Stepping down. - July, 1997
Subject: Stepping Down...
From: BldRdRoseV@aol.com (BldRdRoseV)
Date: Thu,10 Jul 97 11:52:01 EDT
.. the winding staircase into her private chambers, that is...
::a dainty oval travel bag of screaming red leather dangling from one
forearm, the other extended at her side, gloved fingertips brushing with an
almost reverent whisper over the long-missed stone walls, she descends into
the suite, with Traevyn in tow just a few steps behind... as each step brings
her closer to her sepulchral sanctuary, the sound of stiletto rapping
reverberates off the walls, the echo carrying out into the hallway::
::at the bottom of the staircase, she steps aside, to let Traevyn rush past
her, to reclaim his own room... one brief, indulgent smile at his retreating
back, and her emerald eyes go cold once more, her features frozen in a
snowy-white mask of ... emptiness ... weariness, perhaps ... candles are
already lit and fingers of flame lick towards her, stretching with an updraft
to wink a welcome to their mistress... a quick inspection determines that the
room has been prepared exactly to her order... dust
covers removed, furnishings carefully arranged, the jewelled coverlet
returned to its place on her broad bed... and a few new additions - some
extra tethering rings added along the length of the wall, to help accommodate
a burgeoning slave population; a wide niche dug into the wall beside the
altar, to house a mahogany cabinet, each drawer containing the rose-scented
mysteries of feminine silks and satins, leather and velveteen::
::setting the red bag atop her dressing table, she notes with some degree of
satisfaction that the perfume bottles and cosmetic jars have all been
arranged in a much more careful order than when they were left behind.. no
doubt, they will be in disarray in a matter of another few hours, if that
long::
::sinking into the chair with a heavy sigh, she kicks off her heels and props
her feet on the dressing table's edge, toppling one of the bottles, of
course, and blatantly disregarding it's subsequent roll towards the back...
she laces her hands over her stomach and leans back, her eyes pinpointing a
random spot on the earthen wall and focusing there as her thoughts carry her
away::
::heartbreak... her precious Imoinda has still not been returned... Mai is
gone, a parting gift to parting love... and satisfaction... a few new pets,
one hungry for pain, the other thankfully not broken to the whip ... yet...
and a certain bittersweet consideration, for that parting love, which will
likely be forgotten in a trice.. particularly in light of the, er, assets of
that new secretary.. but there is a singular joy, the one thing in her life,
oddly, that has brought her pleasure without
involving pain... and as the sounds of childish play filter back to her, a
weary smile lifts the corners of her lips::
::at last, she is home::
Subject: Re:Stepping Down...
From: LlyraDraco@aol.com (LlyraDraco)
Date: Thu,10 Jul 97 15:24:41 EDT
Raindrops of harp-music filter and drop through the ceiling, swirling to
gather deep-red rose scent before shattering into little silverdust deaths on
the floor... the familiar feather-topped form slides off the staircase and
into Rose's room, one bare foot shuffling over the floor to raise miniature
whirlwinds of polyester confetti and the scent of mown grass...
Pupils dilate in Llyra's bright eyes and her lips twitch into a sweetly
unaffected smile. "Hello," she says, the walls echoing the word with their
own delight at Rose's return...
Subject: Re:Stepping Down...
From: GarretTroy@aol.com (GarretTroy)
Date: Thu,10 Jul 97 18:37:21 EDT
:::quiet footfalls echo down the stairway as the sable one decends, the last
finishing touch to her room twirling in his long fingers. The presence of
the anticipated one already in the room brings him up short at the last step,
the single crimson rose stills in fingertips as well:::
Ahh... I see you've arrived early. How was the ride?
::he wends by the feather-topped one with a slight brush of shoulders,
offering a small grin in passing, to finally lay the rose in the center of
the jeweled coverlet. Better late than never::
Oh... ::spins on a bootheel to face her again with an absent brush to remove
dangling hair from his gaze, fingers then steepling in rememberance:: There
is a Lord Drayven wanting an audience... rather urgent he said. Shall I
schedule it for a certain time?
Subject: Re:Stepping Down...
From: DmnDrkWynd@aol.com (DmnDrkWynd)
Date: Fri,11 Jul 97 07:08:22 EDT
:::watches the arrival of Rose to the Estate from the visionary blood bowl in
his sanctum, then scrawls down a quick note than he needs to discuss Rose's
tardiness of her payment for a piece of merchandise she acquired from him.
Then he returns to his studies of nueral responses as he places a flickering
candle closer and closer to the exposed flexor muscles and tendons of his
subject:::::
Subject: Re:Stepping Down...
From: BldRdRoseV@aol.com (BldRdRoseV)
Date: Fri,11 Jul 97 10:05:24 EDT
::turning at Llyra's harmonic descent, with an impish grin, she gives a
little kick up and slides her feet down from the dressing table, in the
process nudging a long bottle of frosted azure glass with her leather-clad
toe and knocking it to the floor::
::weaving upward from her padded seat, she extends her arms, taking the
talon-tipped hands in her own gloved ones, and squeezing gently, then tilting
forward to place a whisper-soft kiss at the round of Llyra's ivory cheek, her
greeting words gushing forth in a murmuring stream:: <sw> Llyra... hello
there... oh, how I've missed you... what an occasion it is, to see you
here... I don't think you've ever come to visit all the way down here...
::her smile open-eyed and eager::
::a sharp clicking catches her attention, and her vision snaps to the
staircase, to follow the sable-clad figure of her secretary as he makes his
way down into the vault.. releasing the affectionate embrace of Llyra's
hands, she nods graciously, clasping her own hands before her.. as she
watches, her eyes suddenly flicker with a spark of interest, then just as
quickly fizzle out, going blank of emotion, any regard she might feel at the
sight of him locked away behind hardened emeralds::
Yes.. as a matter of fact, the ride was quite pleasant... perhaps we should
have the chair taken in for some refurbishing, however.. the cushions are
becoming a bit worn.. it's odd.. almost as though someone else has been using
it in my absence... ::her tones level and rich with honey::
::with a brief moistening of her lips, she reaches towards the bed, to wrap
slender fingertips around the waxy stem of the rose... lifting it to her
face, she brushes the velvety petals across her alabaster cheek, inhaling
deeply:: Garrett, I really can't sing your praises enough.. the room looks
splendid, perhaps even better than when I left...
And as for Drayven.. ::a cultivated brow rising in question:: ... he says
it's urgent? Perhaps it's about that miscreant who stole my Imoinda.. well,
at any rate, it's been far too long since I've had the pleasure of his
company.. by all means, have him come by the Emporium tonight...
Subject: Re:Stepping Down...
From: Baghiira@aol.com (Baghiira)
Date: Sat,12 Jul 97 04:45:02 EDT
::Echoing bootheels announce her entrance as she strides down the winding
stairs... the soft, luscious whisper of leather over smooth skin as she
brushes catlike past Garrett, tipping a grin and a wink toward the
silver-eyed beauty of crimson and cream feathers... moving to Rose, she wraps
her friend in a hug, brushing a kiss over her cheek before dropping into a
nearby chair. Her eyes find their way briefly to Garrett... frank appraisal
in the cool regard of golden-green before the warmth of a smile
lights the return of her gaze to Rose::
So.. how ya been, chickie?
Subject: Re:Stepping Down...
From: BldRdRoseV@aol.com (BldRdRoseV)
Date: Sat,12 Jul 97 22:44:02 EDT
::with a mischievous grin, she slides into Baghiira's lap, curling her arm
around her friend's shoulders and bopping her on the nose with the soft
petals of the rose bud... an adoring smile, a delicate kiss to her temple...
and a heaved sigh of relief:: Oh, I've missed you all so much...
What's up? Well... ::she contemplates launching into a rather long tirade on
the neuroses of men and the general weakness of the entire male population of
RhyDin ... her mouth drops open... then snaps shut again... and with a blink
and a sweet smile:: ... nothing much.. I'm home again, and that's all that
matters...
Subject: Re:Stepping Down...
From: GarretTroy@aol.com (GarretTroy)
Date: Sun,13 Jul 97 00:35:29 EDT
:::the barest flicker of distaste at the mere mention of that contraption
called transportation flits about his face before being caught, shoved back
away, and buried under the suggestion to have it taken in. He takes a few
slight steps forward, one hand resting on the bedpost, one blonde eyebrow
arched at his employer's apparent air of disquiet. Yet this other, which
surely must be the head of brokering, seems to comfort her. Sighing, he lets
his hand drift back behind him, once again assuming his
waiting stance, while at the same time cooly watching the two heads of the
organization. As things progress.... again an eyebrow is raised, then just
as quickly lowered:::
::slow smile:: Quite.. all that matters. Will there be anything else?
Subject: Re:Stepping Down...
From: LlyraDraco@aol.com (LlyraDraco)
Date: Sun,13 Jul 97 15:19:59 EDT
A flicker of motion signals Llyra's exit... behind her hovers little brigades
of sugar-sweet kisses, lining up in formation near the ceiling to wait for
Rose to pass underneath...
Subject: Re:Stepping Down...
From: Traevyn@aol.com (Traevyn)
Date: Thu,17 Jul 97 21:17:24 EDT
The red lizard slowly crawled across the top of the small table, inching it's
way towards it's food. An extra high lift of one leg enabled the salamander
to walk over the small box lid and onto the solid wood top, it sitting upside
down on the table.
Youthful eyes watched in amazement as they had so many times before. The
five year old boy gazed at his pet for hours at a time, loving to observe it
as it ate, slept, walked, and created fire. As he watched the salamander, the
thoughts of the woman who gave it to him came to mind, as they did so many
times before. To him, she was a "friend" of his father's. She was a friend of
his too, having given him one of his favorite hobbies. The woman hadn't been
seen in quite a while and Traevyn could barely
remember the day when he first saw Ernie.
The thoughts of setting the slave kitty on fire also came to mind and a
slight smile crossed the boy's lips as he could barely recall the commotion
he created.
After the lizard finished his meal, the young boy scooped Ernie up and
placed him in the little box which he spent most of his time. He carefully
placed the lid over the box and walked out of the room, heading to the
stairway.
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