Magic of Books (Roland and Aveline)

[Roland]

Roland frowns as she says that marrying off and living as a noble was not a matter of choice, he finds himself shaking his head. You are trying to make it so she had fun tonight. he reflect, but before he can stop himself Roland's mouth runs away from him. "Aveline, it is a matter of choice, though deciding not to be married off is certainly the harder option." He admits.

"It might not be what your mother wants, but you have an education, I'm sure you could find work if you wanted to, if nothing else I'd hire you." He tells her honestly, he was aware that he was possibly overstating his bounds by saying this, but he did not like the idea that women had to be figure pieces or even that they had to be mothers, and it bothered him more that nobles treated it like the law that they needed to act this way.

"There is nothing illegal about choosing not to marry, or about deciding to work instead of playing politics." He says trying with a serious expression on his face... Though after saying this he falls silent and walks with her for a bit before speaking up again. "I am sorry, I am supposed to be showing you a good time and instead I'm spending the whole time lecturing you." He says appearing to be genuinely apologetic.

"I just think you should value what you can do more as an individual and worry a bit less about what the court and your mother think." After saying this he lapses into silence again and continues to lead her through the district.

[severine]

Aveline’s fingers flinched in Roland’s as he talked, unable to hide how taken aback she looked. She didn’t realize how little he truly thought of people like her- he made it sound like there was something wrong with her for wanting to marry. Like she was taking an easier route instead of the only route that was available to her. And she did want to marry and have a family, was that so wrong? It would cut her off from the hobby she loved so dearly, but that was the sacrifice she would have to make.

“...Captain Walker, did it perhaps not cross you mind that this is something I might want?” she asked quietly, not quite able to look up at him. She withdrew her hand from his, folding her arms together. “You claim to be sorry but you still insist on telling me that my decisions are wrong. Is there something so terrible about marrying and having a family, and being satisfied in that?”

[Roland]

Well you knew you wouldn't be able to keep it up forever. Well she hate you now, go forth and do what you do! Says the voice in the back of Roland's mind, for some reason self inside of him had seen something like this coming.

Humoring her? Making her not regret this year's pairing? Vennessa sealed this year as another failure the moment she got paired with you. His inner self laughs. Roland adjusts his hat so that it conceals his eyes again. His initial reaction to her comments and accusations had been anger, he wasn’t trying to insult her ...but she hasn’t done anything wrong and you’re the one who insulted her way of life. He reflects, then tries to decide how to proceed.

Fuck it! When in doubt tell the truth! He decides triumphantly and then looks down at Aveline.

“Anything I say here is going to sound like an excuse so I’ll be honest. I don’t really have a problem with someone deciding to find someone they love, settle down and raise a family. If a person can find someone they love in this world then they should treasure it.” He says looking her straight in the eyes as he guide them out of the flow of traffic.

“But if that’s the case Aveline, then don’t claim you are doing it for family or duty like you did earlier, do it for you.” He says getting to the root of what had bothered him in her earlier comments. Then he let’s out a sigh well now that I have both offended and disappointed her I guess I should take her back to the castle.

[severine]

Aveline looked back up at Roland, her fingers scratching at the rough fabric covering her arms. She could not help but wonder if this was the longest conversation Roland had with a woman that he didn’t work with. But the honesty was appreciated. To be honest, Aveline wasn’t sure if she would be allowed to marry for love- her mother wanted her to be Queen, and she held no real fondness for His Majesty. But for now, at the very least, she could enjoy some time with a new friend.

She smiled a little at that thought and raised her hand to put it back on his arm. She would let him off the hook for now- while she had been raised to help put men at ease, he clearly did not have the same schooling with regards to women. Besides, they were still getting to know each other. “I will think about my wording more carefully around you then in the future, Roland. Or at least not speak to you about the delicate subject of marriage.” Aveline grinned up at him, tugging on her shawl again.

The man still appeared to be uneasy, so Aveline pushed down on his arm slightly, pushing herself up on her toes to kiss his cheek. If she had waited until they were closer to the castle to do this, her mother would have surely flown into a rage. But here, it felt like she was safe to be more open. Hopefully this would calm him enough to change the subject, which she proceeded to do. “So, where does a man of your caliber eat in this district?”

[Roland]

Roland was now thoroughly confused as the girls takes his arm and grins at him...I give up on trying to understand people! He decides as he messages one of his temples with his free hand. "Does this mean I'm forgiven?" He asks unwilling decide this was the case without confirmation.

Though when she mentions not talking to him about sensitive topics he says. "You can talk to me about sensitive topics, just don't expect me to know what to say." He says as he scratches as his back slightly, he hadn't realized how used to nicer cloths he had gotten...well mostly undershirts. The exchange seemed to have balanced him out between the animated escort and the bitter guardsman and for the first time since they'd started this whole thing Roland felt comfortable. He'd given up on trying to be anything more than he was.

"I will say that-" though before he finishes his sentence Aveline kisses him on the cheek which causes him to stop talking and stare at her. In truth this was the first kiss he could remember in a very long time...if ever. He briefly reflects that his love life has been almost comically poor, and then he stares at her and blinks a few times as if he had no idea what to do.

When she mentions food he suddenly seems to regain his wits and he thinks. "Well what I normally eat is something cheap, greasy and unhealthy...lets go get some meat pies." he suggests and then starts heading towards the area where the street stalls were.

When they arrive he holds up a hand indicating he wanted two meat pies and he passes one to Aveline. They were flaky and warm. "Be careful those are extremely hot on the inside." he warns her before taking a small bite off the crust and letting some of the steam from the inside stream out. There did not seem to be much in the way of utensils and the pies were wrapped so one could eat them with their hands. Roland used to come here quite often during his rounds.

[severine]

Aveline beamed at the suggestion- pies were common, but they were much more elaborate than what they were surely going to eat here. At least it would be familiar, and she nodded. She followed along, slinging her arm through his so she could keep up. She raised an eyebrow at him at his eating instructions however. “I know how to eat a pie, Roland.”

Aveline nibbles at the crust of it, letting out a quiet sigh. Simple, but nice. She looks around at the swarm of people enjoying the festival and smiled, wondering why exactly it took so long for her to venture out here. It wasn’t flea-infested and rank like her mother described, and everyone seemed to look happy. But that may have just been the goddess festival at work. She looked up at Roland, smiling between bites. “Thank you. It’s really- oof.” she waved a hand over her mouth, having bitten into a particularly hot chunk of pie. She squinted a little, wiping her eye. “-it’s good.”

[Deleted]

A small child suddenly ran into Avelines leg, bumping it by accident. The young child looked up with wide terrified eyes. The child herself was a small dirty little thing, with patched work clothing and matted hair. Barefoot and caring a rag doll that had seen better times.

”ss…s…sorry ma’m”

She bobbed a small curtsy, while looking at the two adults with wide eyes….her eyes lingering hungrily over the food for the short while. Meanwhile and older, probably her brother, child plucked some jeweled hair pins with a slight of hand from the maidens hair. After a few were taken the boy took off at a run, the young girl fallowing not soon after.

[Roland]

Roland smirks a bit as Aveline replies that she knows how to eat a pie and he simply shrugs, but when she suddenly bites on the hot part he finds himself chuckling. "The city has its problems, but in a lot of ways I think I like it more than the castle." He admits, though the conversation was cut short by a pair of kids who suddenly got close the girl ran into them and Roland watched to make sure she didn't lift anything.

Then as he saw the boy approach and grab one of the hair pins he reached out and grabbed the boy by the arm and hardening his skin with the trick he learned from Ilta so the kid couldn't bite him or pull a knife.

Then he lifts the boys hand above his head and takes the hair pins out of it. "Alright kiddo, you're coming down to the station with me." He as he finishes hardening his body and hoists the kid in a fireman's carry onto his shoulder. He also reaches down and grabs the little girl's shoulder.

"Sam will know how to deal with this he mumbles." Apparently very non-chalant about the whole thing. "Sorry about this Aveline." he apologizes as he starts to walk towards the station with the kids, though they are probably struggling.

[severine]

Aveline blinked when she felt something run into her leg. She looked down to see the small girl and smiled at her. “It’s all right, dear.” A look of pity cast over her face as she studied the girl with her tattered clothes and dirty face. The poor thing. She considered giving the rest of her pie to the girl but she felt something tug at her hair.

Aveline jolted, tugging the shawl harder around her hair as the children ran off. She looked around her just in time to see Roland catch the boy and lift him up. “Oh Roland, they’re only children.” she sighed, moving forward to take the hairpiece from the boy’s hands. She turned it over between her fingers, looking down at it. She could spare this, surely it wouldn’t be so terrible. These children were hungry and dirty!

“It’s only a pin. It will be fine, they need the money more than I need this.”

[Roland]

As Aveline says 'they were only children' Roland's closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, then he looks at the kid. He was dirty and looked fairly unhealthy, the girl probably wasn't in any better off as he crouched down and inspected her. Though as Aveline looks at the pin and then says they needed it more than her he shook his head.

"You are right they do, but giving them that pin is not going to help them. If they're lucky they'll sell it for a fraction of what it's worth, but more likely it'll get taken from them, and in the worst case it could get violent." Roland explains as he looks at the two in contemplation. He'd like to take them to Sam, but he the Home was already full.

He extends his senses and finds himself surprised to find the girl has a bit of magical talent, well not much, but something. It's a shame it's underdeveloped.

"If we actually want to help them, what they need is not money, they need a trade and a home." He explains to Aveline...Well I guess we can cut this short and try to figure something out at the castle.

"Alright listen you two, you are both found guilty of stealing and I am arresting you to quarters, if you do not have quarters...I guess we'll put you in the barracks and get you some food while we try to sort this thing out." He says with a sigh, though this was a strange sentence, well informants were always useful, but maybe if they could find something for the pair to do in the castle.

You can't help everyone, but that shouldn't be an excuse for not trying to resolve a problem in front of you. Roland decides. "Sorry, Aveline, would you mind coming back with me to the castle?" He asks with a slightly uncomfortable tone.

[severine]

Aveline looked concerned at first as Roland stated that the children were arrested, fearing for them going to the dungeons, but when he continued she let out a sigh of relief. They needed kindness, not punishment. She nodded to Roland tiredly, adjusting the shawl over her head again.

“I will need to change before I return.” Her mother wouldn’t let her into her quarters dressed the way she was now, she would have too many questions for her already. It would be best to not get Roland into any more trouble with her mother than he would be already. “But I do not mind.” she looked at the children again, sighing quietly. Poor things must be frightened out of their minds.

[Roland]

"Alright kids, I'm going to take you to the station where a man named Sam is going to arrange something you two can do to make yourselves useful. Do a good job for him and he'll make sure to take care of you." Roland grunts as the boy struggles for a bit. The girl seems to have become resigned to this, or maybe she was just worried about her brother.

"Figures, if you try to take a break, work finds you." He grumbles and then motions for Aveline to follow him. Roland leads Aveline back to the guard house and walks back into Sam's office. "Hey Sam, I've got some would be pickpockets for you to shape up."

The older man looks at Roland and shakes his head. "I can't keep doing this you know Roland, we just don't have enough small tasks for it." He replies, though his kindly eyes look at the scared and dirty kids and he lets out a sigh of resignation. "Fine, fine you win, but you're covering their meals."

Roland frowns, but nods his head before retrieving his and Aveline's cloths and passing them back to her. Roland seemed to have reverted back to a more businesslike demeanor. He wasn't cold persay, but occupied and the circles under his eyes and the stubble that had already started growing back showed his age quite clearly.

As Roland goes to change Sam smiles at Aveline. "I can't tell if your luck is bad or good to get him like this Milady." He says before expertly coaxing the kids out of the room and towards the mess.

[severine]

Aveline looked down at the pile of silks Roland handed her and sighed, not looking forward to changing back on her own. She watched him leave, then turned her head to Sam as he spoke to her. She felt heat touch her face again and she cast her gaze downwards. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, sir.” She moved behind the divider she used before and pulled the shawl from her head, adjusting her hair back into it’s proper form. Then she undressed.

The silk dress was difficult enough to put back on by herself, and as she tried to make the laces tighter in the back she knew that if her mother found her dress to be even the slightest bit loose, it would unleash a holy terror upon her head unlike any she had ever witnessed. She didn’t want to hear the words her mother would call her if she found out and she sunk against the wall, covering her face with her hands. This was a bad plan. She should have just stayed in the dress.

Aveline bit her finger hard, trying to keep her eyes from watering. Maybe she could ask- no. Any clumsiness in his hands would be even more obvious than if she left it loose. Perhaps he could with magic? She looked past the divider slightly, biting her finger a little harder. It was her only shot.

“...Roland? I’m afraid I need a favor.”

[Roland]

Roland finishes changing with military like efficiency. When he emerges he puts the had back onto his head deciding to keep it for the trip back. Next he rolls out the carpet and as he prepares to work his magic on it he hears Aveline call out to him.

A favor...? He frowned initially but dismissed his initial suspicious instincts. If he was actually going to trust no one then he shouldn't have gotten the girl into this situation, whatever it was, in the first place. She had helped him after all, there were some who would have slit his throat if they'd found him in the library.

He walks over and past the divider without missing a step seeming to give very little thought to tact. Though when he finds her unable tighten cloths he finds himself unable to hold back a chuckle. "Can't get them back on huh?" He asks and then kneels down and reaching out. Before he touches the cloths he gently takes her hand. "Hey now, no need to bite your finger like that, you'll hurt yourself." He says gently and motions for her to stand up with her back to him.

[severine]

Aveline looked up at Roland from the floor, startled at his sudden appearance. She pushed her hands up to her narrow shoulders, keeping the sleeves from sliding from them. At first she just looked down at the ground, her face burning from humiliation.

“It took, ah- took three women to stitch me into this. If my mother finds it the slightest bit loose, she’ll think-” Aveline tried to take in a breath, trying to calm herself down. Her voice kept catching. She pressed her hand over her mouth to calm her breathing and then nodded, looking down as his hand closed around hers.

Aveline squeezed her eyes shut and nodded, rising and holding her dress up as she stood. The dress was open completely in the back, not that Roland would be able to see anything scandalous other than the top of her back. The rest of her skin was covered by the simple silk chemises the women of royalty wore as undergarments. Aveline looked down at the ground and closed her eyes tightly again, her fingers wound tightly in the silk near her shoulders.

“Please just use magic. It’s not that- my mother will be able to tell if a man does it.”