Gervasiel

[Porcelain Fish]

Always quick to take advantage of opportunity, and well aware that to miss out on a chance to shop would simply be unconscionable for someone of his reputation, Maduin gave the professor and his assistant a brilliant smile, and moments later he'd set a brisk pace down the stairs and out. His expeditionary instincts were as infallible as ever, and within a few short minutes he'd found exactly what he was looking for, a bemused, slightly alarmed Kim on his arm as he whisked her inside.

It wasn't anything close to the haute couture clothier he'd barreled into with Argus in tow. Dresses, shirts, trousers, blouses - all of them were clearly prefabricated, closer in range to the store where he'd bought Lillith her pale blue dress.

There was no daffodil print on the racks, but there was a white sun dress of the style he'd been looking for, embroidered around the hem with little pink peonies, a modest, square-cut neckline, short sleeves, and a pretty pink bow in front. Maduin's next step was to bundle Kim into a dressing room, absently snapping up a woven, broad-rimmed hat banded with more pink ribbon, pert bow on the side, waiting only for Kim to reappear before sending her back in again with another dress in soft bronze banded around the abdomen in white, with frilly lace at the round, demure collar and more draping from the sleeves that came just past her elbows.

Twenty minutes later, Kim was wearing the sun dress with the peonies and the matching hat, a small carpet bag embroidered with ivy and rabbits in one hand with the bronze dress and another in soft green in the same style (and some proper young ladies' underthings the store clerk had thoughtfully added at Maduin's oblique request) inside. She looked slightly dazed, but there was also a slight smile on her face that might have been a result of the new clothing, or his subtle mood-affecting magic.

"You look simply darling Kim dear," Maduin said as they walked back in the direction of the Red Parrot, patting her on the wrist.

[Graybeard]

"Th-thank you," Kim answered Maduin, blushing furiously. Nobody had complimented her like that since she was a very little girl, a long time ago and a lifetime away. To say she didn't have the social skills to handle that kind of praise would understate the case substantially.

They were most of the way back to the Red Parrot Inn, Kim still blushing hard, when she saw something that made her stop in her tracks ... and the blush dissipated.

"It's that man again," she almost hissed, glancing in the direction of a blue-eyed blond priest who'd been casually watching the two of them at a distance.

[OOC: Can we get something happening at the Stone Man Inn, pretty please with strawberries on top? ]

[Porcelain Fish]

It's a scientific fact that you can't really look someone in both eyes at the same time. The eyes naturally focus jointly on one point. You can focus on one eye, or on the bridge of someone's nose, or on their forehead, but there's simply no way to look a person in both eyes simultaneously. Furthermore, the eyes are naturally attracted to motion, instinctively following it unless one makes a concerted effort not to do so, which is a great deal more difficult than it sounds.

These were scientific facts that Maduin, as a college graduate student who'd studied human behaviors and interactions, was well aware of, so while it was the left eye that winked above the curving, suave smile, it was the right eye that held the magic, delivering it directly into the target's distracted optic nerves and from there, it was a short, straight shot to the brain, where the cortices that kept track of the passage of time took an abrupt nap.

The blue eyes stared at the air in the space Maduin and Kim had just stepped through, remaining fixed there, not following as they strolled onward towards the Red Parrot.

"Oh, Kim dear," Maduin said with a throaty chuckle. "That man isn't staring at anything." He lowered his voice and waved one hand conspiratorially. "Actually, I think the poor fellow might be lost." He paused artfully, and added a slight frown, dropping his voice to a whisper for Kim's ear alone. "Or daft."

[OOC: Shall I hurry things along and bestir our truant actors? ]

[Graybeard]

OOC:

[OOC: Shall I hurry things along and bestir our truant actors? ]

I'm beginning to think that something embarrassing may be necessary to break the logjam. Once Rose and Argus are done building their MacGuffin, it'll be time to move on to the dig.

[Sareth]

[OOC]One embarrassing moment coming up![/OOC]

Lillith looked quizzically towards Brad. "Is something wrong? You seem..." Her expression grew concerned. "Drusia! Is everything alright?" She grabbed the door handle to the room and wrenched it open, the eager amateur rushing to the rescue. She made it three steps before she slid to a halt.

"Oh." She blinked. "Oooooh." She blinked again, reddening a little. "OOOOOOOooooooooh." She averted her eyes. "Oops." She slunk backwards back out the door and closed it. She turned to Brad and, very very calmly stated, "They're busy."

[Drusia]

He knocked quietly on Drusia's door. "Drusia? Can we talk?" But then the presence of not one, but two, voices from beyond the door suggested that now wasn't the time.

I sigh in mild annoyance. Trying to have a serious conversation here, Brad. Suriah is startled by the noise and tucks the covers up around herself - I don't bother. I doubt Brad would enter uninvited, and it's not like he didn't get an eyeful of me earlier.

Unfortunately, I don't count on Lillith.

"Drusia! Is everything alright?" She grabbed the door handle to the room and wrenched it open, the eager amateur rushing to the rescue. She made it three steps before she slid to a halt. "Oh." She blinked. "Oooooh." She blinked again, reddening a little. "OOOOOOOooooooooh." She averted her eyes. "Oops."

I sigh again and swing out of bed. "I'll be right back," I promise Suriah, giving her a light kiss. I walk over to the door and open it slightly, leaning against the door frame and using my nakedness to block Suriah. She's modest, I'm not, so it's really not a worry. Besides, it's a joy to watch the expression on Brad and Lillith's faces.

"You needed something?" I ask lightly, smiling at them both.

-- Drusia

[Sareth]

Lillith gave a somewhat awkward smile, her eyes not quite averted. "I'm sorry, Drusia. No, it's nothing. I just... I'm sorry to interrupt." She shuffled a bit on her feet. Then she gave a surprising wink and genuine smile. "Take your time."

[Graybeard]

Turning away, Brad flushed red as a beet. "I ... they ... we ... you ... uh ... she ... Um, can I help you pack, sweetheart?"

------------

Kim was still glancing back over her shoulder apprehensively as she and Maduin neared the Red Parrot Inn. She looked like she was trying to get something out, but it wouldn't come. Finally the words emerged. "Th - thank you. That man scares me. I'm afraid he'll try to take me back."

[Drusia]

Lillith gave a somewhat awkward smile, her eyes not quite averted. "I'm sorry, Drusia. No, it's nothing. I just... I'm sorry to interrupt." She shuffled a bit on her feet. Then she gave a surprising wink and genuine smile. "Take your time."

I'm pleasantly surprised by Lillith's reaction. Good to know she hasn't been entirely brainwashed by Veracian society. Perhaps having a Tsuirakian father helps. Still, kind as she is being, I'd rather just get this over with.

Turning away, Brad flushed red as a beet. "I ... they ... we ... you ... uh ... she ... Um, can I help you pack, sweetheart?"

I roll my eyes. "For the love of Anilis," I mutter, stepping back into the room long enough to retrieve a robe. I throw it over my shoulders, not bothering to belt it, and step outside.

"I'd really rather take care of whatever it is," I say to them both. "I'm getting the impression that we won't have a lot of time to chat once Rose and Argus get back." Just a hunch, but I'm thinking that we're going after that mysterious object that Kurou was observing.

-- Drusia

[Sareth]

"Well... I was just curious about Sanamish, but then Brad seemed alarmed by something when we got to your door, and..." Lillith blinked. "Brad? Are you quite alright? You seem distressed." Lillith looked around for water or some similar item to help Brad. "Oh. Drusia, your robe is still quite open." Lillith sighed. "Come on, Brad..." She put her arms around his shoulders. "It's not like you haven't seen this sort of thing before, right?"