Private Tales The Stars, the Stars, the Stars

[Talorgan]

"You have the wylds, Talorgan, and I have my workshop. You made sure I stayed alive, and I promise to do the same for you here."

"And I trust you completely," Tal replied. He gave a something approaching a complete formal bow but he cut it short.

He stepped out into the cool night air. He glanced upwards at the stars. He briefly wondered if his father had news of him leaving already. He could imagine that already.

You were seen leaving with a common artisan before the cheese was brought out Talorgan!

."But if you must admit fear at seeing dragon fire, then please do say so, and I may be able to protect you." A sweet smile spread over her lips. She had made a jest.

"I shall hide behind your apron," he declared.

"But how do you control it? Heavy bricks?"

 

[Faye Valimir]

"It is simple, really." Faye crossed to the double doors, pulling them open and showing the dimness within. "You train a dragon."

The workshop was in fact large enough to house a smaller dragon, and from the mezzanine level, a light clicking coo sounded. Faye motioned for Talorgan to follow, her hand lifting upwards to wave to her dragon up above. "Cathàn was against using his dragon fire at first, but my father's dragon demonstrated how it should be done. Besides, we only need a small flame to work with."

After all her teasing and warnings, Faye did not plan to throw him through burning hoops so soon.

"How about you watch me work first? That way you get a sense of what to do."

 

[Talorgan]

Talorgan briefly imagined trying to convince Biersys to slink down streets and into a tight space. Even though she was smaller than Cathan and would cling to rocks for shelter, she did not like the city.

"I'll watch, but perhaps we should open that wine. Let it breathe," Talorgan replied.

"And then I will stand back over here with my beard in tact and watch."

He looked around the space, genuinely curious. He offered a small, respectful bow to Cathán and followed after Faye.

 

[Faye Valimir]

"Yes... you are right. Wait a moment... take a seat right there." She lit a lantern by a chair before moving to light every sconce and candle. Faye pointed to the large and plush armchair as she crossed to a closed door. A key was produced to unlock it, and for a minute, she jad disappeared into the cellar.

Moments later, the wooden stairs creaked as she appeared back into the workshop. A bottle in hand and two crystalline glasses set upon the side table near the chair.

"Cathàn is determined to get you to face your fears, you know? The fact you're nervous around dragons amuses him." She smiled.

The white dragon with clouded eyes let out a chirp of noise, one that could be taken as laughter.

 

[Talorgan]

Talorgan made himself comfortable as Faye headed to the wine cellar. Her craft was remarkable, he thought to himself. He was glad she had such a pleasant working space.

She was a driven woman. She had risked a lot to expand her arts, travelling far into the wilds.

"Cathàn is determined to get you to face your fears, you know? The fact you're nervous around dragons amuses him." She smiled.

"I am not nervous around dragons!" he declared quite seriously.

"I am nervous about fire indoors," he corrected. He chuckled and looked up at Cathan.

He uncorked the bottle and poured them both a little wine.

 

[Faye Valimir]

Faye could not stifle the laughter his admission had elicited. Even the dragon let out a noise that sounded like amusement.

Eyes bright, she looked to Talorgan with a grin. "As I mentioned earlier, dragons are trained. The smithy would use more dragon fire than that of glassblowing." A glass of wine before she would take him on a tour of her workshop seemed a good idea, after they had walked from the party to here, it was something else altogether to take a moment in one's own familiar home.

Taking her poured glass, she procured a wooden stool and picked it up in one hand to place it near the armchair of where Talorgan was seated. "I do wonder, should you return home with a souvenir or would that only incriminate you further for following a lower class woman home?" The smile on her lips were wide, holding a playful edge to her eyes. She looked as if she were up to no good. "Or is your family a great fan of my work, they would not bother to look at the fact their good, noble son is befriending artisans now?"

No matter the truth, Faye was not one to be so conscious of any differences nor let it affect her.

 

[Talorgan]

He offered the white dragon yet another glance. He hadn't held a conversation where human and dragon both seemed to enjoy that he was on the receiving side of the jokes.

Talorgan held up his glass. A little nod of thanks and he took a sip.

"Very nice," he said, setting the glass back down.

Talorgan looked down and scratched at the corner of his beard. He was more comfortable with a few buttons undone and his sleeves rolled up. He still looked like a man uncomfortable in formal wear.

"I think my family is used to disappointment," Talorgan replied. "Used to dissapointing them too."

He took a sip of wine.

"Not that I'm implying..."

That he was trying to upset them by being here and spending the night. He sat upright again. She was probably enjoying his slight discomfort. He laughed briefly.

"... Anyway. No need for a souvenir. Here to enjoy learning."

 

[Faye Valimir]

Faye doubted they would finish a project for him to take home as a souvenir, but then came the thought that perhaps his life was not one that would suit to carrying a trinket so fragile. Talorgan, she came to know, was someone that preferred to be out in the wilds and without all the finery. Faye liked that about him, that he could bring a sort of fresh air to Thanasis and it's usual flair.

She swirled her wine, letting it air out a little more but liked having to hold something to keep her hands busy. "There are many nobles that want my creations, Talorgan, that would like to mingle and dangle their favourite glassblower artist before others because it gives them that edge of finding something one of a kind. Select few of those types I would call a friend. The rest are just clients, for it is I that set that boundary." She poised her glass below her nose, inhaling as she swirled it lightly again.

"I only know rumours will be spoken at that party, it is what they do. I do not take offence to any of it, but rather find it amusing. Perhaps it might make a few of the men think twice about dancing with me." She grinned, now taking a sampling sip of her wine. It was a divine taste, and if she knew any better, she should retrieve a second bottle.

 

[Talorgan]

Talorgan watched the legs of wine slide down the sides of her glass. She looked perfectly content with her choice after taking a sip.

"I think some have good intentions," he replied. "People who want to use their money for something and so sponsor an artist to..."

Talkrgan paused. He took another sip of wine.

"You'll know that better than me, sorry."

There were plenty out there that were not being generous. It sounded as if he was apologising for them.

"You strike me as someone who doesn't mind turning people down. But, if it makes life less tedious, we can start stoke some rumours that might keep people away," he offered.

 

[Faye Valimir]

Faye's brows arched, a smile pulling at her lips in intrigue.

"You pose an interesting idea, Talorgan." She takes a sip of her wine, eyes now falling to a spot on the floor as her thoughts began to wrap around what he hinted at. "Say that we do... but what will we do to truly stoke the fire?"

She straightened her spine as she was seated on the stool, almost to a point where she looked down at him. "I would have an idea, but it requires attending yet another societal event."

 

[Talorgan]

Talorgan hadn't really thought the idea through at all.

He sat forward in his chair and narrowed his eyes as he looked up at her. His parents would easily believe such a rumour, but he didn't know how they could spread such a rumour easily.

"I'd rather not go to another event, but I'm curious what you have in mind?"

 

[Faye Valimir]

Faye stood and placed her glass aside.

"This one event can be as short as tonight's attendance was." She smiled, as if his discomfort to attend parties was a cruel amusement to her. "It requires one dance, preferably a slow one. To truly sweeten the deal, you would have to surprise your family by joining them or arriving shortly after them." Unexpected attendances always had the nobility whispering, and for Talorgan, who was so quick to adjust his finery after stepping into the ballroom tonight, would have his family's friends watching him.

Faye moved to stand several feet away, facing him with an excitable smile. "It is frowned upon dancing with one partner all eve, but I can guarantee that one dance, and they will be whispering. After that, we will have to be seen multiple times in public."

She did not mention to him that a year ago, Faye had been whispered about plenty of times, and many of her clients pulling her aside to offer her their sons or nephews that were 'good, honest men' that would be better partners than the no good man she had been with previously. Although she parted ways with them after their crimes were brought upon her front step, Faye became secretive about her heart.

Perhaps she would tell Talorgan of her hobbies, but now was not the time. Their friendship so new, she hardly could deem if he was the type to judge her or be fascinated.

 

[Talorgan]

Just one event? He canted his head to one side, trying to think where she was going with this.

"Oh I see," went Talorgan.

He smiled up at her. It was quite simple now it was laid out.

"Being rude and avoiding the others they will assume we are serious. We don't need to do anything to confirm it."

He lifted his glass in toast to her cleverness.

"Unless you have a genuine suitor before then or course," he said through his grin. "You are, after all, very beautiful and well respected around the town and maybe one of the propositions won't be from a bore!"

 

[Faye Valimir]

Faye winked, nodding her head to him in a way that came across as complimentary. "Being serious will make them all leave us be so that they could observe us and talk about us more."

But he kept talking, and Faye could not help but snort.

"Suitors." She laughed. Faye turned to wander the space, still chuckling to herself. "I am afraid that I have no use for... men or marriage. Not anymore." She shrugged once she reached behind the workbench. A lot of her tools were placed here, to be put away later as she of course left to getting ready for the gala evening to the last minute. It was now that she began to tidy things up as she spoke.

"I have a business of my own, a home of my own, and I daresay I need a man's love and protection when the last man I was so in love with took more than a decade to consider marrying me." But he did not quite ask her the question she had been hoping to hear in the end. All the allusions, the dreaming of what life would be life for them, all she had been sold were dreams. She left, although he probably would tell others he let her go, but Faye came to the conclusion that perhaps that life was not in the cards for her no more. "Besides... a lot of the men in society and out of it are too proud of themselves, they wish for me not to continue the legacy of my family's artisan trade."

She regarded Talorgan with a sigh and a weak smile. "If I can keep from any of them trying to court me, then I am all the better off from it."

 

[Talorgan]

"Suitors." She laughed. Faye turned to wander the space, still chuckling to herself. "I am afraid that I have no use for... men or marriage. Not anymore." She shrugged once she reached behind the workbench.

Talorgan laughed too. It was a quiet, deep chuckle.

He canted his head to one side as he worked her step behind the workbench.

"I should introduce you to Juny from the Kyler family. She's decided she has no use for men either. It's been somewhat frustrating for her family to understand no marriage is coming but us younger children tend to get a little more freedom."

Juny apparently liked lots of different women and was one of those who enjoyed hidden parties with artisans from the city. Faye probably knew her reputation and understood that Talorgan was thinking that she still might have a use for women.

"Besides... a lot of the men in society and out of it are too proud of themselves, they wish for me not to continue the legacy of my family's artisan trade."

She regarded Talorgan with a sigh and a weak smile. "If I can keep from any of them trying to court me, then I am all the better off from it."

The humour drained from his face. He realised he might have been wide of the mark. It wasn't her personal preferences that had changed, she had been hurt.

"No," he agreed. "You don't need to be kept by anyone. You're an impressive person, you don't need to become a thing for someone to show off."

 

[Faye Valimir]

It was the sudden realisation dawning upon him, the way his face fell when he realised his error. Faye had to admit to herself that it was amusing to watch him. She smiled, closing a drawer as the last item had been returned to it's place. "I appreciate that."

And that was how she knew the first day they met, Talorgan would make a good friend. She barely allowed anyone else in, and those lucky enough to be considered a friend were met with unyielding loyalty.

She returned to where he was seated, taking the bottle of wine and refilling their glasses.

"I will be sure to mention to Juny next time I cross paths with her that you had her best interests at heart." Faye smiled wickedly. That path being here, in the workshop, as client and sometimes... guest.

 

[Talorgan]

"Oh no," went Talorgan. "If she knows I mentioned her at all I think I'd get an earful. Particularly... "

Talorgan decided to stop there before he dug a deeper hole. He accepted a refill of wine and he stood up. It felt odd to be sat down talking to her whilst she was starting to work.

"So you know Juny?" he prompted, taking a long swig of wine to bury his embarrassment.