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Post by Sébastien de Loréan on Aug 15, 2011 22:16:55 GMT -5
Backdated to a few days after Queen Sabrina's Hunt Fete I'd enjoyed it. The adept I had contracted for the last Palace event had been perfectly decorous outside, and playful, pleasant to spend time with in the bedroom. But I was tired - I was never quite the courtier, alas. Having stayed long enough in the City, I was thinking I might go to Lorean for a bit – spend time with Savage, with our parents, prepare, too, for our cousin's yearly visit. It had dawned on me that I was in dire need of new traveling gear – my braes were still good, but I'd had them for years, and if I was to ride out again... Perhaps it was just an excuse to be out and about one last time on Night's Doorstep. Perhaps, too, I was hoping to come across Odette. Ah, but the wench had been accommodating. And so out I was, on foot, for a change, though I could have ridden. I just wanted to feel the beat of the city ere I leave.
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Post by Liana nó Valerian on Aug 16, 2011 10:13:01 GMT -5
I'd decided that my wardrobe needed updating. For some reason of late, all my patrons seemed to enjoy ripping my clothes to shreds and, whilst they reimbursed me, it was no substitute to having the clothing back in my wardrobe, so it seemed a shopping trip was in order. I was trying to save up to get some of my marque done but clothes were needed too.
I'd wandered through the Artisan's District for an hour or so and my arms ached with the weight of the shopping bags I'd collected. I was quite pleased with my purchases, but now the bags were getting bulky and I wanted to go home and try the clothes on again.
I walked down the street, absent-mindedly wondering whether I would have room for all my new purchases only to bump smack bang into someone. The gentleman seemed to be well-to-do, had a military bearing and...appeared to be window shopping?
"Please excuse me!" I curtsied as gracefully and demurely as I could with the amount of bags I was carrying.
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Post by Sébastien de Loréan on Aug 16, 2011 12:21:40 GMT -5
I was trying to convince myself that spending part of the afternoon trying new braes was a worthy use of my time (it wasn't), when I was smacked out of my musings by a collision. She was pretty and clearly embarrassed, and I gave her a reassuring smile.
“It's quite alright,” I replied, inclining my head politely – she was of a height, I noticed with pleasure. I found it was a rarity in itself. Young, too – barely a few years over her majority, perhaps. “You are very burdened,” I added, “that alone would make anyone awkward. Are you going very far?”
In truth, I wouldn't mind one bit helping her with her packages. It was a kindness, true, but selfishly, I thought to indulge a little while longer in her pretty face.
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Post by Liana nó Valerian on Aug 16, 2011 14:23:26 GMT -5
Well that was refreshing. He was handsome, charming and didn't seem to mind that I'd bashed his legs with bags galore.
"No, I'm not going too far, just back to the Night Court. I didn't quite realise how much I bought. I only intended to buy a few things."I replied as I put a handful of bags down so I could free a hand to toss my hair back over my shoulder, wishing as I did so that I'd brushed it and maybe even tied it up before bumping into such a nice-seeming man.
"I'm Liana, a pleasure to tread on your toes, I'm sure" I added, with a mischievous smile. I couldn't help myself.
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Post by Sébastien de Loréan on Aug 17, 2011 23:04:28 GMT -5
“The pleasure's all mine,” I replied, smiling a touch rakishly, for she had a manner about her that beckoned that sort of thing.
And inclining my head, I added, “Captain Sébastien de Loréan, happy to be treaded on.”
Well, that was an exageration – but what's a small bump, when your torso is covered in scars well-earned in Kebbel-im-Akkad?
“Well, since I've inconvenienced you with my inelegant gawking at the window,” I added, “allow me to help you carry this all up to Mont-Nuit, Liana, though you'll have to tell me which house you're intending to flood with all your purchases.”
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Post by Liana nó Valerian on Aug 18, 2011 5:41:17 GMT -5
"You are too kind!" I replied, "It was I who wasn't looking where I was going, but...." I paused and looked down at my numerous bags "I would welcome some help carrying them, thank you Captain" I smiled at him "That is if you promise you won't peek?"
I was usually a cheerful person, everyone knew that, but today I felt in an impish mood so I couldn't help but add...
"If you can guess my house, I'll buy you a meal. If you can't, you have to buy me one." I grinned and handed over some of the bags. "You can have three guesses".
Thankfully I'd worn a dress that covered up my marque, incomplete as it was, so he'd have no luck there.
I stood and looked at him boldly, wondering suddenly if I'd taken complete leave of my senses!
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Post by Sébastien de Loréan on Aug 21, 2011 11:33:49 GMT -5
Having dinner bought to me by an adept – when I contracted on a regular basis myself and had a fair idea of how much work finishing a marque entailed – that was something I would have a hard time accepting.
Fair enough. I didn't have go guess correctly, did I?
And so I thought of the most unlikely house and examining her with amusement, I said, lightly, “A lofty offer, Liana no Mont-Nuit. If you wish to play, then, that is fair. And as playful as you are, with something that seems like a bet...”
A pause, then. Bryony – wast it likely? No. A Bryony adept would not squander wages on clothes, not as much as this, I didn't think.
“House Bryony, then.”
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Post by Liana nó Valerian on Aug 23, 2011 4:25:50 GMT -5
I burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of the suggestion. "Bryony! Oh, no. Not even close!" I eyed up the soldier so gallantly helping me. "A Bryony adept wouldn't dare spend so much....though saying that, I did spend a tad over much." I paused and hastily added. "Though that doesn't mean I am destitute and will welch on the bet, nor does it mean I was trying to cadge a free meal" I looked at the Captain with as much sternness as I could muster.
"So that's Bryony ruled out. You have another twelve to choose from." I said, turning back to go up the hill.
To me, I thought it would be easy to tell which House I was from. He could tell, surely by the mere fact I slammed into him that I wasn't from the Eglantine or even Dahlia Houses . Graceful or Regal, I certainly wasn't.
I wasn't perfection personified, Kushiel knows, so that counted out House Camelia.
He could easily assume I was from House Orchis though, given how cheerful and amused I usually was. Truth be told I'd have probably gone there if I hadn't had the ability to enjoy pain.
I eagerly awaited his next guess.
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Post by Sébastien de Loréan on Aug 23, 2011 23:49:46 GMT -5
She had a beautiful laugh, and I listened politely when she debunked my ridiculous guess. Of course, she was not Bryony. I'd not expected her to be.
“Ah, then you must be of House Cereus,” I offered, pushing the silliness as far as it could go, “either that, or Mandrake – you do seem to be taking quite a bit of joy in tormenting me, though I will admit, it's a pleasure to endure it, lovely Liana.”
As I teased her, I kept walking towards Mont-Nuit, eyes on the cobbled street so as not to trip, her packages under my arms securely.
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Post by Liana nó Valerian on Aug 24, 2011 4:25:47 GMT -5
A shiver ran down my spine at the mention of Mandrake, it'd been a while since I had had the torturous pleasure of their attentions. I forced myself to laugh again and gave him a mock slap on the backside.
"A pale beauty I am not and you know it." I shook my brunette hair to emphasise it. "and despite my forcing you to help carry my bags, torturing others is not in my nature" I said lightly, then continued "if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were teasing me, and that either you already know my house or you have no intention of winning! Do you think the meal I could afford would be that awful?" I teased.
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Post by Sébastien de Loréan on Aug 24, 2011 22:56:16 GMT -5
She was acting rather familiar, and I tilted my head at her, half amused by her lack of decorum. “Perhaps,” I replied wryly, “I am too much of a gentleman to accept to take an adept's hard-earned tithe, when she should be spending it on her marque,” I replied. “And perhaps I know exactly how expensive that is, for having myself contracted many an adept, though never the lovely one in front of me.”
I paused, took a quiet step, then stopped to look at her. “And so perhaps I might even make up for this lacuna, or would, if only I knew which Dowayne to approach. Would that be Alexandra no Orchis, then?”
She certainly had the humor and wildness for it – regardless of whether I was right or wrong, I would find a way to make sure she lost no coin on me.
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Post by Liana nó Valerian on Aug 25, 2011 16:48:35 GMT -5
The Captain's comment about spending money made me blush fiercely. It was true, I had been saving hard in order to add to my marque and it was expensive, but for some reason I'd been putting the visit to the Marquist off. I'd spent more money than I should have on shopping and truth be told, it hadn't been the first time either. And if shopping wasn't on the cards then I'd bought gifts for people or had treated myself to meals out.
If I'd been of any house other than Valerian then I could have said it was due to the fear of the pain that always came with the Marquist's art, but I had not that excuse. I looked hard at myself and my reasons and finally admitted to myself that it was because I had no idea what I wanted to do when my marque was complete. Admittedly it would be a good while before my marque could be completed, yet the future scared me. I could easily stay on at Valerian house and carry on my assignations there but that, to me, was the easy option.
It's strange how one random comment from a perfect stranger could make someone face up to something they'd been unconsciously avoiding. Mentally sighing I pushed the thoughts away to muse on later, becoming aware that I'd been frowning and silent for some time, though probably not as long as I'd feared, and the gallant, much-teased Captain had been patiently awaiting an answer.
"Alas you are wrong, my good Sir, though I can at least understand why you made your guess." I replied attempting to regain my earlier jollity. "I am Liana nó Valerian, at your service." I proffered a curtsy before continuing "A visit to my Dowayne isn't necessary, I thank you, nor should I have forced you into a bet. I honestly don't know what came over me." I smiled as apologetically as I knew how. "If you could help me and my numerous purchases to my House, I will not trespass on your time or your good nature any more." then a thought struck me and made me laugh. "Indeed, maybe it should be I who should visit your superior and pay them for your service in helping me this evening?"
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Post by Sébastien de Loréan on Aug 28, 2011 9:02:28 GMT -5
For a Valerian adept, Liana was rather spirited – though Calista of course was as well, but she'd always been careful to tiptoe along conventions. This one, instead, rushed through them with the reckless abandon of an Aragonian bull. Perhaps it was her niche – I wondered if that got her patrons. Perhaps. She was pretty enough to stir desire, that was true – but she seemed to have decided that she didn't want an assignation with me. Fair and well – far be it from me to impose.
I chuckled in response to her last jab, and shook my head a little. “I doubt that General Valois would see the purpose in such a thing,” I replied with a good-natured tone. “Besides, though I am a soldier, we are at peace now, and so I am free. There is none whom you may speak to for such a thing, save the Marquis de Lorean, and I suspect my father might find your quest a touch surprising.”
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Post by Liana nó Valerian on Aug 30, 2011 17:22:17 GMT -5
"The Marquis would probably find it more than a touch surprising that an Adept wished to pay for his son's services since it's usually the opposite way around." I countered. I continued walking and suddenly thought of how my attitude and demeanour must have seemed to him. No wonder he wanted to see my Dowayne!
I took a few more steps towards the Valerian House, before turning to Captain Sebastian once again. "I....I am sorry for my over-familiar attitude to you this afternoon. I think an explanation is in order." I chewed my lip anxiously. "I don't know whether you're familiar with the Valerian ways, but we do tend to be meek and obedient more often than not." I smiled wryly and held up a hand in a forestalling gesture. "And today, I know, I've been anything but....it's just that..." I paused again wondering how best to explain. "I spend so much time being meek and obedient and so forth. I love what I do and I'm good at it! But sometimes I feel I could just burst...if I don't let all this out" I gestured at myself trying to emphasise what I meant before continuing in a pleading tone. "Unfortunately you were at the receiving end of my...well, my bursting and I apologise so please don't go and see my Dowayne. It shall not happen again and I don't expect you to buy me a meal either." I added hastily. I hung my head and took a deep breath awaiting his reply.
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Post by Sébastien de Loréan on Sept 3, 2011 20:04:41 GMT -5
I let Liana go on, and when she started to explain the way so f her house to me, in truth, I had to still my peace not to laugh – I was, ah, terribly amused by her countenance, and even more so by the ludicrous assumptions under which she was operating.
When she was done talking, I allowed my lips to twitch a little, and eyes full of good humor, I replied, “Ah, but perhaps,” I offered, “you should indeed take me to Valerian, for I am in dire need of instruction in the ways of your house. Perhaps there are manners and pleasures which I've yet to learn, for you see, I am rather a regular at Mandrake.”
In fact, it was a lie, and the most ridiculous one I'd ventured in a time. And so I felt inclined to teach her a little lesson, but one that wouldn't have any bearings on her status within Valerian. Besides, the moment she saw Trinette's reaction to my person, the lesson would be made plain.
I'd have lied if I'd claimed the little quiver of fear in her wasn't attractive to me. Oh, it was, quite on the contrary.
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Post by Liana nó Valerian on Sept 14, 2011 13:19:53 GMT -5
I had to stop my jaw from falling open when he mentioned being a regular at Mandrake and that he wanted some instruction on how better to serve.
I swallowed and replied "Oh, erm, I'll see what we can do for you." I gestured the way to the Valerian house and walked on, whilst continuing the conversation with as much dignity as I could muster. This day was going nothing like I'd imagined to be! "The dowayne of our house is named Trinette no Valerian. I will speak to her for you and see if she can arrange for one of the adepts to instruct you." I cleared my throat a little hoping that she wouldn't set me that task. Namaah knows I'd embarrassed myself enough in front of this Captain to last a lifetime!
"We'll stop by my rooms first, if you've no objection? I doubt Trinette will appreciate her office turning into a boutique of sorts!"
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Post by Sébastien de Loréan on Sept 17, 2011 14:33:21 GMT -5
I laughed lightly, tried in fact not to let too much mirth peak through my steady exterior, and nodded. “Of course, I suspect Lady Trinette is a stern lady and would not be inconvenienced – but of course, you know better.”
The more the charade went, the harder it was for me not to be amused – Trinette no Valerian had known me for a long time, seeing as I was one of the few Kushelines who made regular use of her House, but never used the Shahrizai dungeon, being, simply, not one of them.
I had quite the inclination to want an assignation with Liana, though – and the more she dug herself deep into the trick, the more I wanted to see what matter of mark a crop might make on her lovely flesh.
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Post by Liana nó Valerian on Sept 21, 2011 9:39:55 GMT -5
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