[Flashback] The Artist's Model (ifran and ha'na)

[Hana]

She leaned in just a little to take in his voice over the murmurs of the crowd. Being so close to him caused her chest to tighten, her breath to become shallow. She swallowed.

“I… I don’t know who that is, Lord,” she responded in Common, full of innocent embarrassment.

As far as she could tell, the artist she worked for had stories he liked to tell in his painting. He spoke at her like she knew what they were. However, he never went so far as to ask her if she knew, nor did he ever tell her.

Somewhere in the crowd she heard someone call her an idiot. She took that word, swallowed it, and absorbed it. She believed it.

She looked away finally from the glowing man in front of her back down to the ground.

[Ifran]

While the others marveled aloud at how a Benshira dog couldn't know the story of Royet and Eypha, Ifran himself revealed little of the tragedy--or travesty--the corners of his mouth dipping into a slight frown.

"A shame," he acknowledged, but to whom was anyone's guess. His gaze had left Ha'na for the third time that night while the artist moved to hustle her out of the room before she turned his prospective triumph into a disaster.

"Sing for us," begged one woman.

"We have musicians to accompany you after all," said a man, helpful and hopeful.

The mass of admirers tried to steer him toward the musicians.

"You should go," the artist hissed to Ha'na, not so unkind as to send her fleeing forever, but enough that his displeasure might be made known to her. "I must needs keep him happy so he'll keep his promise."

[Hana]

When the man took his eyes off of her, she felt her world go cold. She was certain that she gave a shudder of withdrawal from his movement. She was nothing once again. His gaze, his recognition of her existence, had created a world for her. Now her ignorance had destroyed it.

She learned then that admitting to ignorance was not a wise idea. Her hope was that she would have been enlightened. It had been such an innocent little hope. She’d forgotten that here she was looked down upon. She wouldn’t forget these lessons again.

To add insult to injury, she found herself being pushed out before she could right her bearings in the room. The artist was upset with her, and she felt a trickle of worry that perhaps she’d be excused from the job that was keeping her fed. She didn’t respond to him. Instead she found herself out in the hallway once again.

She rubbed at her cheek as if he’d slapped her. Ha’na started what seemed to be an endless walk to the meager servant’s chamber that she was staying in.

[Ifran]

FIN

[Spavento]

Hana + 3 Modeling Lore: Ahnatep High Society (Partial) Ifran + 3 Politics + 2 Investigation Lore: Ahnatep High Society (Partial) Additional notes: I like the portrayal Ahnatep's socialites and how downright cruel they can be.