[PRP] We Are Stained (Temp/Theo/Silk)

[The Semblance of Unity]

When she'd asked Hart to set up a meeting with Silk for her, the fetch had only looked at her flatly. "I already did, Lady Temperance." As usual, her voice held little inflection. Temperance knew Hart didn't like her, but the fetch had reduced herself only to a useful automaton while around Temperance. It was unsettling. She'd have to work on building up trust soon, but the days were... so busy.

Now, she stood in front of the court with Theo. "Did I tell you your clothing changes when you step inside? Because it does."

smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

She'd done the door thing again, and Theo had spent thirty seconds too long squinting at it, trying to see how the magic worked. But it was just a door. He hadn't brought Toto this time, thinking it was probably some sort of insulting metaphorical statement to bring a skunk to a serious meeting with a corpse.

"No." He looked down at the fairly nice clothes he had worn in the first place. "You didn't."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"I'm sorry... they... they'll change back when we leave?" With that, Temperance stepped through the main door into the court. Immediately, her serviceable clothing transformed into the normal, millions of layers thing. And, she noticed, the arms were back. At this point, it was simply easier to have extra arms at court than will them back into place. She looked around, wondering if she should head directly to Silk's rooms.

"Lady Temperance," Hart said, melting out of the shadows. "The meeting is soon." Of course, it had been a meeting pre-set to discuss Hart's new duties as a fetch bound to a new noble, but she supposed Silk wouldn't mind a repurposing... and Temperance didn't need to know.

Temperance glanced at Theo. The cat would be out of the bag now. "Hart, this is Theodore. Theo, this is Hart, my, uh, fetch."

smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

Theo said nothing as he followed, not opposed to having his outfit changed, just a little put out that the trouble he'd gone to would be erased. In that way, it seemed the court took pity on him, keeping the general fit of his casual suit, just fancying it up. He gained frothy floor-length sleeves and coattails, generous slits in both allowing him freedom of movement, and a collar that rose nearly to his eye line, all in periwinkle velvet. His real punishment was not immediately noticeable to anyone but him, but it left him instantaneously simmering, his hidden hands curling into fists.

He had been shaved. The hair on the top of his head was separated into subtle ringlets that he couldn't really feel to react to, but his cheeks and chin were bare. He felt twelve.

"Hello, Hart," he said through nearly gritted teeth. On top of everything else, Temperance being a noble was more interesting than a betrayal, especially since she seemed so normal. And there were the arms too. They were probably the coolest things he'd seen today. Theo breathed. He unclenched. "It's lovely to meet you." He tried to inject his words with something approaching calm sincerity, even if he was speaking to a pile of walking bacon.

The Semblance of Un!ty

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

While his outfit was glamorous, Theo didn't look too pleased, she thought. "Sorry," she mouthed. Temperance couldn't blame him - she never was pleased about the things the court stuck her in. The constant red choker was especially rude, she thought, one of her hands reaching up to touch it. Hart, however, merely smiled at Theo (she had her lips, small favors), and waggled her fingers before re-assuming her position as impassive servant. Temperance swallowed a sigh. This wasn't the time to address it, but it never was the time... For now, the charter things were far more important.

With a soft scuff of her feet, Hart lead the way down the hallways to Silk's rooms. "Noah, Noel, hi." She didn't meet their eyes behind their masks. "I have a meeting with Silk."

shibrogane

smerdle

 

[shibrogane]

Noel and Noah looked at each other. They looked at Theo and Temperance. Then they looked at Hart. Then back at each other. Those glances were a silent conversation. Eventually one of them shrugged and opened the door, an on your head be it gesture.

Silk's office was once the Spinel Lady's office. It had the look of it, too, the spare elegance and minimalism present in the rest of the Lady's domain; there was a rug on the floor in muted grays, the floor was a dark wood, the desk at which Silk sat was dark and the wood shifted where she leaned like blood beneath the skin. There were no chairs across from the desk today; the sideboard beneath the painting of who-knew-who was bare except for a rather disingenuous digital clock. The curtains were drawn. Silk was alone. She looked up and raised both of her eyebrows.

"Hart, I thought I was clear that we would be speaking of your new role," she said. "We don't require an audience."

The Semblance of Unity

Smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

If nothing else, this place was a trip.

Stoic, matching guards, the interior design work of a sociopath, and a corpse who was... hot, though he was loath to even think it. Not that it wasn't true, it was just a poor way to describe someone who probably had a lot of other fine qualities.

He exhaled through his nose. What in the hell was he going on about?

Theo turned to Temp and whispered her name. He supposed it was the fetch's turn to speak, but maybe Temperance could effectively butt in if she waved their bracelet around.

The Semblance of Unity

sorry about the wait o-o

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Temperance eyed Hart, who shifted a bit. "Silk, I apologize," Hart said. "Lady Temperance required a meeting and, as you know, we must accommodate our Lords and Ladies above all else." Hart cast her eyes downward in a show of modest humility and Temperance had to swallow a snort. She knew better - Hart had done this to get out of a meeting she hadn't wanted. It was kind of clever, if not well thought out.

She held up two of her left hands, forestalling any other words Hart might say. "I asked Hart to arrange a meeting with you, Silk, regarding components for the dissembling and rebuilding of the charter. I was unaware she'd... re-purposed a meeting for this." Temperance turned briefly to make a face at Theo and mouth 'sorry'.

"I will have Hart reschedule with you shortly - I'd rather get this squared away. Theo, do you have the box?"

smerdle

shibrogane

 

[Smerdle]

He reached for the box where he had hidden it in his other clothes, and was only a little surprised to find it in the same spot. Pulling it out, he opened the lid and tilted it forward so Silk could see. Strong but delicate vines sprinkled with deep purple hollyhock buds wove around stones that glittered under the room's light. Any traces of the grave dirt they'd used to imbue it were gone.

"One, um, earth attuned bracelet."

The Semblance of Unity

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"How pretty," said Silk, who seemed to put aside her ire with the explanation given. "May I?" She held out a hand for it, palm up.

The Semblance of Unity

Smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

"Yeah, sure," Theo said, carefully lifting it out of the box and passing it to her.

shibrogane

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"We picked out stones for protection and grounding and, uh, then we buried it in a graveyard." It all sounded so silly when said aloud. Silk may have put aside her ire, but Temperance needed to have a talk with Hart, provided she could catch the fetch. She did manage to catch Hart's eye and one eyebrow raised.

smerdle

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

Silk examined the piece, and then nodded. "You've done well. This will work excellently..." She didn't smile, but then, she was slightly out of sorts from the change in her appointment schedule. "Is there anything else you'd like me to know? I may still have time to instruct Hart in her new duties, if not."

smerdle

The Semblance of Unity

 

[Smerdle]

Theo shook his head. "I've got nothing. But thank you. And good luck with everything."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"No, Silk. Other than that should it become relevant to refresh the flowers before the, uh, thing, please let me know and I can." Temperance looked at Hart. The fetch didn't look so pleased to still be having her meeting with Silk. She walked closer to Silk and leaned forward so that Hart would not hear.

"Try not to be too hard on her, please." Then she gestured to Theo. "I... guess that's that. Thank you for your time."

smerdle

shibrogane