xxiv. dictated

[immacolato]

[ The journal shows that it is indeed Lucrezia, but her voice is infinitely lighter, as if the weight of the world has been lifted from it and now her words can lilt more freely. ]

To the most gracious Cassandra Cain,

I was told you are kindly and most eager to help lost souls such as myself find my proper rooms at this certain Castle. Such that I would be grateful if you might ride fast to carry me away from this palazzo.

Perhaps my presence can bring you more joy than it has brought the master of this house, who does not seem entirely pleased by my interruption.

Most humbly,
Lucrezia Borgia

[ ooc; loss start! ]

Comments

[unvarnished]

I'll let you figure that one out. [and without any further warning, he turns and slips behind the tree she was reclining against]

[immacolato]

[ Oh, the game is on! The flower she was fiddling with is quickly forgotten as she rushes to her feet and runs around the tree to find him. Where could he be? ]

[unvarnished]

[he's usually better at being stealthy. But wearing dark clothing in this garden full of bright plants makes him stick out no matter where he is. And he's honestly not even trying to hide]

[immacolato]

[ And Lucrezia gives an intense chase, running as fast as her dress allows her (which isn't very fast honestly) trailing laughter as she goes. ]

[unvarnished]

[ugh Lucrezia stop being so cute. August hears her coming for him and stops, turning so she'll run right into him. Totally on purpose]

[immacolato]

[ His appearance takes her by surprise and she runs right into him, reaching to clutch at his arm to maintain her balance, and laughing still. Silly man. ]

Caught you!

[unvarnished]

Yes, you did. You're good at this. [he totally let her win]

[immacolato]

[ She knows it too, poking his chest with a finger in retaliation. ]

You are not very good at running away at all.

[unvarnished]

[he chuckles, taking her hand and squeezes it soothingly]

Next time I'll make it more challenging, I promise.

[immacolato]

[ Lucrezia wrests her hand away with a challenge in her eyes, and surely she means for him to catch her when she then turns on her heels to flee as fast as she can! ]

[unvarnished]

[he shakes his head, giving her a head start before running after her]

[immacolato]

[ She stops once she thinks she has covered enough distance, twirling about to see how far away he is. ]

[unvarnished]

[oh is she going to let him catch her? Because he'll keep running to catch up with her, if she is]

[immacolato]

[ Not as easily as he allowed her to catch him before! She laughs and flees again, though it would be easy enough for him to catch up when her skirts were never meant for running. ]

[unvarnished]

[quite easy, actually. He even cheats a little and takes a shortcut. Who said anything about playing fair?]

[immacolato]

[ Cheating is the best way to play any game. She slows to a stop when she doesn't see him right behind her. What where? ]

[unvarnished]

[side attack, Lulu. August is nice enough to not grab her, but he does tap her shoulder again]

Looking for me?

[immacolato]

[ She quickly twirls about but doesn't try to run away again. Watch her not cheat, for once. ]

I was looking for a storyteller.

[unvarnished]

Looks like one found you. Ready for a story yet?

[immacolato]

[ Lucrezia grins for a yes, turning about to reclaim her place under the tree, only looking over her shoulder to see that he follows. ]

[unvarnished]

[he sits down next to her, letting her settle while he thinks of a good story for her. She seems happier, lighter than he's seen her before]

Once upon a time there was a young man in love with a beautiful girl. This girl was admired by many, so the young man knew he would need to do someting special in order to get the girl's attention. The only problem was this man was a shoemaker. He didn't have the money to do anything impressive like buy her expensive jewelry or fancy food.

The one thing he could do was make her a pair of shoes. He spent all night making the shoes and presented them to her. The girl took one look at the shoes and scoffed at them.

"I have thousands of shoes!" she told him. "What do I need with more?" The young man was heartbroken and he took the shoes back home with him. Every day someone would come to his shop wanting to buy the shoes but he refused to sell them. He said they were for someone special. The girl rejected them, but he couldn't part from them.

[immacolato]

[ Lucrezia takes the time to arrange her skirt about herself, watching him with barely veiled eagerness. There is little fear in her eyes, few secrets, and so she is freer. ]

How cruel. Keeping them would only remind him of her always.

[unvarnished]

Maybe he wanted to be reminded of her, painful as it was. Some people keep mementos like that.

[he, for example, kept his hat from childhood and the string his father used to move him when he was a puppet]

[immacolato]

[ Just as lovers keep locks of hair even from those who have scorned them. ]

Will she ever learn to understand how he feels for her?

[unvarnished]

She learned, because she saw those shoes in his window every day. She saw he never gave up hope she would accept his gift.