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Post by Mael Leblanc on Apr 15, 2010 0:53:41 GMT -5
As we walked I could hear the faint giggling of other people, young, judging by the timbre of their voices. Some voices were lowered, speaking in whispers punctuated by nervous laughter. "Did you see!? Did you see!?" One cried, but at the time I had little knowledge of what they were referring to, having never seen a showing, so I hadn't the foggiest idea what they were chattering on about.
We passed the dining area, and my nostrils caught the scent of yeast, no doubt in my mind that someone was currently occupied with the baking of bread. We turned slightly, and I heard Idaeus direct a query my way.
"If it's not too much trouble. It wouldn't be much of a tour without a visit to the pleasure rooms," I replied. "I have heard Mandrake's pleasure rooms are quite...unique...and it would be a shame to miss a chance to explore them, even a little."
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Post by Idaeus nó Mandrake on Apr 17, 2010 0:06:30 GMT -5
"Hmmm, yes, I guess they may be considered unique," when you lived and breathed Mandrake for most of your life it was easy to forget that not everyone found it normal.
I passed some of the rooms that were stocked with just the most basic items, for the new adepts, and to the rooms with more character to them. I choose one that had most of my favorite toys, a room of bondage with some of the more advanced toys for pain. Mainly I liked the variety in which you could restrain someone.
I opened the door and said, "here is a good room, it will let you feel a variety of the things here."
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Post by Mael Leblanc on Apr 18, 2010 18:17:00 GMT -5
I heard the door open, and I felt Adrien pause in mid-step. I gave him a gentle push forward and stepped over the threshold. "Will you relax, Adrien?" I chided, grinning. "We're not going to be using any of the tools in here on you, you know?"
"How comforting," he muttered. "Fine, this looks...interesting...at least." He led me in a straight line and stopped once we had covered a considerable distance. How large was this room?
"Here, put your hand here," he instructed, taking my hand and sliding it over a smooth wooden surface. "Two planks, crossed together in the shape of an X, see?" I let him guide my hand, a picture of the instrument slowly forming in my mind. My hands touched leather straps of some sort, likely used to bind a person to the wood. "Seems like an awkward position," I muttered. "But I suppose that's the point.
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Post by Idaeus nó Mandrake on Apr 18, 2010 18:36:25 GMT -5
I watched the two of them. Adrien was at least amusing, instead of just plain annoying. The only things in the open were the large binding toys. The more interesting items remained in cupboards where they would stay clean and safe till needed.
"Feel free to look inside of the closets and areas around the room. They hold toys for our patrons as well."
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Post by Mael Leblanc on Apr 18, 2010 19:36:19 GMT -5
"Adrien, let's go look in the cupboards!" I exclaimed when Idaeus gave us permission to explore. I had expected him to be a little more restrictive, but I imagined he would not be concerned unless one of us managed to injure ourselves.
I heard my friend sigh. "Always so eager to put your fingers in places where sane men seldom venture..." but he took my hand and began walking with me, and soon I heard the creak of a door being opened. I heard Adrien take a sharp breath. "Is this an armory or a house of pleasure?" He asked, his tone incredulous.
"Oh, Adrien, stop it!" My hands were already exploring the interior of the cabinet. The closest object I identified as a cane of some sort, and I didn't need an explanation from Idaeus to figure out that it wasn't the type of cane that you used for support. "I certainly wouldn't want to get hit with one of those," Adrien muttered, his tone of voice suggesting that, in fact, any one of the things in this cabinet could cause serious harm if used properly--or improperly, and I wasn't sure what was more disconcerting.
I decided to explore this cupboard further, fingers brushing braided leather thongs of some sort of whip. On impulse, my hand found what hand to be the handle, and I pulled it from it's place. "Mael, will you be careful!" Adrien exclaimed. "There's metal tips on the end of that one! Put it back before you hurt yourself!" I made a small sound of surprise as the tool was yanked from my grasp.
"I am being careful, mother." I replied, sighing as he took my hand and directed me towards something that he evidently deemed to be safer for my probing fingers to grasp. I couldn't identify the material that this one was made from, but it was definitely not leather. The thongs, if one could call them thongs, were thin, and it felt like I was grasping a horse's mane instead of a tool used to harm someone. I picked it up, it had a larger handle than the last one.
"An armory, eh?" I said as I turned to Adrien. "I fail to see how thongs this thin could hurt anyone."
"Let's have Messire give you a few whacks with it and then we'll see if you change your mind," Adrien replied. Oh, so now he was feeling playful, the bastard.
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Post by Idaeus nó Mandrake on Apr 20, 2010 0:03:26 GMT -5
The two of them were amusing to watch, though I started to walk in their direction. I was going to intervene if Adrien kept on restricting Mael. It's not like we don't have healing salve here if he did somehow injure himself. I was rather enjoying watching him explore the toys.. imagining using each on him as he did.
"These are all tools," I said.. picking up a flachette, knowing at least one of them would know what I held. I focused my attention on Adrien, wanting to see his reaction. I took a few steps closer, as if I was going to show the tool off on one of them, but stopped short and instead ran the blade along my own finger. I did so softly, not even causing a scratch on my finger. I showed him and said, "a skilled adept can cause pain or not to his choosing if he knows what he is doing." I put the blade down on the nearest shelf and then closed the short gap, running a finger briefly on Mael's hair, barely touching it but saying, "and he could cause pain without a single tool in here if he choose."
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Post by Mael Leblanc on Apr 24, 2010 14:30:27 GMT -5
I tensed when Idaeus touched me. Even after my assignation with Maeve, unexpected touching made me uncomfortable.
"I think I understand," I said softly. "Physical pain passes swiftly, but once you get inside a person..." I almost shuddered at the thought. "Pain inflicted on the mind leaves a lasting impression."
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Post by Idaeus nó Mandrake on Apr 24, 2010 15:30:03 GMT -5
I was thinking of physical pain when I was speaking of a skilled adept. My back twitched slightly when he mentioned pain inflicted on the mind. I felt I knew the depth of mental pain, having the person who was suppose to nurture you try to kill you. Though I suppose it would have been worse if she had led me along, making me think she actually killed. I suppose I could have been happy for that one grace.
"An adept is not going to inflict pain on the mind unless the patron wanted it done." I thought of those who come seaking to be shamed. I wanted to demenstrate on him just what I meant, but I didn't think that Ignanes wanted me causing a bad name for Mandrake. There was enough being said without me fueling that fire.
Instead I said, "there are pressure points on the body that one could use, or the less thoughtful always have nails and teeth." I looked at Adrien and said with a smile, "I could show you a fun pressure point if you would like to see."
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Post by Mael Leblanc on Apr 24, 2010 21:30:56 GMT -5
When he began talking about pressure points, I grinned. "I know something of pressure points already," I said. I gestured to a spot just below and in front of my ear. "A lighter blow to this spot can cause significant pain, a heavier blow can knock a man unconscious." I dropped my hands to my sides. "Go ahead and demonstrate, Messire, I'm accustomed to pain."
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Post by Idaeus nó Mandrake on Apr 25, 2010 1:48:22 GMT -5
I was going to demonstrate on the assistant, but if the blind man wanted me to show it on him I was more than happy too. My favorite point was not the one behind the ear but on the collar bone, placing the fingers behind it could make a man drop to his knees, which was a good place to have him in the pleasure chambers.
I shot out one arm, doing my best to move myself as little as possible, watching him closely to see if he could sense me move. I did not use much force, since it was not needed, and I dug my fingers into the flesh right above Maels collar bone. I kept the move brief however, it would hurt but probably not drop him since I did not expet him to be off guard.
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Post by Mael Leblanc on Apr 25, 2010 23:26:49 GMT -5
When he struck me, I had to fight against the instinct to grab his arm to prevent him from further injuring me. "Do you learn about pressure points in your lessons at Mandrake House?" I asked. "Trust me, it's probably better that you don't learn them the hard way..." I had to learn where a few of them were the hard way, even Adrien's extensive knowledge on the subject had its limits.
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Post by Idaeus nó Mandrake on Apr 28, 2010 23:27:14 GMT -5
"We learn some basic ones in Mandrake, but only those that actually suit us, like that one." I said, resisting the urge to lightly rub my finger on that same location. This was not an assignation.
"I do know a few more," I told him, "but mainly from reading. Pressure points were not a specific type of pain I learned about," I paused, I had already given part of my secret so I said, "before Mandrake." My mother was not sophisticated enough for pressure points. She had a lash and that was all she felt she needed for pain. At least until I had angered her enough for the flachettes to come out. In a way I was lucky, they only came out once. If I had angered her to that level again I probably would have been dead.
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Post by Mael Leblanc on Apr 30, 2010 19:37:10 GMT -5
I nodded. "I understand." Well, I didn't completely understand, but I knew a few things about pressure points and only a few practical uses for them.
"Do you have a favourite tool?" I asked, now merely curious.
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Post by Idaeus nó Mandrake on May 2, 2010 15:17:48 GMT -5
"I do,' I said, remembering not to nod. I was slowly becoming accustomed to communicating with someone who had no sight.
I walked over to one of the cupboards and pulled out a small box. In them lay a set of long thin needles. They were not the famed flachettes so commonly used, I liked them because they were less common as a tool of choice. I handed the box too Mael, letting him discover for himself what lay inside.
"These," I said simply.
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Post by Mael Leblanc on May 2, 2010 15:58:02 GMT -5
He handed me a box and I wasted no time in prying back the lid and gingerly running my fingers along its velvet interior. I had expected to find knives of some sort, but these were much too thing to be knives. It struck me as strangely amusing that a Mandrake would prefer using something akin to knitting needles to inflict pain on another person.
"Does a Mandrake's favourite tool say something about the adept?" I wondered out loud. "These are very...straightforward, yet elegant."
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Post by Idaeus nó Mandrake on May 6, 2010 0:28:37 GMT -5
I thought about Mael's words. "I suppose it may. I would like to think of myself as straightforward and of course, elegant." Granted, I wasn't always straightforward in my relationships, but as an adept, it was easy enough to do so.
"Tell me,"I said, "if you were an adept of Mandrake, what tool would you choose?" I was not sure if he was familiar with everything that we used, but I was very curious for his answer.
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Post by Mael Leblanc on May 7, 2010 12:57:44 GMT -5
I pursed my lips, considering his question. "None of the tools I've touched seem...fitting..." I admitted, holding up my hands and spreading my fingers. "I'd rather use these, to tell you the truth, versatile, reliable, capable of slapping someone one moment and caressing them the next, and, with the right training, capable of causing a lot of pain." I grinned. "But I wouldn't be accepted as an adept anyways, I lack eyes." I touched my blindfold. "I don't want to startle anyone, so I wear this."
I didn't know why I was telling him all this, but he did not seem like the type to gossip about such things with his fellows. Maybe it was nerves, or maybe I was beginning to trust him.
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Post by Idaeus nó Mandrake on May 10, 2010 1:01:02 GMT -5
Mael's answer was a interesting one, both with regards to his choice of tool and his lack of eyes. "That is true," I said in answer to his choice of hands. "I would guess that you are someone who wants to rely on himself and not others."
While I was pretty sure Mandrake would not take an adept who had no eyes. I thought of how unnerving it could be for a patron, and now some patrons would rather enjoy that. None of the other houses would be able to use his lack of eyes as a positive, but Mandrake could for some of it's Patrons.
"One does not have to be an adept to pleasure patrons in that fashion," I said. There were other places where one could acquire that job, especially if they were to old to join the House, blind, eyeless or otherwise. I've had a few patrons who would probably enjoy being controlled by someone without eyes. It would simply be another trait to throw them out of what they are normally use too."
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Post by Mael Leblanc on May 10, 2010 11:00:11 GMT -5
I shook my head. "I don't know if I could hurt someone like that," I said honestly. It was one thing to fight against a man who was determined to hurt you as much as possible, and it was another thing to hurt someone without provocation. I shrugged. "But I suppose anything is possible, I am just becoming accustomed to the arts of the bedchamber, after all."
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Post by Idaeus nó Mandrake on May 11, 2010 23:27:39 GMT -5
I shrugged slightly, though I realized he could not see it. Some habits were not easy to break, you may, some day, find yourself in the arms of someone who asks for such things. You will find out then if you have a stomach for it or not. It is different than just walking up to a person and pulling a whip on them."
I was probably a little more surprised by his words than I should have been. Being surrounded by adepts all of the time one forgets that not everyone seeks their pleasure at 16. I did not think he was 16, but a few years older. "this can be a good place to learn," I said, speaking of the bed chamber. "Though one can not show you to many things on just a building tour."
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Post by Mael Leblanc on May 13, 2010 11:29:02 GMT -5
"Hm, I think you're just not being creative enough," I said, grinning to let him know I was teasing him. I didn't think I would enjoy it if I made him angry, but the serious ones were always such fun to tease!
"Well, unless there is anything more you wish to show me, I suppose I should let you go back to doing whatever it is adepts do outside of assignations." I said. "You have been very helpful, Messire Idaeus."
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Post by Idaeus nó Mandrake on May 14, 2010 10:14:11 GMT -5
I quirked my brows at Mael's suggestion that I wasn't being creative enough. But, he then seemed to be happy with the tour and I was more than ready to take my leave. "The pleasure rooms are probably the most interesting thing here, there really is not much else to show you. Do you want me to lead you too the door?"
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Post by Mael Leblanc on May 16, 2010 12:45:17 GMT -5
I shook my head. "That won't be necessary. I'm sure Adrien remembers the way." I felt Adrien take my hand, and I inclined my head respectfully in Idaeus's direction.
"Good day, Messire," I said as Adrien began moving, pulling me along with him. "Mayhap we will meet again soon."
Adrien's footfalls became less audible, a sign that we had entered the hall, he was moving at a brisk pace, like a horse that had sighted its home and wanted nothing more to be back in its pen. "Elua, Adrien!" I exclaimed. "Must you be so rude?"
"Let's just go home, Prince," came the terse reply. "Watch your step here." I felt the caress of a breeze against my cheek and knew we were outside.
"If we head to the nearest inn for a drink, will you forgive me for dragging you here?" I asked, exasperated. There was no point in scolding him, Adrien was Adrien, with all his prejudices, and one learned to tolerate him.
"Well, that would be a start, at least," came the reply, and all I heard for the next few moments was his laughter as we hied to Night's Doorstep.
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Post by Idaeus nó Mandrake on May 18, 2010 0:26:31 GMT -5
The man was soon gone and I put the few things back that had been taken from their place.
I was now bored and wished for some excitement. Time to go and see what the lovely city had in store for tonight.
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