Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jun 29, 2011 19:51:41 GMT -5
Since I'd returned to the city of Elua, and taken up my service in the Temple, I'd taken to walking, exploring, re-discovering the city, slowly but surely. I walked and walked, leather sandals light on the pavement, my robes flowing about me. They were in colors I would have probably worn in my time of Bryony, but in a cut I would have shunned with energy. The thought amused me. It had taken me some time before I'd realized that no matter how little I actively thought of it, my footsteps often took me back to Night's Doorstep.
It took me another while to realize that I often ended up back at the Laughing parrot. I'd had a friend, there, back in the day – perhaps it was like calling to like, or old habits returning, that made me push the door to the establishment. I found a seat in a secluded table, the hood of my robe down, and while a juggler messed around with eggs and pinheads, I looked at the crowd, smiling wryly, as if I knew a secret none other did. Oh indeed, the old saying was true. Old habits died hard.
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Post by Jules nó Orchis on Jun 29, 2011 20:34:06 GMT -5
There was so much going on in the City these days with the war effort and all of the recent tragedies that things in the Night Court themselves were very quiet. It was a little bit rough on some of the adepts still looking to make their marques but those of us who had theirs made simply hunkered down and went about life as normally as we could. There was some duty in that too; we at Orchis were the ones who tried to keep everyone laughing through the darkness and that hadn't changed. Life had to go on somehow.
With that in mind I'd taken to the Laughing Parrot for a night on the town, and found it almost the same as it had always been, or at least as much that it would have been hard for anyone who wasn't a regular to think things were the same as ever. With a smile and a ready laugh I'd ordered my drink and took a look around, picking up the mug nimbly when it was slid across the bar in my direction and laying my coin to it. One of the performers was trying to get their juggling gear straight and I offered a jesting bit of advice and continued looking around.
Off to one side there was a very pretty woman in the robes of a priestess and I gave her a brighter grin and walked over, noting her smile and the easy familiarity she seemed to feel here. Well, it was going to be pretty silly to assume that all members of the holy orders had to be dour and I had no reason to act as though that was the case. "Why hello holy one," I greeted her in a lightly teasing tone.
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jun 29, 2011 22:18:59 GMT -5
I'd been observing the audience – people laughing, people smiling, people forgeting the strife outside. It made me feel better, too, and the jester on the stage was silly enough to contribute to livening my spirits as well. The drink on my table was slowly nursed – it wouldn't do to get utterly wasted in public (or in private, my mentor would have insisted, but that was my business.)
A young, handsome fellow with bright eyes and a yet brighter grin wandered over to my table, and his playful greeting amused me further, beckoning a wide grin. “Why, hello there, holy one yourself,” I replied, chuckling. He was certainly handsome enough to be an adept, and there were many here. Had we met before? I thought if we had, I would have remembered – he was striking. Of mixed parentage, I thought, judging by the slightly rough edge of his jaw. It wasn't unpleasant to look at, on the contrary. “Looking for company?”
I certainly didn't mind, on the contrary. He was handsome, friendly, and if I was to serve here for a time, friends would be a welcome joy in my sometimes slightly too serene life.
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Post by Jules nó Orchis on Jul 1, 2011 14:53:37 GMT -5
She was ready enough with a joke and that was a good sign- but then why would a priestess have come into such an establishment if they didn't? There were other places to get drinks if they didn't have a sense of humor and this lady looked far too intelligent to think she had any chance of converting most of those here. Besides, d'Angelines weren't much into conversion of their own people anyway since we all tended to pay tribute to the Companions we needed help from and none of our gods were jealous like those I'd heard of in some other places.
"If we start with the Holy One stuff too much we may try to out-dour each other," I joked with a bit of a chuckle, giving her a wink before I took a sip from my mug. She was very pretty, blonde and seeming comfortable in her own skin for all that she'd been watching the place a bit mysteriously before. "And if you're willing to hold a conversation with a boring old Orchis then I'd like the company. Mind if I sit down and try to amuse you if I can remember how?"
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jul 1, 2011 16:45:01 GMT -5
Boring old Orchis, my thigh. He was already amusing me, and I didn't quite feel like seeing him depart just yet.
“I might be affronted if you didn't,” I replied, chuckling. “Now entertain me, or rather, entertain the boring old Bryony, and we'll see who is most dour. I think we should make a game of it, what say you, old man?”
I was grinning wide, and willing to come up with as many variations on the theme of old age as I could, until he would give me his name, and I'd give him mine.
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Post by Jules nó Orchis on Jul 3, 2011 22:23:55 GMT -5
Her agreement was quick enough for me to tell that I wasn't getting on her nerves thus far and I sat down with a merry smile, setting my mug down near my hand so I could take a drink whenever the urge came on me. From this angle she was even more lovely. "Well, I'd hate to affront a lady, especially an old Bryony one. I hear you have all of the dirtiest tricks," I joked as I settled comfortably, giving her a wink before I took another drink from my mug, letting the drink settle comfortably in my stomach and relax me as well as soothing my thirst. It was magical stuff how it could accomplish both goals.
The challenge wasn't forgotten though and a moment later I set my face into as cranky a caricature as I could and let my voice go gravelly and low. "Can you make out what that whippersnapper on the stage is doing? My eyes seem to be failing me and I can't hear a damned thing. What's with the world today? When I was younger you could get an adept for five ducats and that got candies on your pillows too. The prices are rising and the grass isn't as green anymore. It's a Namaah-stricken shame." As I looked at her my eyes flashed in humor and I could only wait to see what she came up with to counter me. If there was one thing Bryony's were good at it was games.
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jul 3, 2011 23:04:51 GMT -5
Ah, a fair player. Excellent. I took a sip from my mug, careful not to spill a drop.
“In my time,” I replied, “Prices were low and adepts had talent. I hear now that they have tumblers and jugglers at Orchis, and that House Bryony has resorted to a machine they call--- a roulotte? No, a roulette...” My voice was picked higher, and I made it nasal, as if I were in dire need of a handkerchief.
“And what is this that I hear, that now they have shows in places like this? What happened to house Cere---” A pause, and I brought my hand to my mouth, and spoke from under it. “My dentures, my dentures! Who stole my dentures! Filthy kids!”
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Post by Jules nó Orchis on Jul 6, 2011 22:20:13 GMT -5
Her act was very good and I had to repress a laugh because that would have, in some sense, been a sort of a loss. No, I was not going to be out-joked, not even if she was a beautiful blonde priestess who had a history of being very good at games- because in all honesty that was the Bryony claim to fame along with their expensive tastes. This one seemed to have been relaxed of the latter, at least for the moment, or I imagine she wouldn't have been in here drinking with us. Then again perhaps that was the influence of Anael on her too...
Putting my mind back to the game at hand I cupped my fingers around my ears and leaned closer to her. "What was that?" I asked in the same gruff tone but louder this time. "No, I don't know where the beef is! That's an odd question for this sort of place, don't you think? I can barely hear you over this stuff they call music these days." Pulling my hand down I scowled a bit more deeply and muttered to myself, then looked at her more intently for a moment. "Where are your teeth, woman?!"
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jul 7, 2011 10:22:04 GMT -5
I was amused, and went for the obvious response – sometimes simplicity is most effective.
“What?” I called back, my lips pulled over my gums to hide my teeth, “Articulate, grandpa, I can't seem too -----”
“Oh!” And looking down, I reached, and muttered something unintelligible apurpose, then took my glass, brought it with me under the table, which I used as a screen. From there, I pretended to have found dentures on the floorm dropped instead a nickle into my glass, so as to have the sloshing sound, and then retreived it, placed it in my mouth while making a show of placing dentures, and then took out the coin.
“Ah, better, hm! And look! I found a nickel!”
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Post by Jules nó Orchis on Jul 10, 2011 11:45:35 GMT -5
She was certainly better at sleight of hand then I could have ever hoped to be and I wasn't going to try and compete with her in that way, at least not with any hope of winning. Then again what was winning in the face of simply enjoying the game? That was what separated Orchis and Bryony and their styles of play, wasn't it? They wanted to win and we just wanted to play the game for the sake of it. Maybe it was entirely too stereotypical but she could always prove me wrong too.
Refusing to chuckle at her pantomime I instead watched her as though nonplussed. "I can't believe," I started with a sigh, my voice still gruff even through the twinkle in my eye. "That your dentures always end up on the floor. How does that happen anyway? No matter where we are, they're always... Where are we? And where's my dinner, woman?! I thought you were going to make me some stew! Forget that centime and go do your womanly duty. Then you can explain why the house has so many people in it."
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jul 10, 2011 12:21:42 GMT -5
I laughed, yet more, positively amused and pleased. “Duty? You talk to me about duty? And what am I to make you dinner with, old man, when you're always out gallivanting with prim girls when you should be home with your rightful woman.” I then mumbled something purposely unintelligible, old person gibberish, and beamed at him.
“Aren't we out? We're out! Of course we're out! It's our anniversary! You forgot our anniversary!” I made as if to throw something at him, only it was the nickle, and instead of hitting Jules, it landed straight into his drink.
At which point, I broke, and laughed heartily.
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Post by Jules nó Orchis on Jul 17, 2011 0:29:49 GMT -5
The humor in her voice was becoming more clear and I managed to hold back a chuckle as I listened to her, lips pursed to turn the grin I was trying to hide into a look of displeasure. "Well, who would want to remember all of those years married to you?" I asked gruffly, crossing my arms. "You need some pretty girls after all of that. After all of those long hours working with patrons to make a good home for you I deserve some free time!"
Then the centime she held was landing in my drink, and she was laughing in a beautifully clear tone, and I waited a single second longer before I joined her, lifting my glass in a salute. "A beautiful game, my lady priestess," I said in warm tone, then took a drink and set down my mug. "Perhaps now you could grace me with your name, which must surely be as lovely as your features and your humor."
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jul 17, 2011 10:41:20 GMT -5
“Flatterer,” I quipped, and grinned as well. After a slow drink from my glass, which I was nursing with a determination not to get drunk that would have probably amazed Fisher, I raised an eyebrow.
“Shona, of Anael, of course,” I said, not bothering with my father's name, which was, anyway, a rather boring and irrelevant name, come to think of it. “And who, of Orchis, might I have have had the pleasure of entertaining, tonight?”
I was making a note, to myself, that I should ask about Larquel, when the occasion arose. Or perhaps I'd simply wander up the hill and visit the lady Dowayne. Then again, I preferred hearing news from my peers.
…
Even after they weren't my peers anymore, it seemed. Old habits are like Aragonian bulls. Even thrice-stung, they refuse to die.
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Post by Jules nó Orchis on Jul 23, 2011 13:50:05 GMT -5
It seemed that the lady had a habit of deep thinking and as I fished the centime out of my drink I watched and listened, then set the coin on the table between us. Even a former Bryony probably had some sort of an idea for something to do with even that small bit of change and I was more curious to see what that would be then to do anything else with it.
"Shona of Anael, very nice," I replied with a chuckle, knowing that she was probably consciously deciding not to give a last name but not terribly worried about it either. Somehow I doubted that the priestesses became patrons, and it was entirely too early in the conversation for guessing at lovers. I hadn't had that many drinks yet in any case. "I'm Jules- the name-kind, not the glittering stone kind. Though they do bring out my eyes." With that I batted my lashes jestingly.
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jul 24, 2011 1:18:39 GMT -5
I chuckled, noting well the location of the coin, and ignoring it further for now – I did indeed have my plans for it, or rather, Anael did. That could well wait, though, and I took a slow sip of my drink, eyes on Jules.
“Jules of the sapphire eyes,” I said slowly. “They do stand out, though I'd lie if I didn't say that the ivory of your teeth rather outshines them. I knew an adept of Orchis, once.” And well enough, ah – an old friend, and one I wished I'd seen more of. I set down my glass, and looking at him with a quietly wicked gaze (he was quiet the eye candy, to be fair), I said, “Do you know one Larquel?”
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Post by Jules nó Orchis on Jul 24, 2011 9:18:03 GMT -5
Oh, she did have the complimenting tongue, and probably one good at a few other things as well, but now she was a holy woman and likely had better things to do than flirt all day. Then again why would she have come to a place like this if she expected stoic calm or fierce religious devotion? She was certainly clever enough to know that was as unlikely here as an obedient herd of cats.
"Likely there's more ivory than blue showing at any particular time," I admitted with a chuckle, cocking my head and looking back at her with as much intensity as she looked at me, though mine was considerably more playful in nature. When she asked about Larquel though I couldn't help but show some sympathy, my smile dimming somewhat for a moment. "I did," I replied. "I'm afraid he passed on some time ago."
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jul 24, 2011 15:28:32 GMT -5
There might have been laughter about – suddenly, I couldn't hear it. Larq', my old friend, my childhood friend. Larq with whom we stole joie, in fetes, when we were young. Larq whose heart was true and whose eyes always shone bright. They were green.
“Oh,” I said, simply.
I looked at my glass and downed it, then looked down at the bottom of the glass forlornly.
“How?” It was almost a croak, my throat was tight.
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Post by Jules nó Orchis on Jul 25, 2011 14:57:19 GMT -5
It wasn't hard to see how upset Shona was, though I didn't doubt that she was doing her best to hide it, and I couldn't help but sympathize. Losing a friend was never an easy thing, and I well recalled the playful hard time that Keegan and I had given Larquel while we were ill with the plague that had swept through, and later claimed him.
"He got sick, like many did, myself included," I told her, reaching out a hand to rest it lightly on her arm and waving one of the barmaids over to bring some more drinks. "You two were close?"
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Jul 26, 2011 0:58:54 GMT -5
“Since childhood,” I replied after a deep, settling breath. I was grateful for the contact and the attention – it seemed Jules had more to him than a great sense of humor, and his sober, gentle manner was just what I needed in that particular instant.
“Elua,” I breathed. “-- I wish I'd seen him one last time.” It felt lame and inadequate – as if words were insufficient to express how deeply I was sad that Larquel had died.
It was as if a star had puttered out. I could see his laughing green eyes before my face, and that was enough to fill my eyes with water.
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Post by Jules nó Orchis on Jul 26, 2011 16:55:54 GMT -5
Most people didn't think of Orchis as being a house that could have many deep feelings, but part of bringing people happiness was knowing what prevented them from having it, and in Shona's case it was clear enough and perfectly understandable. She'd lost a friend, someone she cared about, and that fact brought everyone who had a heart some pain. Especially if you knew someone that long. I could only imagine how sorrowful I would be if Keegan died somehow.
"I'm sorry that I had to bring you bad news on a night where you were trying to have fun," I told her as I brought out a handkerchief and handed it to her, giving her a sympathetic smile. "But I also believe that those who die wait for us. Don't you as a priestess believe that as well? And I know for a fact that he wouldn't want you to remember him in tears, but in laughter."
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Aug 3, 2011 18:53:33 GMT -5
Jules was being very sweet and patient, and I took a deep breath, steadying myself. “Of course,” I said softly. “But you know, what remains, ever, that despite the thought that he is waiting in Terre d'Ange that Lies Beyond, and perhaps joking about it, even, the fact remains that I will miss him.”
I smiled sadly, looked away. “He was a good heart – and my oldest friend.” And that was... ah, it was hard to say. I felt as if a little something had died in me – had been snuffed out. “-- thank you, Jules. You are very patient with me.”
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Post by Jules nó Orchis on Aug 15, 2011 12:22:41 GMT -5
"I'm not saying that you shouldn't miss him," I replied with a small smile, then took another drink of my mead before continuing. "Friends shouldn't ever be forgotten, and if my oldest friend died I wouldn't let him leave my mind either- but I would keep living because I know that's what he'd expect of me, and continue what I was best at, bringing others joy. That seems to be a pretty common Orchis trait, so I'm pretty certain Larquel would expect the same."
Smiling a bit wider I looked at her over the rim of my glass and winked. Maybe it was time to actually try to bring her out of this sorrow with the applied force of humor. After all, sometimes it was all we had to bring some brightness to a grey moment. "Don't let that 'patient' bit get out though. I'd never be able to live it down and alas, all of the other adepts would tease me. There'd be no end to the torment."
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Sept 25, 2011 15:57:45 GMT -5
Jules was charming enough, but I felt no desire to laugh or play. I smiled meekly, without heart, and gently patted his arm.
“Your secret is safe with me,” I said quietly. “But for now, I think I should go back to the temple and meditate – I... have a lot to think about, and mourning to do.”
I beckoned the waiter, intending to ask for what was owed – a Bryony always pays her debts, and though I was only former, it still rang true.
“Surely we will meet again,” I told Jules. “Thank y ou for the conversation. It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
Truth be, I needed to be alone and cry behind a closed door, as I'd done all my life. Some folk like to exhibit their sorrow. I tried to keep it to myself.
[OOC: Somehow I never got the notification for this, slithering apologies. Good to end scene on your next post, I think?]
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Post by Jules nó Orchis on Sept 26, 2011 13:41:20 GMT -5
She seemed inclined to go, and I couldn't really blame her. People generally didn't like to show anything so deeply personal as sorrow in public and I couldn't really say that I blamed them when I was so familiar with abating it.
"I hope we do meet again, and it was a pleasure to meet with you," I told her quietly as I set down a coin for my own drinks and pushed back some of my hair. "I hope you find the peace you're looking for at your Temple, and if you ever need someone to talk about this with, or even just to try and make you smile a little, you know where I am."
[Done?]
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Shona Tertignan
Priestess
Priestess of Anael; Fully Marqued Bryony Adept
Prosperity tries the fortunate: adversity the great.
Posts: 2,009
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Post by Shona Tertignan on Sept 28, 2011 10:41:01 GMT -5
Having paid my own consumption, I smiled bravely and politely, keeping myself together with all the bluff talent of my former house.
“Thank you, Jules,” I said. “I'm sure we'll meet again, hopefully in happier circumstances. Thank you for understanding.”
In truth I liked him – he had charm, wit and humor, and this incidence had shown a depth of sensitivity which few did not expect in adepts of Orchis, but which I'd known for having found it as well in the friend I was now grieving. Circumstances were simply not fit for me to maintain the mask as long as another drink required.
And having excused myself, I left, quietly making my way back to the soothing quiet of the temple, where I lit a candle, knelt, and prayed until I was at peace once more.
[OOC: End scene! Thank you!]
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