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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".

Comments

[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?! ]

[infusion]

[Okay, that makes her chortle, lightening the mood around her a bit.]

Thanks for the critique on my wooing skills.

[pragnanz]

A sad day, when you need to take advice from me on the art of wooing.

[ Not that he can't do it, but??? ]

Does that work for you? Wrestling?

[infusion]

Everyone runs away in the end. Strange.

[She sips her water and smiles pleasantly at Claude.]

[pragnanz]

I'm sure Auguste wouldn't. Be gentle with him.

[ Claude?! But he mirrors her smile, and carefully leans back in his chair. ]

1/2

[infusion]

Man, if I was a lesser person, I'd spit my water out...

Although if we're talking about actual wrestling and not the other wrestling, he'll have to get through Oren first.

... I'm confused.

[oren]

Wouldn't live.

[not helping oren]