[The Emporium] Curious Company [Venser]

by **Raven Nightfoot** on May 8th, 2014, 7:32 pm

22nd of Spring, Spring 514AV

Ravok, the Evil City, the one her parents had forbidden her from visiting her travels, which was probably more than half of the reason that the young woman had decided to come here instead. She didn't see the big deal, but it had been obvious that her parents main reason stemmed from them being Syliran Knights and therefore, Ravok was their enemy city, in their minds at least. Sure the city had it's differences, sure there were some more questionable practices, but all in all, there were many similarities as well. For example, both cities lived under the strict rule of their versions of government, both the Ebonstryfe and The Knights were quite oppressive, or at least that's how she saw it.

The dark haired young thief found herself strolling through The Merchant's Ring today, browsing stores here and there for anything worth buying, or stealing. The weather, unremarkable, the people, more so, the day was turning out to be quite a bore. A few steps later, amber eyes fell on a less than pristine looking store, The Emporium, it's entrance was large and allowed her a good view of it's contents from inside. She could see an array of different wooden sculptures of all shapes and sizes from where she stood outside of the store, some unusual and some familiar. So, fuelled by both curiosity and boredom, Raven decided to examine the store's contents more closely, perhaps something inside would catch her eye.

Hips swayed naturally from side to side as Raven entered The Emporium, bright amber eyes examining each sculpture as she followed the narrow path. She wore her usual attire, tight black leather pants, boots and corset, lips painted a deep blood red and stuck in their usual sultry half smirk as she sunk deeper into the forest of art. For the most part, she found the sculptures impressive, but they didn't seem like an ideal target for theft, most were too big to carry and even the small ones would be difficult to snatch if she were to try in broad daylight, so instead she just continued to observe.

by **Venser Rush** on May 8th, 2014, 8:50 pm

Typical.

An ordinary day passed in the Emporium, the lack of patronage making itself known, Venser subject to the isolation that he did not entirely despise, though silence had its way of imposing its will upon the Rush twin. It enforced the work that he did within the place, and allowed Venser an environment where he could finish his assigned duties and simply leave. No longer given a schedule, but a weekly list of assignments to complete and touch upon, Mikayas allowed Venser a great measure of freedom so that he could continue with his education at the Institute.

It was a lucky matter, for Venser was beginning to feel constricted by the limitations imposed upon him by the mundane job that Mikayas gave him. Yes, it was beneficial, yes, he enjoyed woodcarving, but Mikayas and Venser never quite saw eye-to-eye when it came to the practicality of art, and in truth, Venser was much more prone to making solid structures than stylized ones. It was, of course, something he needed to learn, but at the very least, Venser's proficiency in finishing the work that Mikayas started kept him with things to do.

This day, Venser worked on one different than most of the others that he had seen Mikayas pass to him. A structure of wood, though it shone in places with the brilliance of silver, leaf pressed into the wood and attached to it. It was, of course, Venser's job to polish both it and the wood beneath, though at the placement of the gold, Venser could not help but wonder what this was.

By appearance, it was a stalwart warrior, radiant pauldrons shining with the splendor of the leaf, smoothed to perfection, though dust specked at the surface, the wood around the pressed silver rather rough, unpolished, and a shallow crack wrecked the surface. It was a nightmare to behold, the sculpture, approximately the size of Venser's forearm, likely worth a small fortune with the leaf and the details carved into the face and form. The facial features were very stylized, mouth thrown open as if shouting words of war, eyes narrowed, a wide nose with flared nostrils presented to the world.

Armour adorned the warrior's (Likely a Paladin... Knights are not welcome in this city...) chest, silver embossed into grooves in the armour, weaving a design made of the metal, a process that the blonde was unaware of the workings of, and astounded by. It was when sculptures of this scale were made, combining several different disciplines and likely requiring several different people, that Venser knew that his employer was truly renown. He wondered for a moment, Where does Mikayas find these contacts? This is truly remarkable... before he decided that in the context of his task, it was an unnecessary question.

The Rush twin instead allowed his eyes to traverse along the surface of the sculpture, noting yet another rough edge along an insignia found at the back of the cuirass. Venser had set the sculpture upon his working desk, the sculpture's head reaching to his eyes, a rather obtrusive thing, so the Rush twin pushed it a few inches back, his left hand reaching for the sanded leathers as he heard the sound of footsteps make themselves heard. There was a potential patron about.

Picking up an order? Mikayas did say that a woman was picking something up later today. But he said he would handle the transaction himself. He's not here... I assume he made an appointment.

A frown marred the Rush twin's features for a moment before he decided to go about his work, completing the task ahead of him and allowing the patron several chimes to look for whatever she desired to purchase. The sanded leather was placed into his left hand, Venser slowly moving it along the surface of the wood, a kneading motion impressed into the carved wood. The process slowly wore into the crack, dissolving it and allowing the wooden dust to fill the rest of the crack, a phenomenon that Venser expected to occur.

Fill the flaws with sawdust, and then gloss over it with the polishing serum. There is a brush for this sort of thing.

The blonde then moved to the insignia upon the back, quite unable to recognize the significance of it, though the shape in it of itself was strange. A leaf bore its shape into back of the sculpture's cuirass, the entire form obviously stylized and exaggerated in beauty, which made the significance of it all the more obscure to the Rush twin. However, Venser did complete the first step to the finishings, the flaws, for the most part, erased in favour of smooth, polished appearance. Venser had a note in his right hand detailing the engraving he was required to do, but that was to be saved for when this customer was dealt with.

A smile marked itself into the Rush twin's lips before they parted, crystalline eyes adopting a warmth that was normally absent from them as he spoke,

"Welcome to the Emporium, dear lady. Is there anything that I may assist you with? I am Venser Rush, and, for the moment, your servant. If any particular piece is of interest to you, please feel free to mention it and I can turn it to allow an alternative perspective or fetch the price. All sculptures in the shop are made by the renowed artist, Mikayas."

by **Raven Nightfoot** on May 9th, 2014, 5:03 pm

" Welcome to the Emporium, dear lady. Is there anything that I may assist you with? I am Venser Rush, and, for the moment, your servant. If any particular piece is of interest to you, please feel free to mention it and I can turn it to allow an alternative perspective or fetch the price. All sculptures in the shop are made by the renowned artist, Mikayas. "

Raven had been completely lost in her thoughts as she browsed the stores various products, amber eyes examining the shapes and faces, fingertips trailing along the sculptures to feel the different textures. It was crazy to think that so much could come from something as simple and common as wood. It was only when the she was interrupted by the sound of an alluring voice that she even noticed the young man in the store.

As he spoke, her amber eyes took in every available detail, shamelessly running along his form, his ash blonde hair, pausing for a moment at his lips and then finally coming to rest on his grey-blue eyes. Finally, someone attractive. Raven had been in Ravok for a few seasons now and she had not come across anyone who's appearance was particularly alluring...up until now. The sight of the handsome young gave her somewhat of a refreshing feeling, the long beauty drought finally over.

His greeting seemed friendly and professional enough, a bit of a bore perhaps, but she did enjoy him calling himself her servant, it gave her confidence a tiny prod which she welcomed, but a customer greeting would not be enough for her. First came 'The Look', her amber eyes focused on his grey-blue ones with a visible intensity, followed by a minor lip bite which then turned into her trademark sultry smirk as she took a few steps in the young man's direction, hips swaying a bit more than natural, seductively. "It's nice to have you at my service..." she said in a teasing tone before adding, with some emphasis, ...Venser. her smirk growing slightly wider.

Another step closer as she broke her gaze with the handsome young man to peer around at the sculptures for a moment before returning her amber eyes to his once more, "These sculptures are quite attractive, but I'm afraid something else has caught my eye."
once again she used her teasing tone as she ran her fingers along one of the sculptures, "So tell me, handsome, do you spend all your time hidden in this store?" she asked curiously as she leaned in, resting her arms on the counter, a small yet genuine smile crossing her lips.

by **Venser Rush** on May 13th, 2014, 12:04 am

A smirk materialized across the Rush twin's features as he listened to the rather sultry tone in the woman's voice. Her words, slowly spoken and baiting, spoke of a teasing, the beginning of a game that Venser enjoyed to play on occasion, though he found his time occupied by things of a more relevant nature. Miro, the Institute of Higher Learning, and the Emporium were beginning to drain all of his time, the result being that he lived a life filled with things to do, yet devoid of a true sort of entertainment. Of course, enlightenment could be called its own reward, but perhaps it didn't need to be the only reward present.

A moment of silence passed before the Rush twin moved forward at his desk, a slight chuckle escaping his lips before he made hi way closer to the woman, crystalline eyes fixing themselves upon the woman's form, noting that she, unlike the majority of the patronage that entered the Emporium, was neither old nor in the presence of a man, her pursuits in the realm of business likely limited, but it wasn't Venser's store to worry about finances, so he could afford to invest his time in a different matter altogether.

The woman did not introduce herself, leaving Venser only to guess at what she could be, or who, but he found himself neither caring for the details nor seeking to ask them, a vague memory stirring in his mind before it was quelled, Venser locking himself into the present as hands rose from beneath the desk and invisible to one resting upon the table, his left and dominant hand reaching forward to caress the woman's cheek as his smirk dissolved into that of a smile, eyes locking with hers as he listened for sounds of movement upstairs. Confident that Mikayas was not in the shop and prone to interrupting the exchange Venser and the mystery woman, he decided to toy with her, as well.

"I wouldn't say all of my time, dear lady. But, it is always a good thing when such a lovely woman comes to break the monotony. It can get so lonely here, after all."

A gentle motion moved Venser's thumb along the woman's cheek for a moment, a deliberately slow movement made before he retracted his hand, offering the woman a smile to match hers, a genuine expression breaking what was ordinarily a false, friendly smile that he had to adopt while working.

It feels... nice to have a conversation while at work. Mikayas is just shy of being a ghost when he's not teaching me something. Never here. and the customers... a false face is all I can manage. This is pleasant, if anything.

Venser's right hand brushed along the surface of the table, picking a stray wood shaving and playing with it between his fingers in an idle motion as he stopped paying attention to his environment. This one was, after all, worth his full attention.

by **Raven Nightfoot** on May 14th, 2014, 10:49 pm

Even if the man had stayed silent for the duration of her visit to The Emporium, she still would have been enjoying his company like she already was. His handsome features had caught her attention, his eyes had made her curious and his apparent willingness to participate in her little dance was what made her stay. It was after all a dance she had done many times before and often used to her advantage, but this time it was solely for entertainment. Or at least, that's what it's reward so far.

When the handsome Venser leaned forward on his desk, she mirrored him, leaning slightly closer to him, getting a better, closer look at those light eyes, a rare colour, just like her own. He raised a hand to caress her cheek, a gesture she wasn't too fond of although she didn't pull away. Instead her smirk grew slightly and her amber eyes stayed locked on his. She had nothing against the gesture, it was simply that she was used to more bold men, rather than gentle one's, although, then again, she supposed most of the men she'd given her attention were a great blend of both. Perhaps Venser would be the same, time would tell.

His words were well chosen and delivered equally well, clearly he was charismatic, probably considered a ladies man to the young woman of Ravok, but Raven was not so easily won over, she would continue to probe the man until she'd come to her own unique conclusion. "Well I'm glad I could be of assistance..." she started, her eyes slid over the room and it's contents before returning to Venser's as she spoke, "...though I dare say I understand. After all, this venue doesn't hold much appeal for socialising." she of course had nothing against The Emporium, she only meant that it really only served it's purpose, which was business.

A short moment passed in which Raven's mind began to ponder what else the handsome man had to offer, other than sculptures, charisma and his obvious physical appeal. It was then that she realised that she hadn't introduced herself, not that it mattered much, in her opinion it was always better to keep people wondering rather than divulge all her secrets all at once. "I'm Raven by the way."

by **Venser Rush** on May 22nd, 2014, 11:44 am

In truth, this venue did not hold an appeal for much of anything at all. Venser worked for the Emporium not for a true love of the craft of woodcarving but in order to subvert facts that were already beginning to unravel in the city of Ravok. Venser was becoming known in the city for being prone to violence in the scene of a bar, witnessed performing acts involving the strength of a being far more powerful physically than his body lent the impression of him being. Perhaps most could not link it to magic in it of itself, but Venser had become, at the very least, in the space of a tavern, sort of a pariah.

The Silver Sliver welcomed him, though looks of disdain were flashed by the bartender and the patronage, a relic of a fight taking place there. Malfazar's was likely the same way, with the incident in the Winter that involved the ruination of several tables and an intervention on behalf of the Ebonstryfe. An arrest was made that day, an innocent (if the filthy Svefra could be called innocent...) soul condemned to a life of slavery, with Venser profiting from the endeavor. The Rush twin reflected upon it for a moment before he snapped back to reality, his fingers parting from the woman's cheek a tick after she had begun speaking again, his focus returned as he listened to her call out her name.

Raven.

An interesting enough name, though something about this woman seemed slightly off. Venser could not tell what just yet, though her entrance into the Emporium and her continued presence had less to do with any intention to buy and more out of personal interest. Venser noted the woman's gaze, her eyes filled with an almost predatory stare, amusement flickering in them as a dancing light in her strangely coloured irises. Venser pulled at the wellspring of his djed, his intrigue with the woman enough to merit a power play on his behalf. He called the djed, bringing it from the depths of his soul and to the forefront of his mind as he pulled at the woman's aura, synchronizing with it as he allowed himself to grow closer.

His concentration remained unbroken as he looked directly at her, his shoulders moving forward, bringing the rest of his body with them as his lips vibrated with the sensation, an unnatural sensation, of cold metal. The woman's body seemed to shine with the radiance of shining gold, the light stemming from her chest and head respectively, the vague bit of information not quite enough for him to garner, though he allowed a moment longer before breaking the connection to her aura, finding nothing but a vague sense of the woman's possible fascination with gold. It was a common obsession, and the rush twin ignored the feeling of apprehension he felt earlier, instead deciding to move closer to the woman, his face approaching hers as he spoke out, tilting his head so that as he pressed forward, his lips were nearing hers.

The Rush twin had no intention of making contact, simply allowing proximity to do the work he desired for it to do as he replied,

"Is there a different place you had in mind then, Raven? For a woman as lovely as yourself, I'd be more than happy to spend time away from the store. It can, after all, tend to itself, I believe."

It's not like someone's going to steal a sculpture. Re-selling one sounds difficult. The artist signs his work, making it obvious that it's stolen.

What was the harm in some entertainment?

by **Raven Nightfoot** on June 5th, 2014, 2:09 am

Raven watched the handsome man curiously, enjoying the aesthetically pleasing quality of his appearance, it really was a welcome sight after weeks of unremarkable masses. As she watched him he seemed to return the favour, although his gaze felt more intense, more probing than hers. He leaned in towards her, shoulders moving forward, only furthering her suspicion as to what he was searching for in her appearance. She paid the thought no mind, instead thinking on what the handsome young man had to offer her, the answer being a good time either in bed or out. Regardless of the outcome, Raven was not yet ready to part with the man's refreshing appearance.

A short moment passed and the man seemed to return from wherever he had disappeared to, the intensity in his grey-blue eyes dampening slightly as he thought on her words. Slowly he began to lean in until his face was mere inches from hers, her sultry smirk growing slightly at the new proximity. It seemed that Venser wanted to play a game, a game she knew all too well...her game. The thought only made her smirk grow more as her amber eyes trailed slowly down his face and to his lips, focusing on them for a moment before returning to his when he began to speak.

" Is there a different place you had in mind then, Raven? For a woman as lovely as yourself, I'd be more than happy to spend time away from the store. It can, after all, tend to itself, I believe. "

The compliment was noted, but his eagerness to continue their little game was what grasped her attention the most, a feeling of satisfaction running through her. She paused for a moment to enjoy the feeling before responding, being sure to lay the suggestive tone on thick, "Well, this is your city...so why don't you show me a good time." she finished with a small wink before slowly retracting, pulling away until she could return to a standing position, arms sliding off of the counter and folding across her chest.

Raven couldn't help but wonder where he would take her, she felt like she knew almost all of places that Ravok had to offer so her curiosity wasn't aimed at their destination, instead it was more focused on Venser's choice. After all, the type of place he took her to would at least suggest what his intentions for her were, although she doubted they were different to what she'd already assumed them to be. Presumptuous? Perhaps. But Raven had met many men in her life and they almost always had the same end goal, it was the process of reaching that goal that interested her.

by **Venser Rush** on June 17th, 2014, 3:40 am

A good time...

The Rush twin's lips curled into a smirk as Raven's tone made her intentions clear. It was so from the very beginning, a game. One that was by no means straight-forward, an exchange of wit that, unlike the tedium of social maneuvering in the ordinary sense,was one that he found of interest. It did not involve tedious, roundabout conversation, but instead, it was straight-forward. Tone conveyed far more than words ever did, the game intent on catching prey, a clear, concise purpose that ended in pleasure.

Sex.

It was the driving force behind so many things, the very fabric of the human spirit encoded to the inevitable, primal urge to engage in it. It gripped at the soul like a vice, though for some, they took advantage of it and weaponized it. Perhaps this woman was one of that sort, but Venser didn't care. On his person, he had little of value save for approximately six gold mizas, kept in his rucksask, though for the moment, he paid it no mind. Venser had no intention of returning to his room at Tarsin's. This woman, Raven, she spoke of promise that could not be denied.

Such thoughts required action, an immediate attempt made. Mikayas was not present in the Emporium at the moment, and a recent delivery was made... so he assumed that the sculptor would return home for the evening. Venser had the Emporium to himself, and the lack of a completely cramped space allowed Venser to try for an idea. The Rush twin moved from behind the desk, immediately moving to the woman. He would press an immediate kiss to Raven's lips, his right hand moved to the woman's waist, a slow, teasing motion that was intent on showing his intentions. Being forward, confident in his actions, was always the best way, from his experience.

He grinned at the woman when he pulled away from the kiss, his lips sitting just near her ear for just enough time to allow a few whispered words to escape his lips,

"How about... upstairs. It's forbidden to be up there... but you can be an exception, I think."

The Rush twin immediately moved past the woman when the words were cast, taking several steps forward and waiting for her to follow. If she did, the two would make their way upstairs, the 'shop' as it was called. A desk, similar in structure to Venser's own, though less cluttered, sat in the middle, tools on a table situated several feet behind it illuminated with the dimming light of Syna's marked path. Evening was upon them.

by **Raven Nightfoot** on August 3rd, 2014, 7:38 pm

With Raven's suggestion the little game of seduction between herself and Venser received a sudden increase in heat, her tone and body language was all she needed to initiate the game and lay down the rules, just one of the reasons she enjoyed this game so much, the other reason being obvious...pleasure. Her amber eyes watched the handsome man's face, curious as to how he would respond to her laying of the bait, but barely a moment had passed when she saw the understanding on Venser's face. Good, he knew what he was doing, knew how to pick up all the signs and arrive at the destination without Raven needing tell him what she wanted out loud.

She had to admit, she was a bit surprised when the handsome sculptor suddenly pressed his lips to hers, though she certainly wasn't disappointed, not in the slightest. She found his direct approach refreshing compared to the usual long and winding route that usually followed with most men. It was the simplest statement to understand after all. I'm beautiful. You're beautiful. Let's enjoy ourselves.

Her lips received his, pressing back with only the slightest hint of resistance as she felt his hand go to her waist while her own slid up passed his muscled body and came to rest on his firm chest. Then, just like that he pulled away to whisper a few words into her ear, continuing with their provocative theme. His words brought a naughty smirk to her full lips, getting straight to the point with a hint of flattery, which did not go unnoticed. She said nothing, there was no need, instead she simply turned and followed the handsome man up the stairs to the more secluded, yet slightly less cluttered upper level of the shop.

By the time Venser came to a stop near the desk Raven felt as if she couldn't wait any longer, she found his confident and take-charge attitude irresistible and they had delayed the pleasure for more than long enough. Her body was already heated up and her skin more sensitive, sure signs of her arousal. How long had it been since she'd allowed herself the carnal pleasure of being with a man, it felt like ages. Perhaps it had been ages? She couldn't remember the last time she'd met a man worthy of her precious attention.

Now that that they everything was in place, it was time for her to award Venser's direct approach with her own, something she had no qualms with doing. A hand went to the man's firm chest for the second time as she pushed him backwards, forcing him to lean against the desk as she roughly pressed her smaller, slimmer, softer, curvy body against his large and muscled one, giving them both a small taste of what was to come. Lush lips pressed against his as her hands made their way up the young man's body and came to rest around his neck. Enough time had been wasted.

by **Elias Caldera** on May 24th, 2015, 7:13 pm

Behold, Your Just Reward!

Raven Nightfoot

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