Lions and nobles and tea, oh my! Chyril 25th, late TT ~Aster

[Syra]

The walk towards the mansion was far from boring. With Aster playing pranks behind Felicia's back, Mainy was having a hard time keeping her face straight. In fact, more than once the girl grinned so broadly that her face felt like it was going to split!

"Easy!" She hissed and poked the young man in the side to at least try and give herself some room to breathe, only to quickly walk up straight again whenever her blond companion looked around to see what all the whispering was about.

With the little parasol lifted over her head, Felicia was indeed the perfect picture of the spoiled noble. It was rather sad to see how people were not in the least surprised by her attitude, but rather frowned at the clownesque behaviour of the ones following her. Yet no one commented.

From the sculptured gardens the little parade walked down towards the inhabited platforms. The houses here were decidedly lower than in the merchantquarters, taking up more of the surrounding land with their stretched forms.

Happy red tiles reflected in the light while the gargoyles on the corners still drooled a bit after the unexpected torrential rain from that morningtide.

As they came closer to the family home Felicia dawdled more and more. All of a sudden the girl wondered if this had been such a good idea to take this streetrubble with her to meet the family. Of course it might turn out to be a good lesson, but somehow it suddenly felt like her father might not appreciate her effort in such.

With a deep sigh she shook her worries off and proceeded through the low metalwork of the gardengate. Halfway on the path between the happy spring flowers the girl stopped again and turned around. "Are you sure you wish to continue?"

Mainy straightened her back and looked at Aster under the guise of translating: "This might get nasty. I can help you up to a certain point. After that I have to think of my father. I don't care about what happens to me. I do care about what happens to him. Whatever you do, won't have an impact on us, I guess. So I'll just have to think before I speak."

[Aster Lu'ulnen]

"Are you sure you wish to continue?"

Aster’s look was one of determination, the spirit of his nobleman character chomping at the bit to rush onto the stage of his face while the standard Aster was still delivering dialog. Her question, he understood well – his knowledge of the human tongue was not that lacking, but he understood why Mainy said what she did in the manner of pretending to be translating, although Aster secretly wished that she had been less wordy about it as there was no way, even using flourishing language, that the few words Felicia had spoken would translate into the many that Mainy had uttered. Nonetheless, Aster nodded politely to Mainy and then to Felicia.

“Aster quite looking frontward to it.” He grinned, purposefully butchering the language a bit more than usual to make Felicia feel a bit more at ease about the sure-to-be-spectacle that would follow. He allowed himself a wide smile, the very same one that Haifra had once punched, and held his right hand up to indicate the path before them. He had noticed their deceleration as they had neared the gates – indeed, his own legs wanted to drag the rest of his body back to the relative safety of Haifra’s bosom, so he could sympathize with her there, but to concede defeat now would give Felicia power over he and Mainy forever.

If Felicia resumed the trek, Aster would look for an advantageous time to gently squeeze Mainy’s arm and whisper into her ear.

“My proposition is true, as is my desire to see no harm come to you, your family, or your family name…”, he would begin, followed by a leap that made his nervousness double within a heartbeat. “I care for you, Mainy and my conflict for your time is no game to me, nor fancy of my employer’s. Know that much to be true no matter what you hear me say or claim when speaking with her father. I would never hurt you and, if need be, I will walk from here today with these few scant moments as a prize that no coin could ever buy.”

[Syra]

Felicia picked up on the length of the relatively simple question and frowned. "Mainy, what are you going on about. He understood me perfectly well just a moment before. So unless he just turned dumbstruck, I'd like to know what you just discussed."

Mainy did not falter for a flicker, throwing her hair over her shoulders. "I told him to address your father with 'sir', your mother with ma'am and to wipe his feet before entering." There was a definite tone of challenge in her voice, daring Felicia to call her a liar.

The blond looked suspiciously from the one to the other, then shrugged. "Very well."

The last paces to the door went by very fast and before there was time for another conversation, the haughty girl had opened the great, wooden door and walked inside as if she already owned it.

"Good day mother, father. " She greeted the thusfar unseen parents as they walked into the hallway.

The inner sanctum of the mansion showed a reasonable hall, fit for a small party, perhaps. The staircase went up in the left corner, several doors on both sides and another pair of large double doors opposite the front entrance.

The second door to the right was open, the distinct smell of tea permeating the air as the soft tingling of spoons against thin porcelain played with the silence.

Mainy wiped her feet, hung up her coat on a creative standard -resembling a deer of some kind- and motioned for Aster to follow.

"Good day sir, ma'am." She greeted the pair in the room formally. The man looked up, his grey moustache twirling up in a small smile. The woman remained intrigued by her cup of tea, adding a little more honey.

Felicia stepped aside to show Aster, keeping her mouth shut with a victorious grin. Clearly she did not plan on introducing him at all.

[Aster Lu'ulnen]

Aster was both confident and cautious as he entered Feicia’s house, the bard betting himself with every step that Felicia had taken since the gate that the blonde would snap, turn around, and usher Aster and Mainy on their way with her blessings and apologies for making them backtrack. It did not come to pass and Aster was into himself for two crowns worth of lost bets in the process. He kept his attention focused forward as Felicia stepped aside and bared him to her family with no introduction at all.

Aster’s first few flickers with Felicia’s parents were little more than a staring contest as Aster patiently awaited introductions to be made. Just as with Felicia’s refusal to cave on the walk, she took another hope from him. He gave a small bow, thinking that the motion was what Felicia was waiting for – perhaps customs in Roque differed from those in T’aquar and that spoken introductions came only after the sign of respect…not before.

Nothing.

He stood upright again, small beads of sweat lining up for an Iditarod race from his hairline to his chin as he looked from Felicia’s parents to Felicia, and then back to the parents. He dared not look at Mainy, for he could almost picture her expression. For flickers more he waited in silence – could it be that, for its large Adhiel population, Roque citizens had simply opted to omit traditions, decency, and basic manners? His mind recalled Rain’s laughter at the naked Gwayne.

Roque was not T’aquar, he decided, but a ship unto its own with people like Felicia merrily running it aground in fits of laziness and apathy.

“Namaste, Sir…Ma’am…” he announced, clearing his throat a bit. Aster seemed to recall getting Felicia and Mainy’s last names upon their first meeting, but the nervous intensity of the moment had squirreled away that valuable bit of information into a thickly knotted nest of confused brambles within his mind. Once more, his glance shot toward the beaming Felicia…

…and his eyebrow perked as Fernando swung in on an invisible rope to save the drowning bard.

“Please to forgive the quiet. Aster used to custom of being proud of family and name, where one who know all people give names to each other.” He kept his tone gentle and apologetic, but there were barbs hidden within the velvety soft bunny fur of his voice, their thorny tips meant for Felicia alone. “If Felicia is in shame of you, Aster no mind it and much happy to meet you in any event.” Without pause, he stepped forward and gave them individual bows once more, offering his hand in greeting. “My name to being Aster Lu’Ulnen, of Lu’Ulnen family of T’aquar. I am much happy to be within your home this tide and much sorry for to inviting self.” His language was choppy and stilted, almost as if scripted, for two reasons – the first was that he hoped that either the father spoke Adhiel or would allow Mainy to translate and the second was, quite frankly, Felicia’s father’s punch would probably be one that he would feel in every corner of Roque, so he took extra special care in his word choice.

“Aster wonder if you are to speak Adhiel at all, or will to be allow Mainy to put my tongue in your ear for moment? Need talk business.”

[Syra]

The words hit at least partly home as the man of the house looked disapprovingly from Felicia to Aster and back. Since the latter was already introducing himself, there was very little to be done to salvage the situation other than throw it on a little miscommunication -so easily done under the circumstances.

as such the man got up from his comfortable chair and nodded, not quite a bow. "Hartfeld von Emst. This is my lovely wife Seline."

The woman inclined her head from her chair, extending a hand in full expectation of receiving a proper greeting. It was interesting to feel the mood change after Fernando popped in to help Aster out. Clearly people knew where they stood, now.

"Mister Lulnen." Hartfeld pronounced it wrongly, but with confidence. There was something in the way he turned to Mainy that made it very clear he was about to dismiss her. Yet Aster's next words made the actual execution quite a bit harder.

While the wife continued to pour her tea without ever offering some to Aster, the husband scraped his throat. "Business?"

A magical word in Roque.
Business.
How sweet it hung in the air, ready to be grabbed by any who had the guts to do so.

"Mainy, mister Lulnen. My office then." He decided, sounding rather satisfied as his underchin hit his chest in nodding. "Mainy, take the tea with you."

"Yes sir." The redhead mumbled, the tone of her voice implying something very different from the words that actually came out.

Yet she did take the teapot and two spare cups with her on a tray, after an apologetic look towards the lady of the house and a barely concealed smile in Felicia's direction. After all: she was going to be privy to information the blond had no access to.

And that was worth it.
All the way.

[Aster Lu'ulnen]

"Hartfeld von Emst. This is my lovely wife Seline."

“Lord von Emst… Lady von Emst…” Aster paraphrasingly repeated, secretly glad that their last name was not Dogg, bowing his head to each although closer to Seline than Hartfeld, the bard assuming that she wished her hand kissed as the actors often did to the actresses in some of the nobility mockery plays he had witnessed with the big difference being that Aster delivered a light peck which barely made skin contact while the parody artists often hammed it up a bit with loud slurping noises and excessive slobber.

Once he had returned to a fully upright and locked position, Aster continued to listen to Felicia’s father, the sparkle of a small victory in his eyes, not flinching a bit when he mispronounced the name as Aster assumed that his tongue was probably as hard for humans to master as their tongue was to him.

"Mister Lulnen. Business?"

Aster nodded once in reply, stealing a glance at Felicia while her father gave Mainy the instructions, his smirk clamped down tightly into a straight face but the small lines in the corners of his eyes smiling from ear to ear. He was silent as he gave the blonde a small nod, following proper rules according the his family’s Adhiel rules, but he was sure that neither his birth mother nor spiritual Mother would approve of the quick raising and lowering of his eyebrow as his gaze returned to hers, the silent message behind his glance whispering “You may wish to worry now…”

Without pause, he turned once more to Seline and bowed again, kissing the hand if offered, and followed Mainy into the office with Ferdnando doing ‘his’ best to weigh down the spring which threatened to enter Aster’s step with every step that he took, his mind already churning with both the actual business that he had to discuss as well as ways that ‘Ferdnando’ could make Felicia’s life as much a part of the Nether as the gambling guard that he and Solange had terrorized as part of his interview.

Cruelty was not normally part of the Adhiel way, but in his particular facet of the bardic colleges, Schadenfreude* was not just a personal pleasure, but a professional one as well. Aster kept a straight face as he stood near a chair, wondering if he should sit first or allow Hartfeld and trying not to imagine Solange’s smiling face. If he could catch a moment while everyone got positioned within the room, Aster would attempt to whisper the single word ‘Trust’ to Mainy in both Adhiel and human, hoping that she would understand that he needed her to translate without question or…Mother forbid…laughter.

* Delight in another person's misfortune.

[Syra]

Lady von Emst nodded appreciatively of the offered handkiss, then moved her eyes back to her daughter, who appearantly was having less of a good time than expected. Her cheeks were flushed and her expression predicted a storm.

Mainy was happily ignoring Felicia, since clearly her father held greater authority. It suited the redhead fine as she moved in after the two gentlemen to leave the room. She picked up the whispered word with a slow nod, making it a more natural move than one intended to answer something the lord von Emst had no knowledge about. It showed her experience in lots of little secretive conversations before this day.

Once they entered the red-carpeted study, Mainy placed herself one step behind the lord. It appeared to be a matter of curtesy, but the wink she gave Aster over the lord's shoulder made it more than clear that she had alternative reasons for wanting to be out of his direct sight.

A few heavy chairs were set in front of a redwood desk, one impressive cupboard to the side which showed the few perfunctory books and tidbits that proclaimed Von Emst to be a traveller of the known world. A shell of sorts rested on top of a pottery animal figurine. A couple of strange, wooden tools or objects were placed upright and a brightly coloured cup stood proudly in the middle.

The lord took a seat behind the desk and motioned for Aster to take one of those in front. "Well then, do elaborate."

He did not care about which words he used. In the full confidence that Mainy would translate his formal words into something Aster would understand, he rested back and waited.

[Aster Lu'ulnen]

’Pride, my boy…. It can drive a man to success or to failure…for nobility, these scales are very fragile and easily tipped. Be careful… His father’s word of warning rang in his ears as he looked at the knick-knacks for a moment before looking back at the man who addressed him.

Is it possible that he, unlike his daughter, understands Adhiel perfectly and is allowing Mainy to stay simply to observe how quickly and efficiently he can dispatch with one who tries to fool him via a translator? Aster weighed his options quickly and carefully, deciding to speak as if Lord Von Emst understood every word that he said perfectly, keeping his eyes focused mostly on the Lord and not on Mainy, for he could already imagine some of the expressions that she might make to what he had to say and, if he were going to pull the play off successfully, he needed to not be flustered in response to her reactions.

To begin the conversation, Aster gave a small formal bow and seated himself, retaining what he thought to be proper posture.

“Sir, I first met your daughter and Mainy upon the streets of Roque and spied a thief stealing away some of Mainy’s coins. I approached the ladies and I think, in doing so, scared him off before he could rob your daughter of even her dignity. However…”, Aster said, giving a small dramatic pause as he swallowed his smile once more. He made sure to speak slowly and calmly, always giving Mainy pause to translate. “I may be mistaken, of course, but I have come to believe that your daughter has become quite smitten with me and I fear that my lack of skills in your language have not made the fact clear to her that I am but a lowly actor and unfitting a suitor for her hand. To worsen the matter, I fear that the translations of my words through Mainy have been taken by her not as truth, but rather as a jealous twisting by her companion.”

“Inappropriate courtship aside, sir, as I stated, sir, I am here on business…” Aster continued without pause. “My employer wishes for me to learn the language of humans fairly quickly if I am to act within the troupe and Mainy has already proven herself to me to be a veritable master of both tongues and it is, sir…" Aster continued with a solemn look. “…this language barrier which brings me before you today, for I wish to hire Miss Mainy for the purpose of tutelage in both an effort to replace what the thief took as well as to help relieve some of the financial burden of the care of her and her family from your shoulders, allowing you to spend your money on something more worthwhile…” inwardly, he winced, for Mainy was anything but ‘worthless’ in his eyes. “…like a properly disciplined tutor in my tongue for Miss von Emst so that I may tell her in my own tongue that I am all wrong for her and so that she does not have to bear the burden of having to use another for translation, for I am sure that there are some dealings where the fewer ears listening the better, yes?”

“As for payment…” Aster continued, “I can afford a stipend for Mainy and perhaps something for you as well, if you are interested sir…” Aster leaned closer to Mr. von Emst and lowered his voice as if ensuring that the offer would not be overheard even though the translation still had to go through Mainy, his hand signaling for her to lower her voice momentarily as well. “I have been told often that a good name whispered into the right ears is far better than a handful of coins, is it not, sir?” Going with the flow of the ‘scene’, Aster allowed himself a solitary polite wink followed by a bowing nod of his head to signal that he had said his peace.

[Syra]

The first part of Aster's monologue was followed by a violent coughing fit from Mainy. Her cheeks went a bright red as she desperately tried to contain some dignity while shielding her employer from the indoor rain by keeping a hand in front of her mouth.

Lord Von Emst looked around and frowned. "Are you quite alright?" He inquired.

Mainy could do nothing more but nod and tried to catch her breath.

"Maybe some water..." The older man suggested.

This time she shook her head. "I'm fine, sir, thank you. Just a crumb caught in my throat." To prove her point she scraped her throat and continued to give a fair rendering of Aster's words.

This, of course, caused quite a change in the lord's face. His eyes sparkled dangerously as the man leaned slowly back into his chair. "Has she now...then I guess I will have to have a talk with my daughter. I am glad that you at least understand the sheer impossibility of the situation." Again the man shot a look back at Mainy, who could do nothing more but lift her shoulders in a gesture of innocent helplessness.

Allowing for a little translation time, lord Von Emst continued: "I see the benefits of keeping my daughter away from you, yet at the same time it seems she will need the very same tutoring that you seek...Now I wonder how that will fit together, you hiring away our girl while my daughter needs teaching." He frowned, looking at Aster. "You speak of whispers in the right ears. Yet my daughters outspoken words would have to take precedence."

Mainy translated, keeping her voice as neutral as possible and avoiding Aster's eyes.

[Aster Lu'ulnen]

Aster nodded at Lord Von Emst. “I think, sir, that in the case of your daughter and your servant, that your daughter may see her as more a peer than a mentor and that is part of her undoing as a pupil.” Aster kept his eyes locked on Lord Vom Emst's and did not allow his gaze to waver to Mainy. “I wish to hire out Mainy for her linguistics – she is a friendly face to me, yes, but I am an apt pupil with discipline under my belt, allowing me to focus on true lessons and not idle chatter about flowers and gossip. Your daughter, as per her position over Mainy, seems to be of the mindset to order away lessons if she desires gossip and garden walks instead and so it is my opinion...and just that...that perhaps your daughter's skills would flower more bountifully under the tutelage of someone a bit more advanced in yahren and a bit more strong-willed in following the task of training even the most willful of students.”

The bard's eyes narrowed a bit in thought for a flicker or two before he gave a small shrug and a smile. “Since Mainy is, of course, your property...” - oh how foul those words tasted on his tongue - “...perhaps you could suggest a price for her rental?”

[Syra]

The lord Von Emst fiddled with his moustache while Mainy was faithfully translating. Her eyes were sparkling dangerously as the words touched truth without actually holding the true story. Clearly she did not relish being spoken about as an object for hire.

The older man nodded thoughtfully. "I see you have given this some thought...and I understand how you would be able to afford her services whereas the scholars are beyond your reach."

The redhead stiffened, yet the words kept coming.

"I am sure we can come to something of an arrangement. How often were you planning on purchasing her services?" The lord folded his hands together. It was not such a bad thing to have Felicia away from Mainy for a while. The redhead was impulsive and prone to persuading his daughter to actions best left alone.

He surveyed his guest, his petitioner carefully. The words sounded neatly and at least the translations were truthful, that much the man could pick up on. Aster's manners were good enough and there was a promise he would not persue his daughter...yet something itched. Something did not seem entirely right.

Well, only one way to find out.

"If we are to agree on the rent, I will need to know days and marks, sir."

[Aster Lu'ulnen]

“I admit, sir, that only Mainy could answer that question...” Aster retorted with another polite bow, a prayer in his heart to Mother asking the benevolent deity to hold Mainy's tongue and nerves through the ordeal – to soothe the redhead's fears and anger and to trust in the odd Adheil before her. “I know that I must learn quickly and that I will try to adhere to the shortest of timetables, but as I obviously do not know just how much my language lacks, she would probably be the best judge.” Aster smiled at both Lord Von Emst and Mainy, giving the Lord the privilege of being the first receiver.

“Shall we say a comfortable trial of one uninterrupted tide after the parade?” Aster asked calmly. “She and I have yet to talk at any true length due to your daughter's somewhat distracting infatuation and busy schedule, and have yet to discuss the topic of my tutoring at all until just a short walk ago, and so perhaps she could assist us both in finding out how much of her time it would take so that you might propose a fitting price?”

Aster’s training, like most any actor’s, included many hours of practicing and perfecting expressions and, while he was not skilled in reading people per se, Aster felt that he could detect a little dubiousness in the Lord’s tones and eyes – which was something that he needed to combat, lest his ruse fail. It was a tricky venture at best, trying to say something through Mainy and yet let her know, subtly, that it was an act. “In the end, sir, our business matters here today are like a ball or gala. I, the guest, wish to ‘dance’ with Mainy. She will decide if she wishes to dance at all and at what tempo. And you, sir, as the host will decide what tune shall be played and have final say on if we should dance at all, yes?”

Aster pressed the palms of his hands together to hide the sheen of sweat that he could feel building up on them from the tension. “All I desire, sir, is this dance of tutoring, I assure you. Had I other intentions…” he continued, stealing a glance at Mainy in an effort to convince her ‘surrogate father’ that he was discouraging any fraternization while trying to make Mainy think of all of the small things, like his interest in her over the first meal, his words at the Gardens, and his arm during the walk. “…I would have made them evident by now.”

His gaze returned to Lord Von Emst’s as he awaited the translations to come to a close and for a reply to be issued.

[Syra]

Lord von Emst folded his hands together. "I see." He said and turned around, looking at Mainy as she translated the last bit of Aster's proposal. "I see..."

Suddenly the source of his suspicions became very clear indeed: why would a poor man like Aster be willing to pay for a tutor when undoubtedly the bards and other streetperformers would have their own ways of acquairing what they needed? Why would he go through such troubles when there would be any number of singers or actors who'd be jumping at the chance of making an extra coin?

Mainy kept her eyes safely on the sturdy desk, her hands tightly clasped behind her back.

And yet, if anything else is going on behind the scenes, then who am I to object? If anything is going on between this man and my daughter, I'll have him incarcerated for rape. If it's Mainy he is after, good riddance. Felicia will just have to find herself a proper maiden.

The man did not have much time, yet as Aster himself had mentioned: information was a treasure and as such it would be good to know what went on, when it happened and with whom.

"I will allow this." He sounded magnanimously, spreading his arms. "It is good that you would wish to learn to speak both Roque's languages. You will have your trial tide and afterwards we will agree on the bargain."

As Mainy translated her face reflected her surprise -and suspicion- at the sudden generosity of her employer. She opened her mouth when there was nothing to be translated and took the quick breath of one about to speak...looked at Aster and thought the better of it.

"Mainy, do you agree?" The lord asked as an afterthought.

If looks could kill...but it only lasted a flicker before the polite mask was back on. "Sir, I will try to teach him if he is not completely hopeless." She smirked.

"Very well. Then our business will continue another day." The lord got up from his chair and beckoned the two to follow him out of the room.

[Aster Lu'ulnen]

Aster was as shocked as Mainy that his little plan had worked, his pointed ears twitching slightly as they awaited the dreaded flicker when the Lord decided to turn to Aster and announce the decision as a joke, tossing the bard out onto one of them. Yet flicker by flicker passed as the man spoke to Mainy with all seriousness, the redhead’s business picking up where the bard’s business had ended.

Had it, indeed, come to pass that he would finally get five burns alone with Mainy to get to know her better?

He caught Mainy’s tone and words fairly well, and hoped that it was indeed a joke and that he had not just spent the past few burns insulting her to her face and giving her yet another chore to do instead of a little more freedom. He had every intention of being an apt pupil – the faster he learned, the better for his trade and the more ‘lesson time’ could be spent learning the language of Mainy.

With a small smile and shrug, he fell into place behind Mainy, following the two out, doing his best to keep a wide smile from peeking out of the cover of his lips to wave at Felicaia with thirty-two non-moving ivory arms because his joy at succeeding doubled the very flicker the doors opened, knowing that he had…for one small battle…bested Felicia at her own game.

And it was worth it. Every last flicker of uncertainty and fear was worth it just for that knowledge alone.

[Syra]

The moment the little parade entered the living room Felicia's head jerked around to take notice of their expressions. Upon seeing the teethy smile, her face fell, loosing the glow of impending victory which had been hovering over her ever since Aster made his proposal.

Her next look was aimed at her father, who took his time rearranging his neat vest before responding to the curious looks. "Felicia, you'll have to manage with a little less Mainy around. It appears she might be teaching the young fellow here." He pointed out Aster.

Felicia's mouth fell open.
Mainy smirked.
There really was no other word.
She smirked like the proverbial cat who ate the equally proverbial canary.

"We shall meet again the day after tomorrow." The lord coninued. "To see if this is of any use or not."

"But father!" Felicia protested, trying to find the right words to convince her father of a terrible wrong. "This man has been stalking us for days! You...you cannot leave Mainy in his hands?"

There, the dangerous glare was back in the blond's eyes. If she could not stop the teaching idea, she could at least make it seem like Aster was a homocidal maniac of some proportion.

[Aster Lu'ulnen]

Aster was disappointed in himself for not being able to keep a straight face after his ordeal and saw, once again, that Felicia could undermine it all just through the power of a simple tantrum. Not wanting to sink to her level, however, Aster fought to straighten his expression and nodded in Felicia’s direction, returning his gaze to her father within a flicker.

“Aster…I…have met them on twice occasions…” Aster said in Human, slow in words but fast in thought. “Once time with thief that I speaked of and once time in gardens no more than mark ago.” He gave a small shrug, being honest – if not wholly forthcoming with the details. “I not…stalk, Aster not think. Stalk is follow, yes?” The latter question was aimed at Mainy for assurance that he was not misunderstanding Felicia’s accusations.

“If stalk mean follow, I not know Mainy and Felicia when first once I meet happen…” He gave another shrug coupled with a small shake of his head. “How Aster stalk one he not see until first meet?” He kept his voice calm and his mask of wide-eyed innocence in place as he continued. “When next I once meet, I sitting in gardens, knowing that girls may be there, but look at roses, not for girls…”

He gave a small sigh and continued with yet another shrug. “Yes, Aster know before garden that he need mentor for learn, but not until Mainy and Felicia walk up on Aster’s seat did Aster think of ask Mainy for mentor help.” His eyes crossed every face in the room in one broad sweep, from Felicia, around, and back again, lingering for half a flicker before returning once again to her father. “Maybe Aster confused on word ‘follow’, because Aster think that Felicia and Mainy follow he, since he sitting at rose bush first?” His eyes moved back to Mainy for confirmation again, the wispy bard trying his damndest to keep a sparkle out of his eyes which longed to be a signal to Mainy to bury the blonde where she stood.

“Or…” Aster offered, looking back at the father a third time. “Could be…problem…that Aster mention before?”, he shrugged, implying the ruse that he had put out to the man that his daughter was the one with the unorthodox infatuation.

[Syra]

It was definitely the last sentence that did it. Lord von Emst's eyes flashed up at the mention of that delicate situation and he nodded thoughtfully.

Felicia was trying to follow Aster's reasoning in crooked sentences. Her eyes were flashing from the Adhiel to her father and back, trying to make sense of whatever it was the horrid young man was implying. Yet her father kept a face made out of solid marble and did not reveal the tiniest hint.

"Father, what is he talking about!" The girl demanded, nearly stomping her foot on the ground.

"It seems to me that the definition of stalking is in his favour, dear." the lord replied, twirling his moustache. "As for any other concerns, they need not worry you."

"Ughegugheugh!" Mainy fell into a perfectly timed coughing fit, granting herself a chance to explain her red cheeks and chortling sounds away by pointing at her chest and coughing a little more behind her hand.

"Well then, mister Lulnen. We will speak later. Enjoy your stay." Alright, so there was a working relationship of some kind, but it would have gone too far for the lord to actually shake hands with this...actor. So he gave Aster a polite little nod, clearly expecting the pointy eared youth to leave his house now.

Mainy took it upon herself to show him back to the front door, slowly getting back to her normal colour and breathing. "Wasn't that interesting." She mumbled.

[Aster Lu'ulnen]

Aster followed Mainy to the door after a trio of polite bows and well-wishes to each member of the Von Emst family individually – only two of which he meant – and allowed his smile to broaden as he turned from Felica and walked away. When they arrived at the door and Mainy breathed her peace, Aster turned to her with a smile and a deeper bow, taking her hand for a kiss if she allowed it. “I will explain myself fully when ours are the only ears listening.” Aster offered in muted Adhiel, giving Mainy a small wink. “For now, let me just say that in life, as well as my line of work, it is often far easier to ask forgiveness than permission, yes?”

As if to provide physical proof of his statement, Aster held up a quickly and sneakily pilfered rosebud from the sacred Gardens, plucked sans stem while he had recited his poem to her for easier concealment although a trained thief he was not and (hopefully) Mother had thought well to smile on the poetic fool and Aster would not be meeting with guards demanding restitution for the minor theft.

“A tide then, after the Parrot Parrade?” Aster asked before stepping through the doorway. “My need for your tutoring is true – worry not, even if my wording was not.” With those words, a final bow, and a lightly blown kiss, Aster Lu’Ulnen walked back toward the Dog’s Inn with a smile that would take a Half-Giant wielding a sledgehammer to remove.

[Turi]

lovely read!

locked, skilled, archived