Masquerade - These Masks We Wear

[Condensation she/her]

"Usually, yes. And if not them, my mom or sister."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Oh, you has a sister?" Nico gestured for her to give him the next layer.

[Channelknight Fadran]

Quote

Umm... I don’t think Ivian assigned Nicolae to be Eleanor’s attendant: just her manservant. She still had lesser maids and whatnot to do the awkward stuffs like dressing and bathing.

 

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Quote

That works... OH. Hehehe, we could have a maid come in to do all that stuff so it looks like Nicolae came in do that when he wasn't supposed to.  

 

[Channelknight Fadran]

Just now, Shard of Thought said:

 

Quote

*shrug*
Basically what I’m saying is “don’t write out these boy-dress-girl scenes please and thank you.”

 

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Quote

Oh, sorry.  I was intending to write the conversation and dance around that, but okay. Nicolae totally thinks he was set up now.

There came a knock at the door and before Nicolae could protest, a young woman let herself in. "Good morning, Lady Eleanor. I'm-" Nicolae and the girl locked eyes and there was a terrible moment of awkwardness. "Am I... interrupting something?" the maid asked. 

"Oh, Stars...." Nicolae buried his face in his hands.

"I was assigned to help Lady Eleanor get ready this morning, but if you-"

"No, no, no, no, no, I'm... Oh, this isn't..." Nicolae ran out of the room in tears, leaving a confused maid in a quiet room. 

Tears of sadness were immediately replaced with red-faced, storming anger. He set me up, that old bastard! Nicolae marched right back to the king's quarters, wiping the tears off his face. He knew yelling at the man would be a poor idea, but the injustice was too much to ignore. He knocked on Ivian's door, fists clenched.

[Channelknight Fadran]

Ivian opened the door. "Ye--Nicolae?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Nicolae sniffed, his frame shaking. Though he didn't cry, his eyes looked betrayed. "You set me up, didn't you?"

[Channelknight Fadran]

"Set you... what? Are you drunk, Kimby?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"No, I ain't drunk, you know I doesn't drink on the job, sir." He bit his lip. "I went down to dress her, sir, your Eleanor, and then..." His eyes narrowed. 

[Channelknight Fadran]

"You did--" Ivian shook his head, still confused. "That's... not what I meant, Kimby. Have you ever dressed me as my manservant?"

Quote

Answer: no.

 

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"She assumed I would, so I..." He growled in frustration, holding back tears. His head hurt. He'd been embarrassed beyond belief. Stars take my soul, I can't keep this up...

[Channelknight Fadran]

My goodness, he's a mess.

"My goodness, Kimby, you're a mess. Take the day off; tomorrow too, if you must." Ivian straightened. "I can organize a hunting party, I can reserve one of my shorefront homes... anything you need to calm yourself. Obviously something's bothering you, and I'd rather you be in tiptop shape treating Eleanor."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Nico's anger dissolved. "I... thank you..." He hung his head and took a shaky breath. "I'll... You doesn't need to provide anything, I can... Thank you."

[Channelknight Fadran]

"Have a... zu-bop of a day, Kimby." Ivian closed the door and shook his head. Stars, that felt weird to say...

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Quote

HE SAID THE THING. I should have had Nicolae ask for a hug, but oh, well

Nicolae sighed heavily, his previous fire of emotion completely burned out. He wasn’t annoyed, he wasn’t angry, he wasn’t bubbly, he just felt dead. Even his self-loathing had dimmed, if only just slightly. Stars, what a morning... Ah, you’re alright, Nicolae. Deep breaths, yeah? You’re alright...

[Channelknight Fadran]

The youngest maid--Katie--spotted Nicolae coming down the hallway. "Oh hey Nico!"

Quote

She's, like, ten, so she isn't one of the "hey lookit! It's the local bed boy!" people.

 

Edited May 14, 2021 by Channelknight Fadran

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Nicolae smiled faintly. "Oh, 'lo there, Katie."

[Channelknight Fadran]

"You look sad. Did you have a bad morning too?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"I did, yes. But I got the day off, I did, so... maybe it's not all bad."  

[Condensation she/her]

9 hours ago, Shard of Thought said:

"Oh, you has a sister?" Nico gestured for her to give him the next layer.

"Ye-"

1 hour ago, Shard of Thought said:

There came a knock at the door and before Nicolae could protest, a young woman let herself in. "Good morning, Lady Eleanor. I'm-" Nicolae and the girl locked eyes and there was a terrible moment of awkwardness. "Am I... interrupting something?" the maid asked. 

"Oh, Stars...." Nicolae buried his face in his hands.

"I was assigned to help Lady Eleanor get ready this morning, but if you-"

"No, no, no, no, no, I'm... Oh, this isn't..." Nicolae ran out of the room in tears, leaving a confused maid in a quiet room. 

Tears of sadness were immediately replaced with red-faced, storming anger. He set me up, that old bastard! Nicolae marched right back to the king's quarters, wiping the tears off his face. He knew yelling at the man would be a poor idea, but the injustice was too much to ignore. He knocked on Ivian's door, fists clenched.

Alienor froze, planted where she stood. "Ah..."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

The maid rolled her eyes. "That's Nicolae for ya... I'm sorry, miss. I woulda thought he'd know better than to get in with the queen-to-be..." 

[Condensation she/her]

"You mean... no, it wasn't like that! I thought - he said - you weren't here, so we thought he had to, so he was helping me."

[Vapor she/her]

On 5/13/2021 at 6:58 AM, Channelknight Fadran said:

"Kay here you are BYE!" She booked it outta there.

Ara sat down on the bed and looked out the window.

[Channelknight Fadran]

55 minutes ago, Shard of Thought said:

"I did, yes. But I got the day off, I did, so... maybe it's not all bad."  

"I got the day off too 'cause the Raveness gave me a job to do."