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Trouble at the Inn Between; Open to all...
Topic Started: May 15 2009, 12:16 AM (1,130 Views)
Tsukasa
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Slave
[ * ]
This was a little strange. Tsukasa had seen desperate in the past, but he'd never seen a mother so willingly offer her child to a complete stranger. Tsu listened to Solomons words as he began speaking to the mistress once more. He spoke in a very gentle manner, enough so to make even the strongest woman fall to her knees. He seemed to have a common respect for life regardless of what status or race this life seemed to have. He also didn't consider Tsu his subordinate. Tsu found this interesting, a higher being equating a human to his own status.

Tsukasas eye was quickly diverted off to the left where a lantern was placed for light. He watched as the fire swayed from left to right and flickered from one moment to the next. Tsu tilted his head to the left for a moment before he turned back to the two. And what a sight. The mistress had dug her face into the knee of the solomon, and seemed as if she were holding back from unleashing a deep hurtful cry from within. From here, Marszenka began to tell the story of where she had come from, what had happened to her, and what she was doing here. Usually, to the third member of a situation like this, three would be a crowd the size of a city slums, but Tsukasa continued to stand in his position keeping a small smile floating about his face.

Tsu stayed like this for the next few moments, until she stopped at "then..." By this time Tsu's legs began to ache from the standing. With small and quiet movement, Tsukasa turned and sat down, leaning his back against the wall next to Solomon. He crossed his legs indian style, put his tea off to the side, placed his hands on the cafes of his legs and leaned on them. The girl had quite the sob story. Everyone has one, but this girl hadn't seemed as if she'd caught a break in some time now. Not even being good enough to be considered a "proper" prostitute must be a more than demeaning feeling.

After Marszenka had finally finished there was a moment of silence among the three, only the sound of the tiny child moving her limbs back and forth as children do. But as quickly the moment had come, it was just as quickly violently shattered by the sound of Tsukasas voice. "How poetic." His voice was still and calm as he continued. "You hide your secrets in the open for anyone to hear." His head tilted, as violet iris searched for Marszenkas brown. "Is this why you love Solomon so?"
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Renna
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[ *  *  * ]
The girl startled to hear Tsukasa's voice for the first time, whipping her head around to stare wide-eyed into his face. "Love?" It was a whisper, a soft expression of puzzlement and disbelief. She shouldn't have made the mistake of sharing anything while in the presence of both men, it had been foolish and desperate and as the white-haired young man looked at her Marszenka felt her eyes sting. Swiftly she lowered her head to him, making herself subservient in a gesture of hurt and fear. Tsukasa was laughing at her, and she wondered how long it would be before his disgust would transform into harm. The harlot shrank back.

"I do not--I--" There weren't even words for this. Marszenka kept her eyes on her hands, blushing for shame and wishing she could just disappear. "No, sir. " There was an overwhelming urge to explain herself to him, and an equally overwhelming desire to just stay back and avoid the searching purple gaze like it was a plague. "I love no man and never will. Love cannot happen without trust, and trust can only happen without fear."

She moved from Solomon's knee and knitted her fingers into her skirts instead, hanging her head before the masters. "I will not say I don't wish I could. I do. My lord guardian is gentle and I do not fear him so much; I would like to love a gentle man. But a man is a man, and if there are good men in this world none would have a bad girl. So no. Now please leave me be. I am sorry to have told you; it matters not."

She stood. "You may bathe before bed if you like."
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Solomon G.
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Serf
[ * ]
The girl hid her face at his words, burying her cheeks into the soft fabric of his leggings. The Guardian was tempted for a moment to pat her head to comfort her, but decided against it. It would not do for her to take his kindness as lust. Instead, he reached his free hand to his shoulder, tugging his ponytail so it fell down over his chest to Miera’s hands. The girl cooed happily, chubby fingers happily playing with the new toy. Her mother tangled her fingers in her hair, clenching them tightly in the brown curls. Solomon’s amber eyes stayed on the child, but he was watching her out of the corner of his vision, wondering what had incited such an emotional reaction. When she spoke again her voice was laden with unshed tears, and every so often she paused, as if fighting to keep them in check. He listened silently, still smiling for the infant’s sake, but a hard knot of anger formed in his stomach. With every new injustice the girl spoke of the kernel of raw emotion grew, threatening to show in his expression. Solomon, although usually calm, had a very strict code of conduct he stuck to. Despite the blood flowing in his veins (which many mortals believed made him a superior being, some going so far as to claim he was a God), Solomon firmly believed that all sentient beings demanded his respect, and that their lives were as precious as his own. Marszenka’s tale angered him to no end. She had been treated like a slave, unworthy of even the basic rights that all beings should possess. The fact that she was still able to smile, still able to sing, still able to care for the beautiful child he held amazed the scholar. He had met many people in his travels that had given up due to circumstances that were put to shame by the courtesan’s past. And yet she still strove to survive. When her voice tapered off he glanced upwards, searching her face silently.

However, before he could speak Tsubasa’s quiet voice sounded for the first time in a long while, shocking Solomon and the girl both. "How poetic. You hide your secrets in the open for anyone to hear." They both turned to look at the man, who tilted his head and stared back at Marszenka. His voice was not insulting, simply calm and inquisitive. "Is this why you love Solomon so?"

Immediately Marszenka’s face changed again, shock and fear shining in the brown eyes. Solomon thought he saw the beginnings of tears before she stared at her hands, resolutely ignoring both of the men. . "No, sir. I love no man and never will. Love cannot happen without trust, and trust can only happen without fear." She slid off of the Guardian’s knee without looking up once, letting her hands fall to her clothing instead. "I will not say I don't wish I could. I do. My lord guardian is gentle and I do not fear him so much; I would like to love a gentle man. But a man is a man, and if there are good men in this world none would have a bad girl. So no. Now please leave me be. I am sorry to have told you; it matters not." She stood abruptly, and there was a distinct sensation of dismissal when she spoke next. “You may bathe before bed if you like."

Solomon finally looked up entirely, switching his focus fully from Miera to her mother. The infant continued to play with his hair as he spoke, his words soft and soothing, clearly an attempt to calm Marszenka’s mood. “Be still, Milady. I do not expect you to love me, nor will I attempt to harm you. Neither will this man.” He nodded towards Tsukasa without looking at him. Although the human was still basically a stranger to the Guardian, he had pretended to be under his command, so Solomon would use the opportunity to speak for both of them. “I do not claim to be a good man, by any means, but only an evil one could harm one as beautiful and innocent as yourself, and if I might indulge in a moment of narcissism, I do not believe myself to be an evil man.” He rose one four fingered hand into the air, spreading the digits wide towards Marszenka in the universal sign for Stop. “And yes, I did say innocent… please do not try to prove my words false yet, Milady. For your desire to protect and care for your daughter turns your actions not into those of a bad girl, but instead an innocent one, striving to survive in a world that has wronged her greatly.” Each word came together smoothly as if he had orchestrated them for hours beforehand, sounding more like the work of a poet than a short speech he had devised on the spot. “And indeed, it has wronged you… for that I am sorry. But please do not regret telling your tale to me, for I will not use it to harm or belittle you, and it has only augmented my opinion of you.” He smiled brilliantly, his features glowing with an affection and kindness few outside of Sibolandri had ever seen. “Please, stay here with us tonight, if only for a few minutes longer. I sense Kazimiera will need her mother to put her to bed soon…”
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Renna
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[ *  *  * ]
For a moment the girl said nothing at all, too frozen with surprise to speak or even move. The Guardian and girl locked gazes, and then Marszenka's shoulders slumped and she ran to him. There was nothing to say. Marszenka had not heard such kind words for so long it was like seeing Spring after years of winter, and without a word she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him swiftly on the cheek. The newness of such kindness left her speechless, and the beauty of it fell into the darkest place of a heart long left empty with a brightness that literally seared. She pulled back to give Solomon a wondering gaze, then remembered his Milady and strained on tiptoe to kiss his cheek again as she wept. "...Tak."

The simple 'yes' was all she could manage for a minute or more, but she kept her hand out to catch the gently falling tears. They glittered with an opalescent light in her palm, and after a minute or two of trying to compose herself Marszenka managed a weak comment. "My curse, and look how beautiful they are. It has been long since I wept happy tears. Not since Miera was born." She permitted herself to give Solomon a shy smile, then whirled away to Tsukasa and presented him with one of the brilliant gems. "For you, Master Tsukasa. A fortune in return for you kindness."

The courtesan blushed a little but moved back to the tall scholar, standing on her toes again to offer him another. "And one for you; for your kindness and for letting Miera play with your hair." Brown eyes sparkled into his, then she leaned forward to put her lips to his ear in a sweet whisper. "And for calling me good and beautiful and innocent and Lady and really meaning all of them, no treasure in all the world is enough to show you my thanks. You have made me live again." She suppressed the urge to kiss him a third time, instead putting her hand gently to his cheek. "It is not the way Tsukasa thought, but I shall love you until the day I die."

Her smile brightened, and there was a glance, then she slipped away to reclaim her baby. "Yes, yes. I will stay with my wonderful guests."


Marszenka sat back down on the couch, looking contrite. "I am sorry to so quickly lose my calm, but I have not a skin thick enough for this job, not so? I am so often hurt it is impossible not to fear it. And there are some men in the world who would think it funny. After being tricked as I was I no longer trust my own judgement." But a smile dimpled her cheek. "I often worried I would become mean like the other girls, but now I feel I can go years without danger. Such nice men are better than water--I shall be sad to see you go. Hopefully you will visit me again in your journeys, tak? You will always be welcome."

Kazimiera yawned, and her mother shifted her over to another knee. 'But yes. You were in a fight earlier; I have soap and water and bandages and balms and everything. After Miera is sleeping I will tend you. And..."

She paused again, shyly biting her lip. "And I would hate to put anyone on the floor so...my bed can fit two or three. I have one mat one guest could use if he did not wish to be cramped, but if it matters not we can share. I am not so frightened." She blushed. "And I have modest clothing which of course I will put on, as soon as Miera is sleepy. I am ashamed to be conversing with you dressed like this. But later for all of that. Later."

The girl looked over, face bright with interest. "What brings you both to this very seedy town?"
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Solomon G.
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[ * ]
Solomon feared he had horribly insulted the girl for a few long seconds as she stood there, staring at him with wide eyes. His amber gaze met hers, and she did not look away. Suddenly she was next to him once more, fiercely embracing the taller Guardian. Before he could react she kissed him once, on the cheek. A slight blush rose to his cheeks as she leaned back, looking up at him with sparkling eyes, and then she leaned upward to kiss him once more on the other cheek. Tears finally spilled from her eyes, but they were no normal droplets. She caught them in one cupped hand, and the scholar was amazed to notice they were not tears at all, but rather small, beautiful diamonds. "My curse, and look how beautiful they are,” Marszanka explained. “It has been long since I wept happy tears. Not since Miera was born." Solomon did not know quite how to react as she smiled at him. What a cruel curse this was; it seemed like an attempt to make the young harlot’s sadness beautiful, and in that moment he hated the distant lord who had wished such an ill fate upon her. But now she wept because of him and his kindness, and as she spun away to hand a sparkling jewel to his companion Solomon allowed himself to feel pride for a mere moment. True, he had treated her as he would treat any other, but never before had this simple kindness resulted in such a wonderful, exuberant reaction.

Marszenka danced back to him, her cheeks still red, offering the cupped fingers to him as well. Before he could turn down the generous offer she stood on her toes, breathing words into the pointed ears for him alone to hear. “"And for calling me good and beautiful and innocent and Lady and really meaning all of them, no treasure in all the world is enough to show you my thanks. You have made me live again." Her fingers traced across his cheek, and he felt an urge to touch the same spot with his own fingers. She gently took Miera from his arms, taking the infant with her as she retreated to the couch. Solomon looked at the small, perfect jewel she had slipped into his palm, wondering at the primal beauty of the crystallized tear. The girl offered them treatment for their injuries, but Solomon himself had almost completely forgotten about the fray; besides a slightly bruised ribcage, he was whole and hearty. It would be rude to turn down the offer, so he merely nodded at the suggestion.

He settled back into the chair, weaving his fingers together and setting his hands in his lap. “I must admit, it’s not often that I stay in a place such as this. However, I am meeting an old… friend, and he claimed this would be the best spot for us to get together. I’m still not sure why.” Solomo looked around the room, which, despite Marszenka’s efforts, still displayed the shoddy workmanship used in the building of the Inn Between. “I honestly do not know why my shyraes chose this place… although I am glad I met you, Milady, this establishment seems to serve as a hive of villainy and debauchery, neither of which I am too fond of.” He shook his head, clearly unaware he had slipped into jhalendri for a moment, the language of the Guardians. Mysia… where are you? And why did you ever think this dilapidated tavern would be a good place for us to meet? “As for sleeping arrangements… well. I would be comfortable on a mat or on the couch. I would not want to steal your bed from you…” He trailed off, wondering if she wanted the bed to be shared, and wasn’t sure if he would mind spending the night in another’s arms. But it would do him no good to brood on the girl’s intentions, so Solomon pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind.
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Tsukasa
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[ * ]
Uh oh, Tsu seemed to have opened up an exceedingly large shit storm. He broke the old cardinal rule, 'don't mock a girl. Even when you don't intend to." But this didn't seem to occur or even phase Tsu for the most part. He didn't change from his position, though his head did tilt to the other side. From the way she seemed to be reacting, Tsu had cracked the nail on the head. But she wasn't a happy camper. After a few more revealing words, it was clear Marszenka was done with the two men. But as she had made her final declaration, Solomon spoke out in protest. He graced her with words of trust, humbleness, and innocence. while these things were said, Tsukasa sat with an unchanged expression, still a faint smile painted on to his face. But this was no moment for him to be hogging the emotional spot light.

The next thing anyone knew, the girl had dashed towards the guardian and warped her arms around his neck, kissing him lightly on the cheek. The girl seemed overjoyed, but Tsu wasn't totally sure what he was supposed to feel in this moment. He reminisced for a moment about the last time he'd been in some sort of similar situation. It had been some time ago, but he remembered everyone else feeling "happy". He didn't really remember how he himself felt, must've been too long ago. But as he came back from this moment, Marszenka had appeared in front of him with a gem of some sort in her hand. She spoke of rewards for his kindness, and gave him the gem. He wasn't totally sure what he had done that would be considered a kindness, but the thought quickly disappeared when he began to examine the gem she'd given him. It was an extravagant jewel, very unique and extremely rare. He placed the gem into his left hand, and then into his pocket.

After this small moment, he glanced back up at the two. by this time Marszenka had her child in hand, and was was speaking of bandages. With that said, Tsu finally realized there was a blood taste hanging around his mouth. He twitched his cheek for a moment, only to find it causing another small burst of blood gush back into his mouth. He swallowed whatever blood was left in his mouth, deciding not to reply to the girls offer for wound washing.

Tsukasa glanced towards Marszenka for a moment when she asked why they happened to enter this inn. He turned his head towards solomon as he began to speak in reply. He spoke of meeting "old friends", but it was a little strange. Who would a guardian of his status be meeting in a place like this? Then again, higher beings act in strange ways, so Tsukasa paid no real mind to it. He did snicker for a moment when the guardian began speaking in his native tongue randomly. It was slightly amusing to see someone such as Solomon actually slip up, even if it was something minor. Realizing the question had also been addressed to him, Tsu tilted his head and looked off to the side. He had a moments pause to place some thought into this question before quietly and clamly replying. "...Didn't have anywhere to go." Before there was much time for processing his answer, Solomon spoke of the sleeping arrangements Marszenka had spoke of before. Sleeping arrangements didn't particularly matter to Tsu, he usually slept where ever he felt like it. Being that he was already sitting on the floor, he took his hat off, placing it next to him, and stretched out his legs from the folded style they were in before.

"I'll be fine here." He spoke wondering what the other two would do.
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Renna
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Tsukasa was making her nervous.

Marszenka eyed him uneasily, uncertain what to make of the reticent stranger. He wasn't responding to smiles or offers or much of anything, really, and she didn't like the silence. Or the way his expression never changed. She survived in a men's world by reading them, and he was giving her nothing to read. It was a little worrying.

So she was glad when he stretched out right on the floor, standing up to go over to the tiny linen closet. The young woman juggled Kazimiera into her other arm and rummaged around then emerged with a pillow and blanket which she offered to the violet-eyed stranger. "For you; I would never let you simply sleep on the floor." Marszy gave him a kindly smile, trying to work past her uncertainties for the sake of being friendly. "The couch is all yours too, look." She held out her arm. "Miera is nodding off."

So it was. The infant's head bent over to rest in the crook of her mother's elbow, black eyes slowly drooping as sleep crept up on the babe. The courtesan pressed a tender kiss to Miera's head, then sashayed her way over to Solomon and gently opened the door the other room. "We three will sleep in here. There." It was spoken softly as a sigh; Marszenka bent down to rest her daughter in the cradle beside the bed tucked into the corner. "She's sleeping."

The young woman quickly swaddled the child in her blankets, making sure all was snug before poking her head out the door and looking to Tsukasa. "Feel free to use whatever you like, Master Tsukasa--my house is yours. Good night to you."

With that she shut the door, then looked up at Solomon. "I would like you to share with me." Her expression was simple. "Not the--the bodies." (This made her blush). "But the bed. And an embrace. And maybe some talking. I would like to sleep in your arms. Just to sleep. Is this all right, my lord?"

The dark eyes became shy again, and she looked down to her feet.

((Sorry, Tsu. I'm having a hard time making MarsBars work with your chara cuz he intimidates her; I'll try to think of something to prevent him from being left in the lurch. :/ Everybody help me please! No player left behind! ))
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Tsukasa
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Tsukasa sat staring at the two standing in front of him with the same expression. When Marz turned into the closet and began searching, Tsukasas' mind began to wonder rather quickly. He blanked out for that moment, stuck in a solid configuration towards glaring at the floor. Tsu quickly snapped out of his mini-coma, looking up at Marz as she handed him something. It was a pillow, along with kind and soft words. Tsukasas' eyes widened as he took the pillow into his hands. He squeezed it in his palms for a moment, before a large smile crept on to his face and He embraced the pillow tightly to him. His eyes quickly made their way over to the couch she pointed towards. Tsu seemed to almost be in shock with excitement. Tsu's mannerisms changed once more, making him more seem more like a normal human being.

As Marz walked off to fix her small closet, Tsukasa snuggled his pillow and rocked from side to side for a moment. The realization of the couch had punched him in the face, so he stood up and took a few steps towards the couch. He stared at the couch for a moment, examining it. After a moment of this, he poked the cushion with his foot. It squished just as he thought it might. After another moment of awkward silence he jumped up into the air, made himself horizontal, and landed on the couch with a few light bounces. Tsu was happy with this.

Tsu quickly began to doze off when he heard a voice come from behind the couch. He sat up quickly, pillow in toe, and turned his head to face Marz. She spoke of her house, and his welcome. Tsukasa smiled warmly back and spoke quietly.

"Thank you"

As she disappeared back into the closet, Tsukasa left himself fall back onto the rest of the couch. He sat like that for a moment, before rolling over on his side in an attempt to sleep.
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