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Post by Queen Coretta de la Courcel on Jun 24, 2010 17:08:11 GMT -5
Silence followed me as I walked, and I was partially thankful for it, though the other part of me wanted to snap at him properly and put him in his place. He irritated me like no other Casseline had before - I just couldn't figure him out, whether he was mocking me or sincere, jesting or serious. When I breezed through the doors of the lingerie shoppe I half expected him to wait outside, or at least mutter something, but he said nothing to my surprise.
The scene replayed itself; good afternoon, yes, I was here to shoppe, no, I did not need anyone's help. The garments I intended to look at were small and light enough that I could carry them myself, and I sifted further into the shoppe, glancing to and fro til I found a display that I liked. Bustiers, and undergarments lay, garters and sheer stockings that would slide up to mid thigh. I examined them, picking some up to look, though I never pressed any of them to my body; even I had my limits. Silence continued to hold, and I treated him like a shadow; always there, but never acknowledged.
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Émile d’Ames
Military
Anathema Cassiline; Guard to the Queen
"To conquer oneself is a greater victory than to conquer thousands in a battle.?
Posts: 463
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Post by Émile d’Ames on Jun 24, 2010 19:18:47 GMT -5
She ignored me, and that made this trial more bearable. I was perfectly content to stand and silently observe her as she made her selections. It was what I was accustomed to, after all.
When my eyes tired of staring at her backside--it was lovely, but it did not move in a way that was appealing to the eye--I focused on the ceiling instead, and when I tired of that, I focused on the floor.
"Why do women even buy such things, anyways?" I wondered aloud. "As if they fear that someone will not find them attractive as they are..."
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Post by Queen Coretta de la Courcel on Jun 25, 2010 12:40:42 GMT -5
I glanced back at him when he suddenly broke the silence; a few items were in my hand, and I'd moved on, inspecting a corset that would never do to see the light of day. "It's not an attempt to become beautiful," I explained dryly - only a Casseline would have to ask why. "It's to enhance your beauty, to push boundaries. Have you never seen a woman wearing something like this?"
Plucking a garment from the table, I held it up for his inspection. Properly worn, it would cover the breasts of a woman, the fabric sliding down over the the stomach and hanging just below the hips, silk scraped so sheerly that it could be seen through. The breasts were double layered, more secretive, but one would still be able to see lush nipples through it, especially if the nipples were dark. The back was laced up, pulling the garment tight over the breasts and letting it hang below; the ribbon slithered under the breasts to gather and enhance them before lacing up in back.
Colored in a delicate white, it was innocent, but playful, and I looked at him; how could he not find a woman attractive in something such as this? Even I would, and my tastes ran strongly to men, even if I wasn't opposed to bedding a woman.
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Émile d’Ames
Military
Anathema Cassiline; Guard to the Queen
"To conquer oneself is a greater victory than to conquer thousands in a battle.?
Posts: 463
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Post by Émile d’Ames on Jun 25, 2010 12:53:56 GMT -5
I fought the urge to avert my gaze as she held up the underthings. "No I have not!" I snapped in response to her question, but I suspected my tone betrayed the truth of the matter.
I had, gods, that was what had started this whole mess. In fact, I could not recall whether Sarielle had revealed underthings on that fateful evening. I remembered her breasts, the colour of cream, the softness of her skin as I ran my hands over it, the way she--
I pulled myself away from that memory. My skin felt warm, and I wondered if it was from rage or desire, wondered what Coretta would see in my dark eyes.
I coughed. "I don't--I don't think...I don't think I can answer that properly..." I finished, suddenly wanting nothing more than to hide in a dark corner until everyone went away.
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Post by Queen Coretta de la Courcel on Jun 29, 2010 10:15:45 GMT -5
I tried not to smirk, truly I did, but it was damn near impossible when he was looking at me like I'd just asked him to fondle his own mothers breasts. "Well," I said smoothly, dropping it a little so I could look at it, "if you cannot answer that, then tell me this instead: Wouldn't you enjoy seeing a woman in this?"
I stepped towards him, my voice soft, lowering for his ears alone, so that no others could hear. "Just picture it, her standing before you while you're laying upon a bed, coming to you with a little slip of fabric covering her body, a sheer veil the only thing between you and her. Imagine how it would feel to pull it from her, to rip it from her, revealing her body to your eyes alone..."
I was pushing him and I knew it; I'd keep pushing him too until he either broke and ran, and was subsequently punished for abandoning me, or until he snapped. My smile broke a little more as I glanced down at the garment myself, debating on purchasing it myself.
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Émile d’Ames
Military
Anathema Cassiline; Guard to the Queen
"To conquer oneself is a greater victory than to conquer thousands in a battle.?
Posts: 463
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Post by Émile d’Ames on Jun 29, 2010 10:58:44 GMT -5
"I would prefer it if she did not dress in so many layers," I replied. She was toying with me, like so many women I had encountered, and I was tiring of it.
"In fact," I continued. "I do not see why she should just dispense with clothing altogether, assuming we are in private and her intent is to seduce me, to use my body for her own purposes." I shrugged. "I do not see why a woman should have to tease a man if he has made his intentions clear. Speaking of teasing, I do not appreciate it when it is directed at me, and Your Highness is doing a poor job of improving my opinion of D'Angeline females." I folded my arms across my chest and met her eyes. "Tell me, Princess, will Her Majesty have to hear of this?"
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Post by Queen Coretta de la Courcel on Jun 29, 2010 11:26:07 GMT -5
I sighed - Emile did not understand, and likely never would. I had a feeling it had nothing to do with his being Casseline raised; no, it had to do with blunt stubbornness.
"It is not my job nor my worry to improve your opinion of d'Angeline women, Monsieur d'Ames." If he wanted to be formal, so be it - I would not call him by his given name, but by a polite title to those who had none of their own. You could not have partial formality; either it was, or it was not.
His second comment made me blink, and when I realized he was serious, I laughed. "Tell her, Monsieur! Please do; for one, it would not bother me a whit for her to know I tried educating you in what you yourself asked originally about - it was not I who brought this conversation up, may I point out." And it was true enough - he asked why women would ever buy such things. "Despite that, I don't doubt she'd very much appreciate you wasting her time with complaints of the Dauphine making you go into an undergarment shoppe."
Disgusted, I threw down to a display case what I'd gathered, my ire honestly sparked by this point. "Home, I think," I said, distaste in my voice as I turned to walk out, not waiting for him.
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Émile d’Ames
Military
Anathema Cassiline; Guard to the Queen
"To conquer oneself is a greater victory than to conquer thousands in a battle.?
Posts: 463
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Post by Émile d’Ames on Jun 29, 2010 11:45:04 GMT -5
Well, at least she had stopped teasing me, that in itself was a victory. Unfortunately, I was not so certain that an angry princess was an improvement over a teasing one.
I fell easily into step behind her. She was right about no one ambushing her in a shop, but out on the street was another matter entirely.
"My name is Emile," I reminded her. "I do not expect princesses to be polite all the time, and certainly not to men of no particular status." I wondered if it was any use attempting to engage her in conversation, although my gut counseled me to keep silent, some things, I felt, had to be said.
"I find it passing strange that you would be angered so easily by my words," I continued. "Did you expect anything less from a man with my history, princess?"
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Post by Queen Coretta de la Courcel on Jul 18, 2010 23:24:58 GMT -5
I listened to him, though gave no outward sign that I did; my face remained forward, my chin level with the floor as I walked from the shoppe despite the fluttery praises from the shopkeep. I paused before leaving, giving a soothing word and a matching smile to him before I swept through the door, utterly ignoring Emile til we both were outside.
"I don't know your history, nor have I asked it; you're the Queens guard, not mine, save for this one day. A mistake that I hope will not be repeated," I added, looking at him then, my face unforgiving, though I was wondering how very deep my words would cut.
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Émile d’Ames
Military
Anathema Cassiline; Guard to the Queen
"To conquer oneself is a greater victory than to conquer thousands in a battle.?
Posts: 463
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Post by Émile d’Ames on Jul 19, 2010 13:43:38 GMT -5
"Gods be praised!" I exclaimed sarcastically. "A woman who has not heard the rumors I hear behind my back when the courtiers think I am not listening to them!"
I followed at her heels like a shadow, schooling my expression to the appropriate dour one required of all Cassilines. There were things I would have said to her, were she not my ward's sister, and royalty at that. Even though her comment cut to the quick, I would not respond, I would take the high road...for once...
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