Solo Moving on Up

In which Rosela receives a great gift from a late friend.

(This is a thread from Mizahar's fantasy role play forum. Why don't you register today? This message is not shown when you are logged in. Come roleplay with us, it's fun!)

Built into the cliffs overlooking the Suvan Sea, Riverfall resides on the edge of grasslands of Cyphrus where the Bluevein River plunges off the plain and cascades down to the inland sea below. Home of the Akalak, Riverfall is a self-supporting city populated by devoted warriors. [Riverfall Codex]

Moving on Up

Postby Rosela on April 17th, 2014, 11:46 pm

Image

Timestamp: 31st of Spring 514AV

Notes :
The gift given in this thread was bought OOC with my City Perk Points. To keep the suspense, I’ll provide the price breakdown at the end of the thread.


When Preskon Levrat died, Rosela had to admit she was deeply saddened, but not entirely surprised. She had managed to escape the stomach bug that had swept through the city, and it was almost anti-climactic that Preskon should succumb to it. Somehow she’d expected something more dramatic – an assassination by a rival, or a heart attack after an impassioned speech against, for example, using puppies as slave labor.

She hadn’t been invited to the funeral, not that she’d expected to be, but she’d heard through the rumor mill that that family had opted for a strictly family-only affair. Though she and Preskon had only met once, his insight had stayed with her ever since. Part of her regretted using hypnotism to dig business advice out of him that night, the same part that wanted to somehow pay her respects. Hudon had obviously gone to his grandfather’s funeral, and while Rosela could have coerced herself into being his date, she didn’t want to appear to be crashing the party.

She had however, been invited to the reading of his last will and testament, one section of it anyway. Apparently, he’d had extensive bequeathments laid out, so much so that his will was read over several days. It had been delayed once due to familiar bickering, and now, over ten days after Preskon’s passing, the proceedings were finally going forward.

So it was that Rosela strutted briskly down the street in a new, carefully chosen outfit for the affair: open toed black heels, a beautiful two-layered spring dress, and a floppy wide brimmed hat. She was particularly fond of the shoes – unassuming black with just a hint of ruffle around the toes. The hat, she was still on the fence about. She wasn’t a hat person in general, but she felt the dress needed a stabilizing element, and the black-banded cream hat had jumped out at her at the time.

By the time she’d arrived at the solicitor’s office, there were several people around already, and Rosela felt with immediate certainty that she was the best dressed in the room. Not that anyone was dressed cheaply, but as she pulled off her hat with a twist of her hand, she looked around with a professional mask and saw much better uses for the hundreds of mizas in cloth being presented.

“You must be Rosela.” A flat masculine voice intoned from her left, and she turned, hat held demurely in front of her.

”Yes. And you are?”

The Akalak didn’t speak at first, but stood up from leaning on the wall and uncrossed his arms. He was a large man – even in her heels, he stood nearly a head above her – and well-muscled. Despite the distinct impression he was trying to intimidate her with his size, Rosela couldn’t help but feel the thrumming pull of physical attraction.

“Behetimal Levrat. I believe you are employing my cousin Hudon?”

”Yes, he’s been a great help to the business. My deepest condolences to your family.”

“Thank you.” Despite Rosela’s apologetic smile, he remained stiff. In a sudden movement that made her jump, he gestured to the hallway. “May I speak to you in private?”

”…Yes. No problem at all.” She couldn’t entirely erase the suspicion in her voice, but followed him into the wood panel hallway nonetheless.


Image
Image

Have a moment? Maybe drop by and leave a peer review?
User avatar
Rosela
Bring me pretty things.
 
Posts: 906
Words: 739794
Joined roleplay: August 24th, 2012, 7:54 pm
Location: Riverfall
Race: Eypharian
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 6
Featured Character (1) Featured Contributor (1)
Featured Thread (1) Trailblazer (1)
Overlored (1) 2013 Mizahar NaNo Winner (1)

Moving on Up

Postby Rosela on April 17th, 2014, 11:48 pm

Image

There was an awkward moment of silence when they stood several paces away from the doorway, the gentle ebb of voices still audible. Small shadows danced silently in the corners, watching them. Rosela’s hands nearly trembled from the desire to nervously fidget with her hat.

“How well did you know my grandfather?” Behetimal said suddenly, startling her once again.

”Not very well…” It was clearly a source of distress to him, and Rosela decided to gamble on telling the truth. ”We met just once, late this past autumn, I believe. We had a long talk, and parted ways.”

“You…talked?”

”He’s, he was, a very interesting man.”

The reply only seemed to anger him, and he stared her down. Feeling more attracted than intimidated, Rosela stared calmly back, wondering if he was married.

“Were you sleeping with my grandfather?”

For a moment, she could only feel shock. Attraction instantly shattered, she instead felt sick as outrage churned in her gut. ”I beg your pardon!” The words burst from her louder than she intended and the murmur of voices from the room next to them silenced immediately. Behetimal looked nervously to the doorway, but Rosela stepped closer to him, seething with anger and picturing a hundred ways to humiliate him: the whip, the spurs, pushing his face down under her heel. ”How dare you make such an accusation.”

A chair scraped in the other room and his eyes were now looking anywhere but at her. “I…”

”Since you must insult me by hearing it directly – the answer to your question is no.” Realizing she was now trembling with anger, she clutched the brim of her hat like a lifeline to sanity and turned to retreat with what dignity she could muster. A firm hand on one of her elbows stopped her though, and she rounded on him in purest fury. She only barely registered the apology on his face before belting, ”How dare you lay your hands on me!” Her voice was with thick with her Arumenic accent, but deep with indignant authority, and he immediately released her.

Storming back down the hallway in loud steps, she ignored the various men standing in the room and the collective look of shock as she took the closest seat, the one at the end of the long table. At the head of the table was an elderly Akalak, even frailer than Preskon had been, and Rosela proceeded to stare him down. An unspoken agreement amongst the men seemed to be made and one moved to the hallway where low, angry Tukant was carried out. All six hands folded in front of her, mostly to keep them from trembling, Rosela cleared her throat in the silent room.

”Are we starting soon?”


Image
Image

Have a moment? Maybe drop by and leave a peer review?
User avatar
Rosela
Bring me pretty things.
 
Posts: 906
Words: 739794
Joined roleplay: August 24th, 2012, 7:54 pm
Location: Riverfall
Race: Eypharian
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 6
Featured Character (1) Featured Contributor (1)
Featured Thread (1) Trailblazer (1)
Overlored (1) 2013 Mizahar NaNo Winner (1)

Moving on Up

Postby Rosela on April 17th, 2014, 11:52 pm

Image

Behetimal did not return to the room, and once the elderly Akalak began to speak, the tension quickly drained away. Small words of comfort were recited from a long sheet of parchment in from of the solicitor, and a Konti opposite Rosela briefly burst into tears. However, once the proceedings started, what little tension remained dissolved into boredom.

It seemed Rosela had been lumped in with several grandchildren in this part of the will, all receiving odd, symbolic gifts. A grand mirror, a harp, a horse, etc. Rosela kept her back rod-straight in an effort to stay dignified, but half a bell in, her name still hadn’t been called and her lower back was beginning to ache. She amused herself for a short time by imagining chasing Behetimal down the hall with a whip, but she was unable to tune out completely lest she hear her own name. Instead, she imagined what she might receive. Preskon obviously knew she was a seamstress, perhaps he had some sewing accoutrements he thought she might use? Maybe he’d fired his tailor before his death, and had requested a new wardrobe for his entire family?

“And to Rosela, the Clothier,” the solicitor wheezed, not changing tone but clearly growing hoarse from the talking. Blinking in surprise, Rosela felt her hands clench in sudden anxiety. It wouldn’t be something…bad, would it?

“Your passion for your work marks you among few I have met in my life, and I regret that during our brief time together I did not reveal to you the most important element of my successful life-“ A slow intake of air was held in anticipation. “-My family.” And it was released in discreet disappointment. “You must not only surround yourself with those who will aid you in business, but also gather to you those who fill your heart with joy and serenity. However, just as the beautiful rose needs the sun to grow, so does a family need a home to flourish in. To you, Rosela, I leave the first home I built in Riverfall. Over the many, many years, it has been refurbished, remodeled, and on more than one occasion, completely rebuilt. It was a haven for me and my growing family, and I hope that someday it will become a haven for you and yours. Take this key, and flourish in the little bit of sunlight I can leave you.”

Rosela didn’t realize she was staring open mouthed at the solicitor until a small wooden box was placed in front of her and she gasped as she was pulled from her shock. Around the room, equally astonished faces also stared at the box. She could no longer hide the trembling in her fingers as two hands reached for the box, the other four grasping the edge of the table. The box opened with a creak that was deafening in the quiet room, and inside, on a pillow of worn velvet, was a tarnished brass key.

“To my dearest Ci’ia-“ The solicitor’s voice continuing startled everyone in the room, and the Konti across from Rosela, who had shed passionate tears chimes ago, slapped her hand irritably on the table.

“She gets a house?”


Image
Image

Have a moment? Maybe drop by and leave a peer review?
User avatar
Rosela
Bring me pretty things.
 
Posts: 906
Words: 739794
Joined roleplay: August 24th, 2012, 7:54 pm
Location: Riverfall
Race: Eypharian
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 6
Featured Character (1) Featured Contributor (1)
Featured Thread (1) Trailblazer (1)
Overlored (1) 2013 Mizahar NaNo Winner (1)

Moving on Up

Postby Rosela on April 18th, 2014, 12:01 am

Image

Image


It felt as though it should have been much later in the day by the time Rosela stood in front of the house, key clutched in her right, middle hand. Even after the indignant tears of the Konti granddaughter and the long walk to the estates under the shining afternoon sun, the day still had not lost its dreamlike essence it had acquired the moment the little wooden box had been set in front of her.

Her lovely new heels felt heavy on her feet as she forced herself to move forward, up the abbreviated stairs to the front door. Her heart began to beat faster as she approached, as though it were becoming more real with each detail she saw. There were arches, and windows, and a second story, and hedges, and tiny accent trees – or were they considered bushes? The small amount of landscaping across the front was recently done, possibly in preparation for this very moment.

A sharp clopping behind her startled her from her thoughts, and she turned to see a manicured pony carrying an over-frilled Akalak child squealing excitedly on its back. Loathe to share this moment of great importance, Rosela spun back around, walked up to the front door as naturally as she could manage, and unlocked the doors. With only a moment’s hesitation, she flung them both open.


Image

Her first impression was a sneeze, followed by another.

Waving all six hands to clear the agitated dust, she kicked the doors closed behind her and moved toward what she realized was sunlight streaming through windows on the far end of the room. There were doors on each of the three walls, but she chose at random to follow the sun straight through. The door between the windows opened to a courtyard surrounded by a roofed terrace.

Insects and frogs sang in the sunlight, and as she moved into the sun, she saw a pool at the center of the courtyard, covered almost completely in lily pads. To the left, over the pool and the disused fountain at its end, she saw the sea, shimmering and smiling back at her. Looking back, she saw where the left-side door in the front room led – the terrace there, with a pair of doors at the back. Feeling bold, she trotted over and flung open the first door, disappointingly finding only a water closet. Humming to herself, she moved to the next door, here finding a bedroom only slightly smaller than her entire old home. The bed was of significantly lesser quality, but, she thought with a skip, beds could always be replaced.

She trotted to the other side of the courtyard, the side facing the sea. Here, there were windows to the inside, and through the shadows, she could make out covered furniture. As she turned to look back out to sea, a breeze sighed through the courtyard, making her dress whip against her legs. Biting her lip to keep from grinning, she moved as fast as she could in heels to the large door at the end of the sea-facing terrace and threw it open.

Three sneezes came this time, but a kind wind came behind her and wafted into the house, clearing away the stale air. Once she’d successfully suppressed the sneezes, she moved deeper into the house, looking up a flight of stairs as she passed. The novelty of having a multi-storied home held her attention until she realized the large open space beyond it was a ballroom. Two hands covering her open mouth and two others pressing to her chest, she walked slowly to the center and looked up at the high, vaulted ceiling. There was a dining hall to the right, with a long table and two rows of covered chairs.

Her footsteps clicked back at her from the ceiling as she moved right, past the stairs. A kitchen and counter stood there, with a small table and bench tucked away opposite them. Beyond that, a wide open area with small tables and divans, all covered in the same off-white cloth as the rest of the furniture. Off of this area, she discovered a tiny, windowless bedroom, and a closet.

Moving excitedly to the next room, she found a large, empty library, with rows of empty shelves and display cases, and tall windows that opened up to the street. With some effort, she pried open the latches and opened the room to the outside air, leaning out to see the pony and its trussed passenger still meandering down the street.

Throwing open the next door…she found herself back at the front room. She frowned and looked around in confusion before she realized she’d made a complete circle. Giddy with excitement, her internal laugh became audible, and developed into a full throated laugh as she sprinted, as well as she could in heels, down the terrace to the inner foyer again.

Here, she pounded up the stairs with all six hands holding up the two layers of her dress. Flinging open both doors she found, she came upon two more small bedrooms, one with another view of the street. Back down the stairs she went, nearly flying as she ran to the last part of the house she had to explore.

Left off of the foyer and ballroom, she found a small bathroom and a hexagonal area with a view and door to the courtyard. With a shove, she threw herself through the double doors opposite and stopped dead. A massive bedroom with a glorious view of the water lay here, with a large, plush bed. Resisting the urge to jump on it, she went left, passing two large walk-in closets into a master bathroom easily bigger than any of the spare bedrooms. A huge tub stood in one corner, and it too had a lovely view of the water. The bathroom also had a door to the courtyard, and with a sense of finality, she pushed through it, bringing herself back to the far side of the courtyard.

A strong breeze kicked up, and with one hand on her hat, she grasped the iron fence between her and the sea and heaved herself up onto the low stone wall. Grinning as the wind swept her dress around her, she out looked over the sparkling water for several chimes.


Image
Image

Have a moment? Maybe drop by and leave a peer review?
User avatar
Rosela
Bring me pretty things.
 
Posts: 906
Words: 739794
Joined roleplay: August 24th, 2012, 7:54 pm
Location: Riverfall
Race: Eypharian
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 6
Featured Character (1) Featured Contributor (1)
Featured Thread (1) Trailblazer (1)
Overlored (1) 2013 Mizahar NaNo Winner (1)

Moving on Up

Postby Rosela on April 18th, 2014, 12:03 am

Image

Rosela sat, overwhelmed, on one of the iron benches in the courtyard, staring sightlessly at the dry fountain at the center of the pool. It was almost incomprehensible that it was all somehow hers. She owned this house now. She had a house with a view of the sea. She had her very own ballroom. She could strip down to her panties and dance around it like a madwoman if she so chose. It wouldn’t be a very strategic display of ownership; the ballroom had a view of the city through its windows, and she didn’t want to attract gawkers.

Leaning forward, she rested her weight with two elbows on her knees while her other four hands twirled her hat between them. She owned this house. It was hers.

Now what?

She supposed there was the issue of her old home; it would have to be sold and her belongings brought here. With an absent hand brushing back her hair, she made a mental note to see Morgal about the selling, and see if he had any suggestions on movers.

The place would need to be cleaned, thoroughly. For that matter, it would need to be cleaned often. Her tiny cottage was easy to maintain, but she couldn’t spend all her time dusting and sweeping here. She’d need to acquire a servant. Slaves were so painfully expensive to keep in Riverfall, thanks to the odious minimum-living laws, so she’d need to hire a freeman servant. Just someone to cook and clean, and not even every day. Someday, she wanted a real slave, and part of her even then wanted to hang the costs and just get one. Slaves were status in Ahantep, and with the additional cost, one would be even more so in Riverfall. It would be a consideration for another day though; at the moment, a general butler was all that was needed.

If she was to clean the entire place, she’d obviously have to upgrade some of the furniture, particularly in the small bedrooms. Despite Preskon’s advice, she didn’t intend to ruin her figure with children any time soon, but she couldn’t allow any future guests to break their backs on straw beds. That would likely be left for another day though, after she herself was sufficiently settled in.

Sighing, she looked around the courtyard again, still feeling somewhat like a guest, and swept her hat on. She had a lot of work to do.


Image
Image

Have a moment? Maybe drop by and leave a peer review?
User avatar
Rosela
Bring me pretty things.
 
Posts: 906
Words: 739794
Joined roleplay: August 24th, 2012, 7:54 pm
Location: Riverfall
Race: Eypharian
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 6
Featured Character (1) Featured Contributor (1)
Featured Thread (1) Trailblazer (1)
Overlored (1) 2013 Mizahar NaNo Winner (1)

Moving on Up

Postby Rosela on April 18th, 2014, 12:09 am

Image

As Rosela shut the door of Morgal’s unassuming realty office behind her, she happily checked one thing off her mental checklist. Morgal had bought back her tiny cottage for what she’d paid for it, and had thrown in use of company movers as a housewarming gift. She had to meet them in just a couple bells, so she had time to run to the Labor Aide beforehand.

She hardly saw the world move around her as she walked up the sloping street. Cleaning was the obvious requirement, but did she need anything else of a butler? Thinking suddenly of the large kitchen, she decided cooking should then be a must. It would be quite the novelty – cooking food at home. Coming home and smelling warm bread or some nice stew…

Her pace slowed significantly as she came upon another issue: trust. For her to come home smelling bread, that would mean someone was in her home when she wasn’t. The person would have to be one with ties to the city, so they couldn’t skip town. The Labor Aide would have records as well of who she hired, so they could be tracked if something went missing.

Feeling more secure, her pace quickened until she reached the large, plain building that contained the Labor Aide. Malin was at the desk as usual, and Rosela waved happily as she approached. It wasn’t that long ago that she’d come to report hiring Hudon.

“What can I do for you?” The Akalak intoned and she was disappointed to see the more business-like of the personalities at the forefront today.

“Hi, I’d like to make a job posting?”

Malin tapped a stack of forms to the right. “If you don’t have a posting pre-written, you’ll need to fill out the form.”

Humming to herself, Rosela took a form and retreated to a side table, noticing with a small smile that it was the same desk she once sat at to fill out her own employment form.

Position? Butler.

Location? Personal home.

Skills required? Cleaning, cooking, answering the door… Organization, trustworthiness.

Pay? Rosela paused here and considered. She already knew she didn’t want them there everyday, but she clearly wouldn’t pay them as much as, say, Hudon. About to write a ‘1’, she stopped herself and instead put ‘2gm/day’, with an additional note about only working every other day. As when she was hiring for her shop, slightly higher pay would theoretically ensure better dedication to the work.

Other requirements? Pausing once again, she carefully wrote, ‘Trustworthiness is key, as is a tidy appearance. References may be required.’

She looked over the paper once again, feeling it was entirely too short. She’d spent bells working on her shop’s job posting, so it made her uncomfortable that this one had managed to be so brief. Although, how hard could it be to keep the place clean?

”I’ve finished?” She presented the form back to Malin, who took it ceremoniously. ”So…How long do you think it might be before I see an applicant?”

The man was silent for a moment, and Rosela was about to repeat her question before he looked up at her and smiled earnestly. Suspecting a personality change, she held her tongue.

“I actually may have someone who would be interested in this job. Do you have a preference of male or female?”

Blinking in surprise, Rosela shook her head. ”I…no. I mean, I’d pictured a man, but it’s not set in stone?”

“We have a young Akalak on file who would be great for this type of work, and I happen to know his hours just got reduced at his first job, so every other day would work great for his schedule.”

”Really? That’s…lucky? I am particularly concerned with finding someone I can trust. I’m not home some days, so he’ll be alone in my house.”

Malin laughed at a seemingly inside joke and waved his hand dismissively. “If there’s anyone in this city you can trust, it’s him. Fair warning though, he can be a little slow on the uptake, but cooking and cleaning should be pretty well within his scope. Should I send him by?”

Hesitating slightly, Rosela considered what ‘slow on the uptake’ could mean. It was an odd turn of phrase, but if Malin was recommending him so highly, it couldn’t be that bad? ”Y-yes, do send him by. Here’s my address…” Leaning over to write her address on the side of the posting form, she brushed her hair back absently. ”I’m moving in today, so I’ll be around.”

“Great, I’ll let him know to stop by.”


Image
Image

Have a moment? Maybe drop by and leave a peer review?
User avatar
Rosela
Bring me pretty things.
 
Posts: 906
Words: 739794
Joined roleplay: August 24th, 2012, 7:54 pm
Location: Riverfall
Race: Eypharian
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 6
Featured Character (1) Featured Contributor (1)
Featured Thread (1) Trailblazer (1)
Overlored (1) 2013 Mizahar NaNo Winner (1)

Moving on Up

Postby Rosela on April 18th, 2014, 12:11 am

Image

Rosela arrived back home – her old home – well ahead of the movers and set about mindlessly rearranging and straightening things. Odds and ends were tossed into her trunk, and fragile things like her mirror were wrapped in various items of clothing. Once no more things could be shuffled around, she sat with a sigh on the end of her bed. She could see why Preskon’s first home had had sentimental value for him; as she looked round the small cottage, she saw memories under every shadow and in every corner.

”I’ll be leaving? I’m moving today.” She felt somehow guilty for not informing the shadows earlier.

”We know.” Their tone was neither sarcastic nor belittling, only preternaturally knowing, as always.

”Hm, I suppose you would.”

The shadows had seen her live through precious memories in this space, now made all the more tiny by comparison. Cooking coffee beans to remove the stench of ocelot urine, pouring her very first homemade bottle of perfume into a soap dish because it had been the only container she owned, staring in a dusty window as she tried to find the best angle of light for her face. A piece of her heart would be left here, and a sense of possessiveness came over her as she thought of someone else living in the space that was once her home. For the first time since receiving it, she felt she appreciated the depth of Preskon’s gift.

A hard knock sounded at the door, startling her, and two hands flew to her chest.

“Rosela the…Clothier? Movers!”

Sighing, she stood and opened the door to four plainly dressed Akalaks. ”Yes, please come in.”


Image
Image

Have a moment? Maybe drop by and leave a peer review?
User avatar
Rosela
Bring me pretty things.
 
Posts: 906
Words: 739794
Joined roleplay: August 24th, 2012, 7:54 pm
Location: Riverfall
Race: Eypharian
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 6
Featured Character (1) Featured Contributor (1)
Featured Thread (1) Trailblazer (1)
Overlored (1) 2013 Mizahar NaNo Winner (1)

Moving on Up

Postby Rosela on April 18th, 2014, 12:14 am

Image

Sitting in the head of the cart as it bumped along the cobblestones brought back uncomfortable memories of the long road from Ahnatep to Riverfall, but Rosela was doing her best to cheer herself up. She wasn’t losing a home, she was gaining a mansion and instantly visible status in the city. Hopefully before the end of the day, she’d have some manner of servant. Granted, he’d be ‘slow on the uptake’, but that couldn’t be too bad.

Right?

“Uh, ma’am? Is this it?”

Coming to with a blink, she momentarily lost her bearings and looked around at the unfamiliar neighborhood. They were sitting in front of a large house with another cart in front of it, a pair of Akalaks hauling a divan out to it. It took a moment before she realized that was her new house, and her new divan.

”Hey! HEY!” Clamoring over the driver, Rosela half fell out of the cart and clopped up to the pair of Akalaks who stopped to stare at her in confusion. ”Just what do you think you’re doing? I live here! This is mine!” All six hands wrapped around the side of the divan and she tugged uselessly at it, as though to take it back then and there.

“Ah, Miss Rosela?” A leaner Akalak in a moderately well-cut suit came out of the house holding a roll of parchment. “Is there a problem?”

She rounded on him furiously, finding with petty vengeance that she was slightly taller. ”Of course there’s a problem! You’re stealing my furniture! This house is mine; I inherited it this morning.”

“Yes, and I do have the deed for you here,” he paused to hand her a sealed envelope from his inside pocket. “However, the family of the deceased has made the case that the furniture was not explicitly bequeathed-“

”It was implied!”

“Therefore it is to be repossessed and put up for auction.”

Auction?” She stepped forward and put her hands on her hips, leaning into his face. ”And I supposed it was that wretched Behetimal who ordered this?”

The young man swallowed heavily, glancing down at the roll of parchment in his hand. “I do believe he had part in-“

”I refuse to go to auction to buy back my own petching furniture. You want money, fine. How much for the lot?”

“You want to buy it now?”

Losing all patience, Rosela leaned in close and spoke through gritted teeth. ”How. Much.”

Clearing his throat nervously, he took a large step back under the guise of unrolling the paper. “Let’s, ah, let’s see here… The total would be 540 gold mizas. Even.”

For a moment, Rosela could only glare at him as he rolled up the paper and clutched it like a weapon. ”…Fine.” Turning on heel, she marched back to the cart with her old things and gave the driver a toothy approximation of a smile. All she had to do was pay the man, get everyone out, and she could enjoy her house in peace. ”Could I possibly just pop into my trunk for a moment?”


Image
Image

Have a moment? Maybe drop by and leave a peer review?
User avatar
Rosela
Bring me pretty things.
 
Posts: 906
Words: 739794
Joined roleplay: August 24th, 2012, 7:54 pm
Location: Riverfall
Race: Eypharian
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 6
Featured Character (1) Featured Contributor (1)
Featured Thread (1) Trailblazer (1)
Overlored (1) 2013 Mizahar NaNo Winner (1)

Moving on Up

Postby Rosela on April 18th, 2014, 12:20 am

Image

A bell later and Rosela sat tiredly in the same iron bench she’d made her plans in earlier. The sun was setting over the water and the shadows of the house were growing long and curious. She’d managed to track down some dusty cleaning supplies in the closet off of the kitchen, and had made some progress first in the master bedroom, then at pushing some dead leaves around the courtyard into a pile. Unsure of what to do with them after that however, she collapsed onto a bench and simply watched them begin to slowly disperse in the evening breeze.

There was a deep thumping noise from the front of the house, and she frowned in that direction. It took a second thumping for her to realize someone was knocking on the door. The broom went flying as she skittered to the entryway, hauling open the door just as another knock came.

”What?” She called unceremoniously, expecting the solicitor once more, despite his promises that the house was now fully hers. Instead, she saw a tall, muscular, ruby-skinned Akalak, frozen in mid-knock. ”Oh, I’m sorry, I thought you were… Can I help you?”

“Uh, yea… I have, um…” His voice was low, and thick with a Tukant accent. Looking down at his hands, he fumbled out a piece of paper, which she soon recognized as her job posting with a series of written directions down the side, from Malin, no doubt. “I am Courlut Hensan, and… I am answering your ad…for a…butler. Malin directed me…to your address,” he spoke with heavy gravity, and the air of one reciting a practiced speech.

”Oh yes, Malin said someone would be by. So you understand the terms?”

“Yes, uh,” he cleared his throat and looked down at the paper again. “Cooking, cleaning, answering the door, organization, and trustworthiness.” He looked back up at her with a smile so pleasant, Rosela couldn’t help but return it. “I can do those things.”

It may have just been the long, exhausting day, or perhaps Malin had been exactly right, but she felt she could truly trust this man. ”Great, I’m glad to hear it. Job’s yours, if you want it.”

His smile widened into a grin, as did Rosela’s. “Yes! Thank you! I start…tomorrow, then?”

”Actually,” she flipped a hand in an attempt at flippancy. ”If you could possibly just do a teeny bit of work tonight? There’s-“ She took a swift breath in an attempt to steady herself, but her bottom lip wobbled at the memory. ”There’s a really, really big spider in the bedroom, and…I don’t want to sleep with it in there…” The stress of the day suddenly washed over her, and the memory that there was indeed a bestial arachnid trapped – hopefully, still – under an upended wash basin on her bedroom floor was simply too much. Her old home was gone, and she couldn't even sleep in this one without the worry that the hairy creature was going to escape and crawl over her face. Her bottom lip stuck out and to her internal horror, her eyes began to fill with tears.

Suddenly, she was wrapped in red, muscular arms, with one massive hand patting her hair. “Ssh, ssh…” He said soothingly. “I will take care of the spider.”

”…Thank you.”

Ledger :
House Price Breakdown
House Image
House Floor Plan
I have a color coded version of the floorplan that outlines where each room/grade goes, if it would be required to double check my math.

Grade Room Cost Notes
Elaborate Master Bedroom 2500gm
Elaborate Bath 1000gm
Simple Office 200gm
Simple Bath 200gm
Elaborate Courtyard 1500gm +3 Simple Common Areas
Simple Library 500gm
Simple Kitchen 800gm
Simple Dining Hall 750gm Halved in Size
Simple Bedroom 175gm Halved, Servant quarters
Simple Bedroom (2) 700gm 2nd Split into 2 Rooms
Simple Storage 250gm Divided into 3 areas
Simple Storage 125gm Halved
Simple Common Area 250gm 421sqft Total
Elaborate Common Area 2250gm 622sqft Total
Masonry Walls 590gm 295sqft
Subtotal 10790gm
Building discount -2697gm -25% for Used Buildings
Sell old house -500gm
Total 7593gm 759pts

Current Perk Points: 755pts = 7550gm
7593gm -7550gm = 40gm deficit

I had to do a little creative accounting with the house, as IC, she gets it for free and would technically have an extra 500gm from selling her old home. However, I worked that 500gm into the points-price of the house, so to account for it being paid, she used the 500gm plus the 40gm leftover from perk points to pay for the furniture that normally comes included with buying housing.

Total Ledger Changes
Item Cost Cost Note
Cotton Dress 2gm Double layered = double cost
Hat 4gm
Heels 10gm Used ‘dancing’ shoes price
House Cost 40gm After points
Total -56gm


Image
Image

Have a moment? Maybe drop by and leave a peer review?
User avatar
Rosela
Bring me pretty things.
 
Posts: 906
Words: 739794
Joined roleplay: August 24th, 2012, 7:54 pm
Location: Riverfall
Race: Eypharian
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 6
Featured Character (1) Featured Contributor (1)
Featured Thread (1) Trailblazer (1)
Overlored (1) 2013 Mizahar NaNo Winner (1)

Moving on Up

Postby Caelum on February 1st, 2015, 2:42 am

Image
Thread Award




Rosela


Skills
Business +2
Intimidation +3
Investigation +4
Law +1
Observation +3

Lores
Preskon Levrat: Died, Stomach Sickness
Behetimal Levrat: Relative of Preskon
Law: Basic Estate
Layout of New House
Courlet Hensan: Butler



Notes


Thank you for handling the ledger requirements already and congratulations on your new home! Don't forget to edit your post in the grade request thread to reflect completion and don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
User avatar
Caelum
The best way out is through.
 
Posts: 1961
Words: 1093768
Joined roleplay: March 18th, 2010, 10:27 pm
Location: Riverfall
Race: Ethaefal
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Journal
Plotnotes
Medals: 11
Featured Character (1) Featured Contributor (1)
Featured Thread (1) Guest Storyteller (1)
Lore Author (1) Peer Reviewer (1)
Trailblazer (1) Donor (1)
One Thousand Posts! (1) Extreme Scrapbooker (1)


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests