Shopping for the Coronation

[Caraf Tewar]

I threw my arms around Nyx and hugged her tightly.

"Congratulations! Now we must go celebrate," I said after I had released her. "If we are done here for the moment I think it is time for us to go over indulge in sweets and exotic teas."

It seemed Elua and Namaah were taking special care of adepts. I smiled, joy and love for my life and friends filling me.

[Vivien nó Gentian(D)]

“It’s going to be the best party ever!” I said, caught up in the general excitement. I wriggled between Caraf and Nyx, slipped my right hand into Caraf’s, grabbed Nyx’s with my left and pulled them out into the sunlit street. “Cakes! Sweets! Lead on!”

“Caraf …” I asked, hesitantly, as my thoughts, which had not really strayed very far from Plaisir, returned more forcefully to a theme. “Caraf…” I said again. “You’re from Heliotrope. How … how … do you make a patron. You know. Fall in love with you.” I glanced oh-so-nonchalantly into a shop window as I spoke.

[Caraf Tewar]

I squeezed Vivien's hand as I told him, "You can't make someone fall in love with you. All you can do is be yourself. The worst thing a person can do is pretend to be something they are not just to get someone to love them. When that happens you are stuck with either being the person you aren't for the rest of your life, or breaking the other person's heart."

I slipped my arm around his waist. "You are sweet, funny, smart, and obviously pleasing in the bedroom if he kept you all night," I said with a smile, "Just let it happen. If Elua has meant for him to love you, he can't help but fall in love with you."

[Nyx nó Cereus]

I was swept up by the two of them and listened with one ear to their conversation. My imagination started what it does best, and I followed in the wake of the others, a smile plastered across my face.

[Vivien nó Gentian(D)]

I nodded to Caraf’s words, because I knew they were wise and sensible and probably, depressingly, true. All the same, it confirmed my worst fears, that love was not something you could be trained for and not something you could play at and not even something you could create just from yearning. I sighed.

“I’m sorry,” I said, “I suppose it was a silly question. I’ve only had one night with him. It’s not even a matter of love yet. It’s just he was … all heroic! He stood up to that horrible de Carvell just for me.” I fluttered my eyelashes outrageously, trying to lighten the mood again. “It’s enough to make a boy quite giddy.”

I prodded our new-found friend in the arm. “Anyway ... what about you. What are you looking so starry-eyed about? Hmm, now let me guess … could it be anything to do with the beautiful Duchesse d’Aiglemort?”

[Nyx nó Cereus]

His words pulled me back to reality. "Maybe..." I let my voice trail off, and grinned a bit impishly. "She will be my first patron, and she's interesting, not like some lordling, who would bore me to death." Then I realized something, and asked a bit worriedly, "What are you two going to be wearing? I don't have any fancy gowns."

[Caraf Tewar]

"My patron arranged for me to have a gown made at Eglantine to match his outfit. You should talk to your Dowayne and see if any arrangements have been made for you. If not, send me a note at Heliotrope I am sure I have something that would work." I cast a meaningful glance at Vivien. "I am used to having my closet raided by others."

With a laugh I steered us into the little tea shoppe and asked for a table in their garden area. The host led us outside to the wonderful little secluded garden they had in the back. We were the only ones there at this time of day. He handed us the menus and left us be for the moment.

I perused the selections and asked, "What is everyone in the mood for?"

[Vivien nó Gentian(D)]

I ran my eyes avidly up and down the menu. “Cakes, obviously,” I said. I turned the crisp pages of the menu, squinting at the elaborate handwriting. “A deep, moist chocolate experience,” I read aloud, “saturated with dark chocolate sauce, drizzled with fresh cream and garnished by succulent raspberries … is it me or does that sound more than faintly suggestive?”

When the menu had stopped distracting me, I turned back to Nyx. “Caraf’s right but if that doesn’t work out I still have loads of money left from Plaisir … you could always have some of that, if you wanted. I’m sure,” I added as I blithely spent the Vicomte’s money, “he wouldn’t mind.”

[Nyx nó Cereus]

I was reassured by their immediate offerings, and settled at the table comfortably, picking up a menu. "Or how about this? Strawberry mousse layered between melt-in-your-mouth pastry, topped off with juicy apple slices. Incredibly fattening, but with the apples, you don't feel quite so guilty. Oh, and they have herbal teas! My father always used to brew it for us when we were small, and its always been my favourite." I continued scanning the menu, but returned to the earlier topic. "I should talk to Donatien before I take you up on your offers, but thank you both."

[Vivien nó Gentian(D)]

“For herbal teas, you should come to Gentian some day,” I snickered, raising an eyebrow provokingly.

[Caraf Tewar]

"This is what I'm having, raisins and nuts in a spiced glaze and then layered between parchment thin sheets of flaky butter pastry. " My mouth was watering at the thought of it.

"I think I shall have a cup of apricot tea with that, it sounds delightful," I said with a smile.

"I think I'll keep away from the herbal teas, I like my future to surprise me. For the moment at least," I chuckled.

[Nyx nó Cereus]

I loked across the table at Vivien, ignoring their jests about herbs, and suggested, "I believe someone is happy. Is he good-looking?" My mind immediatley flitted back to my very recent encounter with Cybane, but I forced it back to the present.

"All I know about him is that he is a wonderful chef." That was a bald-face lie. I knew all about him from a friend I had placed amoing his kitchen staff, but I loved the possibility of new information. On anyone. And my curiosity was just killing me, though no one would be able to tell.

[Vivien nó Gentian(D)]

The tea things and an extravagant selection of pastries I had arrived. I pounced on the most outrageous of them – a towering chocolate and cream confection that nevertheless failed to live up to Plaisir’s delicate little iced cakes. But, then, maybe context was all.

“I don’t know all that much about him myself,” I admitted wistfully, disappearing into the cream and emerging a few moments later considerably stickier. “He’s, um, very attractive obviously, but not breathtakingly stunning like Prince Augustin or even some of the adepts I’ve seen about the place. But I like him better than anyone I’ve ever seen. He has very beautiful eyes. And…” I realised I was about to say something ill-considered about his mouth and stopped myself just in time, “other parts.” Wait. No. That sounded worse. “Waah! I didn't mean that like that.” I gave my companions a stricken look. "I miss him desperately. Which is silly because I'll see him soon."

[Caraf Tewar]

I left off eating my treat long enough to reach over and put a hand on Vivien's arm.

"It's not silly at all, it's sweet. I can't wait to meet this man who has you so entranced," I told him with a smile. "I was only around Luke for moments and I have been rather impatiently waiting until I could see him again."

I glanced at Nyx, "I am sure Nyx understands too."

[Nyx nó Cereus]

I nodded my reply, digging into my mousse and apple slices. After a few savory moments, I came up for air. "I would commence to tease you about your last comment Vivien, but I'll be kind. How about you Caraf? Who is this Luke you keep mentioning? I haven't heard the name before. Is he new to the city? Or is your knowledge of him limited to 'other parts' as well?" I shot Vivien a mischievous grin, not being able to help myself.

[Caraf Tewar]

"His name is Luke Pescaro del Leovanni. He is new to the City. I have only seen him while he was choosing me to contract for the celebration. He has a very nice smile, and I like the way he moves. The 'others parts' will have to wait for after the celebration depending on how the night goes."

I scooped up the last bite of my treat and took a drink of tea before continuing. "I am just anxious for the celebration to begin. The waiting is driving me nuts."

[Nyx nó Cereus]

I paused, assimilating the new information. "Pescaro you said? They hold a lot of sway in La Serenissima, especially in the navy. Hmm, a sailor mayhap?" I rolled the idea over in my mind, but I knew to little to make any other guesses. "Well, the celebration is only a few days away. We have to give the clothiers some time to get all of us ready. Otherwise, what would we wear?"

[Caraf Tewar]

I glanced at the sky and suddenly realized how late it had gotten.

"Only a few days away and getting closer by the minute," I said with a smile. "I have to be heading back to Heliotrope, I have to help with some of the younger adepts this evening."

I signaled for the check and handed over coin enough to cover it and a nice tip.

"Shall we walk back to our Houses together or do you two have other things to attend to?"

[Vivien nó Gentian(D)]

I followed Caraf’s gaze towards the sky, horrified to see how low the sun had sunk towards the horizon and leapt to my feet, almost overturning the delicate table and the remains of our feast.

“I’m late for, like, a thousand and twenty three things,” I cried, apologetically. “And I’ve missed three lessons at least. I should run. Also I have to go back and pick up my shoes.”

I grabbed Nyx in a boisterous hug, jumped up to kiss Caraf lightly on the lips and scampered away through the tea shoppe, back towards Gentian, calling out my thanks and farewells over my shoulder.

[Nyx nó Cereus]

I hugged Vivien back and called out to his back, "Farewell. I'll see you at the fête." I didn't think that he had heard, but it was no matter.

I turned to Caraf, a smile on my face. "As long as we can nip back to pick up Danuta's slippers, I would love to walk home with you. Thank you so much for the afternoon. I haven't had that much fun in a while." We started moving for the restaurant's exit. "Don't misunderstand, I love Cereus, but sometimes I need a change in atmosphere. Especially with all the older adepts strutting around because they are going to the party. Well, we aren't supposed to strut, but sometimes they forget. I love watching Donatien 'speak' to them when they do. Two days ago, he had caught Rose. She's a bit, um, pretentious is a kind word. She has been fairly quiet since. Of course, now," and at this I grinned a bit evilly. "I'm going too."

[Caraf Tewar]

I chuckled at Nyx's comments. I remembered my first fete and assignation. Those were things no adept ever forgot.

"I have had a wonderful time as well," I said as I walked alongside Nyx. "I don't understand adepts who like to barricade themselves behind their House walls and never interact with the rest of the world. They lived more caged lives than my canaries."

We had reached the cobbler's and I followed Nyx inside while she finished her errand.

[Nyx nó Cereus]

As we turned the corner to return to the cobbler's, I saw Vivien's head disappear at the end of the street. I was amazed he was focused enough to run.

Thanking Boris with smiles, we departed for Mont Nuit, the new slippers under my arm. "I grew up in the countryside, on my father's estate. Coming to the City was a big change for me. I felt hemmed in for a time. That's why I always try to be sent on errands. I need the occasional glimpse of the outside world." I looked up at her and smiled as we wove through the crowd. "And then I meet new friends!"

[Caraf Tewar]

I smiled at Nyx's comment. "New friends are worth any journey."

We waited while a carriage passed. "My parent's farm is not far from the City and we came here often to sell their crops. I love the City, all the people, the sounds, the colors, everything. I feel the City like part of my soul."

We made our way through the crowds, drawing closer to the Night Court. "I can't imagine living anywhere else. I will happily pass my days at Heliotrope, learning, teaching, being with my patrons. I can't imagine a more perfect life."

[Nyx nó Cereus]

I smiled at her happiness, which was infectious. "Yes, the City is definately my home now. I'm not sure how I would do if I went back to live with my family. Being away gave me a new angle on the situation. I miss my father and brother, but I would miss the people here just as much."

We weaved our way through a group of playing children, their laughter all around us, and made our way right up to the gateway of Cereus. "Here I must leave you. Thank you again for the day, and I will see you at the fete."

I gave her a hug, and headed towards the gate, giving her one last wave before entering. I started humming under my breath as I passed under the gate's shadow, a smile on my face.

[Caraf Tewar]

I returned Nyx's embrace and watched her enter Cereus before turning for Heliotrope.

I had had the most wonderful day and could not wait to see Vivien and Nyx again at the celebration.