don't get seduced…

Amaria didn't often get to visit her home town. At first, it was too dangerous on Mazelina's part to let the young woman go there, lest she see her family and refuse to go back. Three years, almost to the day, had passed since the day she had been pulled from the fishing boat she had been working on, though, and Mazelina had worked around that issue. Amaria couldn't have seen her family if she had wanted to, thanks to the enchanted object that was on her person at all times. Also, though it was difficult for Amaria to admit, she wasn't entirely sure that, given the choice, she would come back to her family. She was in the big old house on her own for most of the time, and her tasks really weren't all too arduous. Though her mistress would never admit it, Amaria wondered sometimes if she was really only taken for the woman to have a little companionship from time to time. She couldn't possibly leave knowing that it would leave Mazelina alone.

Amaria had not long alighted from the ship that had brought her over, and though she smelled heavily of sea water, she had made sure that her dress was immaculate before showing herself in public. She had been permitted three days in Cendra City to complete a variety of strange but apparently vital tasks for her mistress, and it wouldn't do to show a less than stellar example. She left her small rucksack of belongings beneath the bed in her room, also shedding her cloak. It was warmer in Cendra than she remembered. It had been far too long, but Amaria didn't dwell on that – instead, she was just happy to be back in the city!

Walking through the market was quite an experience for the young slave. At every turn, there was a face that she recognised – changed with the passage of time, of course, but instantly recognisable. She shouted greetings, exchanged hugs, and passed the time of day with as many people as she could, but eventually the guilt got to her. She wasn't here for a holiday – she was here to find something that appeared to be important to her mistress, and she was wasting valuable time. Sharing a nod of acknowledgement and a small smile with the first stall holder she had come across that she didn't know, Amaria kept her lips tightly shut. ”Focus now. Mistress will be very angry if you come home empty handed.” A fleeting frown touched her brow, but it took off just as quickly, as if it knew it wasn't welcome.

Her hands hovered over the pieces, not quite touching them despite the seller's insistence that she was allowed. They were so pretty. Amaria couldn't help but smile as she imagined herself wearing one of the necklaces. Not that she ever would, of course, but a girl could dream! In her little daze, her hand managed to knock that of another patron's, and Amaria immediately pulled her hand back. ”I--” She started speaking at exactly the same instant the man did, and she silenced herself. Of course it was his right to speak first. However, when she turned to look at him, her first glance hit only the middle of his chest, and her first reaction was wonder. ”Wow! He's TALL!” She was used to most men being either the same height as her or slightly taller – this was rather a change! Her eyes slowly made their way to his face, even as she responded. ”Forgive me, it was entirely my error, sir.” She bobbed a quick curtsey as she captured her first glance at his face. Though the rest of his face was undeniably attractive, his eyes were captivating, and she found herself staring in turn.

It was only when he apologised again that Amaria realised fully what she was doing, and she forced herself to look away, blushing. She laughed lightly, shaking her head. ”You have nothing to apologise for, m'lord.” She smiled to reassure him of that fact before trying to turn her attention back to her job. The only problem with that, though, was that she didn't seem to stop being able to take quick glances at the man next to her. Even the threat of Mazelina's anger didn't seem to be enough to make her stop.

… by the next shiny thing.

don't get seduced…

”Lord but am I glad I kept my hair down...” Amaria thought to herself, allowing it to fall as a natural barrier between her and the handsome man. ”At least this way if I look, he can't catch me.” Unfortunately for her, it didn't quite work like that, but she felt slightly better about her stolen glances anyway. Out of nowhere, it may have seemed to anyone that paid any mind, Amaria shook her head sharply. Her mind was wandering again, as it was wont to do – this time she was daydreaming about strolling on the beach hand in hand with a man that she had no business even thinking about. In all likelihood, completely aside from any other issues that there may have been, he was most likely married, or at the very least betrothed. It didn't hurt to dream, of course, but she should be doing that on her own time – not when her mistress was depending on her!

While she had been deep within her own head, Amaria had managed to miss the exchange between the stall holder and the mysterious man. She was back to focusing on the jewellery again, looking for a distinctive pattern that she had spent the best part of three days staring at a reproduction of. As stunning as the pieces were, Amaria frowned as she came up empty, but her expression cleared as Carjen offered up a single word. She loved pretty things! Despite her promise to herself that she'd focus on her job, the young slave looked up again, already speaking before she had even taken stock of the situation. ”Ain't they, though?!” She wasn't going to tell anyone quite how close she'd come to saying 'he' rather than 'them'. There wasn't quite the opportunity for gossip in her new house as there had been at the docks or at the market – she didn't really have anyone to tell anything to. Apart from Mistress Mazelina, of course, and Amaria hardly thought this an appropriate story to be telling her.

Amaria positively beamed, barely stopping short of clapping her hands together and bouncing on the balls of her feet like the overexcited toddler she hadn't been for many moons. ”Your wife'll love it, m'lord, no doubt of it!” It didn't take long back in Cendra City for Amaria to drop the proper pronunciations that Mazelina insisted upon and revert back to her typical Mirish brogue – especially when she wasn't fully concentrating on what she was saying, which was most of the time for her. He held the bracelet out to her, and Amaria could only think that he wanted her to inspect it – and she didn't want to disappoint. She cut a quick glance to the trader, then peered carefully at the item without actually touching it. ”Well, I ain't no silversmith, m'lord, but it's a fine piece. Take care with it!” As she said this, she sent a warning look over to her left. She had seen a couple of the older market boys lurking, and she knew what was on their minds; they scowled at her, kicked their heels for a moment, then melted back into the crowd. They'd find other victims then, and thrice damn her. What was she doing back here anyway? Wasn't she supposed to have run off with a merman or some such story?

Regrettably, that seemed to be the end of their interactions. Surely he was now going to find a pretty box for this precious gift to go in so he could present it to the lucky woman in his life. Her eyes flickered to his face again, only for a second or two, as if she simply couldn't let him leave without making sure that she would remember his face. It wasn't every day that she got to see such an attractive man at such close quarters! For the third time, she turned her attention back to the stall, offering a dazzling smile to the merchant, who seemed slightly put out that she was still there without having purchased anything. Though she knew it wasn't the right amulet, Amaria carefully picked up a pendant, nestling it in the palm of her hand as she turned it over, the thin silver chain sliding over her fingers with a soft slithering noise that was easily swallowed up in the other sounds of the market. She ran her thumb over the green gem that was set into the casing, Carjen's final words taking rather more than a few seconds to make any sense to her.

With a perplexed expression on her face, Amaria dropped the necklace back onto the felt she had picked it up from, and turned to fully engage with the man again. Her eyes flicked between his face and his hand, waiting for the punchline. When a few moments passed with nothing, Amaria knew she had to say something. ”That's a mighty cruel joke to play, m'lord, if that's what it is.” Though her tone was soft, and her lips still curved into the natural smile that she didn't seem able to temper, it still held a note of warning. ”And if it isn't... Well, I dunno quite what to say.” Her hand hovered over his, tracing the design of the bracelet without quite touching it. It cost more than she earned in a week! ”I can't accept it, of course.” She added, managing to control her tone enough that only the smallest hint of sadness coloured it. What a wonderful thing it would be to own! ”It's far too pretty a thing for the likes of me, sire.”

… by the next shiny thing.

don't get seduced…

Amaria couldn’t help it – no matter what the cause, her first instinct was to smile when she heard somebody laughing. The words, though, didn’t seem to match his reaction. Warmth spread through her body at the endearment, enough so to tinge her cheeks a pinkish hue. Should she object to being called his dear? A couple of years ago, she wouldn’t have hesitated, much as she liked the term, to tell him that there were many others more deserving of the title. However, she had had it drilled into her time and again that she was not to answer back. Difficult as that was, she now had some modicum of control over the words that came out of her mouth, though it wasn’t by any means consistent. Perhaps there was another route, rather than simply being argumentative. She dipped her head, glancing up at him through her lashes. ”I’m sure that ain’t true, sir.” Amaria protested, already curtseying her apology for disagreeing. ”And… My name’s Amaria, m’lord.” If Maz had been there, it was possible she would have been berated sharply for offering an introduction without it being requested. Hopefully this man wouldn’t be such a stickler for the rules.

His insistence only made it harder to refuse. All her life, she had been warned about taking gifts from strangers, in case they were more unsavoury than they appeared, but never had it been more difficult to follow an instruction. Torn between a rule she had spent her whole life (mostly) adhering to, and a much newer rule of never to disagree or decline a request from a superior, Amaria’s otherwise smooth brow puckered between her eyebrows. ”But sir, I…” The words started to come, and she clamped her lips shut over them. Do not argue or answer back. I never want to hear the word ‘but’ come out of your mouth again, understood?

[/color] Her mouth went dry as her mistress’ threatening voice came to her, almost as if she was stood right there. She couldn’t help but give a furtive glance around the crowded market. But just because she couldn’t see Maz didn’t mean her mistress didn’t have eyes there. She was going to get into so much trouble for this, she just knew it!

His reasoning would have been sound – if she had felt at all angry at being interrupted. Or if she’d have thought him clumsy. It was always her that was the clumsy one, not anyone else, so she had automatically assumed that it was her fault. But he seemed so sincere, and he was so kind, and Amaria kind of just wanted to melt into a puddle at his feet. But aside from that being a physical impossibility, it was also entirely inappropriate. She was about to tell him so, but she made a fatal mistake. She looked into his eyes. As terrified as she was at the thought of accepting the gift (and therefore having to hide it from, and running the risk of having it found by, her mistress), there was just something in those stunningly green depths that she couldn’t say no to. So she really only had one option. There was no way she could upset him, so her hand rose slowly, hesitantly, from her side, where it had been twisting and bunching the fabric of her skirt, until it hovered just a couple of inches from where he held out the bracelet. Though her cheeks were flushed, her heartbeat was erratic, and her hand was shaking, her gaze didn’t once falter.
[/blockquote][/div]

… by the next shiny thing.[/blockquote]

don't get seduced…

Amaria couldn't help it. As the man finally managed to get her to accept his far too generous gift, the crowd reacted as though something of significance had happened, and Amaria giggled at them, and a little bit at the situation as a whole. It was sweet, really, how excited they were at the thought of a betrothal, even if that wasn't the case in this instance. It was nice to dream. A few years ago, she would have been one of them. She would have been the first to run up and congratulate the couple, to coo over the ring and gush about how lucky they were. On occasion, that had brought her a couple of seconds of embarrassment as a stuttering couple explained that, in fact, they were brother and sister, or father and daughter. It was strange being on the other side of the exchange.

She liked the way her name sounded when he said it. She was used to the coarser, broader dialects of Cendra City – those voices that were used to screaming or bellowing over the general hubbub. Though she loved them all dearly, they weren't the most cultured bunch, as shown by their contracted words and dropped letters. In true Cendra City style, she had become known simply as 'Ria'... Before she had been taken, that is. Now, people were using her full name again, but she couldn't blame them – she wasn't quite the same person she had been three years ago. When they called her, it was with a hint of wonder, surprise, confusion. He just sounded... Happy.

He gave his own name, even telling her what his occupation was, and Amaria briefly wondered why – it wasn't as if she could ever use his given name. That would be entirely inappropriate! She had to tense her jaw to stop herself from speaking, though, as she wanted to do nothing more than test it out to see what it felt like, what it sounded like when she said it. Nowhere near as pretty as her name sounded in his mouth, she'd wager, but the urge was still there. Unable to completely avoid the power of speech, Amaria spoke, carefully steering away from the use of his name. ”A pleasure t'make your acquaintance, m'lord.” She heard the whispers start as she curtseyed, but the specifics escaped her as her attention was caught by a look he shot into the crowd. It was an angry look, not directed at anyone in particular, but she didn't like it. Not because it scared her or anything ridiculous like that, but because she thought that it didn't at all suit his face. That being said, she did think that everyone looked better when they smiled.

In order for that to happen, though, Amaria could think of only one thing to do. With a wide smile and a laugh in her tone, she chivvied the crowd on, her shooing hand gestures causing her new trinket to wink brightly in the sunlight. ”On with you all!” She implored, trying to inject a modicum of sternness into her next words. ”I'm sure you all have work to be getting on with!” The truth in her words caused many of them to grumble, but ultimately they knew she was right, and they drifted off, most of them still talking amongst themselves about what they thought they'd seen. She could only hope that the story didn't get back to her family. Aside from it being false, they would be hurt to know that she was in town and hadn't come to see them – but they had no idea.

The question brought her back down to reality, and her eyes wandered back down to the wares on the stall beside them. Maz's warning sent electric shocks down her spine, though, and she shook her head hastily. ”Nothing that can't wait, sir.” Though it wasn't the whole truth, it was better that she was late than someone found out what she was looking for. Or, more accurately, what her mistress was having her look for. She didn't like to lie, but another half-truth popped out of her mouth anyway. ”I was just browsing...” Well, she had been for whatever of their interaction she hadn't been sneaking looks at him. She tried to distract from her own actions by questioning his own. ”Were you looking for anything that I could help with? I know most all the merchants!”

… by the next shiny thing.

don't get seduced…

Amaria wasn't the best at reading social situations, but she couldn't think of a single thing that a bit of kindness couldn't solve. Thankfully, she seemed to have an unlimited supply of it. Or if not kindness, then she could at the very least offer smiles and happiness. Unfortunately, there appeared to be some people that her smiles didn't work on, though they were few and far between. Today, it seemed that everyone was willing enough to be charmed by her, and to heed her request. That was good, because she didn't have a back up plan, and something about the set of Carjen's jaw made her a little bit nervous – like she didn't want to find out what his solution would have been.

The tinkle of the bracelet caught her attention too, and she looked down at her wrist, still a little in shock. Sure, people would occasionally give her things, but those things were a piece of fruit, or a skirt they'd grown out of, and Amaria would always be sure to pay that kindness back to them. This, though... She was still too stunned to react properly, much less think of how in Eudocia she was going to repay him. Because she would – no matter if he expected it or not. Somehow, some way, some day, she would give him a gift that meant as much to him as this did to her. Her eyes lifted only slowly from the gem at his question, and she smiled cheekily at him before responding. ”Why must it be one or the other, m'lord? Can it not be both?” Though her eyes twinkled with humour, the question was genuine. She wondered just how he would respond.

Much like a magpie, Amaria's gaze was drawn by the shining thing that he pulled out of his pack. Unformed, Amaria didn't recognise it as armour – she hadn't seen much of it except when she saw the guards, and they all wore heavy plated armour, gilded and painted with their own sigils. She couldn't help but reach out and run her fingers over the piece, though, smiling as the sun caught the edges of the squares when he moved. ”It's so beautiful...” She whispered, the words no doubt getting lost in the sounds of the marketplace. Amaria grinned at his words, shaking her head as she laughed again. ”Of course it changes every season!” She exclaimed, as if this were common knowledge. Well, to her, it was. ”Those as can pay the higher prices get the better stalls, see?” She indicated to their left, where most of the high end jewellers, weapons dealers, and fine fabrics traders had set up. ”Further from the docks, so their buyers can't smell the fish so strong.” Then she pointed right. ”But we'll be heading this way. The smithy can't move too far. He needs to be close to the water.”

With a grin, Amaria skipped off a couple of steps, then looked back and realised that Carjen hadn't moved. Thinking nothing of it, she quickly closed the gap between them, and grabbed his free hand to lead him through the marketplace. It was the logical solution – they would only get split up otherwise, if he wasn't familiar with the place. She tried not to think about how his hand swallowed hers, or how strong they felt. As she weaved through the crowd, occasionally waving or shouting out to people, she was trying to convince herself that nothing could come of this. Come on, Ria, be serious. You're never gonna see 'im again, and why would he want to any rate? He's no doubt got a girl back home who won't thank ya for moonin' over 'im. By the time the crowd thinned out, the smell of fish had faded a little, only to be replaced by the much harsher smells of the nearby tannery and the sounds of metal on metal.

Amaria, against her better wishes, released his hand and turned to him. ”Orin's a bit o' a grouch, but flatter 'im and he's more like to give you a good price.” Her lips twitched as she tried not to laugh. ”But don' tell him I told ya that, or he'll have my guts for garters!”

… by the next shiny thing.