Entrance Hall: Faire Noir, Cairhien

With a casual stride, the Duke of Demmar enters the House Hagon manor. His light eyes likely gaze between guards and servants, though he does particularly pick one out. "Lady Serenia, please."

The servant who Maizran speaks with widens her eyes a touch. "Yes, M'lord." Immediately, she goes to search out Serenia. Who is she to say no to a Duke, even if he is Andoran?

Maizran makes his across the entrance hall, getting captured by some work of art that is hanging on the side. He folds his arms behind him, and generally seems relaxed and uncaring with the remainder of the room.

After a few moments, Serenia descends the staircase. There is only a mild look of interest on her features, not appearing to care overmuch, outwardly, at Maizran's appearance. "Good evening, Lord Demmar," she speaks in a quieted tone, her eyes watching the Lord in a studious manner.

Maizran doesn't turn away from the point of interest until Serenia speaks his name. Turning around easily enough, those light eyes lightly take her in with that noble appreciation. "My cousin's beautiful wife, Lady Serenia. Tolerating the winter evenings?" It is evening now, so perhaps the lead in comment.

It might be nearly imperceptibly, but at the title 'beautiful wife' Serenia does seem to flinch a slight bit. "Aye, Lord Demmar. That I am. I was just about to sit down with a mug of tea, when I heard you had arrived." Polite and civil she remains, eyes curiously regarding Maizran. "I must say I am a touch surprised at your visit. Jerlon did not mention you were going to come by."

A smile just begins to form on Maizran's features, as he takes a few more steps toward Serenia and then looks briefly across the entrance hall. "He wasn't informed of my visit. I was here to see the wife he struggles with each day," Maizran states with an amused note found in his voice. "Is there somewhere we may speak?"

There is a brief moment's pause, as Serenia regards Maizran uncertainly. His amused smile seems to cause her a touch of confusion. "Of course. We may speak in my sitting room. Please, follow me." With that, Serenia starts to move back up the stairs, waiting marginally for Maizran to follow.

Maizran's eyes lightly touch upon Serenia's figure when she turns away, though otherwise he moves forward and in step with her. His thoughts play on this matter of Jerlon, and his inability to procreate with this woman. He does wonder where the problems could be.

Change of scenery...

Sitting Room: Serenia's Apartments, Faire Noir

Holding the door open, Serenia states confidently, "This way." That curiousity remains in her voice and with which the manner she speaks.

Maizran heads through the door and into the room of Serenia's choosing. He walks a fair bit of way inside before turning toward the entrance. "Thank-you. I do typically notify in advance in case of a meeting, but this is not a very official matter. Nor is it much of a matter. I came here to insure everything was well between yourself and Lord Jerlon."

How to answer that question? A brow lifts demurely at Maizran. Serenia closes the door, then steps further into the room herself. She settles herself on a nearby chair, smoothing over the folds of her skirts. "All is as well as can be expected, Lord Demmar."

"That is fortunate to hear. I suppose the little trifs in the gardens are becoming too expected." Maiznra doesn't sit himself, but instead he continues to walk the length of the room and examine. "Lady Serenia, you are a women with political smarts, now I only hope you teach the same to Jerlon and his child, when he is to have one."

An audible sigh can be heard escaping from Serenia. "Jerlon is something of a stubborn mule, Lord Demmar. I try to guide him, as he asks, and yet when I try to gain even the slightest bit of information from him to be of aid, he gets testy. I will try to do what I can with him... but I can make no promises that he'll absorb any information that I try to aid him with."

"He is still young." Maizran't tone hints on hopeful, as he moves his hand around in a light circle as though indicating he's willing to give it time. "I would have thought of him better to adapt to Cairhien. Perhaps it was foolish of me to arrange the meeting on the youthful ethusiasm he indicated in his letters."

"Meeting?" Serenia asks, not quite certain what Maizran means.

"That lead to the marriage," Maizran furthers with a slight shrug. "He has a fair bit more to learn before he can appreciate a woman of your position and skills." All the while Maizran makes a light scout of the room.

The room is a typical noble's room. Some of Jerlon's things are mixed with her own, noticably. Were Maizran to know of the small music box Jerlon gave to her, he'd notice it missing from the nightstand of her room. "Ah, I see." Serenia grows quiet a moment, studying the wall briefly. "I think all that clouds his mind is love, he's blinded by it. I don't think he can look past that, really."

Maizran shakes his head with a slight chuckle. "How could he love a woman he barely knows? Or at least that's the impression I have of the two of you." He stops at another painting, examining it with some detail. "So this is the reason you were unable to have a chlid?"

How uncomfortable such a topic can be. Serenia shifts imperceptibly. "There is a medical condition within my family. It may takes several tries, perhaps a few years, before I am able to have a child of my own." Not an exact lie. It /is/ possible that Serenia inherited the same condition as her mother, and her mothers's mother before that. She never gave it that chance to find out though.

"How terribly..." Maizran fumbles for the correct word, though the pause is on purpose, "concerning. Though I must admit, idle gossip tells a favorable tale for House Hagon. It is becoming very clear to Cairhienin that the Lady Serenia will take no influence from House Demmar. That is, whether intended or not, rather well played. I have no need to draw attention to this matter of the alliance beyond what needs to be stated."