> The music between the notes, I cannot find. ( Princeps Julian | Helot Gaila | closed )

[inkhanate]

[It had been almost two weeks since the day Princeps Bashir had emerged victorious in the Rite of Contention over his cousin, Princeps Locken. However, he still seemed no closer to apprehending dissident Kira Nerys than he had been then. His rivalry with Locken continued; extended now into a race to hunt down the freighter Deleterious which had

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[kairomones]

[ once again she was left to herself, though at least this time it was not out of total neglect. she saw him every so often - often enough that no one could question his interest in her but herself. but she took away what she wanted from their encounters: experience in sparring, an amicable meal, a book or two from his shelf. each time she met him with the expectation that this meeting would turn into something more, but it never did. that was unsettling, but not altogether unpleasant. it wasn't as if she were intrinsically motivated to fulfill her duty, not when she seemed to enjoy all the same benefits when she didn't.

nonetheless, each new inaction continued to surprise her. his apology had been sincere, that night. he had given her a taste of freedom and now was reluctant to withdraw it entirely. it was odd that she was getting to know him better as a person than as a lover. the process was slightly uncomfortable for her, even if outwardly she had never enjoyed an easier or more fulfilling life as a helot.

gaila split the majority of her time alone between reading, fiddling very carefully with the limited access systems panel in her quarters, and visiting the arboretum. she was there today, with the intention to read yarlel's book of poetry under the flame tree. she found upon entering that there was soft music lilting through the trees, carried with the scents of the flowers. she had no desire to follow it and disturb its source, merely to enjoy it in her own corner of the room. however, the closer she came to her destination, the clearer and louder the notes announced themselves, until they possessed an almost trance-like quality that encouraged her to come come nearer and hear more.

she continued to step lightly, with the intention never to come into the player's sight, but just to steal a peek so she knew whom to blame for the strange but pretty music and the slight irritation she felt over her customary spot being taken. it shocked her to discover it was in fact the princeps, and the motivation to stay safely hidden diminished, as she was no longer as afraid of him as perhaps was wise. gaila came a bit closer, but still far enough away that she could listen without interrupting him, she hoped.

that was, of course, discounting the multiple tasks a human mind could occupy, and the above average keenness of his sense, that even as engrossed in playing as he seemed to be, he could apparently still hear her. she froze when he halted, though not because she was frightened. rather, she felt a bolt of guilt for disturbing what appeared to be a therapeutic practice for him, and for robbing them each of the music. ]

[inkhanate]

[Bashir stood, a faint flush coming to his olive-skinned cheeks that Gaila had been listening to him while he'd been unaware of it. He was unused to people roaming his arboretum, but he should have anticipated it since it was one of the few places on the Defiance that the Orion helot had been given free access to.

He bowed his head in acknowledgement of her presence.]

Good day. Have I taken over your favourite spot? I can easily find another.

[kairomones]

No, stay if you wish.

[ she bowed customarily in response to his node.

his presence didn't bother her, or at least it was as unintrusive on her consciousness as any human's could be. especially of late, when he seemed to expect nothing from her but decent conversation and fierce effort while sparring. gaila approached, though for some reason felt she still had to keep her steps quiet and light. ]

You may continue to play. I do not mind. Or I will find another place to read, if you prefer I not listen.

[inkhanate]

Your company would not be unwelcome.

[Bashir offered, sitting back down again, his back against the trunk of the Kurrajong. In truth, he was pleased to see Gaila, but at the same time, her proximity tugged on his senses, heightening his awareness of her and her feminine charms. The struggle to keep his thoughts and desires to himself recommenced.

He began to strum again, the same piece, but more softly so as to not intrude upon her reading. At least that was what he assumed Gaila wished to do, judging by the book in her hand.

He was unused to playing for others, making a performance of his efforts, and thus a bout of self-consciousness afflicted his playing. Not that it was terrible, but he was more conscious of any mistakes or hesitations which occurred.

Still, he did not wish for her to know how easily she distracted him and so he played on, no longer quite as relaxed or free as he had been before she had arrived.]

[kairomones]

[ she sat, her back to the trunk of the tree as well, and smoothed her silk of her dress over her legs. she usually liked to remove her shoes when she read in the arboretum, but decided not to while he was still here. gaila opened her book to where she'd last left off.

perhaps if she couldn't see him, he wouldn't feel pressured to play any more formally. she'd like the effortlessness of the notes earlier, the distinct lack of perfectionism in them.

however, as attuned to music as she was trained to be, she could tell that some of that had been lost. it saddened her marginally but she didn't comment, hoping that if she stayed silent, he would allow himself to forget she was listening and play like he had before. music was better, she thought, when passion came before form. ]

[inkhanate]

[Since Gaila had mercifully taken a seat on the other side of the tree trunk, out of his line of sight, after a while the princeps did begin to lose himself in the music again.

However, it could not be denied that his choice of next piece ('What if a Day' by John Dowland) was inspired by the woman sitting close but so very far away. He could almost imagine their backs were pressed together although the texture of the bark did not allow for such flights of fancy.

The melancholy ballad was perfect for his current frame of mind. There were lyrics to it as well, but he dared not sing them out loud. For one, he did not think his singing voice was of a quality to do the song justice but also the song might provoke his companion if she listened too closely.

And so, he just sang the words in his head, trying instead to put the sentiment behind the ballad in the music itself.

What if a day, or a month, or a year
crown thy delights
with a thousand wished contentings?
Cannot the chance of a night, or an hour
cross thy delights,
with as many sad tormentings?

[kairomones]

[ with the ease of his notes, she too relaxed, her grip on her book - not tight, merely aware - slackening and her weight resting more heavily against the tree. she thought it very lovely to read to, and could almost imagine falling asleep to it, but gaila didn't fall asleep with humans if she could help it. she read slowly, and turned the pages quietly, finding the meter more effortless to follow with the music to move the words along like a current.

the song changed and it caused her to pause in her reading, the flow of her thoughts gently disrupted. gaila waited for him to resume with slight anticipation, not knowing what piece he would select next, and it so happened to be one she had not heard before. nonetheless, she continued to read, but even as she did, it required a more conscious effort than before. rather than fight it, she closed her eyes temporarily and gave herself over to the music that was distracting her.

no wonder she couldn't read poetry while he was playing it. it was like hearing a poem, with lilts and lows that were melancholy, though not altogether surprisingly. she doubted he had chosen it indeliberately, though the exact meaning of it eluded her very like smoke - but the effect itself, despite being somewhat haunting, was too soothing to alarm her. ]

[inkhanate]

[When the song finally came to a natural ending, he paused, pondering what he should play next. But then as the silence stretched out, he felt a need to fill it with something. So he turned to look in her direction over his shoulder. The Kurrajong's trunk partly obscured her face.]

If I may ask, how do you fill your days and keep yourself occupied?

[It was a question which had intrigued him for some time. Perhaps he was expected to know the minutiae of her day, as though she were some prisoner under surveillance. But she was not. And he was curious. She held no function on the ship but to be his concubine. It had to be a frustratingly dull kind of existence. He, at least, had his mission to concentrate on, and the day to day running of the ship.]

[kairomones]

[ her masters tended not to care. they either expressly told her how to fill her days, or didn't concern themselves with her when she wasn't needed, but that wasn't to say she could avoid all aspects of her duty when she was alone. ]

I practice. Dancing and singing, mostly.

[ but it wasn't cathartic, like his playing had been. she missed it now, having to talk about the rehearsal of skills she as yet hadn't used and didn't like to when it was required of her. between that she sometimes tried to meditate to keep from being suicidally bored, and dabbled in human exercises like yoga and similar rigellian methods of relaxation and flexibility. ]

And I come here, to read and to think.

[inkhanate]

[He pondered that for a moment. The idea of Gaila practicing a craft which was merely for his own pleasure. Perhaps some months ago he would have been fine with that. Now, though, it seemed a waste. Not that he didn't enjoy watching her dance. But the thought of compelling her to dance did not hold any appeal for him any longer.]

Perhaps...I may be able to find other ways to occupy your mind.

[He shifted slightly, so that he could turn and see her better.]

What if I gave you access to our stellar-cartography database? This region is full of interesting phenomena to study. We encountered a class T nebula yesterday...

[Then again, it was entirely possible that Gaila had no interest at all in such things. Bashir was not even sure why he felt the need to try to help her fill her time more productively.]

And please, do not forget that any book you wish to read from my collection you need merely ask for.

[kairomones]

[ she looked over, hearing him move. stellar cartography didn't particularly interest her, but anything was better than nothing. she'd be a fool to say no, even if it only amounted to pretty pictures of pulsars and purple dust clouds. ]

I would like that, though I would not have the first idea how to go about studying anything.

[inkhanate]

If that does not interest you, I have a manifest of all the plants I have gathered here for the arboretum. If you wanted to find out more about them, I could make that part of the database available to you as well.

[He paused, uncertain as to whether to broach a subject or not. Still, his desire was to come to know her better, and for her to come to know him.]

Rel already had a position on the Defiance when we...when she became my concubine. She had a job to do, a purpose beyond being my companion. While it would be unwise to elevate you to a full crew member at this time, I would wish that you too would find some pursuits of your own choosing with which to occupy your time.

[kairomones]

[ she considered that, gaze turning to the arboretum. she would like to know more about the flora here... she would like to know more about a lot of things. but how much was too much? ]

I would like to read that manifest. And... [ she turned to look at him again, her tone careful. ] Do you have any information on holoprogramming?

[ it was harmless, nothing that could directly equip her with any dangerous skills. but working with any kind of code... she didn't know why she liked it so much, but technology was around her in abundance, and if she could make even a marginal bit of it understandable and accessible, it made it seem less stifling. ]

[inkhanate]

[Bashir nodded when she expressed interest in the manifest but then gazed more intently at her when she mentioned holoprogramming. He was not suspicious, though, more intrigued by the revelation. This, of course, was not something Gaila had even hinted at having an interest or aptitude in. She really did have hidden layers. Pleased, that she had volunteered the information, he held out his hand to her.]

I do. But I can go one better than that. Perhaps it is time to show you an aspect of the ship that few ever get to experience.

[kairomones]

[ she looked at his hand, feeling an ounce of trepidation. it was a reflex, which she quite easily put aside. trust was too strong a word for what she felt for him, but she didn't exactly expect to be escorted to his den of moral decay. her expression slightly questioning, she folded her book closed and accepted his invitation. ]

[inkhanate]

[The princeps did not relinquish his lute, deciding to take it with him rather than leave it lying unattended in the arboretum. It was perhaps the first time since they'd left D9 that he'd walked with Gaila standing equally beside him, rather than following meekly behind him. He had to admit that he preferred it, his hand holding hers. It was not a formal thing this time, and perhaps for that very reason it felt warm and pleasant to do so.

Bashir led her (with their bodyguards discreetly in tow) to a different level and stopped at a nondescript looking door. He keyed in an elaborate security code and placed his palm on the scanning panel to verify his identity. Then he called up one of his favourite programs, which was of the Serengeti grasslands on earth.]

Computer, begin program.

[He turned to Gaila and smiled, then indicated for her to enter his own personal holodeck.]