In the Depths of Romance: Renard & Eaving

[Renard de Valliers]

After my conversation with Geraldine, I decided to go ahead and have a assignation with a member of the Night Court. However, I knew that I wouldn't be able to perform, so I hope that my other qualities would be enough to make myself attractive to a possible wife.

I made my way to Heliotrope. It was kind of funny to go to that house, considering that I had just spoke to a Heliotrope Courtesan. I spoke with the Dowayne and specifically asked for a female adept that had a lot of experience. She told me that Eaving was available. The name sounded unique to me, and I agreed to contract her. I signed my name and paid for the contract. I asked the Dowayne to have her meet me out in the gardens.

I made my way to the back of Heliotrope house. I took a deep breath, attempting to do what I could to relax. I could already feel tension gathering in my abdomen. I never thought I would visit the Night Court..and yet here I was.

[Eaving nó Heliotrope]

It had been a particularly lazy day for me, and I had just come from a long bath when I was summoned by the Dowayne and presented with a contract. It was the perfect summer evening for an assignation, still warm and just the kind of weather that I adored. I signed the contract and then made my way to the gardens, which were fragrant in the summer sun, complimenting the warm scents that I favored to wear on my skin.

When I arrived, I saw that there were a few people about, but I knew them all, adepts or fosterlings, so I knew that none of them could be the man I was here to meet. I frowned slightly, but then smiled when I saw a man who must be him. I strolled up beside him and leaned forward, pulling a rose forth and inhaling deeply.

"They smell lovely, don't they?" I smiled at him as I let the flower go. "I am Eaving, and might you be Renard?"

[Renard de Valliers]

I looked up when I saw a tall blond coming my way, she had blue gray eyes and the sweetest smile I had ever seen. I smiled back and reached for her hand, "Renard de Valliers, yes. It is a pleasure to meet you, Eaving." If she gave me her hand, I would lay a light kiss on it before letting it go.

I offered her my arm, "Would you be so kind as to tell me a little about yourself? I was hoping that we might find a private place in the garden to talk for a while."

[Eaving nó Heliotrope]

I offered my hand to him, smiling at the light touch of his lips upon my skin. When I took his arm, I knew just the perfect place for us to go, and even while I spoke, I began to lead us that way. It was around the side of the house, and there was a koi pond there, full of fish and flowers all around it.

"About me?" I asked, pondering the question. "I am simply an average adept, born into the Night Court, bred Heliotrope through and through. I like to think that I am smart and funny, but that could be a conceit on my part." I laughed and gave his arm a squeeze. "Why don't you tell me about yourself, Monsieur?"

[Renard de Valliers]

I listened to her speak and I wondered if she was the right person to speak to. I had planned on fully revealing myself to her, but now I was thinking that I should stick to my original plan.

I answered her question, "I hail from Camlach, and I have a sister who is younger than me by 3 years. I have come to Elua to find myself a wife, and I was hoping that you might give me some help in being more romantic and finding the right match for me. I don't have a lot of experience with women, since most of my life has been focused on practicing my skills in swordsmanship, martial arts, and archery."

[Eaving nó Heliotrope]

I nodded, smiling softly at him. Heliotrope was a good House to come to for romance. We reached the pond and I gestured for him to sit with me on the edge of it.

"Well, the first thing I can tell you is to be yourself, everything else will follow." I took his hand and gave it a little squeeze. "Sometimes a man can be more focused on the end result, in your case finding a wife, and less on the journey to it, but it is often on the journey that we truly find out who we are and what we want, or need." I moved a bit closer to him. so that our knees touched.

"You've made a good start, coming here," I grinned and my eyes twinkled merrily, "and to me..." I leaned in and kissed his cheek. Already I liked him, he was handsome and seemed sweet, and his desire to learn more about being romantic was endearing to me.

[Renard de Valliers]

I took a seat beside her and listened to her quietly. I gave her a nervous smile when she took my hand and gave it a squeeze. I listened to her mention that the journey was more important than the destination when it came to wooing a woman. I watched as she scooted closer to me.

I blushed when she kissed my cheek. She was a gorgeous woman and I felt my stomach tighten in response. "I have a date with a woman that my family was well connected with. I was thinking of giving her flowers... Does that seem too forward?"

[Eaving nó Heliotrope]

"Not at all," I said, considering it for a moment. "In fact, I think it's a lovely gesture, I don't know any women who don't like flowers." I personally adored them, and always kept a vase full of freshly picked blooms in my room. I was having the feeling that perhaps I might be the one being a bit too forward, so I did not continue to inch forward nor lay another kiss upon him ... at least, not right now.

"A date sounds lovely, and it's a perfect chance to showcase your romantic side. A quiet dinner, a moonlit row upon the lake ... there are so many things you can do."

[Renard de Valliers]

"I was thinking that daffodils might be a good gesture..." I said, looking at her as if gauging what she thought of that. I found myself relaxing a little bit now that she hadn't continued to move forward.

I nodded at her suggestions. I hadn't thought of a moonlight row on a lake, "Is there a lake in Elua? I haven't explored the city that well. Where is the lake?"

[Eaving nó Heliotrope]

I chewed on my bottom lip as I answered. "Daffodils are good, and the lake is actually outside of the City, so probably not the best idea for a first date. Heading out into L'agnace with a new person is probably not high on a girl's list of a romantic, relaxing evening. Still, it's a thought for the future. You could take her to one of the nicer restaurants in the Palace District, or to see music played or a play at the Palace. The Salon of Eisheth's Harp often has things going on in the evenings." I'd been invited a time or two and those were some of my favorite assignations.

[Renard de Valliers]

I noticed her chewing on her bottom lip and I wondered if I had made her nervous somehow. I nodded, "If all goes as planned, then perhaps it would be a good suggestion to take.."

I listened to her ideas on entertainment, and I nodded- filing the information away. "When is a good time to propose..? I'm sure that we would have to be on fairly good terms. I'm not exactly the best when it comes to social situations. And I do want to make sure that I find the right woman for me. I'm not sure if love is what I'm looking for...but I would not turn it away..."

[Eaving nó Heliotrope]

"Propose?" I asked, raising a brow. "As in marriage? You've got me there, I admit that is not something I am familiar with, I am not the marrying kind." I laughed softly and shook my head, my sun-drenched golden hair falling around my shoulders. "Married to the House, you might say. But I would imagine that if one found a woman they cared enough to propose to, the way might present itself."

[Renard de Valliers]

I nodded when she asked me if I meant propose as in marriage. I listened to her mention that it wasn't something she was familiar with, "Really? Surely you have had patrons who have proposed marriage to you. Especially if you are as popular as your Dowayne states.." My eyebrows raised slightly as I waited to hear if she had even experienced a proposal.

[Eaving nó Heliotrope]

I blushed slightly, though he was right, it had happened a time or two. I thought it might be a bit more common in Heliotrope, because the devotion we showed to our clients was often misinterpreted for a desire for more. I felt a certain type of love for all of my clients, it was a gift of Naamah's, something I'd heard a Priestess once describe. I often felt that we of Heliotrope House the most in common with Naamah's Priestesses.

"That is true," I conceded, "I suppose I have not experienced in the context of actually wishing to marry. For me it has always been a bit of an awkward situation, for I never do like to hurt someone, no matter how gently I try to explain my position."

[Renard de Valliers]

I smiled at her blush, feeling myself become more confident in my experience with women. "Would you mind telling me of the experience? How did they propose to you..? And were you not a servant of Naamah if you would have accepted."

[Eaving nó Heliotrope]

"Hmm, the first one was in private, which I found easier, since I had to say no to him. He had planned a picnic and so we were in a private nook of his estate, the gardens, and he had waited until dessert. He blindfolded me and led me to a spot where he had spelled out 'will you marry me' with roses on the grass. He gave me a ring shaped like a rose with a diamond at the center..." I smiled at the memory, and I still had the ring, he'd given it to me regardless of the fact that I could not marry him. "It was rather difficult to say no, to be honest. The second one was in a restaurant, and he had the waiter bring me a 'special dish' that when it was unveiled held a ring. He asked me in front of everyone and that was especially difficult... I would advise against that, to be honest." It still pained me to remember how hard it had been for him when I'd said no, and that was one of the few times a patron had left me with nothing save angry words.

[Renard de Valliers]

I nodded, listening to her experiences, "I think a private proposal would probably be better than a more public one. I like the idea of the roses..... I think I would like to find some way that was more personal and particular to her. Perhaps with her favorite flower or written out with her favorite food..."

[Eaving nó Heliotrope]

I nodded encouragingly. "Yes, exactly, something personal to her. A woman loves to feel special, like she stands out, and also that you are paying attention to her. Picking a way of proposing that is unique to her shows that you are listening when she speaks, that you notice things about her." I smiled at him, believing that he would do well.

"I think you will be fine, you seem naturally inclined to be attentive to a woman," I offered, though my assessment was based on this limited interaction. Still, I was a fairly good judge of character.

[Renard de Valliers]

I was glad to see that it seemed that some of my thoughts were well within what a woman would like. I was sure that I would make some mistakes, but hopefully a woman that I court would be more understanding.

I blushed at her words looking down at the grass, Attentive to a woman's needs.. Well, perhaps I could do that without failing her completely in the bedroom. Perhaps if I was able to see to her needs regularly, I might find a way to perform successfully, I said to myself and suddenly I was feeling far more confident about finding a wife.

I turned toward her, "I do have a small problem... I think I may be falling in love for a woman who is not available to me. I have reached out to help her and be a friend to her, but I worry that I may not be able to continue friendship..." I put my face into my hands as the truth of the situation began to set in on me.

[Eaving nó Heliotrope]

I made a small sound of comfort, though I wasn't quite sure what advice I could give him, not knowing the entire situation. Well, I would do the best I could with what I had.

"You have to be honest with yourself, because trying to be friends with someone if you have deeper feelings can be very difficult, and not just on yourself. If the other person knows of your feelings, it can be an imposition on them. If they don't, well sometimes it is hard to keep that a secret and when it comes out, it is messy. You have to look inside and see what your feelings truly are, and if you can keep them to yourself if needs be. It is a difficult path to trod upon, for certain."

I gave him a light touch on his back, a comforting one, I hoped, my heart going out to him. I had thought it difficult to be the object of unrequited love, but how much worse to be the one in love with someone unattainable?

[Renard de Valliers]

Renard listened carefully to what she said, taking in the information. "I have only known her for one day, so Naamah willing, my feelings will be come less and less intense."

I felt her hand on my back and it made my stomach tighten a little. "My...conversation with you is confidential..? I would like it if no one knew of what I spoke of, that includes your house mates."

I then looked around, "If there is some other more private place we could be to speak, that would be well appreciated."

[Eaving nó Heliotrope]

"Of course," I said, smiling gently. "Everything that passes between us stays between is, it is a cardinal rule of the Night Court, and one that I believe in personally as well."

I rose and offered him my hand, asking with a coy smile, "Inside or outside? I know more private places in the garden-" And I loved a good outdoor romp, if he was so inclined, "Or I know quite a few places inside, including the assignation chambers, which are very much private, of course." I waited for his response, wondering what else he might share with me that was so private it worried him so.