(1508) Martha and Richard

[SoraLow]

Chrisie

"Oh? You remember?" Richard sucks air between closed teeth, "Forgive me, I can't think of what you were dressed as that evening. I do get the feeling it was all white though." he says with a light hearted chuckled as he guides her a few feet out of the way so that they are no longer standing directly at the entrance. He reminds himself to try and keep the conversation brief and not let it sprawl out over the entire duration of the evening, after all there were at least two new arrivals, two female arrivals, that he was dying to meet. He glances over the top of Martha's head and spots both Konrad and Marco who both beat him to the punch.

Perhaps some other time

"The year has had it's ups and downs If I am being honest. I lost the first Kindred I had ever been comfortable enough to form a cotere with." Speaking of which, Richard notices that he hasn't seen Rina Yui in court in the last two or three months, could it be that she has left the city?

Richard leans to his right a bit so that he is able to speak more closely without being over heard though it might look a bit awkward considering their height difference. "Other than that I have been perusing a future with The Order, between you and me of course. I have spoken with one of their members and plan to have a visit with Mr. Regan sometime soon. "

[Martha Villiers]

Leaning on her cane, she listened attentively. Nodding to show proper and sincere sympathy for Richard's loss, Martha adds;

"I am sorry to hear that, sir. I hope you will be able to use the Grand Wyrms teachings to overcome grief and meet your obvious personal potential..." she nods again, briefly looking over to David and pondering the current state of the Ordo.

She thought about her schism with David and was saddened by it. With a sigh, she shakes her head, "He is very clever. A hard worker. His insights are often unorthodox, but profound..." she looked to her foot and wondered at why he continued to shun her...questioning whether she ought to compete with David for control of the local Ordo. Her pause was long and perhaps uncomfortable.

Resisting adding further comment, she also decided against fighting for control of the Ordo. It would be wasteful and enough energy had been squandered already. Martha nodded and, trying to regroup her mood, offered a sincere smile of encouragement to Richard, "I wish you well with that, sir. I shall be glad to help you with your studies, of course."

Her false leg shuffled as she realized that David would probably never allow such interference.

Letting out another sigh, she was overcome by sadness at the state of affairs between herself and David and shuddered. "I regret our conversation seems to have begun on a somewhat grim note. Perhaps, sir...?" she peered meekly up to Richard, as if almost begging him to lighten the mood somehow while inwardly marvelling at how David, even at this remote distance, could still manage to alienate her and stifle her enthusiasms.

[SoraLow]

Aquick smile emerges at Martha when she begins speaking positive of the Ordo, and it's head member but his grin dies just as quickly when he notices her staring away. He tilts his head to match hers, and peers into the crowd, searching for who he would assume to be David, considering that's who she was talking about it but before he can trace her line of sight Martha returns her attention to him, prompting him to wipe the traces of his intent off his face instantly.

He wanted to ask her if she was affiliated with the Ordo when she offers to assist him with his studies. At this point Richard has no idea what these studies might be a member herself but from the desperation he saw in her eyes told him that the subject wasn't helping her calm herself at all.

Richard curses the loss of this opportunity to find out more about the Ordo but he makes an effort to lighten up the conversation. It was the very least he could do, she had been there with a soft voice, a comforting smile, and pleasant conversation for him the very first time he had attended court, a night he felt the most vulnerable. Her kindness would not be wasted on him.

"Thank you kindly Ms. Villers, I will be sure to let you know if I do in fact decide to join the Ordo." He returns her his smile, "Did I hear correctly? You are now Keeper of the Elysian Field?"

[Martha Villiers]

"Ah," she nods in understanding, "well, the Ordo can have some highly unusual aspects to it. Not everyone can be comfortable with them all... especially at first encounter." she nods meekly, making a playful face to suggest that even she finds some of it a bit bizarre, making a small and delicate finger gesture as if coaxing him to listen to her whisper a secret only for his benefit, at the suitable distance she adds; "But, it's all there for a highly crafted, the most precise and technical, of purposes! There is nothing trivial about any of it. Keep that in mind, sir, and you shouldn't go far wrong with your studies... Should you decide to join, of course!" she whispers to Richard, nodding meaningfully and hoping to reassure him with a brighter, lighter tone.

Suddenly feeling a little better about herself, the evening and the Ordo, she immediately attributes this to Richard's strong presence.

Wide eyed, Martha leans on her cane and suddenly finding his commanding and suave presence oh so comforting. Lulling her into imagining Richard leading a courageous charge of soldiers across open ground to storm a Hydra HQ...

Her meekness turns to delight as he takes a more pleasant direction of conversation, she smiles up to him and nods humbly; "Thank you!" she chirps, "Indeed, sir! The Seneschal recently reappointed me Mistress Keeper! I am eager to discharge my duties with dedication and aplomb! At the risk of returning to matters grim, tell me, please, sir... How are your artistic endeavors advancing? I do so hope it's your turn to share good news with me!" she cannot hide her excitement. Her fingers grip her cane, but from the thrill this time, rather than the earlier grimness.

With hopeful and cheery wide eyes, she looks to Richard as if keen to see where he takes the conversation next...

[SoraLow]

Once again Martha confirms his suspicion that she is affiliated in some way with the Ordo, something that he would be investigating further under more appropriate circumstances. "I am a man that notices the fine details, I'm sure I will be able to handle myself." a sly grin lets her know that he appreciates her advice, Ms. Villers was always a flowing well of information, one he had qualms with drinking from.

"Sadly, I can't say that I have been able to take any significant strides by way of my true passion, a shame actually. I have a tenuous arrangement that allows me access to the art facilities at the University after hours. But this has proven to be less than ideal considering the limited amount of time I can actually be there. A sculpture is no single nights task. I often come back weeks later to find my projects tampered with, or thrown out all together to make space for some thing else a student a made during the day."

Not to leave her with bad news, Richard adds, "But its fine, I have committed myself to earning enough funds to purchase a studio. Now it is only a matter of collecting the coins which only comes down to time and effort"

[Martha Villiers]

Martha listened carefully. Focusing her attention on him as he spoke. Hearing the sorry story of thwarted art, she nodded in obvious sympathy.

"It is a sad story, sir. I hate to think of your art suffering thus. I recall you telling me of your determination to be independent when creating your art," she smiled, thinking back to his rejection of her help last year, adding, "Such determination must surely be rewarded!" Martha smiled, nodding sincere encouragement.

"Goodness! At the risk of offending your independence, if I can help you, sir, with any of the carrying of items or some other small capacity, sir, please don't be afraid to ask!" she smiled sincerely, "I simply love to see the creation of Art!"

She rubbed at her crippled hip as she spoke, paying intent and respectful attention to Richie.

[SoraLow]

Always one to offer help in what ever way she could, was Martha really a vampire at all? It was as if no beast challenged for dominance over her heart at all, this was perhaps what was most perplexing and most interesting about her to Richard. "No need to be sorry, all that it will take is more time that I have plenty of." He watches her fidget with her hip as she so often did, a nibble across his lip formed, he was taking a big risk asking her this question, the last thing he would want to do is offend her, especially on such a delicate subject that would surely be a sensitive topic. "The prosthetic you wear, is it medically prescribed? By that I mean is it something that a doctor would need to make for you or is it simply a matter of measurements to replicate?" He overs her his hands palmed together as if praying for her understanding, "Please, forgive me if that is too personal. You are free to not answer that if it makes you uncomfortable"

[Martha Villiers]

Martha's eyes widen as he mentions her leg. For a brief moment, as she bit nervously and coyly at her bottom lip, she wondered if he just enjoyed non sequitors. But then her mind tumbled. Wrestling with pain, painful memories and the need to supply a useful answer, it occurred to her that he may equate her leg with Art, as Un-living, and practical sculpture.

Her nervous eyes briefly looked from her prosthetic knee joint to his eyes. Her dainty hand gripped her cane as her free hand rubbed even deeper at her maimed hip;

"Oh, er..." she began with a most bashful giggle, "this leg...?" her words now almost absent minded, "yes, sir, this one was prescribed. It was made with the most c...careful measurements. But, my others, no, sir. No. They are simply scavenged from the Internet or er... well, sir, n...newspaper classified advertisements..." she offered a meek smile. As if revealing the source of her false legs was somehow more private to her than exposing to him her thigh stump.

Martha rubbed harder now at her her maimed upper thigh, perhaps it's an unconscious gesture. As if hinting to Richie exactly where her flesh stump meets prosthesis.

Wide eyed, Martha whispered, "Do...do they fascinate you, sir? False legs, I mean... as a technician or as an Art form? I daresay, as an artist, they might offer many avenues of technical interest..." she wondered quietly, as if honestly, if nervously, testing her theory, trying to draw out his interest in the matter.

[SoraLow]

Just as he had feared, a sensitive subject to breach with him but he continues none the less thought taking care to avoid poking at her already fragile demeanor,"Is it strange that they fascinate me?" he asked her with an amused smile, showing that he didn't find this conversation out of place at all, "I find it interesting that someone crafted something that need not only be appealing to the eye but otherwise function such an important purpose. It makes me wonder if I would be capable of crafting something that could be used in such a practical manner." he was starting to think that cheering someone up wasn't exactly his strong suit. He desperately wanted to be the shoulder for her to lean on as she had been for him but sadly he was proving to be less effective than she was. "If I were to try my hand at making something like this would you be able to assist me with the specifics? I couldn't even begin to imagine what materials would be best." Again he is sure that he is treading dangerously close to making her never want to be stuck conversing with him alone ever again, but it all he can think to say at the moment. Typically he was quite adept at socializing, especially with women in general, but with Martha it was different. He wasn't sure why but he felt a sense of kinship with her, making it difficult to fill his time talking with her with the normal package of insincere garble that he would normally pass out when unsure of what subject to bring up next. Still though, he would try and salvage this moment as best he could before moving on with the rest of his evening.

[Martha Villiers]

His private doubts might well dissolve.

His words seem to have an immediate and electric effect on Martha. Her posture becomes more upright, her eyes bright and wide with joy; "Help you, sir? With such a project?" she asks, clearly enthused, "Goodness! It would be...be a delight... An honor, to help you, sir! I can hardly wait to start!" she holds her cane to her chest and stares excitedly at Richie.

"Golly! Yes, the mix of practical and aesthetic! Oh, indeed! Ah, please, sir, please forgive my excitement, but I am always ready and willing to be of use to you and your Art, sir!" she adds again, her small hands gripping and opening on her cane in some gesture of energized activity.

For a moment she almost contemplated trying to perform a cartwheel right there and then.

Good sense prevailed and she contented herself with a more modest, if somehow silent, clapping of her hands instead.