Hal and Alayne: Soap and water (part 3)

[Hjalmar Fellstone (I)]

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The Grand Magasin de Soie soon came into view. I realized I may have scared her, but I resolved to make it right and set her mind at ease. I opened the door for her and my hand gently touched the small of her back as she entered.

Almost on reflex I shot a glare at the clerk here to see if they objected. They certainly looked, but said nothing. "Let us get you something ravishing." I said.

[Alayne Lombard]

I let myself, again, be ushered into a yet grander establishment. It seemed to me that everything there was shiny, and part of me wanted nothing more than to run out before I started sparkling myself, or before I was draped into those lovely gowns. I could never explain this to Madame Dienno and get away with it, I didn't expect.

“My lord,” I said, eyes wide, and truth be, I felt more than a little out of place. “-- I don't know if ---” and I didn't want to contradict him, lest he be angry with me, or think me ungrateful, but ---

True fact, I was out of my depth, beyond words.

[Hjalmar Fellstone (I)]

I suddenly felt bad, wondering if I was pushing too far. Hell, the only thing I knew of her was a name, and her of me. But then I pushed those thoughts away and said gently, "It's fine. Let us find you something nice. You can try it on and wear it for me. Then, just keep it and wear it for me when or if I ever see you again. It will be the sweet thing that you and I share. Just us. And if I never see you again... well, it is a nice memory that you can keep forever. Ok?"

I simply wanted to spoil her a little. I'd just picked someone random off the street. Ok, maybe not random. But the bruise on her face spoke of harsh treatment, and didn't everyone deserve a little pampering sometime. Besides... she did have something that I wanted.

My eyes were warm as I looked down at her and I did speak, though softly, "I will buy you a beautiful dress, draping you in silk, and I will feed you, but there is one thing I want in return..." I hesitated, unsure how to continue.

[Alayne Lombard]

“--- but my lord,” I started to interject, and then realizing my place, and what he'd just said, I paused, looking back at him with closed determination. Ah. This made more sense. Men always wanted something out of you, until you gave it, and then they went away, or treated you poorly. It was a power game, and I never mastered it completely, but I tried, Elua, I tried.

“What is it, my lord,” I asked slowly, “that you want of me.” Already, my hand was going to my hip, flaunting the merchandise, ready to negotiate. Coin would be better, though, than a dress I'd have to explain – coin meant I could give Tigris her cut, and stay out of trouble with her. Elua knows, I had nowhere else to go.

[Hjalmar Fellstone (I)]

Her reaction was expected I suppose, and her body language told me that she thought she knew just what I was looking for. Which was close, I suppose.

"A kiss. That's all." I said, smiling warmly. Then I reconsidered. "On my face." I interjected, lest she think of other places to put those lips. I waited to see how, or if, she reacted.

[Alayne Lombard]

I blinked. Blinking is not something one feels or remembers doing, and so that it counted as my sole reaction was telling aplenty.

A kiss? That was all his wanted? On his face? Why was his face such an important aspect? Did he count himself ugly? I'd seen more handsome men, but I'd also seen men far less pleasant to look at. Hal could not be wanting for kisses, for his face was kissable indeed.

“That is all?” It was an expensive kiss, aye. Very expensive, and that didn't solve the problem I would have, explaining a silk gown to Tigris if I brought it home. I worried at my lip and asked, because I had to, “Why?”

[Hjalmar Fellstone (I)]

Suddenly I found myself to be the one taken aback. Why indeed. "Well," I explained, "I think that simply being nice to you, and getting nothing in return, might seem a little... odd? At least this way I feel that what might be looked at as charity can instead be seen as, say, a reward for a beautiful gesture."

By Ohdinn that sounded like shit.

[Alayne Lombard]

It still all sounded very nice, but too nice, in all truth, and I had to force myself to close my gaping mouth.

“... but forgive me, lord, why?” I asked again. It was a generic why, why do you want to be nice to me, why are you trying to make this so easy, why are you worried about my dignity, why, why why.

I could neither understand it nor emcompass it. There had to be aught else.

[Hjalmar Fellstone (I)]

I stood for a moment and thought about it. There truly was no reason. Except one.

"Simply because I can. And because I want to." What other reason did I need? If she didn't want anything, fine, all she had to do was say. But I'd be damned if I was going to have to explain that I simply liked being nice to people. It was absurd. I was grown, and so long as I didn't hurt anyone I could do whatever I wanted.

[Alayne Lombard]

I wasn't sure what I was hearing, or what he was saying. Yes, but why? Was it a game? Did I look so very pathetic? True, I sported a black eye, but – did he even realize? Probably not. Nobles and peers don't know what it's like, down in the slums and the slime.

I frowned at him, and said, very slowly, “My lord, an it please you, no-one will ever believe that you gave me a silk gown, and I'll be pegged for a thief and punished.” I thought he'd buy me something simple, something I could afford, at first - but this... draping me like a princess... it could only cause me trouble.

[Hjalmar Fellstone (I)]

I frowned. Fine. "Then perhaps it would be best not to purchase such a thing. I will not have you be branded for something you are not, especially on my account." I rubbed my chin thoughtfully and then said, "A meal is still acceptable I suppose? I doubt you'd be branded a thief for that."

I watched her, unsure of how she'd react. Perhaps deciding to simply be nice to someone was something I would have to reconsider in the future here in Elua.

[Alayne Lombard]

I grinned, then, feeling ineffably relieved that I hadn't alienated this nice man – so long as I wasn't branded for something I hadn't done, at least...

“Aye, t'would be well,” I replied happily, relieved. “An it please you, the Cockeral would be a fair place, and I'd be let in as I am, m'lord.”

[Hjalmar Fellstone (I)]

As she grinned I returned her smile, a wave of relief washing over me. "The Cockeral it is then." I said, having been there before. With a small wave to the clerk, who looked relieved as well, I exited with Alayne, and headed to the Cockeral.

Out on the street I walked close to her and spoke, though I kept my voice low. "You keep calling me 'm,lord'. I'm Hal, no more, no less. I was raised in Skaldia and there is no nobility there to speak of. I grew up with nothing, and despite the title I hold as a Baron, I earned not a whit of it. I only have such things because of my father. So please, don't view me as anything more than yourself." I hoped she understood, that despite what she may think, I was more like her than she thought.

[Alayne Lombard]

I nodded and followed, listening as Hal started to tell me about his life. I was happy to listen – that was something I knew to do, better than to speak of myself, truth be. Not that there'd be much to tell. I grew up at the bath house. I whore at the bathhouse. Sometimes I get a day off. That was the extent of my life, aye. I'd known no other and had no complaints.

He was a Baron, though, and that I tried to force myself to remember was he spoke, as we walked. “-- I will, M'lo – Hal,” I replied as I tripped over myself trying to forgo courtesy. “I – I don't know anything about Skaldia. What's it like?”

[Hjalmar Fellstone (I)]

As I talked she seemed to relax, at least a little. We were soon back in Night's Doorstep and I merely smiled as she stumbled over my name. "Skaldia... she's green and verdant, full of brown and grays. Stone and earth, wood and blue sky. It is not so different from Terre d'Ange, in many ways. We are people, just as you are. Full of pride. Strong and independent. Still, we are comprised of many people, may tribes and clans spread across the land. Is that what you are asking?"

I looked at her, curious. She did not seem put off that she knew I was part Skaldi. In many ways that endeared her to me, and made her more unique.

[Alayne Lombard]

I listened and as Hal spoke I let myself dream of this Skaldia of his – it sounded so much better, and cleaner than Night's Doorstep. “Aye,” I replied, and eagerly, because I wanted to continue to dream, I asked, “Tell me more, tell me about your tribes and clans and this land of yours, M – Hal, please.”

I walked by him and felt the sun starting to soothe me, though my eye was stinging a little – it must have been the noon's warmth.

[Hjalmar Fellstone (I)]

The tone of her voice made me smile. I nodded and continued. "I am a Fellstone. That was, is, my tribe. We made our home in the forests, though often moved as we saw fit. There are many tribes; the Cheltai, the Suevi, the Vandalii, and the Marsi... there are others as well, and each tribe holds a territory. It is not unusual for the tribe to move throughout the territory, making one's life a bit nomadic, if not somewhat adventurous at times."

I smiled at the memories. Most of them were good.

[Alayne Lombard]

I nodded and listened as Hal spoke, paying heed to the tale, and part of me wanted to know that life, what it was like to never life in the same place, to travel, to see all those things that were green and wild and free.

“Adventures?” I asked, “Will you tell me some? Have you been yourself on one? Did you slay assassins, or safe damsels?”

_{Continued here.}