The Patrician Residence for the Master of Protocol

Post by **Shaeliana** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 2:47 am

"How very astute of you m'lord," she smiled and took his wandering hand in hers. "Victims choose to be so. I would never leave my fate in the hands of others. That would be weakness." Lifting up his hand, she studied for a moment.

"Strong, capable hands sir," she purred softly. "It shall be interesting to see them in action," she smiled and placed it on his leg, still holding it.

"There is a glade outside the city, to the north. A cleared area that I believe once served as a sparring area for the scouts on the island. A large round rock is there as if it were a large round table. It is seldom visited and should make a perfect staging ground for our.. practice."

Lifting her wine glass to her lips, she watched the gentleman through her lashes, assessing his response to her suggestion when she noticed the definate presence of a rose scent. Smiling, she glanced about.

"What a lovely rose scent. You must have potpourri hidden somewhere? It smells so... fresh," the redhead turned her attention back to her host. "You must tell me who you purchase it from."

Andolin · Post by **Andolin** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 2:57 am

Excellent, by placing his hands back on his leg, she signaled that she would not be toyed with either. Yes, anticipation makes seduction so much more powerful.

Speaking of anticipation, Andolin found he needed to be in Isabella's arms as soon as possible. The attraction of Kitya and the desire that she ignited in him was akin to throwing oil on a fire. He dared not show Kitya he was anything other than strong, so he would need to have her leave soon so that he could seek out Isa at once to sate a ravenous appetite.

"Sounds like just the right place," he admitted. Just as he was about to announce that the evening was drawing late, she mentioned the rose scent. "You smell it too?" I thought it my imagination. "Perhaps the servants purchased some roses," he offered faintly. He stood up from the love seat and began to look around the room for the source of the fragrance.

Post by **Shaeliana** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 3:13 am

"Yes, for a potpourri it is quite strong, but delightfully so," she glanced about the room. "Flowers would have made sense, but I didn't notice an roses in the room, so assumed it had to be the other."

Standing, she set her glass on a nearby table and moved to a bronze box by the fireplace, a perfect hiding place for potpourri.

"It's probably hidden in a basket, bowl or vase somewhere," she moved to where he was looking.

Guenhwyfar · Post by **Guenhwyfar** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 3:30 am

As the two went in search of the mysterious potpourri, a house maid came in, looking decidedly anxious.

"Beggin' yer pardons, miladies, milord, but there's a matter that Lord Azarin needs t' address right now, if ye can excuse him," she said, dropping a quick curtsey, her uneducated accent slipping through her training in her nervousness.

Kitya found several interesting decorative boxes on the mantle of the fireplace.

Andolin · Post by **Andolin** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 3:39 am

He had thought the servants had left already, but perhaps it was for the best. Kitya was about to leave anyway.

"It is probably Caesar," he mused. He moved to join the maid outside the room. "Yes, now what is it?"

Guenhwyfar · Post by **Guenhwyfar** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 3:51 am

"Beggin' yer pardon, milord," the girl said again, "But I went to turn down yer bed before leavin', and the window was open, t' air out the room and all, since it's been so long unoccupied, and... well..." The girl looked at him and took a deep breath.

"I think someone's come in, milord," she said, flinching slightly. "There be leaves and some mud on the floor, sir, as if someone came in through the window, but I couldn't find no one, and none of the valuables in the room is touched, but..." She trailed off and looked at him, at a loss for words, and clearly in utter terror as she awaited his reaction, which she was certain would be sudden and violent.

Andolin · Post by **Andolin** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 3:56 am

An assassin, Andolin's paranoid mind flashed. It might just be a thief, but why take the chance? Now, where was his sabre and dagger? In his room. "Stay here with the lady," he instructed the maid. "I'll find the man."

He moved to the kitchen to procure a knife and then move as quietly as he could to his room to get his weapons. He listened for any noise that might reveal the intruder's location.

Guenhwyfar · Post by **Guenhwyfar** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 4:03 am

The maid nodded and went into the sitting room as ordered, rather quickly, given how relieved she was that Andolin had not fired her on the spot.

There were knives aplenty in the deserted kitchen. As he climbed to his room, the house was silent, all the other servants having already departed. In his chamber he found his weapons undisturbed, and saw the evidence the maid had spoken of. A few ivy leaves from the trellis outside, some loose dirt on the carpet. Nothing enough to give him a sense of how big the intruder was or where he had headed, though.

It was an old house, and big, and as he wandered through the hallway there were plenty of creaks and sighs as the wood settled in the cooling evening. But no sign of any intruder on the second floor.

Andolin · Post by **Andolin** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 4:08 am

Armed with his sabre drawn and his dagger in his belt, Andolin descended the stairs, where he went outside the sitting room. When he saw Kitya, he put his finger to his lips to keep her quiet, pointed to Cherise and then signaled for them both to come quietly into the hallway with him. He signaled again to move as quietly as possible. He did the same for the maid as well.

Post by **Shaeliana** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 4:15 am

At first, the redhead thought nothing about the maid's news despite her tone. Servants were often upset when the natural order of things was disturbed. Of course, their whole existence was making sure the order was not disrupted so it made sense. Moving back to the love seat, she had sat awaiting his return smiling at the returning maid and watching her cousin.

However, when she saw Andolin return armed a chill ran through her and she stood up and quietly walked out into the hall to him.

"What is it? I can't leave Cherise; she'd be no match for anyone."

Andolin · Post by **Andolin** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 4:21 am

"There is an intruder in the house. I need you to exit quietly," he whispered. "I can carry her, if you will hold my sabre, or you can wake her quietly and move quickly to your coach while I watch over you with my sword." He did not treat Kitya as a lady incapable of thinking. "Your choice," he offered.

Post by **Shaeliana** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 4:32 am

Eyes narrowing at the news of an intruder, Kitya shook her head solemnly. "I will wake Cherise," the lady said quietly. "She hasn't been carried to bed.. or to anywhere else for that matter... in a very long time. I am not sure how she might respond." Placing her hand on her host's arm, she looked up into his eyes.

"Thank you for this evening," she said. "I am sorry it ended this way, but the meal was delightful." Putting only a little more pressure on his arm, she turned and moved to wake her cousin up, coaxing her out of sleep by softly telling her it was time to go home now. Groggily, the blonde opened her eyes and blinked at Kitya.

"Time to go home?" she murmured. Kitya smiled and nodded, helping the girl to her feet.

Andolin · Post by **Andolin** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 6:05 am

"I apologize Kitya," he whispered. "Thank you. See you on the 10th," he whispered very softly. He watched as Kitya woke Cherise and began to escort her from the house. All the while, Andolin held his sabre at the ready, hoping that the thief or assassin would not choose this moment to strike. Signaling the maid to wait for him in the hallway, Andolin attempted to get his two guests out the door and hoped to watch them enter their coach.

Isabella Florentina · Post by **Isabella Florentina** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 8:20 am

All the while Isabella sat croached behind the loveseat, not daring to move, not even to take a peek. She was furious that obviously H.L. was allowing himself to be quite distracted by the redhead, wondering if his hands wandering where they should not since the conversation seemed to indicate something was going on. Her murderous thoughts alternated between killing Kitya on the spot with the dagger in her boot, or waiting to kill Andolin later. Yet she could not help but feel a deep an dark passion rise within her, even now wanting H.L. with a need born of desperation. Mine, mine, mine her mind screamed keep your paws off, mine.

Her heart was racing as Kitya mentioned the rose smell, suddenly realizing that she had forgotten all about the flower she had put in her belt and was now laying on top off. She was a Rose afterall, not a rogue. They are going to find me here, so embaressing. Isabella wanted to meet Kitya on her own terms, while fully in control and looking ravenously beautiful. Not like this, bedraggled and smutty. Isa dared not even to breath, and thanked her mischevious god for the timely arrival of the servant.

As soon as Andolin escorted Kitya and Cherise out of the room, Isabella jumped to her feet, and as softly as she could walked to the door, peeking through a crevice to see if they had vacated the hallway.

Andolin · Post by **Andolin** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 4:54 pm

OOC~ I am pausing for a mod to determine whether Isabella makes a noise with her boots on the floor, or is seen by the maid in the hallway. I assume that Andolin is at the front door watching that the ladies safely reach their coach (assuming Kitya moves for the coach), while not abandoning the maid to the intruder.

Post by **Shaeliana** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 5:50 pm

Quietly and as quickly as she could get the girl to move, Kitya lead her chaperone to the carriage and helped her inside. After a few flickers, the redhead closed the door and moved to the driver, gave him some terse words and stepping back waved him on his way. Standing with hands on her hips, she watched the carriage depart and mouth set in grim determination, she returned to the manor.

"It felt wrong somehow, leaving only you and your poor frightened maid here to fend on your own. I thought you could use another pair of eyes if nothing else m'lord," she explained as she returned.

"And while my earlier claim to prowess with a blade might have been exaggerated somewhat, I can handle myself and certainly would be a better back up than one of the housekeepers." Gone was the light flirty banter, replaced by a serious demeanor ready to deal with whatever they might find.

Andolin · Post by **Andolin** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 6:50 pm

OOC~

Shae you minx you.

IC~

Andolin nodded at Kitya's offer. He handed her his dagger, hilt first. If she was any good with a dagger and there was an assassin afoot, then it would not hurt to have a second blade. He knew that she was correct in that the only use for the maid was in her shouting if she saw something.

Still, by sending away her chaperone, Kitya was risking ruin to her reputation. He would need to protect her, more ways than one, he expected. Yet, he continued to feel waves of jealousy and guilt for some reason.

Isabella Florentina · Post by **Isabella Florentina** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 7:48 pm

Isabella blanched as she heard the redhead return. This was going all wrong, Isa realized. She should have confronted H.L. at an earlier stage, so that she wouldn't have to explain why she waited so long. It would have given her the moral upper hand. Now she stood the risk of being run down by this thief of hearts who was obviously far more proficient with weaponry than she was.

Real fear started pounding through her body, making her heart race. Quickly she withdrew the dagger from her boot. If push came to shove.. Maybe, just maybe, a quick dagger into this Redault woman will solve a problem a little voice in her head, green with envy, said. She wondered at the protectiveness she felt, but dismissed it.

Post by **Shaeliana** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 8:36 pm

OOC: Why... thank you!

hehe

IC:
Taking the dagger from Andolin, the redhead tested it's balance and weight in her hand then turned her attention to her surroundings and the intruder. Best case would be whoever it was had already fled. Worst case would mean having to use the dagger which meant close proximity fighting, something she was unused to. The rush of adrenaline in her system was exhilarating however, a feeling she always enjoyed.

"Where do you want to start searching first?" she asked almost in a whisper.

Andolin · Post by **Andolin** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 9:59 pm

"If it is a thief," he whispered in return, "he would seek out my bedroom, dining room or sitting room. If an assassin, he will lurk in the place that gains him the greatest advantage. I have already searched upstairs. He is either on the main level or in the servant quarters below the stairs. Of course, the intruder may have come and gone already." Andolin made sure that the front door was shut and locked, so the man could not easily escape without being heard.

"Perhaps we conduct a room by room search," he offered. "The sitting room, dining room, then kitchen. We will flush the man out." His mind was racing with who would want to kill him. The Major Domus, Ahren, or the coven were the only candidates he could name. Strangely, he kept thinking about Isabella ... like something was wrong with her. She may be in trouble! Might she have come over and the assassin attacked her? He could concoct a story easy enough to explain why Isabella might come over, but now he was getting worried.

Not expecting to see anything in the sitting room, since they had just come from there, Andolin led the way, with his sabre waving defensively. He assumed the maid would stay in the hall and call out if she saw someone.

Isabella Florentina · Sat Sep 13, 2003 11:53 pm

While Isabella couldn't hear a thing of what Andolin and Kitya were discussing it didn't take a genuis to figure out that they were walking back to the sitting room with weapons drawn.

Isa stepped back from the door horrified. She looked around the room for an escape route, her eyes settling on the curtains that were tightly drawn. The window, she thought, leaving as I came in. I can do this discussion with My Love later, when I'm back in control again. Her heart was racing as she checked what was behind the curtains, her mind a raging storm of confliction emotions of hate, fear, intense sadness and ravenous passion. It made her hand shake slightly as she touched the curtains.

Guenhwyfar · Post by **Guenhwyfar** » Sun Sep 14, 2003 4:05 am

THe maid, cowed, had seen the two women to the door then scurried upstairs to the second floor, and was currently nowhere to be seen.

Isabella's footsteps could not be heard, muffled as they were by the luxurious carpeting fitted to Lord Azarin's elevated station.

Kitya and Andolin could hear creaking from upstairs; whether it was footsteps or simply the house settling was unclear.

Behind the curtains in the sitting room Isabella saw a large window, bolted shut from the inside, which led out to the front of the house, where a footman waited by the main gate. There was about ten feet between the front of the house and the tall stone walls that enclosed it, and it was a few more feet to the left of the main entrance, in line with the gates leading out to the open street. The window through which Isabella had entered, and the wall she had climbed over, were in the back of the house, which she could only access by going out into the hallway and entering another room.

Andolin · Post by **Andolin** » Sun Sep 14, 2003 4:48 am

Feeling certain that he had already checked upstairs once, he decided to complete his sweep of the main floor, without the presence of the maid. Andolin led Kitya through the sitting room. Although he did not expect to find anyone there, they nevertheless needed to look for where a thief or assassin might be lurking in the room before passing on into the dining room again.

Isabella Florentina · Sun Sep 14, 2003 11:03 am

Isabella cursed under her breath. This window was no option. With a survival instinct that was not matched by her experience in such illicit proceedings, she dived for the door leading to the diningroom, through which she had spied H.L.. Gone was all subtlety, Isa just wanted to be out of here. Her only hope was to be able to run through the diningroom into the Hallway and up the stairs again, outrunning her persuers. For if that failed and she had to confront H.L. in such a bedraggled state, so totally out of control by the hurt he had caused her, she would die of shame. She would bluff of course, but inside she'd die.

Guenhwyfar · Post by **Guenhwyfar** » Sun Sep 14, 2003 7:04 pm

ooc: all right, you guys asked for it. All we need now is a wacky dog in a funny hat. Hijinx ensue!

Isabella charged through the heavy doors leading into the dining room just as the weapon-brandishing Kitya and Andolin came running into the sitting room in time to see a dark silhouette and the door slam shut again behind them.

The lovely carpets that provided such luxury underfoot did not make for easy running, unfortunately. Perhaps centuries hence someone would invent clever non-slip pads for rugs and the like -- but no civilized person would go running about a stately home like a bull in a china shop, so no such innovation had been deemed necessary of invention.

Isabella skidded on the edges of the carpet beneath the dining room table as she ran and slid into the table, whose sharp edge caught her up abruptly and knocked the wind out of her -- not enough to put her entirely out of commission but enough to make her lose a few crucial seconds as she became intimately acquainted with the lacquer of Andolin's table. Was that... veneer? Not even solid mahogany?

As Andolin charged through the sitting room, he also slipped on the carpet in that room , which slid across the floor, propelling him towards the door to the dining room rather more quickly and significantly less gracefully than he had hoped. Kitya, close behind, would have slid after him had it not been for the fetching low end-table imported from Kislovan at great expense and imported from its usual place by the sofa by Andolin's skidding about, an end table which had also been coveting a piece of the redheaded action, and thus rakishly inserted itself between Kitya and her chosen route.