(open) Nothing as Boring as You, My Dear

[Alita Tress]

Alita was sitting in the cafe near the auction house, resting her chin in her hand and trying to stay concious. Accross from her sat a boy a few years her senior, and finely dressed. He was attractive an an obvious kind of way, but a complete bore.

Someone save me Alita thought desperately. She needed some kind of distraction so that she may slip away in a lady-like manner, then run for the hills in a less than lady-like manner.

[Beatrix INACTIVE]

All around her the sights and manners of her childhood seemed to dance about. To Beatrix this area seemed to as much changed as she herself had become. The general stood at the top of a large set of stone stairs, blade at her side as she watched the world unfurl around her. She had grown up here but there was little to nothing left of what she really remembered. The inhabitants seemed a little more, reserved, than they had been in her day.

Beatrix sighed, running a hand through her brown locks as she decided what to do. Regardless of the time she'd taken off to visit her family, she would rather much avoid eating at home and staying long; their were things she had to do back at the castle and as much as she trusted Adelbert she didn't exactly want to leave him on his own to defend the entire castle.

The woman made her way over to the small roadside cafe, its wealthy inhabitants seemed to be chatting about matters involved in fashion and Beatrix brushed their conversation aside. It must be nice to have your biggest worry be the color of a sash or the texture of an evening gown. Beatrix sat herself down at a nearby table, eyes sweeping the area not before she was asked by a serving girl what she wanted.

"Just a tea would be nice thank you," she smiled, turning back to the inhabitants of the cafe, Just in the corner a girl sat, blonde locks cascading over her shoulders. She was far too young to be of the usual crowd and Beatrix had to force her eyes too look away for fear of staring.

((OOC: Hope you don't mind me joining!))

[Alita Tress]

Alita's cerulean eyes locked onto a woman sitting on the other side of the cafe, she appeared to be staring at her, and she sat upright. A plan forming in her mind, the woman was alone so why would she not enjoy some company? It was certainly worth the risk if it meant she could escape this dreadful conversation.

Lost in her thoughts, Alita did not notice that her companion had begun to call her name. Snapping out of her own head, she tucked a lock of sunny hair behind her ear. "Sorry Henry, I was away with the fairies."

He looked at her curiously "What an unusual expression, I do not know where you pick these things up Alita!" He said, almost disapprovingly "You mother said you were easily distracted but this is-"

She cut him off by rising from her seat, "So sorry Henry, but I have just seen an old friend, and I'm sure she would like to see me." she said hastily, gathering up the peach skirts that she so hated and walking away from him.

"Now, Alita" Henry protested "this is highly inappropriate. What could you possibly need to discus with this person that cannot wait until we finish our drinks?"

His tone was condescending, an embodiment of all she hated about nobility, it filled her with anger, and that anger led to courage. "Nothing so boring as you, my dear." She said viciously without pausing to face him.

She knew she would no doubt be in for it when she returned home, but how could her mother truly think that that sorry excuse for a man could possibly be suitable for her? Oh yes, he had money. It made her feel sick.

She schooled her features as she approached the woman who had been staring at her. Her face was a mask of serenity, with a sweet smile and kind eyes. "Would you like some company?" She asked.

[Beatrix INACTIVE]

Beatrix turned her eyes away from the sunny-haired girl and to the server, waving her for a simple tea. Of course that tea would be three times the price it would have been in Alexandria but it wasn't like a general's wage didn't pay well. The woman turned her expressions back to the young girl who now seemed to be talking intensely with her male companion. It only took the older woman a moment to recognize the disgust in the youth's eyes. In one well placed, fluid movement the sunflower-haired girl had stood up and, surprisingly enough, made her way over to Beatrix.

"Did I look lonely?" she raised her eyebrow and then waved towards the seat across from her, "I'm just being silly; i'd love the company."

At that moment in time the server girl placed the cup of tea in front of the general, its contents whirled up in wisps of steam. The teabag had been left within the brownish liquid and Beatrix unwrapped its string from the handle, placing it on the saucer. She then grabbed the spoon and moved some of the sugar crystals into the teacup, giving it a good stir before addressing her newly found friend.

"My name is Beatrix, you are?" it was the basis for almost every tea conversation she'd ever had.

Beatrix marveled at how much the manners in Treno hadn't changed. She'd imagined much more elaborate schemes but the simple fact that the girl had joined her gave way to the suspicion that the man in the table across the way was someone she didn't really want to talk to. Perhaps even a betrothed. Beatrix counted herself lucky; her parents had been of the middle class and they hadn't had time to try and set her up nor would they put her under such pressures.

Sipping her tea, she waited for an answer from the young woman.

[Alita Tress]

Alita paused for a moment to ask the serving girl to bring her a glass of lemonade with ice, happy to make her own order rather than sit quietly and let Henry do so for her. Alita sat in the seat accross from Beatrix , spreading her skirts to the inside so she didnt ruffle them, not that she cared, but adding ruffled skirts to the list of things she had done wrong today seemed to make for a rather intense scolding.

"Beatrix," she said, letting the sylables roll over her tongue "It's a lovely name, I must say. I'm Alita." She smiled and glanced over her shoulder as Henry, looking extremely angry stormed past them. Alita sighed "I may have touched a nerve when I called him boring." she said, mainly to herself. She was a little remorseful, after all, it was not in her nature to be spiteful, but it had hardly been a lie,.

"So," she said brightly as the server returned with ehr drink "What brings you here alone on such a lovely night?"

[Beatrix INACTIVE]

As she had assumed, it was a conflict involving matters the young woman rarely wanted to talk about. Beatrix had noticed as much just in the way she'd begrudgingly trodden over here. But it was no fault to Beatrix, she couldn't blame the young lady for trying to push away what she could only guess were the marriage customs of Treno. As much as the city had been a beautiful place when she was growing up in it, the transformation it had taken from a paradise to an elitist camp had been unpleasant. Alit'as question brought Beatrix back to the real reason she'd visited.

"A visit was in order for me," she began and then added, "I haven't been home in around ten or so years. As much as i'd like to think I was home sickness, it was more or less curiosity that led me here."

With the permission for her to leave given by the queen, Beatrix truly had nowhere to go. The castle felt more home to her than her true residence and any individuals she would see here who were even remotely related to her were more like strangers than family. Amazing how one's life could be so complicated despite its simplicities. Beatrix took another sip of her tea and then balanced the teacup on the rose-colored saucer. Alita appeared to be mulling over something and the general was sure she could brighten the young girl's mood up.

"Boring? I can't believe he took that well. You remind me a lot of myself when I was your age," she eluded, not wanting to press on the perhaps touchy subject of just exactly why Alita had been forced to dine with the man at the other table. He swept them a look and Beatrix forced her eyes down towards her tea.

Maybe Alita was hoping for some sort of escape?

[Alita Tress]

"Yes," Alita said thoughtfully, "I most definately touched a nerve.." Henry, had begun terrorizing the servers, claiming that his tea had gone cold and demanding another one in a rather loud and angry voice. "Oh dear, really not my intention." A perplexed look crossed her face as she worried over the rouble she had caused, perhaps she should have remained bored, for the sake of the poor serving girls whom had to deal with his temper.

She turned back to Beatrix, looking a little more than guilty and nodded along with what she was saying. "If the place was a patriachle dungeon of unknowingly shackled nobility sticking their noses in the air at the slums when you last left, then it truly hasn't changed much." She same bitter poison was in her voice as when she had left behind her companion. It would appear that Alita had forgotten her own noble blood during her vengeful statement, but in fact, it was what drive her to make such statements: disdain for her own existance, surely there must be more than this?

Alita blinked at the brunnete before her, "Like you?" She repeated and then laughed. "Yes, people who managed to leave this wretched place always do see themselves in me. They never seem willing to share the secrets of how they managed their escape however."

[Rayne Brynne]

OOC: hey hope you dont mind if i join in here too, unless one of you decides to initiate contact i'll attempt to remain as a background person lol

Rayne sat silently in the cafe. His abilities to blend in amongst nobles was uncanny, it appeared that not a one of these people gave a second guess. Rayne had always hated these noble "hangout"s. It was pitiful that he had to watch these simpletons, and fools prance about, like they're better than everyone else, because they have more than they need. A prime example presented itself as a couple separated themselves in a rather large display, as compaired to most interactions at this cafe.
As the girl made her move to sit with another woman, and the man got up in all the fury a noble could muster, Rayne's thoughts bubbled to the surface of his mind.
"Nobles, nobles, Nobles, prancing about like they own everything, like everyone owes them... Its disgusting.... Never seen a noble that enjoyed losing anything, especially somthing like her"
Rayne made a passing glance over to where the two women sat, but his attention was quickly drawn to where the man was verbally harassing the server girls. Rayne shook his head with disgust as his thoghts again bubbled up to the surface.
"what filth.... You're angry at her.... yet you take it out on the one person trying to please you..... how hard would it be for me to stand up and knock you're teeth down you're throat? Ahh but alas I am a "noble" thus I can't do a thing unless I completly intend on destroying any ability I have to blend in with these a**holes"

[Alita Tress]

Ooc: Actually, this particular Beatrix is innactive, so ill just write her out :3 Ohhh, I can see Alita getting along very well with this particular noble mwahahaha

In one last burst of anger Henry upplifted a tray in the serving girls hands, sending china crashing to the floor, and stalked away with one final glance of longing at Alita. Who returned his twisted affection with cold anger.

All etiquette and status forgotten, Alita was beside the girl in one fatal sweep of her skirts. "I'm sorry about him" she said quietly as her hands nimbley plucked at broken pieces of class and china and placed it on the tray.

The girl looked at her afluster, "please miss! I cannot let you..." She pleaded with Alita "it is my place, not yours"

Alita waved her off "His anger is my fault." She said simply. The moment the work was done the girl quickly picked up the tray and scurried away to the back of the cafe, leaving Alita on her knees a little bewildered. Unsure of what she had done she turned back to her vacated seat, only to find her companion had also left and that many of the nobles around were looking at her curiously. Oh dear.