Counsellor's Chambers
Serene but with an underlying strength, the stone walls are hung with tapestries made by Charystra herself. The tale of Pelargir's Siege is told there, the colors muted but still the images are powerful. The stone floors are swept clean, only a fur softening their coldness before the fireplace which usually burns brightly to warm the chamber.
Beneath the single wide window rests a desk at which Charystra writes her songs and thinks, and resting on its surface is a hand carved vase holding flowers in the spring and summer, and leaves in the fall. A decanter holds wine at the ready and two goblets are always nearby.
A curtain falls from ceiling to floor separating one third of the room behind a shield of deepest sapphire cloth. Behind that curtain rests her bed, and her clothing chests. The bed is covered with a quilt worked with a pattern of harps and interlocked four-pointed stars in silver on a sapphire and ivory background. A candle sits on a low table beside it, a sheaf of parchment laying close by, along with a gold dagger, the hilt bound with crimson silk.
By the fireplace itself are two comfortable chairs, padded and inviting and on the stones before the fire are always kept a tray of fruit and bread, as well as water and wine for the pleasure of any who come to visit her here.
Contents:
Charystra
Obvious exits:
Out

The morning sun rises into the sky muted in it's warmth giving glow by a thick cover of storm grey clouds hovering ever near the city. The summer storms that wrack the city of Dol Amroth have now passed, leaving the city with the oncoming of fall. Through the halls of the citadel of Ost-in-Ernil the sounds of the morning begin to fill the silence as the workers of the palace wake and begin thier daily lives. It is through these halls the cloaked form of a young man strides, his blue hooded cloak trailing behind him like a wave rising from the sea. Through the halls he strolls finding his way up the stairs in the Hall of Armour then turning to head towards the room of the Cousellor. A soft knock he offers upon her, door then stands back. Silently the Lord Calanros waits for sounds of life within the room.

Despite the early hour Charystra's voice is clear and rining, unclodouded by sleep. "Come in..." she calls as she rises from her desk, the gown she wears a mark of the house she calls her own, the sapphire blue and silver of the House Isilrim and the mark of her own office as Chancellor. It is clear she has been up for hours already, her hair brushed and shining, set with pins of silver, and her face clear and unlined, though green eyes betray more than the even beauty of her face would reveal

The grand doors to the Chancellors apartment swing wide as the Knight known as Nials the Keen, or Nials the Two Sighted makes his way into the room. With a quick look about the room with his shining sapphire eyes, the young Lord Calanros smiles warmly to the lady he calls 'Sister.' "Good Morn to thee my Sister," he greets her warmly, "I pray I do not disturb thee?" As he speaks an arm rises from beneath the sea colored wave of his cloak and tosses the rest of the material behind his shoulders. As he does this a slight wince crosses his face and his head turns to his arms which are bound from within the sleeves of his tunic to the tips of his fingers in sterile white bandages. "If I intrude do tell," Nials says finishing his movement, "And I can return later."

Charystra lifts one slim hand, the rings of silver and sapphire glinting their faintly, "Nay brother....you do no disturb. I was merely caught in thought as to matters which have occurred of late." she smiles easily and gestures to a soft chair, "Sit for you are still injured and it is clear it still causes you pain. Perhaps you would share a cup of wine with me and some fruit?" she questions gently, green eyes missing very little if anything at all.

The long strides of the youthful man's legs carry him across the room with a well practiced grace learned during the year or more he had lived in the city overlooking the bay of Belfalas. The bandaged arms hang near limp at his side, not so much as moving with each step. Arriving at the offered chair, a quick movement so common place it is scarely noted places the man within the chair. "I thank thee sister for thy time," Nials says softly, "I would be glad in excepting your offered fruit and wine," he answers her question.

Charystra nods softly as she fills two goblets of silver with wine, the goblets having been a wedding gift at her marriage to Sirion. She approaches and lays on near to Nials' hand, as she has a page place a tray of cut fruit upon the tbale betwixt them, slices of summer berries, and autumn fruits intermingled. A seat she takes then, her skirts settling silently about her in graceful lines as she questions gently, "what brought you to my room brother?"

"Truth be known," Nials replies with a rise of his eyebrow, then sighing he speaks again, "I was about wandering the palace and thought of you. Realizing I have not had time to stop by for quite some time I decided to come and pay a visit to you." Resting comfortably in the cushioned chair, the wounded Lord Calanros reaches his cloth covered hand for the glass of wine. As the cup leaves the tray, Nials winces and drops the goblet which falls unharmed to the floor spilling the blood red wine upon the carpet. Sliding forward out of the chair, Nials lands on his knees and graps for the goblet. His hand draws it from the ground and his eyes inspect it for damage, "Forgive me," Nials says quickly after seeing the goblet unharmed.

Charystra's laughter is soft, "Tis alright Nials...it is unharmed...I am more in truth concerned about you and other things which concern us both than to the damage which the goblet may encurre upon falling." she rises and returns soon with a silk satchel of some sort. She offers it gently, "The herbs in here dull pain...they were a gift from a healer of the Rohirrim and do work well..." her tone leaves little room for argument as she kneels in her gown, using a cloth to soak up the wine, unconcerned about the damage it may do to her gown, or how it must look to the servants to see their mistress kneeling and doing such work

Taking the pouch from her, Nials looks at it and frowns, "Twer it not for the foolishness of Lord Isilrim I would not be wounded so," he nearly spits the words from his mouth. He then grows silent and grabs Charystra's hand with his own, "Forgive me again," he says, "I speak in anger." Slipping the tiny pouch into a larger one upon his belt, Nials places the now empty goblet back upon the table, then turns once again to help Charystra as best he can.

Charystra speaks almost sharply....a rare thing for her, "Sit Nials..you are injured and I am not...i can clean this myself." she falls silent for a long moment, working carefully to remove the wine from the expensive carpet, "As for Aranfel he is dear to me Nials, just as you and Illiana are and I will not hear dark words about him from your lips, I married into his house but it has been there when I have had no one else to turn to. I beg you not forget that." she speaks softly and not in anger, but in the tones of one concerned at seeing a possible riff between the two houses she cares more about

Drawing back from her, the young lord frowns again and grows silent. Remaining upon the floor watching her, Nials eyes are alight with a storm of conflict, torn between anger and love. "Forgive me for saying so," Nials starts, "But Lord Sirion, thy husband was truly a noble man. Not so with the current lord. How am I to look upon a man and call him friend if I am abandonned by that same man due to his lust for battle and lack of responsibility." Bowing his head in shame at his words, Nials continues, "For in true, Arnafel left me to burn in the manor of Torelin when the men of Harad sacked the hamlet of Linhir and burned it to the ground. So intent was he one killing that he broke a major law within the knightly code laid out within the codex of the swan, a code ALL knights are bound too." Stopping long enough to draw a breath, Nials raises his eyes again to her, "Tell me Lady, how am I to respect him?"

Charystra's voice is calm, "Nials brother...for so I call you yet. I was not there and so cannot judge. But until Arnafel himself may defend himself against your words I will not judge either side as right nor wrong. It pains me to see such things between the two which call me sister, and wOCOCho I can honestly call brothers to me." she sighs softly, "I know people often do rash things in the blood rage of battle and that people often forget the cost of their actions till such things are past. For now Nials I will say nothing on this matter, only that I will no believe all I hear until I have heard both sides and may perhaps find the truth within it." she rises and lightly brushes a kiss against Nials' brow, 'I am yet your sister, but I respect Aranfel for he fought to free me from the hillmen who attack the keep in Rohan whilst I stayed there and defended my honor at other times...If you cannot respect him Nials I cannot ask you to, yet for my sake speak no evil of him...."

"For you sake then," Nials replies in a voice just above a whisper, "I will speak no evil of him when in your presence." Looking up at her as she towers above him, "You are truly the most noble of you house sister," his soft voice speaks aloud. Rising then to stand, Nials stops and stands for a moment on the brink of speaking, but then sighing again letting the words fade from his memory. "Forgive me again sister for the spill," he apologizes, "but now I must make my way to Illiana, for I guess her to be awake now with the sickness of the morning."

Charystra smiles gently and steps forward, a soft embrace offered, "Tis alright brother, worry not about it. As for my sister and thy wife, tell he I hope she fels better soon...I am no so blessed with a child...for my fall did steal it from me, though it stole not my own life. I think each night of the joy a babe will bring you both."

Returning her embrace, Nials draws back and looks at her for a moment. Then he turns, his long strides carrying him quickly to the door. Stopping there, Nials does not turn as he speaks again, "I pray the babe will not be born into what is to come." Then without waiting, the Lord Calanros continues out the door. The tall wooden door closes behind him which a loud click at the locking mechanism fits back into place.

Charystra frowns as she rises slipping to her desk once more. Worry and pain touches her face as she sits there, lost in thought