xix. dictated, action

[heloise]

Lana
How about an early morning ride?

Micheletto
You will help me with my crates. [ Because packing is tough. ]

Stephanie
Tell me if you mean to visit, even if not to see me. He would not find unexpected guests so pleasant.

What does it mean when the castle gave some no glimpse of old age?

[ Lucrezia is on her knees in the church in town, hands counting through her white rosary and reciting her prayers under her breath. She keeps her hood over her head.

It might seem foolish to believe that saying something over and over again gives it greater weight, or that time and voice can buy penance, but she feels she must at least-- try. She isn't praying for her own soul, she wonders if she would ever. But she loses count of how many times she has said the Ave Maria, and stands to go. ]

Comments

[ofhope]

If only actual clouds tasted half as good...

[ Not that there's a taste in the first place, really. He would have a lot more fun flying if clouds were marshmallows, for certain.

Glancing over the dresses offered in the display window once they near, he shakes his head, but moves to open the door for her anyway. ]

It's unlikely we'll find something I've seen back home, but we might discover something similar. I suppose it depends if you want to dress conservative or flashy?

[ Stupid question. ]

[heloise]

Whichever is beautiful, whether conservative or... flashy.

[ Lucrezia lets go of his arm to saunter in, chuckling to herself with glee at all the pretty things. Her pleasures are simple. Really. One dress catches her eye, a gold sequin one. She brushes her hand over the surface to watch it sparkle. ]

What do you call this?

[ofhope]

[ Joshua has to chuckle as he slips up behind her to peer over her shoulder at what she's observing. ]

Just because I read a lot doesn't mean I know all the topics, you know. Fashion isn't my forté. I think you might need a girl's opinion...

[ He sighs and taps his cheek, as if this is a real problem, when really it's not at all. Who cares what she wears. ]

Too bad Hendric is no longer here, although she rightfully dresses as modestly as a nun. The same goes for that other Exorcist. Fiore's no better, and Rizelle was a shameless demon. I have no useful personal examples for you, unfortunately.

You should just should pick whatever makes you feel like a foreign princess.

[heloise]

[ She brushes her fingers against the dress one last time before moving through the rack, sparing him a glance over her shoulder. A nun and a shameless demon, is it now? ]

Do I not already dress like a foreign princess to you?

[ His suit and tie seems foreign enough to her, but five hundred years is a long time by any measure. She stops at a dress behind a glass display, gold and flashy indeed. She thinks it would be what Turkish princesses wear, perhaps. ]

And this?

[ofhope]

To me, yes. I meant by your standards.

[ Joshua really is no expert on what's considered high fashion, even in his own time, other than what Aion has told him to wear. He does still have subtle gut reactions to shamelessly tacky outfits (Rizelle and Faye Valentine come to mind), but otherwise hardly cares. Sometimes he has a favorite, but... They're all just dresses in the end.

He did say she looked good in gold, though, and he already knows he likes her in red. (White might be his favorite.) ]

Maybe with a jacket.

[heloise]

[ Lucrezia doesn't believe white suits her anymore. White is for virgins, nuns, children. Doves, the symbol of purity. Once maybe, not anymore. Red hides many stains and gold will never be tarnished by blood or otherwise.

She smiles his way before gesturing for the attendant to take it out of the display so she can hold it up against herself for him to see. ]

It does seem to be missing its sleeves. [ Not that she personally minds, but for posterity's sake. She matches the hem against her knee. ]

And stockings to match.

[ofhope]

[ Oh, this is more fun than shopping for ties. His mood seems to pick up almost visibly. ]

Stockings?

[heloise]

Yes. [ She hands that dress to the shopkeeper with a nod, she can go try that. ]

White or red? Another gold would be too much, do you agree?

[ofhope]

White.

[ Because it's a classic and there's nothing wrong with it. ]

[heloise]

White it will be. [ Said to the attendant to fetch so she can take Joshua's hand to go to the dressing room. She totally knows how dress shops work now, thanks to a few good lady friends. ]

Let us see the dress first, the jacket after.

[ofhope]

[ He'll follow, but even Joshua's had enough social etiquette drilled into his head to know to stop just outside the actual dressing room. ]

You're sure you don't want a back-up, just in case?

[heloise]

[ But Ino followed into the dressing room!

She hesitates by the entrance and looks between Joshua and the shopkeeper... She would need help with even getting out of her dress. The shopgirl then. ]

You would choose me this "back up" while I change?

[ofhope]

[ He considers, then nods. What she picked will probably work just fine, but it won't hurt to find something else, like he said. Don't people bring multiple clothes in? What does he know. ]

Do you want something similar?

[heloise]

[ Lucrezia just smirks his way before slipping into that dressing room. ]

Whatever you would like to see me wear, Joshua.

[ofhope]

[ Oh that look. Maybe he shouldn't pick a conservative dress.

The one Lucrezia has already picked out is fetching, and fairly daring considering her timeframe. He's only gone for maybe five minutes before returning, knocking on the door with a chipper lilt to his voice, holding a silk dress embroidered with glass beads in front of him. ]

Lucrezia, look what I found. It must have ended up here from a castle resident. It says it's from Italy, 1920.

[heloise]

[ Five minutes only sees her done with taking off her dress, even with help! But she giggles at how cheerful he seems all the same, shopping for dresses seem to interest him more than buying ties.

She dismisses the store attendant once she has the dress fastened, which takes less than a minute. Zippers must be among the world's greatest inventions. She steps out to look at the gold dress, brushing the fabric between her fingers. ]

Italian, and from your time as well. Perfect.

[ Lucrezia steps back from him and does one slow turn, stopping to look at herself in the mirror with a hesitant smile. Is she wearing this dress right? ]

[ofhope]

[ He watches her spin, his interest a mixture of curiosity and desire. ]

It looks good. I think it could be worn in the summer or winter, if you choose whether or not to wear stockings and a jacket.

[ Versatility is essential in all things, is what Aion would say. Even regarding clothes. Suits might be standard, but they're sharp as well as useful, making it easy to blend into a crowd.

But girls like to show off, and there's nothing wrong with it, he supposes. ]

The dress on this fabric feels like water when you run it through your fingers, though. If you pin you hair up, you would look like a movie star.

[heloise]

[ Lucrezia laughs, finding his comment amusing. Her father and brothers would only fawn at how she looks. Vanity may run in the family. Not that she minds, she already knows how she looks and his eyes says better than any phrase.

She steps closer to run her fingers against the finger like he says. ]

Someone told me of movie stars. She said they are beautiful people who play out stories for the pleasure of the viewers.

[ofhope]

[ Nevermind that the shopgirl is like right there. ]

Yes. Like actors on a stage, only the films make them immortal.

[heloise]

I should like that. [ Immortality, that is.

Lucrezia only acknowledges the people she chooses to. In this case, Joshua. She takes that dress from him and reaches to take his hand along because yes indeed, who cares about the shopgirl? ]

You will help me put it on.

[ofhope]

[ Joshua doesn't much consider his surroundings when acting on a whim, either, but he does know that other people tend to. He wonders again if this is because she's sad, or happy, but follows regardless. ]

The zipper's on the left shoulder...

[heloise]

[ She just laughs, because really the zipper could be in front for all she cares. But the dress she is wearing is fastened on the back, so she turns to let him, watching over her shoulder. ]

Do you know who invented zippers?

[ofhope]

[ Joshua shakes his head, while leaning back against the door to close it, quiet while he unfastens her dress. Sometimes he's too distracted to handle his clothing, let alone others, but it seems that these dresses are a lot easier to handle than his own shirts. ]

No.

[ As the dress's back parts, his fingertips drift from the fabric to graze her skin, brushing upward along her spine while he continues to murmur, expression placid. ]

I guess you should always have another girl who might know more about shopping with you.

[heloise]

[ She holds her breath as his fingers trail up, shivering only he reaches the base of her neck. It is always difficult to know what he means when he wears that face, let alone what he's thinking. ]

In your absence?

[ Lucrezia pushes the straps off her shoulders, leaving her in white stockings and panties. Her camorra would only look silly under that dress. She steps over the dress on the floor to reach for the other one. ]

[ofhope]

[ That gets a shadowy chuckle before his hand drops away and he watches, face unchanging as ever aside from the occasional shift in lucidity and pining his own gaze offers. ]

It would make me look just terrible if I scared away all your friends with my bad behavior.