westwhere | I'm unable to breathe amongst the crowds of frozen people

Entry tags:

I'm unable to breathe amongst the crowds of frozen people

WHO: Eleven & OPEN
WHEN: possibly the whole arc?
WHERE: Taravast, various
WHAT: A catch-all!
WARNINGS: Will be added!

1. Of The People

Eleven took swiftly to formal meditation. It was a bit like prayer, he reasoned, just with more inward focus and for considerably longer. The only problem being an inability to easily drown out any variety of distracting noise.

But during one of his many walks through the city, he came across a small, modest garden almost hidden behind a block of crammed buildings. It was little more than an arrangement of green shrubs, scant patches of grass, and a swath of overgrown vines creeping over the far wall toward a thin strip of canal on the other side. Squashed between two lines of buildings as it was, the garden found itself shaded over for most of the day, but for a few short hours.

And for those precious hours of sun, it was perfect. The hidden oasis feel of it let him shed his mask and local wear, stuffing the garments into the charmed bag Lily had given him and free to sit in the grass comfortably in his own clothes. Bare face tipped toward the sun and the grass warm beneath him, he breathed and peace reigned so exquisitely that falling into that quiet focus was nearly effortless. It only took visualizing the sun's gentle warmth and the breath of life in the grass soaking into him to banish those lingering, wayward thoughts.

After an untold amount of time that was surely more than the requisite hour, Eleven found himself relaxed enough to lounge back in the grass, very nearly dozing. Probably, he shouldn't nap here. He was due at court soon enough, but.. surely, it wouldn't hurt to close his eyes for a short spell..

2. Court

The masks, Eleven decided, were off-putting. It was difficult enough to recognize the people he knew through them, and made conversation twice as difficult. People's expressions hidden, the tone or inflection of their voice distorted by full masks.. as though he weren't already out of his depth.

Although his spiritual healing classes meant a little less time spent around court than most, it was still exhausting. Surrounded by people he didn't know and roped into hollow conversations while attempting to feign interest in a political cause he could care less about.. All for the sake of maintaining an image that he was beginning to suspect wasn't unique to just their group. Everyone was hiding; everyone wanted something.

Half-heard conversations washed over him, strung together with words that either meant absolutely nothing or were inlaid with a meaning that could only be divined with enough context. For the first time, Eleven found himself grateful for his conversations with Lan Wangji- at least he could discern that much. And, having adopted a basic level of formal functioning as the Luminary, he only hoped it would be enough to endure.

Presently, Eleven found himself harried by a handful of men peppering him with questions about horses, then having heated debates about his answers. It took some time to understand they only cared because of some bets they'd placed on a race. He'd attempted to dissuade further questions by insisting he wasn't an expert in all things horse-related, but it only served to conjure up debates about whether or not he was right, or how sure he was about things.

"Forgive me," he interjected with some emphasis once he'd finally drummed up the courage to recite the rehearsed line. "There's someone I need to speak to before we convene for the day."

Which, as far as excuses go, he hoped it wasn't terribly obvious that it was a complete lie. Wary of eyes following him, Eleven attempted to look like he knew exactly where he was going, increasingly desperate to find someone in his line of sight that looked even vaguely like they might be expecting him.

3. Library

On gloomy days, Eleven took his studies to the palace library, attempting to commit the information on the papers in front of him to memory. But surrounded by bookshelves holding what promised to be far less dry material, he inevitably found himself perusing the shelves and indulging his newfound ability to read anything and everything over his actual work.

Titles of various books pulled from the shelves often had some apparent link to religion, mystical flora, or life and death. And sometimes, they were simply memoirs of someone that sounded vaguely interesting. It felt like being at the Sniflheim Royal Library, but without the threat of monsters.

Pleased with his current selection, Eleven wandered back over to a desk, then paused to find someone else sitting there.

"Ah... mind if I join you?"

4. Courtyard

On pleasant days, the palace courtyard served well enough. Unwilling to bring any books outside, Eleven made considerably more progress in reading through his lesson material. He compromised with a half-mask to appease any locals drifting through as he sat quietly on a bench, half-lounging and only intermittently distracted by his surroundings.

That was of course, until an unexpected wind took the few sheets set beside him and scattered them a short distance away.

With a gasp, Eleven pursued them, snatching the sheets before they could drift too far away- or Goddess-forbid, fall into the fountain- then watched as one landed at a person's feet. He followed their figure up to a mask, feeling sheepish and not quite bold enough to reach for it despite his outstretched hand.

"..Sorry to bother you, but ah, that's my paper on poultices.."

5. Gondola by Night

Dressed down in a familiar coat only his former companions would recognize with a purple half-mask to match, Eleven rowed sedately through dark waters reflecting the night sky.

The gondolas were larger and the water deeper than what he remembered from Gondolia, but he took to his perceived role as a ferryman with far more comfort than he had the cloak of nobility. He'd even become reasonably good at it, and while he had coin enough, the tips came as a nice bonus.

Eleven glanced up as a passenger dismounted and caught sight of someone standing near the edge of the canal.

"Can I take you across the water?"

6. City Offerings

It wouldn't be a proper visit to a new city without trying out the various restaurants and bars on offer. And once he had two masks and accidentally acquisitioned something like a second identity, it was less stressful to talk to people without as much concern for reputation. The place he'd chosen tonight was busy, and tables were swiftly filling to the point of even pairing strangers together. Just as well; the bar was full and eating on his own was far less enjoyable.

Certainly, it would have been nice if he could easily enjoy the company of those he'd befriended despite political affiliation, but Eleven buried such concerns beneath a drink or two and focused on enjoying a delightful meal and buoyant atmosphere.

He raised his mug in a friendly salute to the person forced to join him.

"Hope you're having a pleasant night so far."

7. Wildcard??

[ooc: feel free to hit me up with anything adjacent to these prompts, or if you'd like to work out something specific, Eleven's plotting post is here!

Happy to adapt to action tags or prose!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Eleven's face heated. Phrased in such a way, the suggestion came across as a touch lewd. He cleared his throat and glanced off, steering with more purpose now that he had a good idea of where Lily wished to go.

"I do enjoy wine," he said with a small smile. "And good company for a meal. I suppose I could be convinced."

Oblivious to any double meaning behind her invitation Lily brightened when he said he could be convinced.

"Can you? I've heard I'm wonderful company, not that I'd want to twist your arm. I'm perfectly capable of navigating a meaty leg on my own." Oh, she could hear it that time.

His face burned, the oar making an unexpected splash as his hand slipped.

"Sorry," he said, glad it was just Lily rather than a local. He worked to steady it once more. "But yes, I- ah, that sounds nice- if you want."

Turning to follow the sound of the splash Lily looked up and gave El a quizzical look. "Maybe you don't need any wine," she smirked at him, aware that she was not in any position to talk.

"Course I want to! It's been a lovely evening, your meat and company could only make it nicer." Stop talking Lily.

Eleven choked on his own saliva and spent the next several moments coughing and wheezing at the prow while his mind desperately attempted to salvage those words into an innocent context. Goddess, he couldn't- that was-

"No," he wheezed, "I really- really think I do need some wine."

"What's wrong?" Nose wrinkled in cofusion Lily reached into the hidden pocket she had added to her dress before charming it just enough to be a really useful depth, pulling out the full wineskin she had procured from the party she had come from.

"Did you swallow a bug?" She held the wine out for him while looking on in concern. Was it like flying a broom where that was a constant hazard?

Eleven stared at her a moment, until the agitation in his throat pulled him into a few last, tapering coughs.

"Yeah," he said hoarsely, then tipped the proffered elixir into his mouth in an effort to soothe his throat. It would take considerably more to take the edge off his mind, but not choking anymore would do for now.

"Sorry," he said, handing it back and straightening with a breath. "..Thanks."

Making a face when he confirmed she looked around, as though she expected to be divebombed by a moth at any moment. "Gross." She hadn't liked flying in school for that reason either.

Lily held out her hand for the wine, taking a healthy swig from it once he'd passed it over to her. "At least regardless of how much we drink, I'm certain you'll get me back to my room safely. Are we there yet?"

Eleven ducked his head in a nod, a gentler warmth spreading through him in the wake of wine- pleased and a touch honored that she trusted him to see her back safely.

"Almost," he assured and took in a deep breath of cool, night air to calm himself. His face finally felt like it was beginning to return to a normal, healthy temperature. "We'll enjoy a nice meal, drink, and then I promise I'll see you safely back."

With the added hope that he'd manage to survive any further accidental innuendos on Lily's part.

Edited 2021-08-24 02:11 (UTC)

Listening to him break down the night's agenda Lily took another drink of wine before passing it back to Eleven, her eyes narrowing. Drinks and a meal before being walked back home sounded awfully, well, cozy, didn't it? Of course, this was Eleven, she spent a good time with him on the road to Taravast, and before that at the farm - this was just another happy instance of their paths crossing.

"And I promise the same," she said, slurring slightly as she continued to watch the city drift past the gondola. "I'll have you safe in bed, your honor unbesmirched."

Color dusted along his face again. Eleven cleared his throat and focused on the water rather than... well, anyone's honor.

He veered closer to the bank and padded the water to pull the gondola to a gradual halt along the short pier. Eleven offered Lily a hand up, assured she made it out of the boat without swaying under the wine's influence, then once the boat was secured, followed after her.

"I think that's it," he said after a minute of walking and peering about. The building in question had its doors flung open, spilling light and a tempting aroma out into the streets. He swallowed as his mouth swiftly watered. "Goddess, I don't care how big they are; I'll eat one whole."

The scent of food caught her attention almost immediately after letting Eleven help her out of the gondola and to her feet. "Oh, that smells like heaven," the little finger foods at the fancy party she'd half-stumbled out of had been nice, but this smelled like real, solid, regular commonfolk food, and it was a wonderful thing.

"Do you think we'll need our masks?" Lily posed the question over her shoulder, already walking towards the warm glow of the eatery's open doors, eager to get her hands on decidedly not tiny, substantive food.

Eleven's mouth split into a grin beneath his half-mask.

"I'm just a gondolier," he demurred, which felt true enough in the evening hours. But he glanced about, spotting the odd worker without a mask and shrugged. "You'll need to eat without it anyway."

They were rather far out from the district the nobles liked to frequent this time of night, and the casual atmosphere and promise of filling food was wonderful. Still, he worried a touch about Lily's cover if she was trying to maintain it.

"Would you rather eat in, or out here somewhere?"

Considering the options she paused for a moment and looked back over her shoulder before turning to him with a smile.

"Would you charge me an extra fare if I suggested we eat aboard your ship, oh humble gondolier?"

Maybe this wasn't the best place to be seen, much less without a mask, and his apparent hesitance had given her a moment's pause to consider that fact. It would do no good to fall out of favor with the lady she was meant to be supporting.

He laughed. As if he were going to charge her fare.

"For a lady so fine as yourself?" he returned in an exaggerated mockery of the nobles he'd seen proffering such shows of flattery in the richer districts. "Perish the thought."

Eleven shook his head on another laugh, settling with a smile as they approached and the prospect of food inched closer. "That sounds nice, though- eating on the river. I could row us out to the middle of the water."

Laughing outright she rest a hand against her chest, feigning a swoon. "Such a gentleman, surely someone as chivalrous as you ought to grace court more often," Lily had gotten the sense that he was avoiding the courtly pomp and circumstance - not that she could really blame him for it.

"Come on then, before anyone notices an elegant lady like me skulking about." Lily flashed a grin at him before pulling her mask down and ducking inside the wonderful smelling meatery.

Inside was bright and noisy and cramped. If they hadn't already had plans to eat outside, Eleven would have suggested it then. For all that, it was terribly friendly and he brightened, comfortable despite needing to squeeze between tables. The air was heavy with delicious aromas, and passing one tables with plates boasting the biggest chicken legs Eleven had ever seen assured him that they were in the right place.

"We're full, dears," a serving lady informed them.

Eleven laughed, undeterred. "I can see that. We'll take ours outside, if I could get a leg and some ale- and whatever the lady here would like."

"I'll have the same," she chimed in cheerfully after Eleven imparted his order, smiling beneath her mask as the sight of a passing tray stole her attention. He wasn't kidding, those were some seriously meaty legs, and they smelled heavenly.

Lingering by the door they'd come into, unwilling to get lost in the tightly packed crowd, Lily stayed close to Eleven while they waited for their food. "I think your impromptu career move might have been a stroke of brilliance El, this is far more interesting than any of the parties I've been to so far."

Eleven grinned, looking out over the din of the crowd. He had to lean close to hear her over it.

"I like it," he confessed, content to wait. "This sort of place is what I'm used to. Gondoliers are just workers in the end."

Unlike the nobles they had to pretend to be at court or around the palace, but he didn't have to say that for Lily to understand what he meant. "I think the people live more vibrantly without costumes."

Leaning in as well to make sure she could hear him, Lily propped an arm on his shoulder, nodding in agreement. "I think you're right really, about all of it. This looks like a far better way to spend an evening."

Spotting the woman who'd met them when they entered making her way back in their direction Lily straightened as she approached, eyeing the massive drumsticks the woman carried on her tray.

"This is definitely a better way to spend the evening."

Pleased satisfaction spread beneath his skin. Delightful proof that an evening with a plate of greasy-looking food and common ale could trump the upstanding parties thrown by the fine noble houses of Taravast.

"I agree," he said heartily, with a cheerful well of pride. He offloaded their order from the serving woman with thanks and Lily's help, then rifled through his pocket and came up with what he expected would be coin enough to cover the cost- with a little extra for the inconvenience.

Just beneath his nose, he could agree with Lily's sentiment that the food smelled heavenly.

"Goddess, let's get to the boat before I'm tempted to stand here instead."

For a moment all she could do was stand there and stare at the massive drumstick in her hand, her awed expression concealed by the mask. "Let's go, it's getting difficult not to blow my cover the longer I have to hold this thing and not eat it."

Quickly stepping back into the street, ale in one hand, and the giant leg of meat in the other Lily hastily made her way back towards where Eleven left his gondola. "This was a brilliant idea El." All of it had been rather brilliant, but finally getting her hands on food that was not tiny and meant to be nibbled in courtly surroundings was the most brilliant part of all.

Truly, it took a massive amount of willpower not to take off a bite. The cool air outside helped with the scent a little.

"It was," he agreed with no small amount of beaming pride, and followed along after a quick draught of ale to avoid spilling while they moved swiftly for the canal.

Easing into the gondola with full hands proved a task, but with Lily's help, managed to settle in as Eleven eased them out into the water. In the middle of the canal, he slowed them to a gentle, inert drift and finally settled down with his meal.

Eleven wasted little time in tearing off a strip of meat with his teeth and a gratified hum just as soon as the salty grease hit his tongue.

"This is proper food."

"It's almost better than a Sunday roast," Lily affirmed between improbably big, tearing bites of her drumstick. It was delicious enough to almost forget all about the seemingly endless nights and days fueled by millet, and she settled into her seat again happily, tossing her mask aside.

After balancing her ale at the bow of the gondola Lily retrieved the wine from the pocket she'd stashed it and set it down between them, making good on her part of the bargain to share.

"How often do you drift around like this? It's rather lovely, isn't it?" A flush spread across her cheeks that she was sure was a product of alcohol and the joy of finding proper meat, though for whatever reason, calling this lovely had made her feel unexpectedly awkward.

Eleven hummed agreement, nodding. Once the edge of his hunger had worn off, he slowed down to eat at a more sedate pace- content to simply enjoy something filling and flavorful alongside good drink and good company.

The gentle wind on the water, spread black beneath them and reflecting the city lights certainly made for an excellent atmosphere- things he enjoyed usually, now made better.

"It's perfect," he said, breathing contentment. "Usually call it a night when I get hungry, but if ever you want to again sometime, I'd be happy to."

I'm unable to breathe amongst the crowds of frozen people

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