675-08-17 - A Mysterious Stranger Unmasked
| A Mysterious Stranger Unmasked | |||||||
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| Summary: Quite a nice meeting in the main room of the ROyal Bath House. Three wonderful young women and one handsome foreigner. | |||||||
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The olive skinned man stands proudly at six feet and four inches. Born to a region that prizes martial prowess his athletic frame just can't disappoint. Arif studies the slaves on the banch with an air of arrogance and superiority. His short dark hair is wet and sticks straight up. Dark and near straight eyebrows are etched above pair of beady, seemingly black, eyes. A thick black mustache spreads across his lips with a visible part in the middle.
The man wears a huge white towel over his hips, which covers his legs and everything, except his strong, a bit hairy chest.
"Oooh... Who to choose..." He continues studying men and women, "Redhead, blond, short hair...Hmm..."
Madalyn enters the bathhouse, still fully dressed. Upon seeing Arif, she stops in her tracks, her normally pale cheeks going bright red at the sight. She seems torn between staring and looking away modestly, but her eyes remained glued until someone makes eye contact with her.
Samuela enters the bathhouse shortly after Madalyn, fully dressed as well, chatting with her handmaid as she walks. "It was very thoughtful of Lady Munira to offer to buy me another musical slave as a wedding present. She knows how much I enjoy music, and, I am told, the slave shop at the baths has this new arrival who-" She catches sight of Madalyn, and she curtsies as etiquette demands. "Your Highness...", and, turning to look at the slaves, she catches sight of Arif as well. Like the polite and etiquette-following good lady she is, if she feels anything about this, she does not show anything in particular. She does, instead, wait politely in line, to be acknowledged by the slave sales-(...and-rent-?)man. Woman? Whatever. Her handmaiden, however, not being a Lady, gets glaze-eyed over Sharif, jaw hanging for a moment and all that. She then turns to look if her Lady is looking as well. Which she isn't. At which point she returns to stare a little longer, just as long as someone who is not a Lady, but has to conform to a certain standard, can afford. Allowing for a few seconds of break between furtive glances.
When someone comes inside, Nawaab Arif Sefu flinches a bit and turns to stare at the opened door in surprise. He raises his eyebrows up and his eyes sparkle in amusement, when a pale beauty enters. The man bows politely, "Your Highness... young Goddess of the Moon..." the towel parts slightly, when the man bows, baring his strong leg with a scar on the ankle. Though, when the man straightens again quite proudly, he once more looks like with a long long pale skirt.
The man raises his hand to scratch the back of his head, "I am so sorry..." he smiles a bit timidly at some point, "...for my appearance. I just came to chose someone to help me out..." Nawaab points at the slaves, "We do not have such baths there... Well, we have private baths..." The low laugh of a strong handsome man echoes in the room.
"My lady," the heir of house of Sefu bows for Samuela, when she enters. He chuckles quietly, giving a wink to Samuela's handmaiden, whose gaze he catches, "Alright, this gets a bit uncomfortable. Am I in the bath of beauties? Am I lost?"
Then a few men and women leave the baths, comming out a bit wet, but lovely scents of flowers would tickle noses of the people in the main room. These strangers curiously looks over young princess and Samuela Zorich, who was in time to enter.
Slaves go back to their banches, while these strangers leave the bath house, whispering, peeking at the man and two women with their escort.
Madalyn hearing 'highness' snaps her out of stare, eyes darting to the floor as she somehow manages a courtsey properly. She seems to be only redder at being caught staring "My apologies. I should not stare. Uhm ... no you are in the right place, assuming you intend to bathe. The baths are only gendered if you go past the guards. It just ... I am ... uhm ..." she ends up just trailing off there, not coming up with the right words for the situation.
Samuela's handmaiden's blushing is evident when her eyes meet Arif's. And it is right at that moment that Samuela chimes in nonchalantly, to save Madalyn from the trench she's digging herself into. "...It just means that it is okay for us to linger and socialize in this room." With a big smile, she continues, "...and you flatter us, Milord." She casts a glance which clearly means 'Behave!', to her handmaiden, who is one step away from drooling, and then she continues. "As for being lost, you are lost only if you are neither where you want to be, nor on your way there. It looks like to me that you were planning on taking a bath, right?"
Arif's smile widens and amusement is more and more vivid in his features. He steps a bit closer to the young Princess, "I am sorry, I think, I didn't heard the end of your sentince, your Highness. It just what?" The man slowly licks his lips without a reason.
However, he does not keep his gaze fixed on Madalyn for too long. It slides to a few new slaves, whcih just got back from their duties, then he looks at another lady for a moment and almost eats up the handmaiden of Samuela with his look, looking her over. Oh,so many beauties around. So many!
However, words of Samuela, finally,helps the man's stare to become a bit more steady. He listens for her, smiling brightly, "Ah! Not just beautiful, but also clever. What a combination! Indeed, I was going to take a bath, but now... It would be a sin to leave this room, when I have achance to be enlighted by such a wonderful company!" The man clasps his hands behind his back.
Madalyn fidgets with her hands in front of her in a most unladylike fashion, but she does finally look up again, this time focused properly on Arif's eyes. "I do not believe we have met before. It would seem you know who I am, but I do not know you. I pray that I have not forgotten a previous meeting at least."
Samuela's handmaiden hurries to pull out her fan and hide her face behind it at the compliment. Probably smiling from ear to ear. You can see that in the facial muscles. Samuela, meanwhile, starts circling around Arif, nonchalantly, kinda like predators circle their prey. If by 'predator' you mean kitten. "And you sound quite intelligent yourself. I mean, at least, you have good taste in ladies.", she says, with a quick little laughter. "Well, we don't have anything in particular to do. I guess we can stay here until shortly before closing time. At which point it is safe to take a bath." She then lets out a little laughter. "You are the princess, your Highness. Any person of rank and culture is bound to have seen at least a portrait of yours." Her handmaiden takes a bit to catch up, but eventually she does, and hurries to trot after Samuela, diligently. And this is when Samuela turns to Madalyn. "Actually, I think that not knowing each other makes this even more interesting. I mean, if he tells us his name, he stops being a Mysterious Stranger, and this takes a lot away from the expereince, doesn't it?"
Samuela's handmaiden quickly whispers to her lady, "Oh, which reminds me! You need to have your portrait taken for your-" She stops just in time, catching on. "...for the /event/."
When Arif Sefu hears the words of a young princess, he tries to step even more closer to her. Though, the man is circled by the other lady and all he can do - follow her with his gaze and nod slowly, not forgetting to peek at that handmaiden, of course.
"Oh, my lady, you leave me speechless... Indeed," he turns to the princess, "I wanted to present myself as Mysterious Stranger for you, mysterious admirer - even better! After all, Your Highness, it is not a surprise, that I know you and you do not know me. We never met, but people talk about your beauty in the deepest deserts of Gold Lion, on the highest mountains of Estoria, in the darkest forests of Two Rivers and I am sure, that people here do the same. It is just imposible not to recognize you from the stories..." The man winks for a girl playfully, before turning to Samuela and just staring at her curiously for a bit.
Madalyn is back to blushing bright red at the compliments and wink, her gaze dropping to the floor. She shifts her weight from foot to foot anxiously. "Uhm ... thank you ... that's very nice ..." she mumbles quietly, clearly not good at handling the attention of handsome older men.
Samuela casually twirls one strand of hair when she's stared at, in a manner carefully studied to look nonchalant. "You know, I don't think the Princess's bethrotal has been announced yet. You could try an ask the Queen for her hand. Who knows, you might be lucky." And then she turns to her handmaiden. And seeing how her brain seems to currently been working only at half the normal level, she can't suppress a laugh. "Larylla, hey!", she exclaims, elbowing her. "Which one of us is supposed to make sure the other doesn't run away with a mysterious stranger? I thought that was you, but I am having doubts now!"
That handsome older man, who is wering just a wide huge towel around his hips, like a skirt, enjoys the company of a lady, princess, handmaidens, and so many pretty slave girls, that he once more is not sure, there to look. "Aaaah... Thank me? And I thought, that Princess must know her value! Shouldn't you, your highness, be used to all the compliments?" The man asks and amused curiosity can be heard in his voice.
Then he turns to Samuela, "Oh, no! I am but Nawaab! I may be not worth of a hand of a princess, but you seem such a brave late... Tell me, your betrothal was announced already?"
From the entrance room comes a woman, her gaze lowered, fiery red hair tamed into a braid. Her attire not that of a flashy noblewoman, but mayhaps that of a modest one. Dark green is her dress that clings to her curvy form, revealing a third curve beneath the pair of shapely curves, as she is obviously is with child. In her wake follow a handmaiden and two guards. Grey-green eyes will flicker towards Samuela and Madalyn as Edris offers a curtsey to the two of them. Her gaze drifting towards Arif next as she straightens - and freezes, to stare at him for a long moment. Then reluctantly, lowering herself again into that form of courtly greeting. "Nawaab Arif.", is breathed more than said, as her hands fold before her. His lack of attire seems to trouble her less than his presence.
"I ... uhm ... mostly get told how useless I am actually," Madalyn admits shyly, an unfortunately true statement, while still fidgeting with her hands. "It is rare for some mysterious foreign man to be telling me how beautiful I am." She turns to look at Edris. "Oh is that his name?" She turns back. "It would seem your cloak of mystery is shattered."
Samuela laughs and then relaxes, unable to keep up the part anymore. "Unfortunately, yes.". "Mine has not...", Larylla hurries to point out. Samuela gives her a look which... she is VERY good at not making obvious of whether it is confused, puzzled, or chastising. But Larylla must know, because she just stiffens into place and looks away. Only to glance back at Arif when things settle. And continues, now serious. "It has officially been announced that I am to be married to..." she looks down and hesitates. And she does not notice Edris coming in right at this moment. And that is when Edris enters and greets... and curiously enough, both women say the name 'Nawaab Arif' at exactly the same time, in unison! Which causes Samuela to look up, startled.
When the redhead woman walks insite the bath, it looks like all the walls fades. All the people slowly disappears or blurs, becomming just shadows. The Nawaab Arif Sefu finally finds a perfect place to rest his gaze on - these long red curls. Then he slowly slides across one of the locks to meet the woman's gaze. Then the look flops to the belly. Child. The corners of his lips twitch slightly and the man has to inhale deeply to hold his emotions inside. Though, he looses the smile and these playful sparkles in his gaze. All this lasts just a second, but it looks like years for him.
"Yes, indeed," finally he speaks, still looking at the redhead, when he hears his name, "All fairy-tales have the end..."
Just then the man realizes, that Samuela said his name too. He gives her totally different gaze, looking her over, "Lady Samuela Zorich... A pleasure to meet you..." Though, is it a true pleasure, if the man suddenly turns to the princess again, giving no answer and no greeting for a commoner, "These, who call you useless, your majesty, are very wrong. Let me tell you a secret, everyone who are trying to make you look little does that just because they are jealous of your tallness." Nawaab tries to smile again. "Now, when mystery is solved, I believe I should procceed my walk to the baths. It was nice meeting you both, your Highness and my dear future wife," Arif gives a wink to Samuela.
Then he walks to the redhead petite slave, points at her and at the man's bath's door. Soon, if not stopped, the man disappears.
"Yes, your highness." This said in an affirmative manner towards Madalyn in regards to Arif's identity. Then Edris's attention shifts to Samuela and she smiles, and odd smile really as it holds little mirth. Maybe there is even a little sympathy in her gaze as she nods, leaving any comment unsaid. Then Arif speaks, and Edris stares back at him, paling even a touch as her hands clench into fists. "There never was a fairy tale, Nawaab," she mutters in a voice that is almost too low to overhear, before she lowers her gaze, her face not moving as if it were a mask. A mask with a rather forced smile. As soon as Arif has left through the door she will exhale, and one hand moves to seek support from her handmaiden.
Madalyn gives Arif a curious look at he leaves, but doesn't stop him. "Enjoy your bath Nawaab Arif," she offers by way of a fairwell, turning toward Edris. "It is rare for strangers to be in the baths at all, and today there have been two. What is your name, my lady?"
Samuela turns to look at Edris. And just nods in confusion at her. She acknowledge the offer for sympathy. She's too... scared? Worried? Hard to say, stupor and surprise at the recent development overwhelm everything. In any case, she's too something to smile back. offers a courtsy and a smile to Edris. "It was a pleasure to meet you as well, my dear future husband.", she finally says to Arif.
I am Edris Alachri, your highness." the redhead will reply evenly. "Guest of the castle by royal orders." Not going into that more, as maybe the reason may be evident enough. But as if she suddenly notices her manner is not exactly friendly at the moment, Edris will finally offer a smile to the Princess. "I grew up here in the castle, and I recall seeing you playing in the castle gardens." Maybe Madalyn remembers a young redhead hanging out with her cousin Mikhail Grunhaid, back in the day? Her gaze shifts to Samuela next, and she shakes her head her hands moving up as if to ward off the curtsey being offered to her. "I am not of noble birth, my lady, and unworthy of your gesture. However much I may appreciate it."
Madalyn furrows her brows slightly, clearly very curious about Edris. "I wonder who gave such an order. My mother is resting, and I certainly did not. Regardless, I hope you are enjoying your time at the castle."
Samuela is taken aback by the comment, but continues, "...well, you certainly carry yourself with a composture that says otherwise, mistress Alachri. Pleased to make your acquaintance." She casts a glance at Larylla, her handmaiden, who is still staring in the direction of the men's baths, she shakes her head, sighs, and then turns to speak with Adris again. "Although I should have guessed from the lack of handmaiden. How inconsiderate of me. I... I guess I'm still... shocked." At the recent encounter. The careful pause and the nuanced emphasis on 'shocked' go a long way in revealing her opinion about Arif to people who can read between the lines. And then turns to Madalyn. "...good point. I wonder as well."
Not going into who issued the order, Edris will look up to meet Madalyn's gaze. "Indeed I am, your highness," she says with a polite smile. //Enjoying the time at the castle// "It is a marvelous place I am quite familiar with from my childhood."
"I thank you for the compliment, Lady Samuela," she turns to the Zorich lady next, "I have trained very hard to achieve a cultivated appearance. Nothing can give more satisfaction than to see my endeavours have not been undertalen for naught. As for the handmaiden... The Queen has been so kind as to assign one to me." There, the answer to Madalyn's question. As for Samuela's remark of being shocked... Edris will extend her hand to give Samuela's arm a light comforting squeeze, if allowed. "I understand you very well, my lady. To meet the Nawaab in this attire..." She chuckles softly. "If you will excuse me, your highness, my lady. I came to enjoy a bath. It has been a pleasure talking to you." A curtsey is offered, very fluidly, and the manner of the redhead does not at all appear unversed in the ways of the court, which, given her commoner status, may indeed strike as being odd. And then she moves off, towards the women's bath.
Madalyn watches as the redhead goes. "Hmm ..." she hums softly, trying to figure out the mystery and just shrugs, turning toward Samuela. "Well at least your betrothed is handsome. A good start, right?"
Samuela, of course, does not stop Edris. Quite the contrary, she seems to appreciate the sympathy, even if in a quiet, resigned manner. When Edris heads away, she has a movement as to instinctively curtsy back to her, but it's just started and she manages to stop in time. "...to meet the Nawaab...", she just trails off. "I will reach you soon, Mistress Edris." And then turns to Madalyn. She looks left, then right, and then, hunching over, she whispers, in an almost conspiratory manner, "...you have not heard the stories, have you?"
Madalyn blinks in confusion. "Stories? Are they about that man? I haven't heard anything about him at all, other than that you were betrothed to him. Is it something bad?"
