may hold for a commoner who had information that one of the siblings wanted to keep hidden, and if one of them had had no qualms in killing their eldest brother, a mere chef's assistant would have proved no obstacle.
He turned his attention back to the nobles of the family, a little surprised that they had so openly invited the staff to join the table. Lord Robynson seemed to have a good heart, and Echo couldn't help but feel sorry for the man as fortune had seen fit to impose him with such a dysfunctional family. Maybe the marriage would be the solution he hoped, and Echo found himself wishing both Lords Robynson and Rollin good fortune in the events ahead.
Nadir had polished off the honey that Lars had offered him, and now seemed to take a great deal of interest in Barbara. Once again, the hummingbird's unerring ability to appraise an individual in their usefulness for providing treats proving unequalled, as he attempted to ingratiate himself to the house cook.
Lucette had remained fairly quiet since her initial outbursts, and Echo was keen to try and get her feelings on the matter. "Lady Lucette, do you have any desires for your wedding day? Have you considered a dress? As I recall, most noble ladies spend most of their youth picturing the day that they finally get married." While he didn't want to rile the woman, he was keen to get her talking openly about her marriage while the family were still together. If she had major reservations, maybe her parents could help alleviate her fears and doubts a little. He didn't much like the idea of her being an enemy to the idea of marriage, or the man who had arranged the deal.
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Post by Strangers and Travelers on Jul 14, 2017 20:47:27 GMT -8
Lucette looked up, fixating Echo with the coldest of stares. She was not, it seemed, very amused by his thoughts on dresses and weddings.
"On the contrary, Mr. Swansong, I dreamed of nothing less than my own castle. I was born to rule, not to marry off and bear children. Ugh, children. What awful creatures."
Lady Robynson tutted, and rose from her seat. Her voice was shaky, but firm.
"Lucette, although this isn't what you wanted, you will follow your father's orders. Please understand, this is for the good of the house. I'm sure that you will find young Iric to be a very nice young man. This is not a negotiation, young lady. No shenanigans, either. I'll not have you in a black gown."
Lucette's knuckles turned white as she clenched her wine glass, but said nothing. After a pause, she spoke through gritted teeth.
"Make it blue, then. Light blue. Let's get this wedding over quickly, I don't want to drag it out any longer than it has to be."
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Echo Swansong
Committed
Roleplay posts: 62
Age: 32
Physical Description: Echo wears a heavy fabric covering over his eyes, and his hair and beard are unkempt. A small hummingbird can usually be found sitting on his shoulder.
---
Clothes and Equipment: While his clothes look like those of a wealthy noble, they are in poor condition and show signs of heavy wear. A green bejewelled brooch is pinned to his chest.
Registered: Jul 3, 2017 4:33:59 GMT -8
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Post by Echo Swansong on Jul 15, 2017 13:30:52 GMT -8
Echo was still unaccustomed to the idea that women may inherit, and he realised his experiences of young noble females were different to those of house Robynson. Still, he was glad that Lucette's mother had spoken up, and that her daughter had seemingly listened and begun the task of accepting her fate. He was glad she wanted to get on with things, fearing that she would find a way to stall events indefinitely.
He smiled at Lady Robynson, impressed with the forthrightness of the hitherto timid matriarch. Reaching for the goblet, he took a long drink of wine, and resolved to relax and enjoy the rest of the dinner, interested to see where the conversation may lead, and hear any additional details on the plans for the wedding. He hoped they'd be able to ride out soon, but he honestly had no idea what organisation the wedding may involve, and how long it would be before they set out to Castle Rollin.
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Post by Strangers and Travelers on Jul 19, 2017 21:02:31 GMT -8
The next two weeks passed in a whirlwind of activity. Servants and seamstresses arrived out of seemingly nowhere, and the desolate Castle Robynson was suddenly a flurry of busy staff. Lord Robynson saw to it that Echo was moved from the servant's quarters to one of the guest rooms, stating that he deserved it for doing such a service to the family. Of course, Echo rarely got a chance to sleep in his new, comfortable room. He was frequently sent on errands, mostly alerting other noble families of the marriage and giving out invitations. Lars was in an excellent mood over the two weeks, and could often be seen helping his mother with the wedding preparations. Lady Robynson's health improved somewhat, strengthened by the miraculous recovery of her husband. She and Lord Robynson mostly kept themselves busy, often riding back and forth to Castle Rollin to plan and talk about decorations. In stark contrast with the rest of her family, Lucette spent the weeks sulking. She often kept to herself in her room, and could occasionally be heard whispering or muttering to herself. Still, despite her attitude and creepy new habits, she seemed to have accepted her fate.
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The date of the wedding was near! The Robynson family was preparing to head out to Castle Rollin for the ceremony, along with a full entourage of staff and guards. Everyone was excited (besides Lucette), and spirits were high. The servants gossiped among themselves, wondering how Lucette and Iric would get on. The young newlyweds still had yet to meet for the first time, and would likely have little time to talk before being ushered onto the altar.
The sun rose in the distance, and Lord Robynson knocked on Echo's door sharply.
"Mr. Swansong, are you ready to go? The carriages are all ready to leave! Last time I was at Castle Rollin, Lady Rollin told me to let you know that there would be plenty of honey and other sweet treats waiting for you on your arrival. I think they're mostly for your little bird, though."
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Echo Swansong
Committed
Roleplay posts: 62
Age: 32
Physical Description: Echo wears a heavy fabric covering over his eyes, and his hair and beard are unkempt. A small hummingbird can usually be found sitting on his shoulder.
---
Clothes and Equipment: While his clothes look like those of a wealthy noble, they are in poor condition and show signs of heavy wear. A green bejewelled brooch is pinned to his chest.
Registered: Jul 3, 2017 4:33:59 GMT -8
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Post by Echo Swansong on Jul 20, 2017 6:39:29 GMT -8
Echo enjoyed the fortnight of preparation, happy to see that Castle Robynson seemed to be functioning much better in the wake of the good news. He gladly rode out on his errands, happy to have a little time on the road with Radish, Nadir and Zenith, away from the ominous atmosphere that Lucette seemed to conjure around herself. He was surprised the weeks had gone by so uneventfully, having fully expected the wily Lucette to set in action any number of attempts to scupper the marriage. While this thought was a relief, he couldn't help but fear she had invested the days into a single plan that had yet to resolve.
As the day of their departure arrived, he greeted Lord Robynson with a grin. "Nadir will be very glad to hear it my Lord, I always find myself surprised at his ability to get powerful nobles to pamper to his needs." He headed out to the stables, Nadir perching himself quietly on his shoulder. After briefly rubbing down Radish, he saddled the horse before leaping atop it, and guided her out to the convoy of carriages that lined up in the small courtyard. He would much rather ride beside the carriages, keen to avoid getting trapped in close confines with Lady Lucette.
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Post by Strangers and Travelers on Jul 20, 2017 17:28:18 GMT -8
[Exit to Castle Rollin]
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