ix. dictated, action

[heloise]

The castle gives and takes away. But, mostly, it gives.

Henry and Emma
The tale of Griselda begins with Gualtieri, the Marquis of Saluzzo, who gave more thought to nature and hunting than to marriage and family.


Zelman
Shall we take a walk, once in a blue moon, perhaps?


[ In the wee small hours of the morning, Lucrezia tries to bake a belated birthday cake!

On the kitchen counter is an instruction sheet for a Torta Pane Degli Angeli among packets of flour and sugar, piles of eggshells, a large bowl of egg yolks and one cake that literally fell flat. Everything is dusted with a generous coating of flour and icing sugar, like the girl currently beating egg whites with gusto.

Uru made it seem so easy. ]

[ ooc; as open as can be~ ]

Comments

[inafadingcrown]

He is your brother, after all. [She had a favorite brother once.]

[heloise]

It would not do for me to hide my friends from him.

[inafadingcrown]

No, it would not.

How has he taken to this place?

[heloise]

Well enough, I hope.

[inafadingcrown]

Has he not shared his thoughts with you?

[heloise]

He would say all is well if only to keep me from worrying.

[inafadingcrown]

Of course. Such is the way of elder brothers.

[heloise]

Do you speak from experience, Galadriel?

[inafadingcrown]

I do. I once had four elder brothers, though they soon learned that I am not easily deceived. [It's said casually enough. She lost them long ago and it doesn't trouble her to speak of them.]

[heloise]

[ She only assumes elves live forever sob. ] You must show me how to look through deception then.

[inafadingcrown]

[They do, unless someone kills them...]

It is a skill I may teach only in part. [Because the other part comes from, you know, being psychic.] But I believe you are more than capable of learning that. [She smiles and it's somehow both knowing and mischievous.] You must learn to watch.

[heloise]

The truth is in the eyes, Galadriel?

[inafadingcrown]

Not the eyes alone. Have you not noticed how ill at ease most become when they lie? They shift this way and that. Their posture is altered. Their words become more hesitant and carefully chosen. There are a thousand little signs, unseen by most.

[heloise]

A thousand little signs. [ The phrase sounds prettier coming from Galadriel. ] And do you know how to hide such signs?

[inafadingcrown]

I do. [Truth be told, however, Galadriel is far more likely to simply refuse to discuss an issue that troubles her than to lie. The vast majority of the time she makes no attempt to hide her thoughts and opinions, for she thinks it serves little purpose.]

[heloise]

Would you show me?

[inafadingcrown]

And who do you wish to deceive, dear one?

[heloise]

I do not know yet, but there may be many.

[inafadingcrown]

I admit, this is the first I have been asked to school another in the art of deception. Such things are a necessity, however, for those of your station.

But I believe you already know more than you would say.