Closed Light Reading

[Amael]

12th Day of Winter, 513 AV

Amael moved under the cover of darkness, hidden comfortably beneath her ebony cloak. It was always easier (and safer) to do most of her wandering after the sun went down, guided by her superior night vision. While not exactly the best at moving silently, she could at least outsee a normal person, which was usually enough. Thus she went along, head down, doing her best to stick to the shadows.

There was in fact, a specific place she had in mind, one she’d found by chance after having gotten lost for the better part of the day. After finally finding her way home, she’d sworn to return to it. And while the library didn’t sport the finest collection of literature, it was still a boon to her, a reminder that even in particularly foul places, flowers could grow. She would thrive here if she could endure and find a place to start putting down roots, metaphorically speaking.

Cheesy analogies aside, she was also somewhat excited to go over the blueprints she’d found. There would be a great market for animated lockboxes in Sunberth, if she could find a safe place and go through the proper channels. But first, she had to simplify her design. It’d taken her a week to fashion the last attempt. Animating each set of gears to power each lock separately had been incredibly tedious and further, an incredible waste of time. There had to be a better way…

As she passed through the door, she immediately took her hood down, squinting at the sudden intake of light. Remmy looked up from her reading for a brief moment before raising a brow. Still, the woman said nothing, which was nice. It was, to say the very least, irritating being scrutinized all the time. Amael liked the privacy of Sunberth but hated the suspicion. What would she do, exactly? Blacksmith them all to death?

After some wandering about, she finally found her way back to the section she’d been perusing. There weren’t titles on most of the bindings and those that did have titles were mostly eroded by time. The woman reached forth her gleaming red arm to pull one from the shelf when she froze, realizing someone was there, watching her.

It was comedic, almost. Her cloak had fallen to reveal her figure and her smooth, metallic flesh. She felt completely exposed. So, unable to do much else, she waved with her alternate hand, continuing to select whatever books she needed before hauling them off to a table.

Who was he? Her cyan eyes narrowed, calculating. He was definitely handsome – very, very much so – and that was saying something for a human. She cracked open one of the books, eyes dancing down the page.

Eh, the basics of simple machines. Easy reading.

[center][/indent]

[Matthew]

Matthew had found the library by complete accident. He had grown fond of Stumble Alley because most people avoided it at a certain hour, so he had started lingering around the area to try and figure out when the best time to come there would be. There seemed to be a certain length of time that the alleyway was abandoned for, and he had soon found it was because of the superstitions surrounding the place. It was right around that time when he had stopped investigating the place, but not because of the whispered ghost tales. He had stumbled upon a library. There weren't that many books, but they were still books. He wasn't the quickest reader in the world, but he did enjoy it. He had only been able to indulge in exactly two books since he had left Zeltiva, and that had been years ago. To find a source of literature now was quite lucky, and it delighted him somewhere deep inside. Knowledge was knowledge, and though he learned better through practical application, he was still happy to try and gleam what knowledge he could from written word. Remmy was the only person he had ever seen in the place, and Remmy was the sort of company that he enjoyed on some deeper level. The feelings were faint but there. She seemed to be a smart woman, showing him a variety of books on Gadgeteering and Mathematics, pointing out a few on Athropology, and then somehow instinctively sensing that he wanted to start reading and left him alone from that point on. She smiled and gave him a wave when he came in, but that was usually it. Today he had brought along some spare paper and ink, to which he had noticed a shimmer of delight in Remmy's eyes. He had gone quickly to a small table in the back of the library, but eventually she had followed him there. Without saying a word she dropped a piece of paper next to him, and then went back to her original seat. Opening the paper, he had been met with a problem that perhaps only Remmy could offer. 4 x 4 + 4 x 4 + 4 - 4 x 4 = ? He had tried to ignore it, but had eventually broken down. He went and found a book on simple mathematics, and had started reading. He knew there was an order of operations, but he had no idea what that order was. He had learned it at some point he felt, but then abandoned it to fit a different piece of knowledge in. He had been mulling over the book for a couple of bells before sudden movement caught his eye. An Isur. Bright blue eyes flicked over her form, her arm being one thing that easily identified her race, the supple silver skin being another. The rest of her figure made another question pop to mind, but it wasn't the question that most men would probably think of. How did the woman manage to have that much defined muscle, but then manage to keep her bust size and hip size? He could think of more than a few women in his profession that would love to know her secret. Then again, perhaps it was an Isurian trait? He wasn't familar enoughwith the race to know exact details of their biology, just familar enough to know that they could manhandle him in bed. The memory almost made him wince. He kept watching her, even as she waved and moved to a different table. His study of her was focused and intense, quite slow and complete, taking her in from head to toe without a single bit of awkwardness or shyness about him. He didn't particularly linger on any one part, but it was obvious that he was watching. And then he moved, scooping up his papers and books. His steady and graceful pace took him to her table, a polite smile gracing his features. At this range, she would probably notice the sparkle of his teeth, the styling of his hair, the smell of an earthy cologne. He took care of himself. When Matthew spoke, his voice was soft, each word slowly and properly spoken. "Hello. I am Matthew. If I am bothering you, I apologize. I couldn't help but wonder. You have an extremely sensual figure, with the obviously supple curves. At the same time though, you appear to be very muscled. Most human women lose a certain amount of curve to achieve the level of fitness that you appear to have. Is that an Isurian trait, or is there some special kind of exercise that you do?" His face stayed passive and polite, bright eyes curious. If that was a joke or a come-on, he certainly didn't act like it. After a short pause he glanced down at her book, a few more words leaking out. "And you read as well? That is a rare trait in this city." Another pause, a glance at his own books, and then a glance back to her. "...do you happen to know anything about mathematics and order of operations?" It was worth a shot.

[Amael]

She felt him watching her, felt the pressure of his eyes. People didn’t usually stare with such intensity, especially as he did, so utterly devoid of shame. Amael didn’t know what to make of him. She found herself struggling to read, all of the sudden. This was a man unlike other human men. She’d been eyed up before, but not in this way. What did he want of her, exactly?

His step was measured and deliberate. Slightly bewildered, she looked up to face him. As he spoke, she blinked for a moment, clearly taken aback. He had to be a very confident individual to ask something considered so obviously taboo. But taking into consideration his scent, the smooth, fine quality of his skin… This was a man who took an interest in appearances, that much was certain.

”I have not met another Isurian woman quite like myself, if that is what you’re asking.” She flashed him an arch look. There was something refreshing about his being direct. It put her more at ease. ”I am unique in this respect, aside from my mother, from whom I inherited my physique.” Her speech was lilting and structured; it was clear that common was not her first language, despite how well she spoke it.

”If you have a seat, I can show you a bit about it, if you’ve a problem that needs to be solved.” She gestured toward the chair beside her. ”I’m more often sneered at than I’m spoken to, so this is a welcome change.” It was nice, to just speak her mind. Her gaze turned thoughtful for a moment as she took the time to really look him up and down. He was a very fine specimen, for a man, though she was positive he knew that.

”Is there any particular reason you asked? Or am I just too compelling to ignored?” She looked at him from beneath her eyelashes for a moment before leaning back in her chair. Amael was clearly, comfortable in her own skin. And while flirting was fun of course, the intent was manifold. His reaction would be telling. She needed to know if this person was going to follow her home…

And not in the good way.

[Matthew]

Her offer to help was much appreciated. If luck was something that indeed existed, then he was rolling in it today. He doubted that there were many people within Sunberth who could do Mathematics, so to have somehow stumbled upon one was quite special. He readily nodded his head to her offer, slowly moving around to her side of the table while balancing his ink, books, and papers. "Inherited. That makes sense. I inherited certain parts of my physique as well. The lush lips, the long eyelashes, the blue eyes. The feminine bits of beauty, I would suppose. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't a secret to your particular gift." He sat beside of her, arranging out his documents in an orderly fashion. There was the blank pieces of paper with the quill next to them, the open mathematics book, and the little piece of paper with the math problem written out across it. "I haven't studied math in awhile, so I am brushing up. This place has a lot of knowledge that seems to sharpen the mind. Reading, writing, math, gadgeteering, there was even a book on medicine somewhere around here. Hopefully I can absorb them all." He was being oddly chatty. The library apparently put him in a good mood. A brief look of confusion registered in his sky blue stare, the eyes glancing from his organization over to her own thoughtful gaze. "Sneered at?" He blinked once, then twice, then came to the conclusion himself. "Oh. Sunberth. Do the sneers bother you?" He tilted his head at her, not a bit of judgement in his tone, just pure and unfiltered curiosity. Her next question was more easily understood, and his head tilted in the other direction. Thinking for a moment, he reached down, unbuttoning the first button of his coat collar. It was a long coat that reached nearly to the knee, worn quite often now that it was winter. It was certainly a nice coat, nothing at all expensive but well-taken care of and often cleaned. "I asked because I was curious." He hesitated a moment, then spoke again a bit more slowly as if he was thinking about his words. He didn't fully understand sarcasm, but he had an idea of it. His statement could have been taken sarcastically. "You are compelling, yes. Also, when I am curious about something, I like to find out what ever it is I want to know. I am not shy about my curiosity, I suppose you could say. Does that make sense?" He was struggling to phrase the way he felt. He had never been asked that before, oddly enough. "I also tend to have no filter when it comes to my curiosity. If I ever ask about anything inappropriate, just let me know. I usually don't take it into consideration." Pure, unfiltered curiosity. It was as simple as that. He blinked again, a thought triggering. He had just committed the social sin and hadn't even noticed. He was getting better at social interaction, it seemed. Well, at least at noticing his mistakes. "Like I just did with your body. Most women and men are a bit shocked if I approach them about such a thing. I don't see how admiration and interest is a bad thing." He furrowed his brow, eyes growing distant as his thoughts wandered. The way she looked at him from underneath her eyelashes suddenly triggered another thought, and he suddenly realized that she may have just been flirting. Swept up in the intellect of books and the intellect of another person, he had completely missed the obvious sign. Hopefully she had actually been looking for an answer to her question. Biting his lower lip a bit, he lounged back as well. He too was comfortable in his own skin, and even through two layers of clothing it was easy to tell that he worked on keeping himself in shape. Nothing compared to the Isurian, however. "This is the problem. I understand multiplication, addition, subtraction, and so on." He gestured to the little piece of paper, then to the mathematics book. "However, I know there is a specific order you use to solve problems like this one. I have been studying this book, but am having trouble finding the exact rule." He glanced down at the book, blue eyes slowly reading a few more sentences. It was an oddly thick book. There was a lot more to simple mathematics than he had first assumed.

[Amael]

She eyed him for a moment, temporarily at a loss. He was just so… Forthright. Amael stared and then, seemingly out of nowhere, burst into laughter. ”I’m sorry,” she apologized between giggles. ”You’re just so honest. I think it’s refreshing.” Her expression was delighted, eyes awash with humor. ”I don’t see anything wrong with asking a question, if you’ve got interest enough to know the answer.” Of course, she wouldn’t necessarily go around asking such things, but likewise, she certainly wasn’t opposed to those who did.

”As for the sneers,” she continued, ”they only bother me a little. Living here would be easier if I were human, but then again, it’s not so bad.” With a shrug, she turned to the paper he’d set before her, seemingly satisfied with her little test. Of course, he was completely oblivious to her attempt at flirting which, for the moment at least, suited her just fine.

4 x 4 + 4 x 4 + 4 - 4 x 4 = ?

With her left hand, she tapped the paper. ”You’re right in that these problems are solved in a specific order. First, you want to deal with the more sophisticated math. Going left to right, you address all aspects of the problem dealing with multiplication and division, like so.” With her alternate hand, she reached forth, as if to ask for his quill. And assuming he handed it to her, she began to write, unconcerned as to whether or not this bothered him.

16 + 16 + 4 – 16 = ?

”Anything not involved in those processes get left alone. See how the sign for subtraction before the last multiplied pair stays the same?” Amael gestured with the quill. ”It isn’t too difficult once you get the hang of it. And you don’t have to take one before the other when it comes to multiplication and division. Just whatever comes first, left to right.”

She continued scratching away at the paper. The look upon her face was that of pure focus. ”Now,” she murmured, occasionally whetting the tip of the quill with her tongue before replenishing it in the inkwell, ”from here it’s simple. Look.”

16 + 16 + 4 – 16 = 20

”Sixteen plus sixteen is thirty-two, plus four is thirty-six. Then all you do is subtract sixteen once more and you’ve got twenty. Easy, huh? And even if you solve it out of order, so long as you’ve only addition and subtraction left, you’ll always get the same answer. See, if we add sixteen and sixteen, we get thirty-two. But if we take sixteen from four, we get negative twelve. But still, thirty-two plus negative twelve is twenty. So it comes out the same as before!”

Eyes alight, she gestured grandly to the paper before setting the quill down. It was only then that she’d realized how fast she’d been going.

”Oh, I’m sorry… Did I take that too quick?” Her face was a mixture of thought and concern. It was clear she was in her natural habitat – especially given the ink now smudged across her ivory cheek.

[Matthew]

Matthew's eyes narrowed, but not out of irritation or displeasure. People laughed so very much at the things he said, so apparently he was accidently telling a joke somewhere. If he could actually pinpoint what the joke was, then maybe he would have a lucrative career as a bar comedian at some point. He would have to see if he could find a book on Modern Mizaharian Comedy. Did such books even exist? His mind wandered a moment, bright blue eyes turning to scan a nearby shelf. Not a single thing. There wasn't much in the way of a bookstore in Sunberth, either. Perhaps he would just have to make a stop in Syliras on his way to Sunberth, if his geography was still correct. She reached out her hand for the quill and Matthew snapped back to the current encounter, obediently giving it over. "It is good to ignore them. They only sneer because they feel threatened. Threatened by something that is different. You are simply better." He offered his own opinion on the subject, and then focused on the math lesson. There was a noticeable change to his stare when she started speaking. Yes, she was going fast, but the realm of logic and order was a domain he was comfortable in. Rules and a set order were easy to comprehend, and his mind instantly turned and clicked various numbers into place as she started to explain. He nodded along with her words, reading what she wrote as she wrote it, reciting the problem in his head and sometimes managing to get the right answer before she displayed it on paper. She was given a small and polite smile as she resurfaced from her thoughts, his blue stare sparkling as the gears continued to turn behind them. "No, not at all. It was perfect. Multiplication and division first, left to right. Then your subtraction and addition." He picked up the quill from where she had left it, snagging a blank piece of paper and slowly scratching out a little explanation of the process she had just shown him. Labeling the paper as the 'Order of Operations', he took the original piece of paper with the problem on it and tucked it alongside the one he had written his notes on. Turning his head towards Amael, he focused his eyes on her with a slight squint of his brow. He looked thoughtful, but his gaze was straightforward and unwavering. Once again he was bold, searching her eyes for something unknown, then slowly glancing down what he could see of her body. Tilting his head a bit, his eyes started to move faster, flickering from minor detail to minor detail. First her book, reading a few of the words and focusing on some of the key ones. Then her pose, her comfort and the way she naturally displayed her physical assets. Her confidence, and the air that she held around herself. He licked his lips, tasting at the air, puzzling over it. He wasn't so sure what the air she held around herself consisted of. Pride? Strength? Courage? They were all concepts that were hard for him to understand. Taking a slow breath, he made eye contact once more. "An Isurian... one who works with Gadgets, or wants to? One who knows math, at that. There aren't many smart people in Sunberth, not the kind of smart that you seem to be. If I may ask, why Sunberth? There is a university in Zeltiva, I took medicine there. You would fit in so well. I would perhaps still be there myself if I had no decided to pursue the profession of prostitution." It slipped from his mouth easily, not a twitch to be seen on his handsome face. Prostitution was seemingly a casual sort of thing for him to mention. She had likely already seen the women on the streets, and knew that prostitution was a thing here in Sunberth. Before she had even answered, he was continuing on, perhaps the next thing out of his lips being more surprising than the most recent words to drop from his mouth. "Whatever it may be, is there room for one more?" If that was a flirt, it was a bold one said with a straight face. She accepted his straightforwardness it seemed, so he didn't filter it like he normally would. Some people would argue what his definition of 'filtering it' was, though.

[Amael]

His compliment did not go unnoticed, though she took it in stride. He was right from a certain perspective. She was certainly more efficient. But Amael was of the mind that all life was equal, despite the sometimes glaring inequalities between individuals. Each person was worthy and even necessary as they walked the path set for them at birth. The only thing that distinguished her from another was the fact she’d been given several different paths to walk, along with the freedom to choose any one of them.

Matthew was bright. She smiled, silently impressed. She wondered if he were wealthy. It would explain the tasteful styling of his hair or the quality of his attire. Perhaps. But there was something else there, something she couldn’t quite identify, lurking behind the lens of his cornflower blue eyes.

As he licked his lips, her brow raised subtly, as if inquiring just what he was after. Surely he’d ask, given his pattern of unabashed honesty. And sure enough, he made his suppositions. Amael smiled very slowly, full lips deliberate and warm like the wash of a sunrise.

”My name is Amael Shale,” she said, pausing for a moment before her clan name slipped out. ”Sultros. Or Godsblood, depending on who you talk to.” There was something close to affection in her eyes. ”I’m a gadgeteer, scientist, mathematician and metalsmith. I’m versed in other things however, things that compelled me to seek a life outside of the Kingdom, though it seems they aren’t welcome here either.” She cast a glance about the room before sighing.

”I’ve got plenty of room,” she replied in kind, deadly serious for a moment before beginning to laugh again. It was obvious that Amael was lighthearted by nature. She seemed to do more smiling and laughing than anything else.

”Now what compelled you to be a prostitute instead of a doctor? And if I blow my arm off in a terrible smithing accident, can I call on you to patch me up?”

[Matthew]

How delightful. Was that the word? Yes. Delightful. He would have once walked the path of a scientist or a doctor. He enjoyed those sorts of pursuits. When most of society confused him, those who gathered around set rules and principles were the ones who he understood the most. Science was his comfort zone, one could say. It was nice to find some piece of his comfort zone here in Sunberth, where he had originally thought there wouldn't be a speck of it to be found. Not just a scientist, either. Amael was a gadgeteer, a mathematician, a metalsmith. Two out of those three things were types of knowledge that didn't seem to be very commonplace. Matthew wasn't sure if it was hard to learn, or if it was just something that not many people had an interest in learning. He focused for a few moments on finding another piece of clean paper to write on and then flipped through the math book, quietly reading small sections and making little notes on the clean piece of paper. He liked to organize his plan of attack before he started learning a subject. He also recited her mathematics explanation in his head, turning the order of operations over and over in his mind. He'd have to come up with some easy way to remember that if he couldn't shelf it away in his mental library. Ah, the question. In all honesty, he hadn't heard the question very much. This was the first time he had heard the question so quickly. Most people usually talked a bit more before they asked the most obvious question. He appreciated her straight-forwardness. If she continued to use it, then he felt it would make this entire interaction so much easier. "I enjoy logic the most, and it comes the easiest to me. I enjoy learning it and applying it. Medicine follows rules of logic. There is of course variation, but each bit of variation has a defined reason. People have none of this. Emotions, social standards, facial expressions... they don't follow set rules, it seems. I enjoy learning, so why not learn something that is completely foreign? Prostitution gives me a new puzzle every night, and it puts me deep within the society I struggle to understand." He paused, face wrinkling with a bit of distaste. "However, while I feel I am quite good at the art of seduction and the wars waged in the bedroom, I still have a hard time understanding all of this." He waved his hand around, pointing to every person in Sunberth as a whole. "As for your arm... well, maybe. It depends on if it was blown into little chunks, or if it was cleanly severed. I did not complete my medical studies, so I am not the expert. However, before you seek any medical attention in Sunberth, please let me know." While the Doctor in Sunberth was much more skilled than Matthew, the Doctor in Sunberth would take delight in Amael's body. Not for sexual reasons, either. No, his interests would be much more simple than that. He was explaining at a fast pace, answering her questions with plenty of detail and not a moment of pause. He still took the time to correctly pronounce each and every word. For some reason, any improper speech on his part would bother him. His pace was still quicker than it normally was though, automatically trusting the woman to follow along. "Since you are both a gadgeteer and something of a crafter, perhaps you would be able to help me. There is a run-down mill outside of Sunberth just a little ways. Woodworking skills and gadgeteering skills would likely be needed in getting the place up to shape. I am not much of a woodworker, but I would treasure the quiet time that learning such a trade would give me. Would you be interested in taking a look and seeing if it is a side project you would like to work on with me? There is no real reward to be had, just a place to work that is a bit more quiet than everything else in this town." He often went for walks on the outskirts of Sunberth. He needed time away from the smog of the city. When it wasn't snowing or raining, he explored what he could while keeping the city close at hand. This had led him to stumble upon the windmill. It was a lofty goal, and one that he very well might not be able to succeed in. Amael was a rare find in such a town though, and he felt like he should try to associate with her. It would allow him his fix, and perhaps he could benefit her as well. "If you do not have the time to do it just for the experience, I would completely understand. I could perhaps pay, either in Mizas, teaching, or even a certain amount of free time with a harlot." Those were really the only things he had to offer, and he had no idea if any of them were of value to her.

[Amael]

What a practical reply. Amael listened intently, resting her hand against her lips. In her opinion, his angle was a bit off. He wouldn’t ever understand emotion through emulating it for the benefit of others. Many a housewife throughout history had tried and failed at the very same thing. No, Matthew would have to find the genuine article and find it organically. He would have to fall in love to understand.

Not that she had any experience in that department. Wisely, she kept this observation to herself. It was easier to instead, continue to listen along. Having an inside man with a bit of medical experience could never hurt. And he was easy enough to get along with, handsome, forthright and action-oriented. She was astonished at her own good fortune. Perhaps it was Lhex, giving her a helpful little nudge in the right direction.

The rundown old mill she’d heard of. It was a point of contention for most of Sunberth, yet another metaphor for their rotten, crumbling life. The thought of fixing it up and making it new gave Amael a bit of hope. She brightened visibly. ”I would be glad to. I’d have to see what sort of mill it is in order to know how it functions, but it would give me something to do aside from drafting up wind-up toys and wheelbarrows.” Which was more than welcome. She’d had enough of either to last a lifetime.

At his offer, she laughed again, though it was mostly giggling. He volunteered his body in trade? ”Tell you what,” she continued, ”I’ll let you in on a little secret. I’m an animator.” She kept her voice intentionally low. ”That means I know magic. But I’ve got nowhere to practice it. If you can give me a safe place, one where I can improve my craft, I’ll teach you how. Now what do you say?”

She looked to him expectantly. Surely he would be compelled by the quality of her offer.

[Matthew]

Ah, a partner for the windmill. How very exciting. "We can take a trip to it, if you wish. It isn't that far out. I am certainly free today, or we can set a date for a different point in time. Whatever your preference is. We could bring some writing materials to perhaps take notes and draft ideas, though you would know all that better than I would." Matthew wasn't exactly sure how the whole process would work, but he was more than happy to learn. If Amael ended up spending a good amount of time with the harlot, she would soon find this out for herself. He was completely open to learning almost anything. He was leery of personal magics and somewhat uncomfortable around certain world magics, but he felt that sense of discomfort was safe. If magic went wrong, it could kill him. If he was dead, he wouldn't be able to learn a thing. It was very counter-productive, and to him, the risks outweighed the rewards. Animation was something that he wasn't that uncomfortable with. World Magic in general was held in a much higher regard by the harlot. If something went wrong in World Magic, it was almost always because of a miscalculation. He was much more comfortable with calculations. Her deal was readily accepted, though her brief giggle confused him for a bit. "That would be fine with me. The most private place would be a room at the brothel I work at. Steady customers are more than welcome. You could simply request me and then use the private room that would be given to us. We'd have to clean up after you were done, and we would also have to make a few erotic noises every now and then and perhaps yell out some select words. Otherwise, it should be perfectly safe. Do you think that would work?" Once again, some rather amusing things were said with a straight face. The poor man didn't even know that his apathetic expression added to the comedic effect. Glancing up from the book that he had been studying, he peered at her own book and then up into her eyes. "Was there a project that you already had in mind? I do not mean to pull you away from personal goals just to engage in a learning project of mine." Matthew stretched, arching his head back and tensing his body, muscles rippling attractively through his clothing. He moved like a cat, graceful and slow, even something as simple as a stretch having a certain sensual flair to it. It was all so casual, too. Returning his attention to his own book, he read a few more sentences and slowly wrote out a few more words. He was mostly finding things that he didn't know and jotting down their page reference. He could tackle them in small sections at a time and make sure he didn't burn himself out. Chewing on his lower lip a bit in thought, he suddenly looked back up at Amael. "Actually, I forgot that it is dark outside at the moment. Perhaps it would be best in daylight. We could pack a lunch. It has been awhile since I have eaten without accidentally gulping down a Sunberth stench." He wrinkled his nose a bit, recalling the unpleasant taste in the air. It was everywhere in this town.