Frank
Separate Thread Start
Andy
There were days when the weight wasn't all that heavy. The days of her childhood, from before she discovered her magical tendencies, still darting around the fields chasing after the younger ones — the weight hadn't existed then. It had silently slipped into her life when she'd moved out of the old house, living by herself in seminary, growing with every passing year. It'd more than tripled overnight on her return, ever accumulating, and it was only during the nights that she got blackout drunk that it got much lighter. Of course, those occasions had been fleeting in comparison.

That morning proved more burdensome than most.

"Oh, dear. This won't do at all."

Wearing a rare look of vexation, Sol stared at the article lying on the desk. It was a plain looking drawstring pouch about the size of her fist, and right now it was so full that it could not possibly accommodate a coin more.

"Ahhh, and to think I've just made a large purchase recently... What should I do? It's too early in the day to hit up any taverns..."

It was thirty minutes later before the priestess could be spotted strolling along one of the busier streets around, inspecting every single piece of ware intently before moving on to the next stall.

She had yet to find something that was a) easy to carry around, b) expensive enough and c) had at least *Some* Practical value for herself.
Frank
Elsewhere in the streets, a titanic figure was idly strolling, with a relaxed expression upon his face, as he peeked a look at the various stalls. While usually he would only be on the streets to put his hand to the heart of the city's rumours and concerns, even a tirelessly working man like him needed a breather from time to time.

So here he was, lazily window-shopping instead of doing anything of actual merit- not that the concept of a glass shop-front was even a thing yet.

His height came in quite handy here, allowing him to take a peek at the various stalls without needing to push through the crowds for a the closer look, and also causing the tides of people in the streets to pre-emptively give him the right of way to avoid being bowled over by accident. The person that could win against an old titan in a match of strength was an exceptional one, after all- not that he would be rude enough to deliberately push into someone's way himself, barring exceptional circumstance.

Anyhow, his figure was quite obvious in the crowd for anyway that looked up, sticking out like a tree amongst a sea of shrubs. Currently he was standing in front of a stall selling curios and trinkets of sort with a considering look.
Andy
Indeed, when one towered above the crowd in a display of height, they were bound to stand out. Just as the beacon from a lighthouse was wont to draw the attention of the creatures lurking beneath the surface. And for some of the more inquisitive creatures, making their way through the waves as they approached.

The priestess did not push. There was no need for her to do so, having made her unhurried way over. The little pockets of space between mingling bodies were sufficient for her to slip through, and slip through she did, step by step, until—

"Find anything good?"

Standing to his right, she casually leaned to take a closer look at one of the hanging pieces.
Frank
The stone- a simple stone, was the platonic emanation of immutability of the nature world. Not lion's claw, nor bear's paw could leave nary a mark upon it's skin. And whence their descendants have passed, the stone stands alone, unfettered.

It was a simplification, but as rocks among nature, so titans amongst man. Living, towering, walking stones who lived long and lasted long. 

But nothing short of gold was truly perfect matter, and all could be brought low by the forces of the world. If to stone, rivers, then to Myhan...

He first blinked in awareness. Then a tingle rolled down his spine in realisation. His back shivered in denial...

And finally, in acceptance, he sighed and answered the comparatively dimunitive priest whose presence was enough to cow him, without turning "...Not really. I suppose finding you here is surprising though. In fact, I must admit that you are the last person I expected to see here. "
Andy
Sol considered the response she'd been given, all the while not moving in the slightest, her posture held at the very moment she'd neared to inspect the trinket. Then, as if satisfied, she straightened her back and turned her head in Myhan's direction.

"Oh? And why is that so, pray tell?"

The priestess smiles.

Her pale irises were absent, hidden behind shut eyelids, but something about her expression suggested that she was looking right at him. She would hold that face for a few more seconds before breaking into a light chuckle, eyes opened once more in amusement.

"I suppose it's not everyday that you see clergy shopping in their priestly wear." Another quiet chuckle. "Though you certainly have just given me a good idea."
Frank
Myhan shrugged, slightly unnerved by the way she stalled and move on a dime, and the way it felt her gaze was boring into his flesh even when behind her eyelids.

Not to mention that damn smile. That damn smile, followed by that chuckle.

"It is quite unconventional, though in honesty I don't know much about what you like to do in your free time in the first place." The titan admitted honestly, before a forboding tingle ran up his spine again with her last line.

"And now I turn the question back to you- what idea, pray tell?" He asked with a false calm.
Andy
"That does indeed check out. And seeing as we're likely to continue working together for the foreseeable future, it could be beneficial to know a little more about each other, beyond the basics."

*Fufufu.* The priestess laughed quietly into her sleeve, evidently enjoying herself.

"Why, shopping for clothing of course. Though I am unfamilar with local fashion, so I could really use the assistance of an impartial observer."

She didn't follow up with any question, but with how intently she was staring, there probably wasn't a need to.
Frank
Myhan angled slightly away from the line of fire of Sol's incandescent gaze, avoiding meeting her burning pyrite pupils with his own head on.

He wasn't really enjoying this nearly as much as the Priestess did, but she wasn't wrong... Besides, he didn't have much of an excuse to take his leave in a manner befitting of a Kadhoki Baron, and...

*This could be a good time to get a better grasp of the character of this woman.* He grudgingly admitted. *Picking out clothes is not the worst activity to get stuck with that woman on, anyhow. What could go wrong?*

"Well.." He mused, pretending to scrutinise the trinkets to play off him turning away from her. "I am certainly no fashionista... But I suppose I can give my humble opinions." He decided. "Just be sure to take it with a pinchful of salt."
Andy
"That's already plenty." She nodded with a smile. "Much more reliable than shop assistants, according to whom nearly every article of clothing on the shelves would look good on the customers somehow."

The priestess heaved a small sigh, hesitating somewhat whilst holding a rather crudely carved reddish trinket. After a few moments, she ended up putting it back.

"I was told that there was a shop specializing in luxurious clothes somewhere on this street, though I have yet to find it." The little traces of wistfulness faded away, making way for the usual smile that never reached the eyes. "Would you happen to know of its location, Sir Myhan?"
Frank
Myhan did chuckle at that. "Well, either everything looks good on you with the right angle and attitude, or they aren't running a shop at all."

Myhan traces her gaze, eyeing the shoddy street trinket until she places it back.

"Luxurious clothes?" Myhan raises an eyebrow, before scrutinizing her attire from toe to head. It was of decent quality for clerical clothes, but not much else, really. "Now I can confidently say you don't look nor act the type, and I do mean that with sincere praise."

Indeed, Sol had her eccentricities, but she was certainly not one to live extravagently. In fact the most she spent was on providing accommodations to the men, which he could not really fault her for despite any amount of paranoia.
 
The baron seems to muse for a bit before shaking his head. "Well, far be it for me to cast stones, lest I make myself a hypocrite. Nothing wrong with a bit of finery- the quality of fabric and work does make a substantial difference in comfort than anything, especially when you also need one skilled enough to cater for larger races even in places where they are a minority. Though..."

The titan frowned. "If you were to ask me, I admit, I haven't had the need to commission clothes around here so far- I've gotten used to making a few sets last as long as they can without replacement- commissioning new clothes is a pain, I'm sure you figure. So I cannot speak to the quality nor exact location of the shop. Still, I think I've passed it before. If you don't mind a bit of meandering, Miss Sol, I should be able to lead you to the rough whereabouts of your destination in a short jiffy."
Andy
"My, my. I'll end up with a swelled ego if you flatter me so, you know." Yet the laughter that followed was wholly gentle, if somewhat short-lived; the teasing note quickly slipped back in. "Alas, I am not yet mature enough to escape the feeling of wanting to behave like a young girl every so often, so to speak."

She nodded easily to the prospect of looking around until they found the place.

"That's more than fine. In the first place, I am the one imposing on you, so for that..."

She dipped her head slightly, lifting both sides of her robes in a curtsey, albeit somewhat stiffly.

"I'll be in your care, Sir Myhan~☆"
Frank
Myhan had taken many, many hits over the centuries. Swords versus skin, spears versus tendons, hammers against ribcage. Just recently, near singlehandedly holding back a number of the finest warriors in Ramul Ta along had nearly led him to his demise, had he not managed to land the final hit on Adelmar, but even then, in the face of certain death and losing it all. He had stood firm for the sake of the men and women that stood behind him.

Right now, watching Sol curtsy towards him, he wonder if it was too late to get struck down by their hammers.

Suppressing the urge to develop spotaneous internal bleeding. Bowing with the form of a perfect gentleman, he stated as seriously as he could. "It would be my honour, miss Sol."

...Okay, damnit. That *Was* Pretty funny. The corner of his lips curled up involuntarily. Shit.

He had to admit, it had been ages since he had acted like a young, vigorous gentleman and it did make him feel younger. Unfortunately, that also meant admitting that he shared Sol's sentiment of acting young once in a while, and another infinitesimal part of his soul shrivelled up like Adelmar's face.

Coughing slightly to himself to take his mind off things, he turned towards the rough direction of where they needed to go. "Right, I shall be leading the way then- just stick close to me."
Andy
And stick close to Myhan Sol did - almost uncomfortably so, in fact, that it seemed as though the notion of 'personal space' didn't exist to her at all; the fact that she always made sure to stay juuuuust out of that distance, however, should have more than indicated that she knew exactly what she was doing and didn't really care otherwise. They'd gone a little ways in before the priestess, whether out of genuine curiosity or simply finding a way to pass the time, spoke up.

"From what I've heard, you and sir Sirdan seem to go back pretty far. And Salvainia seems to have it out for both of you quite a bit—what's the story behind that? Another situation like the recent siege? If you don't mind me asking, that is."

Putting aside the fact that she'd already gone ahead and done so, that is.
Frank
Almost uncomfortably? 

Myhan *Was* Discomforted, make no mistake. Despite the fact that the priestess was merely half his height (though she would indeed be considered tall among the locals), her breath bore down his back like that of a towering Fire Dragon. And he knew first hand what that felt like.

And thus, the gigantic veteran could only silently endure the proximity of her presence, which drained any energy he may have mustered to make small talk with the priestess. Was she a Sanguinist? 

Fortunately, she seemed content with the companionable silence. Well, until she wasn't.

Myhan blinked and turned as he registered the question... Which was actually a fairly reasonable one to make about one's co-workers really, especially considering the situation.

"Hmm..." Myhan mulled over what to say, before slowly opening his mouth. "Well, for a start- how much do you know about the Kadho Crisis?"
Andy
"Hmm, the name does ring a bell." Lightly biting her lips, Sol tried to recall the happenings from quite a while ago.

"...I believe there was word that the previous chancellor was assassinated? By... Orders of the Salvanian emperor?" The rare uncertainty tinted her words - even though the news had reached Silnaria, the priestess had a passing interest on the matter at most and had not paid as much attention. "I heard it ultimately ended in a war which Kadho won. That's about how much I know."

Of course, now that she recalled as much, the priestess had put two and two together for a possible four, but given that there was a high likelihood that her conversation partner had been quite involved in the matter, she might as well wait for him to either confirm or deny her internal conjectures. So she simply just shrugged and waited.
Frank
"You have the broad strokes of it." Myhan acknowledged. 

"To answer both questions, Sirdan and I were captains of mercenary parties that sought to unravel the conspiracy embroiling at the time, which indeed so happened to be by Salvainia's hand- and they had a lot of plans and even contingencies in place, which we had a part in dismantling and thwarting at every turn. We even partook in the war at the very end from the very front. To say that Salvainia has it out for us would be a slight understatement, really."

Myhan laughed with good mirth, slightly downplaying the fact that the republic likely would not have survived were it not for them and tactfully omitting his past as a Salvainian courtier.

"Anyhow, while Sirdan and I didn't work together directly, we often exchanged information in coffee houses between tasks and hit it off quite well. After the fact, we assisted the Margrave in his bid for chancellorship, which he won summarily. Then, for our merit in service of the republic and aiding his ascension to the Chancellorship, he rewarded us with fiefdoms that so happened to be a stone's throw away from each other, and the rest is history. As all good neighbours do, I scratch his back, and he scratches mine. Simple as that." Myhan ended fondly.
Andy
"Wao."

That was it. A very undignified expression of surprise, slipping out from the usual dignified demeanor. She had guessed as much regarding their involvement, but the extent of it was just... Small wonder the relationship went quite poorly, really. Nonetheless, Sol didn't have any particular burning love for Salvania, and so her curiosity about the topic remained just that - curiosity.

"Both of you are interesting indeed - managing a fiefdom sounds like too much work, what with all the administrative matters and whatnot. Is that why your hair got so white?" She lightly teased at the end.
Frank
Myhan couldn't help but snort slightly at Sol's utterly underwhelming response, and proceeding teasing, shaking his head.

"Well, it hasn't gone any whiter than it already was, so hard to tell. Might be losing a bit of hair from it, however. On the contrary, how about your hair, hmm?" The titan japed back, any trepidition temporarily set aside.
Andy
"My hair?" The priestess tilted her head, evidently having forgotten that her own crown was about as pale as they came until she was reminded.

"Ah! Oh, my... Now that you mention it, I think I'm the only one in my family that's like this. I wonder why..." She clasped a handful of her own hair, staring at it with newfound interest.
Frank
Myhan blinked again. 

"...Have you never thought about it?" The titan asked in a deadpan tone of clear disbelief.
Andy
"No, not really. It's not as if having white hair would make crops grow faster." The priestess toyed with her strands, recollecting decades-old memories to ensure that she was correct. "My siblings were all blonde, as were my parents... Hmm."
Frank
Myhan put a finger to his chin.

There were a number of explanations for that available. The most likely one was that it was simply a natural, rare permutation of the blonde hair of her parents that was. He had heard of cases of albinism, and while this was not quite the same it would be close enough. Or perhaps it was a rarer trait in her family line and she just happened to be the only one to manifest it this generation.

There were more outlandish theories like being touched by a spirit, being adopted or being born out of wedlock... But those ranged from silly to downright rude to even suggest.

Instead, he settled for starting simple. "Hmm... Has your family said anything about it before, then?"

The prospect of Sol having a family, and even siblings was an interesting one, alright, considering her nature. But he supposed even people as strange as her were still born of flesh and bone, in the end.
Andy
"Not particularly..." It had been nearly twenty years, and with her innate indifference a lot of memories from her childhood had been forgotten, lost to the passage of time. Leaving Anushken at the age of fifteen, her first run in with magic at the age of twelve...

*Why do you insist on helping me to dry my hair every time?* A ten-year old Sol had questioned her eight-year old sister.

*Because big sister's hair is a treasure! Papa said so!* Had been the reply. At least, she felt that it had been something like that. But Sol had no memory of her father ever telling her such a thing, so it'd been put aside and forgotten after a while.

"Mhm, it doesn't really matter, I guess."
Frank
Seeing her almost indifferent response, Myhan realised that it was probably a fool's errand to piece together any clues regarding the strange pigmentation of her hair as is.

He sighed, any enthusiasm for figuring out a small mystery stymied. "Well, I suppose that's true then." 

And with that, he pressed the topic no more. The air became quite a bit awkward thereafter with fuel to keep the conversation going.
Andy
The priestess was not perturbed by the lack of conversation. The earlier discussion about her hair had set off a chain of other thoughts, and other than the attention needed to follow Myhan, she had her fingers on her chin, brooding over a few other things. Of course, given that she voiced out none of it, it would be basically impossible for another to try and follow her train of thought.

"Mhmm..." Without really meaning to, she was musing aloud. "Perhaps I should get married soon..."
Frank
Myhan paused again, turning back with an even more incredulous look for a brief second before quickly remembering to square it away with a neutral expression, pretending that he hadn't heard clearly what she had said and definitely did not lose his composture. No siree.

"Sorry, did you say something? I didn't seem to catch that just now." Myhan *Asked calmly*.
Andy
Distracted as she was, the look of incredulity went undetected by the priestess, who only paid more attention after she was addressed.

"What? Oh, I was just thinking aloud, nothing to worry about." Sol shrugged, not seeming very bothered about whether her thoughts had been heard or not. "Apparently, there's this fashion called gothic lolita that's been popular lately. I wonder if it'll suit me."
Frank
For his sanity, Myhan decided not to pry deeper than he'd already heard. Coughing, Myhan simply followed along with whatever newfangled topic Sol was going upon.

"I'm no fashionista, and everything that's been going on I've been quite out of touch with the latest trends." The old titan admitted. "What is that all about, anyway?"
Andy
"I'm not quite sure myself. Apparently, it's mostly darker colors with lots of frills and ribbons. Perhaps the store assistants would be able to direct us to such pieces." That was also a piece of information she learned from a conversation in passing, and as to be expected of Sol, she had nodded at the time and promptly forgotten it after.

"Apparently, there's even a unique style of laughter associated with it... Ohoho." Perhaps she would have had more success by using more than the usual conversational tone.
Frank
Myhan cringed as Sol soullessly attempted to emulate said laughter. The flatness of it was akin to nails on a blackboard to him- he did not know how it was intended to be, but was it clearly missing a key component to it's character in a way that made it plain uncanny and even close to being downright disturbing, like watching a zombie suddenly shamble down the streets of a bustling town.

"...I can't say I know what all that is about, but I'm certain that's not... All there is to it." Myhan diplomatically mustered.
Andy
"Of that I have no doubt. It's a mysterious topic, this lolita thing." Sol nodded seriously, the thought of Myhan referring to something else never once crossing her mind.

"If I am to wear the garb properly, then I will have to seek out a master of such as well, lest my bearings do not give the clothing the dignity it is owed."
Frank
Myhan opened his mouth, seemingly about to speak, only to slowly close it without another word.

He rubbed his eyes. "...I can respect that." He acquiesced towards her misunderstanding.

Hopefully they would be there soon, he wasn't sure if he could handle her attention any longer...
Andy
As it turned out, the 'luxury clothes shop' that Sol remembered being in the area had long since closed down. Fortunately, another boutique had opened in the same location, else the two of them might have had to continue walking. It wasn't busy hours yet, so the clerk sitting behind the counter raised her head to the sound of the door opening. Then she raised her brows at the sight of the titan walking in.

"May I help you—" Surprise flashed across her face when the priestess too walked into view, but to the credit of the clerk, it was quickly replaced by a professional smile. "Welcome! What sort of clothing would you happen to be looking for, miss?"

"Mhm, I'm looking for an 'ohoho' dress."

In the brief silence that followed, one might even see the '???' appearing over the clerk's head as she made eye contact with Myhan.
Frank
Myhan nearly knocked his head against the ceiling when he heard the utter confoundment Sol had somehow uttered despite all odds.

*...Now you're just taking the piss out of me, aren't you? Didn't you just tell me the name? There's no way one can forget this quickly， surely...*

Myhan briefly commiserated in silence with the clerk in shared confusion as they locked gazes, before Myhan eventually pinched his nose and sighed. "She's not so familiar with the name..." The titan covered for her slip up because he was a decent man like that, even though by all accounts it made no sense. "What the name of that new trend... Gothic... Lolita, I think?" Myhan muttered, the name only barely sliding into his cramped brainmeats, that were already full to the brim with centuries of knowledge.
Andy
"That's *New*?...I mean, of course you are! May I ask what sort of look you are going for, miss?"

"Mhm, I'm not really sure about what it looks like... Could you show me any piece in black?"

"Sure, give me a moment."

Managing to regain her smile quickly, the clerk gestured for Sol to wait before turning and heading towards the back of the shop. As she did so, Sol glanced towards Myhan and made a discreet V sign with her fingers — expression unchanging.

"Please, take a look!"

What the clerk held out did indeed fulfil Sol's sole (heh) request, but between the orange and the ribbons, it couldn't be any gaudier if it tried.
Frank
Myhan resisted the urge to slap his forehead at Sol's show of victory, opting for a simple, controlled nod of the head, in acknowledgement of her apparent 'win.'

*Actually, why are you even celebrating in the first place?*

Regardless, when the clerk returned with something to present, Myhan thought it was decent from a general perspective, if a little gaudy... Well, that was it.

 He had no idea what 'gothic lolita fashion' looked like beyond Sol's half-baked verbal description, afterall. If it were as akin to that trend as a whale to fish, he wouldn't know.

So, the only thing he could do here is to nod sagely and pass the task of judgement to a certain troublesome priestess.

"So, what do you think?"
Andy
"So it's this type of look..."

The priestess carefully received the dress, giving it a careful 360 to avoid overlooking anything. The number of ribbons were a little too over the top, but she didn't find herself disliking the whole concept that it represented.

"I like the style, but the orange is a bit loud for my tastes. Perhaps... Ah, I know. Pray lend me your ears for a moment, good lady."

The clerk gave Myhan a somewhat pensive glance before doing as Sol requested, who proceeded to lean in. What followed was about thirty seconds of whispering and a lot of nodding in reply, following which the clerk took the dress and went back to the racks.

"I'll be borrowing their changing room." The priestess turned back to Myhan, a tiny satisfied smile on her face. "I'll have to trouble you about your opinion once I'm done, sir Myhan."
Frank
*Oh gods, what dastardly plan is Sol concocting this time?*

Myhan internally balked in dismay upon witnessing the furtive display between the two- before remembering that they were going clothes shopping.

*Oh, right. Sorry, force of habit.*

Myhan cleared his throat to clear away his inner intrusions before opening his mouth.

"Once again, I must reiterate that I'm no fashionista, nor even an amateur judge of fashion..." 

Well, it wasn't entirely true- he had spent enough time in courtly settings to learn some of it by osmosis, but nothing more than that. 

"...But I'll do my best to be a fair judge." The old titan allowed.
Andy
"That's already plenty." The priestess nodded, then ducked into a changing room nearby. Shortly after, the clerk who was carrying a bundle of clothing knocked on that door and also entered. There was a small gap under the door, out of which conversation carried.

"This is a lot heavier than it looks."
"Perhaps I could fetch a lighter dress?"
"No no, this will do. What's this piece for?"
"Ah, you wrap it like this..."

After about ten minutes had passed, the door opened again and Sol stepped out.

"How does it look?"
Frank
*...Why does it have a goddamn blindfold?*

Was what Myhan nearly said, before catching himself.

Coughing slightly, he took a moment to align his state of mind with what a refined courtier and gentleman would say, even if half the time he didn't entirely get what he was saying. 

The appearance of being effortlessly erudite and trendy was a useful image in higher society, after all, despite the reality of things.

In short, bullshitting convincingly was a useful skill if one wanted to further themselves.

Myhan hummed in consideration as he gave a casual seeming once over.

"The general geometry of the outfit itself is sleek and carries elegance, while its design carries some quite bold and unconventional elements. I quite enjoy how the red string motif strikes a vivid contrast with the darker tones, and the faint wavelike floral patterns on the lighter hued hems of the dress are a subtlely brilliant touch. Oh and the... Blindfold!"

Lingering on the last word for emphasis and definitely not because the old titan was coming up short on how to extract meaning from a blindfold, he timely continued before the pregnant pause dragged out for too long.

"More importantly, you wear it with a fair amount of grace, and dare I say- Sprezzatura, which is the finishing stroke of the brush that completes this fine ensemble.

In short I think you wear it quite wonderfully, miss Sol, though I must profess my professional inadequecy in putting the full scope of things into word."

After somehow putting together the most verbose of paragraphs without nary a breath in between, Myhan put a fist to his mouth and coughed a few times, as if it were just a natural, unexplained tic of the body.

Unseen behind his fist was how his mouth slightly grimaced with embarrassment from the excessive flattery it had just expoused.

*Bah, why was I trying this hard? Must be force of habit...*
Andy
"Uh huh, uh huh." The priestess grinned throughout every second of it, leaving it undisputed as to exactly how much she took stock in those words - that was to say, not a whole lot. She turned to the clerk. "I'll be buying this. How much does it cost?"

"That'll be ten gold although, miss. Shall I wrap it up for you?"

Sol aimed a teasing smile at the titan.

"No, I'll wear these as is. Could you wrap up my old clothing instead?"
"Sure, just a moment."
"Mhm."

The priestess watched the clerk scoot off into the changing area briefly.

"...Thank you. I appreciated that."

The words, their speaker having walked away, dissipated quietly into the air.