Oh, nor have I; there are several such helmets about to be seen that have been brought in as example. I cannot imagine they look any better upon the actual men and women.
Perhaps they wear such ridiculous things so that their leader shall feel better about the state of his face. I have heard he has quite the complexion.
I do believe if half of my head were jagged chunks of Red Lyrium I too would attempt to remake the world.
[ she makes a 'bleeeech' face. ]
Tell me, what is the most hideous thing you have ever seen someone wear with pride?
Tight pants, this great flapping black coat with a great big red handkerchief sticking out of the pocket and frilly bell-sleeves. Shiny black shoes. And hair that was cut short but hung long around the face that he didn't even wash very often so it was all heavy and greasy. Oh, he thought he looked very fine.
[ Like trying to arrest her. Like his abuses of the people. Like...Like turning her parents against her...But no, she did that herself, didn't she. Anyway. Whatever. She's over it. ]
But the fashion choices definitely didn't help. Anyway, unfortunately, I didn't manage to break his nose. When I say unfortunately, I mean unfortunately for him, since it only could have improved his stupid rat face.
Birds on hats were en vogue at that time, but everyone else had chosen songbirds.
[ Alexandrie rolls her eyes. ]
It made every event sound like a cheerful morning in an extremely populated forest. Not to say I was exempt, but I had a lovely pair of turtledoves who were fairly quiet.
Madame du Marchand, on the other hand, in an attempt to outclass everyone daringly, once wore a swan. Tied, like a hat, to her head.
[ She starts giggling. ]
She'd drugged it, or had a servant do it, and it was quite sweet asleep, but it woke up halfway through the evening.
Worry not, it got its just vengeance. I can no longer say I have never seen a hat hiss and bite before. [ the giggling increases. ] It also got away with her wig.
For propriety's sake we all had to act as if nothing at all had happened, but I honestly nearly died in the process of doing so.
I suppose in a way she got her wish. It was certainly talked about.
[ Kitty's still shy and self-conscious in her movements as she clambers out, but it's less bad now. She slips into a robe and waits for Lexie to lead the way. ]
[ Lexie stretches out of the water like some manner of nymph, the quality of her movements a near polar opposite of Kitty's, to retrieve a robe for herself and do so, ringing the bell again on the way out.
She leads Kitty back out to the veranda they'd passed through on the way in, gesturing to one of the outside attendants who takes them to a pair of lounges open on both sides. They're quite comfortable, and Lexie wastes little time situating herself on one of them.]
She shall send them out presently. Until then, we rest, enjoy the bit of breeze, and have some wine, if you care for it. I believe there is some manner of fruit water to be had if you do not.
[ Unsurprisingly, Kitty does not care for wine. Still, she does a decent job of trying to relax: she doesn't manage Lexie's insouciant sprawl, but she does curl catlike up on the couch, feet drawn in beside her, elbow propped on the armrest.
When there aren't attendants in the room, Kitty can't help but ask - ]
[ if Lexie sounds the slightest bit concerned, it's only for Kitty's benefit. ]
I imagine at the very least that these men and women are. It is a reputable establishment, and such people know that poorly compensated staff compensate their employers in turn with poor work, and I have seen nothing but calm and attentive efficiency in my visits here.
[ as if to illustrate this, someone appears with a glass of water with an assortment of fresh looking berries bobbing in it for Kitty and a glass of pale wine already beading with condensation for Lexie, having overheard rather than being directly asked, then quickly disappear afterwards. She takes a sip and nods appreciatively. ]
I know full well that there are those who mistreat their servants and staff. [ this at least she sounds genuinely displeased with. ] It is to the detriment of all involved parties.
The usual ways. Overtaxing them purposefully, making demands far from the realm of reason out of some wicked desire to assert ones authority and afterwards inflicting punishment of one kind or another simply because they can.
[ she takes another sip ]
It does not end well for anyone. Such poorly treated staff often get their vengeance in one way or another. One lady who beat her maid repeatedly found a rival's Bard added quietly to the guest list of one of her parties and was summarily poisoned. The maid was found out, unfortunately. I cannot recall what happened to her, but I imagine whatever it was she faced it rather victoriously.
There was a woman from a few neighborhoods over who was a servant to a magician and dumped boiling tea right in his lap. Got sent to the Tower, and they published her confessions before the execution. I don't think it's possible to go out really victorious, when powerful people who hate you have got a hold of you.
[ A breath. Right. Cheerful, cheerful. ]
But I'm sure it was really satisfying at the time.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2018-07-25 07:59 pm (UTC)I haven't, actually. I haven't left Kirkwall since I got here. So I've never met a Venatori.
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Date: 2018-07-25 08:12 pm (UTC)Perhaps they wear such ridiculous things so that their leader shall feel better about the state of his face. I have heard he has quite the complexion.
I do believe if half of my head were jagged chunks of Red Lyrium I too would attempt to remake the world.
[ she makes a 'bleeeech' face. ]
Tell me, what is the most hideous thing you have ever seen someone wear with pride?
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Date: 2018-07-25 08:14 pm (UTC)Tight pants, this great flapping black coat with a great big red handkerchief sticking out of the pocket and frilly bell-sleeves. Shiny black shoes. And hair that was cut short but hung long around the face that he didn't even wash very often so it was all heavy and greasy. Oh, he thought he looked very fine.
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Date: 2018-07-25 10:04 pm (UTC)Non! I cannot say I am always displeased by tight pants, but beneath an overlarge bell-sleeved coat? Maker preserve us, what color were the frills?
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Date: 2018-07-25 10:06 pm (UTC)White lace. And he had the audacity to describe himself to me as well turned-out.
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Date: 2018-07-25 10:15 pm (UTC)I was hoping perhaps at the very least for red, to see minute effort to match shown in any conceivable way, but no.
Sacre merde, he would be well turned out. Of my home. Immediately.
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Date: 2018-07-25 10:19 pm (UTC)I did punch him in the face.
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Date: 2018-07-25 10:22 pm (UTC)[ then, with amusement: ] Tell me he bled. At least then he would have had a second source of red accent.
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Date: 2018-07-25 10:51 pm (UTC)[ Like trying to arrest her. Like his abuses of the people. Like...Like turning her parents against her...But no, she did that herself, didn't she. Anyway. Whatever. She's over it. ]
But the fashion choices definitely didn't help. Anyway, unfortunately, I didn't manage to break his nose. When I say unfortunately, I mean unfortunately for him, since it only could have improved his stupid rat face.
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Date: 2018-07-25 11:10 pm (UTC)[ Alexandrie chuckles, thinking of something. ]
Once, Madame du Marchand attempted to wear a live swan to a party as a hat.
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Date: 2018-07-25 11:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-07-25 11:26 pm (UTC)[ Alexandrie rolls her eyes. ]
It made every event sound like a cheerful morning in an extremely populated forest. Not to say I was exempt, but I had a lovely pair of turtledoves who were fairly quiet.
Madame du Marchand, on the other hand, in an attempt to outclass everyone daringly, once wore a swan. Tied, like a hat, to her head.
[ She starts giggling. ]
She'd drugged it, or had a servant do it, and it was quite sweet asleep, but it woke up halfway through the evening.
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Date: 2018-07-25 11:28 pm (UTC)Oh, no. Oh, the poor thing.
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Date: 2018-07-25 11:33 pm (UTC)Worry not, it got its just vengeance. I can no longer say I have never seen a hat hiss and bite before. [ the giggling increases. ] It also got away with her wig.
For propriety's sake we all had to act as if nothing at all had happened, but I honestly nearly died in the process of doing so.
I suppose in a way she got her wish. It was certainly talked about.
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Date: 2018-07-25 11:46 pm (UTC)[ She does NOT CARE ABOUT RICH PEOPLE ]
God, your country's weird.
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Date: 2018-07-25 11:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-07-25 11:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-07-26 12:13 am (UTC)[ She eyes her hands and then tsks. ]
Ah, quel dommage, I am becoming a wizened old woman. Shall we onwards? There are robes of several sizes on the shelves.
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Date: 2018-07-26 12:17 am (UTC)[ Kitty's still shy and self-conscious in her movements as she clambers out, but it's less bad now. She slips into a robe and waits for Lexie to lead the way. ]
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Date: 2018-07-26 01:17 am (UTC)She leads Kitty back out to the veranda they'd passed through on the way in, gesturing to one of the outside attendants who takes them to a pair of lounges open on both sides. They're quite comfortable, and Lexie wastes little time situating herself on one of them.]
She shall send them out presently. Until then, we rest, enjoy the bit of breeze, and have some wine, if you care for it. I believe there is some manner of fruit water to be had if you do not.
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Date: 2018-07-30 02:34 pm (UTC)[ Unsurprisingly, Kitty does not care for wine. Still, she does a decent job of trying to relax: she doesn't manage Lexie's insouciant sprawl, but she does curl catlike up on the couch, feet drawn in beside her, elbow propped on the armrest.
When there aren't attendants in the room, Kitty can't help but ask - ]
Do they get paid a decent wage?
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Date: 2018-07-30 04:49 pm (UTC)[ if Lexie sounds the slightest bit concerned, it's only for Kitty's benefit. ]
I imagine at the very least that these men and women are. It is a reputable establishment, and such people know that poorly compensated staff compensate their employers in turn with poor work, and I have seen nothing but calm and attentive efficiency in my visits here.
[ as if to illustrate this, someone appears with a glass of water with an assortment of fresh looking berries bobbing in it for Kitty and a glass of pale wine already beading with condensation for Lexie, having overheard rather than being directly asked, then quickly disappear afterwards. She takes a sip and nods appreciatively. ]
I know full well that there are those who mistreat their servants and staff. [ this at least she sounds genuinely displeased with. ] It is to the detriment of all involved parties.
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Date: 2018-07-31 03:59 pm (UTC)Mistreat them how?
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Date: 2018-07-31 06:09 pm (UTC)[ she takes another sip ]
It does not end well for anyone. Such poorly treated staff often get their vengeance in one way or another. One lady who beat her maid repeatedly found a rival's Bard added quietly to the guest list of one of her parties and was summarily poisoned. The maid was found out, unfortunately. I cannot recall what happened to her, but I imagine whatever it was she faced it rather victoriously.
no subject
Date: 2018-07-31 06:17 pm (UTC)There was a woman from a few neighborhoods over who was a servant to a magician and dumped boiling tea right in his lap. Got sent to the Tower, and they published her confessions before the execution. I don't think it's possible to go out really victorious, when powerful people who hate you have got a hold of you.
[ A breath. Right. Cheerful, cheerful. ]
But I'm sure it was really satisfying at the time.
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