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

Micheletto

[heloise]

Perhaps I meant it differently.

[ But she's not giving him an explanation, too busy piling up her dresses on the bed and choosing which to bring and which to leave behind. Her door is ajar. ]

action!

[ex_garroter234]

[He comes up to her room very shortly, as he said. Although the door is open, he knocks on the doorframe anyway before slipping inside.]

I am here, my lady.

yes!

[heloise]

[ Lucrezia stands before one such pile, looking visibly frustrated. ]

How many must I take with me? I should not like to have most notice my departure so readily. Perhaps, half? Two-thirds?

[ex_garroter234]

[He looks over the pile with some mild interest. That's a lot of stuff.]

Do you have so many visitors to your rooms that it would go noticed?

[...... that's not what he meant to say.] Will you need everything?

[heloise]

[ RUDE. She goes to start packing up her jewelry from her vanity. ]

Pack away all the red and gold ones, and a few of the others as you choose.

[ex_garroter234]

[Choices?!?! What will he do with that!

He does as she asks, though. He's very unused to handling jewellery, and it's pretty obvious by how extremely careful he's being. He may even be handling the pieces timidly. Maybe.]

[heloise]

[ She barely stifles a chuckle at how he's handling her things, wandering off now to pick up the calico kitten trying to swipe at the tassels on her blanket and plant a kiss on its head. ]

What if I said you have the right to say no, Micheletto?

[ex_garroter234]

[He's not really sure if this is a trick question, and it shows on his face when he glances up at her.]

That depends.

[heloise]

On what, exactly? [ She takes a step closer, chin high in defiance. ]

What if I said you have the right to say no always?

[ex_garroter234]

[Micheletto regards her coolly, expression passive.]

I am not a slave, my lady. Of course I may refuse.

[He goes back to packing these extremely delicate-looking things...]

But I do not wish to be dismissed.

[heloise]

[ She brings over a few pearly hairnets and places them on the bed beside the dresses, folding them up one by own. ]

Why not? I can easily free you from my service.

[ex_garroter234]

[He glances at her, still not very impressed. His words, soft-spoken as always, have a solid definitiveness to them. He is stating an actual fact.]

You will never find another in this world or in any other who is more loyal and deserving of trust than Micheletto.

[heloise]

[ She stops her fiddling to stare at him, judging his words. ]

No one, Micheletto? Not even my own brother?

[ex_garroter234]

[He has to think about it before he responds, really. His Eminence is trustworthy, truly, but only to his own ends. If it would advance his goals, he would surely betray Micheletto.

But Micheletto would never betray His Eminence.

When he finally does answer, he drops his gaze again, voice still soft, in volume as well as now in tone.]

Yes.

[heloise]

For you, perhaps. But not for me.

[ At least she dearly hopes so. She hands him the pile of hairnets. ]

Keep these ones with the dresses.

[ex_garroter234]

[He makes another quiet noise of understanding, not speaking on the subject any longer.]

Those you are keeping here or taking with you?

[heloise]

Keeping here. I rarely wear them now.

[ She moves away to survey the room. ]

What else must I bring?