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Post by Douleur nó Shahrizai on Feb 11, 2011 17:05:20 GMT -5
Ah, one of the things I’d yet to discover. I’d not been able to tell from her clothing and the other servants were resentful of me enough that they did not part with such personal information.
“I’m not certain,” I answered, blushing softly as I felt embarrassed at not being able to answer the question. Perhaps I wasn’t doing as well at my new position as I thought I was. I bit my bottom lip as my fingers dropped from a lovely scarf painted with Ch’n birds. “Perhaps I should find something else to give her.”
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Post by Mahieu nó Bryony on Feb 11, 2011 17:39:14 GMT -5
Sensing her embarrassment, I shook my head and turned to face her more directly. "Not necessarily. Let's think it through...what was she wearing when you last saw her? Her clothing, her jewelry, anything you can remember," I asked her, my voice a bit more soothing than the teasing tone which I had been using with her almost since I'd introduced myself to her. I was no Balm, of course, but putting people at ease was almost as big a part of being a successful gambler as it was in healing. That I was not trying to lull her into a false sense of security only made it easier.
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Post by Douleur nó Shahrizai on Feb 11, 2011 18:04:47 GMT -5
His voice was a caress, stroking soothingly against my skin and easing my embarrassment. “Grey,” I answered. “She wears mostly dark colors of late. No necklace, her ring, that was all,” I answered as I thought of how she looked this morning.
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Post by Mahieu nó Bryony on Feb 12, 2011 0:36:38 GMT -5
A thoughtful expression crossed my features. Gray, and dark colors might have been significant, but Douleur had said her mistress was going through a hard time, and that could cause someone to dress darkly as well. "And her ring? Is it gold, or some other metal? Any gemstones?" I asked, guessing it was the signet ring that went along with her title.
"Do you remember anything she wore with regularity before she began to wear dark colors so often?" I asked another question as it came to mind, my gray eyes settling on the former Valerian's gaze intently.
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Post by Douleur nó Shahrizai on Feb 12, 2011 19:36:32 GMT -5
My teeth caught my lip again as I tried to think, but gods it would have been hard enough to do without him looking at me like that, now it was almost impossible. I started to grow flustered again, but stopped, drawing a breath and trying to calm down a little.
“What I was hoping for, was something to make her smile,” I explained. “I’d like something colorful and bright, but not gaudy.”
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Post by Mahieu nó Bryony on Feb 12, 2011 21:11:38 GMT -5
When I noticed her catch her lip in her teeth, I had the impulse to lean in and kiss her. I didn't, but the fact that I felt it as strongly as I did was a testament to how lovely she really was. Instead, I reached toward her, and brushed her hair behind her shoulder before resting my hand atop it. "Then we will find her something. There is certainly nothing to worry about," I told her, keeping my voice soothing and gentle.
With this, I began to look again, and after a time, I found a scarf made of a silvery thread. Embroidered into the corners and center were golden keys, similar to the three that grace the Shahrizai crest. After looking at it for a moment, I turned to show it to her.
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Post by Douleur nó Shahrizai on Feb 13, 2011 22:25:31 GMT -5
It took all my strength to stop from leaning into his touch as he brushed my hair back. I watched as he searched through the scarves, and then turned to show me one.
“Oh,” I breathed. “It’s perfect.” I smiled happily, looking up at him with delight.
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Post by Mahieu nó Bryony on Feb 14, 2011 18:53:56 GMT -5
"I hope it brings her the smile you are trying to get from her, then," I responded to her, as I enjoyed the one she was giving me at that moment quite a bit. Rather than hand it to her, though, I turned without blinking an eye to capture the attention of the merchant who was selling the scarves.
The merchant here was female, and so I found it rather easy to flirt a bit, nowhere near as much as I had been with Douleur, and talk her down to a more than reasonable price on the scarf that Douleur wanted. To keep from insulting the merchant, I paid for it, bowing my head toward her graciously before offering the dark-haired beauty both my arm and the scarf.
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Post by Douleur nó Shahrizai on Feb 14, 2011 22:53:54 GMT -5
I started to protest when I realized he was paying for the scarf, but I stopped, not wanting to be rude.
“Thank you,” I said, accepting the scarf and his arm. “Please, let me repay you.”
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Post by Mahieu nó Bryony on Feb 15, 2011 12:18:07 GMT -5
Once we were away from the booth, I heard her asking me to allow her to repay me. "If you insist. I simply didn't want another merchant to try taking advantage of you," I responded simply, a warm smile on my lips as I looked over at her. If she'd simply taken it as a gift, I would not have asked for the coin back, but since she meant to give it to her mistress, I had no problem accepting it.
I didn't stop walking, though, so that she could take the coin out to do so. Instead, I spoke again, "Actually, if you wish to pay me back, let's find somewhere to get a drink, and you can buy. Sound fair?" Yes, the scarf had cost more than a couple of drinks, but not so much that the difference mattered to me right then. Odd for one of my training, perhaps, but I considered her company and her happiness worth that small cost.
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Post by Douleur nó Shahrizai on Feb 15, 2011 14:51:15 GMT -5
I knew that unless he drank a whole lot that he would still have spent more coin than I would, but I was not going to argue with the offer. I was very much enjoying his company and the idea of spending some time with him in a more intimate setting was quite pleasing.
“That sounds lovely,” I answered, smiling at him happily. “Anywhere you’d like.”
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Post by Mahieu nó Bryony on Feb 15, 2011 16:07:44 GMT -5
"Anywhere I like? That is a good way to end up back on Mont Nuit, in one of Bryony's pleasure chambers," I responded teasingly, grinning at her before glancing around us. After a moment, my eyes settled on an establishment whose sign proclaimed it the Traveler's Inn. From what I remembered, it was a clean place to have a drink, without too much chance for a fight; perfect for our purposes.
"That looks good enough for now, though," I added, not giving her enough time to get uncomfortable following my comment regarding Mont Nuit. With her being a former adept, I hoped that mentioning it did not drudge up any bad memories for her.
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Post by Douleur nó Shahrizai on Feb 17, 2011 0:47:25 GMT -5
Oh Naamah, was he really teasing or did he mean it? Images of him and me in a pleasure chamber flashed through my mind and I felt myself blushing.
“Yes, that looks wonderful,” I agreed, praying he didn’t hear the slight breathiness in my voice.
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Post by Mahieu nó Bryony on Feb 17, 2011 11:09:10 GMT -5
I noticed her blushing when I mentioned the pleasure chambers back at house Bryony, and could not help but grin. I had been teasing, somewhat, but I would have agreed to an assignation with her without hesitation; she was lovely in her shyness, and had sweet disposition that would have made her a pleasure to explore, I was certain. In fact, had I been fully-marqued, I'd have been sorely tempted to skip to skip assignation altogether.
As it was, however, I would settle for her company, since she seemed to be enjoying mine just as much in spite of...or perhaps because of...my teasing. "Then let's go see about something to drink, and then maybe I'll let you get back to your mistress," I told her playfully as we approached the door to the establishment, holding it open for her once we got there.
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