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Lady Chusi Chhatrapati
clothing: Blanket and silky pink undergarments

Chusi was already up, her long black hair was pulled up into a messy bun with strands hanging down to caress her neck, she was in loose silky undergarments that clung to and barely covered her decently, which is why she was also covering herself with a blanket, holding it together with her right hand as she at with her left, some sort of rice pudding that was a little bit to watery along with some fresh green grapes on the side and what possibly looked like rum. She was no longer wearing her mourning clothing, weather or not that would last was debatable, however she looked depressed, quite likely because she had lost both of her brothers in the span of a few days.

A young woman with long silky black hair and a pristine face and a silver ring upon her wedding finger sat at the table as well, she was obviously heavy with child as she ate the same thing as Chusi, with the exception of the rum which was replaced with a strange dark purple and medicinal smelling drink. As they ate all around them a few servants were placing down hay on the ground and covering the hay with a long thick rugs of varying styles and thickness, the outer walls were being covered with tapestries both old and new, and the windows had been locked, and covered up with thick tapestries as well, which lead to an over abundance of candles being used in order to light up and warm the rooms where normally some light from the sun would normally suffice.

As she ate a servant sat next to her and Chusi muttered things in between bites without bothering to look up as the servant wrote down her orders "Seal off the entire upstairs, board up the windows and take down anything of value for the remainder of winter" she said as she took a bite "Seal up half of the bed chambers and board up the windows, take out anything of value and store it. another bite "reduce the staff at the castle by half and reassign them to the keep..." a pause between bites as she looked up to see Count Titanus enter the room. Chusi seemed to sit up a little straighter in his presence as she quickly wrapped up her orders "Have them help the remaining sick into the northern half of the keep so we can open up the southern half for anyone that can't struggle though the cold on their own, however make it mandatory that they have to bring some sort of blanket, tapestry, or a bale of hay or they can not enter." she said to the servant and the woman bowed her head "Yes my lady" she servant said and stood up, pushing the chair in and then bowed a littler lower to the pregnant woman that sat a few chairs away "Duchess Hye-Kyo" before the servant finally left, however many more still milled about the dining quarters, finishing up the lighting of candles and hanging of tapestries.

Chusi looked at the Count and she managed to bring a small smile to her face "Its a cold one today, I'd suggest some rum this morning, it warms the heart and stomach" she said, taking a drink of hers as if to make a point. She then smiled "If you have something you'd prefer to eat we can make it.... Did you sleep well?" she asked him.

Lady Chusi Chhatrapati
clothing: Blanket and silky pink undergarments

Chusi looked at the Count and blinked a few times slowly before she let a soft chuckle wisp past her lips as she heard the unintentional rhyme, it seemed to put her in a little happier of a move, however that didn't make her hold on the blanket loosen in the slightest as she seemed to have a conscious awareness of the informality of wearing such a thing. Some might have seen her undressed state as a disrespect but it was simply because she was to cold to actually bother with putting on something practical this morning and her clothing were already warm from sleeping in them so why change just yet? "I'm glad you slept well despite the cold, I wasn't expecting such a turn so I am glad as well that It didn't cause any trouble" she said to him "however on the topic of sleep, though it may leave one wanting, sometimes one must get good sleep so they don't just give out one day. My brother, Chai, use to work himself into such stupors that we thought his blood was taking effect early" she said, a small smile on her lips as she remembered old times "He became Duke at only eleven years old you know, we thought the first time he passed out that our line was ending with him" she looked over at the dark haired woman "luckily it has yet to do so" she whispered as she sat up straight once more and took another drink of her rum.

Another bite of the soupy rice went into her mouth just as some toast and tea came from the kitchen, and even though he didn't request it some type of marmalade looking substance. The servant bowed her head just slightly and whispered "forgive me for going against your request my lord, but we haven't been able to light the masonry oven this morning due to the cold so the bread isn't as fresh as it normally is, the staff suggested an aged Mango Chutney to provide some vigor to your meal... It has Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Cloves, and ground almonds for protein. It's very common here in Solidon and should give just enough kick without being to overpowering... t-the tea is mint and should compliment it well" she said before bowing her head again and quickly walking off almost as if she was embarrassed.

Once the servant was gone Chusi smiled again at Count Titanus "If you don't mind, Would it be alright for me to address you by your first name?" she asked him "I find it odd to be speaking to you so formally now since we have known each other these past few months" she said, which caused the dark haired woman that was eating with them but had yet to say a word to roll her eyes.

Lady Chusi Chhatrapati
clothing: Blanket and silky pink undergarments

Chusi kept her smile "Then I thank you" she said as she trailed off and bit her bottom lip slightly "...Dixon" she said as if testing out how his name fell from her tongue, she found the name a little to short for her liking, almost as if it cut itself off a bit to soon but that was just her, everyone in her family seemed to have melodic names... Chusi, Chai, Argus, Katrina, Naguun, even Hye-Kyo had a sort of lyrical note to it, but it just went to show how different east Ethe was to west Ethe "You may call me by my given name as well..." she said to him "but out of respect I will return to calling you Count Titanus around others" she said to him

Chusi went back to eating, finishing off her rum before holding up her goblet, a servant was about to fill it up with more rum but she shook her head "water this time" she said and the servant bowed his head and moved back so another could come with a bejeweled pitcher that likely held less then two cups of water made from metal and some white marble. The pitcher held rubies, small moonstones, and medium pieces of turquoise, and yet it was simply used as a water pitcher and Chusi didn't bother to look as it filled her cup, however it wasn't as if the pitcher was out of place, the soup bowl that Chusi ate from was carved from one large piece of marble as was the plate that held the piece of toast for Dixon's consumption, his tea cup was clearly made from sunstone as was Chusi's, and the spoon that she ate with was carved from some sort of stone that looked like it may have been a large ruby. If one bothered to look at the walls, particularly the seams were the floor or ceiling or wall met with each other they would see small moonstones had been placed in the cracks to make it look like the walls had no place that they could have been torn down, their must have been thousands in this one room alone.

Chusi looked up at Dixon and raised an eyebrow "what do you mean 'how one could stand such fussing?" she asked him, slightly confused at his words.

Lady Chusi Chhatrapati
clothing: Blanket and silky pink undergarments

Chusi looked at him even more confused when he spoke, wondering what he meant as she slowly looked around, seeing nothing out of place she then looked back at him "I don't think I quite understand, despite being of different titles we are both members of the same peerage" she said to him "My ancestors came from what I think is now Frostveil and were given the title we hold to this day" she waved her hand around "Everything here was taken in conquest" she said and nodded toward the cup he drank his tea from "Our cups are from house Meshlamtaea after my ancestor Kali Chhatrapati.... took what claim they thought they had to the crown during the warring states period and put it to Dissolution." she said and then shrugged "Its not like we earned everything we have the way your line did" she shrugged as she picked up the ruby colored spoon "It hasn't been until recent generations that my line has become greedy" she purred out, her blanket falling ever so slightly to reveal rounded soft shoulders that almost looked dainty "Who's to say you're not of equal status? I'm not yet duchess, so technically I'm of lower station then you. The only reason I sit at the head of the table here is because this is my home, not yours. Any other place and I would be sitting below the rest of the houses" and then she looked at him, almost as if she saw that he was holding back, Hye-Kyo coughed slightly before standing up and Chusi allowed her to leave. She then clapped her hands twice and the rest of the servants cleared out, leaving them in an all to empty dining room "Speak your mind, your not going to hurt me with your words" she said.

Lady Chusi Chhatrapati
clothing: Blanket and silky pink undergarments

Chusi narrowed her eyes for a moment, almost looking angry at his words. But a softness was held behind her eyes that rendered her glare moot. She then closed them and sighed and folded her hands, thinking for a moment as her blanket slid of the other shoulder and down to her stomach. Underneath the blanket she had been wearing a silky pink chemise made of, obviously, silk that was thickly layered enough that it could have passed off as linen, It was held up nothing but her bodies own measures and the fact that it was fitted only enough to do so. Along the top of the fabric golden thread had been used to decorate the top of the fabric "I don't think I ever knew that about you" she said to him, a small smile curving up her lips "but personally, I don't think you should be so quick to judge other nobility"

Chusi finally opened her eyes and looked over at him "I'm not as smart of you or... honestly I doubt I've more intelligence then a self taught commoner, but I know my house has more wealth then most others. Only because I see other estates and notice that only my ancestors has the time to embed millions of moonstones into the cracks of the castle." she said as she finally met her eyes, something lingered in them but it was difficult to say what it was, remorse? maybe, it was something like that "I can't pretend that I worry about Solidon's people the same way you care for Titania and Etelan, because trying to make sure everyone is safe and secure isn't the way I was raised to see things. Killing is a sport, in places closer to the board with Phobos blood is a drink, we take trophies of conquest, and celebrate when our friends die on the swords of others." she paused for a moment "The strong survive... You hunt your own food, you care for your own family, if your young die it is not because 'The Chhatrapati are heartless monsters' but because your family was unable to provide for you. We claim no forest as our own, you can hunt as you please. Chusi sighed softly as she brought the sunstone cup to her lips and lowered her eyes "but even the strong can't fight the weather. The winds are so fast that they're litterally stabbing ice into stone... Its only common sense that I help" she whispered and drank, she looked up at him again "what do you do in Titania and Etelan?" she asked him.

Lady Chusi Chhatrapati
clothing: Blanket and silky pink undergarments

Chusi listened to him and when he motioned to her blanket she slowly brought it back up so it was draped over her shoulders and she pulled it over her front for more modesty "We all adapt to our industry. Solidon makes up the entire Ethe-Phobosian border as well as a little over one third of the Ethe-Lionis boarder. If we count our influence in Palude we make up the entire Ethe-Lionis boarder and two eighths of the Ethen-Bellrisian boarder, it is the most demanding job just above our growing spice harvest" she said, making a mental note to check in with Hisoka as to weather or not the deal that the Chhatrapati had with her Maternal house (Paludes noble house) of Watercress.

As she listened to Dixon speak she could only smirk at his words "And that, Dixon, Is why those that have a more artistic calling decided to go to Titania. Not everyone is born a warrior after all" she said as she swirled what remained of her water in the sunstone cup. She would be silent for what seemed like a long stretch of unnecessary time, almost as if she was thinking "I don't see the Irony. We never raided in Ethe, we respected the crown enough to leave those the royal line claimed as their people. Every jewel and gem has been taken either from houses that deserved their destruction or from Phobos, as for our speaking, It is always just a point of time that our houses would some day have to speak with each other. We are after all of the same peerage after all" she said to him before she slowly pushed her chair back as she stood, her blanket staying up this time "Come, bring your toast, I would very much enjoy sharing something with you" she said as she would move to the side, waiting as a servant pushed the chair in, she would wait until she would get a yes or a no was to if he would come with her.

Lady Chusi Chhatrapati
clothing: Blanket and silky pink undergarments

Chusi smiled as she walked, her blanket dragging on the floor behind her "And I am glad that you are here, it has been far to long since Solidon Castle has had any sort of noble visitor" she said to him, falling into step next to him until they came to the stairs where she took the lead, a hand reaching out from under her blanket, parting the blanket at the front and letting her legs breath. Inside the blanket was rather hot- the colder air more then welcome since she wasn't willing to go back to her chambers to change just yet.

She looked back at him for a moment, debating weather or not to stop by her rooms, but she wrote that off instantly finding that it might not exactly be considered proper by the Titanian Lord. She walked toward the right wing and stopped in front of a tapestry that she pulled back. She leaned her shoulder into the stone wall, looking rather stupid as she did before turning onto her back and shoving her entire weight into it. As she did she got a perfect look at the Count and she couldn't help but keep her small smile, he wasn't bad looking in the slightest, not what she was use to... perhaps a little more slim then the men found in Solidon, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing- her thoughts where cut off as her body jolted as about a six foot tall and four feet wide section of the wall gave at long last and sunk inward and released stuffy air from inside.

Chusi turned back around and pulled the stone door to the side, whatever had been supporting the door groaning and creaking with the effort. Then Chusi stepped inside "I welcome you to the Chhatrapati's room of Venerated thievery" she said, a slightly mocking tone in her voice since after all everything in here had without a doubt been either stolen or won in some bloody way. Amongst actual gold chests that sat in corners gathering dust, some open to show earrings and necklaces and bracelets (some still holding the original owners blood) five things stood out amongst the rest, elevated above all else, on literal pedestals. Chusi told Dixon what they were from right to left.

Starting with a very old looking book covered in ink stains and blackening pages open to a page that simply said Chai Chhatrapati "This book is Called Kian" Chusi said "It has the name of every man and woman that became head of the Chhatrapati line going far back before we were nobility or tribes. Supposedly our family name use to be Pheus. Its a genealogy of sorts" she said and then moved onto the next thing, an even older book-ish thing that was made in a different way and was stood upon itself and fanned out so all the strange words could be seen "Book of Elatha, Found by an ancestor a long time ago, but none of us can read it..." she said to him, not bothering to say anything more on that one. She then moved on to a feather of the purest white and lined with a living fire it seemed "Not sure what this is, but my brother said that it was important for some reason" she said and again, quickly moved on. To something that looked like a cross between a head dress and a possible crown "The Corona of Manasa" Chusi said with a small smirk as she looked at the ruined thing "The first of my line to pledge himself to the royal line took this from the Manasa once they were defeated. Supposedly it was made from dragonhide... I mean, it kind of looks like it could be" Chusi shrugged and came to the last thing that she had to keep herself from fawning over.

The pendant was simple in design but perhaps it was the simplicity that made it stand out, but then Chusi said what made it so special "My families most prized possession...and something you're not aloud to say we have" she said, a slightly playful look in her eyes but her lack of smile said she was dead serious "The Pendant of Phobos" She said as she moved so she was eyelevel with the large blue gem "The same one that in legend made the Dragon Lord, Phobos, go insane during the dragon-phoenix wars before we were all united under the empire" she said as she looked into the blue gem "Some truth might be in those words. It made my aunt go insane, she said she could hear it speaking to her, whispering to her in the night about how golden eyes were....something" she shrugged as she looked at the pendant for a few seconds longer before looking away.

[occ: sorry for the delay, had to get most of that approved. ]