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Post by Alexandryne nó Shahrizai on Jun 21, 2010 10:39:44 GMT -5
I had always held a fascination for the Tsingani. I'm not sure why, but if I had to hazard a guess, it was their carefree (to me) lifestyle. They were nomadic, beholden to no place, and they seemed to care little for what others thought of them. I liked that, for I was similar. I had often fantasized that my true father was a Tsingano man who had romanced my mother and thus gotten me, but of course my wholly D'angeline appearance never let me get far with the fantasy.
Still, I was curious about them, and so on an evening when my fingers had been particularly nimble, I headed to the Mendecant's Cloak for a drink or three. I was young to be in such an establishment, but living on the streets of Night's Doorstep aged one in other ways, and besides, I hung about outside enough to be known by the barkeep, who did not begrudge me a drink (nor did he mind taking my coin).
It was cold out tonight, so I was glad to get out of the wind, my threadbare cloak not doing much to protect me. I'd stay here as long as I could, for sleeping in an alley or doorway on a winter's night could be a miserable experience. Since I had trained in the Night Court, I oft considered finding a bed for the night that way, but it prickled too much at my pride - I was no longer one of them, and I would not make my living that way.
When I first walked in, I saw that the place was almost full; a cold night brings people in better than any other. I did find a tiny table near the fire that was empty, being too small for the crowds of people that oft arrived together. Another thing to envy about the Tsingani - their sense of family and companionship. Sighing, I ordered some ale and then settled back in my chair to watch them all, a mixture of envy and curiosity spreading over me like warmth.
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Post by Estella de Cartier on Jun 21, 2010 11:12:54 GMT -5
Today had been fruitful. i had been able to procure enough goodies to last me well into the night, fruits, cheeses and meats wrapped in delicate pastries which, once stolen, I wrapped in the celanest handkerchief I could find on my person. But it had gotten cold in the evening, and even with my layers of clothing I wore, which made me look more portly than I was in actuality, the chill still bit down to the bone. On nights like these, it was best to find respite in a tavern, for as long as possible, and so I headed to one of the roudiest ones. It served well for entertainment, and for keeping everyone elses' eyes off of me, when they are on the several other drunken people in their company.
I walked up the steps, the few coins I had pilfered rested in a hidden pocket I had sewn in one of the folds of my short cloak. My hair was the best it had been in a while, meaning it was not so terribly full of twigs and dirt that I would be kicked out from just the look of me, and I had cleaned my face with snow earlier in the day, so was not dirty. My dresses, patched and old fashioned, were the worse for wear. No matter, I walked in, more like slinked in, and passed around a crowd of boisterous men, making sure to daintilly pick one pocket of a coin which I used to buy a tankard of warmed ale at the bar. There was no place to sit there, and standing would get tiresome, especially after being on my feet all the day. And so I walked off to a corner, where a woman sat alone with her beverage, and a spare seat. I would not ask to sit with her, however. Such requests were rarely met well. So instead I stood by her, and looked at her side long while I sipped my drink.
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Post by Alexandryne nó Shahrizai on Jun 21, 2010 12:32:26 GMT -5
I had only been nursing my drink for a few minutes when I spotted someone that seemed familiar. I squinted, peering at her for a moment before deciding that yes, that was indeed Estella.
I managed to catch her eye and wave her over to the empty seat across from me, finding it a happy coincidence that I should actually run into someone I knew here. I had a bit of a soft spot for her, as we were in the same boat most of the time, but life on the streets seemed to take more of a toll on her than it did on me, or there was something dark in her, something I couldn't place. But it wasn't my place to pry, and so I never did ... we all had our secrets, it seemed.
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Post by Estella de Cartier on Jun 21, 2010 12:35:32 GMT -5
The woman who had caught my attention waved me over and I looked at her curiously, my eyes disecting the lines of her visage until I figured out who she was. Feeling a bit lighter for the realisation, I walked over to her table and took a seat in the chair that was otherwise unoccupied. I let out a loud sigh, but I smiled softly at her as my eyes rested on hers.
"Alex, I did not even recognize you," I said, speaking a little loudly to be heard over the din. "Well met."
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Post by Alexandryne nó Shahrizai on Jun 21, 2010 13:41:18 GMT -5
"Must be my new hairstyle," I joked, "I spent hours at the salon." In truth, it was as it always, pulled up and held in a leather thong, the 'tail' cascading down my back but out of my face. "Or maybe this bruise..." I touched the space on my cheek where someone had cuffed me that morning. "I got his purse though, so..." I shrugged and grinned across the table at her.
"What about you, how did you do today? Well enough to find a place indoors I see." I took a long drink of my ale and reveled in the warmth as I waited for her response.
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Post by Estella de Cartier on Jun 21, 2010 15:02:13 GMT -5
I laughed at her jest. "Surely, my lady," I teased, "if that cost you a day in teh salon, I would go back and give the stylist a piece of my mind," I laughed softly as I shook my head. "Today has been a little slow, mostly food, I was hungry today," I explained, "though I did get enough coin to buy this tankard off one of the drunks over there," I shrugged my shoulder in teh general direction of the loud chorus of voices, though I kept my own low as I divulged this secret. "It is bitter cold out there tonight, and I am hoping that I can find warmth in here as long as possible, maybe pretend to be passed out drunk on the table and hope they take care not to flounce me out regardless," I mused. "How about you, enough to pay your way at an inn tonight?"
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Post by Alexandryne nó Shahrizai on Jun 21, 2010 15:43:06 GMT -5
I giggled at the picture she painted, imagining myself in a salon. It was easy enough, I had been rather pampered at the Night Court, though I'd never admit to missing anything about it. "Maybe we can share," I offered. "I made more coin, but no food, and this way I don't have to pay as much for food and you will have some coin. I think I could afford a room, a cheap one, and we can share." I smiled, enjoying the idea of having company for the night, someone I could trust not to knife me in my sleep or steal from me. "What do you think?"
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Post by Estella de Cartier on Jun 22, 2010 9:52:50 GMT -5
I nodded. "I think I have enough coin to buy a couple of stews, plus I have some pastries bundled up," I smiled. I did not like taking things from others who were in my station, but it was a trade, and one I did not have the energy to pass up. "And I would graetly appreciate sharing a room. That is very kind of you, and trusting," I teased. "Are you getting soft in your old age?" I knew she would know I was joking. We were of an age, she and I, though the streets seemed to age us.
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Post by Alexandryne nó Shahrizai on Jun 22, 2010 22:42:22 GMT -5
I snorted and laughed softly. "Not hardly, but I do trust you, we're in the same boat and if we don't help each other, well, that only makes it harder, right?" I took a drink of my ale and let my attention drift to a Tsingano pair that were dancing raucously around the room. I wondered what it would feel like to dance with such utter abandon and I had to smile at the thought. "One day, I'll have my own room and you can spend the night whenever you want. We'll do each other's hair and eat sweets all night long."
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Post by Estella de Cartier on Jun 23, 2010 8:46:08 GMT -5
I could not help but giggle at the concept. We were young, just girls, but the streets had hardened us to act far past our years, so that the thought had seem almost juvenile to me, until I realised that had our stations been higher, that is indeed what we would have been doing. I sighed and took a sip from my tankard.
"We can only hope," I said with a smile, "for at least you show some prospect of beauty. I on the other hand," I said, motioning at my oversized attire, the layers I wore, the dirt and grime rubbed into everything, "I would never find such a fate," I said wtih a slightly sad smile. "But if the Gods were to suddenly smile down upon me, then I too would share with you," I said with a friendly smile. "We could eat sweets and discuss gowns and talk about the young gentry," I teased with a giggle. "Oh to be young again!"
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Post by Alexandryne nó Shahrizai on Jun 25, 2010 23:43:22 GMT -5
"Oh, don't be silly," I said, shaking my head at her. "Just because you don't have the latest fashions, well, neither do I," This might have been the understatement of the century, "doesn't mean you're not beautiful."
I laughed at the picture her words painted, though the sound was tinged with a small amount of bitterness at the unfair nature of the world. It didn't matter how smart you were, or if you were a good person, or that you worked hard - either you were born to money, or you weren't. If you weren't, well, getting it became an all-consuming matter, and if you were, you didn't even notice it.
"I do love sweets," I said longingly, thinking of cupcakes and candies and the little tarts from the kitchens at Valerian. No, I steeled myself against nostalgia, at least now I'm free!
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Post by Estella de Cartier on Jun 27, 2010 7:46:19 GMT -5
I giggled. "Oh I know I am beautiful, but I prefer that the rest of the world doesn't," I said as I scanned the room sketchily, knowing there to be leacherous men about that would have no qualms with one too many tankards in them to try to get up a pretty poor girl's skirts. I squinted at the potential ne'er-do-wellers before looking back to Alex. "Beauty breeds contempt," I murmured, just loud enough for her to hear. I sighed and then dragged myself out of my bitter revelry, with a sad laugh. "How bitter we've become and so young too! I think we deserve to get ourselves some sweets," I smiled mischieveously. "Perhaps tomorrow we could work together on filching some during midday when the market is busy."
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Post by Alexandryne nó Shahrizai on Jun 28, 2010 22:47:03 GMT -5
I wondered at her words, the bitterness behind them ... what had led Estella to this place? Of course, it was not all right to ask, that was the kind of thing people had to be willing to talk about.
Her mood lightened after a moment and I had to laugh in agreement. "I think we do, too, but why wait until tomorrow?" I pulled a pin out of my hair and grinned. "If you're willing to take a risk, I think I can get us into Madame Pallanter's pastry shoppe." I held up the pin and waved it in front her eyes enticingly. "What do you say?"
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Post by Estella de Cartier on Jul 16, 2010 17:10:33 GMT -5
I saw how she studied me, and perhaps I noticed a glint of concern, or perhaps I was only imagining it. No one knew what had happened, really, except perhaps one or two people... and none of them the complete story, regardless. But Alex... she seemed like someoe I could divulge these things to. Perhaps. Though probably not. I stopped thinking on it, and smiled mischieveously in response to her lovely little idea.
"Oh, my dear," I said with a girlish giggle, quite contrary to the devilish look I had on my face, "I think that I have been pursuaded," I teased, my eyes glinting at the pin she had picked from her locks. "She does have a dog which she uses to guard her little fortress, but he is old, and has become domesticated from those who enter her shoppe," I smiled, "at least during the day. I am up for the adventure."
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Post by Alexandryne nó Shahrizai on Jul 16, 2010 23:41:12 GMT -5
"We can do something about him too..." I dug around in my little pouch where I kept all my worldly goods and pulled out an old stringy piece of dried beef. "I was saving this for a particularly hungry evening, but it seems like just the thing for a mangy old dog, don't you think?"
I downed the rest of my drink and then rose with a grin. "Ready?" I hadn't done something like this in a while and not with a confederate, so I was thrilled at the chance. "I can already taste the pastries!"
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Post by Estella de Cartier on Jul 17, 2010 12:38:55 GMT -5
She pulled out a dried piece of meat and I had to laugh. "If I did not know better," I said, picking up my tankard and tossing back the remains like a seasoned professional, "I would say that you had this idea already planned out," I teased, rising to my feet after her. "Let's go," I said with more enthusiasm than was my norm. I felt... exhilerated, challenged, and I loved it. It was refreshing. "You taste the pastries, I can taste the adventure."
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Post by Alexandryne nó Shahrizai on Aug 2, 2010 20:38:46 GMT -5
"I know," I laughed, "but it's just a good plan coming together. I love it when that happens!" Still smiling, I led us outside and into the cool night air, which for once did not concern me. I had the coin to sleep indoors tonight, and soon I would have a full belly as well.
"I can taste them both, but it's the pastries that are making my stomach growl," I laughed, noticing that the streets were already rather empty. Good, it would make our job easier. "Hopefully she has something left besides last week's bread," I said, making a face.
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Post by Estella de Cartier on Aug 3, 2010 11:56:40 GMT -5
I took a deep breath of fresh air and turned my eyes, sparkling with the possibilities, to Alex. "Mine too," I admitted, rubbing my stomach as I felt a rumble pulse through me. "And it seems like the best night to be committing some petty thievery," I grinned as I looked about. "No witnesses are the best kinds of witnesses to have. And as for last weeks bread," I said with a wry grin, "well beggers... or thieves... cannot be choosers," I chuckled at my joke before moving down the steps.
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Post by Alexandryne nó Shahrizai on Aug 3, 2010 22:08:18 GMT -5
I laughed at that, shaking my head as we neared the bakery. "Well, I do agree that that is true for beggars, but as thieves, I think we can be discriminating, if we try." I slowed my pace, keeping my eyes open for bystanders, though the street seemed even more quiet than usual. It was as if the very universe was conspiring to fill our bellies with delicious pastries, and as I ducked down the alley that ran alongside the shop, I looked back at Estella and grinned. What could possibly go wrong?
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Post by Estella de Cartier on Aug 5, 2010 17:50:52 GMT -5
I walked in step behind her, slowing my own pace, then duckign into the alleyway as she had done. I looked back over my shoulder and sighted no one. It seemed smooth sailing The back door of the shoppe would not be far now, and my mouth watered thinking about the foodstuffs we would be able to pilfer.
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