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Post by Emelius nó Alyssum on Feb 28, 2011 14:31:28 GMT -5
It felt surreal going back to my old House, oh the things that I had learned here, the things that I had learned in my childhood as a servant to the upper class, I could still feel it running through my veins, pulsating with each step that I took. From the straight line of my back to the way I conducted myself, it was hard for anyone to label me as a member of Alyssum House. I did not shy away, my chin held up a bit high as a fosterling showed me the Dowayne's office as I turned in some papers for signing, as was my errands. Such things made me feel useful, I was not the kind of person who could laze around, I needed to be on the go and moving or who knew where my mind might flit to.
Familiar faces... and some... not. It felt as if phantom fingers were making their way over my body. I wasn't entirely quite sure how to feel. Not that I was ashamed of being in my House, that was not the case, I merely wondered if things would be different if I were still here. It was then that a detail that had otherwise slipped my mind was caught and I gingerly grabbed a fosterling to ask if she could find out if Ines no Camellia was free and was willing to see me. An odd whim for myself, but I had seen her in friendly passing at too many fetes and now, a year after her debut I had a strange desire to speak with her, as if, in some way she was an extension of myself that still belonged to this House.
Perfection.
What standards to live up to and I wonder if it grieved anyone who graced these floors. I had not spoken to her since the last Midwinter Masque and I could only hope she did grace me with her presence and there was the nervousness bubbling in me that I willed to die. She was nothing more than a friend, I was not sure why I was feeling such things now.
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Post by Inès nó Camellia on Feb 28, 2011 15:47:27 GMT -5
Three light knocks rapped, to bring my attention to the young fosterling who has materialized near me. Her brown hair the color of cognac with gentle waves that framed her heart-shaped face. "Capucine?" I asked as I turned to see her. My own cerulean hue'd gown swishing around me. My hand still upon the cover of a book upon my small night-stand. The small thought that I was needed in the Salon, blossomed in mind. But, I pushed it aside.
A smile touched my lips as I asked, "What's the matter?"
To which, the young fosterling replied that there was an Alyssum, an Emelius nó Alyssum in fact, who wished to see me. I would have wondered why, but that would do no difference. I would know in due course. I gestured and let Capucine lead me back to the Foyer. I remembered him, Emelius. Fêtes, Masques and other such things. Adepts had a strange way of knowing one another.
It only helped the gossip in any case.
I passed a mirror and noted the slim column of my neck. On display today, due to my hair being swept back into a low style. I doubted that I would need earrings, so I thought nothing else about it. Before long, I saw him standing there, exiting the Adept's Wing. I placed a gentle hand on Capucine's shoulder letting her go on her way.
"Emelius?" I asked coming forward, offering the Alyssum a kiss of greeting on each side. "A pleasant surprise, indeed!" I smiled, a half-step back allowed me to settle into comfortable conversation distance, "Be welcome. Do you care to find a place to sit? Refreshment?" I gestured to the Salon, and in the same breath added, "It's been sometime, last Midwinter Masque, yes?"
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Post by Emelius nó Alyssum on Feb 28, 2011 16:06:08 GMT -5
"Ah... n-no thank you."
Damn it all. I rarely stammered except in the assignation room, which was something I couldn't help with how shy and incapable I was in such situations, but now, I was getting a similar feeling, maybe because I was not used to being treated as such a guest. It was odd, not to mention, the kiss of greeting she lay on each of my cheeks left me absolutely petrified. In any other situation I would have kept my dignity, but I ended up clearing my throat and looking away.
"I uhm... yes, it has been quite sometime. I was uh..." Gods above, my speech needed to clear. One more clear of the throat and I almost felt like myself. Almost. Even if it had been a kiss of greeting it had left me completely unnerved though I supposed I had never gone to visit Ines before expressly. "I was merely dropping off some papers from my Dowayne to yours and I thought to see you and how you are doing." There, almost back to myself and the heat in my cheeks had nearly dissipated by then. "Have you been well?" Other than the death of our Queen, of course, it seemed to have shaken everyone.
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Post by Inès nó Camellia on Feb 28, 2011 18:26:05 GMT -5
I waited patiently for him to finish. He was Alyssum after all, and despite his upright nature and his own manner he was true to the shy, tiny flower that no less was. Despite, perhaps, trying to hide itself beneath the larger stalks.
"It has been a thoughtful few days, has it not?" I asked, of course the Queen's death weighed upon my thoughts. I prayed within the House Temple for a speedy passage to the Terre d'Ange that weighed beyond. I had mourned in my own way, I had hoped. The Queen is us embodied and drawn into the form of an individual. "Shaken in a way. The death of our Queen has been..." are there words to express? I'm not sure, I allowed this to trail off, and in that the sentiment was given.
"Elsewise, I've been well. Enjoying the Spring as it slowly wraps it's warm embrace around us." My attention centered on Emelius, though my words were punctuated with the graceful motions of my hand. My eye twinkled with mirth and my lips touched a smile. Perhaps, I reasoned finally, that he just wished to speak to me. It has been entirely too long, hasn't it? His explanation therefore was accepted without reservation. I remained, upright but not truly unbending. "And you?" I asked, "I do hope that you've been well."
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Post by Emelius nó Alyssum on Mar 2, 2011 2:31:58 GMT -5
“Indeed it was... entirely unexpected.” She had been beloved, I could not imagine anyone wishing her ill. This change of subject had done me well and I found the pattering in my heart begin to calm. I wondered for a moment if that was what separated her from myself. The difference from being in Camellia House and Alyssum. She was graceful, punctuated, in control of her every situation. I was as she was, at least, with most things. Everything but with situations like what had just occurred. I wondered how she kept herself so composed after kissing someone. Maybe to her, it was nothing, but to me... I wasn’t sure why I put such weight on such things.
“I have been well. There’s been quite a lot of errands for me to run now that spring is settling in, which suits me just fine.” There was something about winter that always bothered me... perhaps the way that the entire world slowed down? At any rate, now that crops were coming in and there were orders to be filled out, I was a busy man once more who could rightfully distract myself with such trivial things. It kept my mind on double time, always active and making lists, but I never quite knew how to handle myself otherwise.
"Mayhaps I can pick up something for you when I'm running my errands," I offered, unsure of why I did. Mayhaps because she was in the House I used to call my own, but being with her seemed to throw me in for a loop.
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Post by Inès nó Camellia on Mar 2, 2011 10:09:58 GMT -5
I made a sound. A simple one, agreement and ascent. It was barely worth the air used to create. "I've been keeping busy myself," I offered, "there is always errands to run, after all." The quiet mornings to drink in. The ribbons of light streaming down through the green leaves of trees to marvel at. "I am sure in time, there will be many merchants' voices rising in the throng speaking of their wares over other's."
For those of us who called Mont Nuit home, the simple fact we lived upon Mont Nuit was better than any singing voice.
His offer, however, caused me to blink. I did not expect it in truth, and thus didn't quite have an answer prepared. "You don't have to pick me up anything, Emelius," I said after the break in thought. A ghost of a smile traveled past my lips, "The sentiment, however, is appreciated. In truth, I don't think I could ask you of anything."
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Post by Emelius nó Alyssum on Mar 2, 2011 22:58:26 GMT -5
I had no idea why I had offered. I really didn’t. It was all... an odd sort of business, really that left such a strange taste in my mouth when she told me that I did not have to pick up anything for her and that she could not ask anything of me. “Of course, I merely thought it polite to offer...” I said, trying to salvage the situation somehow. However, she did say the sentiment was appreciate even though I wasn’t sure what I had meant by offering. Who was this person speaking for me? It certainly wasn’t who I normally was, when I had such command of the language and chose my words wisely. “You can surely ask me of anything, however,” I said with a stiff nod. “If nothing else, I am reliable,” I said, clasping a hand against my chest as I bowed slightly to her.
“I suppose I should be going, I would not want to waste any of your time,” I said simply. It seemed I had done enough damage blundering around nonsensically like a fool. This was why I didn’t do things unless I had to and I had called upon her on a whim. I had never been the type of person just to visit and it seemed to make me feel quite awkward. “I was glad to be able to catch up with you, I am glad you are doing well.”
Suddenly I was a bit eager to leave and hide. Ah, what a fool I was in this situation.
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Post by Inès nó Camellia on Mar 2, 2011 23:53:31 GMT -5
A smile colored and filled with mirth blossomed and I reached out, touched Emelius on the near shoulder. It was quick, a soft touch, a gentle graze. It only wished ease for him. A quiet thank you where the words weren't needed. "Of course, and I'm glad you offered," I responded once those short moments run their course.
"A jewel, precious and scarce the quality of reliability is betimes," I complimented earnestly. Even what others thought were the simplest most banal of qualities are and could be made perfect.
"You're leaving?" My question seemed a touch more alarmed than I wished, but I accepted that none the less. "And never think you waste my time, Emelius. You could never waste my time." Ease.... I offered him a kiss of parting, "Come back anytime you wish. Or, mayhap we'll see one another on our errands for our Houses." So close, the gentle closing hanging scent of Camellia hung just outside of the senses.
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Post by Emelius nó Alyssum on Mar 6, 2011 16:22:35 GMT -5
She wished to ease me, I knew by the touch on the shoulder. I knew, because I watched and understood people enough to realize that when a friend was uneasy, it was a quick way to reassure through physical contact. However, it had the opposite effect for me. Logically, I could understand where she was coming from, though it wasn’t for me and the hand on my shoulder caused me to recoil back and I gave her a nervous smile. “Ah, no worries then. I just thought I would offer,” I said, trying to recover as I gave her a quick nod.
She complimented me on my reliability, in that perfectly eloquent way of hers and I felt heated, a bit. My entire body felt restrained in the clothes that I wore suddenly as I felt my blood surge though I quickly tried to ignore it. Most compliments I brushed off, but I supposed, being reliable was one thing that I did actually value. “Ah yes, I suppose that I should be leaving to finish up my errands but I will visit you again if ah... time permits for the both of us.” I just hoped that the next time I did I actually had something of worth to say to her instead of blubbering about like a fool.
She kissed me again, in parting and I was completely stiff under her action, waiting until she pulled away so that I could not longer smell her heady perfume. “Indeed,” I agreed, giving her a bow in return for her guess of parting as I turned, as a soldier, and headed towards the door of Camellia, trying to shake off the feeling lingering on me. Had I been a fool, to visit her? It almost seemed so and I wondered about the feeling that clamped at my throat.
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Post by Inès nó Camellia on Mar 6, 2011 16:44:04 GMT -5
Surprise flicked in my face at the effect my own reactionary touch created. Mother was the same in some ways, at least from what I remember. What I was told. Touch outside of the Pleasure Chambers, caused her to shrink away. But, perhaps, this was a little different than simply his Alyssum nature. He was nervous, it sung in his smile. In the way his cheeks colored as he flushed.
The reasoning for this tumbled in mind, like so much leaves in Autumn. I pushed them away for now.
"I hope time permits sooner, rather than later Emelius." I replied in parting with him, watching as the Alyssum slipped from the door to the House.
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