Xantias & Aza: Shopping for Beltane

[Princess Azabel de Somerville]

I couldn't quite tell if he was taking me seriously again or if he was joking back. I eyed him, the corners of my eyes hinting at humor. "I think that's a card I'll save for later, if you don't mind," I responded, then grinned and looked at the ground.

Shoppes had come and gone as we moved, changing slowly to the fringes of the Clothiers district. "Anywhere in particular look good to you?" I asked.

[Xantias d’Amarante (I)]

I looked around as she was talking, chuckling softly when she took my offer and filed it away. "Of course." I nodded.

I continued looking around, not particularly knowing this shoppe from the next. "I'm afraid that short of workmanlike and sturdy, and maybe how to put a patch or two on, I know nothing about clothing or cloth. If it kept the rain off and the bugs out, it was even better." I offered a sincere shrug and a slightly lost smile to her.

[Princess Azabel de Somerville]

"I promise, no bugs will attack you," I said lightly, then lifted my hand to gesture lightly. "A few more blocks and we'll be in towards the better keeps, the longer-standing shoppes who hire finer clothiers."

[Xantias d’Amarante (I)]

I brought a hand up to my chest, lightly tapping an inside pocket. "I'm not sure how fine I will be able to afford. Don't exactly get much being an Unforgiven."

[Princess Azabel de Somerville]

"Don't worry about the cost. Consider it my welcoming gift to you," I said off handedly in the case his pride was easily pricked. As a further deterrent, and to indulge myself in something I'd wanted to do anyway, I slipped my hand up and caught up his arm. "In all good truth though, is there a particular color you'd rather wear? I believe you could even go as off as a deep, dark red, a sort of reflection of burning embers."

[Xantias d’Amarante (I)]

"Well, I'm more of a dark complexion..." I started, running my thumb along my jawline. "I'm not entirely certain though. In the Unforgiven we tended towards dark reds and black, of course. It was kind of our thing..."

I shrugged as I continued to look around. "Thank you, for the kind gift." I nodded slightly, more so that I didn't trip or run into anybody than indifference. Suddenly a thought bloomed into my skull and I coloured slightly. "Well...would you care to attend Beltane with a lowly Palace Guardsman?" The words were softly spoken partially in embarrassment, partially in order to not be overheard. I had a reason for the question, one that was even related immediately to what we were doing.

[Princess Azabel de Somerville]

For the second time I saw color creep into his face, but this was much tamer than it had been the last time. Before I realized what I was doing, my hand was up and softly touching his cheek. I froze before hurriedly pulling it back, my own cheeks echoing his color as I turned my attention to the ground. "I cannot, I'm sorry," I murmured. "I promised a friend I would go with her; it's her first fete."

[Xantias d’Amarante (I)]

I chuckled softly and took her hand in my own. "Don't fret over me. I will make do. I asked because I have dressed to match you. That is all." Those last three words hurt a bit more than I thought they would, in the fact that they hurt at all. "If there will be dancing, promise you will at least save me one." My smile returned, a little slowly, but it did so.

[Princess Azabel de Somerville]

My hand was warmed as he held it, and I smiled, clasping my hand around his. "I promise to dance with you," I responded, looking up at him with a smile. "I think this particular fete will be fun, better than the more pompous ones at any rate, but then you never know until it's under way."

[Xantias d’Amarante (I)]

I nodded with a smile. "Then I will hold you to that promise. As for the fete itself, I'm not certain how it will be i regards to the others, as this will be my official first in the City of Elua." I looked around, breaking eye contact with her, and gazed through the windows of a couple of places. "I will, however, still need you help. Colours and cuts..." I broke off and shrugged exaggeratedly.

[Princess Azabel de Somerville]

I grinned, tugging him along. "We're almost at the shoppes I tend to frequent," I said pleasantly. "And don't worry. You'll look so unbelievably dashing at the fete that I'll have to pull rank on the other girls just to reach you," I added, looking up at him with a slightly larger grin.

[Xantias d’Amarante (I)]

I laughed softly. "I suppose we will just have to see about that, now won't we. It will prove most interesting if it is true Aza." I replied with a smile.

[Princess Azabel de Somerville]

I chuckled, smiling up at him. "That it would, Xantias." My hand squeezed his gently, my fingers curling against his slightly. "It's so pretty outside today, isn't it? I love spring. Summer is wonderful, but spring always makes everything so fresh."

[Xantias d’Amarante (I)]

I nodded at her words carefully relaxing my hand as she squeezed. I had never had anybody hold my hand in this manner, let alone a Princess. I had to force my shoulders to relax at the thought as well. Hopefully she wouldn't read it wrong, as I didn't mind her hand in mine at all.

"It is a beautiful day, but not only for the weather. The company helps as well." I chuckled, perhaps a bit nervously. "I am fond of the winter months, and late autumn." I said, realising it was exactly the opposite of her words. "For reasons other than beauty, I must admit."

[Princess Azabel de Somerville]

He seemed.. Unsure, nervous mayhap. I wasn't entirely sure with the reasoning, though I thought that mayhap the obvious difference in our ranks had something to do with it.

"Why do you prefer autumn and winter?" I asked curiously. "Is it because of the heat in your armor and when you tend to your duties?"

I looked up at him as we walked, very nearly ontop of the shoppe I wanted to take him into, but with enough distance that I could listen to him as we walked and not have to worry about it.

[Xantias d’Amarante (I)]

I shook my head. "No, though that is an interesting though." I looked at her, half stopping for a moment. More of a hitch in my step really. "It is because there are fewer raids in the winter months. It is harder to attack a village in the snow than on a cloudless summer day." I wasn't sure how she would take it, but it was the truth, and one any warrior would understand.

"Though Winter does have its own beauty." I added hastily.

[Princess Azabel de Somerville]

My face fell, and I looked away, nodding as I reflected on the seriousness of his words. I was quiet for a moment, thinking of how it must feel to be raided, to see the flash of silver as soldiers thundered down to protect you. I too thought of Xantias' mother and everything she must have gone through.

Shivering, I just barely kept myself from walking closer to him, reminding myself silently that we were in the City, not the border. "Winter is beautiful, I agree," I responded, calling on a court-bred smile that hinted at aloofness. I didn't mean it, but I couldn't draw a real one at the moment, not until my head cleared a little more. "I particularly enjoy a snowstorm. It's lovely after, but unmatched while it's happening."

[Xantias d’Amarante (I)]

I smiled, thanking her silently for not over-dwelling on my words.

"There is little enough to match the beauty of a Camlach snowstorm. Though one doesn't often think that way while in it." I chuckled mirthfully and continued. "The snow is crisp and clean for some time, before rolling up into the mountains."

[Princess Azabel de Somerville]

I listened to him as we walked, my gaze remaining ahead of us rather than on him. "I suppose that would depend on whether you have to go out in the snowstorm," I commented idly, still trying to shake off a serious, withdrawn mood that the reflection on his words had caused. My fingers shifted in his, sliding from a palm hold til I could slip my fingers between his a little, then left it entirely in favor of moving up his arm to take it properly. I wouldn't deny that I liked the way his skin felt against mine, and I tried to use that, too, to help distract me. "Camlach sounds very pretty indeed. I cannot think of whether I've been there... If I have, it was too long ago to remember."

[Xantias d’Amarante (I)]

"Very true. Very true." I replied softly. "After a storm is always amazing in Camlach." I stuffed a calloused hand, the one opposite her, into my mess of hair, trying to get it somewhat out of my eyes. "I do no presume to be able to take the time of a Princess away, but mayhap I can show it to you sometime. Or my little portion of it, at least."

[Princess Azabel de Somerville]

"That sounds interesting," I commented as we arrived at the shoppe. I made a small gesture to let him know this was the one so I wasn't physically attempting to stop both he and I. "The camps of the soldiers, or the countryside?"

[Xantias d’Amarante (I)]

"Both, if you truly wished it. Though the countryside is often prettier...and a little more nice on the nose." I grinned briefly and pushed the door open to allow her entry. "Not to mention, the countryside is prettier than the camps as well."

[Princess Azabel de Somerville]

I let go of him as I stepped through, though I turned my head slightly to speak. "I don't doubt it. One day I'll travel and see what the world has to offer, or at least the world immediately surrounding Terre d'Ange."

[Xantias d’Amarante (I)]

"I only hope more nobles think like you do." I offered warmly. "That more would learn the lay of the land is useful, for certain."

[Princess Azabel de Somerville]

I blushed a little for the compliment. "I'll confess, Xantias," I started out. "I have little in the way of real power outside of normal station duties - Gratien holds that of our family. But I want to go for myself, to see things and experience them rather than reading. I'm a huge book worm, believe it or not."

[Xantias d’Amarante (I)]

I smiled at her. "Books have their place in the world. Seeing something with one's own eyes is much more interesting however." I stepped into the shoppe behind her and looked around. "You're going to pay for an outfit, from here, for me?" I was slightly amazed.

[Princess Azabel de Somerville]

I looked over the store as well as I chuckled, then stepped in further. "Of course. Or if you'd like to be extra daring, we could see if you could just smuggle it all out under what you're wearing now..."

I grinned at him and headed towards the mens side, the clothing decked mostly out in fire colors in anticipation of Beltane shoppers.

[Xantias d’Amarante (I)]

I looked at her perplexedly. She was quite the character, was Princess Azabel. "I think, perhaps, that would hurt my position in the guardsmen." I said with a wink. "Perhaps if I was just Unforgiven I would try it, just to amuse you."

I followed after her, looking at the colours more than the type of cloth. I was going to be entirely lost in all this.

[Princess Azabel de Somerville]

I looked back at him, the angle of my face tilted just slightly to the side. Had he taken me serious? "I'd never ask it of you, nor approve if you tried," I responded with a smile, trying to keep things light while letting my true stance known.

"What do you think of this?" I asked, holding out a deep red shirt, cut finely.

[Xantias d’Amarante (I)]

"I know, Aza. I wouldn't do it, either, even were you to ask. I am not that kind of man." I looked at the shirt that held. "Hmm...not quite. Perhaps something a shade or two darker?" I respected her decision, and I knew that she was trying not to keep the situation friendly.