FADE RIFT [INBOX]

[shri]

ＬＡＤＹ ＬＡＫＳＨＭＩ
( Lady Lakshmi, Bai Saheba, Rani Lakshmibai )

ＶＯＩＣＥ | ＡＣＴＩＯＮ | ＮＯＴＥＳ

Unavaliable To All:

• 30mins around dawn
  
  Only to Voice:
  
• Hour training morning and evening
  
• Any time she's gone riding.
  
• When she's in the field.
  
  Only to Book:
  
• When she's otherwise in a meeting, leave a message.
  
• Very late at night or early in the morning.
  
  Other:
  
• She usually takes her morning meals in the mess hall with everyone else.
  
• Her days are usually spent in Kirkwall seeing to either her personal business or Inquisition tasks.
  
• She has a bath twice a day, every day.
  

Comments

[villieldr]

( Well, that makes her smile, and it is somewhat unexpected. )

Did you enjoy tickling the bear bellies with your questions?

[shri]

[ She practically bursts into laughter. Her voice rich with the mirth of it. Oh yes, yes she had. ]

You think I were their own mother, pulling their hair.

[villieldr]

( A quiet huff of laughter. )

I've never thought that when you pull my hair.

[shri]

[ Lucky at least, that Magni isn't here to see how she smiles, bemused, she is not in love with Magni, they are neither of them the kind, but she could not be mistaken for anything other than fond. ]

Nor I, you.

[villieldr]

I thank the Mountain-Father we have been spared the confusion.

( So serious. )

How busy are you?

( She knows better than to ask a diplomat if they are busy, because when can the answer ever be "no"?)

[shri]

I suppose I can finish rousing them for the day. [ Another happy little laugh. ]

Why, have something in mind?

[villieldr]

( A non-committal sound, a quiet hum. )

I don't want to interrupt your fun.

[shri]

I am sure they would praise you most heartily if you did.

[villieldr]

Room or office?

[shri]

Room.

[villieldr]

( There's no reply for a while, until there's a knock at the door.

And behind the door? Magni, being Magni, living her Magni life. )

[shri]

[ And Lakshmi opens it, down to the shirtsleeves, rolled up to her elbow, boots off but socks on. Clearly between her roles at the moment. Business to attend to later, the last of her work finished for now on behalf of the Inquisition. A scattering of books and clothes but all of it - as ever, neatly ordered. In its place. ]

Come in.

[ She steps back, waving her on as she goes to finish up the last of what she was working on. Not that a word of is legible to anyone but herself, all those long letters of her own language. ]

[villieldr]

( Out of habit, now, the boots are pulled off before she steps in, looming into the room. Takes in familiar details, notes differences, tilts her head at the sight of the script. Her fingers trace the lines without touching the page or ink, and she looks to Lakshmi conspiratorially. )

Keeping your love poems secret?

[shri]

[ The flick of pages, the thump of one book on top of another fill the space between words. Lakshmi laughs as she works, a brief sound tossed over her shoulder before she goes back to her clearing. Leaning over the desk to put things in their appropriate places. Queen she might have been once, but let it be said she did not need servants to look after herself. ]

You should be so lucky, they would be truly awful if I were writing them.

[villieldr]

( Isn't it

unfortunate

that Magni is taking a seat on the desk

that Lakshmi is trying to

clear

what a shame

a random happenstance

oh

no )

[shri]

[ It happens to be, no less, right as Lakshmi goes to grab a piece of paper that - Magni just goes and sits on. She blinks, surprised, tugging briefly before she looks up and fixes her with a look. ]

After something?

[ Pronounced with the firm knowledge of just what that answer is with the prompting. Her hand plants palm down, wrist turned up, leaning in that half breath of space towards Magni. To hold that gaze still, leaning her hip on the edge of the desk. ]

[villieldr]

( A blink of surprise.

Such surprise. Very genuine. )

Me?

( The brief drop of her gaze towards Lakshmi's mouth is not very subtle, alas. )

[shri]

[ Oh, she is sure it is so very genuine. What on earth could she want? ]

Oh, yes.

[ But she snaps her hand before Magni could squirm too far free, could come up with something witty to distract her from the thought, that follows through to action, taking a strong grip about her collar. Hooking by it to reel her down ( all her coy questions about being so damn tall come full circle ) and stop, just in front of her. ]

Unless you simply want for me to read the notes from my meeting this morning with Enchanter Herian?

[ The kiss does not come, of course it does not, when did either of them make it so easy? But the smile curls. Her head tilting. To let play and ghost the soft breath against Magni's cheek. Chasing it with the tip of her nose up the line of her jaw. ]

[villieldr]

I am no diplomat.

( Quiet, a casual dismissal of that very unhelpful suggestion, thanks. The delivery and tone of it wouldn't really suggest that she's just been pulled closer by her collar, even if it does just slightly betray the flicker of a smile at the corner of her mouth.

But her Manu is being stubborn and silly. She's pretend to complain, but it wouldn't be very convincing and she tilts her head to catch her cheekbone with a kiss, try to interrupt that playful running along her jaw with a stubborn kiss. )

[shri]

[ And there is such a joy to it, to being solidly kissed. Smiling into it. A laughter as soft as their lips and she chases it briefly. Letting her fingers relax that little, splaying wider against the material, that light brush against her lower jaw. Because she is in a merry mood, after all, her teasing today.

But if she thinks that is the end of it - ]

Ah - ! [ She pulls up, not far, her eyes looking down them, watching Magni's lips. ] Of course, my mistake, you must have surely come to tell me how my sword fares.

[villieldr]

( hoisted on her own petard


Magni leans back very slightly, eyebrows raising only very slightly, betraying her faint incredulity. )

That is a bad euphemism. ( And she says it so seriously, settling her hands at Manu's waist, and gently guiding her closer, if she will comply. ) But I will indulge it, if you demand it.

[shri]

[ She steps with it, coming to settle between Magni's knees. Opting to slide her arms over her shoulders as she does so. Her elbows hooked over and around to settle against her back. Just as promised, her fingers tangling with the ends of her hair. ]

I am paying you for such a thing.

[ - And she might be utterly oblivious to what she really means by that. Because she is a woman that has lived in a brothel for years now, but she is a busy one. She cares for the girls, has an ear for their troubles when they need it, but a sword is a thing in her hand that cuts down her enemies, is her pride and the honour of her people. ]

[villieldr]

Euphemisms?

( Quiet, as she tilts her head so she can look to Manu.

The closeness, the fingertips playing through the ends of her hair, makes Magni smile a little more, as she lightly circles her thumbs over Manu’s hips. )

Perhaps I have something to entertain you.

[shri]

Do you just?

[ There is a challenging lift to her head, a go on then, that she juts with her chin. A laughter that is brimming behind words and eyes, that crinkles in little lines that belong to an older woman, all worn in with time. Yet sit on her young face. ]

I am eager to hear it.

[villieldr]

( Magni just smiles, looking up at Manu—

It should not be fondly, but it is. What can she be, if not fond and adoring? She can accept it, at least, without ego or crisis. Not so Manu, she thinks. )

I think your Majesty may be scandalised.