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Post by Corbeau nó Heliotrope (D) on Jul 19, 2007 23:14:02 GMT -5
I’d been moping for too long I decided one morning clear out of the blue. Every since I’d completed my marque, I’d been feeling listless, and that was not the way these things were supposed to go. The early morning air was brisk but the cloudless sky and quickly climbing sun promised a lovely, pleasant day and I decided to go out. Even if I did nothing, doing nothing in a lovely courtyard of Night’s Doorstep was better than doing nothing alone in my room.
So, taking a book and my parasol, in case that sun and sky proved too risky for my fair skin later on, I set off for a lovely, bench adorned court; feeling very bold in my low backed dress, able for the first time to display the finished finial of Heliotrope blossoms between my shoulders. The skin of those pale, purple, petals was still shinny and newly healed, but the irritation had finally dissipated.
When I arrived, I chose a bench convenient either to read or to merely people watch, I set aside for the time being my book and my parasol and began to do the latter, somewhat abstractly. It was early yet, and there were few enough people about that the square was pleasantly serene still, and I endeavored to let the mood wash over me.
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jul 19, 2007 23:24:46 GMT -5
I had sighed with happiness loud enough and often enough to annoy the Second, so she sent me out on an errand I'm fairly sure she made up on the spot. But I couldn't help it. I loved spring.
And so I wandered Night's Doorstep after I was done, knowing it was better not to return so soon after fetching the brightly coloured scarf. I walked into a square, my eyes immediatly falling upon an exquisite adept off to the side. She looked like she belonged to Cereus. I slowed, wondering if I could work up the courage to say hello before I passed.
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Post by Corbeau nó Heliotrope (D) on Jul 19, 2007 23:35:26 GMT -5
I'd been right, this was better than my room. The fresh air and calmingly ordinary bustle of people doing ordinary things had already begun to loosen those tense places inside me. I sat up a little straighter as the tension in my neck and shoulders drained away and found myself smiling softly at passersby, whether they smiled in return or not.
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jul 20, 2007 18:48:15 GMT -5
She was gazing around, and smiled at me when our eyes met. I smiled back shyly. "Good morning."
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Post by Corbeau nó Heliotrope (D) on Jul 21, 2007 0:23:30 GMT -5
A handsome Adept who met my eye gave me a shy smile and I brightened mine in return as he greeted me.
"To you as well," I replied, "And it is good, isn't it." I added, turning my eyes briefly skyward to take in the clear blue before returning my focus to him.
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jul 21, 2007 0:27:17 GMT -5
"It is absolutely wonderful." I replied with another shy smile. "I think you made a good choice, coming to read in the sun." I indicated the book sitting at her side. Her gaze on me almost made me blush, but I tried to dampen it.
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Post by Corbeau nó Heliotrope (D) on Jul 21, 2007 0:44:09 GMT -5
There was a slight shyness about him that made me think he was probably Alyssum, but then as I well knew the most obvious choice was not always right. Most assumed I was Cereus, as I nearly had been.
"I decided it would be criminal to miss a day like this." I said brightly, laying my hand on the novel by my side, "But I must admit, I've yet to do any actual reading today." I joked lightly, hoping to put him at ease, "What brought you out today..." I trailed off, fishing for his name.
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jul 21, 2007 0:49:22 GMT -5
"Adin," I replied to her obvious friendliness. "Adin nó Alyssum. And I was sent to run an errand after becoming to loud in my contentment with the world."
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Post by Corbeau nó Heliotrope (D) on Jul 21, 2007 1:18:38 GMT -5
His comment made me grin "That seems a benign crime to me. Well met, Adin nó Alyssum" I said extending my hand to him, "Corbeau nó Heliotrope."
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jul 21, 2007 1:27:08 GMT -5
"Very well met." I replied honestly. "And Alyssum is a very quiet house. A loud happy sigh can disturb those not quite so joyful that its spring."
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Post by Corbeau nó Heliotrope (D) on Jul 21, 2007 1:33:18 GMT -5
"Well then you're in luck." I said, shifting on the bench and patting the space beside me, indicating he should sit. "For I find spring ample reason for joy."
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jul 21, 2007 1:38:27 GMT -5
I smiled shyly, a blush creeping into my cheeks as I sat beside her. "What is your favourite part?" I asked, my voice quiet as always.
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Post by Corbeau nó Heliotrope (D) on Jul 21, 2007 1:48:39 GMT -5
I smiled at the slight colour in his cheeks and stared off into the middle distance for a moment contemplatively, "The green, I think." I said focusing again on him, "I don't think there's anything lovelier than real, spring-green. What about you?"
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jul 21, 2007 8:58:23 GMT -5
"The garden waking up." I said, unable not to smile at the memories. "The bulbs sending up their tiny shoots. The flowers opening under the sun, making everything smell heavenly."
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Post by Corbeau nó Heliotrope (D) on Jul 21, 2007 15:26:23 GMT -5
"Do you garden much then?" I asked, I assumed from his tone that he did. There was a nurturing quality in his brown eyes that made me think he'd have a green thumb.
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jul 21, 2007 15:35:11 GMT -5
I nodded. "It's one of my favourite pastimes. You?"
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Post by Corbeau nó Heliotrope (D) on Jul 21, 2007 15:41:57 GMT -5
"I keep orchids in my room, but I stay out of the actual gardens for the most part." Then, after thinking about it for a moment, added, "I'm not sure why."
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jul 21, 2007 15:47:18 GMT -5
"You do have very lovely skin." I said quietly. "I would hate to see you burn under the hot sun."
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Post by Corbeau nó Heliotrope (D) on Jul 21, 2007 15:56:17 GMT -5
I coloured a little at the compliment, "That is a concern," I agreed. "That's why I bring this most everywhere." I said opening my parasol and twirling it. It was a beautiful thing, a gift from a patron, it was the palest, pastel pink, patterned with delicate yellow buttercups and sparingly embroidered with gold wire so it glittered very slightly in the light.
"They're not really fashionable at the moment, but I think it's lovely."
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jul 21, 2007 16:34:01 GMT -5
"As practical as it is beautiful." I agreed with a smile that was becoming easier in her presence. "I'm afraid I have nothing so delightful to shade my head when gardening, just a straw hat."
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Post by Corbeau nó Heliotrope (D) on Jul 22, 2007 0:07:08 GMT -5
"A hat does just as well." I said as I shut the parasol and propped it up against the front of the bench, "One could hardly hold a parasol whilst digging in the garden anyhow." I added, with a shrug and a little flick of my fingers.
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jul 22, 2007 12:56:07 GMT -5
"I saw a painting like that once." I offered with a little smile.
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Post by Corbeau nó Heliotrope (D) on Jul 24, 2007 0:40:51 GMT -5
I laughed lightly, "I stand corrected, then." I said merrily.
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jul 24, 2007 0:43:21 GMT -5
"I never said I had any use for the painting." I admitted with another smile. Her laughter was like sunshine, sparkling and warm. "It seemed rather unpractical. I'll stick to my hat."
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Post by Corbeau nó Heliotrope (D) on Jul 24, 2007 0:57:26 GMT -5
"Well, you are eminently more practical than I, Monsieur." I smiled, laying my hand briefly over his, hoping to find a balance of companionable contact over anything too intimate that might make him uncomfortable.
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jul 24, 2007 1:11:18 GMT -5
I went red at her touch, but didn't pull away. "If I hadn't become an adept, I think I would have become a gardener. And a good gardener is always practical."
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Post by Corbeau nó Heliotrope (D) on Jul 24, 2007 2:22:26 GMT -5
I smiled thoughtfully. That's a phrase I'd often herd amongst my peers 'if I hadn't become an Adept', and I was never sure what to make of it. It always raised for me the question of what my life might have been if I hadn't been left to Cereus, which was something I couldn't even begin to form a picture of.
I became aware that my brow was creased with maudlin thoughts I'd forsworn for the day, and quickly willed away my encroaching melancholy. "I'd make a terrible gardener then." I said after a too long pause, "I'd plant roses instead of radishes and then I suppose I'd starve." I laughed and was relieved to find that it wasn't as forced as I'd thought it would be.
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jul 24, 2007 21:28:56 GMT -5
She seemed to loose herself in thought for a moment, but her beautiful smile soon returned and I didn't question. Memories were personal. "Not unless you had someone who wanted beauty in their life." I referred to both the roses and the gardener. "Then you could share."
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Post by Corbeau nó Heliotrope (D) on Jul 26, 2007 1:12:26 GMT -5
"An elegant solution." I beamed at him.
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Adin nó Alyssum
Second
Second of Alyssum House
marqued adept of Alyssum
Posts: 2,072
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Post by Adin nó Alyssum on Jul 26, 2007 1:16:12 GMT -5
I smiled back shyly. "Everyone needs beauty. You'd be a good candidate to share, since you have so much." By the end of it my eyes were on the ground, voice barely over a whisper.
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