[Chyril 27th] Meeting at the Duck

[Eivlys]

She folded the note in her hand having read it again.

Milady,

Many yahren from now, it will be with great pleasure that I will recall the first night I had priviledge of attending one of your performances. I hope to attend at least a hundred more before such time has passed, as I will never tire of them - truly, the beauty and clarity of your voice is breathtaking.

What are you plans for tomorrow night? I realise it is forward of me to ask, but if you have no other engagements, will you do me the honour of joining me for dinner at the Drunken Duck? Amongst other things, I have a business proposition that I would very much like to discuss with you...

Your less-than-secret admirer,

Annais Mullendore

She picked out a dress in the same purple as the ribbon; she picked gold to accent it. Were her hair up with a gold netting and what gold jewelry she had on hand. It was not much a necklace that was just a thin chain with a star at the end, and two earrings. Gold could be a bit pricey. The dress was nice though, covered just enough, her shoulders were bare and the corset styled top had gold piping to make her look slimmer. Her skirt was huge, with many under skirts to fluff it up, the purple skirt was split in the front to show off a golden under skirt and to make it easier to sit.

She checked her makeup as the carriage stopped, touching up so her lips had just the right amount of red. Then stepped out at the Drunken Duck. It was an odd place for a formal meeting, but she did not complain. Business was business, and things were going slowly tonight. She had not booked anything as of yet, and could always look to sing here, if she needed to.

She entered the Duck, if Caleb wished to follow he would be kept close at hand. She looked for any sign of the man who summoned her here.

[Tristam]

Caleb hopped down from the carriage and led the way into the Duck. It was a moderately busy night with maybe half the seats filled. Eivlys happened to enter during once of those lulls in the chatter of the tavern so that to her it seemed that they grew quiet at her entrance. Much of the tavern looked idly to see who had entered and then lingered over her beauty. Among this group was the man she was to meet.

Annais Mullendore had chosen a quiet table off to the side with a clear view of the door. He had risen to greet her but did not move from the table in favor of watching her walk. His hands held a single red rose. was dark-haired and a little older, around Caleb and Amos' age, and obviously belonged to the decadently wealthy upper class of the city. He was dressed in deep burgundy with accents of silver and jet.

"I pride myself on my memory, my dear, but tonight it has let me down for you are even more beautiful than I remembered." Annais greeted her and offered her the rose. Please, be seated." The look he gave Caleb was clearly one of dismissal, but he stayed at her side until she said otherwise.

[Eivlys]

She moved through the crowd, seeing the man who had summoned her there. She glided to him as best she could, reaching out a delicate hand to take the red rose and placing it to her nose as she floated down to her seat. The crimson lips lifted in a smile as he complimented her, the words were meant to flatter, and in a way, they did, but they also put her on guard. He was one to try and use poetry to bait her, but she had known men who could make words dance like fairies to Pan’s music. He would have to work hard if he was going to take that road. “Sir, you should lead me to the sin of vanity with words like that. I am a humble girl in the presence of a man like you.” She told him, reaching out her hand to pat his arm.

“I could tell the instant I entered you are a man who is not common. A man who is well educated and refined such as you must have found it hard to meet me in such a common place, so you must be humble as well. A man of the people but not one of the people, this is the type of man who leads, yes?” She asked him as she summoned a barmaid. “So, my good Lord, do you wish me to sing for you this night?” She asked as she prepared to order her drink.

[Tristam]

Annais seemed a bit surprised as Eivlys described him as both both cultured and humble but there was more pleasure than surprise on his face. Truth be told, he had chosen the Duck because its kitchens were surprisingly adequate and it was more discreet than his usual upper class haunts. However, being placed on such a loftly pedestal as 'humble man of the people', Annais was not about to correct Eivlys though he did wonder if could live up to those words even for a short time.

Her question distracted him from such musings and Annais was back on more solid ground. "This night and for as many more as you will me grace me with your voice." Annais replied smoothly. The barmaid came over to the table at that point. She held a wine bottle of green glass and one of the kitchen boys tagged along behind her with a pair of glasses. "I took the liberty of bringing a bottle from my family's cellar." Annais explained. "It was laid down during a hot summer and the result is a superb vintage. Will you join me in a glass?" The question was clearly rhetorical as the barmaid was already pouring a deep red wine from the chilled bottle into the chilled glasses.

[Morg]

Archived without skilling due to player inactivity. PM me if you want to pick this back up.