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]

[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.

[immacolato]

Did her heart soften? Did she learn?

[unvarnished]

That's another story to be told at another time.

[immacolato]

[ She pouts. Childish as that may be. ]

But you have not told me how this story ends.

[unvarnished]

Well, let's see... So the girl finally opened her heart and realized the man's love for her. She came to his shop and accepted the shoes. The moment she put them on, her feet felt light. Like she could float off the ground if she wanted. It turned out the man's love was so strong it enchanted the shoes.

The girl could hardly ignore that, so she kissed the man and swore to love him back.

[immacolato]

[ Better already. This is the kind of story she likes, even if she still tries to hide how giddy it makes her to hear the happy ending. ]

But is it possible to swear to love another?

[unvarnished]

It depends on what you swear by. A wise bard penned that you shouldn't swear by the inconstant moon unless your love proved likewise variable. But if you swore by something unchangeable, that seems like a safe bet.

[immacolato]

What if she swore on a mountain?

[unvarnished]

A mountain still has a beginning and an end, and can be worn down. You wouldn't want your love to be like that.

[immacolato]

Blood ties then. Family never ends.

[unvarnished]

If I had to swear by anything, it would be my father. [even though he kind of waited twenty-eight years to keep a promise to his father. Oops]

[immacolato]

[ Not her father. Better her brother. ]

He would be unchangeable then?

[unvarnished]

His love for me didn't change, and that's the important part.

[immacolato]

[ She smiles too, as if they have finally reached an understanding. ]

Undoubtedly.

[unvarnished]

[he smiles back at her. He likes Lucrezia as she is, but it's nice seeing her so much less burdened]

You ever want another story or just to hang out, let me know.

[immacolato]

[ She tips her head in question. ]

Do you mean to leave me now?

[unvarnished]

I wouldn't want to hog all your time. Your other friends will want to see you.