inbox for eastbound

[lancifolium]

lily evans

missives | encounters

ɢᴏ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ✥ ᴀᴘᴘʟɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ✥ ʙᴀᴅɢᴇs

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[lancifolium]

I'll be canal-side in the artist's part of town in about six minutes, my dress is blue if that helps.


And with a pop, she vanished from her room to apparated into an alley between two houses in the artist district. Smoothing her hair down as she went, Lily headed towards the water's edge to wait, adjusting the simple black mask over her eyes. It was different from the one she usually wore and she hoped it might help make things easier for them to be out and about together.

[bearshermark]

If she hadn't told him specifically where she meant to meet him, he might have had some difficulty recognizing her. Lily looked like a well-to-do lady of court and he wouldn't have known otherwise.

Grateful for the dark, Eleven cleared his throat as his gondola drifted close to her. He held out a hand to help her navigate the hem of her dress as she stepped into the boat.

"Ah, good evening.."

[lancifolium]

Smiling when she caught sight of Eleven she gave him a little wave in greeting. "You must be the handsome gondolier," taking the hand he held out she gave it a light squeeze, carefully stepping aboard and getting into the seat. "And I suppose now you can add punctual to that as well," said as she looked up at him in amusement.

[bearshermark]

Eleven ducked his head in a nod, a shy smile playing across his lips. While he was used to feeling underdressed compared to the nobles he occasionally ferried along the canal as a matter of course, the feeling shone all the more apparent now that the two of them were a pair of sorts.

How he'd managed to garner the attention of someone so lovely, he could scarcely fathom.

"Not terribly well-dressed or well-spoken, I'm afraid," he said, breathing out his tension in a laugh as his hands returned to the oar in preparation to unmoor. This was still Lily. "But I hope you'll find me suitable enough."

[lancifolium]

Not considering that they would look quite so mismatched she shook her head at the mention of his suitability, wondering their outing wasn't going to draw attention.

"Oh I don't know about that, I think you're fairly well-spoken, I like listening to you." Lily looked down at herself and back to Eleven, tilting her head. "Do I stick out too much do you think? If you go slow under the next bridge I can change it a bit without anyone seeing. I'd rather not have to worry about drawing attention while in the company of such a storied tradesman."

[bearshermark]

Goddess, she certainly knew how to flatter. Eleven glanced off, face pleasantly warm as he eased them through the water.

"No," he said after a moment, "You look like... well, a noblewoman. It's not unusual."

The only unusual thing would be if she was seen cavorting around with him. "We'd only have to consider your reputation."

But if this was just a quiet outing spending time together, there wouldn't be anything to worry about.

[lancifolium]

"If we end up somewhere truly scandalous and unseemly I'll fashion us both new clothes for the occasion," Lily lifted her mask and raised her eyebrows at Eleven. She didn't think they were likely to end up anywhere sordid, but she had already established for herself how fun it was to tease him a bit. At least if he was flustered it stopped him from turning the tables on her too often.

"Do you think if we float far enough out again it won't matter?" They'd had a nice evening in his gondola before, she wouldn't have any objections to drifting aimlessly again.

[bearshermark]

"...Probably," he breathed, attempting not to think about what clothes Lily might consider appropriate for somewhere scandalous.

Somewhere secluded he could do. "I know where there's a low bridge with a small alcove," he suggested, nervous. "It's meant for supplies sent by waterway, but.."

Well, the offer was there if she wanted it.

[lancifolium]

Uncertain if he offered it to give her seclusion to change their clothes to aid in this continuously evolving task of hiding in plain sight while spending time together, or if he just wanted to be alone in an alcove, Lily did her best to hold her tongue the tops of her ears turning slightly pink.

"I've heard the alcoves in this city are second to none, it's in all the guidebooks."

[bearshermark]

"I'd be honored to show you firsthand," Eleven said laughingly, "Although the view isn't the greatest, the space is quaint for a rendezvous of sorts, if that's your interest."

[lancifolium]

"A rendezvous?" The flush that had been hovering just on the tops of her ears ran down the back of her neck at the word, and she laughed softly.

"And I was quite certain we weren't going to end up anywhere scandalous." Lily leaned back in her seat, reaching a hand back to gently nudge at his leg as she looked over her shoulder at him, fighting off her mounting sense of bashfulness.

"Let's hide for a bit, then I'll switch our clothes. We can run off somewhere and I'll buy you a drink." As good a plan as it sounded, Lily was also rather comfortable with the idea of ignoring all but the first part. He was good to spend time alone with.

[bearshermark]

"I didn't know boxes and barrels would offend your sensibilities," he teased, encouraged by her friendly swat. He eased the gondola into shifting course.

"But a drink sounds like a nice way to end the evening."

[lancifolium]

Tsking lightly under her breath she tried to fight the grin already spreading across her face, shaking her head with feigned dismissiveness.

"Already looking for an exit?" Her nose wrinkled, very obviously teasing him. "It would be nice, but who knows, there are a lot of things in this city. There might be nicer ways to end it yet." Which, again, sounded absolutely brazen the second she heard herself saying it out loud - an increasingly common problem with Eleven.

[bearshermark]

The strength in Eleven's hands faltered for a moment. The implications laden in that observation weren't readily apparent, but he felt the press of them all the same.

"..Well ah, if you.. if there's anything in particular that interests you, I would be happy to- er, accompany you."

[lancifolium]

"No gambling houses, or anything like that though," Lily said, holding up a hand as though she were making him a solemn vow instead of trying to lead the topic towards less lascivious places.

She really needed to work on not saying things until she was sure that when she spoke them aloud, they didn't come out utterly doomed. Eleven making her blush was one thing, but making herself blush was another matter.

[bearshermark]

Her meaning escaped him, but well, they'd sort that out if it came to it.

"Wherever you'd like," he managed, then corrected himself. "Well, I'd rather not venture into the necromantic district or a court noble's party, but otherwise.."

[lancifolium]

Spotting a bridge coming up Lily nudged El gently again.

"Is that where your alcove is? I've heard they only tell the excellent gondoliers about it." It was a secluded location, which was flustering in its own right, but at least it wasn't as dangerous as teasing him about ending the night.

[bearshermark]

Eleven nodded, steering them carefully toward a shadowed segment that didn't look like anything in particular. Without knowing any better, it could have just been a shadowed section of stone.

"You've heard a lot of strange rumors," he mused with a smile, "I hope the reality is living up to them for you."

[lancifolium]

Once they were out of sight and tucked back in the alcove beneath the bridge, Lily was briefly distracted by using her wand to change her dress. Though for the most part it stayed the same, she did away with the fine embellishments and switched the fabric to something far more common looking. She hoped it would do for their purposes.

"Much better I think. We look more like we ought to be seen together."

[bearshermark]

Eleven eased them to a stop at a low stone dock next to a pile of crates as she worked. When he looked back, Lily was dressed in far less finery.

"Is there anything your magic can't do?" he asked with a smile before finally moving to settle next to her. "Or is it that you're particularly talented?"

[lancifolium]

"I can't dig a hole with it," she offered with a little laugh, shifting to give him enough room to settle in beside her. "There's a lot I can't do, but Transfiguration is something I got top marks in."

Lily looked over at El for a moment, slightly flushed from the compliment. "If you were from my world, you'd be aces in Herbology. You'd never leave the greenhouses." If it were the case he'd be highly likely to find her in the back of one of those greenhouses, practicing her dueling on sticks stuck into flowerpots, but Lily managed to rein in her nervous prattle and withhold that information. Surely, he already had enough evidence of what a nerd she was.

[bearshermark]

While he didn't understand precisely what 'Transfiguration' was and couldn't be sure he could even repeat the word back to her, herbology made sense enough. He liked plants, after all.

"Probably," Eleven agreed, wrapping an arm about her waist to hold them together in a way that was growing ever more comfortable and familiar. "Though I'm only just getting to study them, here. Of which, I'm sure you wouldn't, but I'd rather not have accidentally poisoned you: it isn't safe to eat that Arnica plant."

[lancifolium]

The warning made her chuckle lightly, turning in her seat so that she faced him before comfortably draping an arm across his middle.

"I promise I won't try. Though I may talk to it." Back in school talking to plants was encouraged - though none of the plants she had seen since coming to this world were as overtly interactive as the ones back home.

"That was very sweet of you," she continued, leaning in to dust a quick kiss to his cheek. "I'm glad there's a moment to thank you properly."

[bearshermark]

Eleven smiled, coloring faintly in the low light.

"I'm just glad you like it," he admitted, increasingly nervous as he spoke. She had said she liked it, right? "It might not talk much, but I hope it's useful- or just brightens up your room a little. I'd actually been looking for something to take care of myself, but thought it might make a nice gift.."

[lancifolium]

The sight of him going a bit red made her grin, kissing his cheek a second time. "I adore it, though know I've got to figure out what to do for you." She chuckled warmly before turning her head to rest against his shoulder.

"It's one of my favorite parts of Taravast so far," Lily added thoughtfully, hiding a grin behind her hair.