|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 7:42 am
Another day where Mia had completely booked her schedule full of customers for the day so that she could spend the next day at home with Keiko. The scent didn't mind these days at all, in fact when Mia was home it felt like she wanted to spend all of her time with Keiko. Keiko hadn't received this much attention from her last owner, it was admittedly sometimes a bit overwhelming, but Mia had Keiko's best intentions in mind. Mia was also trying to teach her a few things on her days off such as painting, Keiko was really starting to be good at it too. Though, as much as Mia tried teaching her about the country side and horses, Keiko found those things just didn't interest her and it seemed that Mia sometimes was trying to cover up something. Whatever it was, Keiko didn't want to figure it out yet. It didn't bother her so much for now, but at some point she'd have to find out.
Just like every other day, Keiko left the house early in the morning to be able to make it to the city by carriage. She had always liked the city, things were so much simpler than the farmlands, she was able to meet far more people in the city then in the middle of no where. Plus, all the shopping was just great, you could find everything you wanted and the stores were just a few paces from each other. Mia had thankfully left her some more pieces so she could go shopping, last time she hadn't been able to pick up everything that she'd needed. Keiko still had no winter boots, today this would be on her list of things to get first and foremost. Then maybe head towards a tea shop to relax, tea shops being one of her favorite places to be especially with the cold days setting in.
As the carriage continued to zigzag through the masses of people and the crowded streets, Keiko spotted two women dressed oddly like her greeting what Keiko guessed as a very wealthy man from his suit as he came out of his limo. The scent was taken by these women to the point that she was leaning out of the carriage to look at them. They were dressed in colorful kimono's with pale white faces, ruby red lips and hair that was done up with some flowery decorations. Keiko glanced up at the sign was the carriage passed the four story building, she was only able to gimps 'Dragon' before they were too far for her to read anything. Keiko sat back down, who were those women? Why were they wearing something similar to her? They were so mesmerizing, and serving a rich man too! She'd have to ask Mia about it when she returned home, there was no way she was forgetting about them.
Finally, the market came in view, and the carriage slowed down as the number of people grew to a point where they couldn't even move; Keiko decided she may as well stop here and simply walk along the shops. She had no idea what kind of shoes she was suppose to get, but she figured someone would know if she asked. The shoe stands were all clustered together, Keiko had plenty of time to go from one shop to the other until she found a nice mint colored pair of winter boots. Keiko picked them up from the table to examine them, the owner was watching her carefully before getting distracted with another customer. Keiko dropped the shoe, bent down to pick it up as it had bounced under the stall.
"What are you doing?" Keiko snapped back up and glanced at the owner, hands empty. "Where are the boots? Did you steal them? You little thief! You put them under your dress" The scent had no idea what was happening, she hadn't even stolen anything! Why was this man screaming and making a huge scene. Suddenly, the tall man had come around and grabbed onto her wrist. No Keiko wasn't a violent person usually, but when someone she didn't like, someone she didn't know was making her angry, she got a bit wild.
"Let go!" Keiko shrieked and kicked the man square in the knee, he doubled over, but hadn't let go of her. "I said let me go!" People were starting to turn now, wondering why a little girl was yelling, but all the man was trying to yell through his pain was that she was a thief. Mia was going to never let her go out again if she ended up getting in trouble.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 11:07 am
Amahté was no hero. Contrary to popular belief, he did not go looking for conflict either, but whether by his own doing or otherwise, he seemed attracted to it.
Mary still couldn't look at him. Her eyes would dart anywhere, flit here and there before settling on some point over his shoulder, or the corner of his eye of Ra. The one time she had made eye-contact she had stared for so long he had watched the muscles shift beneath her skin, watched her eyes become glassy, and other than briefly wondering what she could be thinking, he also wondered if these were the carefully drawn steps to keep from crying. And instead of settling on tears, she settled for being flustered. You need new clothes! she had yelped in a nervous panic. When he had looked down, he realized that yes, yes he did. She had rushed out of the house before he could verbalize any of this, unfortunately.
She had given him enough money to go search for winter clothing, pointedly making sure to drop hints about investing in pants. It's cold, she reasoned. You need them. And while Amahté hated the chill creeping into the air, he refused to give into slacks. He just couldn't. Which is why he ended up with a heavy winter coat and good shoes instead, because his kilt was his kilt and he'd be damned if he was going to risk chafing and his pride.
Unfortunately for him, the table he was just leaving -- stacked with winter boots, shoes, and an absurd amount of footwear not meant for the oncoming cold -- was all too near to the bolts of cloth and assorted bottoms. First rule of shopping? Never make eye-contact with a clerk. Amahté thoroughly broke the rule as a young woman came out from around the table she was stationed at, smile bright, and realizing his mistake, the Scent rolled his eyes.
"Sir! Your ensemble is incomplete-- "
Amahté cut her off with a broad hand, "No, my ensemble is fine as is."
But she was persistent, herding him back to the stall, "Of course. For now, but the snow will be coming soon and--"
Humoring her -- she was pretty -- Amahté trailed after her, hands sinking into his fleeced pockets. He interrupted again:
"Let me ask you something," he began, voice low as he looked over the stacked slacks on the counter; he feigned interest. She leaned forward, more than happy to help. "Is it snowing?"
Her brow wrinkled, "Well, no--"
"Then pants are not necessary," he said, voice flat. His eyes flicked to hers when he spoke, gaze bored and final. She visibly floundered, recaptured her grace.
"Well, of course. I suppose."
Amahté simply stared until she looked away and she moved on to an older gentleman who did want pants. He turned from the stall in time to watch something green hit the ground and bounce like a propelled rocket beneath the table next to him. Amahté's interest quavered, fell; if he hurried he could catch the next trolley home--
I said let me go!
"I swear, we've been getting so many thieving children around here. I never thought Cyrus had such a problem with homeless-- especially orphans...." Amahté turned slightly towards the gossiping voices at the table spread with bolts of cloth.
"She doesn't look like the usual suspect..."
"Oh, yes, but you never know with kids like that."
Amahté turned his eyes to the shoe stall, brow slightly wrinkled. He caught snatches of what the owner was all but snarling at the girl. Something about thief! and miscreant! and where's the other boot? It was really no business of his, Amahté's subjects could do what they pleased with one another. He was no hero, but--
The teen strolled over towards the quarreling pair, knelt beside them, and dug the missing boot out from beneath the table.
"Is this what she stole?" he asked in such a way that implied he was wasting his time. And he was. The man's grip relaxed on Keiko's wrist and he spared her a look; she appeared genuinely panicked and confused. Amahté peeled the man's fingers from her wrist and bid her to step back with the palm of his hand.
"It is," the man finally said, looking abashed. Amahté's scent spiked in annoyance as he knelt to grasp the other boot the girl had dropped.
"And this?"
The owner looked at though he were praying for the ground to swallow him. Amahté rolled his eyes and smacked the soles of the boots together, "Well?"
When he received no answer, he sneered and thrust a handful of pieces at the stall owner, and while he kept his tone low, his voice was firm, "Next time you make a scene, don't be such an ignoramus about it. I can hardly tolerate stupidity in my presence."
He hardly knew if the girl even wanted the boots, but now she had a free pair and who could refuse a gift from Midori's pharaoh? Amahté turned to Keiko and, expression unchanging except for an inkling of interest, he held the boots out to her (though his hand was far gentler), "You can't steal what is yours."
His smile didn't entirely meet his eyes; he almost dared her to refuse his small gift.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 11:51 am
When the boy strolled over, Keiko started panicking just a bit more, if she couldn't fight the man holding onto her now, this one was going to be more of a pain. She was ready to defend herself again with another kick if the man was going to hand her to another one, that was her escape plan B. Though when he ducked and picked up the shoe she'd been accused of stealing, Keiko paused and stared at him. He was... Saving her? The little girl couldn't look more confused at the whole mess, but at least she wouldn't be kicking him either. Though even though this new guy had given back the shoe, it wasn't until he was peeling off the guys fingers from her wrist that the other let go. Keiko cradled her wrist, red finger marks had appeared where he'd been holding onto her.
Then she caught a whiff of a smell, some sort of mix between spices and apples. She actually liked it better then her scent, and she wished she could control scent to a better extent; she could have at least avoided a scene by calming everyone down or make them sick when she wasn't careful. She continued to watch the scene laying out before her with a bit more amused interest, who ever this guy was she was similar to her and she knew she could trust him more then her initial thoughts about him. After all, the guy was pants less and wearing a skirt that was shorter then Keiko's. This concept was really odd to her considering she knew Mia had taught her somewhere between shopping and home stuff that only girls wore skirts. Asking him now might offend him, so Keiko wouldn't push the subject, everyone was entitled to wearing what they wanted after all.
When he handed her the boots, Keiko eyes them wearily, don't take anything from strangers Mia had told her among a punch of other city rules. Keiko looked up to meet his eyes, but found them wondering over his facial features before settling on his eyes. "Thank you." She slowly reached to take the boots, just because he'd been nice to her didn't mean he was going to continue to do so. "I'm Keiko." She extended her hand , it was curtsy for greeting after all.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
