Shopping to set the tone

[Perrin Duré]

10th week of winter, year 2 of Sabrina's reign

I had spent very little time in the city during my life, so I really had no background as far where the best places to find things were. I also had too much pride to ask people I didn’t know well, so I was on my own.

The Artisan’s District sounded as good a place as any to start, and so that was where I found myself. My uniforms were being commissioned of course, but the other trappings for my new position were up to me. I needed to have the right tone set when others met me or entered my cabin and those were the things I was looking for.

I stopped in front of a furniture shop, contemplating some of the items in the window. My desk I had already, it was my father’s and his father’s before him. It had sailed more leagues than any ship in the fleet. I needed chairs though and other detail items.

Sighing, I looked down for a moment. Who would have guessed that my first duties as Capitan would be shopping? I ran my fingers through my hair and looked in the window again, trying to decide whether to go in or not.

[Lillianne Prévost]

I needed to get out of the house, even if it was cold, so I went for a wander in the Artisan's district. As long as I didn't linger overmuch, my furs kept me nice and warm. It was on the main street that I came across a man looking in the window. A handsome man, looking indecisive. "It seems a little ornate for you," I commented with a smile, comparing the way he held himself with the scrollwork on the carpentry. He was a man who earned his living, instead of letting others play with investments for him. "Unless you're looking to impress?"

[Perrin Duré]

So lost in thought was I, that I was caught a little off guard by the voice of a woman beside me. I did my best not to let it show though.

Turning to face her, I bowed politely before I spoke. “I am, but perhaps not in the manner that those pieces would inspire, my lady,” I said. I glanced back at the items in the window, but only a glance. “I do not think those would do well in a squall either, they do not look sturdy enough.”

[Lillianne Prévost]

"A sailor?" I asked with a little smile. What can I say, I liked a man that served queen and country, especially a handsome one. Perhaps it was a little shallow, but a weakness is a weakness.

[Perrin Duré]

“Yes, my lady,” I said, bowing again as I introduced myself. “Lieuten...” I caught myself. “Capitaine de Corvette Perrin Duré, of the Katherine Moreau, at your service.”

[Lillianne Prévost]

"It's very nice to meet you Capitaine," I said with a smile for him, curtseying. "I am Lillianne Prévost. May I extend my congratulations for your new commission?"

[Perrin Duré]

“Thank you, my lady,” I said, inclining my head to her. Internally I was berating myself on the slip; one would think I could remember my own title no matter how new it was. Hoping to move further away from my slip, I looked in the window once more.

“Those pieces are not right, I agree,” I said, nodding a little. “The workmanship looks well done though. May I ask if you’ve purchased anything from this store and if you were satisfied with it?”

[Lillianne Prévost]

"I'm afraid I've never been inside. I've not... not done any decorating on my own. I'm sorry that I'm not any help," I apologized.

[Perrin Duré]

"You've helped me in confirming that those pieces displayed are not right for me," I said, giving her a smile. She was quite nice and I didn't want her to feel bad for not having shopped here.

[Lillianne Prévost]

He smiled at me, but there was no spark of interest in his eyes, no impish turn to his lips. My shoulders nearly slumped in defeat. I hated to be thought of as a child. "I'm glad I could do that much at least. Well it was very nice to meet you Capitaine, I wish you luck in your quest for furniture," I said.

[Perrin Duré]

Something in the way she spoke made me think I had misstepped.

"Forgive me, my lady if I have offended," I said. "Having spent most of my life on one ship or another, my city manners are likely quite lacking." I put my hand on my heart and inclined my head. "I am grateful, truly. Having another view is of immense help."

[Lillianne Prévost]

I regarded him critically for a moment, seeing how he meant his words. Why did I get the feeling that the handsome Perrin didn't have a playful bone in his body?

"It is not that your manners are lacking Capitaine. Almost the opposite in fact," I replied, tilting my head a little as I continued to watch him. "Surely you can't be as straight as this. What do you do for fun?"

[Perrin Duré]

She regarded me with a gaze that belied her age and I felt as if I might be going through some test I had not known was coming.

“Fun?” I asked, surprised enough by her question that I realized I sounded as if I had never heard the word. “Most of my leisure time is spent on ships or in port cities; I enjoy cards and dice, I also carve flutes which I enjoy playing.”

[Lillianne Prévost]

His words confirmed my suspicions that he didn't spend a lot of time with women. "You might enjoy the Hall of Games up at the palace then. Though I feel as though I should warn you. Of the people that go there, most are there to flirt, and the others are there to fleece you."

[Perrin Duré]

I seemed to have passed whatever the test had been, for her advice was thoughtful. She really seemed so much older than I had first taken her for and having won her advice made me relax enough to smile honestly.

"Thank you, my lady," I said. 'It does sound interesting." My smile turned just the faintest shade of wry. " Though your words lead me to wonder which of those activites draws you there.""

[Lillianne Prévost]

"One is only young once," I quoted the old proverb with a little grin. "I try to only go up to the palace to enjoy myself."

[Perrin Duré]

“And do you find it easy to enjoy yourself?” I asked, finding myself growing curious about her.

[Lillianne Prévost]

"Well, that would depend who I was spending my time with," I replied, flashing him a bit of another impish smile.

[Perrin Duré]

“I can understand that,” I said, nodding my head slightly. I glanced in the window again and made a decision. She seemed to have a level head on her shoulders, as much as anyone else I had met in the city as yet.

“May I ask a favor of you, my lady?” I asked. “If it would not be keeping you from something, would you be so kind as to go in with me and look at the pieces inside? I would like to hear your opinion on the items I might choose.”

[Lillianne Prévost]

He was either patently not interested, or extremely oblivious to my flirting. I hoped for the sake of my pride that it was the latter. "I'm sure I could spare a few minutes," I agreed. There were far worst things than spending time with a polite man, even if he didn't return my interest. It wasn't as if he had anything against me personally.

[Perrin Duré]

She agreed and I felt my lips curve into wide and happy smile. “Thank you,” I said, still smiling as I bowed a little at the waist. “I truly appreciate it.”

Turning, I offered her my arm. “Shall we?”

[Lillianne Prévost]

He smiled, and it transformed his face. He had been handsome before but now he made my knees weak. I took the offered arm as I blushed deeply. "Lead on Capitaine."

[Perrin Duré]

She blushed and while I wasn’t sure why, I noticed that the shade of her blush was pleasing with her lovely features.

“Please, call me Perrin,” I told her, still smiling as I opened the door and led her inside. The shop smelled of wood and varnish, a comforting scent to me.

“I have a desk, but I need all the other items. Where shall we start?”

[Lillianne Prévost]

"I'm not sure what all you need. I'm afraid I haven't spent much time on proper ships, only boats," I admitted, stealing glances at his smile though I knew I should be looking around at the furnishings.

[Perrin Duré]

“Well, I will need some chairs, a bookshelf, and a long table for maps and officers’ meals at least,” I said, taking my eyes from the offerings and looking at her once more. The change in lighting from that out of doors was very flattering to her and I couldn’t help but really notice how attractive she was. The skin of my neck grew warm and I looked away again. “My desk is of a dark wood and I would like the other large pieces to match if possible.”

[Lillianne Prévost]

I nodded at his list, disciplining my mind and looking at the furniture. I spotted a table not far from the door and walked over to it. The line were practical yet stately. "Something along these lines?" I suggested. "Though in a darker wood."

[Perrin Duré]

I followed her over to the table.

“Oh yes,” I said, running my hand over the top appraisingly as my eyes took in the subtle detail work along the edges. “This is very nice. You have a very good eye.”

[Lillianne Prévost]

I watched his hand run over the wood, and could see him in my mind's eye doing the same to his ship. "Thank you," I said with a little smile.

[Perrin Duré]

I crouched down so as to better examine the legs of the table and how they were joined to the top itself. The work was nicely done and showed a skilled hand.

“I wonder if I couldn’t just get this one stained darker?” I mused, glancing up at her from my still crouched position. “I really rather like this one.”

[Lillianne Prévost]

"I'm sure that you could ask," I offered, a little bit out of my depth when it came to woodwork. Besides, it was Perrin that I was really paying attention to.