debonairmonk (debonairmonk) wrote in emillion, @ 2015-02-27 15:50:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, !log, !plot: faram's mass, arielle chiaro, aspel cassul, drake liu |
Who: Drake, Aspel, Ari, and a bunch of NPCs
What: Visiting Drake’s family for the holidays (Part 2)
Where: Mostly someplace in Ordalia
When: Capricorn 1-5 (December 23-27, 2015)
Rating: PG-ish
Status: Complete
(Capricorn 2) He had woken up exactly a minute before Luis knocked and let himself in. Drake looked up at his stepfather from the naked mattress - he’d managed to find an oversized gi top that he’d used as a blanket - and sighed. “Did she have to hide the bedding?” Luiz shrugged. “The bed in your grandmother’s room is big enough for all three of you. And it has an actual comforter. If you can’t get through training this morning because your feet feel like a first year mage practiced Blizzard on them all day, then that’s going to suck for you.” Drake rolled out off of the bed and stood, stretching. “Give me five minutes,” he said, resigned. And pointedly ignoring the probing question about why he’d slept in his old room rather than with his girlfriends. Lovers. Whatever. One of these days, he was going to figure out labels. Or maybe not. Who needed labels, anyway? If you labeled something, then the label would be expected to evolve, and the ultimate evolution was marriage and man, maybe he’d be better off with a first year mage practicing Fire on him to get rid of the cold wave of dread that enveloped him at that thought. “By the way, you didn’t tell your mom all three of you were dating.” Oh, no. “What do you mean?” Maybe if he played dumb…. Luiz raised his eyebrows in a look that clearly meant Drake wasn’t fooling anyone. “Nice try. I fixed that for you, but don’t be surprised if you mom starts sending you things on three way commitment ceremonies. I’m pretty sure that there’s a sect of one of the old religions in the area that still practices it.” Luiz’s smile wasn’t comforting. Which was probably the point. Drake slumped his shoulders and resigned himself to his fate. Aspel had woken at what felt a mostly normal time. Yet when she turned to see what time it really was… Well… Had she been that tired…? Perhaps it was the traveling… Or her age… Or…. Wait. Right. Timezones. Sighing, the smith had debated getting out of bed, but instead stayed lounging for another hour. However, a time would come where - with reservation - she finally untangled herself from the bed, and the bard. This may be the only time she’d get alone the entire trip, and well… It was warm enough to take a nice leisurely run that would keep her away from the house for a couple hours… Wasn’t it? With that in mind Aspel had dressed, prepped, strapped on only a few pieces of her black armor (breastplate, arm guards, and shin guards) before exiting the room, and beginning to make her way through the house. She probably ought to tell someone she was going out for a bit but… That was when she saw Jie. “Ah,” A beat. “Pardon.” Another pause to allow the woman time to respond. “Are there any particular rules, or trails to be aware of in regards to the local area for those who wish to engage in a run?” Jie was finishing her tea when Aspel emerged. Quietly, Jie wondered if Aspel’s polite manner was because she was truly attempting to be polite, or if this was how she always acted. Either way, it was refreshing to know that her son was at least gentlemanly enough to attract the attention of an attractive, polite young woman. “Trails? There are two that start behind the house, although one of them is a bit precarious this time of year. I fear you’d be better served on the slightly shorter, yet better maintained one.” She stood. “If you do not mind the company, I was about to go on a run myself. I’m afraid I had a rather slow start this morning.” Her run was usually completed by this time of day, but Luiz had not woken her when he’d risen, probably because he did not wish to subject Drake to the lecture that she had all but prepared for him. Faram’s sake, she had gone through the trouble of preparing the guest room for all three of them, and had informed her son of this fact, and yet he chose to sleep on a bare mattress in a room two doors away. Honestly, whatever was wrong with that boy? Foiled again. There was a faint pause before Aspel offered Drake’s mother a smile. “Of course.” How the hell was she going to avoid awkwardness in this now? “I am not particularly knowledgeable of this region of Ordalia, so perhaps - if you would be willing - you can assist me in better understanding the area?” A glance was given towards the door before deciding to go ahead and move towards it. “You are, of course, welcome to deny such a request if there is another topic of interest you believe would be more beneficial.” The door was pulled open, and Aspel habitually stepped off to one side while holding it open, and waiting for Jie to come through as well. “I am certain there will likely be plenty of time for stories yet to come.” Once again, Jie marveled at Aspel’s manners. Yes, she could grow to like this woman, not that she would not have tried regardless - the loves of her son would always be welcomed in her home, and she would never be so uncouth as to be anything but pleasant - but it was far more comfortable to deal with someone as pleasant as Aspel. “If there is anything in particular you would prefer to know, I shall do my best to answer. I fear that, as I have lived here my entire life, I do not quite know what would be of interest.” She stepped outside and looked at the sky. It was clear and blue, and the weather was mild enough that the run would be pleasant despite the kilometers. “And please take that as an invitation to ask about anything, even if it is not about history or interest in this area. I have not had the chance to tell embarrassing stories about my son to his lovers in the past, and I hear it is a trial that all young men must endure.” There was a sparkle in her eye as she said this, and she led the way around the house to where the trails began. A simple nod was given to Jie as the smith mulled over what potential things she could possibly ask. Thoughts of local holidays, games, and important milestones in their lives came to mind almost instantly as she often knew how terribly she herself missed such small graces in Emillion, but at the next offer a short, genuine laugh emerged with a slightly mischievous smile being only partly repressed while she followed the other woman around the house. The panic that instantly surged through her entire being regarding being called a lover would be shook off for now the best she could… That would be panicked over later, surely. “How you tempt.” There was undoubtedly amusement lingering in her tone with the comment. “Let us start with something simple to being though before delving into such territory.” There was a pause because Aspel found she couldn’t resist the urge to add. “Besides, I am certain it would be far more pleasing to share such stories in front of him, no?” A beat. “Unless you prefer to sneak them around in such a manner that he is blindsided by them far after the fact?” Jie laughed. “I suppose watching his discomfort would bring a certain kind of pleasure, so perhaps at dinner this eve?” Tavian would be joining them, as was tradition, and he would be sure to add additional stories that she might forget. Luiz, she was sure, would also have some of Drake as a squire that would be entertaining. “His father takes a great deal of pleasure in his son’s discomfort, and I am certain that he would be distraught to learn he missed telling tales of his precious Drake.” The landscape opened up and Jie did a quick set of stretches. “This path is about 21 kilometers. If there is a specific distance you prefer to go, do let me know and I will be sure to stop us once it is time to turn around. I usually do the entire trail in the mornings.” “Certainly, that would seem opportune. Everyone would be able to appropriately engage.” Drake may hate her later for this one, but Aspel couldn’t help but be terribly amused by the thought of it all. “Ah, then certainly we can not leave him out, no?” And the amusement continued to linger despite herself once again. Dear Faram. Aspel did her best to assure her eyes didn’t bug out of her skull. The most she had ever punished any squire with had been sixteen, and even that had been challenging for her near the end with her armor on. Drake’s mother did forty-two a day? “Does the path loop around?” A beat. “Or is it a straight line out and back?” “It loops around. It’s about ten and a half kilometers out, and the same back. The other trail, which is only truly safe during summer, is 18 kilometers out, 18 kilometers back.” There was a sincere desire to attempt the entire run, to prove herself - in some strange, twisted way - to Drake’s mother to not be some sort of slouch, but… Faram. That was five more than she ran on her longest days normally. Had she run it? Once or twice, but that had been… Well, murdering herself on a trip to visit Drake’s mother didn’t seem like a good idea, but… “I must admit it is a bit further than I normally go.” There was something apologetic, and sheepish in the look offered the other woman as Aspel began to limber up herself. “However, I am up for the attempt if you are willing to humor me with it.” Jie’s smile was sympathetic. “It is a rather daunting distance, and I assure you I do not seek to exhaust you your first day here. Perhaps five out, five in?” Ten kilometers was far more manageable than twenty one. It would be a nice, easy run, then; she would convince Drake to do the entire trail with her that evening before dinner. Tavian would undoubtedly take over the kitchen at any rate, and no one would be allowed in. Even that was still a little high for Aspel, but far more manageable than the original proposition. “It sounds lovely.” Feeling a lot less horrified for her potential well being (When had that begun?) Aspel offered the other woman a smile. “Shall we?” It might have been better if it were earlier in Drake’s corner of Ordalia than in Emillion, but of course nothing about this trip could be convenient, and thus Ari found herself surfacing at last to see the bedside clock reading 2:08. Wonderful. Hopefully no one in this surprisingly Pharist household took the sin of sloth too seriously. She made herself presentable as quickly as possible, taking advantage of the empty bathroom. At least she owned more than enough clothing in the Ordalian fashion; she stepped out into the sunlit living area in the sort of light, breezy tunic and pants that likely dominated the closets of the women of the house (and maybe she’d fussed a little with the colors and with her hair, but wasn’t that normal, considering everyone in this house was likely judging and measuring each time they saw her?). The kitchen was empty, though there was a covered dish on the table, meant for her, no doubt. She didn’t even spare it more than a glance, as she had more important things on her mind. This was an Ordalian household, surely they had -- Ah-ha. Thus, circumstance found her brewing coffee in the cheery copper cezve she’d found hanging from a hook on the kitchen wall. She could only hope she wasn’t breaking some unspoken rule but… without coffee, she was going to fall flat on her face in the very first conversation she was required to have in this household, so the risk seemed justified. If Drake never returned home, Nia thought it wouldn’t be soon enough. She’d’d known him when they were younger, back when he was squired to her father, and even then she’d thought he was a waste of space and talent. Lady Hsu had favored him, so she’d been nice when they’d had to interact, and when he left for good, she couldn’t have been happier. The monk-wannabe had taken up more of her dad’s time than she liked, and with him gone, she hadn’t given him another thought. When her father had announced he was marrying Drake’s mother, though, she had prepared herself to have to be cordial, but she hadn’t expected him to have looked so… put together. And he was way more polite than he’d been as a kid, and so she thought maybe they could get along, but then he’d opened his mouth, and Hsu and her dad were fawning all over him - the prodigal son returned - and she’d decided then and there that no, she didn’t like him. At all. Then there was the fiasco with Liara, and damn if he hadn’t made the better decision, but there was no way she’d let him know that. But his attitude during the whole thing had made her dislike him more. And okay, the squash was just petty, but his crestfallen expression had been worth it. So when she had been told he’d be coming home with not one, but two girlfriends, she’d been prepared to hate them on sight. Except that Aspel looked like she could kick her ass without even a second thought (to be fair, Drake probably could, too, if she didn’t fight dirty), and Ari was just so…. cheerfully pleasant it was hard for her to decide if she hated the other woman or wanted to like her. She’d slept in and stumbled into the kitchen; there was a covered plate on the table - probably remnants of whatever food Drake passed off as breakfast - and the glorious smell of coffee. Attached to the coffee, however, was Ari. Nia could turn around and get coffee somewhere else, or she could suck it up and be nice for the time it took to get a cup of glorious life-creating liquid. Fuck it. Coffee trumped almost everything. “Afternoon.” Damn it -- apparently, not everyone in this house was an early riser with important things to do. Ari had put a pleasant expression on her face before she turned to behold the eternally grumpy stepsister, who looked as though she’d just rolled out of bed. “It is, isn’t it?” Ari gave a light, slightly self-deprecating laugh. “It seems the time difference has defeated me, but I’m trying to make a proper, if belated, start on the day. I hope you don’t mind my commandeering your kitchen.” Then (somehow, without a sigh of regret -- the cezve was small enough that it would make only one cup at a time, so her own caffeination would just have to wait), she offered, “Would you like a cup of coffee? I’m nearly done.” Jie would kick her ass if she was rude to a guest, so she shrugged and said “I’ll take the next cup.” At least the cezve was heated up - a second cup wouldn’t take as long as brewing the first. “And I couldn’t care less what you do in the kitchen. Jie’s the one who gets uptight about guests doing things for themselves. I figure you’ve got two arms and legs, and they work, so why shouldn’t you?” Okay, maybe she should have kept talking to a minimum before coffee, but whatever. Not like Jie was here to scold her. She removed the plastic from the plate - perfectly portioned for two people. Nia rolled her eyes. “Is he always this considerate?” “As you like.” But Ari couldn’t deny that the stepsister had risen considerably in her estimation for giving up the first cup, even if it might be fear of her stepmother motivating her. She picked up the cezve to pour its contents into the cup she had prepared, then, taking a sip, began making the second batch immediately, before she could be replaced at the stove. After all, her arms and legs worked, so why shouldn’t she? The first sip of coffee had her sighing in relief; she was going to be much more herself presently. She looked over her shoulder at the contents of the plate, and to her credit, didn’t laugh at Nia’s apparent surprise. “If you are asking, do I wake up to this sort of breakfast often, I’ll say, more often than not. I tend to forget to eat it, otherwise.” Leave it to her stepbrother to be some weird version of charming. “He doesn’t really come home much, so I’ve got no clue what he’s like most of the time.” Except annoying as hell. She watched as Ari prepared the second cup and picked up a piece of cheese. “So, what do you do?” “Sing, mostly. I’m a bard.” And in this household, that might be a weighted statement, but she played squeaky-clean in Emillion, too; it wasn’t hard to carry that over. “Not much room to impress with feats of strength and daring, but I suppose it explains away at least some of my tendency to sleep through mornings. Here you go.” Second cup in hand, she made her way to the table, set it down along with her own, then selected a piece of bread from the plate. Another sip, and she added, “Ordalian coffee always tastes better in Ordalia; I’ve never been able to work out why. Maybe it’s the water.” Nia grabbed the cup with a nod of appreciation and took the first sip. Which was heavenly. If coffee didn’t taste like this out of Ordalia, then she didn’t need to leave. “Wouldn’t know. I’ve never left the city.” Another sip, and she could feel life returning to her. Jie might talk about Faram, but as far as Nia was concerned, good coffee was the only true god. “Bard, huh?” Leave it to Drake to get involved with Guild elsewhere. If the guild in Emillion was anything like the one here, then Drake probably didn’t even realize there was a shadier side. Which still made Hsu’s choice to let him pick the new head of the Guild rankle. “Drake seems to get involved with a lot of… bards.” Technically, Greigor was a ninja, but he’d trained as one originally. From what Nia had heard, he had a nice voice. At least, that was what Anora said whenever she tried to get him to perform. Now Ari’s smile was genuine -- and just a bit amused. The pregnant pause before Nia’s utterance of bards told her all she needed to know. “Well,” she said, “we’re ever so amusing and far better than anyone else at livening things up. Besides, it seems to run in the family, even if Drake was not graced with… a fine singing voice. Everyone has flaws, I suppose.” Nia snorted. “Poor Lady Hsu. A grandson who can’t sing. I guess it’s for the best Jie talked him into the fighter track. I hear Hsu was on Tav’s side, trying to get him to go corsair. Even had a mentor lined up for him.” She shook her head. “Even though he wasn’t guild, he had more influence as an outsider than any of the councilors did,” she muttered. Considering Nia was being uncommonly forthcoming to a relative stranger, Ari said, “From what I’ve heard, I would have quite liked Lady Hsu.” And been utterly terrified by her all at the same time -- but regardless, of course, she would never meet her now. “Ah, well, Drake is good at what he does, so it seems to be for the best. I entertained dreams of being a corsair once -- likewise dashed.” Her cup of coffee was now about halfway gone, and she was feeling more like her usual self. She leaned back in her chair and shrugged. “Lady Hsu was an amazing person.” The Spymaster had to be; it was why, despite Greigor managing to not mess shit up, she still would have preferred Liara. At least Liara had style. “Drake would have been a crap corsair. According to Tav, he gets seasick.” “So I’ve heard,” Ari said, continuing to pick at the plate of food, which was quickly disappearing. It wasn’t the only reason he’d have made a terrible corsair -- far too honest, was Drake -- but she kept that opinion to herself. She sipped again at her coffee -- alas, completely gone now -- and said, “Ah, well. As I said, it seems to be for the best. More importantly,” at least for the moment, because she didn’t want to be in this kitchen long enough for it to be discovered that coffee was the only thing she could make, “what are the local traditions regarding what one ought to do with oneself on Faram’s Mass Eve? Because I do believe we’ve been abandoned by everyone else.” Which suited her just fine -- and increasingly-less-grumpy Nia would do quite well for a companion, especially considering she was apparently Guild and likely had a sense of fun stashed away. Somewhere. “Papa and Drake’ll be out training until sunset, probably. Tav should be here in another hour and take over the kitchen. Jie spends the afternoon praying, since Faram is the reason for the holiday or whatever. I’m heading out to the Theatre. A bunch of us are doing a pre-game thing before we’re stuck being sensible and responsible. There’s actual alcohol there, unlike the wine here.” She eyed Ari. The bard might not be Guild here, but she was Guild somewhere, and wouldn’t it just piss Drake off if she got along with one of his harem? “If you want to have actual fun before all of the boring shit happens, you can come with.” It just had to be, that of Drake’s entire family, Ari would get along with the loathed stepsibling best. She grinned (Drake would be annoyed, and she was annoyed about the going-to-church thing, so he kind of deserved it) and said, “Let me just fetch my bag, then.” When Tavian had finally gotten in, the house was empty, save for Jie, who had her bag and was heading out. He wished her a happy Faram’s Mass Eve, told her to have fun at the church function (she had always disapproved of his refusal to attend mass), and kicked off his shoes before heading into the kitchen. The fridge was well stocked, the dishes were clean, and everything was ready for him to start getting dinner ready. Just like he liked it. He knew Drake was around somewhere - probably with Luiz, and he had only been mildly surprised that it didn’t hurt to know Drake had another father figure. It probably had to do with the fact that Tavian himself had hardly been around; the life of a corsair meant traveling, and while he had wanted to stay with Jie and Drake, the sea had called to him, and work had to be done. The decades old regrets were pushed away (like the one that cheerfully reminded him at Faram’s Mass that this could have been his life if he had only been willing to give it all up) and he put on Jie’s apron and got started. The day was a mess. Everyone seemed in and out, running this way and that. Admittedly, Aspel wasn’t terribly different as she kept trying to make absent grabs at either time by herself, or with Drake or Ari solely. While the smith was more than capable of being a social creature, and in fact did sincerely enjoy being social, being in such a high stress situation, and needing to be social at once made her desperately long - and seek out opportunities for - the mere chance at solitude. That hope was once again dashed as she entered - what had appeared from outside to be an empty house - only to find that she could hear someone moving around in the kitchen. Her best try at not sighing heavily in defeat was taken, but it was… Not easy in the least. Perhaps, a glace was given down the hallway… No. No, she ought to be social, that was what this trip was about…. And not doing it half drunk would likely be ideal…. Even if that that was terribly appealing. With a sigh - not too loud though - Aspel put on her best, curious smile and headed for the kitchen to find…. Someone she didn’t know. “Good evening.” Who could this… Oh. The talk earlier with Jie came to mind. “I believe we have yet to meet. I am Sir Aspel Cassul, Emillion Fighter’s Guild Council.” A bow of her head was offered in greeting with a pleasant smile. “And you may be?” An eyebrow rose curiously, her voice still welcoming and light. She had an idea already, but… Well, it never hurt to allow a person to introduce themselves regardless. Tavian looked up from the simmering sauce at the woman who had just entered the kitchen. He grinned when he saw her and wiped his hands on the apron, crossing the floor to extend his hand in greeting. “Tavian, captain of the Winter Wench. Pleased to meet you, Sir Aspel Cassul.” There was a twinkle in his eye as he repeated her name. Drake had mentioned Aspel the last time he’d ported in Emillion, but when he’d asked his son to introduce them, Drake had blanched and made excuses. “I can see why Drake didn’t want me to meet you earlier,” Tavian laughed. “I’m afraid I have a weakness for a pretty lady.” “A pleasure.” A brief nod was offered along with her hand in position for a shake, and not a kiss. “Oh?” A curious brow rose, trying to suss out what the problem may be here before it was made terribly clear. A low, light huff of air mixed with a soft laugh, and Aspel smiled, clearly amused. “Terrible of him, quite clearly.” “He never likes to introduce me to people. Sometimes I think he’s ashamed of me,” Tavian quipped, shaking Aspel’s hand. “A pity, really, since I’m quite fond of the kid myself. But then, I’m sure everyone here is fond of him in one way or another.” He winked and released her hand. “Would you like anything to eat? Drink? I’m sure Jie hid the sherry from me, but I’ve got a flask of good old fashioned rum on me.” He’d been keeping an eye on the sauce, and it was starting to bubble. He gave Aspel an apologetic grin and hurried back to the stove. If he ruined it, he’d have to start over, and Jie would murder him in his sleep if he made dinner late because of it. Not a cheerful thought. “Or perhaps he has fear of being outclassed.” Aspel couldn’t help the mild, quite amused, tease. It was a jovial sort of response, and perhaps a bit of a flirt, but… It was simply in good fun which should easily be clear enough. However, the offer for rum instantly made Tavian nearly Aspel’s favorite person in the entire house. Certainly, he wouldn’t beat out Ari and Drake, but if he kept this up, he might just give them both a run for their money. There was a pause as she considered the offer. “I must admit, that does sound terribly tempting. I have a…” A glance was cast over to Tavian, debating how carefully she needed to chose her words around this man. “Fondness of a good drink.” There was many ways that could be taken, and quite honestly, if she needed to write it off later well… At least it was delivered in such a way that she easily could. No need to let Drake’s entire family know that she drank nightly… It wasn’t a big deal to her, so why should it be to them? A woman after his own heart. Jie would have just given him a hard look. He never understood teetotalers, and he was still sad that his son had taken after his mother in that. Not surprised, considering Jie’s and Hsu’s influence, but sad. He pulled the flask from his shoe - a gift from Drake for last Faram’s Mass - and grabbed a glass from the cabinet. He poured her a decent amount and motioned for her to come and grab it. “I haven’t met a fighter I couldn’t outdrink,” he told her, a wicked grin on his face. “On the sea, anyway. Drink up.” Aspel would wait a beat after the motion before making her way across the distance and taking up the glass. A brief whiff of the liquid would be taken in attempts to gauge its taste before she’d take her first sip. Though, his words - almost challenge really - brought out a slightly wicked smirk of her own. “If I have heard correctly, you have not sailed to Kerwon, no?” He laughed. “Kerwonian waters are a bit too… stringent on rules for me. I tend to stay in Ordalian and Valendian waters, myself. Let the more adventurous corsairs take on Kerwon.” Tavian shook his head, thinking about the one time he’d tried to take a mission in Kerwon; it had been for Hsu, and they’d barely gotten out without going to jail. “Ah, you clearly have not picked the right side of Kerwon.” A short laugh was given in response. Fighters weren’t all upstanding, law abiding citizens, anyone with a lick of sense should know that, and comments like that didn’t mean she was on either side of the fence really, but… Well. Aspel knew business, and she also knew mercenary work for the vast majority of her life so her morals weren’t exactly keyed perfectly to law… And quite frankly, they never would be. “I take you are a trader then?” The word trader had specifically been laid upon to indicate the well known double meaning of the single word. Aspel had known more than her fair share of Corsairs in her time. They often were the ones best suited for obtaining the types of metals she… sought. “Of some repute,” he agreed easily. “There aren’t a lot of traders out of this part of Ordalia. We’ve got a thriving theatre scene, though.” Hsu had been careful to keep the number of corsairs in her guild to a minimum; the fewer there were, the more easily they could be tracked. A smart move for a small town. He took a drag from his flask and wrinkled his nose. “Definitely not skimping on the alcohol, next time. Definitely buying the higher quality.” “Ah.” A beat fell as she took another sip of the rum. Not the best she’d ever had, but it would be certain to give her a buzz. “Then I must keep you in mind for the next time you take a run up about Emillion, no?” A soft smile was offered, this one not hiding anything or offering anything either. “I have a business I am attempting to keep alive you see.” The liquid was absently swished around in her glass. “A smith.” A beat. “It is quite difficult to find some of the metals I seek at times, and many of the corsairs I previously worked with seem to have… Chosen other locations to inhabit at this time.” Tavian shrugged. “Can’t say I blame them. I’ve heard there’s been some trouble in Emillion lately.” He’d tried to convince Drake to leave, but his son wouldn’t hear of it. He was glad the kid was so dedicated, but he also didn’t want him to wind up dead. Again. That was still something he was trying to accept - that his only son had died. “But, if you need anything, please feel free to contact me. I can never say no to pretty women or family.” “Ah.” There was a beat of silence then. In some regards it was pure madness to stay in Emillion, and Aspel wasn’t entirely sure why she had. Ultimately, she knew the answer, but it was - in some ways - still a hard pill to swallow no matter how she tried. The smith had opened her mouth to speak, but found no words came out when he specifically inserted the word family into that sentence as well. Her mouth closed, a moment passing before a smile re-emerged. “Certainly. Thank you for such a kind offer.” A beat. “I hope to never have severe need for it.” He smiled. “At any rate, if you need it, let me know. I hate to cut it short, but if I don’t have food on the table at precisely six o’clock, Jie will actually try to murder me. It’s all well and good to stay friends with your exes until you miss the dinner bell,” he joked. “Certainly.” An easy smile was given as she lifted the glass in a half toast gesture before tossing back the rest of the drink in one gulp without much of a thought. “Please do let me know if you need any help.” A beat as she realized what she had just offered. “With things outside of the kitchen as well.” Another beat. “I often find a sledge hammer does not work terribly well with preparing vegetables and meats.” A joke at herself, and if he got it or not, well… That would be a tale for another day. It was tempting to tease her, but he refrained. Barely. “I’ll let you know,” he told her. Jie was ready to leave at promptly an hour until Mass. When Drake had grudgingly trumped down the stairs, dressed sharply in a suit, Jie nodded in approval; he had gained a bit more muscle since his last visit, and there was little hope he would have fit into a suit of Luiz’s. Luiz was still rushing to get ready; Tavian would join them for morning mass. At least it felt very, very early. Ari would take her good news where she could get them. Mass would be terribly dull and preachy, no doubt, but with the time difference, she did not doubt her ability to remain alert and (outwardly) attentive, especially considering the cup of coffee she’d had (doctored with peppermint liqueur, just enough, because thank Ajora for the holiday) right before escaping to the guest room for a wardrobe change. Lucky, lucky Aspel got to stay home. Although she’d also have to wake up and go through the same thing in the morning, so Ari supposed she wasn’t that lucky. At least she got to enjoy the none-too-common sight of Drake in a suit. And her own dress was equal parts modest and fabulous enough to suit the occasion. It took her only ten minutes longer than promised to get ready (this was timely, in Ari’s book) and she would not allow the fact that she was resigned to something unpleasant show on her face as she approached Drake, wound her arm through his, and awaited direction. Drake squeezed Ari’s arm and gave her an apologetic smile. He was going to pay for this; he’d meant to warn her ahead of time, but it had slipped his mind. “Sorry,” he whispered, before turning to his mother, who was glaring at Luiz and Nia, who had appeared a moment after Ari. Ari would get a pass for being a little late; they knew better. “Shall we?” Jie asked. The collective group nodded, and the matriarch of the Liu-Flores family led the way out of the door and to the path that would lead them to the church. Never one to miss an opportunity to question, Jie turned to Ari. “Do you often attend the evening mass, Arielle?” Ari bit back the request -- it would have been the second -- not to be called by her full name. Somehow, she had a notion Jie had heard the first request and had chosen to ignore it, so what could she do? Play along, really -- what else was there? “Not as often as I ought,” she said easily, “which is a real shame, now that I consider it. It always makes for quite a spectacle, with the candles and the music and the crowd. I am looking forward to it.” No, she wasn’t. It hardly mattered, however. “I’m afraid our church is a bit less extravagant than that,” Jie replied. “The local bards often come to sing the mass, but I am certain that the caliber in a city such as Emillion will make them pale in comparison. Perhaps next year, I could come to visit you. I should very much like to experience a mass such as that. I do hope that you will find it pleasant, nevertheless.” “I am certain I will,” Ari said agreeably. “You will find Emillion quite chilly this time of year, but if you choose to visit, I am certain you will have an unforgettable holiday.” Hopefully in a few years. Enough time for Ari to have recovered from the trauma of this visit. “The weather will be a pleasant change from the constant warmth of a desert winter,” Jie smiled. “I have yet to visit Emillion. My son has been very frugal and yet he refuses to rent a place with enough space to house a guest.” She shot her son a pointed look. “Perhaps, if you are so worried about finances, a roommate or two would not be remiss.” Drake swallowed hard. “Oh look,” he said, the church coming into view. “We should go and get our seats. Come on, Ari, let’s go and get seats.” “Don’t worry,” Ari said under her breath as he pulled her away, “I could never live in your barren apartment, darling. In case you thought I might offer.” Which he likely didn’t, but she felt the need to clarify all the same. “It’s not barren,” he protested quietly, leading them through the doors. He thought he saw Greigor and quickly got them lost in the crowd before he could spot Drake. Faram help him. A hand fell on his shoulder and he turned to find Luiz. “Your mom wants one of the front pews,” he told Drake. Drake sighed and started maneuvering Ari to the front of the chamber and claimed an empty pew. A moment later, the rest of his family joined them. Drake made sure to sit between Ari and his mother. “Worried?” Ari murmured to him. There were a few people looking at them, she noted. She’d known Drake’s family was well-regarded, so she supposed it wasn’t so very surprising. “Darling, I’ll make you a wager -- I haven’t been in a church in half a decade, but I bet I know the responses better than you.” “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he murmured back. “And I’ll have you know Aspel dragging me to church means I know some of the responses.” He just hoped that instinct would kick in or his mother would kick him. This time, she allowed the amusement to shine through in her expression. “Oh, but darling,” she whispered, “don’t you know they change on the high holy days?” And before he could comment one way or the other, there was the sound of an organ, and everyone surged to their feet, so of course, they did too. The hymn was familiar like an old friend (the sort of friend, Ari thought, that she could have done a few more years without hearing -- of course, always, eternally Hamdel at Faram’s Mass) and she easily raised her voice to join the chorus and those of the congregation choosing to sing along. At the very least, she thought she’d make a fairly good case for her (imagined) piety. Bless her cantoring days. |