Excitement and trouble are oft intertwined, but that makes the venture all the more valuable if there’s a twinge of danger to it.
[All the best mysteries are the ones that refuse to be unravelled, and sometimes violently at that. But this is only ever a reason to push forward, to ferret out the truth with stubbornness, and he is glad that she seems quite willing to entertain him.
Indeed, it did not seem to take much effort at all.
It is not like a gentleman to hurry a lady—well, most of the time, anyway—and so Holmes will patiently watch her gather her things, all the while making use of the passing seconds to continue their conversation. He’s grateful for her eagerness, of course, but it is equally intriguing to see. It reminds him a bit of Watson, who never fails to join him when he asks, though it is not as though Aglaea has the opportunity of knowing him for years to have earned that trust.]
You’re quite quick to agree. Do you not even wish to learn the details behind the request before rushing out the door with me, or does a mystery truly compel you that much?
[ Unknown to her, in other lives, Aglaea has been many things. Still, always, a woman draining of her humanities, but now and again, a more vibrant woman; one who abandoned her home and follow a Kitten into the shadow of adventure. Is the Diadem not just another life she is learning to lead, without the burden of politics or responsibility?
So, when he points out her eagerness, a small, sincere smile glimmers through as she bends over a drawer with her things. It is a skosh embarrassing. She straightens to "see" him, always a little performed, but clearly for trying. She coils a scarf around her neck as she speaks. ]
I suppose I simply have a good feeling about your proposal, and my sewing can always wait for another time. It would be rather rude to waste your time with indecision which is not there.
However, [ she leans forward slightly, expectant but charming, ] that doesn't mean I expect no elucidation from you, Holmes.
[And he meets that charming request with a flickering grin of his own, the sort that reveals it doesn't take much imploring for Holmes to elucidate. No, when it comes to the potential for setting off into the bramble of an intriguing mystery, his willingness to share might be well-hidden at first, but in reality is spring-loaded and ready launch itself off his tongue at first opportunity.
Case in point:]
I admit that I require your presence not only for the good company it offers, but for a more practical means — your "sight", unique as it is, will aid in a problem that I've been working on for a few days now. It is a missing-persons case revolving around a stage actress who disappeared mid-performance before an audience of hundreds.
[He lets that settle—lets that tease—before he continues.]
[ Suitable dressed, suitably dazzling, she fluffs her hair around her scarf and listens quietly to his tale. ]
Interesting, [ she says, impassive at first, but there is a curiosity that will slip into her voice. ] I do enjoy finding things.
[ Maybe some day she'll talk of her incidental passion for scavenger hunts. She gestures toward the door, clearly already on this wild ride. It will be locked behind them before they set out officially.. ]
I seem to recall, the supernatural is somewhat unusual for you; but it seems quite common here. You didn't happen to rule out magics already, have you?
He huffs, raising a hand to waggle it, following her out once she's ready. After that, Holmes deigns to take the lead, immediately striding away with the assumption that she will follow in turn.]
None who runs the theater, nor who is currently employed or contracted by it, has a whiff of magic about them. Or so they say. I admit, I remain at a disadvantage in this world, which frustrates me — how am I supposed to differentiate and identify when and how magic comes into the equation?
[There could be a thread of it underlying something subtle, difficult for him to parse or see through mundane eyes.]
That is why it helps to have connections who may observe the world through a different lens. Such as yourself, my dear.
I see... [ She muses, her step matching his with (mildly) eager stride. Her head is turned toward him as they walk, mostly just so that her voice is clear; her eyes always looking past that which she "looks" at. ]
You're making good use of your resources, then, Holmes. I think I may be just the woman for a job like this. Depending on what's in store, I'm sure I could uncover at least some small clue that you might make good use of, magic or mundane.
[ She smiles a little, musing on an old memory. It's been some time since she's been to the theater, although what Holmes intends is certainly different from the theaters of Okhema, open aired as they are. ]
[Out and down the sidewalk they go, with Holmes seeming to know exactly where he's going, though that much is of little surprise. Indeed, he notes how she glances his way, as if to make conversation all the easier. But all the while, he thinks, she must be sensing what lies beyond their path — like a spider knowing what exists at the end of its web.]
That is precisely what I am hoping for. Now, it will be just a brisk walk a few blocks down, and I can put your assistance to the true test.
[In the interim, however, he gestures at her.]
But until then... Tell me, how have been since we last spoke?
Good, I think. [ The statement is plain, practiced. She rests her second and third finger against her sternum as she considers the statement. At times, it can be challenging to know how she is feeling. "Good" isn't so inaccurate. ]
I wish I could say that the bathhouse was proceeding apace, but the contractor which was hired for the property is... difficult, to say it simply. We rarely see eye to eye. But, I would not call it the first time which things have taken longer than I might have liked. So it is.
Besides that... I think I have settled into my place here rather well, for what it is. I painted this city far worse than it has treated me since my arrival.
[Good, she thinks? Which means that there is wiggle-room for her to be less-than-good, Holmes muses, though he needn't nudge her for more information. She offers it willingly enough.]
"Difficult." [He echoes.] Difficult how? I am not in the business of dealing with contractors, but might I assume that they prioritize affordability over your own vision for the bathhouse?
[Or is there some other issue...? He cannot help but wonder. (And be nosy about it.)]
[ Eventually she might touch on her, uh, emotional problems. Given how mild she is about most things, they may become more evident over time. ]
The deal I brokered put me into contact with a patron and allows me to afford a nice establishment. While the business is largely mine to operate, my patron saw fit to assign me with a contractor who manages the upkeep of the facility, including the initial restoration of the plumbing.
I've been more of a babysitter in my own business, since he won't do maintenance without me present, and I can't easily afford to get by without continuing my own work outside the venue.
[ She exhales. ] It's trifling things. Petty even.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[All the best mysteries are the ones that refuse to be unravelled, and sometimes violently at that. But this is only ever a reason to push forward, to ferret out the truth with stubbornness, and he is glad that she seems quite willing to entertain him.
Indeed, it did not seem to take much effort at all.
It is not like a gentleman to hurry a lady—well, most of the time, anyway—and so Holmes will patiently watch her gather her things, all the while making use of the passing seconds to continue their conversation. He’s grateful for her eagerness, of course, but it is equally intriguing to see. It reminds him a bit of Watson, who never fails to join him when he asks, though it is not as though Aglaea has the opportunity of knowing him for years to have earned that trust.]
You’re quite quick to agree. Do you not even wish to learn the details behind the request before rushing out the door with me, or does a mystery truly compel you that much?
no subject
So, when he points out her eagerness, a small, sincere smile glimmers through as she bends over a drawer with her things. It is a skosh embarrassing. She straightens to "see" him, always a little performed, but clearly for trying. She coils a scarf around her neck as she speaks. ]
I suppose I simply have a good feeling about your proposal, and my sewing can always wait for another time. It would be rather rude to waste your time with indecision which is not there.
However, [ she leans forward slightly, expectant but charming, ] that doesn't mean I expect no elucidation from you, Holmes.
no subject
Case in point:]
I admit that I require your presence not only for the good company it offers, but for a more practical means — your "sight", unique as it is, will aid in a problem that I've been working on for a few days now. It is a missing-persons case revolving around a stage actress who disappeared mid-performance before an audience of hundreds.
[He lets that settle—lets that tease—before he continues.]
no subject
Interesting, [ she says, impassive at first, but there is a curiosity that will slip into her voice. ] I do enjoy finding things.
[ Maybe some day she'll talk of her incidental passion for scavenger hunts. She gestures toward the door, clearly already on this wild ride. It will be locked behind them before they set out officially.. ]
I seem to recall, the supernatural is somewhat unusual for you; but it seems quite common here. You didn't happen to rule out magics already, have you?
[ Somehow, she figures he has. ]
no subject
He huffs, raising a hand to waggle it, following her out once she's ready. After that, Holmes deigns to take the lead, immediately striding away with the assumption that she will follow in turn.]
None who runs the theater, nor who is currently employed or contracted by it, has a whiff of magic about them. Or so they say. I admit, I remain at a disadvantage in this world, which frustrates me — how am I supposed to differentiate and identify when and how magic comes into the equation?
[There could be a thread of it underlying something subtle, difficult for him to parse or see through mundane eyes.]
That is why it helps to have connections who may observe the world through a different lens. Such as yourself, my dear.
no subject
You're making good use of your resources, then, Holmes. I think I may be just the woman for a job like this. Depending on what's in store, I'm sure I could uncover at least some small clue that you might make good use of, magic or mundane.
[ She smiles a little, musing on an old memory. It's been some time since she's been to the theater, although what Holmes intends is certainly different from the theaters of Okhema, open aired as they are. ]
no subject
That is precisely what I am hoping for. Now, it will be just a brisk walk a few blocks down, and I can put your assistance to the true test.
[In the interim, however, he gestures at her.]
But until then... Tell me, how have been since we last spoke?
no subject
I wish I could say that the bathhouse was proceeding apace, but the contractor which was hired for the property is... difficult, to say it simply. We rarely see eye to eye. But, I would not call it the first time which things have taken longer than I might have liked. So it is.
Besides that... I think I have settled into my place here rather well, for what it is. I painted this city far worse than it has treated me since my arrival.
no subject
"Difficult." [He echoes.] Difficult how? I am not in the business of dealing with contractors, but might I assume that they prioritize affordability over your own vision for the bathhouse?
[Or is there some other issue...? He cannot help but wonder. (And be nosy about it.)]
no subject
The deal I brokered put me into contact with a patron and allows me to afford a nice establishment. While the business is largely mine to operate, my patron saw fit to assign me with a contractor who manages the upkeep of the facility, including the initial restoration of the plumbing.
I've been more of a babysitter in my own business, since he won't do maintenance without me present, and I can't easily afford to get by without continuing my own work outside the venue.
[ She exhales. ] It's trifling things. Petty even.