<div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=35462.msg1830919#msg1830919">Quote from: Muse on 26-04-2009, 16:55:13</a></div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">In the few months since she'd joined them, it was rare indeed for Bast to appear on board the Serpent, or anywhere else where Jonathan Kaiser might see her, without enhancemening her allready heartmelting beauty light brushes of cinamon blush on her cheeks, and eyelash lengthening strokes with a brush dusted with khol, and the sacrifice of the protection of her normaly eroticly fitted breastplate in return for beachware in whatever was the local fashion and material oh, so subtly cut to imply harem garb.  <br/><br/>She hadn't met his eyes since the first day they met, or spoken more than a sentence to him at a time outside of council, but most women and quite a few men could see what he seemed to be oblivious too.  Not only was the choclate skinned girl's indifrence to him a lie, the whole act was explicitly for his benefit.  <br/><br/>The green skinned and cinabar haired fire elemental girl who normaly companioned Bast was very much in on the act, and to those who could tell what was going on it was clear that they weren't rivals, and they weren't one helping another that the other might step aside gracefuly when the prize was one.  Rather, both were perfectly willing--infact, most likely insistent--upon conquering equaly or being equaly conquered.  <br/><br/>There was another bit too it though, a cultural subtltly few would comprehend if not southerners, but maybe some would have caught it for the first time earlier when Bast, having barely sat down in her usual breastplate and mini rather than proper preparations for a round of, 'make Jonathan Kaiser drool over me while pretending not to care' had her eyes go suddenly wide before she curled down to cough and her already skimpy breastplate flowed like water.  <br/><br/>Not, as one might expect, the neckline plunging, but rather widening, 'til her collar was bare.  <br/><br/>Maybe that was what she wanted to plant in his subconcious.  She always seemed to love he jewerly, braclets, anklets, toe rings...  <br/><br/>But never a necklace.  <br/><br/>*   *   *<br/><br/>Bast looked up from quite and seemingly unitrested contemplation of her nails.  "I too feel the Letters of Maque are a must have.  Cinabar Ember has old buisness with the Cynis, and what my beloved wish, I fulfill."  <br/><br/>She looked up from her nails and pondered the assembly, meeting their eyes as she spoke.  "My uncle always tells me there is no coin more valuable than good will.  Hire a mercinary and he will fight for his salt 'til the battle goes sour.  Emanicpate a man's family and he'll lay siege to Malphaes for you and fight to the bitter end."  <br/><br/>"I've not had much chance to scrap with the Fair Folk, but it seems we have chronological priorities, and all they would tell me was soon.  May I humbly request that those more knowlegable than I in the ways of the sea draw up a rough estimate of how long it would take to finish out the other missions?  Then give me an idea of who would be willing to assist against the Fair Folk when the others are done if our aid is of use?  I'd like to take that information to my contacts along with an idea of what kind of aid they can expect if they stall the encounter that long." <br/></blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>Kaiser leaned agains the wall of the room they were in. His glance flickered over to the woman named Bast for only a second as she spoke. He knew she was the one he had had dreams about ever since his Exaltation but he was in no hurry. Patience had won many a fight. It was a virtue that he unlike many chose to follow in certain sitiations. The one dealing with her was such a situation. Right now was not the time to think about her or the flame duck that he knew all so well. the flame duck that had taken him in and taught him how to love so many years ago. He looked diffrent since then. The harshness of the weather and conditions he had endured in the north shown upon his face leaving him beaten but still noble now that he had a cause he could stand behind in his life. For a fleeting second he wondered if she even recognized him now.<br/><br/>++++++<br/><br/>"My vote is cast for gaining the letter of Mark. It would leave us with one less naval power to go against. Still as the lady Bast says we need to know the issues of time before we deal with anything." With his words said he goes quiet once again before stepping up on deck alone to contemplate his place in the ebb and flow of things.