Introductions [Camila, Griff, Caitrin]

[lucan]

Lucan was up in the guest room getting ready for Camila to arrive. Today would be the day that she was finally going to meet his brother and Uncle...oh, and Cait. Of course his father had deicded not to make an apperance (however much he wanted to), as on his physicians orders he was not well enough to travel. In all fairness, Lucan would rather Camila meet his father when it was just the pair of them - at least he could have some control over the situation then. Plus, no arguments would break out...or so he hoped.

Lucan leant against the wall by the window and glance outside, hearing the door opened and Allard's voice follow it. "Well everything is ready for when Lady Camila arrives - but the question is are you?" he asked and walked further into the room. Lucan merely looked at his uncle and then back at the window again. "Trying my best" he replied, "Im more worried about Griff or Caitrin saying something. After all, our family isn't exactly the definition of perfection is it?" he looked to Allard

"No family is the definition of perfection, if Camila loves you enough then she will take us for who we are."
"Oh I know that, but I just can't help but worry" Lucan sighed. Allard gave a small chuckle. "You? Worried? my goodness boy you're a Knight of Camelot! I've never seen you worry in your life. Besides, i'm sure had Amice been here today, she would have loved Camila - even though we haven't met her yet." Allard smiled, recalling the memory of his sister. Lucan gave a weak smile back to his uncle. "You think?"

"Oh I know" Allard replied and put a hand on his nephew's shoulder. "It's a shame your father couldn't make it though - do you think he will attend the wedding?"

"It doesn't look promising. Besides i'd rather him stay at home than risk his health to come here..."

Allard nodded, "Well I'm going to Glouchedon soon to take care of the Aubert Estate - as your father's health seems to be slipping and with you here in Camelot, it's only fair that I oversee things until he is fit enough to do so himself." He was going to Glouchedon? He hadn't been there since his mother died. For Allard, this was a giant step and even Lucan knew that. "Thankyou Uncle" he smiled, "I'm sure he'll appreciate it."

"Right" Allard said the headed for the door, "I'll be in the solar when you are ready, hopefully your brother and Lady Caitrin shall be here before Lady Camila." he said and left the room.

Lucan resumed his position by the window, he should really be getting ready but right now he needed a few moments to himself before he could think about the afternoon that lay ahead of him.

Tagged: Lady Camila of Faintree, Griff Aubert, Caitrin de Archer
Setting: de Ireby Estate, Camelot
Timeline: Beginning of S3-S4 Gap
Notes: Uncle Allard gets the party started!

[Lady Camila of Faintree]

Carriages weren't Camila's favorite way of traveling; she much rather be riding her horse. However, there had been no getting around her father earlier that morn. He would not let her take her horse all the way out to the Ireby Estate, at least not without being escorted all the way there. It was complete rubbish to her. She knew very well how to defend herself, she never ceased to remind her father about that. He, after all, had been the one that had taught her everything she knew about sword fighting and archery. Aaron didn't contradict her skills but only pointed out that her talents in archery would not help her in close combat and as for her swordsmanship, although not as great as her archery skills, would protect her but bringing a sword with her when going to meet her fiance's family did not give a very good impression. Cam was sure that the last part was slipped in by her mother earlier. Thus, Camila had to take the carriage out to the Ireby Estate, to her great displeasure. But it showed that her parents cared, didn't it? Well, perhaps that her mother did. As for her father, he was mostly concerned about his daughter for the reason that she would bring their family a higher status after she wed. By now, Camila was used to it.

The trip wasn't too long from Faintree and Camila was more than relieved about it. When the cart came to a stop a servant came to open the door and an other offered his hand to aide her out. Cam held no hate for them, they had always been very helpful to her. She gave them a smile and expressed her simple gratitude to them as she stood outside. "Are you sure you-"

"-Yes, thank you, Fredrick. I'll be fine. You can go. Tell my father I gave you gentlemen the rest of the day off when you return." And before they could protest, Camila turned towards the doors of the rather impressive Estate. Obviously expecting her arrival, there were servants to show her inside and lead her to a polar.

(end was weird XD)

[Caitrin de Archer]

Caitrin pulled on the reigns of her mare but didn’t look across at the person she was travelling with just yet. They were travelling on separate horses, it hadn’t really been discussed, more like accepted and that was it. With one hand she pulled her riding cloak around her shoulders more tightly so that she could repel the morning chill which had descended. The fact she was in such close proximity with Griff still struck her as odd in a way, as she had gone so many months without him by her side that to have him here now was something she thought was never going to happen again. She had dreamt of him coming back, Jesu it had been all that had kept her going through Morgana’s reign, but none of that mattered had it? She had cried out and no one had listened. It had been hard, but it had taught Caitrin a lot; mainly that she had to rely on herself more than she could ever have thought possible.

Griff was back now, he had still come back for her even though he thought she hated him. In a way it still upset her that he had thought that. She had said it, yes, but she had been angry, more angry than she could possible remember being. But she hadn’t meant a word of it, and she had regretted every syllable since it had passed her lips. Caitrin looked across to him, she was still incredibly quiet around him, because she was still getting used to him being in her life again. At least she wasn’t getting upset anymore; that was one thing.

Now they were going to Griff’s Uncle’s for some sort of get together. Griff had only just come back into her life and yet she was still in line to join his family. She still had the engagement ring of course that he had given her before he’d left, so in theory she was still going to become an Aubert. She pressed her lips together, it wasn’t that she didn’t want to become his wife anymore, but the emotion was still raw, and she just had to wait for that to pass before she could understand her own mind. “How are you this morning?” She had to say something; anything no matter how pathetic it was. After all he had been roaming around God knows where for months on end, and he was still in the frame of mind that he needed nursing into a proper life again, one which didn’t involve so much ale. She had quite enough with her Uncle’s drinking habits, she wasn’t about to let Griff slip into the same mistakes. She did care for Griff, immensely, and that fact had never changed, but she was still upset with him.

Soon enough they had reached what Caitrin assumed to be Griff’s Uncle’s estate. She had never visited it personally, but she jumped down from her horse without waiting for Griff’s aid. She hadn’t needed his hand before so why should she now? She brushed down her skirts and took the reins of her horse and handed them to a stable hand who was approaching them. She wasn’t even sure why she was here, up until a few days ago her contact with the Aubert family had assumed to be over. It stuck with Caitrin more than a little bit that Lucan and Camila would probably be married before she and Griff were going to be, but that wasn’t Lucan or Camila’s fault at the end of the day. Therefore she wasn’t going to strike up a bad mood over nothing. Sighing softly she ran a hand through her hair and then proceeded to take off her riding cloak, “Well this is going to be cosy isn’t it?” She commented rather matter of factly and looked back to Griff. After all, it was his place to take her inside as it was his family home. Duty wasn’t a think Caitrin often paid attention to, but now it was working in her favour.

[Griff Aubert]

Well. This was nice and awkward. Of course he wasn't naive enough to think that as soon as he came back everything would be just as it was. That would have been a ridiculous thought, and anyway, he was too busy being convinced she hated him and would want nothing more to do with him to have that sort of hope. But she didn't, or at least not any more she didn't, and although things weren't just as they were and they probably weren't going to be for a while yet, they were together again and that was the main thing. He hadn't realised quite how much he'd missed her until he'd seen her again. He'd spent the last few months drinking and flirting and trying so hard not to think about her, and then he came back and somehow everything was better. She was still a little quiet around her but then he'd only been in the city for a week and he supposed just like him, there were still a lot of things she had to work out first. But he'd wait. He'd wait a thousand years for her.

The situation at hand was a little strange, and he used the word little very loosely. Lucan was getting married, something he'd only found out a few days ago, and so he'd invited both Griff and Caitrin to meet the lucky woman (he used the word lucky loosely as well). Griff hadn't told Lucan that he'd gone to see Camila and presumably she hadn't mentioned it. Maybe she was still annoyed about him flirting with her. Whatever the reason, Lucan was still unaware that they'd met before so that was probably going to be nice and awkward.

He was rather surprised when the invitation had been extended to Caitrin. Their engagement had never been broken off so she was still going to be part of the family, but it still seemed a little fast. They might be back together, but they weren't back to normal (whatever that meant where those two were concerned). Maybe Lucan thought this would be good for them. Caitrin had agreed, so that had to mean something. She was willing to be associated with his family and be introduced to Camila, it had to be a good sign. He bit his lip. He loved Caitrin more than anything and if his absence had proved it anything it was that nothing would ever change that and the fact that she had welcomed him back into her life meant that she must still love him too, but he wasn't entirely sure where that left them. Neither of them had mentioned their engagement and he didn't want her to think he was pushing it so he'd never asked. He supposed she just wanted to take some time and see how things went without throwing themselves into anything, which was all well and good but left him not knowing where he stood.

“How are you this morning?”

Caitrin's voice brought him out of his thoughts and he turned to face her, or face her as well as he could while on a seperate horse. His was slightly in front of hers as he was leading the way, so he had to look slightly behind him. It seemed like such an unimportant thing to say but it was something she had said, so it was important. "I'm fine thank you." His words were rather more pathetic. "And yourself?" It was not getting better. At the moment everything seemed so awkward and unsure between them but he didn't want to break that and end up pushing her away. Mainly he just wanted to know that this wasn't going to last.

Eventually they reached Allard's estate, it seemed bizarre to be back again so soon. Griff usually never travelled there and now he seemed to be spending most of his time here. Allard had been surprisingly good to him, after all, they weren't family. He quickly dismounted the horse and gave the reigns to the stable hand before looking over to Caitrin. It was still strange to see her just standing there. He let out a sigh. This was harder than he had expected, but, for now, that didn't matter. This was about Lucan and Camila. He didn't reply to her comment, instead he just offered her his arm in the hopes that she would accept it and asked, "Shall we?"

[lucan]

Lucan was still in his position by the window when Allard came to find him again. "Are you alright?" he asked, not having seen his nephew made an appearance in the solar like he said that he would. Lucan looked up at his uncle. In all truth he felt sick to the stomach and didn't know why. Oh wait, yes he did....Camila was meeting his family (excluding his father and stepmother.) He knew this was a bad idea. Caitrin would be on top form with her comebacks and usual and then there was the case of his brother, who was most likely going to drink himself into oblivion at the prospect of being thrown into a room with his...fiance? Was she still that? Lucan didn't even know if the engagement between Griff and Cait had ever been broken off. Still, that thought was enough for him.

"In all truth? This is the only thing i've never been more scared about" He dreaded to think of his wedding day. He'd most likely faint before she even reached the alter! "I face things that I don't even give a second though about when I really should, yet it comes to something like this and i'm freaking out!"

Allard gave a small laugh, "Your mother was the same when she first had to allow our family to meet your fathers. Family is a delicate matter, especially when introducing someone new into it...just stay calm, be yourself - The Lady Camila is here now, so I suggest that you make yourself look decent and join us all in the solar. I shall go and tell her that you've been delayed slightly."

So Cait and Griff had arrived too? Well this was going to go well...he hoped..."Very well...thankyou Uncle" he smiled and watched as Allard once again exited the room. Running a hand through his hair, Lucan went to get changed into something more suited to his rank.

Allard headed downstairs and into the parlour where a servant had informed him that Lady Camila had been shown into. She was very beautiful indeed, his nephew hadn't been exhaggerating when describing her. Allard smiled and gave her a bow. "Lady Camila I presume? I am Lord Allard, Sir Lucan's Uncle" he introduced himself, "Unfortunatly my nephew has been slightly delayed, so may I escort you to the solar until he appears?" he asked.

[Lady Camila of Faintree]

Camila carefully walked around the polar, her curiosity getting the best of her as she looked at the array of pictures and beautiful items in the room. Lucan's uncle did keep a very lovely home. She ran her hand over the lovely picture of a woman she did not recognize when she heard a someone entering the room. "Lady Camila I presume?" Said the man. "Yes." She turned entirely to face him.

"I am Lord Allard, Sir Lucan's uncle." Ah, so this was Lucan's uncle. He seemed very nice and... normal. Lucan had not been wrong about him. "It's a pleasure to meet you, my Lord." Cam smiled and gave him a small curtsy. "Unfortunatly my nephew has been slightly delayed, so may i escort you to the solar until her appears?" Camila gave him a smile. "Of course." She then prompted to follow him to the solar. Cam wished Lucan had been here to greet her but she did understand that he had things to do.

[Caitrin de Archer]

This really was utterly pathetic, and in Caitrin’s opinion it was one of the lowest points they had been in since Griff had come back to her. It had been harder than she had expected trying to adjust to the life that she and Griff had had before he had left. But in a way, Caitrin knew that they could never return to that normality. Everything which had happened had still happened, and nothing was ever going to change that. She had still been locked up, and had miscarried their child. He had been off drinking and running around in the northern lands believing that she hated him. In a way, seeing him again had brought all the raw emotions around her miscarriage back to the forefront of her mind. She had felt bad enough, but seeing him again reminded her of the life she had lost, and the family that had been snatched away from her.

She wanted to let Griff in again, she really did, but it wasn’t quite as simple as that. She still loved him, that hadn’t change and she suspected it never would. Caitrin knew that it would take time to fully forgive him for not coming back for her sooner. When she had laid eyes on him for the first time in months, she’d been reminded just how much she did love him. Her eyes fell to the small ring on her hand; her engagement ring. In her mind the engagement had never been broken off, she had still fashioned herself as a betrothed woman, and she had never been anything else. Far from lapsing into old habits, she had become reclusive after Griff had left. After the miscarriage that had just mingled with illness; she had just wanted to be left alone.

But that was in the past now, or at least Caitrin wanted to move on from it. Griff had come back, it had been later than she would have wanted, but he had still come back for her. He hadn’t said anything on the topic of marriage since coming back, but they were still getting used to each other, so perhaps mentioning anything for the time being was the right thing to do. Looking across to Griff, she wondered if he did still want to marry her. Lazily, the hand with her engagement ring came to rest on her lap as she went to answer him, “I’m fine as well.” That just sounded ridiculous, and Caitrin knew it. But she also knew that Griff wasn’t completely fine, as she wasn’t fine. She hadn’t been fine for months. Months ago she would have felt so comfortable around him, like she could tell him anything and everything, but now they had been reduced to silly pleasantries such as these? Jesu was it too much to ask for a bit of normality?

Caitrin brushed down her scarlet dress, and she readjusted her dipped sleeves so that she was ready to meet the rest of Griff’s family. In truth she supposed this would make what was already an awkward situation even worse. She wasn’t on the best of terms with Lucan, and she supposed those sentiments would be extended to his betrothed in some sense. She was doing this for Griff, and not for Lucan or his betrothed. She was trying so hard to stand by Griff’s side once more, and to be the woman she had once been with him. A small smile crossed her lips, and she felt her stomach pull into a knot as Griff offered her his hand. She strode proudly forwards and took his arm, trying to act as if everything was fine, as if everything was normal. “Lead on.” She said softly, and looked up at Griff with a smile. Her engagement ring was still firmly on her finger, and as clear as day for everyone to see, which once again just made her incredibly irritated that if she and Griff were still to be married it would be after Lucan’s wedding. She wasn’t in the best of moods about that particular topic, but for now she had to grit her teeth and bear it. “After all, these will be my family one day; won’t they?” Was it too soon to bring that up? Jesu she hoped not. A flicker of uncertainty ran across Caitrin’s features as she looked up to Griff, waiting for his words, whatever the tone of his reply was.

[Griff Aubert]

Caitrin had accepted his arm so that had to be a good thing. It probably wasn't good that he was thinking in so great detail about everything she did and said to him but he was desperate for some confirmation from her, some sign that although things seemed to be in a mess at the moment it wouldn't last. He could live with the awkwardness and the stillness between them, but he couldn't live with the uncertainty. Not knowing was probably worse than before when he'd been convinced he'd never see her again. He matched her smile and noticed the ring that was still on her finger. She hadn't taken it off so she must still want to marry him. It was a thought that filled him with hope, that told him that no matter how bad things became between them he'd always love her and she'd always love him and somehow they would find a way, they'd find happiness again.

"After all, these will be my family one day; won't they?"

He could see the uncertainly flash across her features. His paranoia was telling him that was because she didn't want to marry him and was hoping he would not want to either, but another part of him was angry at himself again. It was his fault they were in this mess, it was his fault there was so much uncertainty between them. All he wanted was for Caitrin to know that he loved her and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her - even if that meant spending a fair amount of it in the company of her uncle. "Of course they will, I-I mean if that's what you want..." Caitrin was quite possibly the only person who made him speak with quite so much hesitation. In a situation like this with anyone else he'd just say anything, more often than not he'd say the "right" thing, but with Caitrin he found himself questioning himself and just wanting her to say yes.

The servants were already waiting to lead them inside, and so their conversation would have to wait until they were alone again. Griff didn't particularly want to discuss this in front of his brother, and definitely not in front of Camila. He was going to have to pretend everything between the pair of them was perfectly fine otherwise Lucan would see something was wrong and start asking questions. Of course he knew his brother meant well, but this wasn't the time. They were meant to be meeting Camila and celebrating their engagement.

"I shall tell Sir Lucan you have arrived."

Griff nodded at the servant and watched him disappear further into the house. He turned to Caitrin, "We...we need to talk about this," he said, he didn't want her to think that he was going to use Lucan and Camila to avoid the inevitable conversation, "When we're alone I mean. If you want..." Jesu, Griff Aubert becoming tongue tied because of a woman, now this had been a while.

[lucan]

Allard led Camila into the solar. "I see that you were admiring the picture of my sister" he smiled to her and offered her a seat as well as some wine. "She would have liked you". Amice would have certainly approved of Lady Camila from the first look. She had been very good when it came down to judgement of character. This was the girl who was to be Lucan's wife. Well, she most certainly seemed the part and from what he'd witnessed so far, a nice girl. "I apologise for Lucan's absense at the moment - there have been pressing matters that he's had to deal with. He should be down in a few moments..."

"Would now be acceptable?" Lucan finished off as he entered the solar, thankfully now changed into some suitable attire for the occasion and very much glad to see his fiancee looking as though she was at ease with his Uncle. That was a good start. He walked over to Camila, and leant down, placing a kiss on top of her hand. "My lady" he gave her a look of somewhat adoration.
"I suppose I should introduce you both properly. Uncle, this is Lady Camila and Camila...this is my Uncle Allard."

Allard smiled and gave Camila a gentle smile and nod. His nephew looked very much like a man in love. Corneous would most certainly like her - it was a shame that he wasn't here to meet her, although with the disagreements he'd had with Griff, Allard was slightly thankful that he wasn't. After all, now wasn't the time for arguments - but one of celebration.Taking a sip of his wine he looked up to where his nephew was standing. "Lady Camila was admiring the portrait of your mother" he explained - now seeing a slight look of unease on Lucan's face, "I was just saying about how she would have approved of your choice of wife."

Trust his Uncle to bring something like this up. "Well, you knew my mother better than I did." He nodded, thankfully being interrupted by the servant who had now entered the room. "Sir Lucan, Lord Griflet and Lady Caitrin are here..." They told him quietly, so as not to interrupt the discussion. Luc turned to his Uncle and Camila. "If you'll excuse me - my brother and Lady Caitrin are here". With a confident wink to Camila he left the room and headed out to the hallway, instantly regretting this decision as the pair looked as though they were at war with one another - despite the linked arms.

"Griff" he smiled and looked to Caitrin. "Lady Caitrin" he bowed his head, "Come through - we're all in the solar."

[Lady Camila of Faintree]

Camila gave Allard a small grin after she refused his offer of wine but did take seat. "She was very beautiful." She replied to his remark. Amice Aubert had been a very stunning woman from what Cam had seen in the paintings back in the polar. It made Cam smile a little to hear that Lucan's mother would have like her at the first glance. Well, had she been around still today and had she known how she was before Lucan and how she sometimes was when she was away from him, Amice would probably had reconsidered. "Thank you, I am more than happy to hear that."

"I apologise for Lucan's absense at the moment - there have been pressing matters that he's had to deal with. He should be down in a few moments..." Cam went to say that it was alright and that she understood that Lucan was busy when, as if on cue...

"Would now be acceptable? Camila smiled and stood as Lucan walked into the solar. It hadn't been very long since she had last seen him but she missed him every time they were apart as if it had been decades. She had become far less independent since Morgana's reign of terror but fortunately she was stronger now.

Lucan gave her a kiss on his hand and Cam still couldn't stop the blush from coming across her face. "Lucan." She replied, still smiling. Saying things like 'my Lord' didn't feel right with Luc. But he still liked to address her formally at times. She didn't mind.

As Lucan and Allard started to get to an uncomfortable point in their conversation a servant entered the room to inform Luc of the new arrivals. He excused himself and gave her a wink to which she replied with a smirk that could be taken as a grin by Allard. But she knew that Lucan wouldn't be fooled. As he walked out, Cam thought about her little meeting with Griff. Far from pleasant as it was, she hadn't told Lucan quite yet. She intended to use it against him as a sort of blackmail. If he wanted to act that way with her she sure as Hell wasn't going to play nice with him.

(lol! Pictures don't exist yet! Forgot! Haha!)

[Caitrin de Archer]

Caitrin hated this, she just wanted to come straight out with it, and ask Griff where she stood with him. She just wanted them to get back to what they had been, they’d been happy, they’d had each other and that had always been enough. They’d both ruined it between them, she couldn’t let Griff take all the blame. She’d jumped to conclusions, and her temper had taken over her heart, as was her way, and it had led to months of anguish. She never wanted to go through that again, she never wanted to be without him again, and she just wanted to hold his hand and tell him that. But she couldn’t, because for the first time in her life, Caitrin de Archer was scared. She was scared Griff wouldn’t want her anymore, she was scared he’d turn round and tell her that if she opened up her true feelings to him. Biting her lip she let him lead her into the house with a small smile.

His words were as uncertain as hers, and it just confirmed her belief that they were both avoiding the topic, and trying to offload the inevitable conversation. She just smiled at him, and knew she had to do something, anything to show him that she still loved him. She was still wearing the ring that he had got for her, but anyone could wear a piece of jewellery. Nervously, and glancing first to make sure they were alone, she turned round, and nodded to Griff, so she was facing him full on. She leant up to him, and pressed her soft lips to his, it was only a short embrace, but she felt like she had to just give him something to show she did still love him.

As the servant went off to tell Lucan that they had arrived, Caitrin looked back up to Griff. She wanted to just tell him everything, that she still wanted to fashion herself as Lady Aubert, and wake up to him every morning. Everything was a lovely and wonderful image in her head, but she was terrified about saying anything to him. “I want to talk about this as well.” She agreed softly, and just looked up at him. “Promise me, we will.” Not now, Jesu not here and now, but she wanted that assurance that neither of them would run away from that particular conversation. It needed to happen. She could imagine Lucan gloating at the thought of her subdued. She couldn’t allow that. They were supposed to be here to celebrate his engagement, even though Caitrin didn’t really want to celebrate it at all. She wanted to be planning her own future with the man stood in front of her.

She linked her arm back in his, “Griff I still-“ Caitrin was cut off by a sound of footsteps from behind them, and she groaned inwardly. Trust Lucan to come in at completely the wrong moment. Fantastic. Giving Griff a reassuring smile, she just returned back to her place by his side as Lucan walked up to them. She tried to smile through her annoyance, but it was proving a hard task, especially as it was Lucan. She dipped into a low curtsey as Lucan addressed her, “My Lord, thank you for extending the invitation to me.” She said very softly, “When do we get to meet the lucky Lady?”

[Griff Aubert]

Before Caitrin could finish her sentence she was cut off, rather annoyingly. She was probably going to say something important and now she couldn’t. Well wasn’t that helpful? Their arms were still linked though, that was the main thing. If she was going to say something he wouldn’t want to here she would have unlinked her arm from his first. He had to push those thoughts aside though, as Lucan was now here and he wouldn’t appreciate his brother just standing there being confused.

A smile spread across his features and he greeted the man warmly, “Luc, you’re looking well.” Griff had noticed he’d been looking a lot better quite often and could only assume this was down to Camila. While his meeting with the woman hadn’t been the most...well, safe of situations she and his brother clearly loved each other. The woman either hadn’t arrived yet or was waiting for them, personally Griff hoped for the former, not because he didn’t want to see her, but because he was slightly concerned at the awkwardness their initial meeting would cause.

He hadn’t told Lucan he’d gone to see Camila, and he assumed she hadn’t either as his brother hadn’t mentioned it. He hoped Camila didn’t say anything as he doubted Lucan would be too pleased about his actions. Thinking about it, Caitrin probably wouldn’t be overly thrilled but she was just as bad so she wasn’t allowed to complain. “Is Camila here already?” He asked, trying to sound nonchalant but it probably wasn’t working. He was never any good at hiding his thoughts or feelings, especially not around present company.

[lucan]

Lucan smiled as Griff commented about how well he looked. In all truth Lucan hadn't felt this much alive in years, it was Camila though - all down to Camila and her ways. Everything right down to her smile made him happy. He merely nodded and looked to both Griff and Caitrin. "And how are you both?" he asked. Cait most likely wouldn't answer and Griff would come out with something along the lines of 'surviving'.

“Is Camila here already?”

Lucan nodded at this, "Just arrived some minutes ago actually, she's in the solar with Allard." He was glad that he had his Uncle's approval of Camila - he'd been dreading to think that this would all go wrong, but if Allard approved then what did he have to lose? Yes there was still the subject of his father and Elaine (well he really didn't care about Elaine but his father? Yes he did.) but none of that mattered right now. He had everyone who he cared about right there, even Caitrin - and he couldn't be any happier.

"Right..." he turned back to his brother and Cait, "Shall we go through? Camila and Allard are waiting."

[Caitrin de Archer]

Caitrin hated having to be dutiful and respectful, but the situation called for it. She wasn’t in a particularly good mood with Lucan in general, but the occasion made her mood somewhat worse. Perhaps Griff didn’t see as much into it as Caitrin did, but she was just irritated at the fact they were here to celebrate Lucan’s engagement and up and coming wedding, rather than the other way around. She was probably seeing far too into it, after all Caitrin didn’t know where she stood with Griff yet with any of that. She still did want to marry him, and fashion herself as Lady Aubert, but only if he wanted that as well. She didn’t want to force anything on Griff, and if he had changed his mind she would rather he just told her, rather than her living in this insecurity. Urgh why was she even here? She should have stayed at home, and had this conversation with Griff that they had just promised to have. They could have probably enjoyed the occasion together then, or not as the case could be. “Fine thank you my Lord, and yourself?” Caitrin managed to say through near gritted teeth, though she managed a small smile; a fact which Caitrin thought in itself was admirable. She was only here because she had been invited along with Griff, and she was doing this for him more than for Lucan. That much went without saying.

Caitrin hadn’t met Lady Camila just yet, and she wasn’t looking forwards to that either. Her mood wasn’t at its best, but her wit certainly was, so that would play to her advantage. Perhaps Camila would be just as infuriating as Lucan was on a frequent basis. Thinking quickly, Caitrin wondered if she should just ask for a few moments in private to compose herself, but then again that would draw attention to hers and Griff’s situation more, and she didn’t want Lucan to get involved at all. Taking a deep breath, unnoticed by Griff and Lucan, she began to at least try to calm herself down. She was just going to have to grin and bear this, if she wanted to marry Griff then his family were part of the package.

As Lucan showed them through to the solar, Caitrin’s eyes darted from a man she assumed was Allard, and then to a blonde haired young woman. This of course had to be Camila. Caitrin let go of Griff’s arm briefly so she could curtsey to Allard swiftly, “My Lord.” She wouldn’t introduce herself, because really Griff or Lucan should do that for her, but she stood up and bowed her head to Camila, “Lady Camila it is a pleasure to finally meet you, congratulations on your engagement.” She returned her arm so it was linked again with Griff’s and she stood by him, so there was no doubt that she was here with the man. She was looking over Camila, she certainly seemed conventional, though her personality was yet to show itself.