|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2011 3:28 pm
Azra'iel sat somewhat sulkily in the seat his host had shown him to before moving off, laughing happily, with his parents. Why he had been included in his parent's invitation to this garden party, he couldn't fathom... until he had arrived in the park to find a table full of children; all within five years of his age by the looks of it. The adults were a way off at their own tables with a string quartet nearby, leaving the hustling servants to keep an eye on the group of youngsters.
The eight year old barely managed to resist slumping in his chair and crossing his arms across his chest, but knowing his mother's insistence on manners, if she saw him, that just would NOT go over well. He did not want to be here. He wanted to be reading or riding his pony or... no, he really wanted to be reading. His new tutor would be arriving in less than a month's time and had sent some books ahead for Azra'iel to look at. While most of them were classical literature, there had been a fictional adventure book hidden in the middle of the pile. He had been determined to avoid it, he didn't have time for some silly kid story...but the curiosity had quickly gotten the better of him and now, he could barely bring himself to put the story down!
So rather than socializing properly, he pretended to pay attention to the chaotic babble around him---and let his thoughts linger on adventures involving daring swordplay, brave youths, and blood-thirsty pirates.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2011 4:08 pm
Rosel heaved a sigh as she walked into the garden party, trailing quietly behind Mother and Father. An entire evening of sitting up straight and smiling when one of the adults bothered her with questions. Garden parties were stupid anyway. It wasn't like the Barbettes could climb any higher on the social ladder; Mrs. Barbette's mother was a seamstress, for pete's sake! Rosel wasn't entirely certain of what a seamstress actually did, but given how it was talked about, it was pretty bad. What mother actually worked for a living?
A servant cut between Rosel and her parents, arm held out to try and get her to go somewhere else. She let her parents move away - it'd be way more fun without them anyway - and looked to where she was supposed to go.
"The kids' table?!" She let out an insulted squeak, the kind her parents hated, and was rewarded when her mother looked back with an angry glare.
"Now dear, what have I told you about that sound?"
"But mother-" Rosel began, looking around the servant to give Mother her 'pretty please' face.
"But nothing. A lady must know how to socialize. Go on."
Rosel stuck out her jaw angrily, her mother hated that too, as her parents walked away. Great, now she was going to be stuck babysitting all night. Turning her glare on the waiter, she put on her 'lady face', threw her shoulders back, and marched over to the table. She felt the waiter follow behind and she got a little satisfaction from nibbling at his aura as they walked. Sip, sip, sip.
Sliding into the chair, she looked down her nose at the others there. The children. Squirming around in their seats like bugs. From the corner of her eye, she saw the ladies' table, with their hats and their fans and their white gloves. Rosel sat up straight and immediately crossed her legs. Across the table was a boy, blonde and a little older than the rest, but still definitely a child. He was sitting up and looking around, like he was actually interested in what was going on. Rosel looked at him for a moment before sniffing and looking away. She was too old for this stupid table.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2011 5:10 pm
A devastating loss between Azra---er, the young hero, and the evil pirates forced Azra'iel to begin to surface from his musings. He couldn't keep imagining the story because he didn't know what happened next! Absently noting that the tables were all full, but there was still not yet any sign of food, Azra'iel sought to loose himself back into his adventure and make up what happened next when a soft, disgusted sound, drew his attention. Before, there had been an empty seat across the table, now a girl was there and Azra'iel noticed her just in time to see her turn her nose in the air.
Since she wasn't looking, Azra'iel felt slightly less rude watching her from the corner of his eye. She dressed and affected the mannerisms of the young ladies reaching their debut, but her face still held the roundness of youth. Obviously, she did not want to be here either. Since she didn't want to socialize and he didn't want to socialize, he was perfectly happy leaving her alone for the rest of this stupid dinner.
But his conscious quickly got the better of him. Or perhaps it was the Glare he was sure he felt from his mother over at the main dinner table, Azra'iel wasn't entirely certain. Clearing his throat to catch the girl's attention, he stood and offered a polite half-bow.
"Pardon my rudeness, Miss. I did not see you arrive." Such formality coming from a boyish soprano voice was highly entertaining, but Azra'iel was not aware of the dichotomy. "Has a servant seen to your drink or would you like me to assist you in getting their attention?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2011 6:22 pm
A single eyebrow rose and Rosel found herself at a loss for words at the boy's sudden interruption of her thoughts. What did he think he was doing? Okay, likely just trying to be polite, but why? She immediately guessed that he was the son of one of the servants trying to get in good with her family, but had to dismiss the notion with a look at the fine cut of his clothes. Too bad, she would have liked a personal servant. The maids and tutors were fun to torment, but having a butler of her very own would be one big step into adulthood. And a servant younger than her, easily trainable?
However, since he was from a good family, she couldn't outright insult him, or Mother would take away all her jewels. Again. Rosel absently wondered if the Kent boy's hair had ever grown back. They'd obviously never been invited to afternoon tea again.
Rosel tossed a lock of hair over her shoulder with a flick of her head, and fixed the boy with a flat stare. "No. Thank you," she enunciated carefully, flicking a glance to the adult table. "They can't hear us over here, so you can drop the act. You sound ridiculous." Didn't he know how real young men talked to ladies? Only ever at the insistence of their mothers, and definitely not like they really wanted to.
Maybe he really was a servant's son, just trying to pass as one of those actually invited. Or even worse, maybe he was from one of those 'new money' families that kept moving in on the other side of town. Mother had already forbid her to talk to them. "I'm Rosel Shimala." Emphasizing her last name, Rosel fixed him with a suspicious glare.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2011 6:46 pm
"A-azra'iel Einar, at... your..." Azra'iel trailed off and tried to not squirm. Wide champagne eyes blinked twice before Azra'iel fully processed the stern set-down he had just received; Rosel's glare was almost as scary as his mother's.
He could drop the act, huh? He wasn't sure what she meant, he wasn't acting. But if she was going to be rude he could certainly keep up with her!
He huffed, petulantly.
"Well excuuuuse me, Rosel Shimala, I was taught that it was proper to be polite to ladies. But I suppose since you're just a girl, it doesn't matter so much."
Forget her! He didn't need to talk with some snooty girl, he had never met the Shimalas. He was certain his grandmother knew them, she knew everyone in Moonfall! Of course, since she wasn't here, that probably didn't really matter. Not to mention, a swarm of servants had just appeared with food! His stomach grumbled audibly as soon as the scent hit him, annoying girl almost completely forgotten.
'Finally! The sooner we eat, the sooner we leave! And I'm hungry!!'
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 4:27 am
For a moment Rosel laughingly thought he was actually going to say he was at her service. Who even said that anymore? It would have been too rich to pass up though, since his service would have been of real use. Einar, the name sounded familiar. Not a new money family though, pity she couldn't ignore him on that count.
Her sudden anger escaped as a sudden huff of air and she could almost feel her static running through her gloved fingers. Just a girl?! She was lucky the food was finally arriving, or she might have done something...very mean. But then she would have missed dinner, and probably would have been sent to her room without even a snack.
She leaned forward slightly, dropping her voice too low for the advancing servants. Her voice was sticky sweet as she gave him a nasty smile. "I don't expect a kid like you to know what a real lady looks like. I'm sure we all just look the same to you. But don't worry, I forgive you. You're just a child, after all."
Leaning back just in time to give the servant her lady-face, she cast Azra'iel a superior look. That was the tone she'd expected, the way young men were supposed to talk, though the girl comment was way out of line. Maybe just by talking to her, her class was rubbing off on him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 9:15 am
Rosel's comment merited little more than an eyeroll. Especially since he was quickly occupied offering a polite thank you to the young woman serving his meal! Of course he was a child, he was only eight! Well, almost nine, but still, he didn't have to worry about grown-up stuff until he was... twelve or so? That was forever away. All he had to do now was mind his manners and behave for his tutors!
'Well, our host seated her over here, should I point that out? I wonder if she'd lose her temper... no, that isn't lady-like. Maybe she'd just get all red trying to not lose her temper?'
Laughing to himself and fidgeting a bit in his seat as he debated, Azra'iel draped the linen napkin on his lap and methodically began to cut his food. It would probably be smarter to let Rosel think she had won so he could eat dinner without having to make polite conversation. He was glad they had skipped a salad course for the children's table, he didn't like salad very much. He wouldn't have minded some soup, but perhaps since it was so pleasantly warm there would be a fruit soup for dessert...
Chewing thoughtfully, Azra'iel swallowed and took a sip of water before speaking.
"You know, our host seated you here, so obviously, you're the only one who thinks you're a lady."
Oops. So much for small talk about the delicious food.
"But if it makes you feel better, I concede you have the best manners at the table!"
Azra'iel's eyes twinkled mischievously as he lifted another bite to his mouth. The older girl was kind of fun to bother.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 9:53 am
A single twitch broke out under Rosel's eye and she kept her glare on Azra'iel as she quickly put her napkin in her lap and snatched up her utensils. The nerve of him, talking to her like that. Immediately she mentally reached out to snatch a bite out of his aura and felt so little magic, she immediately assumed he wasn't a witch. There was a tiny pulse though, hardly even enough for a snack. She slowly, primly cut up her food instead.
"Me getting stuck over here was obviously a test of my patience. I'm to debut in a few years, and all good ladies must know how to handle disobedient children." She lifted her eyes in another glare at the words, though didn't mention that she was likely going to attend Makai shortly after her debut, and wouldn't be able to marry until after she graduated. The prospect of children of her own was enough to make her gag.
"And I don't need you to pretend to make me feel better, I already know my manners are perfect." She put her lady-face back on and glanced over just in time to see Father looking at her worriedly. She flashed him a smile and turned back to her food.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
