La Salon Écarlate (The Scarlet Lounge)

"And that would all be grand if I were just a private citizen, but I can not just disappear whenever I want sadly."

Nicolas did in fact put his arm around her, pulling her close and kissing the top of her head as he did so. He would like to just disappear for a couple weeks...with her of course.

"And yes, I have been there many times, particularly as a child. My family owns a small house on the beach there. We used to go once a year, but lately it has just been my brothers who go, I have not been able to get away from my responsibilities long enough to join them as of yet."

"I think if things progress to that degree we can definitely take a short vacation to Carmela. Some of my fondest chidhood memories are there."

He paused and thought for a moment, the smile on his face growing wider as he reminisced. His eyes went wide at her last comment, he had not taken it as such, and a quick shake of his head was enough to say that he had not.

"In fact, my brothers and I caught a shark there once. In retrospect, it wasn't that big of one, but at the time it seemed like we had caught the most ferocious sea monster to ever plague the seven seas."

He laughed at the memory, and how close her description was to the actual truth.

"It was all of three of us actually, my two brothers to either side and holding up the head and tail, and we were proud. It had taken us almost an hour to catch the thing and even then it nearly bit my brother's hand. My dad made us eat it though, since we had killed it."

He made a face as he remembered how it had tasted, that part of the memory he was not particularly fond of.

"Didn't taste good, but we kept the skin and used it to wrap the hilts of the swords we have now. A little memento of the shark we caught I guess."

"No they can't, and I think thats because the people in them can never be replaced either. In their own way they love on in memories like that."

He leaned his head against hers as she scooted in closer, his voice more thoughtful and tinged with a sorrowful happiness. The memories became slightly harder to think about when the people in them were no longer around, like his parents. But now was not the time for such thoughts and he forced the smile back to his face before she could notice.

"I suppose I should see about paying our bill soon. Wouldn't want them to think we were gonna dine and dash eh?"

"Yes, it would do quite a bit of damage to my reputation, not to mention it would be a horrible way to thank our hosts for everything they did for us this evening."

He took the bill with one hand, looking it over briefly to make sure everything was in order, before handing the waiter the full amount plus a 30% tip. He smiled as the man took it.

"You can keep the change, we had an absolutely wonderful evening."

He began to get up out of the booth, and would extend his hand out to Eleniel in order to help her extricate from the booth.

"Miss Windsong, if I didn't know better I would think that you were beginning to fall for me, what with all the stumbling into my arms you keep doing."

Regardless of the truth in that statement, he said it lightheartedly, and accompanied it with a wink as he helped her to her feet. He put his own cloak on as she grabbed hers, extending the crook of his arm for her to take, which she did.

"I believe we should, I think I can find our way out now."

It was a relatively simple matter to find the stairs that went downstairs, and he would carefully walk down them, taking care to ensure that Eleniel did not fall down them because of her long skirt.

On a rather pleasant summer evening, as the pale orange light of the setting sun provides a stunning backdrop for the silhouette of Le Palais des Ailes, as viewed from the east. A long, woman-shaped shadow trails in Madame Naoki’s wake as she makes her path along the paths and arteries of Traveré. Beside her, another long, woman-shaped shadow suggests the presence of another: her companion Elizabeth Finch.

On this night of nights, Naoki has chosen to whip out the metaphorical big guns of her wardrobe’s arsenal and to wear that red velvet dress purchased from Lady Genevieve St. James in preparation for her first trip to Gauldin. With it, and the magic woven into it, she strikes quite the figure. A full figure and a well-proportioned one. An alluring woman and a confident one.

“Confident in what?” is a valid question, but Naoki isn’t taking questions.

Similarly, dear Liz has been dressed up in an outfit that while may not quite match, per say, definitely strikes an interesting counterpoint to Naoki’s ensemble: a green, lacy sort of garment that rides on the very edge of decency, and swishes while she walks, besides.

Although Liz seems less than comfortable, Naoki seems either not to notice or not to mind. As she articulates her question, Naoki’s eye is caught by an establishment on the corner. Eyeing the sign, Naoki takes Liz’ hand in her own, and gestures with her other hand to the sign, reading it aloud, “How about here? ... La Salon Écarlate… The Scarlet Lounge. This seems like it would be right up your alley.”

With this, Naoki flashes Liz a smirk, knowing full well that such things are well outside Liz’ realm of experience. However, without taking Liz’ response into account, Naoki gently tugs her in the direction of the door, intending to proceed inside and assess the interior.