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 Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:38 am
Last,
My dearest (yes, you are and nothing will convince me to write otherwise, despite how wounded your pride may be!), this may, and most likely will, come off as foolish, though has been at the back of my mind for weeks now. May young ladies write letters of their affections to their dearest paramours, and I suppose you are deserving of one as well.
I never realized how different it is to put my feelings in pen before, since my passion has always been forged into metal instead, but perhaps I'll be a writer yet. You worry me far too much. While I don't disapprove of your activities, I do highly disapprove of your injuries from such. I will gladly kiss every one of your scars during our time alone, but you should not hurry to make more! I cannot always find the time to come and care for you as you rest, as much as it pains me. I am far too fond of you, an dI'm sure that it will not fade. So please do not make the effort to perish, lest you break my heart!
That being said, don't you dare let this fall into Rajani's hands. I fear for my life in the presence of that woman, especially after you've done such a lovely mural of bites and bruises upon my neck. Please don't stop that though.
It's hard to say how I've become so fond of you. You've been so kind to me with your gifts and time, and it would be foolish to say that they have had no effect. But those things alone are not what has made you win my affections. I think you're more then aware of how I adore being in your company, whether it be in the midst of the day or under the stars upon the rooftops of Palisade. There is little that is more relaxing then waking up cradled in your arms, regardless of the activities of the previous night. Of course, those activities are increasingly enjoyable as well though I believe that goes without saying. There is nothing like your lips on mine and your touch makes me feel as though I'll burst into flames. There's so much more I would write of this, but my burning cheeks will not allow such things to be written. However I would be very happy to educate you on such things the next time we meet.
I fear I've rambled on long enough in this small love letter of mine, but know that I am yours as long as you wish me to be.
with all my love,
your smith,
Rosalie Satre
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:40 am
Rosalie
you know I isnt so good with pretty words thou mam usta say I dont do so bad with neat letterin so theres that. Sorry i got bunged up but it dont always happen and aint always so bad but we was in a hurry and forgot to leave out offerins for the little god of luck like usual
also i wont tell no nosy gypsys about the letters if you dont tell her about no offerings on account of shed just make fun
sometimes though i wonders if i gone and used up all my luck findin you and if so thats fine your wurth gettin bunged up for a thousand times. i seen pretty girls afore but none ve them unnerstood nuttin like you do
none ve them were smart like you neither
if First were readin he d probably say I gotta tell you i think your pretty but you knowd that cauz i cant niver stop lookin at you no matter where we go even in your apron it dont matter
also we shud be home soon this aint like last time its only a meetin with the whole fambly
and i knows it were First as got you the address to writing to just be careful listening to much to him cauz sometimes he goes on sayin things he shud nt.
love
FRIEDRICH GRIMM THE LAST
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:41 am
Miss Rosalie Satre, Blacksmith
I am sure you have noticed that this letter comes to you in an envelope much the same as another you have lately received, and is writ upon paper which you will also find familiar. My name is Jacob Ludwig Grimm, and it was from my desk that your enthusiastic paramour stole his materials. Pray forgive his letters; he was taught by clerks and so his writing falls largely into their fashion. Indeed, there are times when his concise style is to be preferred to a more eloquent approach -- this said, no matter what coarse brevity he employed in his letter to you, rest assured that he feels quite strongly .. indeed, I have never before known him to willingly put pen to paper for anything but a bill of sale.
This is in fact why I have taken it upon myself to write to you, as a courtesy. I am sure he has not made it plain to you, but the Grimm family is a family of Means. This does not imply that suitors of humble origin are wholly unwelcome, only that as the eldest brother and head of the Grimm family, I intend to take great care in selecting brides for my brothers.
I am therefore requesting the particulars of your history, both that of your family and your recent past. Having heard repeatedly of your many virtues from Friedrich himself, there is little need to discuss your qualifications, though I would not wholly find it amiss if you took it upon yourself to put forth your opinions on the family enterprise ..
All of this may seem to you to be far from the common course to you, but I assure you it is meant in the spirits of warmest courtesy. Firstly, such questions I would ordinarily ask of your parents, but I am informed that they are no longer with you. (My condolences.) Secondly, knowing us as you do now I am sure you are aware that the information I seek I could easily obtain by other means, should I so choose -- yet I will ask you, so that you know what is being asked and why.
It is to be hoped therefore that you shall not take these questions amiss.
Furthermore, that you can be certain no eyes but mine will see your missive, I ask that you deliver it into the care of my brother Wilhelm Grimm; Wilhelm has been directed to deliver your letter personally to me, and as our poor Wilhelm never went much beyond his numbers in his scholarly education, you can be certain he will not be able to read your words even if he wished to disobey me.
Until such time as I am able to part from my business to meet you personally, I wish you well,
Jacob Ludwig Grimm
Protector of the Family Name
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:42 am
The colder it got, the busier everything seemed to get. Not only was Rosalie juggling her own work load, but now she'd found herself with a hefty payment from an interesting woman to churn out even more swords than she already had on her plate. Of course, she had help, but she wasn't quite sure what to think of the young man that had looked her over with a look she hadn't quite liked, and the nerve he had when he had even groaned when seeing it was a woman working the forge. The very thought of it fired her up. She'd show him. She could forge just as good as any man, hell, even better than some. She'd learn how to fight too, she'd be twice the soldier anyone thought she could be.
But of course, there was another matter weighing heavily on her mind. Had it really been such a good idea to write that love letter? It had brought her all sorts of interesting circumstances. Not only did she get a proper reply from her paramour, but another completely unexpected one from his eldest brother requesting information she had done her best to gather into a reply. There was very little, however, she'd been able to find out. It had just been her and her father for so long, and they never really talked of other family. To her knowledge, her mother had been an only child, as had her father, which made things even harder to dig up. But nonetheless, she had sent off that small bit of family history that she could, hoping it would be enough. Of course it wasn't, who was she kidding? But with everything going on, how was she supposed to find the time for any more digging?
Today too, she was hard at work, still slaving over a stubborn rod of white hot metal, trying to shape it the way she wanted it to be. Any other day, and she'd be having a bite for lunch, but she couldn't afford to until she got this piece just right...
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:46 am
At first there is only the metal to weigh on her mind -- yet soon there will be a distraction even from that.
The next time Shuu or Aelius venture outside, it may capture their notice that someone is watching the shop, and watching it very intently at that. There is something in him which is immediately familiar, with First and particularly Last being found so commonly in Rosalie's company. His hair is nearly the same color, being only a little darker, and he possesses the same long, lanky body so characteristic of the twins. But this man is much older, maybe as much as ten or fifteen years their senior, and their still-awkward length is nothing like this man's elegant grace. Every trait of the twins is refined in him, their roughness smoothed, their coarseness refined. This is a man who few would hesitate to call a gentleman, and thus all the more out of place here -- and yet it is unlikely anyone will dare to protest his presence or attempt to cause him harm, even were he to tread on meaner streets then this.
Much like the Freds, there is simply an air about him which suggests that he would not hesitate not simply to defend himself, but to ensure that any attacker would be made to regret their interference .. yet where the Freds are like half-feral dogs, growling and biting at ankles, this man may put others in mind of a wolf or a lion, with no hesitation, no fear, and a cunning mere pups are incapable of.
He will notice Shuu or Aelius, whichever it is that emerges first, and he will wave to them as if calling the attention of a person: in other words, unlike the resentful Freds, he is very much aware that often these creatures are fully sentient. "Hello there," he will call, and if he has gotten their attention, "will you see if your mistress is willing to receive me?" He asks this casually, as if he has only just arrived, and not as if he has been here for some time, watching.
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:49 am
It is Aelius who first emerges, giving a shake down to free himself of the slight layer of soot he's amassed. It wasn't his idea to go and get covered, no! It was just the forge acting up, and he surely isn't the only one. It's just part of being the smith's guardian.
He's not as bright as to notice the watchful eyes of this new guest, instead ready to go for a stroll. With this new work piled up upon his chosen, there hasn't been much time to get out and about, and he really would like to enjoy the fresh air. However it seems this is not to be today, especially since he's being called to.
At first he is unsure it's really him. Is there someone else about? No? Well then. He puffs out his chest in the most regal manner he can assume, and strides over, looking this guest over. He seems to pick up on the similarities, though doesn't fully grasp them. Not yet. His ears perk when he's asked to go bother his chosen, a bad idea really, but he knows he can't get this quite across. He snorts the slightest, turning and giving one last glance back at him, almost to warn him, before disappearing back into the shop.
He knows damn well to wait until she's put the metal back in the forge. He doesn't want to cause injury to anyone, or make her lose her hard work, but as soon as she has it's just a simple nudge. She's confused at the start, there's no one inside the shop waiting for her, but at Aelius' insistence she finally pokes her head outside, slightly shocked by how cool the weather has gotten. She's certainly not cleaned up, a good amount of soot caught in her hair and dusting her skin from the same incident Aelius was caught in, but she seems surprised to see this regal sort waiting outside.
"Ah, can I help you?" She doesn't feel the need to apologize for her appearance, though her words are cautious. Since when did fancy types come by her place?
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:50 am
At least there is no sign of any judgement in his eyes for her attire, no hint of displeasure. He simply smiles, and once more shows up his brothers; what is rogueish charm from them is yet again refined into an almost alluring confidence. "It would please me greatly if you could take a few minutes to sit with me," he tells her amiably, then holds out a surprisingly large parcel which he has been until now holding under one arm. "I have brought you lunch, if you would have it, to save you the trip."
He watches her carefully as she speaks, for he knows he's come here without warning, and he knows that he's come at a very busy time for her. This is -- though he will not say it -- something of a test. To see how she will handle yet one more thing on her plate, to see if (or when) she will recognize him, and to see whether or not she will agree or refuse to sit down with a stranger in this fashion. It is not a particularly kind thing for him to do, but then from his letter before she may and may not have gotten the impression that kindness is not something which comes naturally for a man like Jacob Grimm.
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:51 am
It's indeed a surprise when she's so suddenly asked to sit down and have lunch with this stranger, raising an eyebrow slightly as she looks him over again. There's indeed a slight familiarity, especially since this wouldn't be the first, second, or third Grimm she's encountered thus far, but it hasn't occurred to her just yet who has shown up to see her. She doesn't exactly hesitate, it's more like thinking for a moment on what she was in the middle of, musing if she can leave it for a while, and finally she somewhat relaxes, giving a slight smile. "I could spare some time. Shall I go put the kettle on for some tea?" It's an invitation for him to come in if he wants, though she's still trying to buy some time to figure out who her visitor is and why he's come. Surely he's older than the twins, older than Ghastly too perhaps, though she hasn't exactly heard much else of the other siblings.
Who could it be? Surely she wasn't expecting anyone. The twins hadn't mentioned anyone coming to town last she saw them, she hadn't gotten any letter or word of anyone....
Letter.
Oh no, it couldn't possibly be. Surely with so many things going on, he wouldn't have been able to spare time to come and see her. The elegance of the script would certainly match, and if he wanted a word with her....She expected he would be busy, after all, given what little she knew about the family, but if it was important enough...
The smith paled the slightest bit as the pieces started to fit together. Her letter. It hadn't been enough, had it? Even she thought it was a little sparse, though it had been all she could dig up before having no choice but to start on the rather large order Soibhan had given her. Well, her part of the order anyway, she wasn't exactly working alone on it. But if he had come all this way to talk with her, then work needed to come second for once.
"I wasn't expecting a visit at all, or at least until the Spring when things would surely calm down." She smiled, the slightest bit of nerves leaking out into her words. "I apologize." What little bit of relaxing in her shoulders she'd done earlier was quickly replaced by nervousness. Oh this was going to be a very interesting afternoon.
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:52 am
Thus far he is patient with her, but then he must at some point have learned patience, to be the eldest in such a large family. He waits and he watches and he smiles, for he must somehow have some idea of what is going on in her thoughts -- perhaps he sees the faint surprise, the confusion, which thereafter turns slowly into the realization, the awareness, of who and what he must be. His smile never wavers, as he looks at her, and when she apologizes he only bows gently at the waist, in the manner of a gentleman greeting a lady.
"I am sorry to have come unexpectedly," he tells her, even though from the look of him he is enjoying her shock and isn't in the least sorry. This at least is much more in line with the Grimms she knows, to take mischievous delight in a situation like this. "But as it turned out, by the time I knew I would be heading this way, I was due to arrive before a letter could, and I did not wish to worry my brothers."
In other words, he did not wish the others to know he was coming at all, though this desire to surprise them could have little to do with her. The twins have already hinted that their elder sibling considers himself in charge of the family business, and he seems the sort to descend upon their tavern out of nowhere, just to see how they are running it.
Should she lead, he will follow her inside, apparently having decided that no introductions are necessary, on either of their parts.
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:55 am
She's trying to keep her composure, knowing what this meeting must be about. As much as she doesn't want to admit it, she is the slightest bit worried about what he'll have to say about her, even if she herself is unsure about marriage. The subject hasn't come up, at least between her and Last, or at least not often enough to be meaningful. But if his eldest brother thought it appropriate to bring up the subject, then so be it. Hell, she may not even be eligible, there was always that option. But perhaps she was working herself up a little too much over it, and let her thoughts calm with another quiet sigh.
"No, it's quite fine." She replied, shaking her head. "You're certainly not the first to drop by without notice, though I'm afraid the shop is a bit of a mess..." Not to say it really ever was completely clean. Though as she guides him in, it's a little bit in disarray compared to its normal state. There's a number of swords piled in in the corner, waiting to be sharpened, and her workplace is certainly more sooty than it usually is. The table, however, seems to be the only thing that's neat and orderly, probably to make sure she has somewhere for her waiting customers to sit.
"Ah, go ahead and take a seat. I just need to clean up a little.." Even then she doesn't take too long, washing off her face and hands so she's at least good to eat and talk, though the cloth and water end up turning about black as she finishes. Soon after she joins him, sitting only once he has.
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:56 am
By the time she returns, he has spread the contents of his bundle out onto the table, and if she thought herself well-treated with the hearty but simple fare served to her when she stayed with the Freds, this is a good few steps beyond that. This is the sort of stuff a noble would order out of a teashop as a treat; delicate little sandwiches cut into shapes, cookies powdered with pale sugars, golden biscuits, and fruit in little tarts, rich in brilliant colors -- bright berries astonishingly out of season, served side by side with apples soaked in cinnamon and honey. There is also a kettle, from which the scent of a floral tea is rising, which her guest has set down near enough to the forge to warm it for them both.
Jacob has pulled one chair out for himself, and will sit sideways at the table, elbows on his knees, a slice of crisp, fresh apple in one hand, trying to tempt either Aelius or Shuu to come take it from his fingers. There is the sense that he is intrigued by them, interested in them .. but nothing of the captivation that people sometimes show, and certainly not the obsession or fascination that many these days are prey to.
"Please," he begins, once she has sat down; "have something to eat: talking always goes much better when there is food between the speakers." He will wait only a beat before he continues, watching her sidelong out of the corner of his eyes. "I was very glad to receive your letter recently," he tells her casually. "You need not fear that you know so little of your family's history -- I appreciate that you were so free to give me what you knew. Should you wish at any time to learn more, effort could be made to fill the gaps in your knowledge. But for now, I am more interested in the present. You are aware of my family's main source of income, I hope?"
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:56 am
It's impressive to say the least. She's never dared to spend so much, and hasn't been able to spend such amounts, on this type of fare. The smell is enticing, certainly since she's worked off what little breakfast she's had time to partake in, though she takes a moment to withdraw two delicate teacups from her cabinet, setting them down on either side of the table before taking her own seat, slightly more conscious of how she's behaving. It takes just the slightest bit of time before she relaxes the slightest.
Aelius is the first to approach, being slightly more trusting than the rook, and noses Jacob's hand the slightest as he eyes the apple. Is it really okay? That's a rather nice apple he has there, and Aelius is slightly aware of the situation, at least from what he's noticed of his chosen. It isn't until he waits a moment that he does take the apple, taking it over with him as he goes to sit in his corner. The fruit may get slightly covered in soot, but he doesn't mind it at all.
"It's very kind of you to provide such an extravagant selection." She breathes, unsure of what in the world she should try first. While she does eye a few of the items, she waits for her guest to take something first, especially since he paid for the meal. "I'm glad it could be of some use. My father never spoke very much of family, and even less of my mother." She pauses for a moment to think, smiling the slightest. "I'm aware of what the twins do, though I'm sure there's certainly a bit of variation through the family." If Ghastly does things by sea, and the Freds deal more with Palisade, then certainly they've got a network. "I know the bit I've managed to get out of Last, though sometimes it's watching that you can learn more from."
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:58 am
"Is it?" Now she seems to have done something very interesting: he turns from watching Aelius to looking more closely at her. This comment, however casually she has offered the little tidbit, was apparently unexpected. But there is a curl just barely visible at the corners of his mouth, and a glint to his eyes; if surprising it is not unwelcome. "And what is it that you have seen, watching him?"
For someone not close to the Freds, their actual occupations might not be apparent, but for someone as close to Last as she is, there are dozens of little clues. Snatches of conversation, items she might have seen in their quarters, clandestine meetings, unexplained bruises, sudden surges of wealth. And Jacob is pleased that she is observant enough to spot some of this, apparently, and clever enough to understand what she's seen.
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:59 am
"Oh small things, it gets particularly interesting when he thinks I'm not listening." She herself can't restrain a small smile, holding back the slightest before she indulges him. "I think it's fairly obvious he's got far too many scars to own a tavern, like he likes to claim to me, not to mention he's always armed. I know damn well not to go looking if I can't find them, because as much as they like to think they're hiding all of it from me, I've seen the little bits of things they leave around their own quarters." Her tone is kept rather casual, this isn't news to her at all. "Not to mention it seems Last can get in here even when I've locked up, or alternatively, without me noticing until I see what gifts he likes to leave about." She eyes a book resting on one of the shelves, of which there's a few flower stems poking out, and smiles fondly for a moment. She's not sure Last has noticed, but every single flower he's ever left her she's pressed and saved. "But I'm at the least aware that the two of them have a particular interest and talent in thieving, smuggling, and the like."
There's the slightest bit of curiosity in her eyes as she waits to hear how well she did, especially since she has yet to tell Last all he's failed to hide from her. Though she gives a few moments to think it over, she smiles the slightest bit more, glancing over to her forge. "I've also been giving your letter a little bit more thought. It would be foolish of me to think that your family hasn't already got a smith working for you, though I would gladly offer my services for anything that may be needed." Given the spark in her eyes, she really does mean anything.
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