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Post by Fionnula mab Bevin on Jan 27, 2011 17:04:05 GMT -5
Smiling, I turned gently to the right and walked up the pathway to the de Paras townhome. Stepping into the foyer, I motioned for Leon to step in with me.
"Joie? Sir Quinn?" I called, absentmindedly playing with the ring Leon had gifted me. "It's Fion -- I've arrived back with a new friend I met in the market today, and he needs a bit of assistance!"
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Post by Leon Charles d'Essoms on Jan 27, 2011 17:19:03 GMT -5
When Fionnula walked inside the townhome, I could only assume that it was the residence of her cousin. And surely enough, when I followed her inside, she called out for her cousin and her cousin's betrothed. As we waited for an answer, I stood still at her side, though I did notice as I glanced around the way that she toyed with the ring that sat on her finger now, the sight keeping the smile on my lips.
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Joie de Mornay
Aristocrat
Engaged to Quinn du Paras; House Mornay
Love and be loved.
Posts: 1,724
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Post by Joie de Mornay on Jan 27, 2011 19:35:45 GMT -5
I was in the expanded library when I heard noises; confused, I marked my book and placed it down before standing. Fion's voice came clear as day even if her words were a bit muffled, and I made my way out of the library and down the stairs, a touch curious.
"Fion," I smiled, giving her the kiss of greeting. Her companion I smiled to as well before I stood back, my curiosity rising. Fion looked as if she were looking for something, though what it was I had no idea."Is everything alright?"
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Post by Fionnula mab Bevin on Jan 27, 2011 19:39:53 GMT -5
Smiling, I returned the kiss of greeting.
"Aye, everything's fine! Joie, this is Leon, Comte d'Essoms," I said. "I ran into him at the market and we started chatting. He mentioned that he wanted to find a harp-maker and, since you seem to know where and what almost everything in the City is, I thought mayhap you could help?"
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Post by Leon Charles d'Essoms on Jan 27, 2011 19:55:17 GMT -5
When Joie emerged, I returned her smile politely along with an inclination of my head toward her. As Fionnula introduced me, I nodded agreement with what she told her cousin. "A pleasure to meet you Madamoiselle de Mornay," I said, glancing back and forth between her and my new friend, "I apologize if we are disturbing you, but Fionnula mentioned you might know where I might find a reputable harp-maker."
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Joie de Mornay
Aristocrat
Engaged to Quinn du Paras; House Mornay
Love and be loved.
Posts: 1,724
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Post by Joie de Mornay on Jan 27, 2011 20:13:42 GMT -5
When Fion introduced the Comte d'Essoms, I smiled, curtsying minimally to him as was proper, given we were in my own home. I was engaged to a Duc, but I wasn't married yet, and he outranked myself.
"The pleasure is mine, my Lord," I smiled, genuinely pleased to meet him. Both informed me of what they were looking for, and I laughed, amused at how alike they sounded. "A harp? Hmm." My lips bunched a little as I thought, and when I answered it was with a ruminative lilt to my voice. "Eglantine might be a good place to go; they have many different types of instruments there, though I don't know how fair their prices would be if they were willing to part with any of them." Some Houses could be closed-fisted with things like that, but I could understand. "I think there's a shoppe in the Artisans district as well; I cannot remember the name for the life of me, but it's on Runyard Street, between the building with tiled red roof and a sweets bakery that you should be able to smell for blocks."
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Post by Fionnula mab Bevin on Jan 27, 2011 20:17:50 GMT -5
"Joie, you are as always a fountain of knowledge!" I exclaimed, kissing her cheek with a grin. Turning to Leon, I said, "Well, we've found you an answer!"
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Post by Leon Charles d'Essoms on Jan 27, 2011 20:34:47 GMT -5
"Thank you, Madamoiselle," I said to Joie, bowing to her after Fionnula kissed her cheek, "I think I will try my luck with the shop you mentioned, on Runyard Steet." I repeated the name back to her to make certain I hard it right.
I then turned my attention back upon the dark-haired Eirean woman who'd brought me there, and told her, "Yes, we have found an answer. Thank you so much for bringing me here, Fionnula." I didn't know if she would want to remain or continue walking with me, honestly, so I turned back to Joie and said my goodbye to her first, "It was a pleasure meeting you, Madamoiselle. I hope you have a pleasant afternoon."
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Joie de Mornay
Aristocrat
Engaged to Quinn du Paras; House Mornay
Love and be loved.
Posts: 1,724
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Post by Joie de Mornay on Jan 27, 2011 21:06:09 GMT -5
I'd never met the Comte before today, and I wasn't quite sure what to make of him; he seemed stoic and pleasant enough, though I was beginning to think everyone would seem so compared to my whirlwind cousin. "I'll charge you a ducat for my services," I said, grinning at Fion before transferring it to Leon, my eyes holding all the amusement I felt. "And you, my Lord," I chimed back. "Good luck in your search."
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Post by Fionnula mab Bevin on Jan 27, 2011 21:24:40 GMT -5
I winked at Joie before turning to Leon. "Well," I said, "Would you like company in your continued search for the harp-maker, or would you like to go this leg of the journey solo?"
I was hoping to spend more time with him, get to know him. He'd been kind to me, unfailingly so, and I enjoyed his company and his shy sweetness. But, if he wanted to go on his own, I wouldn't begrudge him that. Some things, one simply wanted to do by themself.
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Post by Leon Charles d'Essoms on Jan 27, 2011 21:36:15 GMT -5
Nodding toward Joie gratefully, I then turned back to Fionnula as she asked me whether I wanted her continued company. "I'd love to have your company, if you don't mind walking all the way back to the Artisan's quarter with me," I told her, my smile warming a bit at the thought of sharing more time with her. She'd been quite pleasant to talk to thus far, and her open admission that she found me attractive had me intrigued, of course, being that she was the first woman I'd ever known that thought so of me.
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Post by Fionnula mab Bevin on Jan 27, 2011 21:38:28 GMT -5
I chuckled, nodding. "I'd love to accompany you!" With a wave to Joie and a promise to be back later, I led Leon back out the door as we walked back in the direction of the Artisan's quarter.
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Post by Leon Charles d'Essoms on Jan 27, 2011 21:55:36 GMT -5
Following her back out the door, I began to walk alongside her once again, heading the way we came. Despite having a much better idea of where we were going now, I was in no rush, keeping a steady pace as we made our way down the street. "Your cousin was kind, Fionnula," I said in cruithne once again after a short time, glancing over at the Eirean woman, "And I appreciate you coming back with me. It is good to have someone to talk to on walks like this." It would have seemed a much longer walk without company, after all.
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Post by Fionnula mab Bevin on Jan 27, 2011 21:58:50 GMT -5
Thinking of Joie and her hospitality, all I could do was nod in agreement at his statement. He had no idea just how right he was. "Aye," I answered back in my native tongue, happy to be speaking it again. "I don't know what I would have done without her. She's a beautiful person, inside and out."
Grinning at him, I nudged him gently, companionably once more, as we walked. "It was my pleasure, I was simply hoping that I wasn't being too forward about wanting to come along."
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Post by Leon Charles d'Essoms on Jan 27, 2011 22:14:56 GMT -5
"Not at all, Fionnula," I assured her, grinning a bit at the nudge, "I might not have known you wanted to come otherwise, and then I wouldn't have such enjoyable company. Some might have seen it as a huge waste of time to backtrack so far." My sapphire gaze wandered for a moment, taking in our surroundings, before returning to her, repeating the pattern every so often so that I didn't get lost, but could still look at her as we spoke.
"What sort of things do you enjoy doing?" I asked her as we continued on. She couldn't have had much free time, up until very recently, given what she'd told me, but I was curious about her, wondering if we might have anything in common other than language.
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Post by Fionnula mab Bevin on Jan 27, 2011 22:22:35 GMT -5
I grinned. "Ah, you mean besides traveling across the world escaping from Skaldi! Well, I love being outside, and I was trained to fight, so I like sparring. I was a friend of the lads more than the lasses back home before I got captured, and so I did what they did; climbed rocks and trees, swam, sparred, fished, hunted..." I thought back to my flight from Skaldia to Terre d'Ange and how those skills had saved my life.
"I used to have a pup," I mused. "It was gored by a boar, and died instantly. I'd love to get another."
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Post by Leon Charles d'Essoms on Jan 27, 2011 22:40:11 GMT -5
I'd never done much of the things she mentioned, really, other than sparring. "I enjoy sparring, too, though I've never had to actually draw steel. But other than that, I was...well, I guess I was the quieter sort. I did a lot of reading, and learning the harp," I explained to her, wondering if she would think me weak now. Then again, compared to her and what she had endured, I certainly felt a bit weak; I doubted seriously I'd have been able to survive as long as she had, let alone escaped and made it all the way back to Terre d'Ange.
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Post by Fionnula mab Bevin on Jan 27, 2011 22:48:52 GMT -5
"I would love to hear you play the harp," I said quietly. "Not having any skill in it, I loved hearing music, whether it be played or sung. Or both." I grinned. "I wish I could play or sing, but I'm abysmal at it. I never had much time to read, outside all the time as I was." I had stepped a bit closer to him absentmindedly while we walked, happy to share in his company and be near to someone kind.
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Post by Leon Charles d'Essoms on Jan 27, 2011 23:27:37 GMT -5
Her talk of enjoying music, and in fact wishing to hear me play, shook me out of my thoughts. "Well, I will have to invite you over to hear me play, once I have one, then. Its the least I can do for your help today, and keeping me company on top of it," I offered, smiling at her softly as I noticed her getting closer to me, even if she didn't realize what she was doing. "With luck, I might even be able to get them to deliver it tonight, if this craftsman has one already made that is suitable," I added hopefully, our arms brushing against one another from time to time as we walked.
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Post by Fionnula mab Bevin on Jan 27, 2011 23:36:05 GMT -5
"I hope that is the case," I said softly, giving him a rare full smile. "The company has been so enjoyable for me, I need no 'repayment' at all. I am happy to spend time with a charming individual such as yourself. Besides," I added, "You take my teasing so well!"
My arm brushed against him and for some reason I found myself wanting to take his hand. I figured he probably wouldn't appreciate it, not knowing me as he did, so the best course of action right now was probably to keep my hands to myself.
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Post by Leon Charles d'Essoms on Jan 28, 2011 0:00:22 GMT -5
"Your teasing is not so bad," I responded, cheeks flushing again when she called me 'charming' and gave me such a dazzling smile. In fact, I rather enjoyed her teasing, despite the fact that it made my face warm more often than not. "But you don't have to think of it as repayment, then, but as me wanting to enjoy your company again after today," I told her, my voice a bit softer this time; it was the boldest thing I'd ever told a woman, and how I got the words out without stuttering, I had not a clue.
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Post by Fionnula mab Bevin on Jan 28, 2011 0:13:46 GMT -5
I gazed up at him, surprise no doubt writ in my features. That was rather forward of the Comte, shy as the man was. I found it quite endearing. And then there was the comment itself. A Comte? Wanted to spend time.... With me? An unkempt, slightly insane Eiran?
"I'm honored that you want to spend time with me again, Leon," I said, suddenly shy without having any inclination as to the reason. "I want to enjoy your company further, too." Of a sudden and with no further tempting, my mind suddenly wandered to what it would be like to.... Never mind. Best not to even finish the thought. I blinked, my emerald eyes clearing from their slight haze and ruthlessly pushed the thoughts out of my brain. No doubt Leon already thought me touched; if I kept this up, he would think me depraved.
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Post by Leon Charles d'Essoms on Jan 28, 2011 0:35:16 GMT -5
When she got shy on me, I almost wasn't certain what to say, wondering if I had misread her. Elua knows, it wouldn't be the first time I'd done so. Her words, however, made me think that, perhaps, I'd taken the right chance for once. "Well, then, as soon as it arrives at the house, I will send to see when you will have time to come listen to me play," I told her, then bit my lip briefly when I saw her blinking her eyes so deliberately. Seeing that there seemed to be something wrong, I turned to face her more directly, stopping along the street and asking her in a low tone, "Are you alright, Fionnula?"
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Post by Fionnula mab Bevin on Jan 28, 2011 0:42:08 GMT -5
Oh, Gods and goddesses.
"Oh aye, I'm fine," I said, my face flushing what I was sure was bright red as I stopped with him. I could just feel it getting hot. "I was just, ah...." I faltered, my normally glib tongue escaping me. "You probably don't want to know," I finished lamely, too embarrassed to look at him. I suddenly looked very intently at the ground between us and to either side, not meeting his eyes.
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Post by Leon Charles d'Essoms on Jan 28, 2011 9:31:19 GMT -5
This woman, who had seemed so confident in her teasing of me earlier, had grown terribly shy since I'd invited her to my home to listen to me play the harp, and I couldn't help but wonder if it was because I'd said something wrong now. What could she be thinking that I wouldn't have wanted to know? "I'm...sorry, Fionnula. The last thing I wanted was to make you uncomfortable," I finally told her, and took my turn waiting to see if she would run screaming away.
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Post by Fionnula mab Bevin on Jan 28, 2011 9:45:23 GMT -5
"Oh, no no! You haven't made me uncomfortable at all!" I protested, taking his hand and squeezing it in reassurance. "Truly, it's my own ridiculous thoughts that are causing me to act this way. I'm trying to not act like... well..." I cringed inwardly as I softly spoke the words. "Some randy young thing that only wants to get into your breeches."
Oh, Gods and goddesses above, it didn't matter whether he thought I was mentally unsound; I knew at that moment that I had lost my senses. Who freely admitted that sort of thing to someone they barely knew?! I looked up at him finally.
"This is the part where you run away screaming. Or laugh in my face," I mumbled, embarrassed more than I was aware it was possible to be.
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Post by Leon Charles d'Essoms on Jan 28, 2011 10:02:35 GMT -5
Feeling her hand take mine and squeeze it, my own face became quite hot at her words, but I shook my head at her final, more mumbled statement. "I'm not going to do either, Fionnula. I was not getting the impression that you were a 'randy young woman' who wanted...well...that," as I paused, trying to compose myself, I bit my upper lip. Ordering my thoughts at that moment was a rather difficult task, but I went on, "But as much as it might make me blush, I'm not going to think badly of you for...well, for thinking of me...that way." Listening to myself speak, I sounded insane in my own right.
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Post by Fionnula mab Bevin on Jan 28, 2011 10:12:13 GMT -5
Grinning, I looked up at him fully instead of just from under my eyelashes in embarrassment. "Thank you, Leon. I'm relieved that you haven't formed a bad opinion of me. I promise that getting into breeches isn't all I think about!" I joked, a bit of my old humor coming back into my voice. Only most of the time, I thought silently. I sighed. Cripes. I was becoming deranged.
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Post by Leon Charles d'Essoms on Jan 28, 2011 10:41:13 GMT -5
My cheeks remained quite red at that statement, but there was a look of relief in my deep blue eyes at that moment as well, hearing her sounding more like the woman I'd spent a good bit of the afternoon with. It took me a short time, however, to respond, still adjusting to the idea that a woman, let alone one as exotic and lovely as Fionnula, thought of me in such a manner. "Maybe it wouldn't be as difficult as you are thinking," I couldn't believe those words left my lips when I did answer her in nearly a whisper, but it was certainly true enough. The thought of her being my first was far from unpleasant; rather the opposite, really.
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Post by Fionnula mab Bevin on Jan 28, 2011 10:49:49 GMT -5
My jaw dropped a bit at his statement. This shy man had just said that?! I licked my lips and swallowed, unsure of what to say. Quietly, I replied, "Oh? And what makes you say that?"
A vapid comment, to be sure, but my mind was anywhere but on eloquence at the moment.
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