World: Castle D'Image
Scene: The Reaver's Latitude Tavern, January/February, 4282.
Players: Geoff = Manda; Suzina = Abby; Percy = Percy's typist; Bing = assorted
Suzina is perhaps thirty, a buxom blue-eyed woman with bright red curls falling loose about her shoulders. She is sharp-featured and not especially pretty, nor very tall; but the red of her hair and the confidence of her smile lend her stature, and a certain attractiveness. Her spruce-green blouse of thin muslin bares her white shoulders, its short puffed sleeves edged in black lace; a wide black leather belt cinches it over the gleaming black taffeta skirt that rustles as she moves, just clearing her trim ankles. On her feet are dark green slippers. A brassy locket hangs on a chain about her neck.
Your eyes fall upon a handsome man who appears to be in his early thirties. The fact that he is concerned with his looks is readily apparent in his excellent grooming and generally foppish sense of style. He stands proudly at about 5'9" tall with a lean, athletic build. His features are fine and sharp, suggesting that he is of noble birth, perhaps. The tone of his smooth skin always has the appearance of being lightly tanned; an indication of his Western heritage. Marring this once perfect skin is a long scar on the left side of his face. It runs across his cheek from his ear to the corner of his mouth. There is a spark of mischief in his deep brown eyes. His glossy, raven black hair is growing out thick and wavy. Geoff is dressed quite warmly against the cold weather. His cloak is a somber gray and bears red trim. On the back, set in a triangular posistion, are three red crescents with their points facing upward. A scarlet scarf surrounds his neck. His hands are covered in matching scarlet gloves. To keep his head warm, he bears a amusing boxy hat of dark gray fur. Geoff's right hand is conspicuously missing its middle finger.
Sir Percy Bonamy Ripple is a very dashing man, at least that's exactly how he sees himself. Percy stands at about 5 feet 9 inches, but he's sure that must be wrong. He is slender in form and carries himself with languid grace. He has long golden blonde hair that is pulled back from his face in a tail of glossy curls and secured with a ribbon. His face is smooth and angelically handsome. It would be almost powdered perfection except for the bane of Percy's exsistance his large and rather prominant nose. Percy's lips are naturally colorless, but of a pleasing shape. His pale lashes are thick and frame blue eyes that mirror his ever turbulent emotions. Today Percy proudly exhibits his newest foray into the exciting world of trend-setting. His coat is a lovely violet and is adorned with black embroidery at the sleeves and hem. Percy's trousers are pitch black buckskin and fit to his tender frame with nary a wrinkle. They are inarguably a wonder of stitching. Carved onyx buttons twinkle up to you from his cuffs of his coat, and the fastenings at the knees of his breeches. A charcoal gray waistcoat bearing a random pattern of violet flowers is the finishing touch to Sir Ripple's masterpiece. A tiny mirror hangs gently from one lace covered wrist and a scented handkerchief is tucked into the other.
Geoff strides in from the main street.
Jonathan Bing says, "All right, you lot, behave yourself! Sir Geoff's here now."
Suzina is seated, one might almost say curled, by the fire, with a mug on the table before her. She raises her head as Bing makes his announcement, and smiles tiredly but affectionately to Geoff. "Hey, honey."
Geoff smirks at Bing. "I dunno, the crowd doesn't look too restless to me."
Suzina chuckles.
Geoff grins at Suzina when he sees her. "Suz!" he says, enthusiasticaly.
Suzina smiles, and holds out her arms.
Geoff rushes up over to her and gives her a big hug - gossipmongers be damned.
Suzina hugs him tightly, murmuring in his ear, "How's my favorite boy-about-court?"
The minstrel launches into a rendition of Corn Rigs.
"Damn fine, Suz..." He practically gushes in a mildly inebriated sort of way. "These past couple months have finally been really good."
Suzina tosses back her hair, looking up at him. "Have they now."
Geoff sits down at the table, figuring that he has an open invitation to do so.
Suzina waves to Bing. "'Nother for Geoff here, honey, please." And to Geoff: "What's been happenin'?"
Geoff opens right up, like a tawdry romance novel, "Just... for once everything is going my way... I wake up and don't get that... black pit feeling in my stomach of worry, and self-doubt, and bitterness. I've finally found the way to make my life work."
Suzina says amiably, "That's good, honey."
Geoff says, "It's like I've been drowning for four years and finally just got all the water out of my lungs." There's a cheery little comparison. "And how are you, dear? What with all the nonsense going round I haven't seen you...."
Whistling cheerfully, Bing energetically wipes down the bar with a damp rag.
Suzina reaches out to pat his arm. "Oh, I been all right, mostly. Keepin' busy. --Thanks, honey," as Bing returns with a second steaming mug. She pushes it towards Geoff. "There y'are. Warm you right up."
Percy strides in from the main street.
Jonathan Bing says, "Greetings mate! Welcome to the Reaver's Latitude. Can I be getting you something then? Just take a look at our menu..."
Geoff looks down into the mug and sniffs the steam. "Cider?" he asks, when he looks up.
Suzina nods seriously. "'S real nice on a night like 'is."
Geoff says, "Yeah... It's bloody cold out there... that's for damned sure..."
Percy saunters into the dim room with a slight frown and removes a black cloak. He waves away Bing with a murmur of something incoherent and tugs on a pair of gloves.
Geoff only now remembers to remove his hat. He waves over at the new entrant from where he sits with Suzina. He has the happy, glazed look of the moderately inebriated.
Suzina nods again emphatically. "I'll say. I'm only jus' gittin' warm myself." She looks over to the door, arches a brow, smiles and waves.
Percy applies his damp cloak to the rack by the door and examines the room as he finishes with his cream gloves. His frown soon fades as he notes the baron's wave. He hands the pair of gloves to Bing for safekeeping and casts Geoff his own brand of wave.
Geoff pulls his gloves off and stuffs them into a pocket, then picks up his mug and sips from it.
Suzina watches Geoff with rather maternal affection.
Percy's hand pauses only slightly in its jubilant salute as he examines the baron's attire. Good god, why kill an animal for such a head piece? He restrains a grimace and edges toward his previous fashion dictator, and the female friend.
Geoff enquires loudly, oblivious to Percy's qualms with his headgear, "And how are youuu tonight, Percy?"
Suzina looks up and smiles amiably to this personage, arms folded comfortably on the table before her.
Percy bows politely to the couple and smiles. He seems to be taking a great deal of effort avoiding the perusal of the baron's new wardrobe. He looks him carefully in the eye and says calmly, "I am well my friend." He glimpses the hat completely accidentally and winces. He says in a half strangled voice, "How fare you baron?"
Percy nods to the red haired lady, "And you as well, my lady."
Geoff gives an exaggerated arch of the right eyebrow at Percy, "Oh... pretty fantastic... but are you quite all right?"
Suzina chuckles. "Suzina, honey." She too quirks a brow at the look.
The troubador leans down to check the tuning of his instrument for a moment. Satisfied, he starts to play A Fair Lady I Did Court.
Percy blinks twice, is the baron quite done up? A smile plays about his mouth as he turns his blue gaze from the disturbing spectacle of the baron to the red haired lady. He bows with his usual finesse, "Percy Ripple at your service," he smiles, "Miss... Suzina."
Geoff looks mildly confused, and drinks from his mug again.
Suzina says politely, "Charmed, I'm sure." Apparently she sees nothing wrong with the accessory in question, for she glances at Geoff without a flicker of anything other than interest.
Percy watches Geoff from the corner of his eye. He shudders inwardly at what greets him and his hand strays subconsciously to the lapel of his new fine coat.
Suzina inquires, "You two're friends?"
Geoff's growing suspicions turn into downright paranoia. He demands of Percy, "What?" in an incredulous tone.
Bing raises a brow..."Aye, I could tell you stories about some of the high and mighty around here. T'would mean me life though, they don't take kindly to it, not at all!"
Percy forces his hand to his side. He reminds himself that it's Geoff's clothes that are unfashionable, not his own. This thought seems to assure him and he nods absently. He turns at the baron's outburst and raises a brow, "I beg your pardon?"
Suzina picks up her mug quietly and takes a warming sip, studying Percy.
Percy takes a calming breath as he steadies his gaze on the baron.
Geoff assures Suzina, "Yes, we're well acquainted." He eyes Percy, suspiciously.
Percy blinks under the calculating stare of the brown eyes, perhaps he should make his departure? His eyes flicker over to the bar and he clears his throat, "Well, lovely to see you again my friend, and to meet you, Miss Suzina." He nods to both and prepares to escape to safer regions of the tavern.
Suzina blinks. "Nice to meet you, honey." That was fast.
Geoff looks at Percy as though the man were quite insane. He wonders if Percy is as drunk as he feels. He "errrrrrs" intelligently, in response.
Percy makes a rather hasty retreat to the bar, his wide eyes never leaving the completely intoxicated baron. Is that really him? What a difference a day makes...
Percy takes a seat at the bar.
Due to subconscious impulses, triggered by yesterday's near hat theft, Geoff puts the hat on his thigh and pets it. In the dim light you could almost mistake it for whatever it used to be.
Suzina shakes her head slightly, and turns back to Geoff.
At your table, Suzina says "Wonder what his matter is."
At your table, Geoff says "I have no idea... it's bizarre. But he's sort of a strange one all around."
Percy seats himself at the bar with quite a bit less than his normal grace and calls in a highpitched voice for two brandys.
Percy orders brandy and Bing nods to him cheerfully. "Brandy? Coming right up! That'll be 3 coins please."
Bing turns away to take care of his order, saying "Coming right up, friend!"
At your table, Suzina chuckles. "Reckon so."
Suzina adds maternally, "Drink your cider, honey."
Grinning, the troubador begins to play and sing the song The Linden Tree.
Geoff ohs, and picks up the mug again and takes a drink.
Percy takes a reviving gulp of the amber liquid, and slides his eyes back the company by the fire. He watches the lady kindly, but what greets his orbs as he looks toward the architect unhinges him. Percy watches the baron fondle the hapless hat, and his brandy tilts dangerously in his slack hand.
Suzina tosses back her hair with an easy gesture, and picks up her own mug. "So what you been up to, honey?"
Percy jumps as a trickle of the brandy spills on his trousers. He almost shrieks at the sight, Egads! Can this evening get any worse?
Geoff grins at Suzina, "Ahh this and that... I have all sorts of projects going on... but enough free time." He feels Percy's eyes on him and turns to face the younger man again. With a rather maniacally gleeful expression, he asks, "Mr. Ripple... do you have a problem with my hat?"
The rafters creak ominously.
Suzina begins to respond, then blinks at him, as though this aside is entirely a non sequitur.
Percy mumbles something incredibly ungentlemanlike as he dabs at his damaged pantaloons. He pauses suddenly in his actions and peers up at the baron with a frown. His eyes slide back and forth between the pants and the baron, as if wondering which problem to address first. He decides on the more menacing one... Percy takes a deep breath and tries to overcome his ire about the trousers as he says, "Nay, 'tis fashion personified."
Geoff says to Suzina, accusingly, "He doesn't like my hat." He laughs, somehow finding the situation amusing. Being a creature of amazing spite, Geoff proudly puts the hat right on his head.
Suzina looks blank. "Why, what's wrong with it?" She catches sight of the spill then, and clucks in dismay. "Oh, look at that. --Just a minute, honey," she says quickly to Geoff, and sets down her mug, rising to cross to the bar. "Bing, let's have a wet towel, can we?"
Bing, being the swell guy he is, moves to provide her with one.
Percy winces as the baron both divines his thoughts and puts back on the shameful headpiece. He goes to extraordinary efforts to push a smile to his face, "I am certain it is very useful in this cold weather. Functional, I daresay."
Geoff extols the virtues of the hat. "It's extraordinarily warm. I'm tired of my ears freezing every winter."
Suzina agrees, looking back toward Geoff, "Reckon it would be, wouldn't it? --Thanks, honey." She takes the damp towel and crosses to Percy's side. "Here, honey."
Percy nods fervently as the baron's words, "Very handy." He pauses and then cannot seem to help adding, "and its odd mixture of colors seem to match with everything. What else could a man ask for?" He accepts the towel and graces Suzina with a grateful smile, someone does feel his pain.
Suzina smiles brightly at him in return, and moves to retake her seat.
Geoff will not stand for this nonsense. "What don't you like about it?"
Suzina says placatingly, "Now Geoff, honey..."
Percy shrugs languidly as he finishes up with the towel. His fashionable heart can not take much more of this dissembling. Sir Ripple frowns and says slowly to the disgruntled man, "Perhaps a bit less fur would be the thing?"
Percy picks up his refilled glass with care and eyes the baron with unease.
Geoff blinks rapidly and says, "But... it's a fur hat... it wouldn't be a fur hat... if it didn't have any fur."
Suzina puts in helpfully, "And not so warm, would it."
Geoff nods in vehement agreement to Suzina's observation.
Percy swallows and puts down the drink. He enunciates slowly for the baron's benefit, "Exactly my friend."
Suzina inquires, baffled, "You don' like warm hats?"
Percy chuckles and raises his glass to the lady, "I adore functional, fashionable clothing."
Geoff insists, "And this hat is both of those things."
Suzina nods slightly, still looking bemused.
Percy nods hesitantly and drinks his brandy. How long can he keep up this farce? "Indeed baron."
He really doesn't sound like he's making a threat, but his words end up coming out that way, "You know, Percy, I've killed a lot of men in my time... Fur is no bother, compared to that."
Suzina looks utterly bewildered. But then, this is the woman who habitually wears a red shawl over a purple dress. She sips her cider.
Geoff picks up his mug, drains the contents, and starts putting his gloves back on.
Suzina blinks, and then protests, "You goin' so soon, honey?"
Percy gulps at these harsh words from the baron. He drops his glass to the edge of the bar, so as not to commit another unmentionable offense to his trousers and almost stutters as he says, "You don't say." He lowers himself to concede, "That hat does look very warm."
Geoff mutters something incoherent to Suzina. Then he says more clearly, "Yeah... it's late.... gotta walk a ways yet..." He pulls the hat on tighter so that it almost seems to swallow his whole head.
Percy sighs inwardly with relief as he watches the baron pull on his gloves.
Suzina sighs inaudibly. If only she could drag the silly boy home with her and sober him up as of yore. But she shakes her head and smiles up at him. "Oh, all right then. Give Suzy a kiss and I'll see you around, huh?"
Geoff leans down and gives Suzina a kiss on the cheek. "I'll talk to you soon, dear... be well, all right?" He straightens up and prepares to wobble out.
Percy fumbles slightly as he rises from the bar. He bows elegantly to the baron and avoids all eye contact, "Farewell, my friend."
Suzina chuckles. "When am I ever not? You take care, honey."
Geoff says, "Okay, well... good night..." He looks to Percy and says, "Good night to you too, Percy... " He might be just a tad irritated.
Percy blinks and assumes his seat at the bar with a bit of a frown. What a eve!
Geoff strides out, head (and hat) held high.
Geoff has just stepped back out onto the street.