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Post by Liselle de Montblanc-Bonnel on Feb 8, 2011 16:38:39 GMT -5
Anyone who knew me would probably guess that I wasn't much of a reader- and they'd be right, I really wasn't. Dry pages and words from people who were too long dead to matter didn't enter into my mind at all and what did I need to know about strategy, geography or math for anyway? But I did like to know about culture, fashion and art, if only to keep myself up to date on those matters, and there were a few satires about the Court in the past generation or two that managed to entertain me. That was enough to draw me to the bookstore when there was nothing else I could think to do.
It always smelled like dust, dirt and musty old leather in this shop but I managed to restrain myself from wrinkling my nose as I moved amongst the shelves. It wasn't so late that the lighting was dim so I could actually easily read the writing on the bindings. Most of it I could tell was going to be the boring sorts of things the scholarly types took interest in but would put anyone with an actual life to sleep and I promptly ignored them. I knew I was going to a library but there might be lunch afterward so I'd dressed moderately well in a gown of green with my hair loose that hopefully wouldn't show the dust too much. Now I just had to find what I actually was looking for and get out of there and back into the fresh air.
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Post by Guy de Mereliot (R) on Feb 8, 2011 16:49:51 GMT -5
I had come into the bookstore with my mind set one one, no two, particular things. I wanted to find some more tales and some more poems. I need stories to distract me, both from the passing of the Queen, but also from my ever growing feelings for Mirielle. I had arrived no more than a minute before a young blonde walked in behind me. I glanced her way and smiled politely, for that was what I had been taught to do. Most likely she'd return the gesture and we be about our business once more.
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Post by Liselle de Montblanc-Bonnel on Feb 8, 2011 17:38:53 GMT -5
The man who'd come in just before me was older but had a seeming of nobility about him with his well-made clothes and the way he carried himself. Who he was escaped me though and I silently cursed to myself the time I'd had to spend cloistered in the country like some prim little girl since it kept me from knowing everything that was going on. The recent events had drawn a lot of the minor nobles out of hiding though so there was always the chance that I'd be able to learn a bit more if I applied myself. Maybe this was the time to start.
When he gave me a polite smile I returned it with a slightly wider one and gave him a polite curtsy, then rose and smoothed out my gown in a demure fashion. "Good afternoon, my lord," I said in a tone of perfect courtesy as I looked over the shelves nearest to me. More dry reading material that I'd never pick up without someone holding the necessity of it over my head. Luckily I didn't have to do lessons anymore and endure that kind of boredom.
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Post by Guy de Mereliot (R) on Feb 9, 2011 11:20:27 GMT -5
She rose and wished to speak, a change in plans but not ont that I minded in the least. I relished any opportunity to make a new acquaintance, or even friend. I took a couple steps in the young lady's direction before replying. "Evening, my lady. Finding all the wisdom you could ever hope to gain?" I asked with a playful glance. She didn't appear the scholarly type, but I of all people know better than to judge.
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Post by Liselle de Montblanc-Bonnel on Feb 9, 2011 13:14:16 GMT -5
Well, he was at least open to a conversation and that was interesting. There wasn't anything untoward about him, or a hint that he was sizing up my curves rather than me, but men were subtle things at times and things changed. Something about him told me that if I wanted to continue this conversation I shouldn't give a whimsical or vapid answer. Some people fancied themselves scholars and poets and such and while it wasn't my way of looking at things I was good at faking things.
"That depends if all of the wisdom I'd hope to gain could be in any book," I replied in a polite tone with a smile and a raised brow as I pushed a loose tendril of hair back behind my ear. "What about yourself?"
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Post by Guy de Mereliot (R) on Feb 10, 2011 3:27:46 GMT -5
Something about her answer rang false with me. "Well ... I guess that depends what you mean. I find little wisdom out of this stuff here, stuff that only tries to teach facts of the world. I think the real wisdom comes from stories. In fact, I'm in search of some poetry, though I'm guessing this isn't the section for it." I searched her face again, trying to understand this girl, perhaps more quickly than necessary.
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Post by Liselle de Montblanc-Bonnel on Feb 11, 2011 17:25:41 GMT -5
It was hard to tell much about this man so far other than the fact he didn't know exactly what to think of me- but then most people tended to quickly judge what I was and I generally gave them what they wanted to see. That tended to make most of them far more agreeable than seeing anything else and I had no illusions about my true nature. "No, I think this is more the area for dry reading," I replied sincerely and in a slightly wry tone. "Stories are far better, I can admit that. I was myself looking for satires and this isn't the area for them either."
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Post by Guy de Mereliot (R) on Feb 12, 2011 16:58:21 GMT -5
I nodded, while I got the sense she had chameleon like tendencies. "Satire? Interesting. I can honestly say I haven't read much of it, though it might be interesting to. Perhaps I can search for it with you?" At the very least I would get to know an interesting person. At best I could perhaps make a friend of this young changeling. "Our challenge now is to simply find these books."
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Post by Liselle de Montblanc-Bonnel on Feb 15, 2011 13:58:25 GMT -5
"And quite a challenge it may be with so many about," I agreed with a smile, cocking my head slightly. This man seemed to be one of deep thoughts and those kind were always a little difficult to fathom but with some more chatting it would be easier to get a feel for what exactly made his mind tick. "I would enjoy the help a good deal, my lord, thank you for offering it. Where should we start?"
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Post by Guy de Mereliot (R) on Feb 15, 2011 16:17:02 GMT -5
"Hmm, " I said, pondering. "Perhaps we should go in the opposite direction," I commented, glancing at the shelves of books on the other end of the store. "They do look a little bit more colorful, don'y you think?"
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Post by Liselle de Montblanc-Bonnel on Feb 16, 2011 17:02:45 GMT -5
"Colors are always a good sign- they tend to make those books a little more flashy to attract attention," I replied, smiling and starting in that direction with my gown moving smoothly around my feet. "Do you do a good bit of reading, my lord?"
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Post by Guy de Mereliot (R) on Feb 16, 2011 17:37:00 GMT -5
I nodded as we neared the other area. "I do, especially with my new life. I was a military man before, which didn't leave me with a lot of time for literature. Now as Comte I can read til my heart's content, almost." I smiled, waiting to see what she thought of a man being such an avid reader.
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Post by Liselle de Montblanc-Bonnel on Feb 20, 2011 18:59:39 GMT -5
Well, that was a new bit of information- a Comte who had been in the military for a good while. As a Camaeline I had a certain fondness for soldiers, especially in regards to their general rigor and physical condition. "The military, how daring," I said in a tone of appreciation. "Though I could see where that would make it a little difficult to have a lot of books on hand. It must be much more relaxing to read so much."
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Post by Guy de Mereliot (R) on Feb 21, 2011 2:47:49 GMT -5
"Indeed it is. Of course one cannot relax too much. I make sure I find things to do to keep me active. We cannot ignore the physical aspects of our lives. Balance, that's key," I told her as we came to the other section of books, which, as we had hoped, contained poetry, novels, and yes, some satire.
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Post by Liselle de Montblanc-Bonnel on Feb 24, 2011 11:16:18 GMT -5
"Of course, it's such a pity when people are unable to moderate themselves," I agreed readily though I was far from a creature of such noble ideals myself. Wine, beauty, pleasure, conversation, gossip; all of the things I enjoyed I tended to glut myself on eagerly and without any hesitation, though luckily I showed no signs of it yet.
A glance at the books in this area told me we'd found the right place and I smiled a bit more widely as I reached a finger up and traced it along the binding of a novel. "Well, good sir, it seems that we've managed to find exactly what we sought. I should thank your excellent navigational skills," I told him with a playful half-curtsy, eyes flashing a bit in mirth as I looked at him. "Should I ask what catches m'lord's fancy so far?"
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Post by Guy de Mereliot (R) on Feb 24, 2011 11:47:40 GMT -5
I chuckled and smiled back at her. She seemed a happy young lass. At her question I looked around at the various items on the shelves, idly running my fingers over the bindings. "Well, there's a playbook here with several Tiberiam satires. Might be something that could be of interest to the both of us."
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Post by Liselle de Montblanc-Bonnel on Feb 25, 2011 19:05:22 GMT -5
A playbook- that meant scripts for the stage, but the Tiberian part would be the problem. "If they're written in Tiberian then I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to find much humor, since I couldn't read it," I told him with a slight smile. "Or anything other than d'Angeline really." Schooling had been a complete bore for me and as soon as I'd been able to abandon it for other pursuits I had.
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Post by Guy de Mereliot (R) on Feb 26, 2011 0:51:00 GMT -5
I smiled slyly and set the book back on the shelf, replacing it with the one right next to it, about the same size, but much newer looking. "Well, if we take a look at this we will see the exact same play, but translated into our fine tongue." I read the title aloud. "The scoundrel, the soldier, and the slut." Not the types of reading I was used too, but I could find something for myself later.
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Post by Liselle de Montblanc-Bonnel on Mar 2, 2011 11:28:55 GMT -5
At the title of the book I gave a light laugh and tossed my head slightly to whisk some of my hair back behind my shoulders. It did indeed seem like the kind of story that would appeal to me on at least a few levels. "Thank you for finding that translation, it's something that I don't think would have occurred to me," I replied in an amused tone, reaching out as though to lightly take the book. "Scoundrels, soldiers and sluts, it does sound a bit like what one may expect to find in a good story of intrigue. At least you couldn't have a good satire without making someone important out to be one of those three."
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Post by Guy de Mereliot (R) on Mar 2, 2011 11:49:31 GMT -5
I allowed her to take the book from my hand, our skin brushing together lightly for a moment. "I suppose you're right," I said with a smile. "No doubt the scoundrel is a senator, the soldier a beggar and the slut a priestess. But yes, there are typically translations for every Tiberian work. I like reading the originals when I can, but they're not always available. I made a good selection for you then?"
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Post by Liselle de Montblanc-Bonnel on Mar 2, 2011 12:03:55 GMT -5
As I took the book our skin brushed faintly I smiled a bit wider as I ran a finger along the end of the cover, a delicate fingernail scratching very lightly across the fabric. "It's an excellent selection, my lord Comte," I told him sincerely, because it did sound like a good book, or at least as good as any I had to read. At least it wasn't some boring history. "I'd guess the scoundrel was a lord though, the soldier a politician and the slut some princess though. But perhaps that's what I've seen in the City so far that shapes my opinions."
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Post by Guy de Mereliot (R) on Mar 2, 2011 12:14:51 GMT -5
I allowed quite an ungentlemanly smirk to escape me at her words. It was as if touching the book itself had corrupted me, or, and in my mind more unlikely, was the company I was keeping. "Really now? Of course you have to keep in mind the setting was over 500 years ago, though the personalities are not that dissimilar from what you'll find today here in Elua. Our cities are really quite the same, just in two different time periods."
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Post by Liselle de Montblanc-Bonnel on Mar 2, 2011 12:20:33 GMT -5
"All cities are the same I would imagine, ours are just nicer to look at and have cleaner streets in some places," I replied wryly, cocking my head lightly as I considered the man. For someone who'd seemed so uptight to start he really did loosen up nicely and I could only hope that his humor would hold. "But yes, I'd think that wherever people who have important names gather there's always going to be a satire if you look at things the right way."
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Post by Guy de Mereliot (R) on Mar 2, 2011 12:42:58 GMT -5
I shrugged. "Perhaps, indeed. I haven't looked about too many cities. Being a soldier most of my time has been spent out and away from civilization, which I actually quite prefer. Not that I dislike this city by any means whatsoever. After all, there are a good more people here than in the woods."
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Post by Liselle de Montblanc-Bonnel on Mar 2, 2011 12:49:45 GMT -5
"I'd have thought that being a soldier may involve more cities, what with the traveling and such," I said in a mildly curious tone, letting my gaze wander for a moment over to a deep-blue book with black, foreign-looking writing on the binding and then back at him. "And I don't hate the City either, it's much better than the country for exactly that reason, but I don't always understand the people here and why they act as they do. It's as though they don't care how they look."
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Post by Guy de Mereliot (R) on Mar 2, 2011 13:02:24 GMT -5
"Well we would pass through many, but didn't stay long. At least I didn't. As for what you just said, are you referring to fashion?" I asked with a tilt of my head. A curious topic to bring up indeed.
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Post by Liselle de Montblanc-Bonnel on Mar 2, 2011 13:12:18 GMT -5
"Fashion in some part, but more propriety," I replied, my smile becoming just a little more knowing. Watching people was one area that I took a considerable pleasure in. "It's as though they don't care that others can see what they do in public and their titles are a shield that no one else can judge them through. But then people remember anyway and that entire moment in history is based on the most imprudent actions that took place."
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Post by Guy de Mereliot (R) on Mar 2, 2011 17:42:27 GMT -5
I raised my eyebrows and then smiled. I suppose I hadn't expected her to say that. "You're right you know. A title should not equal respect. That is something that has to be earned. In my opinion a honest and just cab driver can have more honor and dignity than a prince who will make a fool of himself to get his way." I stopped suddenly. "Sorry I can get a bit carried away with my words at times."
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Post by Liselle de Montblanc-Bonnel on Mar 3, 2011 7:58:09 GMT -5
"I don't know if it's carried away so much as 'true'," I replied with a small smirk of my own as I glanced sideways at him for a moment before I looked back at the bookshelf. Perhaps I was presenting my thoughts in a different fashion than normal, but wasn't that the point of a conversation, to always be sure to keep the other person interested and make them enjoy spending the time speaking with you? It certainly seemed to bring more of an advantage anyway. "And generally people with titles have money and see no need for real respect. But then if someone is too respectable they seem stuffy and that could be just as bad, because that gives people room to say anything they like about what your habits really might be."
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Post by Guy de Mereliot (R) on Mar 3, 2011 11:42:46 GMT -5
I nodded quickly. "Indeed. You have to have a sense of fun as well as a sense of right. The self-righteous is not better than the thief and hypocrite. It's about be honorable and goodnatured. Hopefully you'll meet more people like that. I know I have." I smiled, thinking or Mirielle, though no doubt it could be mistaken to be a sign I was indicating the lass in front of me.
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