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*===========================< In Character Time >===========================*
Time of day: Afternoon
Date on Aether: Monday, March 3, 3907.
Year on Earth: 1507 A.D.
Phase of the Moon: Full
Season: Early Spring
Weather: Rain
Temperature: Bracing
*==========================================================================*
Propylaea - Palladium - Haven
Statuary adorns the wide, paved courtyard directly before the main
building of the Palladium, whose interior is shrouded in shadow. A set of
shallow steps lead up to the Atrium's portico, which is graced by elegant
marble columns of an intricate, Corinthian style. The Palladium itself is
made up of a cluster of buildings enclosed by a high stone wall -- which is
no deterrant to the winged beings who live within. And although it is
preferred that guests be invited into this Empyreal sanctuary, the
Praetorian sentries do not bar the curious from exploring, though an
ever-present sentinel guards the gryphon pens to the south.
"Look out below!" The warning comes from above as a sodden figure comes
barreling out of the sky, wings flapping every which way, colorful chimere
flipping up to reveal rather more leg than is appropriate. The reason for
the frantic warning is soon apparent -- the flyer has her peplos tangled up
around her face. It looks like it's going to be a crash landing. Hopefully,
Desma won't injure anyone too badly, including herself.
Julius had just been exiting the gardens when his head tips up quickly to
see the oncoming traffic. Quick thinking takes place and the somber young
man has taken quicker staps to where the unfortunate woman should land in
case she doesn't pull up in time, ready to catch what comes....
His first day in the new city hasn't been too bad. Thaddeus was able to go
out, see the sites, get some exotic food from one of the vendors by the
docks, even if he doesn't know what it was, really, and get some drawing
done. All in all, a rather quiet day. Until now. As the young man makes his
way through the thinning throng of people, a voice rings out through the air
and up his head snaps. oO(Oh that will hurt..)Oo However, despite the fact
he wants to help, that he should help, he's frozen in place as Desma falls,
one of those 'oh my gosh look at what's happening, what should I do?' looks
on his face.
DESMA
A riot of red curls frames this woman's heavily-rouged face. Her
green eyes are bright and lively and outlined in kohl -- deftly applied to
draw more notice to one of her better features. She is no beauty; a
prominent nose gives her a rather "horsey" look, and her jaw is too wide,
suggesting a mulish stubbornness. Yet she accentuates what assets she has,
and her painted mouth is red as a rosebud and often curved in a sly smile.
When she does have occasion to grin -- which is often -- that smile is
dazzling and dimpled, and as bold and brassy as the rest of her.
A generous term for her winged figure would be "statuesque," or even
"voluptuous," for she is amply-proportioned; unfortunately, the extra
padding doesn't confine itself to her bosom and hips. Yet an effective
layering of peplos, shawls, or scarves over her chiton promotes a more
svelte appearance -- and the gaudy array of rainbow colors she favors helps
distract from her imperfections. Accompanied by jewels, bracelets, and
dangling earrings, the effect is eye-catching, if jarring to more delicate
sensibilities.
From her appearance to her voice -- which is about as melodious as a
clash of cymbals -- Desma is a woman to demand attention, if only to watch
and wait to see what she'll do next.
Wings beat the air desperately, but Desma's far too tangled up to correct
her descent, and one of those wings comes dangerously close to whalloping
Julius upside the head as she lands, altogether gracelessly, in his arms.
"Ooops! Ow!" the woman exclaims, at suddenly finding herself caught. She
reaches up to pull her peplos off her face, revealing a tangle of garishly
red curls and kohl-rimmed eyes, smeared from the rain. "Oh!" she says, and
lets out a breathless whoop of laughter. "My, my, I seem to have landed me a
gentleman already. Well, landed *on*."
Julius's blue eyes are wide as he sees what and who he just rescued. Swaying
a bit as he regains his new found balance, the odd hump to his back gives an
eerie sway as if something live were under there. Fear or just surprise
stays with his face as he nearly dumps the poor woman to the floor, managing
to place her none too gracefully on her feet. "E-excuse me," he says in a
hoarse whisper of a voice.
Phew. Good thing one of the natives was there to help the poor girl out.
Long strides from legs that really seem too long for his body carries
Thaddeus toward where disaster was just narrowly avoided. "Wow.. Good
catch," he says with a goofy smile, befitting of his youth. With a folding
of his gangly arms across his midsection, he nearly forgets his manners,
blushing brightly before adding, "Hi... Name's Thaddeus," in a cracking
voice. He's a touch nervous.
"Oh, love, don't be _shy_," Desma exclaims as she gets her feet under her
and straightens, tidying her rumpled clothes. She fans her face and settles
her wings against her back, going on with, "you just saved my _life_, I'm
sure. I really should be more careful, shouldn't I? But the lares must have
stuck you right down there to catch me, so maybe it's fate that we met." She
beams a smile at Julius before her attention is caught by another voice, and
whirling around, Desma rakes her gaze over Thaddeus. Her smile only
broadens. "Thaddeus," she repeats. "'Courageous,' are you? Oh, I make it a
game to know all the names. I'm Desma." She grins. "'Binding oath.'"
Julius coughs meekly, shoulders slumping, his act of heroism slowly wearing
off. Since the domina's attention is obviously elsewhere, he merely folds
his arms behind his back and waits to be addressed it seems...
Thaddeus blinks in surprise, twice. First at Desma's words, then at the way
that Julius is acting. Obviously he has never been in this situation before,
but from the way that the man is acting, this is someone of great import. So
what does the stranger do? He bows in a low, sweeping motion, nearly loosing
his balance but righting himself at the last minute before standing up
straight again. "A pleasure to meet you," he says in his most polite voice
as his blue eyes find her green. Her green eyes? This is something that
Thaddeus has only ever seen once, and then only for a brief moment, and so
he does what anyone would do when finding such a strange sight. He stares at
her eyes like a slack-jawwed yokel.
"Well," Desma says, blinking at Thaddeus' bow and subsequent slack-jawed
stare. She starts patting at her disheveled hair, preening and primping, and
sending the young man a coy smile. "I know I don't look my _best_ right now,
but you're _welcome_ to look." She turns, poking a finger at Julius. "And
_you_," she says, mock-stern before that melts away in another smile,
accompanied by the flutter of lashes. "It looks like I'm in your debt. How
will I ever repay you?"
Julius blinks, looking at the finger then back up to the face it belongs to.
"No need, Domina," he whispers. "Are you unhurt?" Well, obviously, she's
unhurt but it's the only polite thing to say. He coughs again, putting a
fist before his mouth before doing so and returning it to his side.
Domina? Oh... Oh dear... Olivia is going to need to have a talking to with
Taddeus about how to get by in Haven. Fearing he'll stick his foot his mouth
and hurt his cousin's image, the young man just takes a step back, and
folding his arms behind his back, allows his elders to speak with each
other.
Desma bobs her head, setting her damp curls to waving. "Oh, yes, _quite_ all
right," she answers. "So kind of you to ask. Oh, but I didn't hurt _you_,
did I?" Her brows furrow in concern as she looks Julius over for signs of
injury, and then she turns back to Thaddeus despite his silence. "It really
was very brave of him, you know," she tells the youth. I don't know if _I'd_
try to catch anyone barreling out of the sky. Would you?"
Suddenly, she stops short and looks around herself with blinking green eyes.
"Is this the Palladium?" she blurts out.
Julius seems none the worse for wear upon any closer examination, scars seem
to line and marr his skin from times past. "No.. I am alright," he whispers.
"You have arrived at the Palladium. Are you looking for someone?"
THADDEUS
The young man, and it is quite obvious that he is indeed young,
mid-teens at the most, is rather tall for his age, nearing five-foot eight.
Just entering that teenage awkward stage, he seems to be all arms and legs,
each slender limb longer than one of his height would normally have. Is face
is plain, without mark or mar to give him any significant features. Long,
straight, blonde hair flows unbound down his back, framing his slender face.
A slightly hooked nose sits between his blue eyes, which are one shade
darker than a cloudless, noon sky. His skin is pale, though he does not
appear sickly, just with low pigmentation, even after spending time in the
sun. Thin limbs and a slender built are made all the more petite by the
wings on his back, pure white, which protrude from his shoulders and are
nearly as wide as he is tall when outstretched.
Draped about his torso and sweeping down mid-calf is a slightly
off-white chimere with a pure white toga over top, embroidered with silver
thread. Around his neck is a thin, golden chain without any pendant and upon
the ring finger of his left hand is a small, ochre ring, showing his family
crest. In one hand, almost never apart from him, is a small book, which
serves as a diary, observation notebook, and sketchpad. Finally, upon his
feet is a pair of plain, light-brown sandals, the straps criss-crossing over
the tops of his feet, leaving them mostly bare.
Thaddeus is just about to open his mouth to answer Desma when he blinks in
surprise at her question. "I.. I believe so... I'm new to the city," he
murmurs, glad that Julius was able to offer up the information he was
lacking. As his mouth closes once more, a small smile comes to his lips. He
likes this red head, even if she does act a little strangely. Maybe even
because of it.
Desma waves a hand distractedly as though to dismiss Julius' question. "Oh,
I'm always _looking_ for someone," she comments, in her usual dramatic
manner of accentuating certain words. Those eyelids flutter again, coyly. "A
girl has to keep her options open, you know." Then she turns to Thaddeus and
beams a brighter grin. "Oh, you too? So am I! Ahh, but how wonderful, now I
don't feel quite so lost and _alone_. And look! Already I've made two
friends." Her grin shifts to encompass Julius as well. "But you never did
tell me your name," she chides.
Julius nods once, head bent low and says, "Forgive my manners, I am Julius.
Julius Justinius Jove." His expression has lessened in its bewildered
surprise and looks neutrally between the two newer arrivals to Haven.
Thaddeus's grin widens a bit, though when he looks at Julius, he wonders why
the man is so quiet. So pensive. Oh well. No matter. Thaddeus is not one to
pry in the affairs of others. Looking back to Desma, he bows once more.
"Thaddeus Julian Parnecius. A pleasure to meet you, Desma," for some reason
he feels that she would much rather be called by her first name, not a
title, "but I must continue my search for my cousin, Olivia." With a soft
beating of his wings, he lifts into the air slightly. "I do hope that we
will meet again. Good day to you both." With another inclination of his
head, the young man lifts into the air and off to the west.
Desma grins and offers a little wave to Thaddeus as he departs, but she
turns back to Julius soon enough, and her green eyes blink rapidly. "Jove?"
she repeats. "Oh my. *Nobility*. And such prestigious nobility at that." She
promptly executes a dramatic curtsey, wings unfurling, those disheveled
curls tumbling over her brow before she peeks up and offers a decidedly
saucy smile. "Fate, indeed. I'll have to thank the lares that I dropped out
of the sky into _your_ arms. But will you excuse me, dominus? I really
_must_ get myself in order, the rain's absolutely _ruined_ my chimere, and I
shudder to think of what my face must look like. But you, I hope to see
again." She dimples at that.
*fin*
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