That might be something to see… now that she was sure the glare wasn’t meant for her. In fact… it was down right intriguing. In the back of her mind Calliope was already trying to remember the events of the day… this time without her own fears and insecurities coloring them and blinding her to whatever else had been happening. They began moving towards the other set of suits, and she was pulled once more from her thoughts.
“I doubt I would be of much assistance. He seems adamant… and honestly, I have never known him to be unreasonable, so I have to trust he has a logical reason for not wanting to be there.”
“Well I’m not really arguing with that, I’m just looking for an ally.”
“I…” What could she say? “I suppose I could try, if he seems receptive to the idea.”
“I guess I can’t ask much more than that… considering.”
“Considering what?”
The Lady Nagi eyed her sideways with a wry smile. “When I put you on the spot earlier… I was expecting quite a different reaction. I had assumed you were the usual sort of courtesan, and it surprised me as it’s something which was unexpected coming from my brother… so really I shouldn’t have expected it. Clearly I was mistaken… unless I’m not? Are you a courtesan after all?”
“I’m not a courtesan, no. Just a s-servant.” She stopped herself from saying slave at the last second, though she didn’t quite know why. One thing was a good as the other.
“Oh? He hired you did he?”
“No, he… he receives tributes every several years. This last time, instead of gold or livestock-”
“Oh, yes… the sheep. I really don’t understand the appeal of that… go on, I’m sorry for interrupting.”
“Ah, well, instead of the usual tribute, he received people.”
“What on earth for? Don’t tell me he’s decided to give up the glamorous lifestyle of a troglodyte and is opting for something more civilized…”
“We were meant as servants… but only I remained in the end… as he had no use for so many, and there is Demitri of course, but the addition of one person is hardly noteworthy.”
“You’d be surprised. Especially in this case. The addition of one to many is nothing. The addition of one where there had been nothing… now that Is something. This is another reason I wanted to speak with you. I don’t know what you are to him,” she paused and came to a stop, and Calliope realized they were now standing in a mirror image of the living area they had just left, “and I won’t pry too much, at least not yet, but his reaction in the hall when that man was pestering you was telling enough. Enough for me to know there is no ‘just’ involved in whatever it is you actually are. You can tell people what you want, toward whatever end you want, but I wasn’t born yesterday. I’ll play along with the ‘just a servant’ thing if you like, but don’t insult my intelligence by trying to sell it to me as well.”
Calliope really had not response for that. She stared, a little shocked, finally managing to stutter something out to answer the scrutinizing gaze that the Lady was aiming at her. “I… I didn’t mean to infer you were. Born yesterday… that is. I meant no insult…”
She surprised her even further by laughing at that, almost gleefully. “No, of course you didn’t.” The Nagi’s eyes narrowed and she lowered herself enough to look Calliope in the eye as if examining them for something, “You probably half believe it yourself, don’t you. Regardless,” she straightened out and smiled, “my purpose in bringing it up was because I wanted to warn you. Your presence caught my attention, as you well know, and it will most certainly have caught the attention of others, particularly after the scene in the hall.”
“Yes.” She agreed absently, her mind trying to re-figure the moment from the perspective of the other observers. It was difficult considering the heart stopping terror she’d felt at the sight of him bearing down on her kept getting in the way. No, not at Her, she reminded herself once again, he was angry with the man… mostly.
“It’s unavoidable, and there are a few who are not overly fond of your master, and who would take special interest in you as a way to needle him, or as an opportunity to take something from him. But, having said that, you seem to have a sort of… oh, I don’t know how to describe it. I want to say an ‘iciness’ about you, but that’s not quite the word. I think you should continue to use that, whatever it is. Perhaps aloof is a better word… whatever you want to call it, I think it will work well for you here.”
“A cold fish,” She murmured softly, frowning in thought at the floor.
“Pardon me?”
She looked back up. “A cold fish. That’s what I’ve been called, among other things. If that’s what you mean to say.”
“I didn’t mean it in insulting way. It’s just an aura you have, that you are here for your own reasons and business, and not for our entertainment. That in itself is atypical and will catch some attention, but as I said you can use it to keep them at arms length. It will keep them out of your hair and more importantly, out of his line of sight. We’re going to be trapped here together for a bit and the last thing we need is Him taking someone’s head off because they misinterpreted your attempt to be friendly as an invitation. Better to wound a few egos and have them dismiss you as a frigid bitch than have to deal with That fall out.
She nodded. She wasn’t insulted. After all, it wasn’t the first time someone called her that. Everyone thought there was something off about her… something unapproachable and distant. Well, no… that wasn’t entirely true was it. Demitri had never made comments like that. He’d teased her about other things… but not that.
And then there was Thelios. He’d never even hinted that there was anything wrong with her. He’d certainly never said she was cold… and had gone so far as to deny it outright… though it probably didn’t hurt that he’d been between her legs at the time, busy making her feel very warm indeed. But then maybe he had odd standards.
Even when she’d become strangely emotional those few times, something he said he had little patience for… he’d merely accepted it and shrugged once he was sure she was neither hurt nor truly upset. It was a bit confusing.
Was she so different with everyone else than she was with him? Perhaps so. She certainly felt comfortable with both of them, at home when it was just… family? Friends? No… it was that and something else, something more than that as well…
“Are you quite alright? I haven’t upset you have I?”
“Oh, no, not at all. I just have quite a bit to think about. I’m sorry.”