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Second First Impressions
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2023 12:19 am
by Mimi Pidders
Fell did not love hauling his stupid cart behind him. He had found the rickety thing in an outbuilding behind the old potter's shed. He had inquired if anyone had use of it, but the fact that it was still covered in traces of clay made it clear that the old man had used it and no one had bothered to repurpose it since his passing, so he'd taken it. If he had applied himself while at the Tower and attained a higher level of skill in Divide while he was at the Tower, he wouldn't have any need of actually going through the motions of this charade and would instead be able to just summon the clay he needed at will provided there was good material nearby. He had never really been interested in doing so, though, because there was a never-ending supply of what he needed to make dishes, vases, sculptures, windows, tiles, and anything else anyone requested.
Aspects of his professional work from when he was in the Tower were retained now that he was here in Teos, though now he had to pretend to do it the mundane way. That involved extra steps and physical labor, two things he did not much care for. It also involved being thought to be some kind of crafstman rather than a skilled mage and artist, but the alternatives would literally endanger his life, so he thought discretion to be the better part of valor in this case. Just this once. Still, he endeavored to look like a man in search of a good clay deposit as he wandered through the meadows of the hills in search of Dorothea, even though in truth he was only looking for the intriguing, smart, beautiful young woman he'd met by the well.
He found the sheep before he found her. Or some of them. They seemed to be lackadaisically spread out through the fields, enjoying a diet of grasses and wildflowers. He wasn't certain what constituted a good life for sheep, but if he had to hazard a guess, this would be it. He was just as certain it was not enough for Doro.
He espied her taking shade under a large, pretty tree. Smart of her to get out of the sun at such a time. For his part, he'd done his best to wash up before coming to see her, but with no shoes, no brush for his hair, and no spare outfit, he was looking quite threadbare by his standards. He'd have to trust that the allure of talking to someone who she had not known approximately her entire life would carry him through. He was still sore about the loss of his boots, in particular. If he'd been paying attention he would have landed on the shore instead of near it, but he'd been worried and distracted. An amateur mistake that had him experience the absolute bone-chilling sensation of his bare foot treading on animal feces the other day. He'd washed his foot and scrubbed at it with sand from the ocean, but in his mind's eye he was not certain he would get over that for weeks, if not seasons.
When they were approximately twenty paces from each other, he waved, but didn't say anything. He wanted to make sure that this wasn't some kind of trap. He did not want this encounter to end with her bursting into tears and running off crying, because he doubted Andros would believe him a second time. The man had seemed angry enough that Fell had briefly feared it would come to some kind of physical fight, which he had no appetite for whatsoever. So rather than closing the distance, he waited for her to invite him closer.
Re: Second First Impressions
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2023 3:20 pm
by Andros
Earlier, by the well, Sven had caught her by surprise, disheveled and reduced to stuttering. This time, Dorothea expected him. She’d washed her face, brushed and braided her hair, and pulled her headscarf down to show it off a bit. She didn’t know exactly why she wanted to look good for him, but she did know it wouldn’t do to have him think of her as a mess.
She smiled when he waved to her, gesturing for him to join her.
“Glad you caught my meaning before. I’m sorry about the show. Gossip in a small town can be cruel, had to show I wasn’t encouraging you. Then I’d never hear the end of it from my father.”
He hesitated to come closer, which made Dorothea laugh harder.
“He got to you, didn’t he. He’s overprotective, can’t help himself, but he’s a softie. At least if he likes you. Come, sit beside me. If we sit in the grass we can see anyone coming a mile away and they can’t see us.”
Once they were situated she had a chance to look him over. He was as strange looking up close as he’d been at a distance, but handsome in his way. She rather liked the bizarre yellow hair. But she hadn’t invited him here to oogle.
“You have a lot to teach, I think, and I have a lot to learn. Can you read? That’s a good place to start. Oh I’m sure you can, how thoughtless of me. And I’m being so rude. We’ve barely had an introduction.” She offered s hand, to shake or to kiss, however he liked.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you properly, Sven,” she said, flashing a smile. “Without any old ladies tut tutting at us this time.”
Re: Second First Impressions
Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2023 6:01 pm
by Mimi Pidders
Fell didn't miss the opportunity to kiss Dorothea's hand.
"Sven Felman," he replied, to complete the introduction. He wished he could tell her his real name, not that it mattered much. He was a Lord who'd given up his titles and a Magus who would be executed on sight by any tower officials. It just felt bad to lie to her. He wasn't quite sure why.
He could tell he was in the presence of a brilliant mind now that he had an opportunity to hear her talk in an unstructured way. She flitted from one topic to another, making one cogent point after another. Imagining that mental alacrity with an education behind it was dizzying.
"Please, call me Sven when it is just the two of us, Miss Doro. It would be an honor to teach you whatever you wish to learn. For reading, it would be best to start with something you already know the shape of, like old religious stories or a book of local stories of Teos, or of Evrotai. Unfortunately, I do not have any books with me. I don't even have a change of clothes," he said mournfully, "or shoes," he laughed in a self-deprecating fashion, wiggling his toes in the grass. "Thank you for being kind to me about such things."
"But I am not here to discuss my material woes. If you wish for a book, I need to go to Market tomorrow anyhow, so I can look for something suitable and if they'll take some goods for trade in lieu of coin, I will return with it. In the meantime, though, I suppose there's no harm in going through the alphabet. Spelling in Common is tricky -- words aren't spelled how they sound. It's like that in Gentavarese, too. Ah, they speak that in Daravin, and I learned to speak it a bit as a boy." In truth, he was damn near fluent, but it was unlikely to come up this far from Daravin.
"My teacher said it had something to do with the Unbroken Empire, but I was just a boy and I don't recall the reason for it. I just remember being annoyed at how hard it was to learn," he said with a laugh.
So saying, he broke a twig off of the tree and stripped it of leaves. Then, in a careful hand, he laboriously wrote out the capital and lowercase letters that made up the alphabet of the language they both spoke. As he went, he said the sounds each could make, and went through a few example words for each one. He remembered that learning his letters had not gone all in one go as a child. He was unsure if it would be easier for an adult, or if having so many things all at once to remember would be overwhelming or confusing.
"So," he concluded, "once you learn them, they all just come back again and again and again. Some, like the 'e' you'll see everywhere. Others, like 'x' and 'q', more rarely. I can write this out for you somewhere, or, well." He flushed, "I could make you a tablet of it, I suppose, and put it in with the rest of the goods for my next firing. No one need know about it, if you have a space you can hide such things."
Re: Second First Impressions
Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2023 9:09 pm
by Andros
The kiss to the hand felt nicer than Dorothea had expected. She’d never had a real kiss before, and no one had even kissed her hand since she was a girl playing Xanthippe and Argos with the other children (only the fun parts, of course - the double suicide at the end being transmogrified into a jump off a tall rock into the sea). Sven was clean-shaven, but his face was covered with little bristles that tickled. She didn’t mind the way the face looked up close, though she still couldn't get past the strange hair.
“No sandals? They didn’t give you any?” she asked, puzzled. Why would they expect him to go unshod? He wasn’t a child.
“Oh,” she said with a laugh, “too big! They’d rather let you think we’re cheap than admit there’s not a shoe on the island that will fit you. Here, let me see.” She grabbed his foot, ignoring his shocked look, and measured it out mentally. “We make sandals to sell at the market. You’ll find my sister Anthea has a booth there. I’ll make a pair your size and put it in with the rest - don’t let her overcharge you, she’s shrewd.”
She was talking a mile a minute, but couldn’t help herself. She’d never done this before. She had less than zero interest in sneaking off with the village boys (though, incidentally she had hit on the concept of zero). If they approached her she went straight to her father and they were sternly told off. That reputation for jealously guarding her honor is why she had no real worry about sneaking off with Sven. No one would suspect her. And she found it rather thrilling to be here. It was risky and exciting.
“I’m being such a clod,” she exclaimed suddenly. “If you’re going to teach me how to read, some sandals are the least I can give you. I’ll bring the pair up here with me. You will meet me again, won’t you? The day after tomorrow? I can’t learn it all at once, can I?”
Once she watched Sven write out the letters, it became apparent that she couldn’t. She copied them out and tried to repeat the sounds from memory but only got about a third. It would take practice and practice she did, writing them out again and again in the sand, asking Sven to correct her when she got the sounds wrong. It took at least an hour until she had them all memorized, though they kept getting distracted by conversation. And that was only the first step. To put them into words would have to wait for another day.
Dorothea started to feel overwhelmed. She was so excited to be finally learning what she’d longed to know her whole life, and she was excited to be doing with this man whom she found both exciting and very patient. She put her stick down and lay down in the grass, looking up at the branches gently blowing in the wind.
“You’re very kind to teach me, Sven. It means a lot to me”
Once she said it out loud, she became suddenly uncomfortable. Here was this charming stranger who was so generous with his time and effort, and she was a worthless peasant who could teach him nothing. She could give him little, unless he was in great need of yarn or extra sandals. Except for one thing. The obvious thing. The reason an unmarried man sneaks off with an unmarried woman in the first place.
At first it was shocking, as if she’d been tricked. But the conversation was so enjoyable. He seemed to want to hear what she had to say and value it. There was more to it than some simple male desire.
And more than that, she found the idea of giving him what she was betting he wanted not totally unappealing. In fact, it was intriguing. Something to consider. And his interest - if he was reading him right, that is - was a lot more flattering than getting cat called by some teenager with sheep shit on his hands down in the village square.
So she conquered her initial suspicion, beating it down with logic, and decided she’d flirt. Not that she really knew how, but as best she could. She flipped onto her stomach and leaned up on her elbows. She was facing him now, not too far apart. She kicked her legs up into the air idly and crossed them. It was a relaxed pose which happened to make her dress fall from her ankles to her knees, revealing the lower half of her legs. Her sisters were always jealous of her legs.
She picked a few flowers from the grass in front of her to make a bundle and smiled at him.
“Enough lessons on letters. Give me a lesson on Sven. I’ve never met anyone from so far away. You must have had an interesting life to travel so far. Tell me about yourself.”
Re: Second First Impressions
Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2023 10:46 pm
by Mimi Pidders
Fell shook his head at the offer of the sandals.
"I shall pay for them, Miss Doro. Otherwise, there will be questions about who gave them to me and why. Besides these sandals from the village, presumably I will be able to afford them once I sell some goods during market day. If I cannot, I will save up and then purchase them legitimately. I don't wish to attract the attention of your Father, nor of anyone else, for that matter." It was clear from how Fell said it that her father was foremost in his mind of people to not anger, however.
He noticed what she said about having nothing to offer in return, and then saw her change in demeanor right after. He didn't shut it down immediately, though. He liked how comely she was, and how eager. It was tempting to just do what he wanted, but this was not Fell's first time with a woman, and he had no intention of attaining what he was after because it was some perceived trade. So he took advantage of her open-ended question to answer slightly differently.
"One thing you should know about me, Miss, is that where I am from, in Northradica, is quite different from Teos. How we treat women is different. There is no concern about women mixing with men as there is here. There are women lawyers, doctors, merchants, warriors, clerks, and everything else. I do not wish to misrepresent my homeland and say it is common but it is not unheard of. Many women do stay close to home to tend to hearth and family, but they are not forced into doing such. Social engagements have women and men, talking freely with one another as we are doing now."
"Earlier, when we met by the well, I had no idea that what I proposed would be seen as offensive, or interpreted as some form of invitation to bed you. I did not make this invitation to do that, and I do not expect you to give me yourself in return for lessons. I want that to be very clear. At the risk of shocking you, sex between people who are unmarried is passingly common where I come from, and while I enjoy it quite a bit, I can govern myself. If that is not something you wish to do, we will not do it. That's not why I met you here. I am doing this because you are the most fascinating person I've met on this island, and you may be one of the smartest people I've ever met. You do not understand how smart you are to invent a wellscrew as you did, and to invent a system of numeracy as you did. You deserve to be educated, and it's a crime that you weren't by someone else, one that I will now attempt to rectify. On that account, though, you will have to bear with me. I am no teacher, and never have been."
Having said his piece, Fell went silent for a bit.
"As for a bit about myself: I am from the capital of my kingdom, similar to your Evrotai, I believe. I was born to parents who were wealthy enough to find me an apprenticeship, which was good because they could not keep me." In a way, none of that was untrue. "So I ended up learning to work with clay from the time I was decently young, still a lad who could not yet grow a beard, and I have only seen them in passing ever since. I was looking forward to journeying to Evrotai, but I was also worried about what awaited me there. In truth, now that I have a place to practice my craft and something worthwhile to occupy me in my free time, I have no great interest in departing immediately."
"So, if you will have me, I'd be delighted to meet you the day after tomorrow, and any other time and place that you ordain. I'd like to see more of you and learn more of this island."
Having said all that, he extended a hand to her and smiled. It felt nice to be forthright, away from watchful eyes and wagging tongues.
Re: Second First Impressions
Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2023 11:50 am
by Andros
Dorothea took some time to process all she had heard, looking at Sven’s outstretched hand but not taking it. She had acted impulsively and made a fool out of herself, and she wasn’t about to do it again. Her next move would be carefully considered.
Sven impressed her. He was a fascinating man, a cut above the local boys not just in breeding and status but in every other aspect. The things he said about his homeland were simply wild. He came from a completely different world. She’d never dreamed of any role other than wife, mother, and shepherdess. Local boys sometimes went to the mainland to make their fortune, but their ambitions didn’t typically extend much further than husband, father, shepherd either. Did she want more? Yes, yes she did. She wasn’t sure exactly what yet, but there was something there. In her wildest dreams she pictures herself learning how to read, and now here she was. She didn’t even know how to dean bigger yet.
She looked at him, considering him carefully. Then, only when she felt ready, she spoke.
“I think you don’t understand what the men are like here, Sven. It’s not that we’re kept isolated just to avoid suspicion. It’s that it’s not safe for girls to be around them. They catcall, they grope, they use every trick to get you to give up your virtue, and then if you give in they say you’re tainted and won’t marry you. We stay indoors to avoid all of that. My father is right to want to protect me. I’m lucky that they don’t push too hard with me because we’re the leading family.”
Finally, she took his hand, marveling at how huge it was in comparison.
“But things must be very different where you come from. To mix freely with men without fear, to have a job, to get an education. It’s hard for me to wrap my head around. I misjudged you. At first I thought only of what you could teach me. And then when I realized you probably wanted me - you do, don’t you? - I imagined you were just like the other boys, only more polite. But you’re not. You’re a different breed all together. A gentleman.”
She smiled at him, deciding to reveal her small secret. .
“I saw you bathing, you know. From a distance. I wasn’t spying, just collecting shellfish with my sisters. Your tattoos were fascinating. I’d like to see them up close, one day. You’re strange looking to us,
so tall and pale, but I’m coming to think you’re rather handsome.”
She took his big hand in both of hers and looked him right in the eye.
“If you want to kiss me, I wouldn’t say no. No one ever has before. I’d like it if you did. And maybe more, once we’ve gotten to know one another better.”
Re: Second First Impressions
Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2023 6:05 pm
by Mimi Pidders
Now that was an invitation worth taking, so Fell took it. He leaned in and brought his lips to hers, soft and sweet. He stroked her cheek while he did so. He made no attempt to deepen the kiss. If she'd never been kissed before, it was best to keep things basic. In a similar vein, he didn't do anything to make it more special. With more lustful encounters, he had no compunction with using Resonance to enhance the experience for his partner, but given Doro's experience up to now, it could be overwhelming. Perhaps another time.
He pulled back, and smiled once more. "It's an honor to be your first kiss, Miss." He meant it.
He wondered what such a keen mind would make of other things he wanted to do. With any luck, he'd get a chance to find out.
He continued cradling her cheek. He didn't want to pull his hand away. Inwardly, the fact that she knew about his Marks was terrifying, but it didn't show up in his demeanor. Instead, he made a simple request: "If you don't mind, please don't tell anyone about the tattoos. They are a private thing, and I do not wish to explain them to anyone else here. If you wish to see them, you need only ask. Nudity is not considered taboo in my homeland, and I don't feel any shame in being naked. I have noticed that is not how things are done here, though. Even when bathing, the men here seem to change back into their clothes quickly. It's part of why I bathe separately -- I don't wish to offend anyone."
"The tattoos are the other reason. Curiosity from you, I do not mind, but one does get tired of the same questions again and again."
While none of this was incorrect, it was not the real reason. The best way to keep himself safe should the Watch come calling was for no one to know what he was capable of. That meant preventing the entire village from learning that he was some kind of foreign witch. Fell was uncertain he could keep it secret indefinitely, but if he could do so for a good long while, that would be best.
"I look forward to more, if you wish for it," was all he said. "Otherwise, we can work on the alphabet some more, and then start putting together some short words you'll see again and again. The kind of things you will know by sight and not even need to try on, like the faces of your family members, or -- can you tell your sheep apart?" He flushed a bit. "They all look rather the same to me, but I've never really paid attention to them before. They are rather darling, though, wandering through the pastures and eating grass."
Re: Second First Impressions
Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2023 9:17 pm
by Andros
“Oh my” is all Dorothea could say when Sven pulls his lips away from hers. The kiss cleared her mind fully blank. She was sure she had suddenly forgotten all he had taught her earlier. What rang in her head was something her mother said, not even to her but to Anthea when Doro was just a little girl. You’re a bright young woman, Annie, don’t let a handsome man make you stupid. That’s how they win.
It was just like that. She felt stupid, and furthermore like she couldn’t do anything about it. There would be a next time with Sven, and there would be more touching, risky as that might be. She knew full well how one got pregnant and what the consequences of that might be, but none of that mattered to her. She wanted Sven, plain as that.
The foreigner had his big hand on her cheek and it made her feel small, in a good way. Dainty, almost, like some noblewoman and not a peasant with dirt under her fingernails. Not that she’d ever seen a noblewoman, but as she pictured them in her imagination. She put her hand over his to keep it there.
“I didn’t know that would feel so good, Sven,” she said quietly. She was rendered incapable of any game-playing or flirting. Only sincerity was left. “You’re so soft and gentle. Anthea hates it when Antipater kisses her. She says it’s like he’s trying to eat her face and his breath always smells like spoiled milk, but she puts up with it because he’s…” She cut herself off before she revealed more of her sister’s confidences. Antipater had his redeeming characteristic, but that didn’t need to be Sven’s business.
“I really liked that,” she adds to put a cap on it before she rambled any more.
She didn’t quite follow the business with the tattoos. She’d seen them before on the occasional sailor in the marketplace and found them rather fetching, but his were a head and shoulders better than the rest. Much like everything about him, she supposed. Sven was proving to be a remarkable man.
“I won’t tell a soul, not even my sisters. Next time though, can I see them…and touch them, if it’s alright? They were beautiful. For now, will you kiss me again? Then you’d best go. It’s getting late in the day.”
Re: Second First Impressions
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2023 1:35 am
by Mimi Pidders
Fell couldn't help but feel satisfied after kissing Dorothea in a similar way to how he'd felt after watching the boys of the village try and fail to drink him into making a fool of himself. He was not a fighter or a farmer, but he knew how to drink and he know how to kiss. For that matter, he wasn't a ceramicist, either, but he could fake one convincingly enough to fool the villagers.
"I liked it too," he averred. He didn't want her to think he was doing it just to do it. "You're a beautiful girl, and I look forward to doing this more, with your permission."
He was lucky Dorothea didn't seem to know what Marks of Control looked like, something Fell attributed to the isolated nature of her upbringing. He made a mental note to ask her about magic the next time they were together. It would be good to know if the villagers would tie him to the beach and let the tide drown him if they found out, something that some remote villages in his native Northradica reportedly did to rogues.
For now, though, he had to attend to the matter at hand.
"I'd like you to touch my tattoos very much," he said with a roguish smile. "But if you are sure that I must be on my way, then I shall continue into the hills until I find a likely spot to dig for clay."
So saying, he rose to his feet and headed to his cart before turning at the last minute to resume his former position and kiss her once more. "Okay," he said. "And now I shall go."
This time, he meant it. He got up and strode off into the fields, finding a clay deposit in the lee side of a hill out of view from anyone. Then he, excavated the soft loam of the hill to get to the clay deposit beneath. The shovel lay in his wagon unused as he accrued the mass of clay he'd need for what he had in mind for his next set of goods. With any luck, it would be a fruitful market day, and he could return to Dorothea with a book and some kind of token of his esteem.