East of Eden (Closed)

[satindesire]

Highly muffled from the door, Madeline's voice issued "May I come in, Master Ardel?"

Alais had managed to fall back asleep, and was enjoying some peaceful, and deep dreamless sleep, the nightmares for now, over. Chloe had been up for an hour already, and had bathed and eaten breakfast, gotten herself dressed, checked on the Lady to make sure she was well, and started on the morning shift change.

Breakfast had been handled, and she had sent Madeline up with Nicholas's tray, with explicit instructions to not bother the Master with any idle chit chat, as he would be waking up probably feeling quite disoriented from sleeping in a strange place last night.

 

[Vixo]

"Just a moment!" he called back through the door, reaching aside with his one long arm and parting the heavy curtains around his bed. He moved across the floor in a few long strides and opened the closet, retrieving the satin robe from where it hung and sliding it over his shoulders. Once it was tied securely, he moved for the door, glancing down at where the sleeves hung on his arms. They were a bit too short, there was a possibility that. . .but she wouldn't say anything even if she did, would she? She wouldn't dare. It wasn't her place. Should he see her eyes wander, he would make sure she knew as much.

These thoughts working up an apparently uncharacteristic foul mood, he opened the door at last, though he had the courtesy to do it slowly in case she was standing too close. The sight and smell of food brightened his mood--with only a few hours of sleep and a short time of being awake, he was a bit impressionable as these things went. The smile he gave was broad, but still close-lipped before he commented, "I get breakfast in bed? That's going a bit far, isn't it?" While the night before such a question would be stammered and nervous, he sounded delighted at the gesture this morning, walking back toward the bed and assuming she was to follow.

 

[satindesire]

Madeline was brunette, with sorrowful puppy eyes and a tawny complexion. Her squarish, buxom peasant build may have been unfashionable, but the honest and open way she wore her expressions and the ease in which she smiled gave her an attractive air that went beyond mere physical appearance. She wore simple servant's livery, a flax and cotton kilt and buttoned blouse, with a ribbon-tied apron and matching bonnet.

She set the tray on his bed, opened and fluffed his napkin out, and lifted the kettle top on the coffee. "Here's orange juice and coffee, and breakfast is sausage, bacon, biscuits and gravy, eggs, and sliced fruit with sugar." If she had noticed the robe not fitting perfectly, she didn't mention it. But then again, for someone who was so adamantly opposed to being served, he seemed quite comfortable with the idea of telling a servant what their place was.

The setting was silver, delicately filigreed and decorated with vinework, flowers and angelic cherubs flocking in an olive orchard.

"I'll get started running your bath, Master Ardel. Enjoy your breakfast."

She drew back the heavy drapes on the windows and opened the inner shutters, letting in the sunlight. The snow had melted overnight, giving the courtyard that his windows looked down into a far more cheery and human appearance.

 

[Vixo]

He found that the woman appointed to his comfort was indeed pleasant company, however brief she would be. Whether the fresh night's sleep had bettered his mood or whether Madeline's appearance was simply so sweet and kind that he couldn't maintain his suspicious mood around her couldn't be said, though he told himself it was on account of her. This would mean Chloe was somehow a lesser servant, though, wouldn't it? That would surely be unfair of him to decide. . .

His stomach growled as much at her statement of what he could already see and the smell of the food, which was much more than he'd normally eat in the morning. Then again, he normally went out to the pool house and swam about the enchanted waters therein come morning, and doing so with a full stomach wasn't advisable. Perhaps one day he'd worry about the wrench that this arrangement threw into his daily routine (wouldn't eating such a generous meal without having his normal exercise soften his build?), but at the moment it felt like a rare indulgence, one he might even deserve. How much work had he done lately?

Crawling on the opposite side of the bed, he crossed his long legs and pulled the tray closer, pouring his coffee and adding just enough sugar to it so that it wasn't entirely bitter. It was the bacon he visited first however, as he hadn't had it in the longest time. After his first mouthful was fully swallowed, he offered, "Thank you, Madeline," a courtesy, though he was becoming quickly fixated on his meal. Eating like this first thing in the morning. . .he felt like he'd gone on vacation and paid for this, not the other way around!

 

[satindesire]

"My pleasure, Master Ardel, it's no trouble at'tal." She said merrily, opening the last of the shutters to let the morning light in. She busied herself then with the normal daily tasks of her routine, sweeping out the cooled ashes from the fireplace and placing a stack of fresh logs, stuffing the kindling all around so as to make lighting easier come the cooler evening. She vanished into the bathing chamber, and the sound of bustling and rattling, and then of running water, and she appeared some time later.

"Bath should be nice and hot for you, sir, towels and things laid out and ready. Shall I shave you and trim your hair today, as well?" Of course, Nicholas would be welcome to do these things himself if he so chose, but many men these days preferred to let their more tedious grooming be done for them and Madeline was quite versed in both.

The house just beyond Nick's bedroom doors had been busily going about it's business, Alais's more time consuming projects worked on in the workshop and library below, meat butchered and set out to smoke in the smokehouse, and crops checked for frost damage. Reports were being filed into the office, where Chloe was keeping notes for the Lady in her ledger, to be looked at once she rose in the evening.

 

[Vixo]

Yes, this was an entirely more welcoming place in the daytime, he decided. A part of him did remain suspicious of his good mood, but that had little to do with his situation, speaking more of his average expectations. He wasn't used to being happy with where he was in any real sense, his enjoyment of meals and baths always minimal. Was it the pressure of being around other people that made sure he wouldn't wallow in various miseries? Or was it just the way the sunlight came in through the window, the endearing sound of the servant's voice, the good food and everything else?

Continuing to eat, he was sure not to do so too fast or too slow, as one was rude and the other would allow the food to cool. His eyes followed her as she went about tidying his room, finding the sight so incredibly strange that he couldn't help but take it in. While it was just her job to do so, he couldn't help but feel a bit warmed by the gesture all the same, as though she wanted to personally be sure of his comfort, and had some sort of good-hearted investment in it. That was ridiculous, of course; she didn't even know him! The thought of a woman having to clean up after a guest she hated wasn't a nice one, though, and so he allowed himself this little fantasy.

This was perhaps apparent as he responded to her offer, his tone disbelieving, "You'd do that for me?" He'd finished eating by this point, and arranged his dishes and any leftover pieces of food such that they'd be easy to wipe into the trash, and wouldn't dirty the bottoms of a cup or other dish. "If it wouldn't be too much to ask, then yes, I'd like that very much," he spoke pleasantly, rising again from the bed and smiling at her. Even though he hadn't slept very long as such things went, what was a vague shadow the night before had become much more visible come morning, and didn't much flatter his face, at least not as he was concerned. He hadn't thought of this before letting her in, though, and so wouldn't allow himself to be embarrassed now.

 

[satindesire]

She dusted, wiped down the mirror of his vanity table, and poured a drought of water into the vase atop it that held arranged flowers, all the while humming softly under her breath. At his question, she stopped mid-dust, feather stick in hand, and looked at him quizzically "Of course, Master Ardel, it's my job." Her easy smile let him know that she in no way minded her employment position at all.

She tucked the feather duster into her apron strings, then swiftly set his finished tray aside when he got out of the bed, remarking rhetorically "Got enough, didja? Good then, wouldn't want you to be peckish later." A sort of motherly, maternal way she properly reset his bed, adjusting the pillows in an attractive arrangement.

"Go on then, get to your bath, I'll start warming the lather and get myself set up to fix your hair. The towels and soaps and things are all there, you shan't need for nothing, love, get on with ya."

 

[Vixo]

"I suppose it is," he murmured, some tiny part of him disappointed that she didn't have any grander reason to want to do so for him. Where this came from he couldn't say, as he'd shaved himself ever since he could remember, at first with nervous care and then in a series of gestures he didn't even need to think about. Even with his steady hands, he'd come out of more than one shave with a few nicks along his jaw or throat as he became accustomed to using a straight razor, and being sure it was keen as possible. A close eye would note scars from such mishaps, in fact, though they were nearly a decade old by now.

"Yes, yes, it was wonderful. I can't remember the last time I've had such a breakfast. I usually cook for myself and couldn't justify dirtying so many dishes for one meal." This was, perhaps, too much information to give to the help, but he'd known ever since he came here that he wasn't going to have anyone else to talk to during his stay--save the lady of the house, that was, but she was nowhere to be found at this hour. Being that he'd just arose himself and had yet to leave his bedroom, he thought nothing of her absence of course--did he expect she'd walk in and greet him like royalty? If anyone was to do something like that, he should be it!

"Alright, alright." A soft smile lingered, fitting strangely but sincerely on his face, as he passed into the bathroom, shutting the door gently behind him. After a few other necessities of the morning, he approached the tub with teeth freshly brushed, taking a few moments' pause. When was the last time he'd bathed anywhere other than his home or an inn. . .? He had to think of this as an inn. Sighing, he shed the robe and set it aside, followed by his undershorts, which he wasn't particularly relishing the thought of wearing again, but so it went. He'd change once they got down to his home if it bothered him so badly.

Shaking his head at such ridiculous doubts--did he think he'd be able to spend every moment in this place clothed?--he stepped into the tub, sinking back and relaxing as his body grew used to the heat.

 

[satindesire]

Madeline straightened out the rest of her chores, various tedious odd jobs, sweeping and mopping, dusting, carrying his breakfast tray down and fetching him another pot of hot coffee. While she was downstairs she fetched up her grooming kit so that she could trim his hair and shave him.

As she began up the stairs, Chloe caught up with her.

"Has the young Master gotten himself straightened out yet, Madeline?" Madeline nodded pleasantly, displaying the grooming kit "Aye, that he 'as. I'm going back upstairs now to fetch him out of his bath to cut his hair."

Chloe made a soft noise of approval. "Very good, the Lady will be pleased you have gone the extra mile today. How is his disposition? Better than this morning, we hope..." Madeline's eyes crinkled in her smile "Oh, I think so, m'lady. Although I can't be for sure, as I wasn't about when he arrived."

Chloe's brows raised in surprise. "Yes, true. Ah, enough. Take your time, I still have paperwork to attend to."

Madeline agreed and hurried back up to Master Ardel's room.

 

[Vixo]

Nicholas was a man thorough in his washing, to such a degree as to be obsessive. All the same, his bathing ritual was one with which he was so familiar that it didn't take very much time. He was through in the tub before Madeline was to return, and had already dried himself, donned his robe and put a comb through his hair without thinking about it. His hair, as it went, was of an envious sort, soft to the touch, thick, strong and incredibly black against his paling skin. It was no trouble at all for him to be free of any knots put in by washing or sleeping, yet one less tedious thing for Madeline to do--that he needn't bother didn't occur to him.

As it went, when she was to enter again, he was seated and, having retrieved a nail file from somewhere in his suit jacket, picking any stray dirt from his fingernails and filing them smooth.

 

[satindesire]

Maddy seemed surprised that he had finished so quickly...but it was not often that she entertained male guests, and the Lady herself was quite notorious for her excruciatingly long soaks in her tub.

"Very good Master Ardel, I see you've already done all the hard work for me already!" She teased, setting the tray of coffee down in front of him. From under her arm she produced the leather-wrapped bundle and set it down at the vanity table in front of him, then made her way to the bathroom to get a bowl.

Returning a few minutes later with an armload of goodies, she set about rearranging the vanity to better suit her task. There was the bowl, of course, filled with steaming water, a damp towel also steaming with hot water, and the typical shaving implements.

She stropped the razor to hone the edge on it's file, eyeing Nick's face closely "You want a clean shave entirely, sir, or do you care to keep any today?"

 

[Vixo]

Turning 'round to regard Madeline, his thick brows lifted confusedly. "Well, yes, it would hardly be appropriate for me to expect you to do everything else for me, wouldn't it?" Chloe had said to ask anything of Madeline last night, but it remained such a foreign idea to him that he wouldn't dream of it. He was only accepting this much since she had offered, and he was trying to take a more indulgent outlook on his situation. If he allowed himself to be shaved, it was as though he'd come to visit some chilly resort, rather than being landlocked until he finished painting the Lady's portrait.

Finding his nails to his liking in short order, he set the file aside, glancing slowly around the room until Madeline returned. Everything here was so pleasant in the daytime. . .what had it been about the night that made the prospect of staying here seem so frigid and miserable? Had a bit of bad weather really had him in such a terrible mood?

While he'd honed his own razor many, many times, there was always something slightly unsettling to him about watching another person do it. The slightest frown had touched his lips while watching, but was to turn around as she inquired about his preferences. "Oh, a clean shave, certainly."

 

[satindesire]

After she was satisfied with the trueness of the edge, she set the razor aside and piked up her lather pot, dipped the brush in the bowl of water and sent the brush spinning atop the tablet. It worked up a rich, loamy head of foam within seconds, which she whipped to further creaminess on the back of her head. "Tilt yer head back, Master Ardel..." she said, then when he complied, she worked a thin lather over his cheeks and jaw with gentle round strokes of the brush.

"Right now, we'll set the towel on ya and leave it to steam." Picking up the steaming towel gingerly, she wrapped it carefully around his face, making sure his nose wasn't covered. "Hope you aren't the least claustrophobic, sir." she teased, her unseen bustling the muted sounds of domestic shores.

 

[Vixo]

"How often do you do this?" He couldn't help but be impressed at the ease with which she readied the foam, something that had taken him no small amount of time to grow accustomed to. Not that he'd admit to such a thing--as far as she knew, this was how he'd been shaving since he was a teenager, and it should've been second nature to him for years. Tilting his head back as instructed, he couldn't help but feel a bit strange, as every little mark was ever on his mind, and one of them lived about his throat, faded with age but not invisible. As the others, it burned as though consciously striving for recognition.

Sitting in wait with the towel about his face, he found his thoughts creeping to less comfortable places, although he did tell her, "No, that won't be a problem." And it wasn't--he simply wondered at the strangeness of wearing only a robe in the presence of someone else, his hands moving down to make sure it was firmly secured.

 

[satindesire]

"Oh, lesse, I shave some of the security team occasionally, if they're keen on it, any of the male guests we've 'ad, which haven't been many to tell the truth. A few times a month. I suppose I just have a hand for it, sir." She said cheerily, unwinding the towel, now cooled, from his face and setting it aside.

She eyed him critically, testing the fine stubble with the edge of her finger to see if it had softened enough. If she saw his scars, she didn't seem bothered by them.

Satisfied with the work the hot towel had done, she returned the brush to his face and more liberally lathered him.

"All right now, Master Ardel, if you wouldn't mind too terribly holdin' quite still..."

 

[Vixo]

There was the slightest change in the rhythm of his breathing as she removed the towel, on account of the change; breathing with just his nose sticking out and having full freedom were different things. "Mm, well, that's good. I'd hate to think you're clumsy at it." A playful smile rose to his mouth at the idea, and idly he wondered what the scene would look like. . .all sorts of servants coming to sew him up in the event of a razor's slice?

The odd twitch or shudder here and there suggested that the brush made him ticklish, but once it was drawn away, he did as told, shutting his eyes in a sort of reflex--likely seeing someone set a razor to his face would make him nervous!

 

[satindesire]

The scrape of the razor and slop of water was the only sound for several minutes, until finally she cleared his face of every last hair. She smoothed the rest of the lather off with another hot towel, then rubbed on a cream to keep his skin from getting too irritated from such rough treatment.

Just as she was cleaning up the razor, there was a knock on the bedroom door.

"Ah, please excuse me for a moment, Master Ardel." Madeline said, and hurried to open it. "Yes?"

It was a tall man, gruff and handsome in a rough soldier way. He had seen his fair share of war and harsh conditions, the multiple scars and roughly suntanned skin spoke of fighting often, and well. He was dressed in tanned leathers and riding gear, hands crossed on the hilt of his sword as if it was commonplace for such a man to wear one.

"Doin' the rounds, Madeline." The housekeeper nodded, stepping back and opening the door wider to allow the soldier entrance. Crossing the threshold, he saw Nicholas, nodded politely, "Sir." And touched his forelock. Madeline returned to Nick's side, evidently satisfied the solider could let himself out when he was done.

"Don't fret, merely the security." she reassured him with a smile in the vanity mirror, and fluffed his hair with her fingers. "Just a trim today, you said, sir? How do you usually like it cut?"

 

[Vixo]

So long as he didn't have his eyes on it, there was something intensely soothing about being shaved by someone else. A smile persisted on his face, his breathing steady and relaxed as the razor was run across his cheeks, jaw and chin. While there wasn't all that much growth, considering he was the sort to shave daily, it felt liberating to have it away all the same. That such a kind woman was doing it for him made things better still. It was all rather surreal for him.

With the cream set in, he sat up straight and pressed his fingers to his face, marveling at its softness. "I think you've done a more thorough job than I ever have," he mused, finding it a pity that no one but the servants should see him so fresh-faced. Oh, he'd go into town a bit later, but he doubted it would matter much if someone saw him as he scurried about gathering his belongings. A thought passed his mind that the lady of the house should notice, and would, this time, decide to lay her hand upon the cheek she'd considered the night before, a recollection that stirred some small excitement in him, though it was quickly dismissed. What business had he with putting such significance into a touch that didn't even happen?

He found himself stiffening at the knock of the door, subtly enough that the thick material of the robe hid the evidence. It didn't sound like a woman's knock, so it wasn't Chloe, though heaven knew what reason she'd have to come in here again. With some discomfort he watched the man enter, feeling slightly intruded upon; it was awkward enough wearing only a robe with Madeline about. That other people should enter in without any suggestion that he wasn't decent and ought to duck from view wasn't a welcome thought! All the same, he chased these things from his expression in the name of politeness, though he said nothing.

When he left, Nicholas couldn't help but inquire, "Are the people here not to be trusted?" For it went without saying that this place was not as likely to be broken into by thieves and suchlike, considering its remote location. "Ahh, just trim the ends I suppose, keep it as much the same as you can." Most of his hair fell about the middle of his neck, which mightn't seem much until one considered how much neck it had to fall down--on anyone else, it'd fall to his shoulders. Still, it wasn't an entirely even cut, in such a way that it couldn't be told if it was done on purpose or if the person cutting it had slipped up.

 

[satindesire]

Her half-smile was proud and grateful for his compliment, and she patted his shoulder after setting her shaving kit aside. "Worth the time it takes, I trust."

After the guard was satisfied with his round, he nodded farewell to the pair and left, shutting the door behind him.

In reply to his comment about trust, her expression turned sad"Miss Ravencroft is....well...." she paused, ruffling his hair with absent motherly fondness "...eccentric." She brightened, smiled at him warmly in the mirror. "It's difficult days, Master Ardel, and one can never know who to trust. But it's mostly for our own protection."

The sounds of the house below them was muted, but if one listened closely through the heavy wooden doors, merry voices, the sounds and smells of constant cooking and baking, laughter. A well stocked larder and many hands made the work lighter, and the rewards worth the labor.

With a pair of delicate shears, she trimmed his hair just enough to neaten it, leaving the length almost totally in tact. It suited him, after all. Pleased with her work, she adjusted a snip here and there, then dusted the loose hairs from his face and shoulders with a large stiff brush.

"There we are, Master Ardel, as pretty as a picture!"

 

[Vixo]

"Oh, definitely," he agreed warmly with her, lifting his hand again to sweep thoughtfully along his jaw. The very edge of it was a place he sometimes missed, even now nervous that his hand might shake and he'd be found dead by the landscapers (for who else would have cause to visit his home?) for such a ridiculous reason. "I'll have to put more effort into it myself, I suppose." Still he didn't seem to consider that Madeline would be shaving his face for him more than once or twice, a reflex naming it as his responsibility. After all, the hair was growing out of his face!

"Mm. Are there strange things higher up?" His good mood was more or less maintained through the fond gestures she made, his ill-fitting smile tugging at his mouth as she fluffed his hair. A tremor only he might recognize moved through him at some of these sensations, as he was blatantly unused to physical contact of the sort, something he failed to realize until this morning. When was the last time anyone had touched his face, or ran their fingers through his hair? The nature of the touches mattered little. . .that it simply hadn't happened was a bit arresting.

Nicholas laughed aloud to hear any part of him so described, but dusted off his shoulders for imaginary hairs and rose to his feet. "That's just misplaced flattery, I believe, but thank you for doing this for me, Madeline." Pausing, he tried to assess himself in the mirror but, as usual, found that he only noticed superficial things--that his face was bare of any stray eyelashes and things like that. It was useless to try and figure out if anything about him might please someone--and he wasn't even certain who he aimed to please.

Turning from the useless reflection, he mentioned, "It's time I get dressed, I suppose--can't dawdle too much or I'll never have the studio set up, will I?" For a few moments he stood looking at her, wrestling with the idea of dismissing her. He didn't want her here when he took the robe off, of course, but sending her off sat strangely with him. He swallowed heavily to wet his drying mouth. "I. . .may ask for assistance again later." It was as close as he could come to it.

 

[satindesire]

She nodded pleasantly, gathering her trade kit under her arm. "Very well, sir, lunch is at three. Just ring if you need me, Chloe is waiting for you downstairs...but take your time, I'm sure she's plenty occupied."

She left after sweeping up the hair around the vanity chair, shutting the door behind her to ensure his privacy in getting dressed.

 

[Vixo]

Take his time doing what? an enduringly bitter part of him wanted to ask, though his visitation of this old thought process was fleeting enough that it wouldn't escape his head. "Thank you, Madeline." He waited patiently for her to leave, occupying himself with shuffling about and arranging his clothes into the easiest way they might be put on. Once she was gone, he loosed the knot about the robe and sat on the edge of the bed, pausing. Depending on the time, there were certain things he'd do at this point. . .they were hardly appropriate when he was a guest, though.

Sighing, he lifted his hand from where it had fallen against his thigh and relieved himself of the robe entirely, reaching over to gather his clothing and dress quickly. When through, he assessed his neatness in the mirror, putting a hand through misplaced hair and tightening his tie as needed. . .it seemed somehow futile.

Regardless, he turned and left the room, and in turn the studio, looking up and down the hallway he came to. Where was the lady of the house? Hell, where were her cats?

 

[satindesire]

Lucifer -was- in the studio, sleeping upside-down on the floor in front of the unlit fireplace with all four large furry paws in the air. The other two cats were nowhere to be seen. A faint spicy perfume lingered in the air, probably Chloe's, someone had just left the studio it seemed.

Heels on marble, if he turned to see Chloe there, hand on the door handle. She smiled with a warm professionalism. "Ah, Master Ardel, good to see you up and about. Feeling refreshed I hope?"

She was dressed in a simple but well tailored muslin gown, with delicately buttoned boots and lace ribbons decorating her throat and startlingly red hair. The skirt of said gown was a multitude of layers of sheer gauze and flimsy, transluscent fabrics, giving her almost painfully petite frame an ethereal look.

"I was going over the list of items that you and I discussed about bringing here, and I was wondering if you were bringing any luxuries for your cat. We have all the aminities needed here, of course, seeing as how the Lady has three of her own, but if there is a special diet or certain toys your own pet prefers, you might want to bring those along as well."

 

[Vixo]

After a glance, he did catch sight of the fuzzy thing by the fireplace, though he didn't want to disturb such an amusing posture. The urge to grab her stomach was amazing, but overcome easily enough out of respect for the animal. If the Lady was to be trusted in saying that the feline's welcome to him was rare, he hardly wanted to ruin that by squeezing her out of a perfectly good sleep! And so, endeared smile on his mouth, he left.

Catching sight of Chloe, he wasn't given much cause to let the smile fade--she was looking so nice in that dress, he was almost taken aback! He always thought he'd grown used to being surrounded with all sorts of feminine beauty until the light hit someone in just such a way. . .he couldn't keep the praise from his lips. "Yes, I slept perfectly. That dress looks nice on you." Unrelated though it was to his former statement, he said it so soon afterward that it might have seemed so--he wanted to make the comment easily forgettable, ever assuming even the most chaste remarks in that line to be welcome. If any man was going to mean that at face value, it would be him!

A light laugh left him on the matter of cat toys. "Oh, I think she'll be quite alright here, though I don't know how she'll get on with the other cats. She'll have my shoelaces and things to play with." For they never did play with what was bought for them, did they!?

 

[satindesire]

She seemed surprised at his easy compliment, and the mask of emotionless duty was broken. Her eyes warmed, a faint shy smile coloring the corners of her mouth and brought a faint scarlet to her unpainted cheeks.

She touched the skirt fondly, as if it were a prized peice of her wardrobe. Perhaps it was.

"...thank you..." she murmured, a long hesitation as she struggled for a semblance of self control over the sudden self conciousness his words brought. Finally gaining some control of herself, she cleared her throat, shaking off the bonding moment. Not in a careless way, of course, her manner was much more personable after that, but it was indeed back to business.

"Ahem...yes, what was I saying? Oh, your cat. Yes, of course. Just let myself or Madeline know if you require anything for...him, her? Hopefully the transition won't be too....stressful...the Lady's cats are very personable with other animals and they've showed no signs of aggression before. However, the introduction will be handled with care, to assure their safty and comfort."

She glanced over at the slumbering feline, whose paws were a-twitch in some engrossing predatory dream, no doubt.

"In the meantime, if you'd like to take a look at the list, and make sure I didn't forget anything that we had agreed upon. Ah, and feel free to add anything you may want."

Stepping into the studio fully but leaving the door open, she offered him the thick vellum-like paper.