WHO: Alexandrie, Athessa, Bastien, others TBD WHAT: card games, bard games, etc WHEN: late Guardian to mid Drakonis WHERE: Around Kirkwall, later Orlais maybe NOTES: laying groundwork for Athessa going on an extended Bard assignment
[ For all that the ice on the roof is a danger, it's probably a blessing; if they're both concentrating with all their might, neither of them can start laughing again. Unfortunately Athessa makes it to the flat of the roof before Alexandrie does, and so when the former starts talking and the latter looks up, the latter also slips on the last bit of ice and squeaks with alarm.
Fortunately there are both a lot of rats in Lowtown and the marks following them are still yelling so it goes unheard by all save the stars and the Bards and Alexandrie reaches the rooftop without further incident. ]
When was the last time you travelled towards the horizon?
[ Athessa stifles her laughter, both at Lexie's squeak and at how stupid the marks below are, and waits until the coast is clear to give the question any real thought. ]
Ffffuckin' forever ago. I mean we go places all the time but [ She gestures, all swinging limbs and stumbling feet. ] Ostwick was fuckin' torture, Ghislain was a mess, Churneau before that, it's all just pffffttthhhhbbbb—
[ She waves a dismissive hand at nothing in particular, trying to see which horizon will lead them back to the Asgard estate. Seems impossible with this late-night fog settling in. ]
This way? Or...fuck. That way? [ Be smart, look at the streets, not the horizon. ] Yeah, that way.
[ A pause as Alexandrie takes her own bearings, then decides it would be more fun to just follow Athessa around on the rooftops wherever it is the other woman ends up going. ]
When was the last time you left for fun?
[ It’s said with the same tone of innocent mischief that got them running drunk on the roofs with pockets full of someone else’s coin. ]
For fun?[ She echoes it in the same innocently mischievous tone as Lexie said it, but it takes her a moment to actually answer. (Not only because she's navigating a slick patch on the roof.)
When was the last time she left Kirkwall for fun? ]
Never? Going places has always been work or an escape, never just...for the fun of it. That's why me n' Baz've been talking about taking a griffon and goin' to Rivain one of these days. A vacation.
[ She shrugs, bodily. Staggers a step, but ultimately keeps her footing. She's not completely schwasted.] I guess a vacation's just another kind of escape, though, innit.
[ On the streets below, the fools in question have gotten far enough away from their trail that the buildings and fog and distance are all doing an admirable job of muffling the noise they're making. ]
[ A shrug, a smile, and then her eyes are back on the placement of her feet as they reach a steeper roof. ]
I have received an invitation from one of the few acquaintances of mine I have kept up with to attend a gala in honour of both his birthday and the completion of his most recent sculpture.
[ One foot on the roof's peak, ]
He is more focused on his art than the Game, but that has never stopped a party thrown by an Orlesian from flowing with secrets.
[ Her foot slips down the last few inches of the steep tile and she ends up pinwheeling her arms and her rump hits the roof. It's not even really falling, it's just a tipping back.
Yes. It is half again your height and made of solid marble; your assignment is to sneak it out in your breastband in the space of the three minute speech he shall be giving.
[ She looks incredibly serious, and then giggles. ]
No, he is my friend and we must allow him his triumph. Your assignment is to secure an invitation to the party as either guest or entertainer without utilizing your connection to me.
I know you perfectly able to secure yourself a position in the serving staff, and there are certainly things that only servants are positioned to learn and obtain, but there are also things that one can only be positioned to learn or obtain as a guest.
While I could certainly secure you an invitation to this particular affair, I cannot always do so, and it should not always be advantageous to be associated with me. In fact, it might be very advantageous for us to work separately.
[ She sits on the roof and leans back on her elbows, too warm with liquor and running and laughter to be bothered by the chill of it. ]
It is a relatively safe practice ground. After all, I shall be there and there is nothing needs stealing, no-one to abduct or assassinate. And, moreover, I think you ready for the attempt.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
no subject
Fortunately there are both a lot of rats in Lowtown and the marks following them are still yelling so it goes unheard by all save the stars and the Bards and Alexandrie reaches the rooftop without further incident. ]
When was the last time you travelled towards the horizon?
[ Is that a direction? She'll amend it. ]
Any of them.
no subject
Ffffuckin' forever ago. I mean we go places all the time but [ She gestures, all swinging limbs and stumbling feet. ] Ostwick was fuckin' torture, Ghislain was a mess, Churneau before that, it's all just pffffttthhhhbbbb—
[ She waves a dismissive hand at nothing in particular, trying to see which horizon will lead them back to the Asgard estate. Seems impossible with this late-night fog settling in. ]
This way? Or...fuck. That way? [ Be smart, look at the streets, not the horizon. ] Yeah, that way.
no subject
When was the last time you left for fun?
[ It’s said with the same tone of innocent mischief that got them running drunk on the roofs with pockets full of someone else’s coin. ]
no subject
When was the last time she left Kirkwall for fun? ]
Never? Going places has always been work or an escape, never just...for the fun of it. That's why me n' Baz've been talking about taking a griffon and goin' to Rivain one of these days. A vacation.
[ She shrugs, bodily. Staggers a step, but ultimately keeps her footing. She's not completely schwasted. ] I guess a vacation's just another kind of escape, though, innit.
no subject
[ She reaches out unconsciously in an attempt to catch Athessa when she staggers and ends up nearly slipping herself. ]
Ah, merde! [ A giggle, before she continues. ] Which what I have in mind would be.
[ In a tempting sing-song: ] But also fun.
no subject
[ Har har. ]
Awright, what is it then? Fleecing more fools?
[ On the streets below, the fools in question have gotten far enough away from their trail that the buildings and fog and distance are all doing an admirable job of muffling the noise they're making. ]
no subject
[ A shrug, a smile, and then her eyes are back on the placement of her feet as they reach a steeper roof. ]
I have received an invitation from one of the few acquaintances of mine I have kept up with to attend a gala in honour of both his birthday and the completion of his most recent sculpture.
[ One foot on the roof's peak, ]
He is more focused on his art than the Game, but that has never stopped a party thrown by an Orlesian from flowing with secrets.
[ and down the other side. ]
Or being good practice.
no subject
[ Her foot slips down the last few inches of the steep tile and she ends up pinwheeling her arms and her rump hits the roof. It's not even really falling, it's just a tipping back.
Through the ensuing giggles, she wheezes: ]
Practice for what? More parties?
no subject
[ Alexandrie picks her way past that obviously dangerous step with heavily exaggerated grace and poise. ]
Well, if one happens to be a Bard.
no subject
You practice that at parties?
[ Yes of course she does. Everybody practices grace and poise at parties. (Athessa usually practices pretending to be drunk at parties.) ]
Am I...stealing the sculpture?
no subject
[ She looks incredibly serious, and then giggles. ]
No, he is my friend and we must allow him his triumph. Your assignment is to secure an invitation to the party as either guest or entertainer without utilizing your connection to me.
no subject
What.
no subject
I know you perfectly able to secure yourself a position in the serving staff, and there are certainly things that only servants are positioned to learn and obtain, but there are also things that one can only be positioned to learn or obtain as a guest.
While I could certainly secure you an invitation to this particular affair, I cannot always do so, and it should not always be advantageous to be associated with me. In fact, it might be very advantageous for us to work separately.
[ She sits on the roof and leans back on her elbows, too warm with liquor and running and laughter to be bothered by the chill of it. ]
It is a relatively safe practice ground. After all, I shall be there and there is nothing needs stealing, no-one to abduct or assassinate. And, moreover, I think you ready for the attempt.
no subject
As she realizes that no, this isn't a joke, her expression shifts from baffled to incredulous. ]
W-Uh that's... I mean who — what —
[ Blink. Shake head to clear it. Start fresh. ]
When and where is this gala and what sorts of people get invited?