paradisa | (no subject)

[ She chuckles. ] I can be that though we must not tell him the answer.

[ She fastens the gown from the sides with concentration and deft hands, tugging occasionally to tighten it before moving to tie the other side. ] My mother let me wear a simple robe over the camorra sometimes, when there are no guests to entertain. But now I must please my husband's eyes.

Our little secret.

[She watches Lucrezia as she fastens the gown, taking in the color and design when not watching her hands. She didn't pretend to be a princess as much as she pretended to be Superman when little, but she'd be lying if she said her inner child wasn't flipping out a little right now.

Her eyes are on Lucrezia's face after mention of that husband. She has a feeling she might regret asking this:] What's he like?

[ She lets the question hang until she finishes fastening the outer gown, even taking the time to reach for one of the sleeves first. She smiles to herself as she speaks. ]

My lord Sforza is a condottiero, a war lord. He has armies, castles. And he likes to hunt.

How... manly. [She makes a face. Can't say she's ever met a nice war lord with armies...]

[ Friendship points for that face, Steph! She scoffs, still smiling to herself as she holds up the sleeve for her to slip her hand through. ]

I will not have to bear his whims for long.

[Through the sleeve she goes, raising an eyebrow.]

Oh?

[ She tries to suppress the grin, busying herself with fitting the sleeve on Steph's arm, tufting out the decorated fabric inside. ]

Ezio said my marriage will be annulled soon, and then I will be in Rome again.

[Steph's mostly focused on the conversation, only glancing at her arm occasionally. Ezio, huh? He must have come across that while learning about Lucrezia's father.]

You're happy about that, right?

[ She glances at Stephanie and chuckles to herself. ]

Exceedingly.

Good. Then I am, too.

I'd pinch your cheek, but I'm not sure if I'm all tied in and everything.

[ She laughs. ] Only a little more.

[ And she hurries to get the other sleeve in case Steph is getting impatient. ] But why would you pinch my cheek, Stephanie?

Because you're way too cute. Definitely not a warlord's wife.

[ She busies herself with the sleeves to keep from blushing. ]

Perhaps I can be a duchessa next or even a principessa!

[ The sleeves done, she steps to the bed to get the two headdresses, holding them up for Steph to see. ] We are almost done. Are you married, Stephanie?

If it helps, you definitely remind me of a princess.

[She experimentally moves her arms. Interesting. She'll have to do her best not to spill something on this.

And it's a good thing she wasn't drinking anything, because she probably would have spit it out at Lucrezia's question. Not the first time she's been asked, but it still catches her off guard each time.] Ha, nonono. Not even a dot on the horizon for me.

[Headdresses, right. Steph takes a seat on the edge of the bed to make it easier for Lucrezia to work her magic.]

[ She has half a mind to ask if Stephanie is a nun then or a courtesan, though perhaps women have invented other occupations in the next five centuries. ]

This one for the maiden then. [ She places a pearly cape on the crown of her head, with two strings weighted with beads to frame her face. ]

There, you are dream enough for any man.

[She gets up to go look at herself in the mirror on her closet door. This feels sort of... silly, but it's also fun so she doesn't really care. She laughs a little when she looks at herself, though.]

Wow. No one I'd know would recognize me in this. [She swooshes the skirt a little, then pulls Lucrezia over so they're both in the mirror.] So. What do you think of us, Lucrezia?

[ She winds one arm around Stephanie's waist as well, admiring themselves in the mirror and giggling of course. ]

Look at you, my Pygmalion. Ezio will be unable now to think of any words.

Right back at you. I'm going to assume that's a compliment despite sounding like "pig."

Pygmalion was a sculptor who crafted the perfect woman out of ivory and fell in love with her. So Venus granted his wish and made her come to life.

[ Lucrezia sees nothing wrong with naming her that, none at all. She plays with Stephanie's hair to let the strands curl nicely. ]

Or I could be your Pygmalion.

We can both be Pygmalion. And that sculpture of his. Works for me.

Now, about Mr. Auditore. We have an important decision to make. Do we filter to him and hope he looks at his journal, or do we go up to the top of this tower and see if we can kidnap him?

[ Oh, Stephanie, you are quickly becoming one of her favorite people ever. ]

We shall kidnap him, with weapons of the feminine kind. He will have no choice but to come with us.

I doubt we'll need to bust out the feminine weapons. We'll save those for when we get him back here and tell him the price of admission.

[She smirks and goes to the side of the bed to produce a pair of black flats for Lucrezia to wear.

With a straight face:]

These go on your head.

Ah, so he is an easy catch.

[ So trusting. She takes them in each hand and tries to imagine how they fit on her head. Her only complaint is the color, really. ]

Must I wear black?

I think so, but let's not tell him that.

[... whoops, there goes that straight face. Stephanie laughs and shakes her head.]

Kidding! I was kidding, they go on your feet. Sorry, ha ha. Still want a different color?

[ Conspiratorial giggling. She only laughs at the prank, dropping the two things to the floor and slips them on. They do look more like shoes. ]

No, today I will wear black. [ Oh yes, Stephanie's shoes. She takes them from beside the bed. ]

I have chosen gold for yours.