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[formidable]

Private AU/PSL RP, set anywhere from 1879 alternate history France to 21st century North America. A tale of two brothers and the witch and her golem who gets entangled in their lives. Urban fantasy, steampunk, magic, guns, and coffee collide. ➤ PART I ➢ "La Caravane".

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[infusion]

Literally weeks, Claude!

[One can see the bounce in her step as Iona steps into the cafe, bare feet and all as she bounds over to Claude.]

I'm happy to see you! I'm guessing Gus safely gave you the care package from us?

[pragnanz]

Come, come. There are people who I see only once a year, and even that seems excessive. I would have thought you'd be fine with putting a few months between my visits.

[ Victorian social standards mixed with Claude's standards, a dangerous combination. ]

But, yes. I've received your package, despite every effort to dissuade the tedium of gift-giving. I suppose I'm obligated to give you something in return.

[infusion]

Once a year? Excessive? C'mon, I'm not like that one relative you're obligated to see once a year! At least I hope not...

[She plops herself down across from him and lays her arms across the new table.]

Do you feel like it though? I remember telling you to at least visit and so far, so good.

[pragnanz]

Miss Iona. If you were a relative of mine, I assure you that I would have walked out of this door the moment I stepped in.

[ Which, in his language, means that Iona is far from being a social contract that he has to obey; if she were, he wouldn't be here. But he's not generous nor honest enough to offer that information without extreme digging.

So he quirks his lips up instead. The expression isn't lightly crooked like his half-brothers'. ]

As for the gift-giving, I suppose you'll have to be content in the knowledge that I came straight here instead of dawdling around Paris for a suitable offering.

[infusion]

I'll consider that an achievement. Go team!

[Iona beams although now she has to ask him...]

So if it's not too much, I could ask you to tell me what exactly happened after you both returned from the cafe? I'm sure Oren left a lot of people wanting.

[pragnanz]

[ Her question is relatively harmless, except for all the memories it dredges up— not all of them bad, apparently, because Claude promptly starts cracking up. Demurely. ]

Oh, where to start. [ He could be serious about all of this, he supposes, but he'll choose not to be. For now. ] Perhaps I should ask you if you want to know about the rumors that've circulated about you, before anything else.

[infusion]

Rumors?

[Her brows furrow for a second before she cautiously replies.]

Did I really make that much of an impression...?

[Iona...]

Okay, lay it on me. What are they saying?

[pragnanz]

They're very flattering.

[ Which means that no, they're not. ]

'The bare-legged witch', for one. 'The stripping seductress'. The 'beautiful masquerade menace'.

1/2

[infusion]

[OPENS MOUTH.

CLOSES IT.

Glances to the side. Glances up at Oren who serves her a tall glass of iced water with lemon and a plate of thin wafer cookies. He doesn't say anything.]

[infusion]

[And then she snaps her fingers decisively.]

I like number one and number three. My legs are pretty great.

[pragnanz]

See? Glowing reviews.

[ A chuckle under his breath, though he hoped Iona would be more indignant?! What a jerk. ]

In comparison, everyone's assessment of Oren was horrifically drab. The usual chatter about a prince from some obscure country or other.

[infusion]

Prince of the Kitchen, maybe. They're all onto something.

[She leans on one elbow, rolling her eyes.]

Still, I gotta say, "seductress," is a first. I'm not that sneaky if you're able to tell by now.

[Truly, for someone who's magical nature is supposed to be secret, Iona was quite the, "Wham, bam, boom," kind of person.]

[pragnanz]

Yes, I've gathered. Though I suppose seductresses don't require tact if they have magic on their side.

[ Not that he thinks Iona is just going to go around using magic like that willy-nilly. He's just blithely teasing. ]

Or if they're as open about showing your knees are you are, incidentally.

[infusion]

You and Gus have seen plenty of my knees. It shouldn't be a problem at this point.

[pragnanz]

[ A slight tip of his head, here. ]

Have I. How rude of you to assume that I look anywhere below your face— I've manners, you know.

[infusion]

[She actually may look like she's put off-guard here and tries to recover, waving her hand dismissively.]

H-Hey, c'mon! Even I'm not making that assumption. And they're just knees. Like they're just... there...

[Her gesturing is very energetic, but what isn't energetic about her?]

[pragnanz]

[ Ah yes, good, now he's got her. He smiles languidly to himself, a cat with a canary, and breathes a short chuckle under his breath. ]

Well, well. Now I won't be able to help myself from looking, will I? What have you done.

[infusion]

[Not even Oren can save her from this because he figures she better deal with it She takes her glass of water and takes a long drink before replying with a wrinkled nose.]

What haven't I done at this rate...? You're making it sound as if things are gonna go downhill.

[pragnanz]

And what if it does? You'll earn the interest of a man quite a bit older than you, and all the baggage that comes with him. I'd be hard-pressed to find that anything but downhill.

[ He laughs again, gently pushing his empty cup to the side. ]

[infusion]

[Well. Can't say she saw this coming and for a split second she isn't sure how to respond. But just a split second. Because she just reaches over and pokes Claude on the forehead with one finger.]

The "stripping seductress" here is thinking that you're being a being disingenuous.

[pragnanz]

She would be right. I've never been candid about anything in my entire life, unfortunately.

[ Is this also him being disingenuous? Absolutely.

He returns the poke with a tilt back in his chair, pulling his face out of her range. ]

[infusion]

[Iona deflates by pulling back and then resting her chin on the table with a sigh.]

... It goes without saying, but I'm happy both you and Gus are safe. When I didn't hear anything, I was starting to... I don't know. I didn't prep myself well enough.

[pragnanz]

For what? Our absence? I'm sure Auguste must have shattered any illusion you may have had about a life in which he didn't come knocking, so I've nothing further to add to that.

[ Immediately defensive the moment Iona starts mentioning feelings and emotions: Claude Aubert. ]

You worry too much. If you'd spare half your heart worrying about things of actual importance, I'm sure you wouldn't get yourself caught up in messes like ours.

[infusion]

I worried about my brother getting a cold and wrestled a werewolf... Does that count?

[She may be joking, but for reals it's not as if she isn't busy...]

[pragnanz]

Wrestled a werewolf.

[ SO, SO BLITHELY... ]

Your seduction techniques leave much to be desired.

[ CLAUDE?! what is this assumption?! ]