World: Castle D'Image
Scene: The bathroom of Cerestais' and Corlys' manor house, where Geoff is employed at this date; the late 4260s. Geoff is about twenty, Cecily eight years old. And yeah, I know. This was in 1996, so shut up.
Players: Geoff = Manda; Cecily = Abby
You are obviously in the bathing room. The floor has been covered with tiny tiles of light and deep sea-green. Around the edges of the floor, azure tiles have been placed in a border of waves which run around the room. The pale sea-green walls, the same color as the tiles upon the floor, stretch upwards and lend to the underwater ambience of the room. Two immense tubs, easily large enough for three people in each, have been tiled and set into the corners of the far wall. Steps lead upwards to a small rim surrounding each one and then down into the foaming depths of the water, which is piped in magickally. It can be run into the tubs by turning a set of knobs, red for hot and blue for cold. Screens painted with underwater scenes of seaweed and colorful fishes stand ready for privacy if they are needed. Upon the edge of each bath, porcelain shells containing colored and scented soaps have been placed along with pearlized bottles of fragrant cleansers. To either side of the door, light oak shelves and cabinets stretch from floor to ceiling and hold thick blue and white towels that have each been embroidered with small jewelled fish along the edges, more soaps, cleansers and oils, and the various supplies necessary for such a place.
Geoff figures Cecily has never been in such a big nice place as this.
Cecily is wide-eyed again.
Geoff runs a bath in one of the tubs.
Cecily gawks; there is no other word for it.
Geoff puts some bubbles in the bath. "Here we go, Cecily ... I want you to ... uhm ... take off that dress and get into that water. I won't look." He puts his hand into the water, making sure it's not too hot.
Cecily nods. "Okay."
Geoff then stands and closes his eyes. Noting that she is in the tub, he walks over and grabs some soaps and washcloths, then walks back over to the tub, realizing that she probably doesn't know how to bathe since she didn't seem to know what it meant. He hands her a washcloth and some soap.
Cecily looks at them. Something is expected that she doesn't quite grasp. She looks up at him curiously.
Geoff says, "All right ... get that soap and that piece of cloth wet ..."
Cecily dunks them. Funny way to do the laundry.
Geoff says, "Then rub them together ... get the soap on the cloth."
Cecily sudses accordingly.
Geoff is starting to feel incredibly fatherly. "Then take the cloth and rub it on yourself wherever you are dirty ... which does seem to be all over. Just like you would," he pauses and thinks, "wash a floor maybe. Or wipe off a counter."
Cecily looks at herself. He's probably right. She scrubs at herself industriously.
Geoff says, "Here ... put the back of your head in the water for a second.
Cecily looks somewhat surprised as the washing progresses. She didn't know she looked that color underneath.
Geoff feels ashamed for not doing this sooner.
Cecily squirms around until her hair is soaked.
Geoff puts some soap on his hands and starts to work it through her hair.
Cecily says, "Oh!"
"Don't worry," he grins, "I'm just getting your hair clean."
Cecily blinks rapidly. Now this is funny. "Okay."
Geoff finishes doing that and puts his hands in the water to rinse them off.
Cecily swishes her head back and forth in the water experimentally.
Geoff then grabs another washcloth and puts a little soap on it, and starts to rub it on Cecily's forehead and face.
Cecily blinks even more.
Geoff says, "Just hold still a sec. Close your eyes so I don't get soap in them."
Cecily squinches her eyes shut.
Geoff finishes washing off her face. "All right, now rinse all that soap off your face." He puts his hands in the water again, rinsing them of soap.
Cecily, squinting, goes face down into the water.
Geoff walks across the room, grabbing a fluffy white towel.
Cecily surfaces, dripping and several shades lighter.
Geoff holds out the towel, stretched out and ready to wrap around her, and walks back to the tub. "All right, that should be good."
Cecily looks up. "Out?"
Geoff says, "You can come out of there now."
Cecily nods, clambers slipperily out of the tub and drips on the floor.
Geoff wraps the towel around her. "There ... now dry off with that."
Cecily wrestles with the towel a moment. Then she gets the hang of it and manages to dry herself off. Her hair hangs in damp golden-brown strings. She yawns.
Geoff thinks for a second. "Here ... I'll get something else for you to wear ... why wear a dress to bed? Stay here and finish drying off."
Geoff runs back out to his room in the stables, and returns a few minutes later.
Cecily is dry, and stands in the middle of the floor with the towel draped over her. "Was that a bath?"
Geoff holds a white shirt that would be more or less like a nightgown on Cecily. He nods. "Yessiree, it was. Now put this on."
Cecily complies. The sleeves hang down over her hands, so she pushes them up.
Geoff says, "I suppose you're getting pretty sleepy, eh?"
Cecily yawns. "Yes."
Geoff nods. "Come on, then. I'll let you get some sleep."
Cecily says musingly, "It was sleepy-making water."
Geoff grins. "Yeah."
Cecily nods.
Geoff takes her hand once again and leads her back out.
The two walk back out to Geoff's room in the stables.
Geoff pulls down one corner of the bedspread. "I'm going to let you sleep in my bed tonight, 'kay? ... since I dragged you all out of the tavern."
Cecily pads along after him docilely. "Where will you sleep?"
Geoff says, "On the floor here."
Cecily says, "Why?"
Geoff shrugs. "Because you'll be in the bed, Silly."
Cecily looks down at the floor dubiously, then back up at Geoff. "Are you sure?"
Geoff nods. "Yeah. I'll grab some blankets for myself." He walks over to the closet, opens it and grabs a few blankets, then arranges a little nest on the floor for himself. "Go on, get into the bed."
Cecily climbs obediently into the bed. She does know how those work. She scarcely takes up any room.