Isadora meets Fazeris at some dark and cosy, yet elegantly refined, hole in the wall. She'll show up a little early and find some table where she can keep an eye on things while waiting for him to arrive.

Fazeris arrives just a bit after Isadora, apparently thinking that he'd come early as well. When he sees her there already, his face cracks into a smile as he realizes that he's been outdone.

He approaches, reaches for Isadora's hand, intent on kissing it formally.

Isadora takes his hand but then clasps it with her other one, trying to pre-empt the kiss with a warm handshake. "It's good to be back in Kaitaine," she says, watching his face, "but I suspect that neither of us is here simply to say hello."

Fazeris takes a seat next to Isadora.

"Well I thought we could talk of old times. Like when I was in Green Lake all those many years ago," his face is marveling at Isadora and he changes tone somewhat. "You haven't aged a day, madam."

"It's all that fresh country air," Isadora says dryly. "Good for the complexion."

She looks away, then. "Talking of old times can be embarrassing. In those days, I still thought that people could change the world if only they went far enough from the stifling influence of civilization. I thought you were small-minded to be caught up in Kaitaine politics, and that I was glimpsing realms you couldn't imagine." Taking a drink and smiling, she adds, "I've recovered from that."

"So we Ikaiti turn out to be merely human, and not demons?" Fazeris grins. "Well, that's good news."

"In fact, I'm so emboldened by your good sense, that I'd like to make a proposition," he continues. "I have a business enterprise going on the other side of the island. Dye-making operation. I think that Green Lake might have some substances that might make for good dyes - at least I'd like to test that theory."

"But it's not really serious business, it's just an excuse for us to get away together," he says, his expression growing conspiratorial. "Your husband can stay here and attend to other duties, while you and I get to know each other better once again."

The look in Fazeris' eyes say that in the few moments that they've been back together, that he's fallen for Isadora once again. Impossible, really; it must be that he's carried a torch for her for the past two decades. And that he hopes Isadora has as well.

He reaches out for her hand again, trying to establish some intimacy between them. Isadora notes that time has been good to Fazeris, too, and that he still seems the same young, fit rake who she once knew. Still carrying a rapier, and with a swagger that says that he's still expert with it, if not even better than before. There were women in this establishment who would kill for such a figure of a man.

Isadora pulls her hand away, some regret showing on her face. "I'd be lying if I said I've not missed you," she says quietly, "and I badly want you as an ally in Kaitaine. But I love my husband, sir." Having considered and discarded the idea of leading him on with false promises, she instead hopes to make peace with him and form a less intimate partnership.

Fazeris tries to recover with his usual grace and charm, but Isadora manages to sense a tiny moment of pain going across his face.

"Well, of course you love him, I wouldn't expect less," he says. "It's just that we're noble folk in a great city, and, well, fidelity is simply such a rural notion..."

As he trails off, he stops for a moment, and Isadora can see that he's made a decision.

"Well, all probably for the best, seeing as I have decided to settle down myself," he says with a bit of a smile. "That's really why I wanted to meet with you. I want your blessing. I intend to ask Leuta to marry me tomorrow evening."

His grin is hard to read, but seems to say many things all at once.

Isadora's hand clenches around her glass and she raises the other hand toward him before she can stop herself. She recovers before she finishes the gesture, however, and turns the hand up in a little shrug. "I trust that you'll make her happy, and so I give my blessing freely."

She takes a long drink, not breaking eye contact with him over the glass, then adds, "I think you know that of all my family here, she's dearest to me. I'd go to the ends of the earth to bury a man who broke her heart."

Fazeris is taken slightly aback at this, but recovers, "You know, she's not the girl you left here in Kaitaine 20 years ago. You should give here more credit."

"What's more, this is Kaitaine, not Green Lake, and you seem to have forgotten how things are done here. You should be happy that I am stepping in to support your sister and your mother in the manner to which they've become accustomed. You know that they're nearly broke, don't you?" he stops to give Isadora a patronizing look. "Your father's business ventures failed long ago, and the money is drying up, no? Or have they been too proud to tell you?"

"I've forgotten nothing," Isadora says, though she frowns at his words. "I'm frank with you because I think we share an understanding of how things are done in our circles, here or in Green Lake." It was, after all, for a dueling death that Isadora was sent away from Kaitaine all those years ago.

She sits back and eyes him appraisingly. "Thank you for troubling yourself with my family's concerns; indeed they apparently have not wanted to burden me with the news. I'm in your debt for both the tidings and your support." She seems to mean it--family is family, even if she doesn't like hers very much.

Fazeris is disturbed by this but does a fairly good job of hiding it. "Well, then, I suppose you're not in Kaitaine for long - I'll try to set up the ceremony so that it'll happen before you leave."

He stands up, no longer wanting to continue with this uncomfortable conversation, "Well, I hope that you'll excuse me, I obviously have preparations to make. Thank you for you blessings, and we'll meet again soon. Until then..."

He manages a formal smile as he's about to leave...