{PRP Yael} Putting Your Best Foot Forward {Ko + Jacline}

[MissMisnomer]

Putting Your Best Foot Forward

Being led through room after luxurious room towards the garden at the rear of the house, Ko felt so overwhelmed by all the little details that he could hardly keep his mouth from hanging agape. Which he was directly told NOT to do by his father: they were here on invitation from one of their clients for a high-profile project they had just finished, and it would NOT set a very good impression if they looked like a bunch of gawking tourists. Which was hard, since their own home lacked so many of the trinkets and detailing that made this place really sparkle, but Ko did his best all the same to keep his levels under control.

When he had heard that they were invited to a “garden soiree”, Ko hadn’t known what to expect. Especially because he had no idea what that word meant. But his parents had made a big to-do about it, stuffing him into some of the nicest clothes he owned and scrubbing him down until he was sore all over. Then his father and Friedrikko had tossed him into a carriage with them, and they were off to one of the nicer sections of the city. In truth, the whole house had been surprised when Ko had been included by name in the invitation, since he wasn’t involved in the crafting of the dining set that had been commissioned. But he had been involved in entertaining the young son of their wealthy client, who had taken quite a liking to Ko whenever he’d joined his father during the design and production process.

And thus the three men of the Deokka household found themselves occupied for the evening, led through the manor by the butler and into the garden. If it could even be called that. It looked more like a mini park, with ornate fountains, marble benches, a quartet of minstrels providing ambiance, and all other manner of luxuries. After being announced to the gathering, the butler departed, and in his place, the lord of the home came to the trio with a delicate glass of something that looked expensive held in hand, “Ah, the Deokkas! Thank you for accepting my invitation, I’m so glad you could make it.”

He shook the elder men’s hands, then took a sip of his libation, “We will be enjoying dinner inside the house, but in the meantime, please, enjoy this lovely weather and have something to drink. I simply cannot wait to unveil the set you finished; it’s truly a work of art!” He then looked down a tad at Ko, offering the boy a charming smile, “And I do believe Corinthio is occupying himself by the pond at the moment; I am sure he will be delighted to see you came along as well, Ko.” And at that he departed, leaving them to tackle the party.

His father bowed when the man left, then turned his attention to his sons, “Alright, now, we’ve already gone over this, but I feel I must stress again how important this evening is going to be. This is a great opportunity to get some exposure for the business, and hopefully, more high profile commissions again. Friedrikko, I trust you can handle yourself in conversation, remember your audience. And Ko…” He gave him a serious look, placing his hand on the boy’s shoulder, “I know you are excited, and I know you always mean well. But you need to remember where we are, and what is appropriate. Be polite. Be respectful. Try to let others speak first. And most importantly…” At that his eyes softened and he smiled, giving his shoulder a squeeze, “…have a good time tonight. This is likely to be an evening that you’ll enjoy for years to come. I’ll be moving around here, if you need me.”

Ko beamed up at his father with pure adoration, nodding earnestly as the man walked off. He was going to be his best tonight. He was going to make everybody proud. He was going to give an extra shine to the Deokka name!

[1/10]  

[LucidStreaming]

MissMisnomer

This solo immediately precedes the tag and was going to be part of the tag until it became over 1.5k words all on its own. No need to read it but you may if interested. c:

Jacline’s heart hammered the inside of her ribcage like a bird trying to make its escape. Were it not for the clatter of the carriage they rode in, she felt certain it may have been the only thing she heard. As it was, though there was ‘silence’ in the carriage cabin between her and her caretaker, Theodall Tallart, who sat at her side, she felt as though she were riding to the beat of competing war drums. Every now and then her fingers would skim down over the skirt of her dress, smoothing non existent wrinkles in the fabric.

Its softness still amazed her, as well as the tiny details in the patterns it sported. Theodall had said he had it shipped in from Ilidan and one of the finest seamstresses there, and while it was modest in its elegance, it was far nicer than anything she was accustomed to wearing on a daily basis, and she felt when wearing in it as though she had been put in ornate costume, disguising herself as a more beautiful, important girl when underneath it, her true plainness lurked.

Theodall had insisted some time before though that her true roots, though he never identified her parents, were of great class, simply lead astray by their sins. Though she oughtn’t, she found her mind wandering then to who her parents might have been. Was her mother accustomed to wearing dresses like this and finer? If things went as Theodall intended, would these be the sort of things she wore not once in a red moon but on a daily basis? Jacline thought overly ornate showings of wealth and extravagance were distasteful, boasting of mortal trappings that distracted from the ever present watch of the gods.

But something like this, she found, was not so objectionable. Though it was foreign to her and strange to don, a small sliver of her had to admit she thought it pretty, and though she wasn’t pretty, it made her want to raise her chin just a notch higher and acknowledge her beginnings. She stirred uneasily in the carriage seat, a frown cropping up unfortunately just as the carriage began to slow.

“Jacline…do remember what I said about that look of yours. We are about to arrive-”

“I’ve sinned,” she blurted, a new nervous stutter joining the rest of nerves in her gut as her fingers bunched in the cloth of her skirt. She had not brought her writing pad upon which she habitually confessed her sins. She brought it everywhere, but there had been no room in this dress, nor was it appropriate for the occasion per Theodall’s instruction. Now, though, she felt a sharp pang of need for it, and a rising slosh of panic at the thought of not admitting to the gods- She shook head sharply. “I must write it-”

“There isn’t time or place, Jacline,” Theodall said calmly. “Relax yourself-”

“I must-” The panicked plea in her voice or eyes must have shown, because a moment later a small furrow formed in his brow. After a second more, he sighed.

“Confess to me,” he instructed. “After, you may record it when we return home. Be a good girl and breathe, the gods will understand.”

Jacline was not certain they would, and the compulsion itched at her fingers. Waiting until they returned home was too long, but she did let it spill from her lips just the same. “The dress makes me vain,” she said in a quick, nervous rush. “When I wear it it makes me wish to be pretty, or think that I might be, but I oughtn’t- Oh, I think I shouldn’t wear it-”

A hand touched to her clenched fingers as the carriage came to a halt. With great force of will, Jacline allowed Theodall to coax her palm flat. He held his over hers.

“You do well to recognize your sins, child. Be conscious of them, but do not let them consume you. There will be time enough to make your record after this evening has come to a close. For now, remember all that I have told you. I will point out to you Corinthio and Alexios…and do try to smile. It will all come easier to you once you learn how to compose yourself.”

Jacline gave a small nod. Theodall had coached her prior to arrival, on the lord of the house’s sons, Alexios in particular whose attention she was meant to entertain. Having spent all her life to date attempting to avoid the attention of anyone, however, it was an alien and unnerving concept. She would, however, try.

At the moment, she had little choice in the matter regardless.

So as Theodall exited the carriage she waited, and a moment later when the door to her side opened, she made her way carefully out, her mind hyper conscious of her own every movement and the need to present herself in adequate fashion. The splendor of the home did nothing to calm her nerves, and by the time they had been guided around to the back gardens, which appeared to her to be a menagerie of extravagance, she thought it at least good that Theodall thought there would be little need for her to speak much. Her tongue felt thick with her nerves, and it was far easier to stand silently, letting Theodall’s introductions of her wash over her and offering thin smiles to everyone he introduced.

Finally, once he had named her before each present guest that he seemed to think relevant, he gestured towards a small cluster of boys gathered about one of the garden ponds. “There is the younger Corinthio, and…” Theodall took a moment.

“One of the carpenter’s sons,” a man beside them supplied. “Alexios will be down in a moment. You’re welcome to engage before then.”

Thus, at Theodall’s gesture, Jacline released a breath, feeling as though she were walking poised through a dream as she crossed through the intricate garden towards the nearest little pond and the two boys gathered there. Socializing with ‘people her age’ was not her strong suit, but given that they were both young boys perhaps they would be content to remain distracted with each other while she said nothing. All that remained to be done was survive and wait out the evening.  

[MissMisnomer]

“…and see, that big one right there? He’s the oldest one in the pond; Father gave him to me for my fifth birthday. He used to be the size of my pinky if you can believe it, now he’s as lon―” Corinthio trailed off, caught half way between his statement as he became aware of another person joining him and his friend. He turned to face Jacline, underhandedly passing a small piece of bread to Ko, who promptly stuffed it into his trouser pocket.

“Hello, I don’t think I’ve met you before?” he asked, giving the taller girl a quick once-over before he continued, “Are you a guest of my father’s? My name’s Corinthio, and this i―”

“Oh, I know who you are!” Ko chirped in, his concentrated squinting turning into a smile as a flash of recognition overcame him, “You’re that pretty girl that fainted when the Dretch showed up! Remember me? Maybe not, I’m kinda forgettable. It’s Ko!” He turned to the younger noble boy, whose mouth was as agape as the fish in his pond.

Corinthio found his voice, looking back-and-forth between his friend and the new girl, “You got to see the bug-mages?! Why didn’t you tell me, Ko? You’re so lucky, I can’t believe it! I heard they were truly wretched creatures, that they stole a priest right in front of the High Priest and Priestess?”

Ko’s smile was one of youthful pride, standing a bit taller as he puffed up his chest, “Yep, I was right there! Could practically touch the thing. Oh, you wouldn’t believe your eyes; it was like someone had taken a bug and made it as big as a man!” He scratched the side of his nose, casting his eyes down a tad, “Though I have to admit, I was scared. I didn’t know what to do, it all happened so fast…” He looked back up again, cheeks growing pink as he clenched the hem of his over-vest, “Ah, I’m so sorry, I interrupted you! You were trying to introduce yourselves and I just butted right in!”

[2/10]

LucidStreaming

 

[LucidStreaming]

Jacline recognized him some dozen or so paces before she arrived before them. His name she couldn’t have said, but he had been so loud that day that it left a sticking impression. It didn’t hurt of course that he had been right there when all the calamity had gone down, such a short boy with all his untamed energy and tooth gap and surely hopefully they would just pay attention to each other-

Then both of their attentions were upon her.

She drew a breath. At least in the case of Corinthio, as opposed to ‘the carpenter’s son’, she knew enough to understand she ought to be on her best behavior, regardless of his younger age as compared to the boy Theodall wanted her speaking with. These were, after all, the lords of the house. Thus, holding herself with her hands folded before her she opened her mouth to answer.

“Oh, I know who you are!”

If she had been prone to, Jacline’s eye might have twitched. As it was, her attention only darted back his way with the barest flicker of startled irritation that he had just babbled right in- Then, at ‘pretty girl’, her face flushed instead, surprise and confused abashment taking over any remaining irritation. She had fainted, and it wasn’t precisely a moment she’d been proud of, either.

Fortunately, Corinthio seemed more occupied by the excitement of the prospect of the dretch. She shuddered, and by the time Ko apologized, her mood had calmed to neutral.

“Jacline,” she murmured. Then, remembering her manners and presentation, she drew a breath and held herself a bit straighter, speaking up. “Jacline Tallart. It’s a pleasure to meet you both.” Her eyes flicked to Ko. “I do remember you. You are…difficult to forget. I do not know who told you otherwise, but they were mistaken. It was a horrifying experience. I…” She paled a bit. “He simply disappeared and there was nothing where there had been things a moment before…”

This, though, was probably not ideal conversation for polite company. Do try to smile…

She pushed a fraction of a smile onto her lips, and the words at least were genuine when she said them, directing them to Corinth. “You have a beautiful house.”  

[MissMisnomer]

Ko clasped his hands behind his back to keep his fingers from fiddling in polite company, listening with as attentive an ear as he could manage while the girl reintroduced herself. With how tall and pale and stately she was, he couldn’t help but think that she looked quite similar to the statues that adorned the halls of the Sanctum. Like the Gods had made one come to life and BOOM, she was just walking the streets among them one day. Which surely was just a ridiculous notion…right?

Corinthio bowed his head slightly in a manner that was clearly born of years of practice, addressing Jacline’s compliment, “Thanks. My father would have to take the credit for that; he’s very good at picking things out that look nice together. Which is why he was so excited to hold this party tonight: he can’t wait to show off the new table Ko’s family finished.” Then his eyes grew wide for a moment, covering his mouth as he glanced from side to side, whispering in a conspiratorial tone, “Oh shoot, I wasn’t supposed to say anything! He doesn’t want people to know that he’s trying to show off, that wouldn’t be appropriate in the Gods’ eyes.” He gripped the edge of Ko’s sleeve, giving him a worried look, “Please don’t tell anyone I said that, he’d be awfully embarrassed!”

Ko smiled earnestly and patted the side of his head, mimicking an attempt to cup his droopy ear, “Sorry, but I didn’t hear what you had said at all, the music must be too loud! Something about your dad hosting a nice party because he’s such a hospitable and friendly man?” He turned to grin at Jacline, raising both his eyebrows expectantly, “Miss, you heard the same thing, right~?”

[3/10]

LucidStreaming

 

[LucidStreaming]

MissMisnomer

That wouldn’t be appropriate in the gods’ eyes.

Jacline felt her brow pinch. It was true, pride and extravagance were sinful, but one only had to look upon this household and know that they were culpable of that sin in some portion. To attempt to deny or hide it only seemed to worsen the culpability. Then came Ko’s rebuttal and Jacline could feel her pulse rise under her flesh.

She understood that on the one hand, it ought have been easy perhaps. ‘Polite.’ Expected, certainly, to go smoothly along with it. But the mere thought of lying in this moment with nowhere to write her sins or atone for it made her anxious to even consider, and that it was on her mind at all was likely a fault all its own. But she could not say nothing.

“I-” Her throat caught. “I…” Her eyes darted between the two boys and finally, with a heated flush she turned her gaze downward and to the side, sternly inspecting the cobblestones and landscaping surrounding the pond. “I did hear that said, yes.”

Ko had said it. That made her statement true so long as she didn’t specify further. She didn’t have to repeat anything. Surely that was enough for now. She would write it down later to be sure and say a prayer for the family. Her eyes, though, made a nervous dart upwards toward the house, anticipating the arrival of this ‘Alexious’ now more than before. Perhaps he would be simpler to deal with.  

[MissMisnomer]

Giving an approving nod to Jacline, he turned his smile back to the other boy, who sighed in relief and released Ko’s arm, “Ah, thank you. I would have gotten in so much trouble for letting that slip around the adults.” The new girl had certainly earned a degree of approval from him, who reached into his pocket to pull out another small piece of bread, holding it up between them. “Ko and I were just feeding the fish. They are supposed to be on special diets, but I know how much they just love this stuff. Would you like to join us?”

Ko glanced over at his friend, who apparently felt secure enough in Jacline’s abilities to keep her lips sealed that he was letting her in on their little rule-breaking escapades. He pulled his own chunk of bread out of his pocket, beaming excitedly as he gesticulated, “It’s really something else! When they see the stuff hit the water, it’s like WHOOSH, a swirl of colors, and then BAM, the bread is just GONE! The big one is the feistiest, he really puts on a good show!”

[4/10]

LucidStreaming

 

[LucidStreaming]

Jacline stared as the boys relaxed, apparently mistaking her anxious complacency for condonation of their activities, because the next moment, the young lord of the house was openly admitting to further mischief. A squeak of a sound escaped her throat before she could swallow it, and her fingers darted to her lips before she hastily tucked them back behind her. “Y-you…? You’ve been told they ought to eat otherwise and yet…? I…I’m afraid don’t understand, are you not frightened?”

Had she ever done something so blatantly against established rules, she shuddered to think of Theodall’s reaction. Worse still than the man’s reproval, however, was her vivid understanding of how the gods would see to her punishment. Perhaps this was what Theodall meant by the gods favoring those who kept ‘good company?’ Families of great status were protected in some portion from the wrath of the gods regardless of their poor behavior? It might explain how some could flaunt and sin yet still maintain their status. She was neither deaf nor blind in church, and an attentive girl heard things she well knew she was never meant to have if she kept her ears open. Jacline never stopped listening, and had often wondered why those most sinful did not seem to be punished as swiftly as she might have anticipated.

Still, she had no such status, and it felt with frightening clarity that the longer she stood near these boys, the nearer she would be associated to mischief, and her heart could not handle that level of stress. Like a nervous bird wing, her hand flit back and-

“Ay, girl! Will you watch what you’re doing?”

Hopping quite a half inch off the path in her surprise at having made contact with someone and- Oh, mercy, it was a boy. Jacline’s fingers flit to her neckline, tucking the hand immediately away from where she’d struck as her feet took her stumbling two more feet backward in anxious retreat. “I-I did not see-”

“Corinthio-” The ‘boy’, a good half a head taller than his younger brother, slim and notably darker-skinned, eyed Corinth with what could only be described in that moment as thin distaste, shook his head. “What are you doing with that? You know you’re not to feed them, how many times has Mother had to tell you? You already convinced Father to allow you…” Jacline watched his eyes flit to Ko before he gave a short snort, “entertainment. Must you make further mockery of the rules with so many about to see if you’re caught?”

Jacline swallowed, tucking her hands behind her and taking another half step backward-

His eyes landed on her like a needle pinning an insect. They skimmed her. They met her gaze. “Who are you?” The demand was quick and perfunctory.

Jacline could not locate her tongue, or it might as well have been so for all the good it did her in that moment. He waited only a handful of seconds before puffing.

“Mute, are you?”

Perhaps not permanently, she reasoned, but for this particular moment: she nodded.

His eyebrows rose, but after another instant, his eyes made a second, slower sweep of her. When they reached her gaze again, he looked something like she might imagine a boy looked when he found an especially interesting or pretty shell or rock on the beach. “Well, you’re not the ugliest cripple I’ve ever seen.” He lifted a hand to his chest in self gesture. “I am Alexios Callistan. This…as I’m sure you’ve met,” He gestured, “is my little brother. I hope he isn’t pulling you into his mischief…”  

[MissMisnomer]

Ko and the other boy almost seemed to c**k their heads in unison, perplexed by the stuttering reaction they earned from the new girl. Frightened? Why should they be frightened? It’s not like the fish were going to sprout legs and suddenly leap out of the water to bite their fingers off. What was the big deal? They cast each other quizzical looks, distracted enough to not notice the approach of the elder Callistan son until he was upon them.

Corinthio promptly shoved his hand and the bread deep into his pocket as his brother began running him through the reamer, Ko stashing his own evidence away as well. This other boy, he’d only caught a glance of him on the one occasion he’d come to the manor for measurements of the dining room’s dimensions, and that time the young nobleman had made himself scarce as designs were discussed. Ko hadn’t taken it to mean anything, simply a busy boy with things to do and places to be. But now he wasn’t so sure. He was reminded of the Keldari that had made its home in their workshop one day: a measured, deadly creature that watched the world with calculating eyes, as if sizing up everything around it to determine whether they were a threat, or its next meal.

He was looking at Miss Jacline now in the same manner, and without really meaning to, Ko felt the hairs raise on the back of his neck. His hands bunched into little fists, opening his mouth to speak, when Corinthio spoke up instead, “We weren’t pulling her into anything! We were just talking, nothing more!” He squinted up at the taller boy in challenge, propping his knuckles at his hips, “I’m just being a good host like Father wanted. What have YOU been doing? Sitting in your room preening and puffing yourself up like some showy bird? The party started twenty minutes ago, why weren’t you welcoming people with us?”

Ko closed his mouth shut, eying the pair of them as Corinthio laid down his challenge. He was the kind of person who tried to avoid confrontation whenever he could, especially within his own family. So seeing the younger one standing up to his brother so directly gave him a bit of a start, glancing down at the ground to avoid the heat of their gazes. They were having a grand old time, but that had quickly been derailed; was there some way he could bring the mood back around?

[5/10]

LucidStreaming

 

[LucidStreaming]

MissMisnomer

Jacline’s eyes darted between the brothers. This was more than she bargained for, though she supposed in truth it all was, since if she’d had her way she wouldn’t be present at all. Still, here she stood before a pair of distempered siblings, and she couldn’t have had less experience in such matters if she’d aimed for it. Alexios hadn’t given her the best initial impression, but at least he seemed to carry himself with some dignity and composure.

She edged a half step further back, her heel closing in nearer than she realized to the edge of the enclosed garden pond, her attention on Alexios as his strained temper was picked at. If the boy had immediate words come to mind, however, he held them back initially, visibly restraining himself.

When he did speak, it was in forcibly neutral tones. “A good host,” he said, “engages more than the one guest brought there solely for his own entertainment. As you were back here overstuffing fishes for the last uncounted period of time, I fail to see how you are in any position to judge what I was engaged in during the same interval. Lower your voice before you make a fool of us.”

“I…” Jacline gave a small cough, and the boy’s attention snapped her way. She was supposed to be engaging him, wasn’t she? “I am Jacline Tallart. Master Theodall spoke…” Well, ‘highly of’ wasn’t quite the right word set, was it? ‘Not bright enough to appreciate an intelligent woman,’ wasn’t precisely a compliment. However, she understood she was meant to come across well, not immediately rudely. “My caretaker thought I ought meet you and it’s good you’ve come to rectify matters here. I do not think these boys appreciate how little patience the gods have for mischief.”  

[MissMisnomer]

The younger brother of the pair sniffed indignantly, shooting Alexios a look, “I wasn’t raising my voice, and my volume is fine, thank you very much. If you cared about more than just yourself, you’d have been able to see that I WAS talking to other people before Ko got here. I’m just giving him a warm welcome now because YES, he WAS invited here personally by me, and I wanted to let him know I appreciated that he made it.” At that he gave Jacline the same huffy glance, crossing his arms, “And we weren’t getting into mischief...”

The atmosphere was getting saltier and saltier by the minute, so without really having a plan in mind, Ko chimed in, interjecting himself back into the conversation with the first thoughts that came to mind. “I don’t think the Gods would mind if we bring some happiness to the lesser creatures of our world! They are kept here, away from their natural homes and without a say in the matter, to brighten our lives with their beauty.”

He smiled, hoping that was a nice segway away from the previous topic, “It’s written in the Holy Books that we should treat even the smallest insect with kindness, even though we feel ourselves to be better than them. Because in the Gods’ eyes, we are just the same: tiny little creatures running around in the world they created for us, trying to live our lives the best we can.”

Ko tilted his head, giving Corintio a good pat on the arm, “So please don’t be too angry with Corinthio: he was just trying to give back some of the joy these fish bring to him every day! And if that’s considered a sin by the Gods, well then…” He shrugged his shoulders, giving the group a lopsided grin, “…I guess I’m just a hopeless sinner as well.”

[6/10]

LucidStreaming

 

[LucidStreaming]

MissMisnomer

Alexios’ attention held to her for a moment as she spoke, but quickly he snorted, gaze moving back to his little brother when he piped back up. Everyone, however, looked to Ko when he fit his piece in. Alexios looked then like someone being cheerily fed something they did not want while being pleasantly assured all the while that it was good for them and they ought to put on a more appreciative demeanor. Oh, cheer up, the gods are good, said with a hum.

He did not seem inclined to eat what was being fed.

Jacline, however, relaxed her shoulders a touch. There were certainly far worse things than to feed fishes, and she hadn’t actually heard yet whose rule it was that they oughtn’t be or why. Nominally these things were not hers to question; if Theodall said she was forbidden from certain behavior then so it was. There was no further inquiry, or shouldn’t be. This, however, was a different house, and it likely wasn’t fully accurate to equate house rules with the will of the gods.

Ko at least seemed to have his head in the right spot if he was thinking along these lines, however disruptive and over-buoyant his personality was generally. She would have to accept the gods made him that way.

In the meantime, Alexios gave a disinterested hum. “Regardless…I am not ‘angry’ with him. I’ve come to inform you all that the dining is about to begin and us children will have the pleasure of each other’s company all the while. Find a place to put that bread up and make yourselves presentable before we head in.”  

[MissMisnomer]

It was with an internal sigh of relief that Ko listened to Alexios, glad that he had been successful in defusing the situation. Fights tended to leave him nervous, which was a state he did not enjoy being in. Corinthio on the other hand did not look quite as pleased, running a hand through his lavender hair as he mumbled, “Greeaat, like I don’t get enough of you every dinner already…” But he did reach into his pocket to pull out the bread, crouching for a moment to stash it in the foliage at the base of one of the ornamental plants. As he rose again he was met with the split-second decision Ko had made regarding his own scrap of bread: which was to shove the whole piece into his mouth.

Corinthio looked aghast, mentally reeling over the very notion of consuming food that might have pocket lint or countless other contaminants on it. He seemed to physically attempt to get his tongue working again, straightening out the cuff of his sleeve as he pivoted to stand at his brother’s side, “Well―Alexio―we should enter together; father would want to see us at least pretending to get along in front of the guests. Would you escort Miss Jacline, Ko? Please and thank-you.”

At that he began the walk back to the house, leaving Ko to tend to his flushed cheeks and Jacline. Apparently pocket food was NOT something fancy people ate. They really were missing out on all kinds of on-the-go snacks, but he supposed that was simply his own opinion, and he was just a stupid common boy after all. But best to not dwell on how he’d messed up; he’d just make up for it by proving he really was a classy-gent after all!

He held his elbow out towards Jacline, cocked at the angle he thought it should be at―not that he had had much experience escorting ladies before. But now was a good time to start! “You heard him Miss Jacline: looks like I’m to be your guide for a bit!”

[7/10]

LucidStreaming

 

[LucidStreaming]

MissMisnomer

Jacline’s gaze darted like a nervous bird between the brothers. Whatever was there, she couldn’t have identified, but only a fool wouldn’t realize that something was. It seemed, though, that at the very least things were calming to a frustrated lul, and since it was not her spat, she could take consolation in that. Easier on her the sooner they were away from trouble. No sooner had the older boy dictated that they find someplace to put that bread than she was dusting her hands again down her skirts, tilting her chin up a touch, preparing to walk off with them-

Shhhp and there went Ko’s bread.

Admittedly, it wasn’t so much of a shock to her as the others among them. It was food, after all, and while it had been brought out for the fish it wasn’t supposed to go to the fish. Better he eat it, likely, than anything else? Waste not, want not, Master Theodall had often said, and so unless it was stale, she would have seen no reason not to consume it other than that he likely ought to have preserved his appetite in polite company for the actual meal. The face the younger brother made, however, cued her into the fact that it likely wasn’t what they’d have planned for human consumption. Was it stale, perhaps?

Would you escort Miss Jacline?

Her attention flit over to Corintio. No, she was meant to be engaging with-

But, there was hardly opportunity to argue, and as the situation arranged itself, she found she wasn’t as steadfastly opposed as she might have been. Ko was, or looked young, but in truth he couldn’t have been all that much younger than herself, and though he had all the energy of a tiny overly excitable wildbeast, he at least had enthusiasm for the gods and a penchant that suggested he wished to keep the peace. She didn’t much approve of his disregard for the rules, but she had to admit he had been doing so only at the invitation of one of the young lords of the house.

So, with minimal reluctance, she took his elbow and gave a small smile. It wasn’t her desire to be here, but she was at Theodall’s request, and though she could attempt to appease his whims with regard to Alexios, there was only so far that that would go. For now, it would be a matter of making it through the evening without gross mishap.

“You’re a…carpenter’s son?” she asked as the young lords of the manor lead the way. It itched on her tongue to ask how old exactly that he was, since he looked to be in the range of eleven to twelve summers, but she couldn’t have pegged him for certain. “My caretaker, Master Theodall, owns the bookshop nearest the Sanctum and does bookbinding and scribing services.”
 

[MissMisnomer]

As the young woman at his arm asked who his father was, Ko felt a little surge of excitement arc through him. Alright, talking about your job, that’s a very mature topic! And it was half the point of him coming to this party after all, to talk up his dad’s work. He was gonna sound like such a grown up!

Standing a little straighter, he made sure to enunciate, trying to remember to pause once and a while as he spoke, “You’d be absolutely right, I am a carpenter’s son! Just one of seven though, I’ve got twelve siblings. My mom and dad started up their own business from scratch when they got married, and it’s only grown since then! We mainly specialize in decorative carpentry, all that lovely finishing work that makes a house really pop! So instead of having blank beams in your rafters, or a plain wooden cabinet, or a simple bed frame, you’d just contact us and we’d give you a totally custom piece!”

“There’s all these interesting steps in the process, you can’t just jump right in,” He gestured with his free hand while he spoke, mimicking the movements to elaborate further, starting to speak more emphatically as he gained in enthusiasm, “First we talk to the client to figure out exactly what it is they have in mind, then comes the measuring and drawing up the designs. And if they don’t already have something built, that’s where we start, from the pieces of raw wood all the way to the finished product: everything stays in our workshop! There are saws and chisels and sanding, plus all the fine painting that happens sometimes with tiiiiiny little brushes, or great-ol-big brushes for if you want the whole thing one color! And then at the end of it all you slather the wood in this oil, which I’d swear the Gods themselves have a hand in.”

His eyes lit up, tone taking on a sense of awe, “Because once you put it on raw wood, you wouldn’t BELIEVE the transformation it goes through, the true beauty of the color and the grain just come alive: like a sad little pauper that turns into a glowing princess at a ball! It’s like magic itself that anyone can use, and every kind of wood has a different story to tell! And sometimes when you pick up a piece of cut lumber, you can just hear it singing in your hands, begging to be turned into something wonderful! And then you both go on this amazing journey together, and despite it being hard work, the way it glows in gratitude when it is sitting in its new home, all shiny and finished, makes it all worth the effort!”

As his story came to a natural conclusion, the spark that had been ignited in Ko's eyes simmered back down, grinning in a way that almost felt like an afterthought. “Sorry, I think I might have gotten on a roll there! I guess I just find the whole process really interesting, thought I don’t get to participate all the time every step of the way. Since my hands often work faster than my brain, or the other way around, I can get kinda lost when I work, and then mistakes happen.”

He appeared saddened by the thought, shoulders lowering ever-so-slightly. “Which just makes me so sad, because the wood deserves better than that, it should never be wasted. So it’s often for the best if I don’t even touch it, and then nothing can go wrong. But I still help out whenever I can, whenever it makes sense.” But then the smile was back on his face as he continued, “But heck, there’s always cleaning to be done, which I’m more than happy to cover: hard to screw that up after all!”

[8/10]

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