[PrP] So hard to find a good tailor! (Lady Isabelle & Isiah)

[Random Nobody 13]

Lady Isabelle threw her hands up in frustration. This was the seventh tailor in a row she had sought out to repair her dress. "I guess I'll have someone more competent fix this!" her voice dripped disdain as she scowled and snatched up the partially torn and bloodstained dress off the counter. Not bothering to waste another second in the presence of the unworthy tailor. Turning on her heel, she stormed out the shop and down the street. 'There had to be one tailor in all of faetasia that could fix the dress the stupid werewolf had destroyer. Perhaps they could even make her a better one,' Isabelle thought with a smile.

Squaring her shoulders and holding her head high, Isabelle's outward appearance was one of calm once more. She shouldn't let this bother her so much. With a despairing sigh, Isabelle made her way to the center of the village. A good-sized fountain sat directly in the middle of the town square. Sitting on it's edge, Isabelle looked wistfully at the dress in her lap. It had been her favorite...

 

[Anguis Lingua]

Random Nobody 13

He hated the day. The bright light, the heat, the constant crowds thronging the marketplace and the town square. It wasn't so bad when the weather was cloudy, or raining, since that thinned the crowds. Still, Isiah wished there were more nocturnal merchants around as he made his way through the evening crowds, a cloak pulled tight around him to mask his features.

The sun had set almost twenty minutes ago, but the crowds were only now thinning out to the point where he wasn't constantly brushing his fingers over the stake belted to his side, the simple weapon hidden by the cloak. He had completed his shopping and was heading home, cutting through the town square when he paused, a familiar scent floating upon the evening air.

His eyes widened even as he smiled. Though he was not one himself, he knew a vampire when he smelled one, being sired by a vampire father himself. Stepping out of the flow of the crowd, dark eyes scanned the square methodically as he looked for the source. There was a feminine quality to the scent, and it didn't take him long to pin-point the source to a lone woman in a fine dress sitting on the fountain.

Cutting through the crowd, he angled towards the lady, noting the dress she held draped over one arm. Pulling the cloak further over his head, he stopped several feet away, knowing she'd see and her him as if he were standing next to her.

"'Tis dangerous for a walker of the night to be in town, mi'lady," his voice was low and smooth, a silky whisper that hung upon the air between them. "Perhaps one wise to their ways may offer his humble residence for shelter until her business in concluded within town."  

[Random Nobody 13]

Anguis Lingua

There was no outward sign Isabelle noticed the cloaked figure approaching her. In fact, passerby's likely would have said she wouldn't have noticed if the male had walked smack into her. Yet there was no start of surprise, no sharp intake of breath, nothing to even show she heard the male. One ear flicked in annoyance as another sigh escaped her. Not bothering to glance up, Lady Isabelle gently stroked the fine fabric of the ruined dress that sat in her lap. Here she had wanted but a moment of peace before heading to the next tailor and... The moment she finally grasped the words he had said, the things he had hinted at, her crimson eyes slowly lifted to peer into the cloak.

She had scented no fellow vampire within range at this particular town, nor had she been expecting anyone. She had left alone to get her dress fixed, and hadn't a thought to the danger. "Dangers here frighten me not, though I suppose some company would not be uncalled for on this fair evening," her voice was soft though loud enough to carry, feminine, and sprinkled with amusement. Her eyes sparkled as she stood, draping the ruined dress over one arm. "It would be polite to introduce oneself before inviting someone into one's home, wouldn't you say?" she admonished him.

 

[Anguis Lingua]

Random Nobody 13

Isiah chuckled as he gave a half-bow. "Polite, yet unnecessary had you refused, mi'lady." He watched as she stood up, noting the grace in which she moved and the fine dress she wore. Clanned, most likely, he thought, I wonder which.

"My name is Isiah, mi'lady." He smiled as he offered part of the cloak aside, offering his arm to the vampire before him. His eyes flicked to the dress in her arms again, was there a hint of blood he was smelling from it? It certainly looked like it had been put through a shredder at some point. Such a shame, a fine dress being ruined like that.

"My home is but three blocks from here, thankfully in one of the more quiet parts of the town." His eyes flicked around, watching the few stragglers of the crowd with the eyes of a hunter now. "We should move, mi'lady. The ruffians shall be out soon, having started their liquid meals earlier today. While you may not fear danger, I would prefer we draw no attentions to ourselves."  

[Random Nobody 13]

Anguis Lingua

"And I would have refused, had your words been any other than what you spoke," Lady Isabelle stepped forward to take the proffered arm. Noticing his interest in her dress, she carefully adjusted the arm holding it so it was out of view. "Well, sir Isiah, let us be off then. It wouldn't do to be caught off guard during these hours." Isabelle smiled, and allowed him to lead her toward his home.

After they had gone half a block or so, she introduced herself. "My name is Lady Isabelle Rosewood Amantè. You though, may call me Lady Isabelle," her voice was rather pleasant to listen to. Crimson eyes carefully watched the shadows for any hint of someone else listening in. As she paused a warm breeze tugged at the ends of her hair, playing with her dress and ruffling Isiah's cloak. Her eyes softened as she breathed deeply the richly scented air. There was a perfume shop nearby, with some exquisite merchandise. Also on the breeze was the scent of several delicious smelling fae, pointedly reminding her in her haste to fix her dress, she had forgotten to eat. Chiding herself, she hoped that wouldn't cause a problem later on.

 

[Anguis Lingua]

Random Nobody 13

Isiah smiled in amusement as he watched her shift her dress out of view from the corner of his eye. A light chuckle escaped his lips at her words. "Caught off-guard? Mm, you strike me as a lady rarely caught off her guard, Lady Isabelle."

He said very little as they walked down the street, save pointing out the few interesting areas the three blocks they walked. "I would apologize for my home, Lady Isabelle, but truth is, I rather enjoy it, so I feel I have little to apologize for." He smiled as they stopped in front of his house, a modest one-story home that stood back from the road, barricaded by thick hedges and the unusually large lawn between them and the house.

The house was unassuming, painted a pale cream with crimson shutters that stood out like blood. The lawn had the look of one that was cut on a semi-regular basis, and received little attention beyond that, the hedges much the same. Outside the hedges, a post had been hammered into the ground, a simple, carved sign hanging out over the sidewalk.

Isiah Nox, Tailor. Custom Clothing, Men, Women, Dopples, Children. Custom Designs & Repair.

"While I won't apologize for the house, I will apologize for the rather embarrassing catastrophe that is the inside. Outside of family, I entertain little." He smiled knowingly. "And certainly entertaining an artisan of the night is a first."

The inside was as advertised, an organized chaos of fabrics propped up against the walls and spread over any flat surface available. A trio of mannequins stood in the corner, dressed in simple, yet elegant cocktail dresses. Everywhere one looked, there were the tools of the trade, save a simple wooden stool in front of his work table.  

[Random Nobody 13]

Anguis Lingua

"While that's certainly the case in most instances, one can never lower their guard, now can they?" The relative silence as they walked was quite enjoyable, and Isabelle took the opportunity to observe her surroundings. Lady Isabelle politely gazed at his home, noting the desire for privacy. She wasn't too impressed until her gaze happened upon the sign. Ears instantly perking up at the sight of tailor, Isabelle looked upon Isiah with joy radiating from her face. "You're a tailor?!" she gasped. "Oh, how lovely! You simply must show me your work!"

Her night had severely improved from not even twenty minutes ago. If this fae was any good at his craft, she'd have to make friends with him. Perhaps he could even help her to design a few outfits for the times she wasn't wanting to wear her customary dress. Her mood improved so much so that she was practically floating along with giddiness.

{{Sorry tis a bit short))  

[Anguis Lingua]

Random Nobody 13

Isiah gave her a quiet smile as he held the door open for her. Sweeping a handful of cloth bolts from a chair, he set them on the counter. "Tailor, occasional designer when the fancy strikes." He chuckled in amusement as he moved around the counter into the kitchen. "Thankfully, that mood is rare. If one were to judge my skills upon my designs, well, I would be penniless."

He slipped the stake from his belt and slipped it into a kitchen drawer. He wasn't particularly worried about being attacked. While he was no vampire, he could hold his own well enough. "May I offer you a drink, mi'lady? Perhaps wine, a brandy-," He smiled knowingly. "Or something more... filling than mere alcohol."  

[Random Nobody 13]

Anguis Lingua

"A drink would be lovely, just wine at the moment," Isabelle daintily sat down on the recently cleared place and kept the ruined dress in her lap. Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she watched him moving around his home. Red eyes glinting, the thought crossed her mind that he shouldn't know what he hinted at knowing. Perhaps she ought to inquire about it....later. "I'm sure you're much too much of a critic to yourself, sir Isiah. After all, all good artists tend to be their own harshest critic. Maybe someone with a fresher perspective should take a look at your designs?" she suggested, almost like a kid in a candy store.

 

[Anguis Lingua]

Random Nobody 13

"I can add a bit of... 'ruby red' to your wine, if you wish," Isiah smiled as he pulled down two wine glasses and held them up to the light. Satisfied they were clean, he set them down and fetched a bottle of red wine. "I'm afraid my stock is rather limited, I have A+ and AB-, mostly from vegetarians. 'Cleaner' taste, I'm told." He chuckled as he picked up the wine and brought them into the living room. "Then again, I'm no child of the night, so it all tastes the same to me."

He took a sip of wine as he walked over to several mannequins that were covered under a large piece of silk. "'Fresh perspective', mm? Perhaps you are right, mi'lady. Most of my work is designed around my fa-... family, so I tend to get stuck thinking along their preferences." He gripped the silk sheet and flicked his wrist, sending it fluttering to the floor.

Underneath were several mannequins, most with clothing in various stages of creation. The foremost mannequin however, was sheathed in a dress that seemed to absorb light and send it glimmering across it's surface. What looked like tendrils of dull black looked like they were wrapping around from the back, but at closer glance, it was easy to see they were designed to hug one's curves and accentuate the wearer's body. Isiah spun it around, a smile of pride obvious on his face. The tendrils came together in the back, forming a stylized 'spine' that ran from the neckline down to the split down the back.

"A prototype, if you will. My father was quite pleased with how it came out, but I feel the tendrils would go better with a 'scaled' effect instead of 'pebbled', myself. Your thoughts, Lady Isabelle?"  

[Random Nobody 13]

Anguis Lingua

Waiting for the opportune time to bring up his knowledge of her nature, Isabelle took the opportunity to observe the clothing before her. The work was very fine, stylishly done and with a design that was deceivingly simple. Moving closer to the foremost piece, she took the time to study the stitching and craftsmanship. Speculative, she took a step back and a moment to gather her thoughts. "Your work is very fine, very fine indeed. The stitching is barely visible and the design obviously well thought out. I agree though that it would look better with a 'scaled' effect, the 'pebbling' could be rather confusing to those not used to the finer side of things and scaling the tendrils would much improve the overall flow. I approve of your use of the shiny fabric to really bring out the curves. With a few simple pieces of jewelry, this outfit would fit even the fanciest of parties," Isabelle spoke approvingly. Her eyes gleamed with hidden desire for the piece. This male would be rather useful if she could convince him to allow her to be a benefactor.

Done speaking of the work, she turned to the more immediate problem of him knowing a bit too much for her taste. "Now, that said," she turned towards Isiah and slowly moved closer, red eyes glinting, "how were you aware of my nature? My clan would not approve of you knowing, and I certainly have not flaunted it about for the general knowledge of the public." Fangs growing ever so slightly, she watched him with an intensity that was frightening, like a cat who has it's preferred prey in it's sights.

 

[Anguis Lingua]

Random Nobody 13

Isiah beamed with pride as she critiqued the dress. It was rare to find someone who not only understood fashion and design, but was so able to critique it also. "You are far too kind, mi'lady, though I must humbly agree with your assessment. I had thought perhaps add a silken scarf, perhaps a dark burgandy, or crimson." He tapped his chin thoughtfully as he eyed the dress. "However... yes, I believe I see what you mean. Gold, ugh, would be far too tacky, I believe. However, something in silver, perhaps." he held up his index fingers and thumbs, framing the dress as he squinted. "Yes, perhaps something in stars! A starry night, gliding through the party, drawing the envious eye of anyone who enjoys the solitude of the night sky."

Ah, the moment he'd been waiting for. It wasn't unexpected, he'd been dropping far-too-obvious hints since spotting her at the fountain. It would have taken a bloody Gangrel or Malk to miss the hints he'd been dropping. By his cheeky smile and relaxed posture, it was clear he wasn't intimidated in the least. "Relax yourself, mi'lady. Were I some half-wit commoner, I would have scarce thought to give you even a second glance." His smile became a grin, showing incisors that, while not vampiric in nature, were still far too sharp and pointed to be normal teeth. "However, I am no half-wit, and I can spot a vampire when I see one. I suppose you can thank my father for that, vampire that he is. I had thought to perhaps try to be embraced myself, but I do believe my dear mother would have a heart attack, if she didn't try and kill me outright."

The tailor clasped his hands behind his back, just over the slender, blade-like stake that was strapped to his lower back under his cloak. He smiled again as he began to rock back and forth on his feet, seemingly at ease even as he calculated the quickest way to distract the vampire if she attacked. "I'm afraid we've reached a crossroads, mi'lady, one with potentially disastrous consequences." He held out his left hand, palm up. "One road, we accept each other's nature, and perhaps I can repair the dress you have been carrying around, though I may need to special order the fabric. The other road..."

His eyes flattened, the smile hardened, and the temperature in the room felt like it was chilling over as pure malice seemed to radiate from the freakling, a malice that seemed to originate from the very core of his being. When he spoke, his voice was flat with lethal promise. "The other road is much darker, I fear. It leads to my humble shop being destroyed, and Clan Toreador losing a fine lady with exquisite taste in the finer things of life."  

[Random Nobody 13]

Anguis Lingua

Approaching the male slowly, carefully, Isabelle assessed the two choices. While Isiah didn't look as if he had much in the way of weaponry, it could be hidden much the same way the blades up her sleeves were. Someone who had such a knack for clothes design was certain to have ways to protect his work. "You're father is a vampire, you say? Hmmm...yes, now that you've mentioned it, I have seen that dress design on one other male. Elijah is it? Hm." Keeping an eye on the male, she paused and one of her hands came up to her mouth. Fingers lightly tapping against her bottom lip, she weighed the two sides carefully.

"While I do believe that unfortunately your shop wouldn't survive, if I were you I wouldn't assume that you would be the victor, dear," there was no malice in her voice nor anger, merely a statement of fact. The meekikat showed no reaction to the malice that resonated from the male, quietly invoking her Presence. Her every word would seem more powerful, her actions awe-inspiring. Not much, mind you, but enough to sway one to her side, should they be on the edge.

A steely determination in her eyes, she continued the last few steps to be within touching distance of the male. Then slowly, she raised her hand up to gently caress his cheek. "It just wouldn't do to have to try and find a new tailor for my dress. After all, here I have found one that is willing and able to do so." Not quite turning her back on the male, she made her way back over to one of the chairs that was nearby. "Tell me, who is you mother by chance?" Isabelle asked nonchalantly as she examined her nails. Observing without appearing to observe was one of her favorite talents, one she indulged in whenever to opportunity arrived. "I'd like to know who would have children with a vampire yet would kill said child if he became one. I've heard of overprotective parents, but that one is by far the worst case I've heard."