Writing Prompt: James, you can't read this. >;p
Nervous, the 17 year old goblin stood staring at her bed for several moments then began pacing aknew. The room was strangely quiet as all of her sisters were out on some trumped up errand of their mother's who had not even allowed the eldest to stay as chaperone and moral support.
There was a knock downstairs, interrupting her debate. Time was more than up, she had to choose quickly. The ticks and tocks of the various toys and experiments seemed to hush for one moment then she sprang to action, slinging open the heavy closet doors and pulling out slacks, sleeveless undershirt, button up dress shirt.
She sat before the vanity and thickly applied her favorite soot eyeliner in Below Black and tinted her lips with her own dark green concoction, whose toxicity level she was -reasonably- sure was tolerable to the green veins running below her skin. shoving small feet into heavy, black boots and settling an old pageboy cap on her curls, she set out as though to beard a gremlin in the gears.
Gregory met her at the community parlor door. "Fashionably late can be overdone, my la-..." his voice trailed as he turned and got a good look at the girl. Eyebrows shot to the ceiling, "I am new to your family, ma'm, but I do not believe your mother would approve of your attire this evening. In fact, she had me lay out exactly what you were to wear on your bed."
She looked pleadingly up into his face, "Well, what she isn't told, won't hurt us, right," taking hold of his hand.
A couple of hrrms, hrumphs, and a long brow furrow later he turned back into the room where her guest was waiting.
"Might I present Miss Fra-"
"FRAK, Don't call me that..say Frak," came a hiss from behind.
With a sigh, "Miss Brassby, sir."
Frak's face was pale, veins and hastily applied make up standing out upon it as she peered around Gregory's elbow and into the room. The gentleman in question had stood, clearly nonplussed by the scene but still advanced and executed a perfect bow over her hand. She jerked it away slightly sooner than entirely reasonable, immediately blushing.
The two gentlemen exchanged a look over her head and Gregory's demeanor invoked visions of hands thrown into the air and prayer, but what he said was, "I shall see to the refreshments."
After a moment they sat. He sat. She half fell and then folded in on herself, bootheels trespassing on the expensive firegoat hair cushion.
"So, uh, Frak, is it? Please call me, Bart then. I've heard the Brassby name bustled about the social circles of late. Your family recently moved into the area, I believe?"
"Just after I was born, actually."
With a chuckle, "Well, that is fairly brand-spanking new as far as these people count it." His eyebrows were doing a funny wiggle as he smiled at her but the young girl was merely perplexed at wondered what in the world was so funny, immediately counting ways she had could have done something humorous.
Casting about for something else to talk about, he seemed to take notice of the lack of goblin traffic. "Does your family own...this entire building??" His voice rose slightly with incredulousness, which given the premium on space even in the Tower District, he was rightly entitled to.
"What? No, no but we do have a floor to ourselves," was her answer, no boasting or gloating in her tone, just the unassuming ignorance of never having less. "The other families are all...out, I guess. On shift or, something."
Those expressively well-groomed brows rose again, "We are..alone? No chaperones or witnesses...of note," as Gregory returned and set down the tray of processed delights. Frak shook her head in answer. "Your mother approved of this? Your father?" She simply shrugged, confused. Far from any wicked delight, his eyes actualy narrowed and he sat back farther in his chair. Frak uncrossed her legs to reach the spicy, mushroom chips, taking a sip of the drink that had been provided to wash them down. Immediately she gasped and choked with Gregory moving to pound her on the back.
Bart leaned forward and sniffed his own glass. "My this is...potent stuff." Eyeing her reaction, "You don't usually partake, I presume?"
Frak finished dabbing at frightfully smudged, watery eyes and tried to sniff her rapidly clearing sinuses as circumspectly as possible, "No, not quite that strong. I'm not sure what they were thinking pulling that out," She glared up at Gregory who mimed his innocence.
Bart rose to his feet, straightening his waistcoat. "I do believe it is time for me to take my leave. Frak, you have a lovely home and it was very nice to meet you." He moved to take his jacket and cap brought by the prompt Gregory then paused to look down into bewildered, make up smudged dark eyes. Smiling a little, a very different one than before, he reached forward to tossle her cap atop it's bed of curls in a brotherly fashion. "You, my dear, are the most oddly placed trap. I wish you well and hope to see you around town, perhaps."
As the front door closed behind him, looked about the stiff, fancy room, miserable though she wasn't quite sure why. After all, she'd done things the way he-...she wanted, and the ordeal was now over. She asked Gregory as he cleaned the area, "I messed things up, didn't I?"
He paused then with some sympathy and frankness belying his station, "Well, I suppose you did, but I am not sure it needed to be successful. Just take yourself back upstairs, miss, and refresh yourself before the others get home. I'll bring you some hot ginger root cider."
Some time later, having washed her face and rumpled the rejected dress as though it had been used and discarded, Frak started at a knock on the connecting door to her parents room. A wary expression broke to a full and delighted smile as her father was on the other side. Swooping her into a bearhug he kissed her forehead, displacing the cap. She told him of the disasterous mid-shift and he shook his head in sympathy. "Poor frakling, he doesn't know what he's missing. None of these spoiled boys do. However, I have something else I want to show you." Reaching into his large satchel he presented to her an oblong wrapped package. She carefully unfolded the soft leather and then froze as new, dangerous looking daggers winked back up to her in the lamplight.
Grinning, he answered her silent question, "You still have those keys I gave you and your sister Frik, yes?" She nodded. "Well, the lab is finished but..deeper than we usually go beneath the City. You may not ever need these but..just in case." He gave her a reassuring squeeze, "besides I knew my little tomboy would enjoy these. Now," he took her small chin in his hands, "your mother can Never Know about any of this, understand?" Frak waggled her face up and down in his fingers, she knew, she knew!
With that he helped her hide the blades, gave her a wink and then slipped out of the door again. The halldoor opened behind her and a stern figure swept in. Frak nearly jumped out of her skin as she whirled at the intrusion.
"M.m.mother?" Frak cursed the stutter, and focused on staying strong this time and set her jaw. Father appreciated her the way she was, he loved his frakling and she'd stand up to her mother this time.
The genteel goblin woman looked about the room with disdainful eyes and finally settled on her daughter. An exasperated sigh later, she called out into the hallway, "Gregory."
The butler entered and stood to the side of the door, "Yes, madam?"
"Did Mr. Barthalemu enjoy his visit?"
"I believe so, madam."
"He has quite the reputation about the ladies. Was he improper with our girl?"
"Er, no ma'm, though the lady's own reputation may b.."
"You misunderstand, Was He Improper?" She turned to gaze mildly into his eyes, "perhaps in such a way to demand recompense? With a small sigh, "Nevermind. Pack your things, Gregory, I am afraid you are ill-suited to this post."
"Y.yes, madam. At once. Shall I receive a letter of recommendation to the Association of BodyServant's Staffing office for my file?"
"No," came the cool reply,
Frak mouthed, "I'msorry" to the short-lived Gregory as he made his final bow towards the ladies and took his leave then braced herself when her mother's attention turned to rest fully on her wayward daughter, flicking for a moment at the door conneting their rooms.
"Hm. I rather doubt all of this could possibly be to your own devising and yet it seems your valiant hero has left you to face me all on your own ..again. How brave he is to abandon you so."
All of the air in the room was immediately sucked away, worse even than that punch to the gut she'd gotten once behind the school building, defending her father's name to her classmates.
"Yes, well, tricked or no, I seem to have vastly overrated your ability to be of use or even respectable in public so from now on you shall not dine with the family nor share this room with your younger sisters. Fredrique was entitled to her own space as the eldest but I think she is strong enough to withstand any staining on her reputation. The young ones you know, so susceptible to untoward influences."
Frak's head bent down, hair falling forward to hide the tears beginning to track down her cheeks as she heard long skirts swish across the room and the thunk of the first door's lock.
"Oh come now, child,such histrionics, after all you put lipstick on a Furnace Town firegoat and it's still a firegoat." The lock threw on the second door. "But now, as you have been such a naughty girl, I am afraid it is time for your punishment..."
There was a knock downstairs, interrupting her debate. Time was more than up, she had to choose quickly. The ticks and tocks of the various toys and experiments seemed to hush for one moment then she sprang to action, slinging open the heavy closet doors and pulling out slacks, sleeveless undershirt, button up dress shirt.
She sat before the vanity and thickly applied her favorite soot eyeliner in Below Black and tinted her lips with her own dark green concoction, whose toxicity level she was -reasonably- sure was tolerable to the green veins running below her skin. shoving small feet into heavy, black boots and settling an old pageboy cap on her curls, she set out as though to beard a gremlin in the gears.
Gregory met her at the community parlor door. "Fashionably late can be overdone, my la-..." his voice trailed as he turned and got a good look at the girl. Eyebrows shot to the ceiling, "I am new to your family, ma'm, but I do not believe your mother would approve of your attire this evening. In fact, she had me lay out exactly what you were to wear on your bed."
She looked pleadingly up into his face, "Well, what she isn't told, won't hurt us, right," taking hold of his hand.
A couple of hrrms, hrumphs, and a long brow furrow later he turned back into the room where her guest was waiting.
"Might I present Miss Fra-"
"FRAK, Don't call me that..say Frak," came a hiss from behind.
With a sigh, "Miss Brassby, sir."
Frak's face was pale, veins and hastily applied make up standing out upon it as she peered around Gregory's elbow and into the room. The gentleman in question had stood, clearly nonplussed by the scene but still advanced and executed a perfect bow over her hand. She jerked it away slightly sooner than entirely reasonable, immediately blushing.
The two gentlemen exchanged a look over her head and Gregory's demeanor invoked visions of hands thrown into the air and prayer, but what he said was, "I shall see to the refreshments."
After a moment they sat. He sat. She half fell and then folded in on herself, bootheels trespassing on the expensive firegoat hair cushion.
"So, uh, Frak, is it? Please call me, Bart then. I've heard the Brassby name bustled about the social circles of late. Your family recently moved into the area, I believe?"
"Just after I was born, actually."
With a chuckle, "Well, that is fairly brand-spanking new as far as these people count it." His eyebrows were doing a funny wiggle as he smiled at her but the young girl was merely perplexed at wondered what in the world was so funny, immediately counting ways she had could have done something humorous.
Casting about for something else to talk about, he seemed to take notice of the lack of goblin traffic. "Does your family own...this entire building??" His voice rose slightly with incredulousness, which given the premium on space even in the Tower District, he was rightly entitled to.
"What? No, no but we do have a floor to ourselves," was her answer, no boasting or gloating in her tone, just the unassuming ignorance of never having less. "The other families are all...out, I guess. On shift or, something."
Those expressively well-groomed brows rose again, "We are..alone? No chaperones or witnesses...of note," as Gregory returned and set down the tray of processed delights. Frak shook her head in answer. "Your mother approved of this? Your father?" She simply shrugged, confused. Far from any wicked delight, his eyes actualy narrowed and he sat back farther in his chair. Frak uncrossed her legs to reach the spicy, mushroom chips, taking a sip of the drink that had been provided to wash them down. Immediately she gasped and choked with Gregory moving to pound her on the back.
Bart leaned forward and sniffed his own glass. "My this is...potent stuff." Eyeing her reaction, "You don't usually partake, I presume?"
Frak finished dabbing at frightfully smudged, watery eyes and tried to sniff her rapidly clearing sinuses as circumspectly as possible, "No, not quite that strong. I'm not sure what they were thinking pulling that out," She glared up at Gregory who mimed his innocence.
Bart rose to his feet, straightening his waistcoat. "I do believe it is time for me to take my leave. Frak, you have a lovely home and it was very nice to meet you." He moved to take his jacket and cap brought by the prompt Gregory then paused to look down into bewildered, make up smudged dark eyes. Smiling a little, a very different one than before, he reached forward to tossle her cap atop it's bed of curls in a brotherly fashion. "You, my dear, are the most oddly placed trap. I wish you well and hope to see you around town, perhaps."
As the front door closed behind him, looked about the stiff, fancy room, miserable though she wasn't quite sure why. After all, she'd done things the way he-...she wanted, and the ordeal was now over. She asked Gregory as he cleaned the area, "I messed things up, didn't I?"
He paused then with some sympathy and frankness belying his station, "Well, I suppose you did, but I am not sure it needed to be successful. Just take yourself back upstairs, miss, and refresh yourself before the others get home. I'll bring you some hot ginger root cider."
Some time later, having washed her face and rumpled the rejected dress as though it had been used and discarded, Frak started at a knock on the connecting door to her parents room. A wary expression broke to a full and delighted smile as her father was on the other side. Swooping her into a bearhug he kissed her forehead, displacing the cap. She told him of the disasterous mid-shift and he shook his head in sympathy. "Poor frakling, he doesn't know what he's missing. None of these spoiled boys do. However, I have something else I want to show you." Reaching into his large satchel he presented to her an oblong wrapped package. She carefully unfolded the soft leather and then froze as new, dangerous looking daggers winked back up to her in the lamplight.
Grinning, he answered her silent question, "You still have those keys I gave you and your sister Frik, yes?" She nodded. "Well, the lab is finished but..deeper than we usually go beneath the City. You may not ever need these but..just in case." He gave her a reassuring squeeze, "besides I knew my little tomboy would enjoy these. Now," he took her small chin in his hands, "your mother can Never Know about any of this, understand?" Frak waggled her face up and down in his fingers, she knew, she knew!
With that he helped her hide the blades, gave her a wink and then slipped out of the door again. The halldoor opened behind her and a stern figure swept in. Frak nearly jumped out of her skin as she whirled at the intrusion.
"M.m.mother?" Frak cursed the stutter, and focused on staying strong this time and set her jaw. Father appreciated her the way she was, he loved his frakling and she'd stand up to her mother this time.
The genteel goblin woman looked about the room with disdainful eyes and finally settled on her daughter. An exasperated sigh later, she called out into the hallway, "Gregory."
The butler entered and stood to the side of the door, "Yes, madam?"
"Did Mr. Barthalemu enjoy his visit?"
"I believe so, madam."
"He has quite the reputation about the ladies. Was he improper with our girl?"
"Er, no ma'm, though the lady's own reputation may b.."
"You misunderstand, Was He Improper?" She turned to gaze mildly into his eyes, "perhaps in such a way to demand recompense? With a small sigh, "Nevermind. Pack your things, Gregory, I am afraid you are ill-suited to this post."
"Y.yes, madam. At once. Shall I receive a letter of recommendation to the Association of BodyServant's Staffing office for my file?"
"No," came the cool reply,
Frak mouthed, "I'msorry" to the short-lived Gregory as he made his final bow towards the ladies and took his leave then braced herself when her mother's attention turned to rest fully on her wayward daughter, flicking for a moment at the door conneting their rooms.
"Hm. I rather doubt all of this could possibly be to your own devising and yet it seems your valiant hero has left you to face me all on your own ..again. How brave he is to abandon you so."
All of the air in the room was immediately sucked away, worse even than that punch to the gut she'd gotten once behind the school building, defending her father's name to her classmates.
"Yes, well, tricked or no, I seem to have vastly overrated your ability to be of use or even respectable in public so from now on you shall not dine with the family nor share this room with your younger sisters. Fredrique was entitled to her own space as the eldest but I think she is strong enough to withstand any staining on her reputation. The young ones you know, so susceptible to untoward influences."
Frak's head bent down, hair falling forward to hide the tears beginning to track down her cheeks as she heard long skirts swish across the room and the thunk of the first door's lock.
"Oh come now, child,such histrionics, after all you put lipstick on a Furnace Town firegoat and it's still a firegoat." The lock threw on the second door. "But now, as you have been such a naughty girl, I am afraid it is time for your punishment..."