[Silver Sliver]Love is blind, but what of lust?[Vondra]

[Clyde Sullins]

Clyde simply smiled. Apparently she really was dedicated to her work. Much more so than such workers usually were. It clearly meant a lot to her, to please someone else, and was a bit off put by the fact of Clyde not reacting as most men would. A bit playfully, and trying to lighten the mood, Clyde responded to her, a unseen grin on his face, perhaps showing a bit in his tone. "Well if you don't want me to, I suppose I could just let you pay for your own drinks. Wouldn't want to do something that you would not like, or would not make you happy." Of course, her unease and unhappiness were not her fault. It was through no fault of her own that Clyde was reacting as he did. It would have been the same with anyone else. It was simply who he was. He did not jump and fawn and react as most men did, to a woman's touch, and charms. "Don't take offense. It is me, not something you have done wrong, that has ended this way. It is just me. I suppose you could say I am a bit odd. A challenge to please. Or just weird. Whichever works better." He supposed it was not odd for her to want to know more of magic. So many people did. Though the nuances of it, were beyond any un-initiated to its quirks. But in his oddity, magic was one thing he loved to discuss. Usually he only did so with other mages, but he had apparently offended this woman... Talking about magic in general, would not hurt anything... And magic really, was one topic he loved. Loved to speak of. To learn of. To discuss. It was one of the few things, that made him happy. And a topic upon which he had an unusual comprehensive memory of, for facts and things, heard or seen. Whereas he could not recall the color of his walls in his room, that he saw every day. Or the name or face of the owner of the place. "Magic... Well what can I say of magic... It is at once awe inspiring, and and destructive. It is both beautiful, and terrifying. It can be used to build and create, or to tear down and destroy. It allows things that would normally be impossible, to be done. But always for a cost. Sometimes it is insignificant. Sometimes devastating. But when you are a living conduit for such things beyond the mundane, such magics... It is easy to forget the cost, in the joy of the moment. In the awesomeness of your creation."

[Vondra Valencia]

His words were light, almost playful, belying his earlier tones of suspicion and seeming rejection. She could even find a bit of pity in them or she could be reading into it too much. People could lie so easily with their voices. Shaking her head a bit and feeling no less sober she grinned a bit, her voice teasing though still a bit melancholy, “Make me happy? You’re stealing my job good sir.” Taking her drink a bit slower now so she would actually remember some of this conversation, her nose wrinkled a bit at his make-shift apology. She hated that line. Though she could still count on one hand how many times it had been used on her it was at little bit of an ego deflator. Maybe this is what her mama meant when she insisted that she be friends with a customer first. Vondra tried, she really did but sometimes she didn’t want to talk. She was a woman with needs and they were many. All the same she leaned forward, if sex didn’t make her pretend customer happy she would try to give them whatever did. Leaning forward a bit, her face probably a serious as it would get for the night she fumbled for her companion’s hand, her words only a little jumbled. “Well then, Clyde what does make you pleased?” However even if he didn’t answer his short little bit about magic gave her a small clue her drunken mind could not put together. It did intrigue her though, it was more than she knew before and it made her think, her questions forming together painfully slow. Sipping her drink even slower as she realized it was dwindling more and more. Mama would not be pleased it she spent her entire allowance on drinks. Again. She grimaced a bit before setting it down. “Impossible things?” she cocked her head thoughtfully, nearly regretting the motion a head reaching out to steady herself, “Like curing people? Or building a city?” She grinned at the thought, remembering a exuberant girl who also enjoyed magic of some sort. But she had never said a word of consequences. His ending words reminding her of her own profession, woman who ended pregnant, those who were never found. But still…”Even if something is terrible, the enjoyment you feel is not something we can give up, if it makes you and another or even just yourself happy then consequences are nothing compared to being unhappy.” Wouldn’t you agree, Nikali? However these thoughtful words didn't last for Vondra got an odd look on her face, the bubbling in her stomach no longer very pleasant. "I think I may be sick."

[Clyde Sullins]

Clyde smiled at her, forgetting it was not visible, and shook his head. "What? Are you saying your job is only to make others happy, and never have any joy for yourself? That seems like a dull life. Surely you must at times also seek your own happiness." She was certainly direct, asking what pleased him. A bit of a obvious ploy. If you could not figure it out on your own, you were not to good at your job. Of course, she was probably out of practice, as most people were happy with a brush of skin, and a romp in a back alley. Clyde was a bit odd, and therefore a bit more complicated than that. Though it was hard to say whether or not he would turn down a romp in a back alley. "Ah ah now. That would be cheating. Isn't it part of your job, to get good at figuring that out. Wouldn't telling you be cheating, and mean you lose the chance to gain that new experience." Clyde was about to reply to her, about the downside to magic, and why he had to be so careful to not be lost in its pleasure, when a look came onto the womans face, along with the words no man wanted to hear from a girl, "I think I may be sick..." "Well are you surprised? You just downed like 3 mugs of ale. It is called pacing yourself. How many have you had? Though I wonder what you mother would say, of you getting sick, in front of someone you are supposedly trying to woo?"

[Vondra Valencia]

“I am happy if you’re happy.” It was said flatly but not bitterly, it was perfectly true, “Why enjoy something if someone else does not? It’s only fun if it’s mutual.” Vondra did not feel the need to mention the strange tingle she could not deny at being ordered around and kept her lips wisely sealed. Her mama was always telling her it was a dangerous as a trait as her blindness and neither was a good thing to have revealed. Then again she could never tell when people knew or not. Ignoring her thoughts she grinned widely, feeling all of the earlier tension ease out of her shoulders and any thoughts of her mama finally fade completely into the background, “Cheating? I never cheat! In that case I shall spend as much effort as needed to find out anything and everything that pleases you.” Of course, any pleasure she was having fled at the strange fleeing in her stomach, it was not exactly pleasant nor unfamiliar. Grimacing she frowned at bit at Clyde and pushed her drink away, deciding it best not to continue drinking. “Don’t talk about my mama.” She muttered, “I’m not surprised but I could use some water and a bit of air?” It was a both a small plead and a question, it was bad enough she couldn’t actually remember if Clyde was in front of her or not but she did not want to throw up on the man. A bit of water and air usually sobered her up. Well, for the most part anyhow. But even through her minor discomfort she giggled at his word usage. “Woo you? Not likely. I’m not courting you. I’m trying to entertain you, even if I am not the best at it.” Without waiting anymore she stood, the feeling rushing to her head awkwardly and nearly sending her to her knees. She hadn’t drank in a while she had forgotten how low her tolerance actually was, in her trying to decide whether or not to be angry or have fun with her accidental companion.

[Clyde Sullins]

"I could say the same to you then. You say it is only good if it is mutual, yet you are only looking for what makes me happy. By your own words, you should be looking for what would make us both happy." He shook his head, thinking of how she had disagreed with herself in her own statement. Maybe she was drunk. Or maybe she did not know what she was doing. Or maybe, she did not really live by her own words. "Well then, be my guest. But I warn you, I am not as easy to fathom as many of the men you see walking about. Not as easy to please. Some of it is due to higher standards. Others... Well, I am just not average, so why would the same things as entices an average man, entice me?" Seeing that the woman was likely to heave, and that she was feeling ill due to her over consumption of alcohal, even though ale was not to strong... How much of a lightweight did you have to be to get drunk of a few ales? They usually barely had any strength to them, and were more a source of nutrients like food, than of liquor. With a bit of a confused look, and a scratch of his head, he paid for the four ales, putting down 2 sm, which left the woman a 4 cm tip. Then he headed around the table to the woman, to link his arm through hers, and pull her along guiding her outside. "Were you sick before coming in? You can have some water from my waterskin." Taking her along, he would guide her out of the place, and to the edge of the canal, for some fresh air.

[Vondra Valencia]

Patiently she tried to explain, many people didn’t understand but she wasn’t happy unless she was making someone else happy. Her mama called her a follower but it wasn’t so simple. She wanted others to be happy because in doing so it made her happy. Maybe the ale was making her explain it wrong. Vondra waved her hands, getting a bit excited, “That’s because finding what makes you happy makes me happy. See? I’m happy when others are happy. If you’re happy doing what makes me happy then I am happy. Or if I find what makes you happy and can give you it, then I am happy.” Realizing she was probably getting close again she leaned back a bit and contemplated his words for a moment. She was aware of the fact that people were not so easily appeased by flesh. Some enjoyed being in charge, some wanted to be taken care of and some only wanted companionship of any kind be it words or flesh or both. “Oh you are far from average, Clyde." this she conceded with ease, only from what she had seen of him so far told her that much. His moods and outlooks seemed to change or he was hard to read. His personality seemed slippery, “But flesh isn’t all I offer. My job…no, what I want to do is find something you enjoy and share it with you.” As he lead her outside she gratefully gulped at the air, enjoying the way it wrapped around her and cooled her down. A quite thank you and accepted the waterskin to drink from, taking only a sip or two. Only when the feeling of being ill passed did she shake her head a bit. “Not sick but I’ve only drunken ale once and it was enough to ended me with a doctor’s visit. Since then I cannot drink more than one without feeling ill even if I’m not actually sick.” Turning in his general direction she gave him a small smile before straightening herself silently. He had been right earlier and sometimes she found it easy to simply offer herself but she enjoyed times like these as well, where the illusion of her soon-to-be profession could disappear. Don’t get her wrong, she loved it but customers never seemed happy to be aware of it. Keeping herself linked with Clyde she laughed a bit suddenly, “Well, since we are out here would you like to take a walk? I can ask you about what makes you happy. I can take a guess one of them might be your magic?”

[Clyde Sullins]

Clyde smiled once more, her words twisting in his head, to utter nonsense. She seemed unable to say anything without contradicting herself, or that led to a loop were nothing made sense or concluded. "That seems a bit conflicting. If you are happy, by me being happy, and I am happy by seeing you happy... Then we would get no were, since you say the only thing to make you happy is making me happy. You would need to know what makes you happy on your own, for me to be able to satisfy that, in that case." Really, arguing was one thing Clyde enjoyed, perhaps a bit to much. But he often found himself doing so. Often he did so from a more philosophical standpoint, or academic, but in this case it was much simpler than that. "I suppose that sort of makes sense. Though I would think most people are happy enough to just be physically satisfied. Which is more why that is the role you are assumed to take. I guess people, even myself, forget there is more to the job than that." Once outside, she began taking in the air quickly, glad at the fresher air and breeze of the outdoors. Apparently getting away from the bar, and its crowded floor, made her feel better. "I suppose a walk would be okay. I guess I should lead. Don't want you walking into a canal." He said a bit teasingly, guiding her along, her close to him via there interlinked arms. Walking off in a random direction. "I do enjoy my magic, working on it. Though it is a bit of a misunderstood thing. Though as I said, not something to be trifled with, or toyed with. What do you know of magic? Probably not to much. It is a rather guarded subject by nature."

[Vondra Valencia]

Vondra only shrugged to his logic. If he could not understand it she could not make him. She supposed what made her happy was making other’s happy, though it was not always for a good reason. Vondra enjoyed doing it because it made her feel good. Maybe he was right and it was an endless loop of conflict but she enjoyed it all the same. But her head was slowly coming back to her and she could feel something like a clear head squirm its way into her. The sick feeling nearly completing abating to be replaced with a warm pleasure at his acceptance to go on a walk but his words made her stiffen a bit. Barely stopping herself from pulling back as she spoke slowly, her words sounding actually a bit drunk, “Yes, the dizziness hasn’t worn off. I could fall in, drunks do that.” She laughed a bit for good measure but wondered if somewhere along the line she had let something slip. She couldn’t have. Mama always told her she was reading into things too much. This must be one of those times. Clyde had a way of being offensive it seemed. Or maybe he did it on purpose. Vondra wasn’t sure but she now tried to peg his lack of tack as a good quality. Honesty was better than what she could receive from other girls. They usually had a literal knife rather than a figurative one aimed at her back, he would be one to tell he was going to aim at her back. “You’re right, I don’t.” she leaned on him a bit now as they walked, “I’ve never even seen anyone preform it before. But if it’s so dangerous why practice it? Do you care for it that much?” She held her tongue from asking if her hand any other hobbies, she gathered he wasn’t someone to let much about himself slip and definitely not without a drink. Rather than try to push anything out of him she wondered if maybe he would enjoy leading the conversation, she didn’t have much to hide. “What do you use it? The magic I mean.”

[Clyde Sullins]

Her overly structured response, made him wonder a bit about her, as he squinted his eyes in confusion... The format of the words seemed off, like she was saying them to lead him somewhere... Which made it even more odd, in that they made no sense. He had said what he did in that she was blind. Not being able to see, she might indeed walk into a canal unleaded... So why was she saying as if he had meant it like from her being drunk. Sudden realization came over him, and a small grin came onto his lips, looking at her again. She had been trying to lead him away from the truth of that she was blind, but in so doing had overcompensated in her words, and led him right back to it. Apparently she was trying to hide her blindness, not knowing Clyde had figured it out. Smiling, he responded to her words, playing along as if he did not know the truth of her lack of sight, playing along, perhaps putting her at ease. "To true, to true. I have seen a few drunks do just that. One walked straight out the front door, and walked right into the canal as if it was land. Another was standing by it, and went to lean against a wall near the canal, but missed, and flopped over right into it. The second one I think made a bigger splash." Walking along with there arms interlinked, he looked around, taking a turn by random, not really sure were they should be going, the sound of his staff hitting the ground every so often as they walked. "Rightly so, that you have not seen it performed. As I said, it is not something to be trifled with, or played at. But once you learn how to do it, it is hard not to. It is an experience like no other. Certainly not possible to be gained by any mundane means. Perhaps it is different for others, but I find it to be a pleasant and soothing experience, full of joy and pleasant feelings." As he said this, a nagging feeling in his mind came up, awakened by his description of magic... Why not do just a little... What would it hurt... Nothing really. Plus, showing off a bit, might gain this woman's favor... And it would feel so good, to cast a bit of his djed... He shook his head, forcing the sudden thought down with a mental push, pulling up barriers in his mind, to force it away and hold it from him... He threw logic at the thought in his head, as to why it was wrong... She was blind, so showing off magic would do little to impress her. It would be pointless... Plus, he had not gone that long without using magic... He would be fine... He did not NEED to use it... Not right now... His mental battle done, he proceeded on with the conversation. Lucky for him, he had been rather calm, and as such able to beat the thought down with logic and willpower... His practice in meditation to pull within his own mind coming in handy... "What do I use it? Could you clarify that a bit? I am not quite sure what you mean..."

[Verilian]

. . Thread Award . . Clyde Sullins +3 Rhetoric +1 Philosophy Lores: Misreading Signals, Vondra is a Whore Vondra Valencia +2 Seduction +1 Acting +1 Philosophy Lores: Failed Winks, Acting like a Person with Sight You Question My Logic? : Well, not a whole lot of stuff I could award here, but as always, if you feel I missed something send me a PM. Notes: Entertaining little thread. Again, too bad it couldn't be completed. Keep writing! Notice As per the request of the Founders, threads cannot be graded unless your CS is up to date. This means you need to add threads to your thread list when you make new threads, keep your skills up to date, ledger, living expenses, ect. If you aren't up to date, you'll get a PM from me before i grade your thread. If you are up to date, disregard this notice.