[prp] The lifestyles of the rich (Nirva and Mengyao)

[Miliardo Kason]

: The mark of Curiosity.

It was something etched into shoulder of the horsemen who moved through the conquest halls. In her time since the tower was taken over Nirva found that having so many horsemen in one central point not broken up by islands invoked a part of her nature she never really acknowledged. The curiosity to explore and stalk the other Horsemen, peeking into their daily lives and work. It was a part of her now, it was something that gave a bit of delight to her day, a rush of excitement when exploring something new and most likely private.

Nirva did not ware her helmet, nor did she carry herself for battle her armor replaced by simple leather and cloth the plate and steel left behind. She moved between the groups of Conquest both high and low as if she was simply passing by on her way to another floor, her wings tucked tight around her so not to disturb anyone she passed. The reality was she was trying not to be noticed in the middle of the crowd as she made her way towards the private chambers of the conquest clans.

After all if one was going to steal something it was best to not be noticed right?

Today the target was Mengyao, a Horsemen in the Conquest branch, hence her time on the floor. The reason was aimless. It was practice and curiosity after all.

The mark itched and her pace quickened as she neared his room. A few quick glances and she was sure it was clear as the lock pick appeared in her fingers, a few twists later and the door was click shut softly behind her.

By now she had come to one conclusion, low or high, all Conquest chose to live a lavished life. Riches and finery all around them. If it wasn't the softest furs and the brightest gems it wasn't worth keeping. Even in their most simple chambers it was still a certain 'richness' to the smallest things. It was almost... gaudy.

"Now... if I where to hide something where would it be..."  

[kuropeco]

He'd stepped out for a few moments to take care of some business. It took longer than expected, which was rather irritating, and by the time he was finished, Mengyao's mood was not exactly the most ideal. He swept through the halls of Conquest with his chin tilted upwards, hands tucked into his draping sleeves, and made his way back to his room, fully intent on taking some time to practice calligraphy.

He reached his door, pushed it open, and stepped inside, making sure it was closed securely behind him before he turned around -

- and found that his room, which was normally void of visitors, was not at all empty. And the visitor was not his normal unexpected guest of Mahir, either.

"What," said Mengyao flatly. "may I ask, are you doing?"

miliardo kason

 

[Miliardo Kason]

Nirva was sitting in a chair. It was a very large soft chair, unusually so almost too much. It was distracting, she couldn't help but feel stuck, or sinking into the chair. It was pleasing perhaps if she had intended a nap but she had come here to explore and snoop to see what she could learn. She was just lamenting how such a chair would be the doom of someone when the door to the room opened.

"Oh." She paused staring at the other horsemen. Slowly she pulled herself out of the chair adjusting the long cloth and leather trimmed skirt she wore. "....Nothing," she said simply, "I was sitting."

Kurropii

 

[kuropeco]

There was a long pause while he stared at her. Then -

"Why?"

miliardo kason

 

[Miliardo Kason]

Nirva stared at the other horsemen for a very long time, they both stared really.

In that time she debated her options. Plan A was rush him before he could react and knock him out then go about her exploring while he was asleep. This could have worked, maybe.

Instead she went with Plan B.

Slowly she gestured a hand to another lush chair. "Because I'm curious," she shifted about adjusting her wings in the seat, wings and such a large soft chair didn't mesh well.

"How do you begin to even sit in a chair like this?"

Kuuropii

 

[kuropeco]

She was not only entirely unfamiliar to Mengyao, who had been around long enough to recognize most in the tower; but also not a Conquest Horseman, judging by the state of her clothing and the haughtiness to her brow. The wings were another definable trait, and his eyes narrowed a little before he lifted his chin, sweeping casually across the room, footsteps muted by the lush carpeting.

"Quite easily," said Mengyao airily, without taking the Horseman's offer of sitting in his own chair. Instead he stood next to it and peered down at her, hands still tucked into his draping sleeves.

"What is a Horseman of Death doing in my rooms? I do not appreciate uninvited guests, especially ones I do not know."

miliardo kason

 

[Miliardo Kason]

Nirva was indeed not of Conquest, her manners and clothes where a dead give away, nor would she ever hope to impersonate one. The culture was too refined for a child of Death and War, that of course was where the wings came from. Still she did not retreat, only shifting in her seat as he got near.

"Hardly, I feel like I might sink into it never to rise again."

There was another pause, "Practice," she said simply, "After the loss of our first home I feel out of touch with a lot of my skills and practices I once had as a soldier. And lately, well I've taken to practicing on our peers." She pointed at the other horsemen, "Though I've made it a point today not to flee this situation but to see where a conversation will go."

Shifting about she finally squirmed her way out of the seat offering her right hand formally, "I'm Nirva Sen, the middle child of the Sen Triplets, and possibly the last of my group the Ashen Crows. And now I am not a stranger to you Mengyao."

Kuuropii

 

[kuropeco]

"Then by all means, keep sitting there," said Mengyao, with a touch of sarcasm in his voice as he looked down at her. She was not afraid of him, but he was also not afraid of her, merely annoyed that she had managed to slip in in the first place. So far, only Mahir had managed to do that, and Mengyao had stopped trying to stop him because it was pointless.

One eyebrow rose, mild amusement in his face, though it was tinged in dryness as he said, "So we are peers, are we? Peers who enter another's room without their express permission?"

He shook his head disdainfully and crossed around to the other side of the desk, picking up the calligraphy brush and turning it over in his hands. The Horseman - Nirva - was given a scrutinizing look, Mengyao's dual colored eyes narrowing a little as he regarded her.

"Never heard of you," he said blithely, and drew a line on the parchment in front of him, followed by another, movements easy and practiced.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to be done."

miliardo kason

 

[Miliardo Kason]

"I don't think I would like that," she said even ebfore she had stood to offer her hand. She was aware Mahir, that may or may not have been an inspiration for choosing this room. After all if someone was often here unexpected what proof would she leave that would cause issues?

"Peers. If you where a hunter I would have cut off your head the moment the door opened, if you where Halloween." She paused, "Fifty fifty, depends on how you reacted or who you where. But peers none the less and I see another of ours a Famine who enters your room without consent so I assumed of all conquest to peer into you would have been, at least in theory, least likely to notice an entry or offense to it given then nature of your other acquaintance."

Sighing she waved her hand when he said he didn't know her, or her team, "Charming, I do all the field work and you back in our old lives would give the orders. I don't think anyone fully appreciates what soldiers do. Not exactly your fault though."

Following along she watched as he started to draw, "We just meet and you dismiss me so soon? Come now Mengyao, let me make you a cup of tea, consider it an apology for what I've done?"

Kuuropii

 

[kuropeco]

Her hand, in spite of the gesture, was given a disinterested and rather disdainful glance, Mengyao not stretching out his own to accept it. Rude, perhaps, but since she had invaded his room without permission, being rude clearly wasn't something to be concerned over.

"If you were a hunter, you would have been dead before your sword moved," said Mengyao lightly. "As for Mahir's lack of consent when he enters my room, there is little to do in controlling a creature of less wits than my own. It does little good to waste time and energy on something that lacks a good end reward."

Another line was drawn on the paper, thick and black from the calligraphy ink. "I do so like the idea of giving orders," said Mengyao blithely. He did have to give her some credit for being bold, which he always appreciated, but the annoyance over her unexpected presence hadn't quite left his countenance yet.

Dark brows rose, Mengyao's eyes flickering briefly up to meet Nirva's.

"First you offer me a seat in my own room, and now you offer me tea in my own room," he said, a final line drawn delicately, thinly on the page. "How interesting."

The calligraphy was of a little bird, soft with a sharp beak. Mengyao set the brush down and pressed the tips of his fingers against the parchment, each one set along a black line of ink, and it would have smeared had he moved them sideways. As it was, Mengyao merely dragged his fingers upwards, and the calligraphy was peeled off of the paper, leaving not a single trace behind. In its place stood a little bird, exactly like the drawing, except flittering and fluttering around, giving a little chirp.

"Well, I suppose we can't all be intelligent beings, now can we?" Mengyao murmured to it, holding out his hand, and the bird hopped up onto his fingers.

miliardo kason