Relics and Frilly Aprons

[Storyteller]

was looking at the rows of bulbs that were resting on the dark wood of the walkway from garden area to garden area. Her eyes traveled the length and width of the large garden area, deciding where best to plant what.

the night was young and Cosimo was up and dressed, his hair brushed and beard trimmed. He had a proposal he wanted to make to his sire and it was more like a business proposal than anything else, and as such he wanted to look presentable. The tome carried him from his empty apartment to the tower without issue, and he'd thought he'd need to summon Elizabeth. But there she was, already present. He cleared his throat and wandered over to his sire, his hands in his pockets. "Good evening Elizabeth..."

Her back had been to him, as Elizabeth rearranged the bulbs in sections...the furthest from her would be the far back corner, then the nearest back corner, until finally each corner had something for their spot, while there were randomly placed bulbs for other spots within the garden grounds. "Cosimo!" Elizabeth said when she heard his voice, turning to see him. When her eyes fell upon him, she smiled wide and then let her eyes flick over him. "You look very handsome." She complimented him, before raising an inquiring brow. "Special occasion, this eve?" Her head tipped, as her hands came to rest at her sides.

smiled and shrugged his shoulders, head shaking. "No..." he said, following Elizabeth's movements with mild curiosity. But now that she had finished rearranging things his focus was entirely upon her. "I ... well, I came to ask a favour," he started, not sure how to begin. Was it too big a favour? He knew that Elizabeth had a few businesses but how successful were they? It didn't matter. All he could do was ask, and she could always say no. It wasn't a big deal. "Should we sit?" he asked, gesturing to one of the nearby benches.

A favour. Elizabeth tilted her head, wondering what the favour might possibly be. At the suggestion of sitting at the benches, Elizabeth nodded her head. "Of course." She said with a smile, before moving to the predetermined benches from his gesture. "How are thee, by the way?" She asked, while she sat, curious as to why he was dressed so formally, if not for a special occasion.

nodded, his usual smile flashing into place, dimples deep and filled with shadow. "I am good," he said. A default answer, if ever there was any. But things, he hoped, were about to change. "And yourself?" He reciprocated the question as he took a seat, one arm grasping the back of the bench and his body neatly turned toward Elizabeth's.

When he smiled, her smile grew in size. "I am well, thank you. I am getting ready for the spring and summer seasons. They are upon us." She commented idly, before positioning herself at an angle that was in his direction. "Does one have time to visit a while, or?" She asked, curious what his time frame was. "Remind me, when one is not dressed to impress, to give thee the parts in which I 'found.'" She laughed a little, knowing 'found' to be a vague, open, term

arched a brow but laughed. He was not averse to 'finding' things himself, but it was a life he had, for the most part, given up. Not for any other reason but that he had found new hobbies. And besides which, there were still people out there who wanted him found so it was best to keep his name out of the wrong circles. "I can stay as long as I wish," he said. "Which brings me to my proposition. There is, I've heard, a relic. It will help me with those parts that you have found for me. It will give me, I think, magical ability in crafting. It is very expensive, and I do not yet have the money. I was wondering -- and you can say no --" he added, emphatically. " -- if you might lend me the money. I will sell the weapons, I will make the money back. You could call it an investment..."

"Good." Elizabeth beamed at hearing he could stay for as long as he desired. Their encounters lately had been nice, but mostly brief. At the mention of a relic, her gaze dropped down to the many she wore, be it a bracelet, or a ring, and then to her necklaces. When he mentioned a relic she did not have, nor had use of, she tilted her head. When he asked for some money, Elizabeth nodded her head. "I see. How much money? Do you know the value of such an item?" Elizabeth asked, not bothered by being asked for money, but she was not as well off as most of their kind were. Still, if she could help any of hers, she would.

"It is nine hundred thousand," he said, then flinched. Saying the number out loud made it sound even worse than it had in his head. But he gave her no chance to respond, yet, hurrying on. "But the weapons, I have seen them on the auction. They sell for nearly that much. I believe the relic will help me to make very good weapons, and if I can sell just two, I will pay you back..." he said. He himself had no relics. He had no idea if they even worked -- but it would, he hoped, be a mind over matter thing. If he believed it was helping, it would help.

Nine Hundred Thousand. Elizabeth blinked and then nodded. She had not purchased a new weapon in years, though Elizabeth had no need of them, in truth. Not really. She could kill someone with her strength alone some nights. "That is a lot of money." She agreed with him, before following up with, "This is really what one wishes to do?" Her head tilted to the side. "You will not change your mind later?" She asked, wondering how far Cosimo was willing to go with this hobby before she made up her mind.

at first was dismayed. It WAS a lot of money, and it was silly of him to ask. Why should he have assumed that Elizabeth would have such money on hand, or that she would be willing to part with it? Although he hesitated to answer the follow-up questions, he did so anyway. "Yes, it is. I have tried making swords and I am not as good with them as I am with guns. I will still be able to do both... but. I will even work for you! While I am waiting for the weapons to sell. For free! You will not have to pay me. Are you in need of staff...?" he asked.

Elizabeth laughed at his earnestness and raised a hand. "You would work for me?" It was an interesting proposition, before a slightly devious look crossed her features. "The only place in which I am hiring is the tart shop. The bakery." She said, pondering it for a moment, then nodded. "If you wish, I can employee thee there. It is a business of mostly women though..." Elizabeth warned him, before moving to the real point of interest for him. "I will buy thee the relic in exchange for your services there at the bakery. Who could resist such a smile? Mayhaps my sales will increase?" She offered in a mild suggestion, not positive how it would go. Would Cosimo like working with a bunch of women who baked and often times spoke of their life; husband, children, parents and so forth? "The back...where most the magic happens, there can be the feeling of a... 'hen house,' I believe it is referred to."

chuckled. "I do not mind. It will remind me of my childhood," he said. He remembered those days in the kitchen, his mother and Nonna cooking up a storm and he, a little boy who should have been in the way but they were so good at what they did, they employed his services instead. He used to do menial tasks and felt like he was making a major contribution. He loved listening to them talk. It was curious, he thought, how easy it was for Elizabeth to accept the offer of him working for her, as if he could not convince her that he was a good enough gun crafter to pay her back. Well, he could do both. And he would do both with aplomb. "When should I start?"

Elizabeth felt a slight tinge of envy when Cosimo mentioned his childhood and how busy the kitchen must have been for him. It appeared to be a positive notion and not a negative one. "Whenever one can. I understand that you may need to speak with your childre or Athena, so whenever you can, Cosimo." She stood and reached into her skirt pocket, pulling out her bank card. "Oh. Also...there is a policy about aprons..." Elizabeth said as she remembered that important fact. "It helps keep ones clothes clean as well as the food." She said, holding up a finger and moving to the shop within the grounds that sold the relics. There was a brief exchange and a very pleasing smile upon her features. "He gave me a discount." She said, offering him the mask in which he sought. "I hope it brings thee great success, Cosi."

watched as Elizabeth meandered over to the shop -- he always did wonder how the keeper got in and out, and what he did all day. Surely DC were not overly demanding customers? But the thought was pushed from his mind as he gratefully took the relic. "Thank you, Elizabeth. I will not disappoint you," he said, before shaking his head. "I have no one I need to speak to. I could start right now if you required it," he said. He didn't mention the aprons -- it made sense, that they should be worn.

She tsk'd when he mentioned dissappointing her. "Cosi, I have never been disapointed in you, or any of my childre for any of their actions. I just want them all to be happy and successful. Do not think too much upon my feelings or thoughts." She assured him with a small laugh and shake of her head. "Not tonight. Enjoy your last night of freedom." Her lips twisted into an amused smirk. "We shall start tomorrow, if that works for thee?"

grinned broadly. "Yes, that works for me," he said, turning the relic in his hands. It seemed to hum with weird energy. He'd never touched a relic before, never knew what they were like. He was tempted to test this one out immediately, but he wouldn't run away having just got what he wanted. It would be rude. "I think that I would be disappointed, if I were to give someone nine hundred thousand dollars on a relic, if they did not make good use of it, and did not seek to pay me back. Or thank me, in any way," he said. Not that he'd done any of that, or planned to. But 'never' was a strong word. Surely there were boundaries?

Elizabeth laughed and shook her head. "It may seem like a lot of money and perhaps it is, but I have more money than I ever have had before in my life. I can make more of it." She assured him, knowing this to be true. "I do hope one makes good use of it, but if not...then mayhaps it can be passed back and I can hold on to it until it can be used once again by whomever." She smiled, wondering if she should break the news about the apron's being pink. Perhaps that was bes saved for tomorrow.

nodded. "I will keep it in mind," he said. Cosimo himself had never had a steady flow of money -- money came when he and his father pulled off jobs, and they were generally only small jobs. The last one was supposed to set them up for life, but of course with such things, there comes risk. Now Cosimo was far from home, and his father was dead. A job at a tart shop seemed a far easier way to make money. "Thank you. Again," he said. He couldn't really thank her enough.

"Of course. So long as it makes thee happy." Elizabeth moved to embrace him, then slowly released Cosimo. "I will leave thee to your craftsmanship and wish you great luck. I shall see thee tomorrow at the bakery." Elizabeth dipped her head in his direction, before moving back to the table where her bulbs were, intending on getting them all planted for the evening.

relished the embrace. Cosimo was a people person. He enjoyed being around others, he enjoyed company and generally wasn't averse to invasions of personal space. Hugs were nice. Everyone needed physical contact every now and again, and the Mystic was starting to realise that he was not as social as he once was. It was something he missed. He would have stayed in that hug longer if it weren't awkward, but he let go of Elizabeth as soon as she got up. He'd have hung around to watch Elizabeth garden, but perhaps she wanted her space -- and DID want to try the relic, to see if it helped. "Thank you, Elizabeth. I will see you tomorrow -- if not before," he said, smiling as he stood and headed in the opposite direction, over to where the crafting table was located.



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This thread was submitted via a live roleplay chat. Participants and rewards were: Elizabeth earned 1079 RPP. Cosimo Alessi earned 1216 RPP.