Shopping for the Coronation

[Vivien nó Gentian(D)]

I flung my arms around Caraf and hugged her tightly – a few passers-by looked as us oddly, I think it might because she’s taller than I am. “Silly,” I said in somewhat muffled accents, “love isn’t a hurty thing. It’s a happy thing. And I am so stupidly happy I can’t tell which way I’m going or what I’m doing or anything. Not that I’m particularly good at that anyway. But I’d be completely lost without you and you’re the most important person … like … ever! To me. So there. Now, where can we get shoes?”

[Caraf Tewar]

Laughter burst from me again, and I felt a smile curve my lips. I took his hand and tugged him around a corner.

"There is the most wonderful cobbler this way," I said. "He made me that beautiful pair of lavender shoes you are always admiring but your feet are too big for."

I opened a door and led him inside. The shop smelled of leather and other hides. Rows upon rows of shoes lined the walls. Boris, the proprietor came lumbering out of the back at the bell above the door sounded.

Boris looked as if he would be more suited to a smithy that here, but his massive hands created the most delicate shoes imaginable.

"Caraf!" He boomed, before embracing me in a mighty hug. "Where have you been? I was thinking about your lovely feet just the other day. I had this woman with the most awful, horrid feet ever and all I could think was thank goodness for such feet as yours or I would have to quit this business!"

I smiled and cast an amused glance at Vivien. "I am sorry Boris, I will try and come to visit more often. This is Vivien, my dearest friend," I told him.

"He is going to the Coronation celebration with the owner of Désir, the Vicomte d'Nourriture. He needs a pair of outrageously beautiful heels to wear," I said with a smile.

[Vivien nó Gentian(D)]

I prowled around the shop, peering at the various rows of shoes as Caraf greeted her friend, and touching the brightest coloured ones.

“I’m afraid I don’t have very nice feet,” I admitted woefully. “I walk around bare foot too much so they’re kind of, um, hardy is a polite word.” Like most of Caraf’s friends, he seemed nice so I went over and held out my hand for him to shake. I slyly turned it over and peeped at the palm. “Wow, this business is going to make you rich!”

And then before he could fluster or Caraf could tell me off, I rushed on: “I’d like a pair of shoes like they had in those historical times. You know with … um … the square toes and the bows on the tops and the gemstones in the heels. I wish we still lived in a time when it considered not only acceptable but generally encouraged for men to have bows on their shoes. I think we’d all be so much happier. They don’t have to be real gemstones of course,” I added. “Just sparkly somethings. I don’t want to spend all the Vicomte’s money. Even on shiny things.” I could have continued in this vein indefinitely but finally the need for oxygen prevailed so I stopped.

[Caraf Tewar]

I laughed as Vivien barreled on. I took a seat and watched as Boris, a bemused look on his face, indicated Vivien should sit so he could measure his feet.

"Boris is an absolute genius. He has never made me a pair of shoes that pinched, rubbed, or gave me blisters. He will make you shoes that will have all the men at the Coronation celebration green with envy," I said with a smile.

[Nyx nó Cereus]

I took my time with my errand, loving to be out of the House's walls. All around me was a buzz of conversation regarding the coronation.

"...Apparentley there is going to be forty geese roasted for the celebration..."

"...I heard that the Prince is going in an outfit made of solid gold..."

I smiled to myself as I heard the outrageous claim. Undoubtedly, there would be decadence. Too bad I wasn't going.

I entered the cobbler's shop to the sound of laughter. I spotted two adepts, around my age, one being fitted. I swept my gaze around the room, taking in the shoes, not wanting to intrude, but I couldn't help smiling at the antics of the boy.

[Caraf Tewar]

I turned as I heard the door open and caught sight of an adept I had not met before. She didn't show obvious signs of belonging to a certain House, but one adept can almost always tell another.

I smiled to her before turning back to the others. "Boris, your shop is fair bursting with business! Perhaps Vivien was right about you getting rich. Before long I shall have to look for another cobbler for you shall be too busy counting your money to make me pretty shoes," I said with a laugh.

"Bah, never! I would get too bored sitting with my money all day. I would pine over all the pretty feet I was missing," Boris said, his booming laughter echoing through the shop. He looked over at the adept who had just entered.

[Nyx nó Cereus]

My voice was soft as I spoke in the quiet shop. "I don't wish to interrupt. I was sent to retrieve the slippers you made for Danuta nó Cereus." I shot a smile at the boy. "Though I don't believe they are quite as fancy as what you were describing."

The cobbler headed toward the back of the shop, still chuckling, and I moved away from the door. "My name is Nyx nó Cereus." I let my curiosity get the better of me, framing the question for both of them. "And why do you need such fabulous sounding shoes?"

[Caraf Tewar]

"Vivien is balancing out his tasteful outfit for the Coronation Celebration with eye-catching shoes," I told her before Vivien could insert one of his outlandish stories.

I rose from my chair and extended my hand to her. "I am Caraf nó Heliotrope," I said.

[Vivien nó Gentian(D)]

I shot my friend a darkling look from beneath my eyelashes that plainly accused her of spoiling all my fun. I already had thought of a thousand reasons why I needed a pair of wonderful shoes, none of which were even remotely connected to the truth.

“And I’m Vivien no Gentian,” I said, waving cheerily to the newcomer from where I sat and swinging my bare feet as I waited for the cobber to return. “Are you shopping for the Coronation too?” I eyed her as curiously as she looked at me. She was platinum to Caraf’s gold, pale and glimmering as a star to the other’s glowing warmth.

[Cybane d'Aiglemort (I)]

On my way back towards my townhome, I soon got caught in the traffic of the street. I tried not to groan aloud, as it was quite unbecoming. As I struggled to move past the shopping carts and people milling about, my eye was drawn suddenly to the sound of shouting in the street. I soon found the source to be a boy running away with a recently stolen tart, the vender screaming after him. Normally, I would have turned away and soon forgotten the interruption, but I found another reason to pause. Inside a cobbler's shop were a threesome of obvious adepts, no doubt preparing for the coronation celebration. While I eyed the other two adepts, my gaze was inexplicably drawn to the shining head of a female adept. Despite her hair being nearly the same color as mine, a blonde so pale it seemed nearly white, I couldn't quite figure out why she held my interest. I decided to find out.

Dismounting Ethos and tying him nearby, I entered the shop. I suppose I could use shoes anyways, or atleast as an excuse to be there until I discerned the reason this girl had captured my eye. Seemingly ignoring the threesome, I walked quietly along the lines of shoes, pretending to be shopping. My eyes might have been occupied, but my ears were listening, curious as to what answer I would find to my own question.

[Nyx nó Cereus]

I shook the extended hand, holding back a giggle at Vivien's swinging feet. I vaguely heard the door open behind me. "I would love to go, but no luck so far. In fact, I haven't even had my debut yet. What are the fetes like?" I kept the disappointment out of my voice, greatly interested in what the two had to say as we were near enough in age.

[Caraf Tewar]

I noticed the door opening and another customer entered. Boris was going to rich before nightfall, I thought.

I sat down in the chair I had been in before and motioned for Nyx to join us. "The fetes are wonderful. I have only been to a few, but each one is a marvel all it's own."

I cast Vivien a teasing look. "Of course, I haven't been to one for a while. You'll have to ask Vivien for all the latest trends and gossip, seeing as he was such a star at the Natal."

I love Vivien dearly and know he loves me, but I was still prepared lest he hurl a shoe at me for teasing him about his Vicomte.

[Vivien nó Gentian(D)]

I gave Caraf another speaking look, for she really was teasing me mercilessly today. But I was in too good a mood to care, and I knew she never meant it anyway.

“I’ve hardly been to any either,” I confessed. “I’m hopeless at gossip and intrigue anyhow. I always seem to get people’s names all mixed up. I went to the last one, the Natal Celebration, but it was only by chance to be honest. Prince Augustin is the most beautiful thing you ever saw,” I added dreamily. “And there was a singer from Eglantine and she was beautiful too. In fact, it was all beautiful … and then … and then I got distracted.” I glanced away blushing.

[Nyx nó Cereus]

"Oh?" I arched my eyebrow at his red cheeks, enjoying myself. It was a bit odd actually. I don't usually connect to people but Caraf and Vivien were obviously long time friends, and very easy in their manner. "Please, do go on, don't let me stop you." Then a connection finally clicked. "Wait, are you the adept that went home with the Vicomte d'Nourriture? Or was that someone else?"

[Cybane d'Aiglemort (I)]

So this little thing had yet to make her debut. It brought a smile to my lips as I ran a finger over a pair of silk slippers. If she wanted to know what a fete was like, I’d show her one of the best she would ever know. I had a feeling that this was going to be very fun. I heard the name of Plaisir d'Nourriture and glanced back at the one I had heard called Vivien. Quite a good eye that Plaisir has, I thought with another grin. I waited to hear the names of the other two adepts, wondering which Houses had the pleasure of calling these three their own.

[Vivien nó Gentian(D)]

I hesitated for approximately half a second, torn between talking about Plaisir and behaving discreetly as befit a Gentian adept. “Yes I am,” I affirmed breathlessly. “He saved me from a dragon in a purple satin just like a Knight in a faery tale. It was the most romantic thing that’s ever happened to me. Also, there were cakes.” I paused. “Wait a minute … how did you know that, you … you … Page of Wands!”

[Nyx nó Cereus]

His assumption sparked anger within me. "I am going to pretend I don't know what that means so I won't have to be offended. Page of Wands. Really! Some adepts have big mouths, it's not my fault I am a good listener." I really wanted to leave, to get out of the suddenly stiffling shop, but Boris had yet to return. And I would only get into trouble if I returned without the slippers. I crossed my arms and tried to calm down. It wouldn't do to sulk.

[Caraf Tewar]

The mood had taken a horrid spiral.

I laid a hand on Nyx's arm. "Please, don't take offense. Vivien is in the beginnings of a relationship that could turn into something wonderful. Hopefully you will know what that's like soon and see how it sends one's emotions in a swirl and you want to keep it secret less it be ruined."

I smiled at both Vivien and Nyx, hoping to recapture the fun that had been surrounding us before. "Nyx, do you have to return to Cereus immediately? I was going to take Vivien for an afternoon treat as soon as we were done here. Would you like to join us?"

I hoped Vivien wouldn't mind, I just wanted this afternoon to be filled with happy moments not clouds of hurt feelings.

[Vivien nó Gentian(D)]

Seeing I had inadvertantly caused offence, I leapt lightly down from where I was sitting and padded over to the adept. "Please don't be cross with me," I pleaded. "I've only just met you and you seem very pretty and very sweet and I can't have made you dislike me already. I'm truly sorry." I slipped my hand into hers and twined my fingers round her own.

"The Page of Wands is a good card," I explained, in a hopeless babble. " Well she can be a bad gossip, of course, but I'm sure you're not one. She's loyal and trustworthy and a good listener ... and a little bit mysterious, just like you. She can be a sign of good news. I could read your cards for you sometime, if you like. Then you'd understand."

[Nyx nó Cereus]

My mouth quirked at his sweet babble, and I squeezed his hand. His response was exactly what I needed to calm myself. "How can anyone stay mad at you? You give such nice compliments. You know, I've never had my fortune read?"

Boris came back into the room carrying a box and I smiled at Caraf, not wanting to increase her obvious stress at the tension. "As for staying for the afternoon, I'm not sure I should." My voice filled with meaningful disappointment. "Thank you for inviting me Caraf, but I was really only sent to get the slippers. I mean, if they weren't done yet, then I guess I would have to fill the time somehow, but..."

Boris was quick with his reply, laughter in his voice. "I am so sorry, I just realized that these aren't quite done. Could you maybe come back in a few hours, if it isn't to much trouble?"

I smiled gratefully at him and turned back to Vivien and Caraf. "Now, what could a Gentian, a Heliotrope, and a Cereus adept do to pass the time?"

[Cybane d'Aiglemort (I)]

I laughed inside at the cobbler’s response and decided I couldn’t very well stay here the rest of the day, eavesdropping as I was on these three. I decided a Cereus adept would be a delightful companion for the coronation. I turned around to face them, enjoying the full view of these three. Adepts always were such pretty things. I walked closer to them, my eyes focused on Nyx.

“Forgive me for interrupting, but you’ve quite simply distracted me. My name is Cybane d’Aiglemort. May I ask your name and if you’ve been contracted for the night of the coronation?” I might have known all their names and what Houses they belonged to, but it wouldn’t be polite to have them know I had been listening in.

[Nyx nó Cereus]

I was a bit startled for a moment when the other customer spoke. I hadn't really even registered her existence, though I recognized the name instantly and gave her a curtsy. "My name is Nyx nó Cereus, my lady, and no, I am not contracted for the celebrations. But..." I rushed on, lowering my eyes, feeling she should know the truth, "I might not be as... experienced as you might be accustomed to."

[Cybane d'Aiglemort (I)]

I enjoyed her surprised look and the meekness with which she presented herself. I placed one finger under her chin and forced her eyes to mine again.

“Nonsense. Who said I wanted an experienced adept anyways?” I grinned, giving her a wink. It was true; while I loved any practiced adept as the next person, the virgins were always the best to play with. I withdrew my finger from underneath her chin, feeling her warmth still on the tip. “Nyx,” I said, tasting her name for the first time, “Would you be interested in joining me at the coronation celebration? If so, I shall be heading to Cereus immediately and petition Donatien for the pleasure of your company.”

[Vivien nó Gentian(D)]

We must have made a peculiar trio … not that such things have ever troubled me. I exchanged a wide-eyed glance with Caraf when the noble we had barely heeded suddenly descended upon our pretty companion, but it was only her tactful tug upon my arm that drew my attention to the fact that I was watching the exchange with an avid curiosity that was probably somewhat distracting to the participants.

We conferred softly with Boris on the matter of my outrageous shoes and, when this pleasant task has been completed to the satisfaction of all, I slipped my hand in hers and demanded: “So what’s this treat then?”

[Caraf Tewar]

It was hard not to stare at this sudden turn of events, but manners took over and I drew Vivien away so we could finish our business here.

"I thought I would take you to that little tea shoppe for some tea and sweets," I told him.

Then I leaned in and whispered for his ears only. "Of course, this was before I knew about your recent adventures with cakes. Perhaps we should go somewhere else," I teased.

[Vivien nó Gentian(D)]

I met her eyes for a brief, meaningful moment, murmuring “You don’t know the half of it,” before I disintegrated into helpless giggles, and had to put both hands over my mouth to stifle them before they disturbed the Lady and the adept.

I leant lightly against Caraf as we waited for Nyx. “That would be lovely,” I said. “But,” I added, jangling my still embarrassingly heavy purse, “perhaps I should take you.”

[Caraf Tewar]

I slipped my arm around Vivien, leaning against him and pulling him more against me. I was so enjoying the silly, wonderful happiness that had overtaken him.

"Nonsense, I was already planning to take us out," I told him.

I smiled wider and said, "I want to know the other half of it, and anything more than that, very soon. I want to know everything."

[Nyx nó Cereus]

I looked in her eyes, and what I saw there dispeled my misgivings. "Well then, I would be absolutely delighted my lady. But I must say, I never thought being a distraction would turn out so well." I gave her a smile and another curtsey. And then I started to become very excited.

[Cybane d'Aiglemort (I)]

Her smile was beautiful and I swore right there I would make her smile like never before.

"Yes, neither did I. I'll look forward to the coronation." I smiled at her, and sent one to her companions who were waiting for her. With one last look at my newest fixation, I headed out the door. I untied Ethos, mounted, and headed straight for Cereus.

[Nyx nó Cereus]

I watched her leave, then turned to Caraf and Vivien, excitement all over my face. "Well it seems I'm going after all." I spun around joyously, laughing. "My debut is going to be at a coronation! Oh, thank you Elua!"