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Post by Landis d'Ames nó Mandrake on Jan 30, 2011 23:00:07 GMT -5
After engaging in some stimulating conversation with Cosette at my salon, I resolved to head to Cereus House to see what information I could find on the history of the marque. I was, I admit, curious about this myself. The history of the Night Court was taught to all would-be-adepts, of course, but t was never as specific.
It had annoyed me that I had been asked a question I could not answer.
I stopped one of the young apprentices in the hall to ask where the library was located. If he thought it odd that a Mandrake adept was walking these halls--for my back was bared to the elements today--he showed no sign of it, simply conducting me to my destination.
The library was quite large, certainly larger than the one at Mandrake House, and I immediately discerned that I would likely have some trouble finding what I needed without help. Since no one was in evidence, I chose the nearest stack and began to browse.
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Jan 30, 2011 23:56:53 GMT -5
I was reading in the library, right beside the picture window that looked out into the gardens. It was quiet in here though the rest of the House buzzed with the tone of spring. I wanted a few minutes to myself, to not be interrupted, but it seemed that such a thing was not to be.
I looked at at the sound of the door opening, though it wasn't until the man rounded the corner of the a stack that I saw him. Bare-chested, and certainly not of Cereus. I smiled politely, but decided to keep my eye on him.
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Post by Landis d'Ames nó Mandrake on Jan 31, 2011 1:23:45 GMT -5
I looked up from the book I was examining, my eyes meeting a woman's briefly. An adept? I assumed so, although, it was not always possible to tell by age whether one was an adept or an apprentice who simply looked older.
I replaced the book and selected another. This one seemed promising. I ran my fingers over the tracing of a cereus bloom. It seemed like the logical starting point for an artist who was tasked with designing art that would be etched upon skin.
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Jan 31, 2011 22:29:25 GMT -5
He didn't seem to know what he was looking for, and my brow furrowed for a moment before I remembered myself. I didn't know who this man was, and I didn't want to give offense, especially if he was a possible patron. "Do you need help finding something monsieur?" I asked, half-closing my book so it didn't look like I didn't actually want to help him.
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Post by Landis d'Ames nó Mandrake on Feb 1, 2011 12:36:52 GMT -5
I was startled out of my reverie by the woman's query, shutting the book abruptly as if I were a child reading the Trois Mille Joies behind my father's back.
It took me a moment to actually hear the question, but then I nodded. "Perhaps, I am looking for something on the history of marques," I explained. "A guest of my salon was most curious to learn the ways of the Night Court, nothing secretive, mind. Call it a...labour of curiosity." I smiled. "Landis d'Ames, formerly no Mandrake, recently the owner of L'Agonie, a salon of no particular importance, at your service."
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Feb 1, 2011 21:18:47 GMT -5
"It's nice to meet you Landis," I replied with a soft smile, putting my book aside and rising to help him. It was the least I could do, now that I knew he was of the Night Court. "The history section is over here. I've not seen a book on the marques strictly, but I know we have a few histories of the Night Court... here." I gestured to a small selection of books. It had always surprised me that more hadn't been written on the subject.
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Post by Landis d'Ames nó Mandrake on Feb 2, 2011 14:39:07 GMT -5
I nodded, turning to regard the books on the shelf. "Ah, yes, thank you very much," I said, already reaching up and running my fingers along the spines before me. The selection was smaller than I had expected, and I wondered fleetingly if the information I sought was secreted away in a dusty old library in Siovale. The Siovalese were always hoarding knowledge.
"Cereus House takes good care of its books," I remarked, noting how the volumes that I pulled free did not appear to be frayed in any way. The library at Mandrake House has many...specialized...tomes, but nothing like this. But I suppose Cereus House would have a fine sense of history, yes?"
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Feb 2, 2011 22:05:33 GMT -5
"It comes with the honour of being the first House," I said with a smile. I was proud to be part of Cereus's distinguished history.
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Post by Landis d'Ames nó Mandrake on Feb 3, 2011 20:44:58 GMT -5
I nodded. "Just so, just so..." I plucked a book from the shelf and opened it, skimming its contents.
"Hm, fascinating..." I murmured, turning a page. "But scant information on the marques themselves..." I stroked my chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps a study of techniques that are used in other places would be useful? Surely some enterprising scholar has written something on the subject, if only as a nota bene in a larger text?"
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Feb 4, 2011 22:07:10 GMT -5
I had pulled a book down as well and began to flip through the pages. "Oh, here it mentions that an artist from Eglantine, one of the first to make their marque, designed them," I said, grinning excitedly at the discovery. "Pashmina Basset nó Eglantine. Perhaps if you search for her you'll have more luck."
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Post by Landis d'Ames nó Mandrake on Feb 4, 2011 23:40:45 GMT -5
"Pashmina Basset no Eglantine," I repeated, rolling the syllables around on my tongue. "The name sounds familiar..." The name called to mind my Drujani lover, Asfandiyar, though I did not know why. I had not seen him since my salon's opening.
I flipped to the beginning of the book I held, pointing to the adept's name on the page. "Ah, yes, here we are..." I pursed my lips, however. "I find it difficult to believe that she could have made hers while designing the others, although it would explain the exaggerated mandrake plant I bear." I had a sudden epiphany then, and was so started that I closed the book abruptly.
"Perhaps none of the histories are correct?" I ventured. "We all have different versions of what happened the night Naamah went to the King of Persis. Why would it not be the same with the marques?" I took down another book from the shelf, pointing excitedly at one particular passage. "See? Here it says that a Mandrake saw a design in the etchings he made on a patron's skin with the flechettes, and adopted it as his own. I must write this down..." I called for pen and ink pot, hastily recording my findings in shorthand.
"I wonder, if perhaps, the marques were created through the expression of each House's unique gift," I mused. "That certainly sounds like an answer that would please a poet."
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Feb 7, 2011 22:20:23 GMT -5
"It would indeed. Can you imagine finding all the different stories and compiling them?" I asked, the idea sparking my imagination. To contribute to the history of Cereus, to have my name etched into the spines of one of these books... it was quite the romantic thought.
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Post by Landis d'Ames nó Mandrake on Feb 12, 2011 22:28:27 GMT -5
I smiled as I gestured to the shelf of books. "Well, since we are here, we might as well see if any of these other books tell other stories. I am certain my guest would be eager to hear such tales, she was curious enough regarding my...art...but I suppose the doings of Mandrakes in particular spark much curiosity in general."
So saying, I picked up another book and began perusing its contents. "This one...makes little mention of the marques...other than a reference to Naamah's role in their origins...'tis as if our ancestors all decided to be deliberately obtuse regarding our history."
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Feb 15, 2011 22:05:03 GMT -5
His words made me chuckle and look up at him from the book I had opened. "I wouldn't blame our ancestors. It's the historians that never thought it of any import."
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Post by Landis d'Ames nó Mandrake on Feb 22, 2011 22:51:43 GMT -5
I sighed, shaking my head. "I suppose 'twill do us no good to rail at ghosts. The past cannot be changed, after all. Still, if we uncover something, it might be of benefit to future generations." I closed the book abruptly, a thin layer of dust rising in the wake of such a sudden movement. "Or perhaps not, after all, if it were that important, surely more brilliant minds would have found it already..." I shrugged. "The alternative is to imagine that our scholars are frightfully dim. I met a scholar once, and he seemed quite intelligent...if a tad crass once he discovered that I was an adept."
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Feb 27, 2011 17:40:38 GMT -5
"Yes, I know the type," I agreed. I held the book still in my hand, not giving up on the idea yet. It would take a lot of effort, but wouldn't it be worth it? Different tales of the Night Court, compiled in one volume for all the Houses to share? Surely it would help the Houses understand one another a bit better. "I'm sorry that we don't have anything of more use to you."
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Post by Landis d'Ames nó Mandrake on Feb 27, 2011 20:40:30 GMT -5
I shook my head. "No, I should have expected as much if it was not something that was taught to us as fosterlings. As it is I believe I will have quite an interesting tale to tell to the inquisitive miss." I stroked my chin thoughtfully. "I do wonder if we could bring in a scholar from the palace or somesuch to investigate. Do you think your dowayne might be interested, as this does seem like something for the histories?"
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Mar 1, 2011 0:34:02 GMT -5
He stroked his chin, and all at once I could picture him with a little goatee. The image made me smile. "I'm not sure sir, but you could certainly ask him."
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Post by Landis d'Ames nó Mandrake on Apr 2, 2011 19:00:25 GMT -5
I made a dismissive gesture. "I am certain he has better things to do than listen to a Mandrake's babble. You, on the other hand, are from this House. Mayhap he would be more receptive to the idea..." I suddenly wondered if I was ill, self-deprecation was not generally a part of my repertoire.
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Apr 6, 2011 0:32:55 GMT -5
I was surprised that he didn't wish to pursue the project himself. "Me? I suppose I could ask." I hesitated because I didn't know how Donatien would react. Did I want him to say yes? Did I want to anyone take on such a project, really? It could be a colossal waste of time, and then it would be all my fault. "Are you not interested in seeing it through?"
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Post by Landis d'Ames nó Mandrake on Apr 7, 2011 19:40:52 GMT -5
I shook my head. "No, 'tis not that, I am merely concerned as to how foolish he may think us when it transpires that our...discovery...is of little consequence. The Night Court is not known for breaking traditions, after all." In fact, most of the time the Night Court planted its feet in the soil like an ox and refused to make any progress whatsoever with regards to anything.
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Nyx nó Cereus
Adept
Cereus House
Daughter of Gareth and Christelle de Brise, unmarqued adept
Posts: 2,768
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Post by Nyx nó Cereus on Apr 9, 2011 22:44:11 GMT -5
"Yes, and the First House least of all," I agreed, a pensive look on my face. I wondered if I could word it correctly, or if Donatien would simply see right through such an effort.
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