Editing 110212Rubio

Jump to: navigation, search

Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.

The edit can be undone. Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then save the changes below to finish undoing the edit.
Latest revision Your text
Line 1: Line 1:
Merlin cancelled his spell and Rubio walked away, skirting the walls of the crowded ballroom before heading toward the centre.  Certain very careful listeners noted that Merlin and Rubio’s just-ended conversation was identical to another that was being had across the room. Flora'''[1]''' in particular would chide Merlin later in the evening for his sloppy Spellcasting during one of her formal events.  
+
Merlin cancelled his spell and Rubio walked away, skirting the walls of the crowded ballroom before heading toward the centre.  Certain very careful listeners noted that Merlin and Rubio’s just-ended conversation was identical to another that was being had across the room. Flora  in particular would chide Merlin later in the evening for his sloppy Spellcasting during one of her formal events.  
 
 
  
  
Line 7: Line 6:
  
 
“You seem not yourself, my Liege. What furrows that golden brow of yours?”  
 
“You seem not yourself, my Liege. What furrows that golden brow of yours?”  
 
+
Rubio jumped slightly, startled by the sudden appearance and amused voice of Sancha to his right. The baron was wearing one of the tracksuit tuxedos that seemed the fashion at this party and in the same unfortunate shades of golden yellow and burnt orange as many of the party goers. Sole points of individual style were limited to a silver chased black tricorn hat and a short queue of glossy black hair tied with crimson and golden ribbon .  Sancha was in masculine form, for the most part, wearing striped track pants rather than the skirt favoured by the women at the party and sporting the thin moustache that had been his constant companion for the last several days. A discerning viewer might have detected femininity in the shape of the face and to a lesser extent in the slightly rounded suppleness of the body, but not so much as would seem out of fashion for a young nobleman at a formal ball.  
Rubio jumped slightly, startled by the sudden appearance and amused voice of Sancha to his right. The baron was wearing one of the tracksuit tuxedos that seemed the fashion at this party and in the same unfortunate shades of golden yellow and burnt orange as many of the party goers. Sole points of individual style were limited to a silver chased black tricorn hat and a short queue of glossy black hair tied with crimson and golden ribbon. '''[2]''' Sancha was in masculine form, for the most part, wearing striped track pants rather than the skirt favoured by the women at the party and sporting the thin moustache that had been his constant companion for the last several days. A discerning viewer might have detected femininity in the shape of the face and to a lesser extent in the slightly rounded suppleness of the body, but not so much as would seem out of fashion for a young nobleman at a formal ball.  
 
  
  
Line 15: Line 13:
  
  
Sancha smirked, petting his moustache. “I considered it a tactical exercise, my Liege. Caine’s entourage was apparently missing a few members this evening and his captains have a fondness for  . . . a certain type.”
+
Sancha smirked, petting his moustache. “I considered it a tactical exercise, my Liege. Caine’s entourage was apparently missing a few members this evening and his captains have a fondness for  . . . a certain type.”
  
  
Line 30: Line 28:
  
  
At that statement, the Baron’s body appeared to melt, losing colour until it was little more than a clear, gelid, vaguely human mass. It stayed this way for but a moment, before reforming and solidifying. Sancha’s head, hair, hat and voice had remained nearly unchanged throughout.  Rubio tried to focus on that. She--for there could be no doubt of her sex, was wearing a ball gown of rich green, accented with white.  Her scent had also changed, from cedar musk to damask rose '''[3]''' entwined with cinnamon.  The only remaining traces of masculinity might be discerned in the square set of the shoulders and the moustache, though that too was faded, more feminine somehow. She grabbed Rubio’s hand, “There, I do not think that anyone should be scandalized by our dancing now”
+
At that statement, the Baron’s body appeared to melt, losing colour until it was little more than a clear, gelid, vaguely human mass. It stayed this way for but a moment, before reforming and solidifying. Sancha’s head, hair, hat and voice had remained nearly unchanged throughout.  Rubio tried to focus on that. She--for there could be no doubt of her sex, was wearing a ball gown of rich green, accented with white.  Her scent had also changed, from cedar musk to damask rose  entwined with cinnamon.  The only remaining traces of masculinity might be discerned in the square set of the shoulders and the moustache, though that too was faded, more feminine somehow. She grabbed Rubio’s hand, “There, I do not think that anyone should be scandalized by our dancing now”
  
  
Line 93: Line 91:
  
 
For some moments they continued dancing in silence, Rubio fuming. Their moves, while technically impeccable, were performed with a level of strength and snap ill-suited to a crowded dance floor filled with casual dancers. Upon seeing this Flora considered asking the band to change to a tango, but decided to keep the music where it could do less damage.
 
For some moments they continued dancing in silence, Rubio fuming. Their moves, while technically impeccable, were performed with a level of strength and snap ill-suited to a crowded dance floor filled with casual dancers. Upon seeing this Flora considered asking the band to change to a tango, but decided to keep the music where it could do less damage.
 
 
“What are we, you and I?”Rubio asked. “Count and Baron?  Friends? Certainly not Lovers. How am I to treat you?  Either man or woman, dearest companion, or lying confidant?  Betrayer, friend or foe as you see fit or as those whom you serve determine.”
 
 
 
Sancha looked visibly stung by Rubio’s words and he was getting harsh looks from the other dancers.  They spoke not through the remainder of the dance.
 
 
 
The dance ended and Sancha made a formal courtesy, eyes lowered, still holding Rubio’s hand, “I have been and will be what I need to be. For you, my Liege."
 
 
 
Rubio continued to hold Sancha’s hand tightly, on another it might have been painful. “What I need now is your loyalty”, he said directly but quietly, “ and absolute discretion, from the Hendrake clan and any others who might seek to give you or me orders.  Do I have your word?”
 
 
 
Sancha held quiet for a moment, her face momentarily impossible for Rubio to decipher. '''[4]'''
 
 
 
“Sancha, do I have your word?” Rubio repeated, loudly enough to get disapproving looks from those around them.
 
 
 
Her eyes gazed into his hand tightly as tightly as he held. “You have it, my Liege.”
 
The band started their next piece, a tango this time, at Flora’s request.
 
 
 
Rubio released his grip and spoke quietly, “Then we must leave this place.”
 
 
 
“Certainly, all of reality can wait until we have at least one more dance?” Sancha asked with mock beguilement.
 
 
 
It occurred that way. [5]
 
 
 
'''Footnotes:'''
 
 
'''[1]''' - Flora, for those keeping track is mistress of ceremonies, Future Mother-in-Law of the Guest of Honor, and had been escorted to the ball by none other than Rubio. Rubio is, however, way too much of a stick-in-the-mud to interest Flora for very long once the actual festivities had started. She will take the time to feign jealousy later on, when it is convenient to her.
 
 
'''[2]''' - A.K.A. Rubio’s Heraldic colors
 
 
'''[3]''' - A.K.A Rose of Castille
 
 
'''[4]''' - Not that he is particularly good at that even at the best of times.
 
 
'''[5]''' - [[http://www.aesopfables.com/cgi/aesop1.cgi?ab&TheMoralPrincipleandtheMaterialInterest  To get the reference ]]
 

Please note that all contributions to RPGnet may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here.
You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see RPGnet:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission!

Cancel Editing help (opens in new window)