|
|
Post by Kari Muffin on Mar 13, 2010 15:22:03 GMT -5
Em was completely unfamiliar with the rank of this gentlemen, but from the way he was acting she was fairly certain he wasn't a Heart. They often acted like they owned the world, even if Xiven was more than capable of putting them out of their misery. He obviously wasn't a Club... and he wasn't charming enough to be a diamond. Spade then. Though that was a little surprising.
Her smile remained, as she stood to her full (rather small) height, running her fingers through her curly hair. "There are quite a few interesting place, the court of Hearts. We have flowers from almost all the regions. The exception being the flowers that can't be supported by the Highland's environment." She hopped onto one of the stone paths. "We also have some wonderful stone work with all of the fountains. There's one that is over 100 years old and still well maintained. I think it's one of the most ornate stoneworks that's been partially gilded. Herm... where would you like to start?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Lucca on Mar 14, 2010 0:05:11 GMT -5
Graeme nearly wanted to laugh at his own ignorance. Of course the Court of Hearts would have things besides roses in their illustrious gardens, of course they'd have anything and everything pretty money and power could buy. But he'd just never thought of the rest...the roses were so intricately connected to the Court of Hearts in the mind of every Card who grew up in the Highlands that he hadn't thought beyond that. It was like realizing suddenly that you spent so long in admiring a house, you forgot to wonder what the inside might look like. Surely just as lovely, surely just as rich! Or possibly a little less, depending on how often important guests were expected to visit. For the Court, it went without saying they would spare no expense, since the most powerful Cards from any Suit could potentially drop in.
He listened curiously as Em went over all the other attractions, nodding as everything made perfect sense. Another side of the very same coin. Or perhaps that was a less than accurate analogy in this case, but no matter.
Despite trying to avoid displaying any more less than socially acceptable behaviors, Graeme noticeably perked at the mention of 'gilded' stonework. A smile returned to his bill and his eyes sparkled a bit as he spoke, hoping to cover it. "I believe the hundred year old stonework sounds like a good place to start. I've always had a bit of an interest in architecture," he said, and it was true enough. He tapped his cane lightly on the path as he followed the woman. "The paths here seem very sturdy, and it's no surprise that something made with the same care would last so long."
|
|
|
|
Post by Kari Muffin on Mar 14, 2010 21:44:05 GMT -5
Gold. That must have been what made this gentlemen tick her? Well there were worse things that someone could be attached to. It seemed terribly silly to be enamored by something like that.
"Follow me," she said with a cheerful wave of her hand. The path wasn't that complicated, and the fountain wasn't that far away. But she didn't want the lovely gentlemen to get distracted. There were quite a few shiny things through out the palace. The highly decorative nature of the Highlands palace was even in the gardens.
If only Xiven had enough money to change the blasted tackiness of it all.
They arrived at the fountain quickly. The large stone structure was that of a snake with water pouring out of its mouth. The gilding that was hinted on its fangs an Highlander swirls. The woman took a seat on the rim of the base. "Lovely don't you think?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Lucca on Mar 14, 2010 22:11:24 GMT -5
Almost as cheerfully, Graeme did as he was told, following the woman down the path, wings spread a bit behind him just to feel the light breeze rustling his feathers. Though the woman was unfortunately right that the Duck had a tendency to get distracted by shiny things, he'd also trained himself to focus in tense situations, and this most certainly counted, despite how much more calm he was compared to his feelings of several minutes before. So although he glanced to the side now and then to admire his lovely surroundings (ah! he'd seen that flower before; it was very rare and only grew on certain mountains in the Highlands) he kept Em always in sight.
The fountain was every bit as wonderful as he could have imagined, and the Duck could only stop and stare, leaning on his cane in a dignified fashion a short distance away from the fountain. He always felt a confusing mix of feelings overtake him when he saw gilded architecture. On the one hand, he could not deny its beauty, but on another...such a waste of gold! Though the fact that it was out of the system meant the value of his own money was higher for it. He wished he'd ever had the guts to gild something for him, but alas, the thought of parting with precious gold of his own for such a purpose was akin to heartbreak, though he did have a few premade gilded objects he'd purchased or found on one of his excursions.
Here, though, he had to admire the tastefulness the gold had been added with...the Highland swirls especially. Finally, he realized that he'd been asked a question after a few minutes of admiring in silence. "Very lovely indeed. I don't believe I've ever seen its like," Graeme said, without taking his eyes from the fountain. "I trust it's made in the likeness of a past Queen?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Kari Muffin on Mar 18, 2010 19:10:40 GMT -5
Emeraude took a seat on the edge of the fountain as she watched the guest look at it. As fascinating as he was to watch, she was starting to get a bit bored of the surroundings. The gardens. She saw them every day she decided to run around on her own. Poor Xiven hadn't been out of the Highlands in a seemingly long while. Perhaps they should plan a little trip?
She hummed lightly as she spun around where she sat. She dipped both her legs into the fountain without hesitation as the man spoke to her. She knew from the way he was speaking he wasn't looking at what she was doing. Apparently they weren't paying attention to each other. "To be honest I haven't the slightest idea. I don't really like the rocky history of the Hearts all that much." Or Hearts at all.
She stood up to her full height in the water, it actually came up slightly below her skirt. Pretty deep for a fountain. "I only know about the the amount of time things have been here. I find that far more interesting than who it's supposed to be."
|
|
|
|
Post by Lucca on Mar 20, 2010 14:54:09 GMT -5
"Mmm," Graeme replied at first, only half paying attention as he tilted his head, admiring the way the gold sparkled in the light. The sound of the water trickling down into the fountain and the heady perfume of the flowers only added to the rather grand scene. If he had been of an artistic persuasion, it might have inspired him...but alas, no talent of that sort was in the repertoire of this Duck.
Orange-gold eyes blinked as something Em had said clicked, and he turned slowly to regard her, starting a bit when he saw her -in- the fountain (was that appropriate? Even for the Queen's assistant?) but he recovered and eyed her shrewdly. Something about the way she worded that...he chose his next words carefully, not wanting to offend her with the question. "But aren't you a Heart yourself? Surely it's appropriate for you to know the history of your own Court, especially if you're working here..." Not that he knew much of the history of his own Court, but then, lately, besides the bloody death of Queen Lysarus which -everyone- had heard about for months afterward, there wasn't much to tell.
|
|
|
|
Post by Kari Muffin on Mar 20, 2010 22:09:34 GMT -5
The woman took to wiggling her toes in the water, and wading through it. From the looks of it was more than just a fountain. Maybe it used to be a fish pond as well? That would have been quaint.
The woman paused in her sloshing inspection of the creation when he heard what the Duck had to say. Her a Heart? The notion along was enough to make her want to vomit. Instead she laughed. The sound was far more sinister than it should have been, but perhaps he would get the idea with that alone.
"I find it insulting that you would think I would be a Heart." She slipped out of the fountain in a fluid motion. She ignored the water that was dripping off of her. "I work for the Queen not because she's a Heart, but because she is above and beyond the pettiness of her Suit."
|
|
|
|
Post by Lucca on Mar 20, 2010 22:47:15 GMT -5
Graeme had asked the question because he suspected she -wasn't- a Heart, but didn't want to ask in a way that would offend her if she were. After all, most other Suits were less insulted if you thought them 'higher' than they were then Hearts were if you questioned their pride. Apparently, though, this lady was one to get offended by the implication she -was- a Heart. Wonderful.
The laughter confirmed the Ducks' suspicions, though only added new ones to the mix as well. At her words, his eyebrow rose higher, and his other one moved to join it. Well, he had to admire her boldness! Insulting the very Suit whose Court she worked in while on Court property, knowing that Heart guards and nobles and servants were all around...she was either very secure in her favor with the Queen or very foolish.
"I am sorry to have insulted you, then, M'Lady," Graeme said mildly with a slight bow from the waist. "But generally, from what I had heard in the past, most Courts only employ those of the corresponding Suit. Apparently I have been mistaken, and I do apologize for my assumptions." Ah formalities. Such a good thing to fall back on when you've made some sort of a faux pas, and a lifetime of dealing with often delicate business relationships had taught him the proper words and manner to diffuse such a situation.
Though the Duck would never admit it, being in politics took much the same sort of skills as being a successful businessman did.
|
|
|
|
Post by Kari Muffin on Mar 21, 2010 18:23:18 GMT -5
She eyed him for a few moments. He did seem truly sorry, of course pissing off the "Queen's Assistant' would make anyone sorry she supposed. But she wasn't about to explain what she really was to a complete and utter stranger. And then he would just make the disgusting assumption that she was a weapon.
Might as well accepted the apology.
"Apology accepted," She said with a smile. "And normally you would be correct. Only members of the suit are employed in the Courts, with few exceptions. For the Court of Hearts I am that wonderful exception. Her Majesty needed someone multi-talented in the skills of socializing and the arts of defense."
She bunched up her skirt a bit, squeezing out some of the excess water. "I'm sure you get confusion of your own suit all the time. Despite being so famous in the business world I'm sure someone's made a mistake about your suit. You do come off quite charming after all."
|
|
|
|
Post by Lucca on Mar 22, 2010 12:34:23 GMT -5
Graeme nodded, relieved that she'd accepted. Ach, being in the Court of Hearts as a visitor was a lot like being in important business meetings with particularly volatile potential partners all day. It was very exhausting and not something he'd care to repeat ever again, if he had any say in the matter! He stood straight again, resting both hands on the crook of his cane, and returned her smile. "I see. You must be very talented indeed, then, to have such skills of defense beyond the famous Heart guards," the Duck said sincerely, and the truth of Em's odd existence didn't even cross his mind. He knew in theory about the sentient weapons some Hearts possessed, but never having seen one before, it would never have occurred to him to actually suspect one could take human form and speak with him as if they were a Card.
Graeme chuckled a bit, eyes lighting up at her half compliment, or at least what he chose to take as such. He waved a hand. "You're right of course...I do get others mistaking me for a Diamond sometimes, or even, if you can believe it, a Heart. But those are mainly the fellows who have the Highlands so connected with the Suit in their minds that they assume every Card from my primary region is a Heart until shown otherwise." He shrugged. Some Cards could get weird about Suits. "It never really...bothers me. I'm proud of what I am, but my achievements mean more to me than the color or shape of a mark on my chest." He smiled ruefully. "Another unpopular opinion in the Courts, I'd think." In truth Graeme could have gone on for some time on his opinions on the subject of the Courts, or why Suit discrimination was foolish (though a bit of Suit pride was only healthy) but he wasn't sure how appreciated that would be.
|
|
