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[Violette nó Balm(D)]

I had to get out of the House, I had tp leave Davet and our discussion behind, mule over what had gone on. It hadn't gone well. I felt guilty and shameful, and wandered to one of my favorite haunts in the city. The book store.

It didn't take me long to find my favorite section on herbs, and medicinal drugs. I ran my hand along the bindings of the books, pulling out books and flipping through them, before putting them back on the shelf. I wondered if there was anything new.

[Géraldine Grangier]

I'd finally found myself without Severine's book, and it was inconvenient, rather. My latests romps on Night's doorstep and my night with Tabien had left me tired, and I wanted to read, to relax, before the assignation with Decimus.

I'd searched it high and low, before I slapped myself in the forehead, remembering that it had staying on a table at the Generous Patron, likely in Pieter's custody, unless he'd left it there to be picked up by strangers.

Severine no Balm's Book of Herbs was my bible, I used it to tend to Stephano's fragrant patch under my window, and I could not stay without it. I could afford it, and so I entered Armand's bookstore, making my way decisively to the Herb section.

[Violette nó Balm(D)]

I glanced up as a woman entered what I had quickly thought of as my sanctuary, but as it seemed it was not so. Here I had hoped everyone would of been out to enjoy the wedding.

She was pretty this woman, with soft dark hair and beautiful blue eyes, and very tall. Instinctively my response was to help and serve, "Can I help you find something?" I asked in my normal soothing voice, quiet,but clearly audible.

[Géraldine Grangier]

Another girl was in the section, and a glance told me she was likely an adept, the section told me she was likely Balm. I never met anyone, but Balm adepts in that section of the store, though we usually didn’t socialize, rather walking around each other silently, each of us having their thoughts encased in their own world.

I looked at her, curiously, and replied in a tone that was filled with surprise and gentleness, “That’s very kind, of you…” I paused, wondering, “I’m sorry, do you work here? I didn’t know Armand had hired someone.”

[Violette nó Balm(D)]

I shook my head and gave a soft smile, "No, he hasn't. But I do spend a lot of time in this section. If you needed help in another section I would probably be of little use to you." She was surprised, and by her perfectly laid out features and the fact that she didn't immediately seem to look down on me, I could tell that she was an adept.

[Géraldine Grangier]

"I understand," I replied. "It's a wonder we haven't met before, I come here a lot too," I added as my eyes surveyed the shelves. "I'm Geraldine, by the way."

I strode over, intrigued by a new volume, Scents and perfumes, by Davet no Balm. I looked at her, and, said, "This is new, isn't it?"

[Violette nó Balm(D)]

"I'm Violette no Balm," I said as I glanced at the book she was looking at, "I think so, I don't remember seeing it before."

[Géraldine Grangier]

"I'm glad you confirm it, I'd never seen it before," I said, browsing through it swiftly. It was interesting - I always had a thing for the olfactory senses. I tucked it away, and turning my attention back to Violette, smiled. "Well met, Violette. I'm of Heliotrope," I added, having forgotten to mention my house.

[Violette nó Balm(D)]

"Thou, and no other. Does Heliotrope do a lot of potion mixing?" I asked curiously. I hadn't met a lot of people from that house, and only knew it's cannon.

[Géraldine Grangier]

I smiled gently. "No, we do not. I have an interest in herbs because I tend to a fragrant patch - a gift from someone dear to me," I explained. "Have you met any of my housemates, before?"

[Violette nó Balm(D)]

I shook my head, "Not really, I mean of course I have, but I've meet them at the longest night fetes, and by then everyone is slightly drunk, and you meet so many people it's hard to recall everyone you meet," I blushed slightly, embarrassed.

I suddenly raised my hand my balled up right hand and hit it into my open left hand suddenly remembering. The pinky side of my hand contacted lightly with my other hand barely making a sound. "Oh actually, I met one the other day, Maeve, it was at the coronation fete, but she was sort of... well preoccupied with other things, and I'm not sure she liked me much." I gave a small apologetic smile.

[Géraldine Grangier]

Maeve?

I smiled knowingly. "Don't worry about her. She's... she's been busy," I said, trying to cover up for my Housemate. "She refused to ride with me to the coronation, and I'm surprised she showed up at all. I expected her to be moping in her room," I told her. "So I wouldn't take it seriously at all."

I sighed. It seemed us Heliotropes had trouble really interacting, or merely seeing each other. I'd barely seen Maeve, Janyx was more and more scarce, and Corbeau... well, Corbeau was Corbeau.

[Violette nó Balm(D)]

I smiled at how understanding Geraldine was, but concern washed over my face as she gave a sigh, "Well I'm sure it will be fun at the wedding, are you going to that? Maybe that will help cheer Maeve up if she goes."

[Géraldine Grangier]

“Yes, I am going,” I replied. “I’ve been contracted, in fact,” and I let out a smile at the memory of the contracting. I quite liked my patron, truly I did. “As for Maeve, your guess is as good as mine. She is a lot more at Gentian than at Heliotrope, these days, and so I cannot tell what she thinks.”

It brought to mind the reality that I was blessed, to have befriended outside my House. If I had not, I would have been rather lonely.

“Will you be going to the wedding, as well, then?”

[Violette nó Balm(D)]

I nodded, "I think so, but I haven't been as lucky as you to receive an assignation, so I guess I will arrive there with my house mates." I had really wanted one, had anticipated someone asking to go with me, but to no avail, adepts were plenty, and my skills, well people came to us more for healing than the art of love.

[Géraldine Grangier]

"I'm really sorry, Violette. I'm sure it's no reflection on your prettiness, or on how sweet you are. Besides, mayhap you will find a patron at the Wedding... stranger things have happened, you know."

And indeed, they had... I'd appeared on longest night, late as ever, and had found myself going home with a Shahrizai. Strange enough, I thought.

[Violette nó Balm(D)]

I gave a musical soft laugh, "Well I guess we shall see? If my dowayne wasn't so concerned about it I guess I would be less concerned myself. I hope your patron is as nice and beautiful as your are, and that you have a wonderful time."

[Géraldine Grangier]

"He is rather unique," I told Violette with a smile. "Very gentle, very charming. He keeps on saying he will put me over his shoulder, and cart me off to Alba," I added, laughing, "though I don't know if he really would. He seems quite the ladie's man, really."

[Violette nó Balm(D)]

"To Alba?" I asked inquisitively.

[Géraldine Grangier]

"He is Alban," I replied matter of factly. "Wild boar..." I added, my hand making a round swirling gesture over my face.

[Violette nó Balm(D)]

There was only one person who seemed to fit Geraldine's description, I smiled happily to cover my surprise and slight disappointment at hearing this news. "You mean Decimus? He is very nice, I've had the opportunity to meet him at the coronation fete, the same night I met Maeve."

[Géraldine Grangier]

"Oh?" I couldn't help but wonder... "Yes, that is my patron," I replied soberly. "He is indeed very nice, though I'd never met him, until he came to the House to contract me."

[Violette nó Balm(D)]

"I think you will have a lot of fun with him. I bet he will be much more interesting than another regular patron might be." I gave her a encouraging smile.

[Géraldine Grangier]

I smiled back, gently, and said, "That is very kind of you, Violette. I've no doubt you will have a good time at the wedding. Are you sharing your carriage with Selwyn?"

[Violette nó Balm(D)]

"Oh you know other balm adepts? How foolish of course you do, look where you are standing," I gave a slight laugh, "Yes most likely, if he doesn't have an assignation. All the adepts arrive together usually."

[Géraldine Grangier]

"Selwyn is pretty known, actually, mostly for his skill at Massage. Selwyn Pasteur no Balm, he is Eisandine, like myself... and you too, no?

I looked at her more carefully, and found my answer. Of course she was.

[Violette nó Balm(D)]

I nodded, "Yes, my parents both are healers too and they started their business there. I've been practicing in the healing arts since I was born." It was always a reminder to me how famous one could get by their skill, I was nothing like Selwyn, more withdrawn and I hadn't had an assignation in a while. It was a small dose of reality to hear him known for his skills.

[Géraldine Grangier]

"Oh, really? I've no doubts you are fantastic at what you do, then." I replied, interested. "Where are you from, in Eisande?"

I hadn't met a fellow Eisandine in a long time. Selwyn had not even met - just that I had heard of him from another adept... that, and the fact that he had had an assignation with Caraf. What happened to her usually did interest the House, after all.

[Violette nó Balm(D)]

"I am from a small town on the road out of Terre d'Ange on the border of Caerdicca Unitas. We treated both peoples there. My father studied in Caerdicca Unitas. What about you? Where are you from in Eisande?"

[Géraldine Grangier]

"Oh," I replied, smiling. "You are from a very well learned family," I noted with deference. "I am from Marsilikos," I said, not adding more.