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 Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 7:24 pm
Fortuna laughed softly. It was not in her to deny a gift. “I actually don’t speak with people often… I enjoy watching their world without having to take an active part in it in all reality.” Now that she thought about it the realization dawned on her…
“You’re the only one I’ve actually had a conversation with other than hello.” She looked down mildly ashamed, how long had she been here? It seemed like forever, forever that her heart longed to explore that which she knew she could never have… the solitude and silent beauty of the forest. The city person who adopted her had been telling her since she came that she should be more social, go make friends…
But she just never found the time, or the courage to try.
She blanked for a few moments, just in despair, not that she didn’t have friends, no that was not it at all, but that she had not eventried.
“I’m sorry.” Fortuna mumbled softly, mildly abashed. “It seems we passed the place two doors again, shall we double back?” She blinked around her, her aqua eyes taking in their surroundings. Looking closer she realized that they were the only two book children here, how many were there actually she wondered… and how many will I have the chance to meet?
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2011 6:38 am
Tempest boggled at her for a moment. "Never had a conversation?" he asked in disbelief. What kind of deprived life had she had? Conversations were one of Tempest's favorite parts of being alive! Meeting people and making them know his name - what more was there to life than that? (Lots of things. It was rhetorical.)
"Fortuna," he said, testing the sounds of her name out. "You need to talk to people! How will you ever make friends if you don't?" He circled her slowly as he walked, studying her face from every angle. If Fortuna never talked to people, then wouldn't she be lonely? You couldn't make friends if you didn't talk to people!
Tempest's brow crinkled in concern. "Aren't you lonely?" he asked. No one should ever have to be lonely, especially someone so nice and pretty as Fortuna.
At the news that they'd missed the shop, Tempest wheeled about suddenly and once more grabbed hold of Fortuna's hand. "Why didn't you say so?" he asked in alarm, hurrying back up the street. He pointed to a shopfront where a pair of silver mechanical kittens caroused in the window display.
"Is it this one?" he asked. It had to be this one. He pushed the door open and pulled Fortuna inside.
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2011 12:21 pm
Fortuna glanced down shyly. “I’m not lonely; I believe there is a refuge to be found in solitude.” Her eyes glazed over for a few moments, her thoughts on all the times she had purposely avoided a conversation just for the means of keeping to herself.
Fortuna allowed herself to be dragged back the way they had come, her free hand lightly holding the small cap pinned to the pack of her hair in place. She did not want to lose it after all, especially if someone was stealing objects from book children. She still couldn’t figure out how anyone could do such a thing.
“Yes this is it.” She smiled as he tugged her inside, barely waiting for her response. Inside a sense of otherworldliness reigned. The room was lit by tall pillar candles, and everywhere she looked something was in motion. She loved the complexity of it all! Every time it never ceased to amaze her!
“It is a whole new world in here.” She breathed, her eyes sparkling. It had been far too long since she had been in one of these shops. Hesitantly she walked forward to the counter, her fingers lightly traced across the dark wood, when a city person emerged from the shop door. He smiled at her and started polishing a huge mechanical parrot. And Fortuna turned her attention to her companion.
“Isn’t it amazing?”
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2011 8:13 pm
He didn't believe her, because he didn't believe anyone could be happy never talking to anyone. "Not all the time!" Tempest objected, thoroughly scandalized by Fortuna's solitary existence. "You can't possibly be happy being alone all of the time!" It just didn't seem possible to him.
His objective horror evaporated as soon as they stepped into the cool surroundings of the clockwork shop. Tempest bit his tongue softly and fell silent, looking around at the softly-stirring glinting metal. He'd never seen so many clockwork animals in one place! The boy gasped, not even trying to hide his wonder.
"It is!" he replied, raptly staring at a pair of delicate silver birds perched above the counter. "It's magic - isn't it? Some kind of magic?" To be truthful, he didn't see what else it could be. Turning to the shopkeeper, he asked, "Do you make these yourself?"
Tempest eagerly awaited the reply, wanting to see what kind of text bubbled forth from the man's mouth and to force Fortuna to engage in conversation with him.
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2011 11:46 pm
Fortuna smiled over at him, it was a sad smile but one that was old. It was a smile that said I have seen people, known things to be true, and found solstice in no one. It was perhaps then that it dawned on her just how much older she seemed, and that made her sad. Perhaps it was her story that made solitude all that more appealing, or perhaps it was just the silence of the city people, but it was what she found comfortable.
To each his own she supposed.
“I don’t know if I would call it magic, but rather a very inventive creativity. Though then again, magic can be found in all sorts of things… we were born from magic I suppose.” Fortuna walked over to a delicate gold kitten, with pale silver whiskers and smiled as it rolled over onto its stomach as though asking for a belly rub.
“I do make these, with a little bit of luck and a pinch of pixie dust.” The city person replied, his lavish flowing script flowing quickly in his word bubble. [Insert fancy lettering at will xD]
Fortuna sat on a cushion of grey silk and watched Tempest take in everything around them. It was very entertaining, but she was growing tired, the sounds of gears a soft lullaby to her ears.
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Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 8:45 pm
Tempest saw the sadness in his smile, and it confused him. He'd never seen someone smile but be sad at the same time before: did it mean Fortuna wasn't having fun? Had he displeased her somehow? A whole world of worries crossed his mind.
The boy smiled genuinely at the shop-keeper. "They're super-neat," he enthused. "Maybe someday...?" Although not today - his money was for pie today, and it wasn't nearly enough for a clockwork even if it wasn't.
He made his way over to fortuna and settled down beside her. "I like it," he beamed at her. "You like it, right?" He was worried that she didn't: she still looked sort of sad. "Maybe we should go get pie now?" It seemed like an idea to him, at least - whenever he was upset, pie always cheered him up.
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Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2011 6:27 pm
Fortuna smiled at him, a real smile this time. “Of course I like it, I’m just rather tired is all now.” She stood up and offered him her hand, smile plastered on her face.
“You must really enjoy pie.” Fortuna finished petted the kitten on the head one more time before wandering out the doors with Tempest in a tow.
…
The auburn haired girl wandered down the street with the son of the ocean at her heels trying to remember where the best bakery for pies and cakes was. Did you turn down this alley or the other, or was it across the cobbled path and to the left? She shook out her hair and grinned Oh well, it was an adventure.
It took her three tries before she found the right place and pushed in the door, laughing to herself.
“You would think I would know this area better than anyone with how long I have lived here.”
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Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2011 8:52 am
"I like pie a lot," agreed Tempest, following hr out of the shop. He was a bit concerned for her, being tired and all - it was still quite early in the morning. What if she hadn't slept at all the night before? And why wouldn't she have slept? "I think that if I had to list all of my favorite things, pie would definitely be somewhere near the top." And it would be a rather long list, as Tempest had yet to discover anything he didn't like!
The bakery she lead him into smelled fantastic. Tempest took a deep breath and gained a bit of a strut in his step as they approached the counter. "How long have you lived here?" he asked, finding Fortuna's dismal social conditioning more upsetting by the second. First she'd said she'd never had a conversation with anyone before, and now she barely knew her way around her neighborhood! Was she some sort of shut-in?
Or maybe she was just tired, Tempest assured himself. He bent over and spent a long time looking at the pies in the display case. They all looked fantastically delicious, with their glittering dustings of sugar. Best to start with something simple and hard to mess up, though.
Tempest straightened and held up two fingers at the city person behind the counter. "Two slices of apple," he said charmingly. "One for me, and one for my friend!"
He flashed a dazzlingly bright smile, first at the city person as they turned to fill his order, and then at Fortuna to make sure she'd heard that she'd been introduced as his friend. The bakery employee set the plated pie on the counter and told Tempest the price in a neat, courier-esque typeface. Tempest paid, picked up the pie, and practically danced towards the nearest table.
He pushed one of the plates towards Fortuna. "Eat!" he urged her.
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Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 7:46 pm
Fortuna noticed the concern, though she said nothing about it. It was strange being on the receiving hand of someone that showed their emotions so freely. Her city person was very quiet, often focused on the tasks at hand, it made her nervous how quiet he could get sometimes. City people don’t speak but in type, she knows this but as the years continue he seemed to get more quiet.
“I spend my nights reading and helping out where I live, mending old books that are falling apart, sometimes even going as far as illuminating some pages that lack color. I hardly sleep, and when I do it is often in the morning. I have managed to keep afloat and live in this area for three years. Mostly struggling to prove I’m worth keeping around.” She smiled at him again, especially when it seemed as though he would jump out of his skin. If Tempest had been born with a tail, he would surely be wagging it she thought to herself, a small giggle escaping her lips.
When he turned to look at her, once more she was startled by the deep blue of his eyes; they seemed to glow with perpetual happiness. Fortuna shifted uncomfortably though when Tempest put down the money to pay for both, calling her friend and paying for her slice. It made her feel awkward; she was his friend she supposed…
But she hated people doing things for her when she did not deserve them, it left a bitter taste in her mouth.
Fortuna picked at the piece of pie when he insisted that she eat, looking down at the plate as she moved the pieces of apple around. “I hate that you had to spend your money on me Tempest, I have no way to repay you for your kindness.”
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2011 4:04 pm
Tempest nodded, trying to sound fascinated but really he wasn't sure how interesting mending books could be. He was interested to possibly try it and find out - surely Fortuna had to derive some pleasure from her work, or else why would she do it? Maybe it was more fun than he could imagine it might be right now.
The boy popped a slice of sugared apple thoughtfully into his mouth, falling momentarily silent (but only to chew). "I work in an inn. Tavern. Thing. It's a bunch of things. The owners took me in - if you're ever in Sutfirth, it's called the Drunken Playwright. You should stop by!" His foster parents had been clear that Tempest ought to advertise every chance he got as part of earning his keep, but they seemed pretty generous so far.
He gestured again for her to eat, concerned with her glumness. "Why are you apologizing?" he asked, brow crinkling in confusion. "I bought you pie because I wanted to buy you pie, not because I wanted you to pay me back!" Clearly the boy still had a ways to go when it came to understanding a barter economy.
"It's a gift," he insisted. "Because we are friends and I wanted you to have it because you showed this place to me. So please eat!"
Inwardly, he felt stung by her glumness. Had he done something wrong?
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Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2011 6:14 pm
Fortuna smiled at him, putting a small piece of pie into her mouth as a response. “I’m sorry if I’ve offended you Tempest, I just like to earn my keep.” Idly she pushed around the pieces of apple and stared out the window into the dim lit streets. “The drunken playwright” She tried on the name for size, it was a humorous name, one she much enjoyed. Especially after learning about her authors life. The library didn’t have much on him, but others before her had come from Shakespeare’s great works, and she knew by instinct he must have enjoyed his outings as much as anyone.
“I like it. And if I’m ever in Sutfirth I will stop by, that is if I can find it. I’m quite horrible with directions I’m afraid… I kind of just stumble upon things.” Her gaze drifted toward the window again, watching a couple walk by in somber colors, well they would be as they were city people, but neither wore a smile on their faces. The thoughts of their stories poked at the back of her mind, but Fortuna ignored them in favor for her companion, which had so nicely bought her pie.
She looked down, finishing a few more bites and back up at Tempest, “So what is your real story if I may be so bold to ask? Not the whole thing to be sure, just... your favorite part?” Her face frowned, this wasn't coming out the way she had wanted it to.
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Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2011 7:16 pm
"Just ask someone for directions!" instructed Tempest brightly. He was proud to live and work at a local landmark. The Drunken Playwright was something of a family business, and from what he understood it had been passed to the current owners as part of a line of proprietors stretching back perhaps three centuries. "Lots of people know where the Drunken Playwright is, I promise. It's easy to find."
That was how he'd gotten there in the first place, after all! If you asked for an inn, chances were you'd wind up there. "I just stumble into things, too!" he assured Fortuna. "But it's working well so far! I met you, after all!" Definitely a good thing.
"My story has a rhythm, like waves," he answered, after a moment's thought. His blue eyes gained a new radiance, like he loved talking about this. "The ocean has a child, you see, and everywhere he goes, he takes the sea with him, it's always lapping at his heels. There's this forward momentum- that's what I love. That he can never stop. That he's always adventuring and going new places."
Tempest beamed at Fortuna. "I like to think I'm like that," he explained. "That I'll go lots of places and meet lots of people." There didn't seem to be any reason to tell her about the parts of his story that troubled her, the strange sinister sense that bubbled around the edges.
He took another bite of pie and leaned towards her, interest glittering in his eyes. "What's your story about?"
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Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 9:36 pm
Fortuna favored him with a smile when he referred to stumbling upon her as a good thing. A sense of deep foreboding clung to her soul however; as she was so very afraid of disappointing him, her first and (other than her city person) only friend.
Fortuna listened adamantly to the details of what he described, she loved books, and his she would love to one day read. It was much better than the role she had immediately concurred for him before they had a chance to speak, and in turn become friends. It gave her a new incentive to learn of other book children’s stories, so that she could find out about whether or not her stories held truth to them.
Fortuna offered Tempest a real smile this time. “Even though I have only known you for a short amount of time Tempest I would agree that you are very much like your story.” She took another bite of pie finishing most of the crust and leaving much of the apple behind. “My thoughts are that you will find good fortune for you and those you come across, maybe even someone to share your adventures with.”
Her voice trailed off, and a sense of foreboding filled her as her eyes leveled off with the window once more. “My story… is one of ill-fortune I’m afraid. Ending in the death of two individuals who did nothing wrong but love one another. It is a story that I doubt you would much want to hear.” Fortuna turned her deep blue eyes upon him once more, offering a meek some-what cautious smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
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Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 7:58 pm
Tempest's smile faltered as he began to realize that Fortuna had many facial expressions and they weren't all as happy as they initially seemed. Even though he swelled with pride at being assured he matched his own adventurous and forward-moving tale, the boy felt a pang of sadness for Fortuna. "No!" he objected, scattering crumbs ungracefully.
Wiping his mouth on his sleeve, Tempest explained. "Even if your story is sad, it's you and that means I want to hear it. My story is sad in parts, and lonely in parts, but that doesn't mean I don't like it! Or tell it!" In fact, he loved his story. Even if it was lonely. It made him want to make friends! For Fortuna to refuse to tell him her story felt like a rejection on some level. Like she didn't feel like she could be open with him.
"You already spoiled me on the ending," Tempest added, pushing the last bit of crust around on his plate. "So you should tell me the rest!" Nothing seemed wrong with this proposal to him!
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 8:52 pm
Fortuna watched closely as Tempest’s facial expressions went every which way in spans of what seemed like seconds. He wanted her to open herself with him, and she understood that… she just wasn’t sure she quite knew how to open up to someone that personally. He was sweet, and she liked him but she didn’t want to hurt him or even see the sadness in his eyes when he realized her story was nothing but tragedy.
“There was once a boy who was in love with a woman named Rosalyn… she profusely rejected his love… and in turn broke his heart. At the prompting of his best friend Mercusio, Romeo went to a forbidden party held by the enemy family of his fathers the Capulets. There he met Juliet, who remains a mystery until revealed to be the daughter and heir to the Capulet household…”
And so Fortuna opened up to someone for the first time since she had been born into this mysterious place. It was difficult, and at times she refused to meet Tempest’s eyes over their plates of apple pie. However considering she had never opened up to someone in such a way before (at least not that she could remember) she did well, and felt much relieved when the tale was done.
However she felt as though a heavy silence filled her afterward and she could do nothing but look out the window at the passerby’s and hope that Tempest filled the silence.
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