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The recent arrival stands gazing out the window. Although to some her staring provides a mist of fascination, and interest as to the inner ponders within, many others simply gaze at her, question, then carrying on. Her attire is rather formal and daring, a black hat, her shoulders adorned with a red zoot-suit that flew like a cape. Yet most of all, her wheat coloured hair is what made a few passersby keep a keen eye on her. She certainly had an appearance, yet she was so isolated in her own designs. When first steps approached her, she spoke to them, seemingly knowing who it was, or anticipated it would be no other person, then her most gracious host.
"Greetings, my fair lady. May I present to you that rose? I know you refused it once before, but might I request you reconsider?" Each word she spoke with intent behind each syllable and sultry change in tone. She was well learned in the age-old forgotten art of conversation, one dedicated to either the most charming or stuffiest of nobles.
"No thank you, Madam Tennant. I am not interested."
Miss Tennant changes her tone, no longer in the art of seduction, "A pity, you are so resolute to my form of flattery."
Vertin asks, "Are you alright? You've been staring outside for a very long time indeed." When Tennant fails to respond, she directly asks, "Is something on your mind."
Tennant replies, "The sunlight. It enchants the eyes; it has a glare of beauty to it. Over the lush landscape, it is beautiful is it not? Come, see for yourself."
Vertin steps forward, and Tennant insists she view right where she stood, "Come, if you gaze here, you can spy a little critter nesting in the bushes."
Vertin does so, and looks out with admiration and satisfaction to the sight. Evidently, the smile on Tennant's face is proof she enjoys that her little customer is happy and pleased, even if she does not know her part of the transaction yet. Tennant goes behind her, hands at the ready to pilfer, her eyes set on her prize. Yet, her consciousness reconsiders. And she instead moseys around Vertin, continuing her arc till she arrives on the other said.
Vertin asks, "Miss Tennant, I don't see any critter."
Tennant says, "My apologies, must have been my imagination."
Vertin asks Tennant if perhaps she might wish to walk the wilderness she seems to so enjoy gazing from afar. Tennant's reply bares a hint of the art of her game, that of courtship, which she inherited from her time as a noble's wedlock daughter.
"If I may share such I walk with you, my lady. Then I would most love to at such a time."
Vertin looks at her, hesitancy takes over her as she formulates the proper wording for this.
"Miss Tennant," she says, "I believe I need to inform you, I am not old yet an adult."
The look on Tennant's face is mortifying, and as pale as one might see in a morgue. She awkwardly exclaims, "Ah. My apologies... I was unaware."
Vertin replies to her, with a small amount of pity for the genuine misunderstanding. "It's alright, Miss Tennant."
Tennant changes her tone, still sultry, but devoid of her romantic nature. "Well, my lord, I am most grateful for your understanding. You seem, so mature, after all, with such responsibilities over such a large group of people. How could such things befall someone so young?"
Vertin replies, "It's a little complicated. Maybe another time." She then asks, "If it's alright with you, tomorrow, we're going out on a mission. I was wondering if you'd wish to join us?"
Tennant replies, "Of course my lord, how else might I repay such generous room and board you bestow upon me?"
Vertin smiles, and bids her goodbye. And Tennant's eye wonders around to spy other potential suitors.
To the delight of her ears one evening Tennant was blessed with the sound of a violin. She had heard a large variety of music, much of which was completely foreign to her; it failed to help that her first exposure to much of it, like rock and roll, was a Miss Regulus blasting it through a thin wall until midnight when she tried to sleep. She followed the noise to see, in an isolated little hallway, was a girl playing a violin. Her eyes closed in concentration on her instrument, twirling and spinning mindlessly to the rhythm of the piece she performed. Tennant noted long blue hair flowing down from her, and she appeared, to her, to be dressed as a maid. Tennant leaned against a nearby door as the girl finished the piece. She wondered how might the girl not offend anyone with her music, but decided that such a question might be answered later. When the girl finished, she opened her eyes and Tennant made her presence known.
"My apologies for the intrusion, fair lady. But I couldn't help myself but listen in. Truly, you have much talent, and adored listening to you." She said, the girl seemed smitten with her words.
The reply Tennant may have expected, did not come, instead came a small expression of her feelings of the praise, a bow, her hands on her chest, and a small, endeared giggle.
Tennant continued with her little game, "You see, I always appreciated the tune of such an instrument, yet I nary had opportunity for practice. I remiss I never learned. Might I continue to enjoy the melodies you play?"
The blue haired maiden replied with a nod, that made her aversion to words apparent to Tennant.
Tennant let her finish a cheerful piece before she inquired further into the maiden.
"That was simply wonderful, my lady. If my ears dare not deceive, you may be truly the most skilled I have ever heard."
The girl blushed slightly at the praise, would gave Tennant a hint of the chase she sought, but not enough.
She asked, "I see you are a woman of few words, can I ask why?"
The girl gestured to her mouth, then shook her head.
A puzzled Tennant asked as to why, "Is there a reason you do not speak? Or, can you not? Please, forgive me if so."
The girl shook her head on all fronts, resolving to amuse Tennant's seeming desire for music through humming melodies. After a little while, Tennant left courteously, bidding the strange blue haired maiden to herself.
Before Tennant fully disappeared, she heard a faint whisper, "Thanks."
She turned around to eye the maiden, who seemed to merely continue to smile at her, her mouth still slightly agape from her omission. Tennant looked at her, more confused then ever, but resigned that the maiden was not vulnerable enough to her charms.
Tennant later found out through Timekeeper the blue haired maiden's name. Voyager. She wasn't certain if it was her given name, the name she gave herself, or if was the only thing she responded to, but she referred to her as such then on. Occasionally, she would spy the girl playing her violin, or humming a melody, and would wait awhile and listen. Soon she imitated the performer and gave quiet claps to show her appreciate, alongside just enough occasional worded praise to make her cheeks turn red, of course. It was enough for her, enough for Tennant to keep coming back, even if she knew she'd never receive anything more.
Tennant became thrilled with her outings acting as part of Team Timekeeper. She became well-liked by her colleagues too; her abilities to protect them from harm was cherished, and she could handle herself with a gun. She seemed in her element, to stand over her allies, tall and defiant, like a valiant knight to their defence, a dashing rogue with her pistol. It seemed that her role was to help support her allies, rather than to attack their enemies, but she proved she could if pushed. On one trail following the magazine UTTU, she was first noticed for her exemplary work when she managed to shield the Timekeeper's assistant Miss Sonnetto, a Miss Bkornblume, and a Miss Toothfairy, from repeated and devastating blows. And then she pulled out her gun and shot the creature with a diamond bullet, mortally wounding the beast. But, alas in this endeavour she was gravely wounded, barely conscious enough to hear her comrades' cheers from her wounds. She heard faintly their voices, fading, and distant.
"Phew, that was close."
"Congrats Tennant!"
"Tennant, is she alright?"
And before they could ask again, and before Tennant could speak a response, she fell, collapsing from pain and exhaustion.
When the woman awoke, she was laying down on someone's couch. It seemed cosy, comfortable, and the room itself was quaint. It took her a moment to awake properly, her mind pondering how and why she was there, when she noticed the woman standing off next to her. She recognized the girl, both by the brown hair, and brown eyes she bore, but also by the iron mouthguard she wore that seemed to hide behind a lovely face. Perhaps others found it off putting, but Tennant found the beauty beneath the surface, and she dared say the way she was dressed reminded her of a few French woman, and the thought made Tennant momentarily smitten.
Toothfairy spoke when Tennant fully sat up on the couch, "Be careful not to strain yourself. Your wounds are still tender."
Tennant began to recall what lead her to this situation, and asked, "Did that critter really injure me bad enough?"
Toothfairy responded, "Yes. But do not worry yourself about failure. It is through you that the critter was defeated. And you saved me a lot of worry saving peoples from injuries."
Tennant took a minute to dwell on this praise, it was something foreign to her. Or, foreign to a large extent, not genuine praise, not like this.
She asked Toothfairy, "How did I come here? And, is this your room?"
"Sonnetto and Bkornblume helped to drag you back into the suitcase." Toothfairy said, "After I prevented any immediate bleeding, and we brought you back, I brought you here for further treatment. You've been out a couple hours."
"Thank you," Tennant began, "I am truly in your debt, my Lady."
Toothfairy said, "I would say you repaid that already. But, if you wish to say it isn't so, then you can repay it now by taking care of yourself, and following my instructions."
Tennant nodded, if reluctantly, she didn't enjoy the feeling of being taken care of.
"Now," Toothfairy asked, "How much pain are you in."
Tennant smiled and said, "Why, I am in hardly any pain at all, my Lady. It seems I am either durable, or your work does wonders."
Toothfairy looked at her, then quickly grabbed her arm by the wrist and yanked her body by the arm. When Tennant exclaimed from the pain, the lie was unconvered, and Toothfairy was most displeased.
"It is not wise to lie to your doctor." She scolded.
Tennant confessed, "Ok, it hurts a little, it's nothing that troubles me too greatly. I'll recover soon."
Toothfairy left her side for a bit, opened a large jar that was laying on a nearby coffee table, and plucked a little fuzzy and glowing creature from within.
"Chew, and swallow." She instructed.
Tennant stared in a little disbelief, and a little apprehension. She then decided if this would please the lady infront of her, she would do it, and so she ate it. It immediately flowed like caramel or honey in her mouth and was wonderfully sweet. And as it flowed through her, she felt it numb everything that ached in her, it was perhaps the most soothing remedy she ever had. Toothfairy seemed indeed pleased her patient was at least cooperative, and went to retrieve some pills she handed her.
"Take theses no more than 8 hours from each other, their human medication, more reliable but less effective than the tooth fairies."
Tennant immediately felt like the girl before her could be her desired chase. So, she engaged. She turned to face the woman directly, and began to inquire into bits about her.
"My Lady, might I say, your gown is lovely. It reminds me of the like I would not have expected to see again."
The doctor simply approached her, placed a hand on Tennant's shoulder, and before Tennant could envision things going further very quickly, the woman placed her other hand on Tennant's forehead, and showed a little surprise by the lack of temperature.
"Are you feeling alright, Miss Tennant?" She asks.
Tennant says, "Now that a skillful physician such as yourself as taken care of me, my Lady I feel wonderful."
Toothfairy looks at her, her dumbfounded expression leaves Tennant awaiting, and apprehensive. When she grabs Tennant and lifts her up under her up, Tennant surmises that she has made a mistake.
"Ok. Let's get you to your room. Be sure to lay down till these feelings subside, and take care for your wounds not to open up. I shall check up on you when I can, but if anything happens, come to me, or contact medical personal."
Tennant's attempts to persuade her to stay, "Please, careful, wait a moment. My Lady, you're hurting me... and I so enjoyed your company."
Toothfairy pauses, with Tennant and her halfway through her door. She considers genuinely if Tennant is in pain, but then decides, warranted by her final remark, that she is merely playing.
She tells Tennant, "I think you've developed a fever. Best to lay in bed and let it subside." Then she continues walking toward her room.
When Tennant is left and placed in bed, she is more than embarrassed to have failed so utterly with this woman. She tries one last time to speak to Toothfairy before she exists her door.
"My Lady, please, allow me to get you a drink. How about a dark bourbon, to match your beautiful eyes."
And as she quietly closes the door, whilst maintaining eye contact with Tennant all the while, the shame and embarrassment sends Tennant's blood rushing to her head that she feels genuinely faint once more. She later hears a knock on the door, and she goes to answer it. She sees placed just infront of it is a cup of tea. It has a sweet herbal fragrance, with a small note. A remedy for your fever. For the next few days, when Tennant saw Toothfairy as she promised to check up on her, the dashing and mysterious woman would avert her eyes, and say how she felt terribly uneased. Toothfairy didn't seem to mind.
"It's alright," She laughed, "It was an adorable attempt, in a way."
And with these innocuous words, she slew Tennant for about a week.
Tennant resolved herself to look elsewhere for love, to redeem herself of the disaster that befell her last attempt. When one of the suitcase's residents invited her over for drinks, she fought it was a wonderous occasion. The occasion arose when a Lilya had been impressed with Tennant for prowess in combat, and was thankful when Tennant protected her when an arcanist managed a lucky shot with his arcane skill, at would have hit both Lilya's leg, and her beloved Su - 01be. Tennant first asked if it would be ok to drink, as children were common in the suitcase.
Lilya responded, "As long as you keep it away from them."
And put an end to Tennant's worrying. Lilya told her to meet in a little part of the suitcase, isolated, with a table and a window. She also said another girl would be joining.
"Oh, while I remember, there's another Russian girl, Yenisei, we drink together, she'll be there to."
Tennant asked, "Is this a common event I'm invited to?"
Lilya replied, "If you handle yourself well enough, I'll invite you every time."
Tennant inquired, "Has anyone else had the honour?"
Lilya forewarned, "None that can match my speed or standing."
Tennant brought a bottle off a favorite wine of hers, Ruby Port. She was never asked to bring libation, but she would rather be polite in doing so, and make a good impression, especially if she managed to get into the Russian click of the suitcase. She had arranged a new outfit for herself a short while ago, something she had done on her free time outside the suitcase, and on missions from the TimeKeeper. Her hat, normally black, was instead red which accented her eyes. She opted for a grey vest to hide her suspenders, and her trousers from black to gray. But to adorn it all was a brown coat with a floral pattern etched into it, which glistened when the sun shone on it. She was dressed for her desired outcome, and she was sure that she would not fail to at least spark the beginning of something that night.
When she wandered to the place which Lilya directed, she saw the Zeno pilot waving her down.
"Hey, comrade! Over here." She called out.
Tennant walked over, and she overheard a finishing conversation between Lilya and who she presumed was Yenisei, with hair like that of wine.
"Privet, Ms.?" Speaks the Yenisei, who sounds to be young indeed.
Tennant says, "Tennant, you must be Yenisei. I heard of a lovely Russian like you prior, it's good to make your acquaintance."
"Likewise, Ms. Tennant."
Lilya spoke up, "And nice of you to join us." She spied the bottle, "Oh! Did you bring a little gift in your coat? Isn't that nice Yenisei?"
Yenisei nodded and motioned for Tennant to take a seat next to her, telling Tennant, "You'll want the distance if she's drunk."
Tennant presents the gift on the table. Announcing it's name and characteristics with much enjoyment out of it. Lilya seemed disinterested by the wine, but Tennant could tell she was at least intrigued and open to it. Yenisei seemed very much interested in it, especially when Tennant measured it's rich colour. Liyla soon picked up a bottle of vodka she had stashed somewhere, either beneath the couch she sat on, or the table itself.
"Now," she stated, "let us begin." She poured each of their company a shot, asking Yenisei if she wanted one beforehand, giving Tennant no choice in the matter.
Tennant took note that Yenisei was given slightly less, before she was handed her own, Lilya said something in Russian, she then said to Tennant, "To your health!", as she raised her glass and soon Yenisei and Tennant's clinked with hers.
Yenisei joined in as did Tennant, "To your health!"
It took a few seconds for Lilya to down the shot of vodka, and Tennant, spurred on, drank hers to match. She shivered at the slight flame that flowed inside her, but the taste was nice, if intense and strong.
Lilya seemed impressed, "My, my. Aren't you daring, you want to go again?"
Tennant said, "Of course, what harm could another do?"
Yenisei looked at her worryingly, as if she had just sealed her fate, while she lightly sipped her glass.
"Here," said Lilya, "Another, and then let us talk."
She poured the drink and they drank it fast, then Liyla asked. "So, where are you from?"
Tennant answered, "I am from many a place."
Yenisei piped in, "So you are a traveler, yes? So was I!"
Lilya inquired, "But, what place where you born, where is your mother country?"
Tennant said, "Well, although I travelled, I was born in England, but my mother was from India. For a time I lived in New Dehli, but where I stopped travelling was in that glorious city, Paris."
Lilya seemed most unimpressed by her adoration for Paris, but Yenisei was intrigued. "New Dehli? I travelled to that city once, I would love to hear what it was like to live there. Perhaps some other time we could discuss it?"
Tennant says it would be her pleasure. She then asks Lilya a likewise question, "So, my lady, where are you from? Other than vast Russia, of course."
Lilya shrugs, "I don't know. Was raised in Zeno academia young, what was that like?" she thinks on her own question, putting it simply, "Rigorous, thorough, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. It was the best way to get me into the air and skies!"
Tennant sees a little amount of redness reach Lilya's cheek as she loudly proclaims all the joys she holds for flying.
Yenisei whispers to Tennant, "My, you got her all excited." She then quietly laughs at her friend who seemingly cannot help but feel joyous from the liquor inside her.
Tennant confides to Liyla that, "My lady, it seems pertinent to say, I have never flown before. In all fairness, it was hardly a common thing for my time."
Yenisei says, "Well, you're not alone. I may have travelled all over, but I'm deathly scared of flying, especially with her." She points to Lilya who visibly takes great offence.
"Hey, don't you go insulting my skills! Don't you know, Zeno hasn't got another single pilot with a record to match mine."
Yenisei teases, "I believe that is because you possess, what was it, 'the luck of the drunk'?"
Lilya glares at her friend, seeming as if she was about to punch her, but she stops when Yenisei merely smiles at her. "Ok... here we go." Lilya exclaims, pouring another shot, first for herself, then Tennant.
"To your health!" Says Tennant, hoping silently that Lilya wouldn't push it anymore.
"To your health." Responds Lilya, much less enthusiastically than Tennant.
Lilya waits a bit, filling in with idle conversation, just as the alcohol from the last round hits in, she has an idea that gleams across her face.
"Hey, what if I took you flying?" Lilya asks Tennant.
Tennant's eyes immediately dart toward Lilya, the notion briefly sobering her up a little bit.
"Yeah, you, you seem like you could handle. Who wouldn't love to see the skies at high speed! Just don't throw up on her."
Tennant immediately prays in her mind that Lilya is merely making a drunken pledge, "Perhaps later," she says.
Lilya boasts, "Why, we could do it right now! I've flown before with much more than this."
Yenisei stops her, "Well, Lilya, I think we should try the Ruby Port that Tennant had brought us, before we do any flying, yes?"
Lilya responds with a delayed, "Da."
Yenisei briefly stands up, saying she needs to stretch, and Tennant spies her deftly snatching away the keys to Su - 01be from her. Tennant admired her talents, and realised her own lack of diddling of late. She resolved herself to at least a little of that art tonight.
Tennant herself poured the wine, still in the little shot glasses, but it would be enough to taste the drink. Before Yenisei could grab her cup, however, Lilya placed her hand over it.
"Yenisei, you certain you can handle it? Normally, we don't go past one."
Tennant inquired as to Lilya's question, seeming to want to know Lilya's concern for her friends drinking.
Lilya's response was awkward, "She's, well, she's... she shouldn't strain herself."
Yenisei responded with bluntness Tennant would have expected from Lilya, "Madam, what she is trying to say is, I am 16. From where I, and Lilya are from, it is normal for our age, or younger to drink. Especially considering the many times on my travels it has been dangerous to drink the water, light liquor is nothing foreign to me."
Tennant's eyes widen after having realised she just shared drinks with a girl, and poured her a glass.
"Miss Tennant, listen, this is normal for me, and I would very much like to try this."
Despite Tennant needing to here double and triple reassurances, she eventually acquiesced, as did Lilya to Yenisei's wish. She initially committed on how the colour matched that of her hair.
"Did I tell you, that's how I dye it." she said.
Tennant asked for clarity.
"With wine," Yenisei says, "I dye my hair with wine. It was common among the noble courts, at least during my era. I haven't had a chance to dye it again in awhile, I probably need to, the roots are showing."
Tennant asked, "Is that why you were so interested?"
Yenisei abashedly replied, "That, wasn't the only reason. I wanted to try something different!"
Tennant smiles as she finishes pouring Lilya's, who had forgotten where she put her glass.
Yenisei swirls the liquid around, admiring it. She then drinks it, and it delighted by the sweet fruity flavour it bares. After her first view sips, she wafts in the smell, delighting in that too. Both Lilya and Tennant seem as if they could watch her drink it all, but they decide to toast, all three.
"To your health!"
Tennant thoroughly enjoys her favourite wine, which can never be dimmed in her eyes. Lilya smiles as it touches her lips, but when Yenisei's stare is aware to her, she spits out a much different replier than her face tells.
"Ehh, it's not bad. I prefer vodka."
Yenisei remarks, "Miss Tennant, this is why we don't trust Lilya, she clearly enjoys your Ruby Port."
Lilya mounts an unsustainable defence towards Yenisei's accusation, that causes Tennant to laugh.
"My Lady," she says to Lilya, "Is it really such a bad thing for someone such as you to fancy a wine?"
Lilya pulls out her vodka again to drown out her two new friends.
Their conversation goes long into the night, and Lilya becomes more and more animated with two more shots she drinks later on.
She poured an extra two drinks for Tennant, and Yenisei helped to bail her out by letting Tennant swap her filled glass for Yenisei's emptied one, then Yenisei hid it, and poured it into a water flask she had. Liyla was too tipsy to notice, and just admired that Tennant was at least not a light wait.
Tennant insisted, "My lady, don't you think you should slow down," when Lilya reached for another.
Yenisei was a little more acquainted to Liyla, and while she was distracted by Tennant, yanked the bottle away.
"Lilya, " Yenisei said, "you know how bad you get when you over do it, you've got to get up early tomorrow. I don't want to have to grab a bucket for you tonight."
Liyla just grumbled as she tried, nearly falling out of the couch, as she tried to reach for the bottle Yenisei grabbed. Tennant quickly grabbed her flask before she could reach for it, handing it over to Yenisei. Liyla kept on fighting for a short while until she was all tuckered out.
Tennant and Yenisei continued talking for a while, until Lilya had, probably, had enough and began dosing off periodically. Yenisei looked over at Tennant and said,
"We should probably bring her to bed." With that, they carried the fearless pilot who kept on thanking them, and tried to hug Tennant on one occassion, and might have even tried to kiss Yenisei, if she wasn't so terribly at attempting it.
Yenisei opened the door, and on a torn piece of paper wrote a note.
Your keys to Su - 01be are with me, you should be able to find me in my room. Also, remember to thank Tennant in the morning, you got overly clingy again.
Tennant asked her if she could wrote a note of her own.
"Sure. What is it about?"
Tennant opted to simply show her, and Yenisei thought the idea was very funny indeed.
My dear lady, you are most lovely and wonderful, and I assuredly enjoyed your company, here is a rose to remember our night.
But despite what her note said, Tennant left, with merely the note and rose by Lilya's bedside. It wouldn't be polite to take advantage of a drunk, where's the honour?
While Yenisei went back to bring all of Lilya's belongings to her room, except the keys, including the shot glasses, she asked Tennant when she was free.
"So, if you're willing, when can I next see you? I would love to learn more about New Delhi, or Paris, even, I never got to travel that far into Western Europe."
Tennant replied, "My dear, I believe I am free next afternoon if you would like, would you mind to meet here around then?"
Yenisei readily accepted and returned Tennant's Ruby Port to her. That night, whether it was the friendship or liqour, Tennant felt a warmth in her chest, and slept soundly and happily that night.
In the early hours of one morning, Tennant wandered about. She meandered from her room in the suitcase, and soon found a young woman humming on a chair. She was sprawled out on it, gently carving something whilst humming a melody. Tennant gazed her, and she seemed like a lady of class, refined and elegant. Tennant slowly approached, placed her hand on the chair, and looked down upon the noblewoman, her gazed up at her in slight surprise, her face barely showing the emotion she felt.
“Greetings Miss, it is a lovely morning today, don’t you think?”
The noble woman lost her brief element of shock, “The golden sun, that shines past a blueish darkness. It is a daily beauty. Yet it is there even if I do not gaze upon it.”
Tennant followed along with what the woman was saying, “Well, I’d say it would be selfish of us if we don’t enjoy it. Considering all else who still lay in bed, and shall not see it.”
The woman asked, “Are you inviting me for a walk?”
Tennant answered, “Only if you’ll have me, Miss.”
The woman laid down her knife and stood up, “Might I have your name, Miss?”
“Tennant, Lady Tennant,” she answered.
“Druvis the III,” answered the woman.
Tennant gestured with her hand for the door to the wilderness, “Shall we?”
The morning was blessed with a gentle breeze, that caused Tennant’s coat to flutter. The two walked out in the wilderness, at first directed by Tennant, along a well-trodden path, then by Druvis, as she veered toward a path of her own, seemingly just as well known by her, but without a trail to guide her, or anyone else. Occasionally, the Lady would reach out toward a tree, as if speaking, or checking upon it, but Tennant did not mind this oddity, as she did not mind the more extreme oddities of herself and others. She was curious about the woman, ever after putting a face to the name.
“Miss Druvis the III.” She inquired, “I had heard of talk of you, they say you were one of the first arcanists found by Vertin, is that so?”
Druvis replied, “I was not the first, I believe Regulus has that honour instead. I was found during the storm of 1929 and was among the second group she had saved.”
“How was the roaring 20’s, my lady?”
Druvis looked downward, “Not enough care was placed in the right places. People placed it not in people, but rather frivolous, and society neglected the forests.”
Tennant looked apologetic, though only she herself knew if that look was sincere. “My pardon, it seems like a solemn topic for you.”
Druvis says, “You move on. That’s what Vertin taught me.”
Tennant remarked, “She seems the type, that doesn’t surprise me one bit.”
The two walked further into a little grove, the sunlight dawned on them in that little spot, and flowers bloomed in the absence of the canopy. The elegant Druvis knelt down and picked up a flower holding it in between her fingers. She presented it to Tennant, at first the rogue thought it was an offering, but no, it was neither a rose, nor was she offering, merely inviting this new person a view of nature’s bounty. Tennant decided to fix this gesture on her end, and sneakily pinched a little white rose and stuffed it in her pocket. She always found them nearby, even if they did not grow where she looked, it was an oddity to her, one she enjoyed taking advantage of very much.
Druvis briefly looked around at the place, Tennant figured she might have maintained this little forest garden, with how attentive she was to it. When the Lady asked Tennant if she wished to go back, Tennant replied.
“Only if it is what you wish, my lady.”
She offered her hand to Druvis as she walked over a log, Druvis politely accepted, but Tennant was a little difficult in allowing Druvis to let go. She turned to the girl, and looked at her.
“My Lady, I fear this is sudden, yet,” she bowed slightly, and offered the white rose. “May I offer you this rose?”
Druvis chuckled slightly, her stalwart expressionism made it difficult to discern intrigued amusement, or outlandish amusement by her actions.
“You are very thoughtful, Lady Tennant.” She grabbed the rose, accepting it.
Tennant then stopped her, and said she had a better idea, and placed it in her hat. Druvis, in response, cast the shone of an arcane skill, and the flower grew and multiplied into a wreath before Tennant’s eyes. Despite Tennant’s hopes, with her hands momentarily parted from Druvis’ she failed to rejoin them, and the noblewoman seemed either completely disinterested in her advances, or completely oblivious.
When Tennant returned to the suitcase, and wondered if she might continue this with providing this lady of class a light coffee and breakfast, Druvis said.
“Well, Miss Tennant. You certainly were a well considerate, yet peculiar, friend. I look forward to inviting you back into the forests.” She then quickly departed.
Tennant nearly died at another time she was friend-zoned. Her only thought, how can anyone be that oblivious?
The dejected seducer of Paris moped around in the suitcase, her evenings full of sighs, and her nights of anguish. She failed to find a single woman available to her games, and she felt all the thrill of life fleeting from her. Some folks began to take note, a Miss Voyager tried to play a happy melody, even Ode To Joy, to suppress the woman’s misery. Toothfairy snuck her a toffee like she did the children after every time Tennant was sent to her for medical treatment, but the sugar failed to bring back that spark in her eyes. Lilya tried to pry her troubles out of her whilst drunk, and Yenisei ended up catching her vomit in a bucket after one such night of overly ambitious attempts. And Druvis tried to get the Lady out into the sun more often, knowing that was a mark of good health. But nothing would succeed.
The Timekeeper approached her, inquiring as to the woman’s troubles.
“I hear you’ve been appearing down lately.” She stated, matter of factly, “Some of the folk here are worried about you, I was wondering if maybe you would talk to somebody about it.”
Tennant answered, “Oh, it’s nothing to trifle such a young lord with.”
Vertin replied, “I can handle it,” yet Tennant remained silent.
Vertin perhaps overstepped when she asked, “Have you failed to find anyone?”
Tennant immediately turned violently to face her, the brazenness of the question kept her from answering anything, but she vehemently suppressed the truth of her own inability to convince someone.
“I remember something you mentioned earlier,” the Timekeeper said, “The art of diddling, rightly considered is… actually, I can’t remember all you attributed to it.” She looked at Tennant, with a warm smile, “Perhaps you’d like to go practice that art.”
The Timekeeper grabbed the dejected Tennant off, infront of some of the children of the suitcase. This surprised her, but she followed along. The children had found some broken baubles, and items of jewellery without the stones embedded in them. Timekeeper told the children that Tennant was a master engraver, and she could mend them, only things she needed was time, and coal. So off they went to find coal, thankfully, Sotheby had some, for her alchemy. And within an hour of eager waiting, the children were presented with the most fabulous diamonds ever seen. Tennant held up a once cracked and worthless, rusty brooche, to reveal a polished one, the diamond inside glittering like a rainbow, they lit up the whole room in it’s faint shine. Next was various rings, who’s diamonds looked like that of a crystal pool or fountain water.
Each time she introduced a piece, she would kneel down to the children, her hat tilting just above her eye, speaking in a sophisticated and knowledgeable tone, that commanded utter trust in the conwoman. But, Vertin seemingly didn’t have to break the news to theses children herself about the short-lived art they now possessed, the conwoman in a rare act of honesty, did it herself.
“Now, I must warn you, theses are truly items to cherish. Engrave them in your mind, because they will not last forever. For, in a shortwhile, they shall degrade into worthless baubles once more, shall cease to be ornate, but shall merely be ordained in a cold, black rock, like that were made from.”
Vertin looked impressed, and nodded approvingly, “But to not fret, because you have them now, so appreciate them, wearing them, and cherish them, share them, enjoy them until then. For I give you all that you wanted, and I have left with all that I could have from you, I hope you are dearly grateful.”
And although Tennant and Vertin left to the squabbling of some children over who got to keep what, she left happier then she had been in a long time.
“I see you enjoyed that,” Vertin said.
“It reminded me about my passion, and…” she paused, looking deeply into Vertin, “made me realise thanks to you, my lord, just how I can still perform it even now.”
She went inside, asking Vertin to wait, and come with a small letter, on it was written.
My Cleverest Scam.
“Please, my lord, one day, not now, but soon, come by with this invitation, and I would love to share with you my cleverest scam. I have some fine people to deceive.”
Although Vertin warned Tennant not to scam people out of any Sharpodonties, Tennant still could find joy in a little gift here, or her favourite, providing someone else the perfect gift for another, only for it to all backfire in the end. Her favourite was when she gave a fellow conwoman, Eternity, the slip and caused quite a turmoil between her and the people she was trying to scam herself. But still, she longed for the nightly escapades with a lover, where she could whisper sweet nothings in her ear.
One day Tennant heard tale of a new face to the suitcase. A dashing Mexican, who was quite the renowned starlight, famous for her luck. Tennant at first eyed a challenge, but when she first saw the woman, she eyed something else. Between the long black hair, a enchanting voice, and her lovely darkened skin, Tennant found something she nearly lost hope for. Off she went to collect her Ruby Port, and a few fresh roses, and the folks who knew her laughed as they saw her cheer up again. She threw herself into it, and after a long while, she even presented her desired rose.
And the girl, known as Centurion said, “Why not, let’s give it a try!”
Theses words sent Tennant nearly to high heaven, but not nearly as much as the thrill and ecstasy she felt short nights later. Yet, in a bed beside Centurion was not where she was to be, for in the morning, the dashing Mexican awoke to a little note, a rose, and a bottle of Ruby Port.
Farewell my love.
The Mexican came knocking on her door to return to rose, but Tennant couldn’t care less. She was overjoyed to be back to her old self, and even if she lacked a proper escape and exist like her old ways did, she earned a friend out of the whole affair, in the end.
And soon, many folks were eager to receive a letter, inviting them to her most Cleverest Scam. Yet, what that was, none would tell, of the few who received it. All that anyone knew, was it was Tennant’s pride and joy, beyond woman and woman deceit. And they knew, that the Parisian womaniser, just needed a place where she could call her proper home.