Worship.

[MissusHow]

((Ohmeegee! I dunno what to call \'im! XP XDXXDD))

Ara noticed a change of tone at Varians next question, and his smile seemed less forced...more natural. A change did seem to come over people when away from public. "You did say he was a strange little man..." she paused, thinking like her character would, "I was in earnest about the question that Dagger interrupted. Is he dangerouse? You\'ve got me absolutely curiose about this fellow, who made your beautiful boots..." she paused, waiting for Varians answer. ((Writers blocketh, XP))

[Chem]

“Not exactly dangerous, no,” Varian laughed, thinking of the cobbler’s deceptively youthful, rounded face. One that aged well and seemed friendly… if you happened to miss both his stubborn streak and the shrewdness in his eyes, that is.

The tutor smiled when he spotted the store and its familiar peeling sign, which proclaimed simply, ‘Thomson’s,’ in beautiful black lettering. It being the Day of Worship, however, the shop was, of course, closed.

“This way, Ella,” Varian urged gently, making a turn into an empty sidestreet. It was more than a little inappropriate, to tug a lady into such a secretive corner, and alone, but he was feeling adventurous today.

“I rather think that Thomson gets more business this way than over the counter,” Varian chuckled, reaching to rap thrice on the sturdy back door.


(xD)

[MissusHow]

Ara raised her eyebrow when they went around the front of the shop to the back, rather inapropriate of this man, Varian, to do so. And she supposed he knew it as well...taking a quick glance back and seeing the street deserted her brows smoothed in comprehension. Nobody to see Varian being adventurous, he could still keep his face up in court. His reputation.

Her spies in the castle had yet to tell her how adventurouse Varian was when nobody was looking, or...when he THOUGHT nobody was looking. So far, to them, he had seemed as uptight as he was in public, ocasionally displaying harshness towards servants, but the usual amount as was common with most nobles.

To Ara, nobles were like mysteriouse boxes. No matter how much you knew at the outside, every time you took a peek at the inside something new popped out. Sometimes not entirely unexpected, but new. And an addittion to the little storage room in her brain.

“I rather think that Thomson gets more business this way than over the counter,” Varian chuckled.

Ara grinned, managing to hide her smile at the last minute covering it with her free hand, when she had fought her amusement down she raised her eyebrow casually, her eyes still containing a bit of a twinkle, "Oh? A bit on the shady side is he? Ah well, not all business is meant to reach the eyes of the public." she said, raising her eyebrow in a cynical, ironic, sort of way. She stilled when he rapped on the wooden door, her brain memorizing each place exactly, each crevice.

[Chem]

“Shady? Perhaps.” A wave of his hand, as if in dismissal. “If anything, the man has a certain... shall we say, lack of respect… for propriety and social order.”

An understatement, but one didn’t discuss such things in public, and certainly not in the company of a lady. That aside, the tutor had fond memories of being chased by a younger Thomson, face screwed up in annoyance and a pair of child’s sandals in his hands. The last thing Varian wanted was to cause the other man trouble.

At that thought, the door opened - just a crack, but enough to reveal a familiar, slightly upturned nose. “Been badmouthin’ me again, eh, Varian?”

“I wouldn’t dream of it!” the tutor protested, eyes huge and aglitter with mock innocence. “Quite the opposite, in fact. I’ve brought you a customer.”

He ushered Ella into the light, smiling broadly.

[MissusHow]

Ara laughed, though not cruelly, as she looked into the shop, her hands on her hips, and her back slightly arched as she looked over the shelves. Finely crafted shoes stacked the ledges, and she whistled low, in approval, "Quite the liberal shoemaker, are you Master Thompson?" she said quietly, though her words in jest, her tone suggested admiration, and, quite frankly (though Ara would hate to admit it) awe.

There were boots, lady footwear, children\'s shoes, travelers shoes, and all crafted beautifully. Not a single pair of shoes was the same, and each looked as if it had been attended to specially, and done with utmost care. Each shoe had a different personality, seemed to belong to different people, who would find their way to the shop at some time or other. "I can see you love your craft, Master Thompson." she stated smiling, her eyes set in an expression of mutual respect. She turned to Varian, "I\'m glad you brought me to this place Varian... I don\'t believe I\'ll tell my father of it, though. His merchant\'s blood will set in and he will try to exploit it... Twould ruin the beauty it has in itself." she murmured, and remained in a sort of revered silence.

Not many would appreciate the beauty of a cobblers shop...Ara knew love of trade when she saw it. She had love for thieving; Master Thompson had love for shoemaking... And anyone who could not see that, most likely did not deserve the shoes for sale.