lurkintheshadows

[lurkintheshadows]

Seeing as Cyrus was not too opposed to speaking on the topic of vampirism, Madeline took it as an opening to speak casually of her affliction as well. "Though I also happen to be a creature of the night, vampirism is still no substitute for warm food and fires." She lowered the mask of her cowl so he could catch a glimpse of her smile. "Would you like a companion for this hunt? I hate hunting bears alone, but it should be less of a pain with a partner."

A Gift

[lurkintheshadows]

"Ooh, fur-lined armor. That sounds like something I could get behind. Even High Rock is warmer than this frigid land. I don't see how those brutish Nord-folk stand it!" Madeline shivered and hugged her cloak close to her. "I have a few black bear pelts. That should match."

A Gift

[lurkintheshadows]

Madeline gave a vivacious burst of laughter at that. "You're the dessert, dear guild master!" With a quick peck on his cheek she slipped off his lap and kneeled down before him upon the ground, preparing for a bit of fun from the implications of her posture and the way her fingertips danced upon the clasp of his belt. "Though a little wine never hurts."

Love games

[lurkintheshadows]

What juvenile wordplay! Still, it was a delightfully childish advancement, and Madeline so did enjoy indulging in delight. "Dear guild master," she teased, touching her finger to his chin, "Dinner ended ages ago. Don't you think it's time for dessert?"

Madeline suddenly felt a craving for wine with the cheese she just delivered. If Jace responded in turn, she considered requesting some. One could never have enough wine, after all.

Love games

[lurkintheshadows]

"Oh I bet it's just divine," Madeline chimed, eyes twinkling with delight. She always did have a liking for a certain type of bear. That type being a dead bear; she really, really disliked bears. "I'd like to see it sometime. Maybe I can commission your father for one." She pondered for a moment and mumbled to herself, crossing her arms and stroking her chin in pensive thought. "Hm...maybe the guild master would appreciate one, too."

A Gift

[lurkintheshadows]

"That's impressive for bandits. The ones I keep finding have less elegance than even bears." Madeline placed her hands on her hips and muttered; just the mere thought of the awful furred beasts made her cross. "Tch, bears. Awful creatures. Worse than mudcrabs."

A Gift

[lurkintheshadows]

"Awfully generous of you guild ma--wait, what?!" Before she could protest further, the mortified noblewoman's lips were sealed with a kiss. She prayed to every aedra and daedra that popped into her mind that a brick would spontaneously appear above their heads and knock that memory right out of the both of them. Sleep talking was an awfully terrible habit of hers that she had always denied existed, though it seemed to pop up now and then despite her many efforts to fix the issue. Honestly, of all the things she could have spoken of in her sleep, it had to be mammoths!

For now she shrugged and pushed the horrifying thought away to the back of her mind, for now she had to do a bit of cleanup work in regaining this man's respect. She pushed towards her companion, her tongue twisting with his as she unbuttoned his finery. Hopefully a smidge more aggression would distract him from her little slip-up on the ride over.

Love games

[lurkintheshadows]

Whether or not Madeline believed the poppycock her new vampiric companion spewed from his gullet was a mystery. She seemed to be sincere, but whether the tale was true or not didn't seem to matter to her in the least. The more outrageous the tale was, the more interesting it was to hear, after all. "My, you must be a deep sleeper. Has that gotten you in trouble any other times?"

A Gift

[lurkintheshadows]

"Oh, I've gotten some lovely scented candles from him before. His soaps are a bit excessive, however." Madeline danced over to him with the grace of a proper noblewoman, taking a seat upon his lap with the flirtatious grin of an improper one. "As for your previous comment on sucking, I'm sure you wouldn't mind me doing so in...certain ways." Her thin fingers tip-toed down his chest. "But first, would you like your cut of the earnings now, or later?"

Love games

[lurkintheshadows]

The Breton noblewoman's gold eyes twinkled at Stark's request. "Haha, it's no trouble. If you grow to be of diminutive height as I am, remember that it also makes you a smaller target, and potentially a faster one." Madeline stretched her arms out to accept an embrace, patting the boy's head and giving him a quick peck on the cheek. "Jace, your son is unbearably sweet," she chimed, then switched to a tone of jest. "If you're not careful I may just steal him away!"

“Hehehe, don’t be so offended.” Stark looked at him with his brows quirked “That was mean, daddy. She can probably teach me better than you!”

Jace pulled his ear, reminding him to be respectful even if someone playfully put him down. “Don’t get cocky. And be good, and don’t throw a fit when things go your way, okay?”

“…..Okay”

[lurkintheshadows]

Madeline chuckled at the disciplinary display. "Impressive. You've certainly taken to  fatherhood well, guild master." She kneeled down to the boy's level and smiled. "I'm certain you'll do well, pup. You've got your father's blood in you."

“Hehehe, don’t be so offended.” Stark looked at him with his brows quirked “That was mean, daddy. She can probably teach me better than you!”

Jace pulled his ear, reminding him to be respectful even if someone playfully put him down. “Don’t get cocky. And be good, and don’t throw a fit when things go your way, okay?”

“…..Okay”

[lurkintheshadows]

Madeline peered away meekly from Jace's friendly gaze; it was one thing to drink the blood of those she was forced to kill in self-defense anyway, and a completely different scenario to use her friends and guild mates as cattle. "That won't be necessary, darling. I have a supply handy." She tugged out a crimson vial speckled with frost and condensation from her bandolier. "I keep them cool with a spell until I need them so they stay fresh. Besides, I'm sure Grugor wouldn't appreciate me snacking on you."

She waved to Grugor as he left and made her way to the washroom, laughing on the way over his comment over the soap. Perfumed soap in a man's home? How very Breton of him! She stepped into the washroom and closed the door, then hurried to open the vial, sucking down its contents eagerly. Madeline hated displaying this ravenous side to her. It was most unladylike, and over such a vile substance. The cons to vampirism certainly seemed to outweigh the pros.

Some of the blood had dripped onto her fingers, so she moved to the nearby basin to wash her hands. She began to lather the soap with water until her sensitive nose was slammed with the rank stench of flowery meadows and far too many herbs. He wasn't kidding, Madeline noted with internal regret, feeling the aroma's tendrils curl up her nostrils and poke painfully at her head. She resolved to finish this quickly. A headache was the last thing she needed right now.

Madeline peeled off her armor and cleaned herself off quickly; the sweat of work and travel was partially dried and clung to her skin in a clammy mess, one that was swiftly rectified. Once she was finished, she changed into a plain green dress stuffed into one of her enchanted belt pouches and carefully folded all her clothes and equipment into a neat pile. The dress would surely be coming off later anyway; there was little need for formalities, and it was much simpler to remove than her armor. She hurriedly reapplied her makeup; while she wanted to keep things simple,  the noblewoman had her pride. Homeliness was an undesirable trait for someone so high class.

She stepped out of the washroom, leaving her things on one of the shelves there, and smiled at her ever-patient guild master, her sharp fangs glistening and her complexion already much improved. "My, you were right about the soap," Madeline chuckled. "It's quite strong. Wherever did you get it?"

Love games

[lurkintheshadows]

The vampire huffed, pouting in offense. "You wound me, guild master. There are plenty of bandits and cutthroats for me to take risks upon." She smiled at Stark. Madeline was fond of children, as they often reminded her of her younger family members back in Wayrest. "Don't grow up to be as rude as your father, sweetie."

“Of course you can Madeline, just make sure you are properly fed beforehand….I don’t want to take any risks.”

Meanwhile, Stark resists the urge to hug the both of them. 

[lurkintheshadows]

Madeline's eyes widened in turn at her new friend's story. "Wow! That's impressive. How did you get captured in the first place, though?" She seemed sincere enough in her intrigue; Madeline was always fond of adventure, even when it was just in the form of words.

A Gift

 ”I asked a dear friend of mine to make me a batch, but she made a few too many. I got into a bit of a tussle with some Vigilants of Stendarr on the way back and hid in a swamp. Rather messy, that. Remind me never to hide in mud ever again.” Madeline picked at the mud drying on her gauntlets; it seemed to be caked between the crevasses of her armor. While it was uncomfortable, she felt a bit of mud was better than having to murder a pack of priests. Madeline didn’t mind killing bandits, but killing a Vigilant could potentially anger some aedra somewhere. She felt it was best to stay on good terms with deities if she could help it.

[lurkintheshadows]

Still weary, but the sickly pallor of her skin receding somewhat, Madeline smiled to reassure the men before her. "Oh, the assignment wasn't too difficult, though it seems I lost track of time. You were rather dashing out there, you know. As for me, I'm better now that I'm out of the sun. Thank you for the meal." She began picking at it and eating it politely in small bites; she didn't really get hungry and thirsty as mortals did. It bothered her, so she always put on the front of eating normal meals. Still, the thirst for blood sent her ears ringing and guts twisting, and a steak, however rare, was hardly satiating her true needs. She had several vials of blood in her bandolier that she kept for emergencies, but decided it was best to empty one away from prying eyes. "Jace, dear, where is the washroom?"

Love games

[lurkintheshadows]

A Gift

dovahvamp:

At first, the Bosmer is curious. What kind of arrows were these? They looked like Elven ones….

“‘Hat ‘appened?” he asks, his brow raising at her state. “‘Ow’d yuh get ‘ese?”

 "I asked a dear friend of mine to make me a batch, but she made a few too many. I got into a bit of a tussle with some Vigilants of Stendarr on the way back and hid in a swamp. Rather messy, that. Remind me never to hide in mud ever again." Madeline picked at the mud drying on her gauntlets; it seemed to be caked between the crevasses of her armor. While it was uncomfortable, she felt a bit of mud was better than having to murder a pack of priests. Madeline didn't mind killing bandits, but killing a Vigilant could potentially anger some aedra somewhere. She felt it was best to stay on good terms with deities if she could help it.

[lurkintheshadows]

After they had left Riften and were well out of sight of the local guards, Madeline dismissed the illusion spell masking her appearance. It was far too much effort to keep it up when she was already so exhausted. Her cowl and armor covered every inch of her skin but her eyes and fingertips, but she still felt the unpleasant glare of the sun beating down upon her. The weary vampire was grateful for Jace's cloak providing extra protection against the unpleasant sky's searing rays, but it also made her dizzy with heatstroke. She leaned her head against her companion, eyes fluttering shut. For someone who typically conversed with such enthusiasm, her current silence was a jarring shift. She slept soundly most of the way, occasionally mumbling about wine and bears in her slumber.

When they had arrived, Madeline was still half asleep. She batted her hand lazily in protest as he scooped her up, but her catty swipes all missed. Once they had moved indoors, she seemed to slowly regain her energy, and sat up with a bit of effort on the sofa. "Nn...rare is fine. You know, I normally prefer well done, but my condition has changed my tastes somewhat." Her eyes followed the orc within the room warily as he left to prepare dinner. "Is he alright with...er...my sort?"

Love games