176

[impure_tale]

I find myself in better spirits of late. Renate does not tire me so easily on her walks any longer, though they are still rather trying. I do not go into the enclosure without my cane because I will find myself leaning upon it sooner or later. The pain returns like clockwork, but not so intensely. Often in other ways, as though the small ruptures

Comments

[der_umgekehrte]

You sound a bit like a Malcontent. With respect and no insult to his family.

[He sounds... intrigued. Sounding like the Malcontent isn't a bad thing in the slightest. Stoshi sounded a bit like this, meandering and over-elegant, when he was in his cups... and that was never a bad thing either.]

[impure_tale]

You enunciate that word in a way that says to me you mean a specific person and not as the general term.

[der_umgekehrte]

A specific class of people at least. And one of that class. The slaves of the malcontent saint. Generally acknowledged to be filthy sinners all.

[Which might be an insult if it weren't said with such obvious fond feeling.]

Especially Cousin Stanoczk, who I knew on Aznir and a couple other places besides.

[impure_tale]

Where I come from we call them libertines.

[der_umgekehrte]

Hah! You can call them that, too. More to it; they do as much tricky work out of bed as they do in it. Information gathering, say. Any information, if the price is right. But if you're invited to a bed, I'd go. Reconciliation, they call it.

[His unlovely face takes on a distant, reminiscent look. Eight hours of reconciliation, if necessary. Strict taskmaster, was Stoshi.]

To reconcile you to your hurts. Or your sin. Or whatever.

[impure_tale]

You speak of spying.

I'm but a humble writer, Monsieur.

[der_umgekehrte]

Admittedly, your speech put me more in mind of the bed-and-sheets side of things than the spying and smuggling. If you don't mind me saying so.

[Appreciative, but not predatory. Stildyne knows he's not lovely and doesn't think the world at large owes him anything-- he's gotten that lesson knocked into his head at long last. He'll just appreciate the scenery.]

[impure_tale]

Oh always the bed-and-sheets aspect, persimmon. Do go on.

[der_umgekehrte]

Oh, I'm not the expert that Cousin Stanoczk is. A rudimentary student. Done it as an amateur all my life, of course.

[A playful Stildyne is a one with creases around his already narrow eyes, and a smile that tugs his thin lips almost to non-existence]

No ear for the poetry of it. I can appreciate a good ear on someone else, though.

[He'd bob his eyebrows, but only the one moves anymore.]

[impure_tale]

A good ear, a clever mouth, deft fingers -- there are too many pieces of anatomy for me to choose one in particular that catches my eye.

[Shifty look]

Unless the mood takes me, of course.

[der_umgekehrte]

Oh, I've got my favorites.

[Ahem]

But then what's your fancy. As a general thing.

[He glances down and notices that he's not filtered at all-- decides to leave it, it's still a fairly innocent conversation. If things get piscine he'll put up a filter.]

[impure_tale]

It differs from person to person.

[Smirk]

Though on a lady I am never one to ignore a perfectly formed backside, sometimes the most lurid and alluring aspect might be the playful dimple that touches the corner of her mouth when she smiles. Here I am waxing poetic.

[Raising an eyebrow]

At times I find myself rather fond of scars, too.

[der_umgekehrte]

Women. I don't mind them, if it's on offer and rude to refuse. Prefer gentles and their hindquarters, personally. There's something to the odd quirk, though. To the purse of a man's lips when he's sour about something. The oddities of hands.

...Scars, I suppose. Got to ask. Do you like looking at them. Or making them?

[Some folk in service house assume things about his habits; he's aware of it. He's avoided it, thus far.]

[impure_tale]

[This is going well :3]

I've made very few, no matter what the history books say. But looking, touching -- touch, you see, can make things very interesting. I believe I prattled on to Pavi once, the vulnerability you draw out of a person just in favoring their scars.

Private filter

[der_umgekehrte]

Well. That's a bit menacing. Aren't all the interesting things?

[He tilts his head as if things will resolve themselves at a different angle]

I'm newly arrived. I don't know how much trouble you're likely to get me in, if I forget I'm here to seal a deal. And you're in danger of getting me distracted.

[Doesn't sound like 'so I'm not interested'. Does sound like 'I probably shouldn't.']

Private filter

[impure_tale]

Welcome to our humble barge, Monsieur. The Marquis de Sade, at your service. The Marquis to friends, acquaintances and enemies. Donatien to the favored few.