Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jan 25, 2008 14:26:46 GMT -5
“Not as of yet,” I answered honestly with a smile. “I used to be very close to Larquel before he traveled away, but in a sibling sort of way,” I explained. “We were too close to ever look at each other that way.” I didn’t say it. I didn’t think on it. But there were other reasons. “I’ve been asked by patrons recently to accept to see them… as a woman rather than as an adept, though.” For some strange reason, that made me blush. It had never happened before, but this was two occurrences in the past few months - a record, by any account.
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Jan 26, 2008 11:58:49 GMT -5
I smiled wide. "Oh Shona, that sounds wonderful," I told her, taking in her reddened cheeks. She was obviously pleased by it.
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jan 26, 2008 14:16:08 GMT -5
I gave a small chuckle. “It is, by many ways,” I told her with a secretive smile. Gods, he was barely her age, only a little more, my sweet one, and yet I felt stirred by him. Between him and Reese, whose heart I had no interest in, but whose appetite and ambitions pleased me, I was feeling rather fulfilled. That set me to wonder if I’d see Pete at the Fete, though. In that respect, I was feeling rather mitigated, for I had no idea how he would feel about me being on someone else’s arm, even if it was, for an adept, a very natural thing to be.
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Jan 27, 2008 1:53:17 GMT -5
"Do you have a favourite?" I asked with a bright smile.
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jan 27, 2008 2:13:02 GMT -5
I shrugged. "There is no point in having a favorite as far as patrons go," I replied thoughtfully. The handsome lad arrived with our food, blushing to the tip of his ears, and I gave Nyx an accomplice grin. He smoldered and simpered a little, and left eventually. Once our privacy was restored, I added, "I'm complicated. Both fulfill something different in me," I said at length. "Yet, I am not allowing myself more than to enjoy them. I do not have the luxury of dependency." Well. There was that position. Maestria. I was certainly looking forward to it - it was tempting - but it wasn't that kind of attachment I was worried about.
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Jan 27, 2008 2:19:43 GMT -5
I did my bit when the waiter came by with our meal, playing coy but encouraging. A grin tugged at the corner of my lips when Shona looked at me, but then he was gone again and I listened to her words.
"You mean love," I replied softly. There was the hardened look in her eyes that I only saw in the older adepts.
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jan 27, 2008 2:27:53 GMT -5
"Love," I replied, "no Nyx. I love every one of my patrons," I told her truthfully. "But there are limits I will not go beyond," I added a little firmly. "So places where I cannot go." But why did I feel the lure of it ? It had been months now, since I'd felt it was no longer the thing for me, no longer something I desired, and even more so since the last Fete.
I sighed. "You believe in it, still, I know," I told her gently. "I think you will be alright, where I have not." It made sense. She had about her the glow of those who were blessed with reciprocated love. I'd witnessed it, but never felt it. I didn't think so, anyway.
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Jan 27, 2008 2:39:44 GMT -5
I had taken a bite of my lamb as she spoke. Her words bothered me; I didn't know whether to be annoyed or saddened. I didn't appreciate being talked down to, but the absolute loss of hope wasn't a pretty sight. Especially since I had started thinking of her as a friend.
"Then I guess all I can do is wish you luck in enjoying both of them." I settled on, taking a bite of rice.
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jan 27, 2008 2:46:07 GMT -5
I grinned at her words. "Yes, Lady Fortuna," I say pensively as I toyed with my good luck charm. By her pensive silence, the care she'd take in her reaction to my words, I could tell I disturbed her a little with my cautiousness. She was enamored, so of course my vision of things clashed with hers in that respect. I tasted the collyflower, and added, "but thank you," more gently, more nicely. "I'm sorry if I'm so cynical," I added with a little smile. "I'm told it's curable, though, so maybe I won't be so boorish," I offered sweetly, and sincerely. This was my struggle - the balance between caution and optimism.
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Jan 27, 2008 21:47:34 GMT -5
"You aren't boorish," I told her with a smile. The apology smoothed my ruffled sensibilities "Though I won't argue with cynical." I grinned teasingly.
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jan 27, 2008 21:56:10 GMT -5
I sighed. "I can't help it," I replied, "you'll find it seems to come with other things, like old age and completed marques. I think you have a good ward against it, though." I grinned, and gave a little chuckle. "Maybe it's infectuous?" I offered with an amused grin, "I hope so."
I did. I felt myself stir at times - and then I muffled it, and waited for it to pass. I didn't want to think what an all-consuming passion would be like. One could lose everything to it, I knew. Still, a tender thought crossed my mind, and I smiled more gently.
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Jan 27, 2008 22:32:30 GMT -5
I smiled. "I wouldn't know. Though I can be just as cynical, and my marque isn't close to being completed." I said with a raised brow, teasing still as I took another bite.
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jan 27, 2008 22:44:08 GMT -5
Comically, though it was sincere, I protested. "No, don't be!" I replied, chuckling at my own alarm. "You're so pretty when you smile the way you did, looking into your glass as though it were the most precious thing in the world." I sobered up, and added, "what has you turn sour, tell me?" I hated the idea that she could become like me. I didn't wish it on anyone, and I was starting to think of Nyx with true fondness.
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Jan 27, 2008 23:00:45 GMT -5
I laughed. "Merely living in the Night Court," I replied. "Let's just say that a particular Housemate wasn't too happy when she found out who her ex-lover was seeing."
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jan 27, 2008 23:22:31 GMT -5
"Oh?" I asked, giving her an inquisitive grin. "Sounds like a juicy house feud," I told her. "I'm familiar with those." I made a little beckoning gesture one might expect from a brawler, though of course on me it was lightly ridiculous. "Bring it on!"
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Jan 28, 2008 2:13:02 GMT -5
I laughed. "I would definitely bet on you against Lauraine. She leaves most of it to her lackies," I said with a little dismissive wave of my fork. "Ironically, she was the one that sent me with the package for Keegan." It still made me laugh.
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jan 28, 2008 10:41:05 GMT -5
“Poetic justice?” I asked with an amused quirk of the eyes. Keegan, it was. No, I’d never met him. Must be younger – the older ones I knew at Orchis, but I’d never really dabbled with the younger adepts. “Do tell, I’m curious,” I sad as I had another bite of my gratin. I was starting to like her a lot – if she had a bit of wryness about her, all the better.
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Jan 28, 2008 11:31:16 GMT -5
"Well, I delivered the package properly, but before I could leave he had me guess what Lauraine had sent. I guessed correctly, so he promised me a dance at Midwinter." Relating the story brought back my first look into his eyes, and the blush that accompanied it. "It started out as merely petty revenge against Lauraine for sending me on an errand a fosterling should have done, but well..." I'm sure she could tell from my smile.
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jan 28, 2008 11:43:10 GMT -5
“Yes, well,” I replied, grinning at her visible trip inwards. “So I heard, that love lurks in the most surprising places,” I told her practically. “I yet have to taste it,” I added with a little shrug, “but you seem so happy, it seems like a loss.”
I wondered. Had I loved, really and truly? I’d lusted madly, I’d felt fond, I’d cared. But had I loved? I wondered if I had the same look when I thought of Pieter. He made me weak in the knees, that was for sure.
To stir us away from the matter of love, I asked, “So how is Lauraine now?” I was fairly amused. I had myself a few competitors at Bryony with whom no love was lost. Resa and Fisher were the exceptions, the former because we had an alliance of silence when it came to nightly visits, the other because I liked him, and we had an understanding when it came to business.
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Jan 28, 2008 13:56:50 GMT -5
"Jealous and bitter. It really is a shame. She's such a lovely looking girl when I'm not around. Though she's always been a witch." I told her with a grin. I didn't feel bad about Lauraine's plight. It wasn't like she really wanted Keegan back anymore, that ship had sailed. She merely found it satisfying to hate me.
Or so I assumed.
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jan 28, 2008 14:12:46 GMT -5
“How petty,” I noted with contempt. “There are people who are just plain mean,” I observed. “I’m scheming and I like games, but you will not find me seeking harm or ill will,” I told her truthfully. “But I do like to hate people who behave that way.” I shrugged. “She’ll move on one day, hopefully. And if she doesn’t, we’ll be there to look content and make her smolder in envy.”
I lifted my drink, punctuating it with a toast. Indifference was the better policy, as far as I was concerned. I smiled more widely. I was glad that my cynicism didn’t expand into bitterness.
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Jan 28, 2008 16:37:03 GMT -5
I chuckled. “Now that I can drink to,” I told her with a smile. I raised my glass as well. “May we make them smoulder.”
I look a sip, then put my glass back down. “Not that I can really blame her for being sore, she definitely lost a valuable commodity. But it’s been months now.”
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jan 28, 2008 16:49:27 GMT -5
A valuable commodity. I grinned, then chuckled. Even I didn’t think of my lovers that way. Not even of the most accommodating, the sweetest, the most easy-going one.
“Bah, she probably feels like those patrons of mine who empty their pockets at the baccarat table,” I replied with an amused grin. My own mention of baccarat made me think of one who’d refused the invitation, and I asked, “Tell me, have you ever had a Shahrizai for a patron?”
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Jan 29, 2008 1:01:42 GMT -5
I blushed, immediately thinking of Gabriel. I had been going to send him a letter that evening, after I got home. I just hadn't been able to sit still long enough to compose it. "No, not yet."
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jan 29, 2008 1:06:08 GMT -5
"Ah," I replied, ignoring the little blush. It could have been a million things. "I've been pursued by one Lord Shahrizai recently, and am finding it beyond amusing," I told her with a grin. "I've never had one either. They don't usually come to Bryony."
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Jan 29, 2008 1:27:19 GMT -5
"They don't usually come by Cereus either." I replied. "Though I have a promise from one to come by when I've healed."
I couldn't help it, I had to tell someone. Well, I had told Jacob, but he had been so busy lately. "I'm sorry, please go on with your story." I was a bit ashamed of my rambling mouth.
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jan 29, 2008 10:34:34 GMT -5
“Don't be sorry for speaking your mind,” I told her with a teasing grin. “Not with me, anyways... So it looks we both may yet have a taste of the Kusheline,” I noted amusedly. Well. Maybe I’d had one already, come to think of it. Tabien had been rather rough, though I’d enjoyed every bit of it.
“Tell you what, let’s trade stories,” I offered with an amused smile. “You go first, and then I’ll go.” I couldn’t help but think maybe it was the same man. If there was a Shahrizai out to taste the various houses of the Night Court, I wondered what order he would proceed in. Alphabetically, perhaps?
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Jan 29, 2008 12:41:45 GMT -5
Gave her an apologetic grin as her words set me at ease once more. "Well, I was running an errand in the Doorstep, and passed by a gentleman who was smiling at everyone. I smiled back, and so he stopped and began flirting with me. It wasn't until we were in the perfume shop across the street and I was helping him choose gifts that I learned he was indeed a Shahrizai."
I thought of the candle shop that we had visited next, and I flushed with the memory of being pressed between the counter and his warm, hard body. "He was such the delicious charmer. We went about the Doorstep for a couple of hours and then he walked me home. He left me with a kiss and a bottle of the scent I had been eyeing earlier, but didn't have the money for. He was... he was thrilling," I told her with a happy little sigh.
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jan 29, 2008 12:55:39 GMT -5
I listened to her story with wide eyes, almost jealous for his charming ways. “Huh,” I replied. “I was thinking perhaps it was the same as mine, but now that you’ve described yours, I’m thinking not at all. Yours was generous, while I have a hunch that mine is a closet scrooge.”
I tapped my hand on the table, staying away fromt the empty plate. “The first time I saw him was before the Queen’s coronation,” I told her. “He sort of followed me, I think. It was in the clothier’s district, and he made a bet that my shortcut wouldn’t work.” I chuckled. “A shortcut I’ve been taking for years to go to my favorite clothier. He won the bet, and I promised him a dance, which incidentally he never got. He ended up coming with me to the clothier and making a purchase.”
So far, there wasn’t much to be said. But then… “And well, turns out you see, that my clothier is a good friend, and I’d agreed to help her with some errands since my commission for the Hunt Fete was a bit on the last minute side. I unwittingly stepped in his shop, and there he was. Again… following me in the shop, visibly interested in more than making a sale. I bargained for some foreign goods and left him with a promise of an assignation after the Hunt.” I grinned.
Aramis had it a long time coming. Or maybe it was I who did. It amused me to no end that he may be indeed highly interested. That, and well… if I left my House, he’d pay a good fee to have me. I did kind of like him, though. At least, I understood his point of view. I knew I would have fun striking that bargain.
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Jan 29, 2008 16:02:10 GMT -5
I finished my meal as she told her tale, smiling when she told me she lost her bet. I wondered if it had been on purpose, and wondered just how visibly he had been interested. “Looks like we both have something to look forward to after the hunt,” I replied with a tiny grin. “Though sounds like you light have your work cut out for you, if he’s a spendthrift.”
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