I'll be your friend indeed... [Closed, Incomplete]

[toiling_prince]

WHO: Sabriel (shewalksindeath) and Char (toiling_prince)
WHAT: A meeting of friends
WHERE: Char's rented house/apartment
WHEN: Day 171, morning (backlogged)

Comments

New thread to deal with the squish. XD

[shewalksindeath]

Unique.

"Well, I'm pretty sure we won't find a centaur for her here, but a little bartering might get us a parrot," Sabriel joked. She scanned the street for stalls in a general sweep, looking for something that stuck out, oddly rather interested in this goal. For Char's sake, at least, she wanted to get a good gift for Ella.

"Would she wear jewelry, if it were strange enough?"

We're good at that sort of thing. Squishing.

[toiling_prince]

Char shrugged. "I would o't say jewelry should be strange." He stuck his hands in his pockets. "Elegant, but simple." He nodded at a gaudy gold-polished necklace. Unique, but not Ella. "I would not presume to say yours and Ella's tastes are similar, as jewelry is not my area of expertise, but I do believe you both understand the value of it."

Ella might be a rebellious daughter, but she was still a noble. Char figured any lady would like even a simple locket, except those who required material proof of their wealth.

He pointed at a silver chain, on which hung a charm. He believed it to be a native one. "Similar, perhaps, to that?"

ONLY 'CAUSE WE MAKE THESE TWO FLIRT TOO MUCH.

[shewalksindeath]

Sabriel rolled her eyes. "You know that isn't what I meant," she teased him gently, but the smile slowly disappeared. "This jewelry is strange for where I come from."

That one, for example. The one Char pointed to. Yes, it was sweet, definitely beautiful, but for her a strange piece indeed.

"That's certainly a nice one..."

She fiddled with the pendant around her own neck. Secretly, she liked hers better.

How much is 'too much'? D:

[toiling_prince]

[*would not, btw, I made a spelling mistake]

He hadn't intended to buy it for Ella anyways. But he nodded and continued down the row, oblivious to Sabriel's inner critique. He kept moving, as if looking more places would give him the absolute best chance for a good gift for one of his friends.

Char found a dozen sparkling window decorations, all of which threw beautiful specks of light, but were a little too delicate (in his opinion) to entrust to a slightly clumsy Ella. He smiled fondly as he looked at them, remembering the funny stories of Ella and her ability to wreck things. At least they made him laugh, which was more than he could say for the court ladies, or his father's councilors.

...Actually, too much doesn't really exist. XD

[shewalksindeath]

Sabriel scanned the wares, too, but came up with nothing. She honestly wanted to help Char, but that she'd never even met Ella was proving a hinderance.

She passed a few earrings she liked, at least, but she didn't know if Ella had pierced ears; there was a bracelet that was nice, but far too frilly for her taste; the phenomenally beautiful gold bell that caught her eye, she reasoned, had probably gotten her attention for personal reasons rather than it being right for Ella.

In short, she wasn't really being much of a help at all.

"...Is there anything in specific you're looking for?"

WELL GOOD.

[toiling_prince]

Unbidden, the words a ring popped into Char's mind. That was ridiculous. Why did he need to give Ella a ring? He wondered briefly if the words were a good idea or not before banishing the words.

Silly notion. A bracelet or other gift was of equal value.

He nodded. "Something that just speaks to me, I think." It was a poor explanation, one he should have expounded upon for Sabriel's benefit. His eyes spotted another necklace, a small pearl surrounded by tiny leaves of silver.

It seemed to be a water lily resting in water. He reached out to it, gently touching the charm.

Simple, but elegant.

[shewalksindeath]

"Well, there you go!"

The brightness in Sabriel's voice broke the odd calm. "That one's really... phenomenal," she added, faltering only slightly. It was a thing of beauty, without a doubt - a jeweler's masterpiece, simple though it was. And definitely unique. "She'll love it."

Her fingers went up to her own necklace again then, inside the chain, playing gently with the pendant.

"You've got an innate sense of the beautiful, Char," she said, smiling warmly at him. "It's rare, in men."

[toiling_prince]

Char bought it as well, deciding the price was worth it. He took it in a small bag and slid it into his pocket, smiling at Sabriel. "Thank you for the compliment. I have a sister. Perhaps her love of the beautiful affected myself as well."

With a more contented smile, Char allowed himself to relax again. Ella would receive a gift. "Would you like to go to the park as well, or shall we call it a day? I do not care either way."

It left her free to choose.

[shewalksindeath]

Well, she wasn't about to choose the latter.

"The park would be nice," Sabriel considered, then met with a smile.

They walked quickly, and close together, Sabriel's fingers twirling the pendant around her neck automatically.

"Thanks again," she repeated, on the way. "For the necklace. It's... really something."

And I finally tag...

[toiling_prince]

Char nodded. "You need not thank me," he said quietly, "you are a friend."

He smiled when they got into view of the park, the trees and underbrush a welcoming sight after seemingly endless streets, houses, and people. Even a city prince, such as himself, had missed the gardens his parents kept near the palace, and he had been out on skirmishes with ogres before appearing here.

He breathed in, smelling the trees and the nature. Char approached the bench and sat down, with near perfect posture, and relaxed a little more. To be with a friend, in a peaceful place like the park...

It was bliss, a feeling he'd only found a few times.