Aspel Cassul: When in doubt, Aspel! (weaponry) wrote in emillion, @ 2013-06-07 00:23:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, !log, !thread, arielle chiaro, aspel cassul |
Near to you, I am healing, But it's taking so long....
Who: Aspel & Ari.
What: A dinner non-date.
Where: The Armory & Aspel's apartment.
When: After 7pm.
Rating: PG?
Status: Complete~!
The day had been terribly long. Aspel knew it would be, but that would be what would be required of her from now on. It was simply what being a member of high ranking and some power would mean. From here on, she would need to play games of mental, emotional and physical prowess in order to main the edge always required by those of such position. All of the time spent within Bahamut Hall had nearly made her head ache with pressure from stress and nearly over taxing her social agility. Her ability to move, transition smoothly between situations and people, attempting to assure that each felt as though they received proper treatment, and concern before moving on. The next few weeks would cement what sort of position she would hold, how people would view her and how they would react to her. Certainly, it would be important, vital to everything which she did to assure how solidly she responded to all events and queries. With those thoughts in mind, Aspel had arrived to the hall as early as she could manage and stayed most of the day. In slow instances, she had picked at her ECN device, or even excused herself for a brief moment here or there, but thankfully, by the time most would wander off to dinner, the majority of guests had seemed to scuttle off. At least, at this point, enough were gone that Aspel finally felt comfortable excusing herself for the evening. Her trip back to The Armory took a bit longer than she really would have desired with random conversation occurring along the way. Of course, people would feel congratulations would be in order and stopping her to talk about it when she was seen... Of course. Aspel repressed a sigh and managed to maneuver the conversations through to their ends as quickly as possible while still being polite as she could; which, thankfully, manners had rarely been a flaw with her upbringing. Unfortunately, due to this, Aspel ended arriving home nearly an hour later than planned. Upon closing the front door to The Armory a heavy sigh was let out, eyes closing and her back leaned against the door as the palm of her hand pressed firmly above one eyebrow, applying pressure. The smith would stand there for a bit, letting time pass by without much thought or attention. "Faram." The word was huffed out, before her hand fell away from her forehead, gaze dropping down to the shoes she had worn out that day. With a low grumble, they would be kicked off, one, then the other, and flicked off to the side of The Armory's door before she shifted, pulling herself away from the door a few steps as arms fell back to pull off the jacket she had worn to the gathering. Sighing, the jacket was flung to land on the counter without much thought. It wasn't like anyone was about to be coming in here aside from herself. The blouse she'd worn seemed terribly warm and perhaps a change into something more comfortable, loose fitting would be nice. With that thought, fingers worked at the buttons undoing them certainly, she could change before anything else would occur that evening and pulling the shirt out from where it had been neatly tucked, it was unbuttoned fully. A low grumble rolled through her brain and a slight groan slipped past her lips. "Fine, fine." Came the low, begrudging agreement as Aspel moved over to where her shoes had been kicked to, picking them up and then moving to retrieve the jacket. Of course, then came a knock at the door and the smith frowned. It was well past closing time and there was no way Ari would have arrived yet, eyes glanced over the clock, not thinking much of the time displayed as she began to slowly walk back into the storage room. There would be no time, or patience for such late shenanigans; could they not look at the clock and.... Wait. The time on the clock finally seemed to register in her brain about half way through the storage room. "Blast." Came the low, rushed and frustrated word as shoes and jacket where tossed on a recently received box and Aspel attempted to move back out into the front room quickly to answer the door. How had she not realized that the clock read 7:10 before? Ari's afternoon had been exactly as frustrating as she'd feared. Rehearsal held its own irritants, but it was after that the real trial had begun - wandering through the stacks of the library with a very enthusiastic Merri had netted nothing but further questions. There were, as it turned out, quite a number of obscure magical creatures, some of them even intelligent, elemental, and prone to rewarding the hapless adventurers who came upon them. Sadly, she had found no mention of anything that seemed like the beast that had, for reasons unknown, attached himself to her. He was a low bass rumble in the back of her mind, mostly, though sometimes that rumble became words. You're not listening, he had accused two days ago, the first really clear words she'd gotten out of him; she had dropped and broken her coffee cup, scalded her lap, ruined her leggings, and responded with, I am trying not to, and that had been that. She had taken to carrying the stone around, though. The fading of his voice when she was away from it was not worth his annoyance when she returned home to where she had left it. At least, with it tucked into an inside pocket on her vest, the headache had receded quite a bit. She still wasn't listening, but thought this could be considered a truce. Of a sort. Two hours in the library, then a mad dash to the crystal so as to make it mostly on time. She hastened her steps, feeling quite tired by the time she approached the door to The Armory. She was looking forward to some time in the quiet of Aspel's apartment - not to mention that the other woman's company would likely serve as a welcome distraction from her own muddled thoughts. She knocked, waited as she heard Aspel's steps approaching. Then the door opened. She knew her eyes had widened noticeably, felt certain that she gaped for a moment before schooling her expression back to something a little less shocked. "Not quite the greeting I was expecting," she managed, though certainly she was far closer to smiling now. Hard not to smile at Aspel with her bare feet and the line of skin exposed from navel to throat where her shirt gaped open. She bit her lip, had to consider whether this was some sort of invitation, but... Aspel's face looked worn, there was no teasing smirk in place, almost as if she had forgotten her state of dress entirely. "You may wish," Ari said after a moment, her tone laced liberally with amusement, "to let me in and close the door before people start making up wildly inaccurate - and flattering - stories about you." "My apologies," were the first low words, which were unintentionally half muttered simply because volume regulation, to some degree, was beginning to become an issue. "I had stepped away from the door." These words were also marred by the previous issue. Thankfully, however, when Aspel did have such problems it tended to be that she spoke softer, the assured nature with which she normally spoke a ghost, then not being able to muster as much air in her lungs or produce as much volume in her voice. "Hm?" Came the low, tired response, eyebrows beginning to knight together and mouth drawing into a bit of a line, as if the smith hadn't a clue what could possibly be the matter. In fact, another tell tale sign of her wits having left her would easily be that she had not stepped away from the door, allowing Ari ease of entrance at that point. Aspel blinked, still seeming to still be processing for a moment before her eyes ventured down, the confusion on her face finally clearing as she stepped back, pulling the door open for Ari to enter, and at the same time, glancing down at herself. Her own eyes would widen for a moment, a choked off noise before the door was closed as fast as possible while still assuring Ari had made it inside, words came out quick, even more clipped than normal by her accent. "My apologies." Fingers shifted down, moving to pull the shirt sides together, holding them there for a moment while her brain seemed to be desperately trying to catch up with the rest of the situation currently present. A clearing of her throat would be given. "You are welcome to continue forward and settle in," Fingers dipped, beginning to attempt to push the buttons back through the small slits in which they belonged. "I, unfortunately, have been unable to place our order yet." After fighting with the buttons a moment, seeming to have a bit of trouble fumbling with them, if out of embarrassment or sheer lack of brain power would be another matter altogether. Seeing the state Aspel was in, Ari did her best to smother the giggles that were trying to well up - covering her mouth with her hand for a moment to compose herself, her eyes merry, she watched the other woman's realization dawn, at which point she barely managed to slide under her arm and into the shop before the door was shut soundly. "You have no need to apologize," she pointed out; the view was not an unpleasant one, after all, and she had been right - she would certainly be distracted enough to forget her troubles, it seemed. She ignored the urging to go upstairs first and watched for a minute or so as Aspel struggled with her buttons. Seeing just how much of a problem this appeared to be, Ari stepped in and batted Aspel's hands away. "Let me," she said, taking only a moment to brush her fingers against the exposed skin just under the hollow of Aspel's throat, following the line of her sternum, before beginning to work her way down the buttons, closing them one by one. "Just this once," she said with an amused but rather sympathetic look, "I suppose I can help you get into your clothes instead of out of them." A light joke, really; the latter was not currently on the table, so she would content herself with the former. She had thought she was tired, but it seemed Aspel had requested comfort quite literally - Ari was rather impressed that she hadn't fallen face-down on the first flat surface and dropped out of consciousness. "It seems," she continued, "I don't have to ask whether you had a long day. Never mind, we can order something once we're upstairs, if you think you'll be awake long enough to eat it?" For the briefest moment, Aspel felt much like a chastised child; pathetic, useless and even a bit helpless on some level, as her hands were swatted away by Ari. Really, she could have done it, it only would have taken a few moments of time before... Lips parted to speak, to come up with some sort of rebuttal but no words came, no thoughts properly formed. However, at the feel of fingers touching against her skin and the prolonged, if in reality brief, contact caused a low, pleased hum to stick in her throat at the touch. Considering the relative quiet of the area, especially at this time of night, there wouldn't be much else to distract from such response. As the bards hands shifted, moving away from the contact and beginning to work at the buttons, the light joke caused Aspel to smile, and her eyes closed, with gazed dropped. "Thank you." Just as her words before, these came out low in volume and gentle once again, perhaps even displaying a bit of her own tender state within them because of it. "Mm." Was the faint interjection as Ari finished the sentence regarding Aspel's long day, but not before the other had finished speaking entirely. Eyes opened and her gaze would raise, looking over the bard, her eyes tired but her body seemed mostly together. The rest would be given a simple nod as the smith once more gestured towards the back idly. "That should not pose problem." Her voice was mildly more firm now and a moment would be waited to see if Ari moved upon her own device of needed some sort of additional prompting. Heading for the back, simple small talk would be picked up, ignoring the jacket and shoes left on the cargo box which was yet to be unpacked as they passed by the items towards the stairs that lead up. "You have not had a change in desire for meal preference, have you?" A glance would be given to the other woman as Aspel ascended the steps, unlocking the door at the top and stepping to hold the door open for the other woman so that she could move through. Waiting for the bard to be comfortably inside the apartment, only then would Aspel allow the door to swing shut behind them. "Would you like something to drink?" A brief glance was given at Ari, waiting a moment. "I fear, if I shall be of any remotely pleasant company this eve, I shall require tea," With a bow of her head the words ' please make yourself at home' slipped out with a wave of hand, and Aspel excused herself towards the kitchen. As she walked her voice raised a bit. "I also have menus for several locale restaurants that I know will deliver to this part of Emillion." A pause, as she had reached the kitchen and began to shift through items in the cupboards. "Yet, if you are still so inclined to humor my preferences for dinner, one that I have a menu for makes a fine roast lamb and vegetable platter that will arrive still steaming with heat." A pause, something being pulled out of the cupboard, feet shifting across the kitchen before the oven clicked and flame ignited, the metal of the tea pot clinking against the burner metal for a moment before she would reemerge, to lean, her shoulder against the door frame between kitchen and living room. "And..." Her head leaned against the doorframe as well, one arm crossing over her stomach so that fingers wrapped around the opposite side. "do feel free to inform me when I have become a bore." Ari's smile grew at the small, satisfied sound Aspel made when touched. Certainly, she thought for a moment about exploring the reaction - and she had spent enough time over the last few days thinking about it, if she were honest with herself - but considering Aspel's state she refrained from further action or commentary, though as she finished with the buttons, she did rise up on her toes to brush her lips against the other woman's, the lightest and most chaste of kisses before pulling away to continue the conversation as if nothing at all had occurred. When Aspel gestured for the back room and the stairs this time, she went without further complaint. She noted the jacket and shoes, wondered with idle curiosity whether Aspel often stripped down before ascending the stairs - well, why not, if the shop was closed? - but did not comment. "No change," she replied. "As I said, I am the least picky of eaters, so whatever would suit you best this evening will suit me equally well." At the offer of beverage, she sighed, but replied, "I think I will join you for tea tonight." She rarely drank it except when she was feeling unwell, but after the last few days, she rather felt as if she were a little ill. "If you'll brew enough for two? With plenty of sugar for me." As Aspel spoke up again from the kitchen, her voice pitched a bit louder, Ari trailed after her. "I can order it," she offered, seeing that the other woman was presently occupied with making tea. "This one?" She picked up the top menu among the stack pinned to the refrigerator, retreated back to the living room with it and curled into the corner of the loveseat. By the time Aspel returned with the statement about informing her when she became a bore, Ari already had the phone to her ear. She gave Aspel a slightly amused and exasperated look, but said nothing until she had put in the order and hung up. "As I've said before," she replied then, "I find that eventuality unlikely. Dinner should arrive in forty minutes, give or take." She thought of reminding Aspel to sit down, but with the kettle ostensibly boiling, she thought the other woman was likely better off on her feet for now, so that she could eventually sit down and stay down. The briefest hesitation would rise in her breathing when the faint feeling of lips touching her own was realized and something in her paused, waited for the rush, for the coming heat that had happened every other time they had kissed. Yet, Ari was not push, the force did not come and then the other woman was pulling away. Considering everything else that had occurred at this point it felt... Odd. Regardless, through the storeroom and up the stairs they went, only a noise of consideration and a nod given to Ari’s reaffirmed voicing of her lack of preference. It almost... Seemed a bit queer that the other woman seemed to have so little concern regarding what she ate. Though perhaps, that was simply due to their differences in upbringing... Whatever those may be. "As you wish." Was the simple reply, no malice, hesitance, removal of personal values or opinions were within the words, as sometimes was the case when they were spoken. That brief phrase was practically as ingrained a tick as 'curious' at this point, yet that much more passive commentary assisted in getting her out of trouble without provoking situations a bit easier if she were honest with herself. "Certainly, a tea preference?" Brewing for two would be of no concern at all, but there was the matter that she had a few different mixtures. Not as many as she could, but the variation on options helped some nights more than a warm bath or good story could in easing her nerves and relaxing her muscles. "I have a green with blueberry, white with peach and standard black." A moment would be given before the appropriate leaves would be retrieved. A glance was cast in Ari's direction at the question regarding the menu. The one the bard was point at would earn a brief nod and a confirmatory "Mm." before the smith turned back to tending to setting up their drinks. "You are quite fond of sugar, no?" It seemed to be a constant in a lot of things Ari partook in from what Aspel could tell at this point, though admittedly, it wasn't as if she'd particularly indulged in knowledge of the other woman's eating and drinking habits up until recently either. At the exasperated look, a tired and mildly apologetic smile was offered, but otherwise Aspel would remain silent until the other woman was off the phone once again. Briefly, Aspel would consider the amount of time which they would need to pass before food even arrived and suddenly everything she was wearing felt terribly uncomfortable. Which, it had earlier, but while trying to get things set up and allowing Ari to become settled in for the eve, the smith had managed to shuck off such feelings of discomfort for the time. "Would you be terribly offended if I," A pause would be taken, Aspel wetting her lips for a moment, brain realizing that perhaps she should be careful with the following words just seconds before 'slipped into something more comfortable' was stopped before coming out. "changed? I fear I have been stuck in this outfit all day and it has outworn its," comfort "use." A brief smile was offered at Ari once more before confirmation and then a bow of her head would be given and the smith pulled herself from the doorway, dismissing herself from the room. Once again, a brief commentary of Ari feeling free to get comfortable was given and into her bedroom Aspel would go; in attempts to find something to appropriately change into. Ari almost replied that she had no preferences when it came to tea, but curbed the instinct; instead, she said, "As I've mentioned, I've a preference for peaches; the peach tea would be nice." Not that even the flavor of peaches was likely to rescue something as bland as tea, but between the peaches and the sugar, it would be palatable enough. At the question regarding sugar, she couldn't help smiling, thinking of the last time they had found themselves in Aspel's kitchen. "As I told you last time I was here," she replied, "I've a fondness for sweet things. Something we share, in a way, I suppose." She nodded her assent, gave a vague shooing motion towards the bedroom. "Go on," she said easily. She had had more than one instance in her life of too many hours in uncomfortable clothing; she remembered with a twinge of pain the corset she had had to wear throughout the last month of rehearsals for The Swallow so as to accustom herself to the restriction while breathing. While the other woman's slacks and blouse didn't seem nearly as uncomfortable as that had been, many hours and exhaustion did tend to play a part in such things as comfort. Once Aspel left to change her clothing, Ari did not linger overlong on the loveseat; she was exhausted in her own right, and the cushions quite comfortable, but she had no desire to doze off before they could even have dinner. Having been told to make herself at home, she stood and wandered after a moment over to the bookshelves along the wall, deciding that now was as good a time as any to explore their contents. Aspel had mentioned that she read an eclectic variety of things, and indeed, the subjects covered by the books were many, from history to philosophy to fiction. Fairy tales, legends, tea ceremony, Pharist texts, guides on magic and the warrior's arts. She had to shake her head at something entitled Chivalry-Now: The Code of Male Ethics; pulling it off the shelf - it was a rather thick book she flipped through it with some amusement. There was a book of poetry next to it, as well as a book on Ordalian wines - rather good taste, she thought with approval - and between them a slim, green tome with a title in gold. The rumble at the back of her mind came again as her fingers brushed against its spine; she winced and wished one could glare at a voice in one's head. But she did pick up the book. She didn't even notice when the kettle began to whistle; by the time Aspel returned, she was engrossed in it, flipping pages and reading intently. Compared with everything she had seen in the Tower library today, this thin little book seemed to be the most relevant thing she had come across; the illustration at the corner of page five of an elongated, faceted stone was so familiar that she knew she had stumbled onto exactly the right thing. Once loyalty has been granted, such a creature may be summoned in battle with use of a summonstone, which is best kept upon one's person which may potentially improve communication... "I suspect so." Would be the simple reply in regard to their mutual preference for sweets. Though admittedly, their preferences did differ to some degree; Aspel had a much larger penchant for honey and fruits over direct sugar consumption where Ari seemed to prefer the white granular substance from what she could tell. At least, she suspected that much due to their interactions. Perhaps, that was something that she would be able to more aptly figure out with the passage of time, however. The approval was taken with ease and the walk from the living room to her bedroom was a short one, the hall separating the two brief and the door wasn't completely shut behind her just in case Ari ended up calling for something. Not that the closed door would be so thick to shut out all sounds, but it may be enough so that smaller things would easily be missed. A simple, comfortable tunic would be retrieved, along with a part of loose shorts that would be laid out on her bed briefly before stripping out of the semi-formal wear of the day. While it would most likely be described as business casual, it still felt stiff and uncomfortable to have been in it for so long considering the past several years of not being required to dress in such manner. Stripping down and redressing was simple and before terribly long she found herself wandering back out towards the living room and kitchen. With the whistle of the kettle, Aspel left Ari mulling over whatever tome had happened to catch her attention and thought nothing of the back facing her for a moment. It was probably some bit of poetry or play, she had several in her collection and those things would pertain to the bards professional interests after all. The burner was turned off upon arriving in front of the stove and the water transferred over appropriately into the cups with small metal balls which would contain the tea leaves for soaking. The first bit of water was discarded in the sink quickly, hoping to remove some of the bitterness from the leaves before a new pouring was allowed to sit and Aspel placed both cups on a tray, with a bowl of sugar, and a container of honey, which if she had thought through the action a bit more thoroughly may have been left in the kitchen. "Tea is read-" The words died in her throat when she emerged from the kitchen and was finally in a position to recognize what the bard held in her hands. Aspel would recognize the green cover of the book, long before even noticing the golden colored inlay of the title, any day. It was the one of three books in her entire collection of random things here and there that she'd tried to, very carefully, hide away. "-dy." A clearing of her throat would be given. "If you care to partake." Eyes dropped down, her internal struggle flaring up, a panic streaking through her veins at the thought of what Ari might ask about such a small and curious book. The whole thing, if she hadn't understood it more deeply, would have seemed insane to her when she had first obtained it some years before. The tray was set upon the table and Aspel sat down on the love seat. Leaning over she began to prepare her own cup of tea, attempting to focus on the action for the moment. Hopefully, it would allow her scrambled thoughts time enough to gather before they would be sent a drift upon a jostling sea once more. Ari didn't actually realize Aspel was there until she spoke, and she was distracted enough not to notice the hesitance in her words. "Hmm?" she asked, tearing her eyes away from the book and regarding Aspel, who was now dressed much more comfortably and carrying a tray. "Oh," she said, her thoughts catching up with the proceedings, "yes, tea. Thank you. Let me just..." She marked her place with her finger, then realized she could not very well take the book with her right now. She turned slowly to set it regretfully back on the shelf. How to explain? "I like your collection," she said, making her way over to the seat she had occupied previously, taking up her own cup and a spoon to scoop sugar with. The scent of peaches was pleasant, at least. "Very eclectic. Sorry," she added, trying to keep her tone and expression easy; Aspel seemed preoccupied, too, now that she really looked. "Should I not have pried? I put everything back where I found it." Her gaze lingered for a moment on the thin strip of green on the shelf between the two thick volumes. Picking up her teacup, she blew on the liquid contained within, then took a sip. Sweetened, it wasn't so bad, though perhaps this was because the sugar and peaches overwhelmed any flavor the tea might have possessed prior to being doctored. She pulled up her legs, tucked them under her and leaned against the armrest, cradling the cup in her hands. The silence stretched out for a few moments, not entirely comfortable. Nothing wrong with asking, she thought. It was just a book. "Might I... borrow one or two of your books, sometime?" she asked after a moment. "You've a number of things I've never seen before." There, that was certainly vague enough. If Aspel agreed, she could take the poetry and the book on Ordalian wines, maybe one of the others, along with the one she really wanted. "Is that so?" A curious brow rose after the bard had seemingly begun to gather her thoughts, sat, and made commentary regarding Aspel's collection of books. They had been pulled together since she'd arrived in Emillion. Picking up one or two here or there along the way to entertain, amuse and assist in maintaining her own sanity to some degree. Reading, much like theater and music, tended to be her preferred means of entertainment in the long run. Certainly, other shows could be reasonable but she'd found little that had held her attention for long. A teaspoon of star thistle honey would be added to the smith's cup of tea. The specific type of honey had seemed to work best with most teas she had attempted it in before and thusly had stayed a staple of her kitchen. The other honeys that regularly remained stocked on her shelf consisted of orange and clover honey for baking. Those worked best for an appropriately and complimentary taste blend for most pastries and sweets. "It is fine." A forced smile rose at Ari's question regarding her own venture through the books. Really, it was Aspel's own fault, she should have been more careful with how she stored things, thought them through more extensively and kept that book, perhaps, locked away in the metal box under her bed. In fact, perhaps she would start doing that from now on instead of throwing it in a drawer, under a pile of other things or trying to quickly shove it in a place not as noticeable on the shelves as she rushed out this door, much like what had transpired this morn. Eyes dipped, and Aspel's heartbeat picked up at the question as she continued to leisurely stir the spoon with honey on it in her teacup. "That would depend upon which tomes you wished to borrow." There was a hesitation, something would seem a bit off as she searched for words. "Some are a bit more," Dangerous? Troubling? Problamatic? "rare, than others." The pensive look that had crossed her features slipped away and a smile rose, perhaps a bit of discomfort in it. "A bit harder to let go when they would be quite troublesome to replace, surely, you understand." "Oh," she said, her own disappointment certainly audible. Aspel had seen exactly what she was reading; this reaction seemed to indicate that the exact book which interested her would be among the list of those considered rare. She actually gave a moment's thought to slipping away with it, to return it once she was finished, of course, but sensed that such a breach of trust would not sit well with Aspel if found out, even if she did not intend to keep the book. "Well, certainly, I can understand that. There is... a collection of poetry that seems interesting." It sounded lame even to her own ears, and certainly Aspel would realize this was not at all what she wanted, but it was the best she could do at the moment. Her mind was not functioning at full capacity either. "Perhaps I ought also to read the book on the modern applications of chivalry?" she added, attempting a mild joke. "It might prove educational." Perhaps she would have to try to use what little she had gleaned to find the necessary information at the library with Lex tomorrow, she considered. Her hand itched to go to her pocket, run over the facets of the stone concealed there. It was a comfort to know she wasn't entirely mad, after all - if someone was writing books about this, it had obviously happened to other people. That was comforting, in its way. She sipped her tea, attempted not to think further about what little she had already managed to read. Better all around to change the subject now. "How was your reception?" she asked, the change of topic quite painfully abrupt even to her own ears. "Other than exhausting, that is." A simple nod was given to the book of poetry and a low "Mm" slipped out in response to Ari's joke about the book on chivalry. The saucer and teacup had been lifted into her lap, the spoon continuing to slowly stir until it seemed most of the honey had melted away into the hot liquid and finally, it was pulled from the cup, the neck of the spoon tapping gently against the side of the glass before Aspel bent forward, placing the spoon carefully on the tray that would need to be brought back into the kitchen soon. There would be no point in keeping it out here while they ate. That was, unless of course, they moved their meal into the kitchen. She never had fully gotten used to not having a proper dining room, eating in the living room or the kitchen just felt... Wrong still, to this very day. The cup was brought up, with saucer under it, being lifted slightly as air was blown over the contents. Waiting but a few seconds longer, a sip was attempted. It was drinkable, but perhaps still a bit too hot for her personal preferences. "Long." Aspel's eyes had locked over on the bookshelf, and her voice was absent, not seeming to actually much value the answer she had given. Sighing, eyes shifted down, the teacup being placed back on the saucer before both items were left to settle on the coffee table once more. A hand would shift down, wiping over the front of the loose shorts, seeming as though she feared something had been dropped on them, even if nothing had before standing from her seat. Pausing a moment, Aspel would then shift carefully around the coffee table, doing her best not to jostle it and move over to the bookshelf, a finger rising and bending to begin pulling the thin green bound tome from between the two thicker books. "I fear this was a tome I did not intend to leave out." The book was shifted out at an angle between the other items that sat on the shelf, but not removed from them as it hung in limbo for a moment, held in place by the pressure of the books around it while balancing on its spine but there was obvious intention for it to be removed. "My apologies for my lack of care." Aspel's hand shifted up, grasping the book and paused, seeming to consider something for a moment before her gaze shifted, half looking over her shoulder so that her eyes would rest on the fireplace, catching Ari in her periphery. Something... Was quite queer. "It is an interesting story, no?" Ari could tell that her clumsy attempts at distraction had obviously not worked at all. The one-word answer to her question further reinforced her understanding - obviously the reception was not a topic that was currently up for discussion, and her attempt to deflect onto less controversial books would also be largely ignored. That left the little green book, and the stone in her pocket, and the bass rumble at the back of her mind, and the tea. She stuck with the tea; of all these, it was the least offensive, bland as it was. She watched Aspel walk across the room, touch the spine of the book, pull it halfway off the shelf. She drank her tea and thought of ways to dismiss her interest in it, since it seemed to be such a touchy subject. It wasn't a comfortable one for her, either, come to that. "I see no need for an apology," she responded. She seemed to always be saying that lately. "I found the contents quite..." Relieving. Fascinating. "Curious," she finished. "It is, indeed, a rather interesting story. Quite unusual. I have not seen its like in any other book I've perused." And not for lack of effort. "I should like to finish it," she blurted out, trying and failing to keep her tone as nonchalant as she wished. "If you are not opposed. Here, sometime, if you are unwilling to lend it out." Fingertips slipped over the top of the book, pressing faintly between the front and back cover to touch the pages before falling away and flowing over the front part of the cover. An eyebrow would quirk at Ari's commentary regarding the contents of the book being curious. It was an interesting, curious, topic even and something about her shifted, not feeling entirely comfortable with the idea. She knew Ari and Jareth had spoken, that they had gone off into some caves with one another and fought fire beasts. Ari had told her that they had ventured off together, and Jareth had filled in the caves part, and the beasts. In fact, Jareth had even named Ari as part of the group. Did they have some plan together? Could Jareth be... Could Ari... A low, metallic grating rolled through her skull and slowly Aspel's gaze shifted back to the shelf, the book being firmly gripped in one hand and pulled from the shelf. "Why?" The word was rather firm, surprisingly demanding for her currently worn state and rather unamused considering her normal preferences while around Ari. The book was old, worn a little around the edges but still in amazingly good condition for something that probably had decades worth of wear. Her hand shifted, a thumb pulling open the book, and falling to a page about half way through with eyes dipping down to the text. She'd read it so many times she could practically recite it from memory if asked, it had helped to keep her sane. This particular page spoke of relating to the creature in combat. How its actions were free in some ways, but dictated by the chosen in others. Ari did not quite cringe when the question, firm and abrupt and decidedly unamused, was voiced, but it was a near thing. Her gaze slid away to look into her half-full teacup. The pale golden liquid there provided no answers. She really didn't want to lie, but she wanted to tell the truth even less. I did not think I pledged myself to a coward. I am no coward. She barely refrained from retorting aloud, so great was her irritation. She didn't think the majority of people would take particularly well to having her predicament explained to them; she wouldn't have believe it if someone else had told her two weeks ago. Now she was floundering through this with an ill-tempered creature usurping her thoughts and Aspel looking at her with a hard, unreadable expression. No one had asked any questions after the battle. She supposed people were too shocked, too tired, and too injured to be bothered; it had taken her two or three days before she realized the pretty stone was more than just a stone, longer yet before the headache coalesced into accusations of not listening. No questions had come, even when she was short-tempered and tired and out of sorts and making vague inquiries. This was the first she couldn't simply brush off or avoid. Then again, Aspel did have the book on her shelf; maybe she would take to it better than most people, since it wouldn't seem quite so much like Ari was inventing stories. "I..." she said, her hand tightening around the teacup's handle. "This may sound somewhat-" The doorbell chimed. She didn't know whether to be frustrated or relieved. "I think dinner has arrived," she said, as though it weren't glaringly obvious. Eyes would continue to wander over the page, away from Ari, allowing her to squirm and shift as she needed to and the hesitancy of her words, the brief commentary of how things would sound 'somewhat'.... The doorbell, Aspel frowned, snapping the book shut and tucking it underneath one arm. Pausing a moment, she wetted her lips before allowing her mouth to form into a hard line. "It can wait." The words were direct, perhaps even a little hard and firmly punctuated. Almost like a superior commanding a troop member that had stepped out of line. Eyes dropped down as Aspel turned, fingers moving up to touch against the top of the book again until her body faced Ari and eyes would fall on the other woman, not tender, not amused or evenly remotely seeming as if they would be willing to withstand tomfoolery or shenanigans of any sort. "You have a sentence to finish." She did cringe under Aspel's gaze this time; unlike the slightly distracted, exhausted woman she had come upstairs with, she was now faced with someone who seemed just on the verge of anger. She had never seen Aspel this way before, and found she did not care for the change; their friendship had always been founded on mutual ease, on the understanding that some areas were not to be prodded, and even when they were, must be handled with delicacy and care. Apparently, by pulling the book off the shelf, Ari had somehow managed to change the rules of the game, and she didn't like that, either. "It is not," she said, somewhat peevishly, "an easy sentence to finish." She couldn't help the annoyance - she had done nothing aside from picking up and flipping through a book shelved in plain sight. She hadn't even told Bella yet, though it had been a near thing. And the decidedly unfavorable opinion of the creature when faced with her reasonable worries helped not at all. She could tell that unless she said something, she was not going anywhere; she had a notion that if she stood and tried to excuse herself, it would not end well, and she wasn't brave enough to try finding out just how badly it would go. How did one even begin such an explanation? "There was a... bit of an incident a week ago. I..." For someone who made a living of rhyme and turn of phrase, her words had utterly deserted her. The silence stretched out, five seconds, then ten. Well, in the end, Aspel had obviously read the book. She set the teacup aside and reached into her pocket, closing her hand around the stone - still fiercely hot against her skin, though it still did not burn - and drawing it out. Slowly, she uncurled her fingers so that it rested in her palm, glimmering red. She didn't think, at this point, that she needed to say anything else about it, but the words came anyway, plaintive and defiant all at once. "I don't actually know what I'm supposed to do." A retort along the lines of 'Ease and necessity oft are not paired.' came to mind, but instead she stood firm, a flicker of annoyance in Ari's direction streaking boldly across her face at the tone taken in response to her request. "Often, the most important are not." Was instead what she mustered, the tone and delivery of the sentence not quite as hard as she attempted not to let her paranoia get the better of the situation. Clearly, Ari wanted something, and the fact that she continued to squirm in such a manner would easily prove it was not just some 'simple' story, or an 'interesting tale' the bard was after. If perhaps, Ari had attempted to write it off as such, had not seemed so insistent upon such odd material, Aspel could have written the whole thing off without a care, but that had not been the case. Ari was speaking again and being vague though the hesitancy of the words seemed quite out of sorts for the generally over talkative bard. In fact, the words barely formed anything that resembled sense at all and the smith quirked an eyebrow. "Would these happen to have been the caves filled with beasts of fire last Thursday?" While Ari hadn't told her, she did know, and quite frankly, she was getting a bit tired of them both playing games with the things they did and did not know. They, most likely, were both at fault on that in some regards, though precisely how, where and when were yet to be fully determined at this point. Eyebrows furrowed when Ari shifted to retrieve something from her pocket and offered her hand forward. With fingers uncurling an eyebrow raised curiously once more and when the small stone, almost marble like, rested within the palm of the bard's hand, it would take a moment, but Aspel's firm and charged demeanor then fell away rapidly, lips falling agape. Eyes flickered back and forth across the room for a moment, her gaze jerking off to the side, and the smith seeming a bit disconcerted. The fingers which had rested against the covers of the book gripped it firmly, offering it over to Ari quickly, Aspel's gaze not meeting the other woman's as she turned. "My apologies." The words came out a bit hurried, nervous on some level even. With that, her back was turned on the bard, steps quickly taken toward the door and gil snatched from a drawer nearby before she went downstairs to retrieve their order from the delivery boy. "Apparently, you already know." Li, or Jareth, maybe; he was quite obviously an acquaintance at the very least. Maybe one of the Knights of the Peace, though Ari didn't know them well enough to say. Possibly even Divina, if it came to that. She knew that none of the thieves had spoken of it, but then, thieves were very good at not talking about things. "Yes, that cave." Next time Altair tried to talk her into something, she would just stay home. Aspel's reaction when presented with the stone was certainly unguarded; her face went through several expressions. Then the damned book was thrust at her - she barely grabbed it in time to keep it from falling, as Aspel seemed so determined to get out of the room. She doubted it was only out of concern for the delivery boy and his unexpectedly long wait, either. In the ensuing and sudden silence, Ari couldn’t help thinking that that had been one of the first of Aspel's apologies that she felt had been really warranted. The quick departure had only made her feel more ill at ease. By the time Aspel returned with the food, Ari had put the stone back in its place and drawn her knees up to rest her chin on them, her arms wrapped around her legs in a posture that was certainly a little defensive. The book sat on the table next to her tea, which no doubt would be nearly cold by now. She didn't feel much like reading anymore. "Maybe I should go," she offered, her tone soft and tired. "I do not seem to have done a particularly fine job of... comfort." Nor, she thought, of distraction. It would not take long for Aspel to make it down the stairs, pay the boy for the food and supply extra tip for his wait before closing and locking the door again. Though, a moment longer would be taken down in the main forge area, 'The Armory' proper as it was. The brief time passed was taken in attempts to gather her thoughts, to pull herself together if it could be helped at all and a hand wiped over her face, the food delivered on the counter of the shop as the smith leaned against it. How.... Why.... A hand reached up, rubbing at the back of her neck for a moment before the bag of food was snatched up again and back up the stairs she went, still feeling more than a bit unsure, but certainly she could school her expression enough now to not feel so completely shocked. Pushing the door open, Aspel stepped in, a forced smile given over to the other woman with a raising of the bag. Though, the smile would drop immediately at the posture taken up and the words delivered pulled at her heart, causing the smith's features to drop once again, this time seeming sincerely apologetic and perhaps even a bit sad. Pausing a moment, the door would be idly pushed closed, a faint click of it shutting as she'd barely put enough strength behind the move for it to shut, and Aspel moved forward, hesitantly the bag was placed on the coffee table and the smith’s eyes dropped off to the side, seeming to debate over a matter or another for a bit before sighing. Shifting, a bit uncomfortably, Aspel pulled at the neck of the tunic, yanking it down to display the top of her bra briefly, before her other hand dug into the undergarment. Another uncomfortable shift would be taken, her posture beginning to resemble something much more akin to the uncomfortable awkwardness when they had parted ways in front of Ari's apartment door after Aspel walked her home on the bards birthday than any real other problem. After a few seconds, her curled hand would remove and be held towards the other woman, Aspel's eyes still remaining away from the other. "If you could forgive such foolhardy and harsh words," Her fingers would uncurl offering up a view of a small onyx black sphere with engravings upon its surface that looked much like shields and other strange markings sitting in the palm of the smiths hand. "I would quite like if you stayed." Her eyes would not meet Ari's, a certain level of shame for her actions quite apparent in her body language alone before the low, and pained tone of voice was even factored in. In truth, she had really become quite determined to go; she had nearly made up her mind by the time Aspel reappeared with the bag, smiling as though nothing at all had occurred. At least that expression faded quickly, as Ari felt herself unequal to the task of trying to match it. She was still rather distressed, not to mention frustrated and in possession of the low-grade headache that had plagued her for days. She didn't really have the energy to feign cheer. She had come tonight hoping to get away from all of this, from her worries regarding the voice and the stone and the lack of concrete information. Her enjoyment of Aspel's company tended to be a perfect distraction in most cases, and she had thought a quiet evening in might do them both good. She had even contemplated, on her way over, that this was perhaps a perfect opportunity to remind the other woman that very little in their friendship had actually changed, and that there was thus no reason to be skittish around her; she had some hope that they might continue making progress, once that hurdle was passed. Unfortunately, that did not seem to be the evening she was getting. Still, she had to watch with some small measure of curiosity as Aspel came to stand near her, sighing heavily, shifting in clear discomfort, and then reaching inside her tunic for... It wasn't identical, of course. But it was recognizably similar enough that Ari was certain her eyebrows had risen nearly to her hairline as she regarded it. She didn't even fully process the second apology. "This... issue is not... quite as uncommon as I've been led to believe, then?" she managed to say instead, ignoring the annoyed grumble in the back of her mind - issue was the word she was using until further notice - adeptly in the face of this new surprise. "I...." How to approach this. "The book claims there are others..." Though, it never really said what they were like, how they were different or... Anything of real use other than very, very basic information on how it all worked. A nod of her head was given to the slim green book on the table. That would not be reassuring and she instantly mentally kicked herself for such words. The smith shifted, feeling a bit awkward the admission, Ari was the first she had ever told. "No. It is...." Words, she needed them and they seemed to wish to fail her. "It is quite uncommon." Taking a slow moment, Aspel's fingers would shift, as if they were going to close around the stone, but paused when her eyes finally moved back, trying to gauge Ari's response to such action before her hand finally drew away. The stone remaining in her closed hand. The smell of food was beginning to waft through the apartment, but suddenly Aspel wasn't sure if she could eat anymore. At least, perhaps, not right now. Though, somehow, with Ari's brows having raised in such a manner, almost as if they would reach the ceiling or elevate off into the sky if they were not so firmly attached to her brow, the smith couldn't help but think that perhaps the food was all but forgotten for now. "I fear I have met no other." A pause as the closed hand with the stone in it was gestured towards Ari. "Until you and this night." Another shift, somewhat awkward, but perhaps not uncomfortable at least, was taken. "There is little literature." The closed hand with the stone gestured pointlessly in the air, simply moving to move really. Finally, her free hand came up, fingers combing through her hair. "Ari, I am really, truly sorry. I...." Aspel couldn't keep the sorrow from her face with the words. "I react poorly when struck with fear and, and you did not deserve the brunt of such force." Swallowing her eyes had fallen away and there wasn't much hope held out for how things were likely to turn out. "I am certain you are dealing with enough problems of your own right now." And of course, she meant the stone. "Oh." What else was there to say, really? What were the chances of such a strange coincidence? "Well." She supposed she was lucky, wasn't she? Aspel wasn't flailing about in a panic the way she had been, not to mention her possession of the book, which indicated that she had likely been dealing with said issue for quite some time. Perhaps she might get some practical answers now, those not found in a book. It appeared that the other woman was literally the only person she could ask for actual helpful assistance or advice - and here she was, sitting in her apartment, quite by chance. "No wonder I couldn't find anything," she murmured. "At the Tower library. I tried, this afternoon; it was exceedingly frustrating." She wondered whether she would be able to ask better questions tomorrow, when she visited the university. Certainly if she finished reading Aspel's book before she went, she might be able to direct the search better. Her eyes dropped to her hands, still clasped loosely around her knees, though her overall posture was less defensive now than it had been. "I thought that I was... that is," she corrected, "I am glad not to be the only one." Always a comfort to know one wasn't losing one's mind. How many others? she wondered. What were they like? "Is yours... do you... get along?" she finally ventured hesitantly. She had already wondered several times how the creature had chosen; certainly they seemed quite ill-suited. At the second apology, she sighed, shifted in her seat, tucked her legs back under her, though her arms were still loosely crossed in front of her chest. Problems of her own - certainly, she had her share at the moment. It seemed Aspel understood better than she had imagined exactly what kind. "I wish you would not be quite so... wary of me," she finally said, choosing her words carefully. Aspel was still standing there, her posture still uncomfortable, as though she had no idea what to do. "I do not have any intent to harm you." Ari taking to words again, while not entirely expected with such an odd situation, and while not as extensive as the other woman usually spoke, was a comfort in some strange and passive way. Aspel had to suspect it was the fact that her sentences weren't so strange, choppy and... Un-Ari like was where the notion came from at first at least. "There may be something there." The words were a consideration of the bards commentary on the sheer number of books at the Tower library. "There are so many texts it is hard to find much of anything within those walls." Clearly, Aspel had tried. Though, she had been quite unwilling to share what she was looking for precisely and perhaps that was part of what had stunted her own search to some degree. A pause was taken before a nod of her head was given in response to the bard and a low "Mm" of agreement slipped out. It was nice to know that her own experience, and that the text in this one book was not a lie. It was not some insanity gifted to her for dark deeds that she continuously wished not to think of. At the broken speech Aspel's gaze rose again, finally meeting Ari's with the question. "Ah." Her brows furrowed, thinking over the question for a moment before a sigh slipped out. "Sometimes. Not always. He.... Has his opinions of my life and actions and I of his." Eyes would move, mostly seeming lost in thought. "We have... Come to an understanding of sorts over the years." And Faram, it had been years. "I fear often that my past shall come to haunt me," Perhaps she felt guilted into speaking, perhaps if she spoke the truth, the honest to Faram truth, it would help alleviate how terrible she felt for acting out against the other woman so harshly, and perhaps, Aspel would never fully know why those words had left her mouth. She couldn't help but shift uncomfortably. "and perhaps it has already begun." Wetting her lips Aspel would then sigh, a glance longingly tossed at the bag of food, eyes darting to the kitchen quickly. "I would not be working so hard to speak and share my life with you if I did not want to trust you but my reservations run deep." Aspel's wrist rolled, fingers still clasped around the small black summon stone. "I am fighting them, I assure." "I think I will keep looking," Ari mused. "I have a few places to look, and a few people to help direct me, though..." Even if she now knew she wasn't alone in her predicament, the idea of telling others still did not appeal. She hadn't really wanted to tell Aspel, if it came to that - though she was glad she had now that it was done. Still, she didn't think she would be so uncommonly lucky a second time. "If I find anything of note, I will let you know," she added. She doubted it would remain a top priority now, but her curiosity likely would not be fully assuaged by a book as short as the one Aspel possessed. At the answer regarding Aspel's relations with her own... summon - she supposed she ought to call it what the book did, perhaps she ought even to use its... his name, if they were going to be sharing quarters for years - she sighed. "I suppose I have that to look forward to, then; his opinions of my actions at this juncture are... not favorable." She grimaced, wondering if they would ever find a common language, though at least she supposed she could try to start listening as a beginning. If she wasn't likely to be rid of him... She did sigh, though, when Aspel expressed her misgivings, and barely held back a rather exasperated, I've told you before, I don't care about that, but refrained at the last moment. Such a statement, she thought, would help solve nothing. The admission that an effort was being made was going to have to be enough. She did notice the look, though, and the scent emanating from the bag was quite appetizing, so she said, "Then why don't you fetch us some forks, sit down here with me," instead of standing warily and uncomfortably beside the armrest, "and eat something? I'm still hungry," she finished; the argument hadn't stolen her appetite. "Maybe you can share... what you are willing to regarding all this, while we eat," she added. "I was serious when I said I didn't know what to do about it all." "That would be wise." Was really all Aspel could muster in response to the continued search. Information would be sparse, she had no doubt and all that could be gathered would be beneficial in the end for Ari's own well being and to assist in coping with this new life change. "Mm, thank you." A brief bow of her head was given, though what Ari could and would possibly find regarding the Smith's own summon... The very idea made her uneasy. Perhaps, it would be best to keep what her own summon was a secret for now. Not that she really had any idea what Ari's was, other than it related to fire would be the most reasonable guess for the circumstances that seemed to surround its obtainment. Her first instinct was to offer comfort, to tell Ari things would be okay, that they would work out eventually, but... It was hard to do so. "Things will become easier." There was a hesitation, it was the best truth she could offer at this moment. "Mine... Was not fond of my decisions for some time but..." How to work this through? "We have come to some levels of agreement and... I suspect you shall with time too." Which was mostly him chiding Aspel like a pathetic child for running from so many of her fears, for not taking the actions she should, and, in some instances, even reminding her of what she ought to do if she was to actually take the path she claimed to need. "Ah." Aspel offered in response to Ari's commentary about retrieving silverware and sitting down to eat. That, she could indeed do. A few steps were taken towards the kitchen when the next question caught her ears and a frown tugged at her lips. Asking for more information... Information that Aspel had so closely guarded for so many years at that. It was... Hard to believe it couldn't, or more specifically wouldn't, be used against her but.... By Faram she had to try. The proper pieces were retrieved from the kitchen and brought back into the living room, being placed on the tray in which she had carried the tea serving items out on before, the honey jar still even there and suddenly Aspel felt uneasy once again... Well... At least that shouldn't be a problem tonight. With forks, plates, glasses and a cold pitcher of water available Aspel would begin to dig the packaged food out of the bag it had been delivered in. "I am unsure where to begin." A container was opened that contained roasted vegetables (squash, carrots, potatoes) and settled off to one side while the next was snatched up to be opened as well. "Did you have specific questions in mind?" A glance was cast at the other woman briefly as the next container, one holding a gravy of sorts was set down on the table and hands moved for the next box. While Aspel's words were not as comforting as she would have liked, they did have the ring of truth. Ari supposed she would have to take it - she was not one to enjoy false comfort most times, anyway. "I tend to get along well with people," she said, trying to put a cheerful spin on it, even smiling a little. She was generally able to find a key to use in communication with just about anyone; although she found some people unpleasant, they almost always ended up talking to her when she wanted them to. "I will simply have to learn to get along well with... things other than people." Approached that way, it really didn't seem so bad. The thought did a great deal to cheer her. When Aspel returned from the kitchen, Ari helped herself to a plate and utensils and began to serve herself from the various containers. The food smelled quite delicious, just as promised, and her stomach actually growled. She gave a small, self-conscious laugh and said, "It seems neglecting to eat lunch has caught up to me," she commented, spearing a carrot with her fork and popping it in her mouth. Perhaps it was the improvement of her mood and frank relief that made the taste particularly enjoyable, but she added, "I will have to see just how far they're willing to deliver - this is several notches better than anything I can get sent up from downstairs." Not that Tipsy Sheep fare was something she partook in specifically for the taste - really, she defaulted to the tavern more often than not for the sake of convenience. Since Aspel didn't seem in any hurry to volunteer anything, she thought for a moment before asking, "Have you ever... called him?" What little she had managed to read had implied that this was the key benefit of having one's mind invaded in this way; he had mentioned something about it too, calling on his strength in battle, but it had been so jumbled with all the rest of it - his disapproval and annoyance as well as her attempts to block him out - that she hadn't fully understood. "Does he... listen to you? Or simply..." She thought of the battle in the cave, of magma and fire rolling over the combatants, and shivered. Certainly, he was powerful, but the thought of unleashing that sort of destruction unchecked didn't sit well with her, either. |