| Led Astray |
| Summary: | Alise and Rafferdy meet again in Riverrun after their first. |
| Date: | 12/11/2011 |
| Related Logs: | Meetings on the Bottom Shelf |
| Players: |
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| Marketplace, Riverrun |
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| Nov 12, AL 288 |
The stay in Riverrun has been most eventful for the nobles, but for the various retainers, attendants and maids, it's just been a lot of scurrying around between sitting around and waiting. Alise manages to sneak out again this afternoon, and is taking a stroll in the town's market square. The stalls selling pots and pans, foodstuffs and drinks don't interest her much, but one selling precious stones… now, that catches Alise's eyes that she's checking out the wares.
Rafferdy quietly slinks up behind Alise. He's wearing the same sort of clothing he had on the first night, a pair of brown, worn leather pants and a matching doublet. His left eye is black this time, though. He moves right behind her, and leans over her shoulder. "I like the orange stone," he says softly.
Alise literally jumps at the unexpected sneakiness of Rafferdy, so much so she nearly drops the two stones she's holding. She quickly turns her head, and catches his scent even before she sees his face. "You startled me!" She protests, but with obvious relief that it's him. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" She turns slightly and slaps him playfully on the chest.
"Ow," Raff mutters, "Easy, I'm hurt…" He smiles, "What are we shopping for?" he asks, looking at what she was looking at.
"Oh, these pretty things exceed my meager means." Alise glances down as she puts down the stones, along with a wistful sigh. Turning back to him, the maid tilts her head as she studies his black eye. "What happened? Did you attempt to seduce a proper lady last night and was caught by a jealous husband?"
Rafferdy shakes his head, "Not hardly…" He shrugs, "Big fella didn't agree with me, so I said he smelled like flowers." He looks back at the stones, "If you maiden for someone important, I'm sure your Lord would help you if you really wanted one…"
"I am new to this maid business." Alise reaches up to gently touch the puffiness of the black eye, as if she's curious about it. "I would not jeopardize it by asking my lady for coins so soon." Gradually, a grin spreads over her lips. "You are better with womenfolk than menfolk, are you not?"
Rafferdy winces just a little at the touch, "Eee…" He shrugs, "Just depends, really." Then he offers her another one of his charming smiles, "My brother has better luck with men than I do." He gives a little laugh, and then points at a blue stone. "I like that one rather well…"
"Your brother has better luck with men?" Alise isn't sure how to interpret that, and can only gives him a pained expression. Best to leave that one well alone and studies the blue stone he picked out. "This would make quite a necklace, would it not?" She picks it up gingerly and holds it against her chest, just above the start of her cleavage above the collar of her gown. "What say you?"
Rafferdy takes in the necklace. Perhaps he takes it in a little longer than he should. Perhaps it's not the stone he's taking in, either… "It's rather fitting, my lady," he says, feigning regality for a moment, and bowing to her.
Alise chuckles girlishly. "Oh, but you know I am no lady. I am but a…." She doesn't get to finish when the stone gets dropped…. down her bodice. "Oh! Oh dear!" She exclaims awkwardly, looking down and finding no way to retrieve the stone without causing a scene.
Rafferdy tilts his head a little, smiling mischievously. "Heh." He looks at the gentleman running the stall. "Sir…" He smiles, "The lady has accidentally dropped the stone into her bodice. Would you be so kind as to allow her to step behind your curtain there to retrieve it with dignity?" The shopkeeper looks a little suspiciously at them both, but slowly nods his head, gesturing for Alise to step back behind the table.
Alise smiles a smile of gratitude at Rafferdy, and scoots behind the curtain… after flashing him a wink. She's fairly quick of hand, and as she passes by the table, she swipes up the orange stone that Rafferdy pointed out earlier. Why? Because the stallkeeper's focused on the dropped blue stone, so the theory is he's not paying as much attention on his other wares.
Rafferdy smiles back at her, and once she's behind the curtain, no longer in her view, he leans close to the shopkeeper. A few whispers later, he passes enough coins to the man for the blue stone, and they shake hands. He looks to the curtain, and waits.
Aw, what a gentleman! Alise reemerges soon thereafter, with the blue stone in her hand. "There you are, kind sir." She offers to the stall keeper. "That was clumsy of me."
Rafferdy reaches out and takes the stone from Alise, palming it, and then pretending to place it back in the rack for the keeper. "Sorry about the inconvenience," he offers, and the shopkeep smiles, not at all inconvenienced. Raff lays his arm around Alise, "Let's leave the gentlemen bee, luv," and leads her along.
Alise is happy to be escorted along, having pilfered the orange stone. She makes sure they are some distance away before glancing back, to see if the shopkeeper is following, but he seems rather oblivious. "Well then! I meant to ask you, wherever did you appear out from? Surely you have not been following me."
The shopkeeper seems to be paying them no mind. Rafferdy shrugs, "I was across the way at the tavern getting lunch." He smiles, and now that their out of the shopkeeper's view, he looks at the blue stone, inspecting it casually. "It is rather fine…"
Alise's eyes go wide at the stone as it is revealed. "How did you…?" She blinks and looks at him in disbelief. "Did you steal this?" She grabs it - stone and his hand, all of it, and shoves downwards to hide them from view. "Do not let him see you!"
Rafferdy laughs, and nods, returning it to his pocket. "As if you've never stolen anything in your life…" He smiles, still amused. "He can't see us, we're past his line of sight. Relax."
"Stealing? I am entirely innocent of wrongdoing." Alise smiles an innocent smile, which she carries off rather well with her girlish looks. "Aside from the occasional time when I am led astray by temptation." She purses her lips and rolls a shoulder at Rafferdy meaningfully.
Rafferdy laughs, and bites his lip, a little flirtatiously. "Entirely, I'm sure." He tosses her a wink, and continues through the market. "I should I hope I'm not leading you astray, Alise. You perhaps deserve better than someone such as myself."
Alise flashes a shy smile to Rafferdy, one that is laced with a subtle attraction. "You almost did lead me astray the other night, Rafferdy you rogue. I fear for any woman's virtue, with your sweet words and gentle touches." She lifts her chin with a faux look of pride. "What sort of gentleman do I deserve, do you think?"
Rafferdy shrugs, "Hard to say." He laughs, "With the right dress, perhaps even a noble might find sport in you." With a grin on his face, he shrugs again as they walk. "I'm hardly sweet, though," he corrects her, chuckling. "Haven't you seen my eye?"
Alise lets out a chuckle. "Rightly deserved for calling a man he smelled like flowers, but that does not mean you're not sweet. And charming." Her cheeks grow rosey again. "And wicked, only in a good way. I do believe I prefer that to some stuffy nobleman."
Rafferdy grins, "Me too." He looks up the street, then back at her, "You know, in a few days, we'll both be on our way to somewhere new." He looks at her, "I don't want you to get too attached or anything. Charming or not."
Alise's rosey smile dims at that, but she does nod. "I expect you are right." She looks down at her feet. Disappointed, maybe? "Would you care to meet again when we can, for the next few days? Before we go our separate ways." She actually stops now, and turns to face Rafferdy properly. "Maybe… I will let you lead me astray all the way."
Rafferdy stops when she does, and he smiles at her, tilting his head a bit, and brushing his fingers through the hair above her ear. "I think I could manage to make that happen," he says, grinning. "Maybe next time, we avoid the peasants…?"
"Best if we do." Alise looks up at him when he brushes her hair, almost longingly. Her hands come up to rest on his arms, gripping his sleeves. "They completely startled me last time. I am ever thankful they did not see us before we…." She doesn't finish, but drops her voice and glances from side to side.
Rafferdy laughs softly, "I'm just sorry we didn't have the courage to give them a show." He winks teasingly at her. "I imagine a lady like you must have rogues in every city pining for your time."
Alise may not be a blushing virgin, but to give some villagers a bawdy show? That's enough to make her turn a beet red and drop her gaze. "I am not nearly as bold as you believe me to be. And I have not certainly met enough rogues to inspire me to be so bold."
Rafferdy laughs a bit, a confidence to his smirk that borders arrogance, but not quite to a level that overshadows his charm. "Then I'll take that as a compliment." He leans forward and gives her a kiss. "I'm rather thankful maidens aren't as chaste as they used to be."
Alise leans up to return the kiss, even if it's not as hidden away from the public eye than it should be. "If my lady finds out, she will likely have me beaten to an inch of my life." She whispers after pulling back from the kiss, her tone a bit more serious than before. "She expects her handmaidens to be chaste; I am close to failing her."
Rafferdy shakes his head, "If she lays a finger on you, you come find me." He's rather serious. "I'll have some words." He shrugs a little, "Then you can run with me, free."
Alise can't help but laugh a little to that. "My lady is a fearsome woman, Rafferdy. Her looks alone can wither you. I think it best to simply flee in the night, should she discover my failure." She reaches up a hand to cup his cheek. "Where do I find you, my charming rogue?"
Rafferdy smirks, "I can't imagine she's so tough." Then he laughs, "Well, unless she's a Frey. Then… Maybe." He sniffs, and steps a little closer to her. "I'm around." He looks over at the tavern they first met in. "How about our old hangout?" He smiles again, "Unless you have a room somewhere?"
"My room is next door to my lady's." Alise grins nervously. "I fear I am not nearly so daring as to bring you there. Unless, of course, you promise to keep completely silent." Still, she loops an arm in his. "The tavern is otherwise much safer a venue."
Rafferdy laughs, "I'm sure I could slip in and out without too much notice." He shrugs, "But," he smiles, "I can settle for a tavern if you can."
