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Post by Avianna nó Mandrake on Jun 21, 2010 14:42:18 GMT -5
I was feeling more myself of late. I had finished my marque, had not seen Bellamy in weeks, and had decided that the incident at Midwinter with the Orchis was a mere aberration. To convince myself, I had abused one of my regular patrons into screaming his signale til he was hoarse, even after I stopped. It had been a rather cathartic experience, at least for me, and I was feeling as if I had my equilibrium back.
To that end, I was out, enjoying the fresh air, wearing a dress of pure snow white, matching the paleness of my hair and eyes and enjoying the cold bite of winter wind. Winter was my favorite season, cold and icy and biting ... perhaps I identified with it, winter personified. The thought made me smile, coldly of course, as I found a bench in Elua's Square, which was quite nearly deserted on this day. I had in my hand a hot cider, bought from a nearby vendor, and the crispness of it put me in mind of orchards and golden leaves ... warmth, a distant memory already.
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Post by Ambrose Crictpit on Jun 21, 2010 15:58:41 GMT -5
Winter, be damned winter. It was an ok season but not one I much overly came to love. The best thing about winter, however, was that it was constant. Every year winter would come, the trees would lose their foliage and snow would coat the ground. Ice would freeze any remaining drops and all creatures would retreat inside. You know it was coming and you know what to expect. It was not like the summer months when you had no idea how high the temperatures would climb and then drops, no idea when to expect a storm or a drought. Summer was like a very emotional woman, always changing, never content. Winter seemed to be content within itself and that was very much welcomed.
I bundles my cloak as I left the townhouse I had owned, and headed down the snow covered street to Elua’s square. It was a favorite pass time of mine to ride to the square with my mother and father. Here we would be allowed to walk on the over sizes fountain that winter had frozen over. It always delighted me and now I found it just as enjoyable to watch small children do the same with their parents.
I hummed to myself as I crossed the streets, jogging in front of a carriage that was rolling by. I scanned the area and waved hi to friendly face or two in the distance. I grabbed a hot cup of tea and headed towards a spare bench. As I close the distance to the bench a woman in white sat herself down upon it. I couldn’t help but smirk and smile.
“Is it not the white Queen of winter herself?” The steam rose for both our glasses. We were very different. My eyes where deep color of earth and my hair though light were no where as close to the fairness of hers. She in her white and I in my black, “or perhaps you are the yin to my yang?”
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Post by Avianna nó Mandrake on Jun 21, 2010 16:11:48 GMT -5
I was actually surprised that someone spoke to me. Most of the time people skirted me, even not knowing what I was, it was as if they could tell that I, unlike others of my kind, did not deign to conceal my nature in mixed company. Hadn't I, though? First with Bellamy and then Sandrine ... so much for putting it behind me.
I allowed a smile to grace my features, his words did amuse. "Not the Queen, no, not I," I said, quirking a brow at him. "Mayhap a Duchesse..." I laughed at the other picture he painted, noting at once the dark clothing he wore in contrast to my own. "Perhaps, but I think it is too soon to say." I took him in another way now, appraising, the concept of yin and yang was one that I was very familiar with, but it took a special sort of man to complement me.
"What brings you out on a day like this?" I asked, taking a new interest in him, trying to read whether or not he could make a potential patron.
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Post by Ambrose Crictpit on Jun 21, 2010 16:25:05 GMT -5
It was almost like I had run into a wall. I had no realized that mayhap she wanted to be left alone. The icy chill was enough to leave freezer burn but soon enough it gave way to a gracing smile that warmed that air around us just a bit.
“No, no not the Queen, not you, I agree, but mayhap a Duchesse or Goddess,” he took a sip of his tea and let the warmth of the water trickle down his throat and warm him from inside out. I looked over the brim of my cup in a very nonchalant manner, not having the slightest idea who this woman truly was if not the queen of winter.
“Mayhap you will be my Yin, I guess time will tell if you are worthy of that title” now the grinned spread fully across my face hoping that she would know I was jesting full heartily as she did not look like a woman one would want to cross.
“The snow of course, when I was a child my father would drive my mother and me in from our estate where we would come to walk upon on the frozen fountain.” I paused to take another drink and look over in the direction of merry laughter. “Have you never done so my Lady? It I quite a fun task.”
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Post by Avianna nó Mandrake on Jun 21, 2010 16:34:47 GMT -5
In other days, his jest would have angered me, for it had taken me a long time to learn the art of laughing at myself, and not taking offense so easily. Bellamy had taught me that, though my mind was still quick to rush to thoughts of punishment at the slightest provocation. At least now I was better at holding it back, and his smile told me that no offense was meant.
I? Do something as undignified as walk on the frozen water of a fountain? Never, but secretly, it looked fun, though I'd never have admitted it. "No, I confess I have not." I took a sip of my cider, which was quickly cooling in the chill air. "I imagine that it must have been fun, for you to remember it so."
I smiled again, thawing just a bit, "It seems as though the chill in the air is not enough to stop people who are determined from making merry," I observed. Not a criticism, merely something that I noted. In fact, it must be a good quality to have to be able to have fun whenever one wished. "Do you still indulge in such things?" I asked, a smile crossing my lips as I imagined him slipping and sliding along the ice.
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Post by Ambrose Crictpit on Jun 21, 2010 16:55:38 GMT -5
Without giving it much thought I placed my hot tea down in the snow and let it sit, not really minding it if got cold or if I did not have another drink of it. My insides were warm enough and the thing I was about to do next would mostly keep me warm for the next several minutes. I offered her a hand and a smile, “Would you do me the honors of making today my most favorite of memories by letting me indulge in childhood memories relived with a beautiful woman upon my arm?” he added a tad bit of emphasis on the work indulge for the way she said it almost made it sound painful and horrible and very immature.
I could tell by her posture she was not a woman one could simply pull to her feet and she would come with a half hearted laugh. This woman it seemed one could only ask and wait for acceptance or a denial. Either I could live with but I thought some merriment would do her some good.
“Happiness my Lady is the highest form of wisdom”
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Post by Avianna nó Mandrake on Jun 21, 2010 17:16:15 GMT -5
I was torn ... on one hand, I admit that it did look like fun, but on the other, it went starkly against my image. An image that I did not appear able to maintain these days, no matter how hard I tried, I kept finding people who intrigued me enough to pull me out of my comfortable life. Well, I couldn't lie and say that my life had not been more interesting because of it.
Something Bellamy had said once came to mind: "You only live once." Did I want to spend it on a bench? I took his hand and allowed myself to smile, "Well, how can I say no to that?" I asked, setting my cider on the ground near the bench and rising with a grace that only one trained in the Night Court could possess. "But you'll have to promise not to let me fall on my face, I don't think my pride could bear it."
"Oh," I added, smiling at him, "I suppose we should be properly introduced." Here was where I took my first risk, because my full name had made men run for the hills on more than one occasion. "I am Avianna no Mandrake, and you are?"
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Post by Ambrose Crictpit on Jun 21, 2010 17:28:36 GMT -5
I took her hand happily but held rather still as she lifted herself with ease into a standing position. She was the essence of grace. “My lady, I will do my very best but I refuse to make promises that I can not keep and that is one of uncertainty.”
“My name is Ambrose Crictpit, son of Baron Alistar Crictpit,” I held on to her hand as I led the way, her arm tucked into mine, as I supported her over the snow, as we made our way towards the frozen fountain. “So, my beautiful Winter Queen, the Yin to my Yang, is also a violent Adept? Seems suiting enough as I am the futurist thing for violence, winter, or beauty.”
Within the next step we were upon the ice, “Step lightly my Lady”. I slid my feet against the frozen surface instead of lifting them into the air. I slid around out in front of her and offered her my other hand knowing for sure two was better than one.
Though it had been years since I last set foot upon the ice I soon gather my balance and felt at home. I waited for her, ready to bear her full weight and to do my best to keep her upright.
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Post by Avianna nó Mandrake on Jun 22, 2010 20:59:01 GMT -5
I chuckled at his response; I did prefer honesty to false promises!
"Well met, Ambrose," I said, though perhaps I should have addressed him by title, I rarely did so for anyone. "Not so far from beauty, I think," I teased softly, after all, he was as handsome as any D'angeline.
I held onto him in a manner that was most unlike me, but I was afraid of losing my footing as I mimicked him, sliding my foot onto the ice. A gust of wind blew over us then, the hood of my cloak falling back and reddening my cheeks as I took one step, then another, sliding slightly and gripping him so tightly my hands cramped.
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Post by Ambrose Crictpit on Jun 22, 2010 21:34:58 GMT -5
She had a death squeeze on my hands. The cold breeze was not nearly as painful as her grip as her fingernails bore into my skin. I dare not let go for a second though. I gritted my teeth and forced a smile. “That’s it, my Lady,” I watched her slide her feet just so upon the ice. Once she made it so far out, I distanced myself from her a bit. I circled myself around behind her, prying my hands from her death grip and placing them upon her hips, “Do you trust me?”
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Post by Avianna nó Mandrake on Jun 22, 2010 22:57:48 GMT -5
"Trust you? I only just met you," I said, though I did not protest at his hands on my hips. Mostly because I was afraid of falling. "It seems as though I am in no position to gainsay you, however," I said, laughing, watching my breath fog the air before me. Here in the ice, it seemed it was even colder than it had been from the safety of the park bench.
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Post by Ambrose Crictpit on Jun 23, 2010 6:10:43 GMT -5
With little effort I pushed backwards against the ice willing my feet to move forward. With my hands on her hips and my elbows locked in the position they held, I forced both of us forward.
“Just keep your knees bent but strong,” I said in her ear. Soon we were moving at least at a walkers pace. Not the walk of Royalty as they often times took 100 years to get to where they were going, but at least the normal speed of a common man. With simple ease I twisted and turned my body and placed the footing at a different angle as it kicked out behind me, circling us around the fountain.
I saw the breath escape from my lips and I did fear it were too cold for her. The frozen surface, after all, added to the chill. “Ok, my Lady?”
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Post by Avianna nó Mandrake on Jun 23, 2010 22:17:40 GMT -5
I had to laugh as we began to truly move - I had never even conceived of this idea, but it was rather amusing. My cheeks were flush with the cold, but I did not even feel it, so engrossed was I on maintaining my balance.
"What a great idea!" I exclaimed, thinking immediately that Bellamy would love this, if he did not know of it already. I saw that some other people were doing the same as we were, and I hoped that I did not inadvertantly fall into someone.
"I'm wonderful, thank you," I said, loosening up as I got the hang of it.
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Post by Ambrose Crictpit on Jun 24, 2010 6:02:45 GMT -5
I let go of her hips and moved my hands upwards and out, grabbing her hands and linking her fingers with my own as I spread our arms out wide to the side. Doing so caused my body to come up aside hers, pressing together along the length of our foundation. I bent my chin down towards my chest and let her head rest against my cheek. “I will not let you fall my Lady.”
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Post by Avianna nó Mandrake on Jun 25, 2010 11:28:29 GMT -5
I was a shade nervous as he spread our arms outward, though I found that it did help my balance. His body slid up against mine, my head resting against his cheek and I was acutely aware of him, the way I was with a patron, but I supposed it was only natural that that awareness would carry over into other interactions as well.
"Promise?" I asked, though my fear was fading as I began to get more comfortable with my footing and the way my body moved on the slippery ice. The grace that came with my training helped in such matters, and I was grateful for it. "Do you still do this often?" I asked, as he seemed rather comfortable on the ice, as if he were born to it.
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Post by Ambrose Crictpit on Jun 26, 2010 8:54:09 GMT -5
I let my voice sink into a smooth and creaming softness. “As I said before, I won’t make a promise I can’t keep… but I will do my best” With that I twisted us around to avoid a group of children playing. Several of the boys were running at fully speed and then throwing themselves down upon the ice and sliding as far as they could, seeing how could go the furthest. I smiled. “haha often enough but not as often as I would have liked in my later years. When I was a child, every time the water froze over my father brought me here, for as many hours as I can recall. Mother always threw a fit if we were not home by dusk.” I smiled and recalled the childhood memory. My parents were never afraid to let me be seen playing with common children, as many nobles did. They thought it was most important to experience everything once in life and to enjoy it to the best of ones ability, no matter what others thought about it.
“Did you not play as a child or do such things?”
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Post by Avianna nó Mandrake on Jun 27, 2010 14:09:13 GMT -5
I listened to his story with a wistful nostalgia, bittersweet because his childhood was so different from my own. Not that mine had been horrible, no, but it had been barren, I had not parents who doted on me nor worried over my safety. I was quiet and 'cold' and therefore did not make friends easily. I was fascinated by games of power and pain and therefore scared the other children off fairly quickly.
"No... I don't recall ever just 'playing'," I said, reflecting on it and realizing how odd it was, though I had never thought on it much before. "I suppose I was too serious as a child." Not much had changed since then, had it?
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Post by Ambrose Crictpit on Jun 27, 2010 18:57:51 GMT -5
I watched her closely, her face becoming very serious at the matter. There was more to her story I did not know and I had a gut feeling now was not the right time to ask. I just smiled and moved on keeping a steady pace before slowing to a stop. “Well, Miss Serious, maybe its about time you lighten up in life….” I pushed them over o the edge near a snow bank and reached down and filled a handful of snow and looked at her ready to throw.
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Post by Avianna nó Mandrake on Jul 1, 2010 21:54:04 GMT -5
I would have bristled at that, but it was taking all of my energy to keep upright. Maybe he was right, though? Hadn't that been the theme of the last year of my life? First Bellamy, then Sandrine, and now Ambrose ... maybe Elua was trying to tell me something?
I was lost enough in thought not to notice at first what he was doing, but I wasn't a big enough dolt not to recognize a snowball when I saw one. "Oh no..." I said, grabbing my own handful of snow. "Don't you do it... two can play at that game, remember..." I had my ball ready to go, and it was something of a standstill at that moment.
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