❝ infect me with your love and fill me with your poison ❞

[ham]

❝ permanently public roleplay post ❞

Need help with a voice test or want to play anything at all with me? Just consult my muselist and put the name of the character you want to play with in the subject line. If there's a particular scenario you want to play out, feel free to stick that in the comment as well and I'll see what I can do. This also works as a way to hit me up OOC-ly for any plotting. If you prefer that I make an individual entry (private or not) for our interaction, please feel free to say so here as well. I'm open to most things so come at me. :)

Comments

c:

[coinage]

[Littlefinger walks with as much grace as the wind whispering through the leaves. He's dressed to impress with an ebony doublet, trousers of fine boiled leather, and a canary yellow cloak attached by a silver mockingbird at his neck. His boots shine in the sunlight, well-polished. The man knows how to make an entrance. He offers a bow and waits for their foreign guest to acknowledge him, smiling all the while.]

Your Grace?

[kaiserin]

[The guard eyes Petyr with a protective distaste, but Empress rises from her seat on a bench and crosses to him, hands clasped demurely in front of her.]

Yes. And you must be Lord Petyr? [She assumes 'Lord' goes hand-in-hand with the title of Master of Coin, anyhow. She curtsy's lightly] Pleased to meet you. I am the Childlike Empress. I believe we have much to discuss, but might I ask you indulge my curiosity a little first?

[pimping]

I am at your command.

[The girl is obviously foreign with the hair of a Targaryen and unearthly eyes of gold. He treads lightly in both action and speech, seeking to humor her as best he can for the sake of the realm. Well, in a way. Littlefinger cares for the realm only for as long as it serves his desires.]

[kaiserin]

Walk with me, please. [despite her higher station she is unfailingly polite, gesturing for him to walk with her so she can examine the garden more.]

I'm afraid I know little about this country. My people preferred to isolate themselves, even when the Targaryens ruled, so even my books offer little. [She smiled lightly to herself] My leaving has no doubt caused an uproar in the courts.

But I'm curious to know more, everything is very different. For instance, the titled people--such as your king, your queen, and even yourself-- give their names away. In my country such a thing would never be done. To give someone a name gives them power; to know someone's name gives you power over them. The common people don't adhere to this, but everyone in the courts does.

When I became empress I had to cast away my name; and since I'm the highest authority, I of course know everyone's name in the court, but none shall know mine.

Coming here is like waking from a pleasant dream and seeing reality for the first time. [is that a compliment or an insult?]

[coinage]

You'll find me unlike most men, Your Grace. I keep two names. I don't make a secret of either though. Both are welcome to rest on any lips that wish to speak them. Such are our ways.

[Keeping pace with her, he walks slow to accommodate her smaller strides. Littlefinger is a short man but the visiting monarch is a dainty thing. She'd probably be quite the curiosity had she come to Westeros under different circumstances. How much could he charge a lord to bed such a specimen?]

[kaiserin]

[She casts him an amused look as if to ask "are you really?" before returning her attention to a near-by rose bush.]

Strange ways. But if you were just like us, I would be terribly bored. I believe I have much I can learn from you all.

I've heard something about the various-- [What was the word they'd used?] ...Houses? House Lannister, for example. Are they very important? Each seems to have their own colors, symbol and words; it's very involved.

[She eyes find his mockingbird pin with curiosity] Is yours' the mockingbird there?

[pimping]

All the houses believe themselves to be of some importance. Their names and sigils are their legacy. Depending on their acts, they might stand for valor or treachery. I leave it to you to decide just how important they should be in your eyes.

[He glances down at his own mockingbird with a grin.]

No one else wears a mockingbird on their chest, Your Grace. It is a sigil of my own making, not my house's.

[kaiserin]

[She touches her own symbol, sliding her fingertips over the snakes' scales with a thoughtful 'hmm'.] I'll be spending quite a bit of time here... Treachery is not something I can say I'm familiar with. I suppose I will have plenty of time to learn.

[Despite her words she doesn't sound at all reluctant or melancholy about it; it's simply another interesting thing to study. Her people adored her, this she knew with utmost certainty and was all she had ever known.

In a way she saw this kingdom as a bit of a project, an experiment to play with and see what worked and what didn't as she studied the ruling family and the courts. A chance at a crash-course education in ruling.

She couldn't help but smile] May I ask why the mockingbird?

hrgh i'm sorry for my lack of tl;dr powers today ;A;

[pimping]

It hears melodies and makes those its own. The mockingbird may appear weak but it can sound like something much more fearsome than itself. Its strength lies in its cunning. Knowledge is its trade. The more songs it knows, the greater its chance for a longer life.

shh shhh it's okay *3*

[kaiserin]

[Her smile widens somewhat, like this is some fun little game shes playing; her golden eyes glint like coins in the light]

And how many songs do you know, my lord?

<3

[pimping]

[Grin still in place, he takes his time responding, making it appear as if he's thoroughly mulling over his response.]

As many as I need at the time.

[kaiserin]

[She laughs at that, a bright, girlish laugh of delight and claps her hands together.] If everyone is as entertaining as you, I shall have no fear of being bored! I hope you'll sing one for me one day.

[Laughter subsiding the little empress pauses by some roses, plucking one unceremoniously to thread into her hair, the red vivid against the snow-white of it.]

Thank you for indulging my questions. I'm sure you're a very busy man, and the last thing you needed was to cater to my curiosity. [She takes another rose and gently peels the thorns from it, before turning to him with a sweet smile, holding the flower out to him]

I'm sure you're very eager to get to business.

[pimping]

I can think of nothing more deserving of my eagerness than catering to your whims, Your Grace.

[His words are honey on a serpentine tongue. On another man's lips, the statement may have sounded insincere but Littlefinger considers himself better than any mummer. After all, he's part of the biggest farce of all.

As she extends the bloom as her favor, he sinks to one knee.]

You honor me too much. Surely, there is another far more deserving of such a token.

[He hates to simper but one does what one must. Bow your head to keep it.]

[kaiserin]

[She watches him with amusement, at first thinking he's simply joking before she realizes he's being, more or less, serious.

Perhaps it was because she was largely locked up inside her tower speaking only to a couple of her courtiers. Their customs were strange compared to this, where the royal court interacted freely, so perhaps the bowing and scarping was simply part of the ritual.

She couldn't say she understood the need to use subtly here, but it was a fun game to watch nonetheless.

Empress turned to face him fully, gently cupping his face in her hands, silently urging him to look at her. Her smile is sweet and serene]

You're a silly man. Who else would I give it to? I have no betrothed or consort, if that's what you were thinking. You've been kind to me and patient.

[She leans in and presses a gentle kiss to his forehead] And please do not kneel so. I know I'm small, but you don't have to do that. [Though she knows perfectly well it had less to do with her height and more to do with her station.] Please take take the flower.

[coinage]

[The press of her lips against his forehead is soft and warm. As she commands, he rises but the flower still has yet to find its way into his hands.]

And how should I carry such as a favor? Am I to take it in hand? Pocket it? No, such a thing should be displayed proudly, shouldn't it? Shall I leave my fate in your delicate hands?

You Grace, you are far from small. Take it from a man who bears Littlefinger as his other name.

[kaiserin]

If you don't take it, I'm going to make you wear it behind your ear. [Her tone is teasing about the threat and she laughs, reaching for him to secure the rose in with his mockingbird pin.] I'm not sure if it will stay, but for now it will do.

[She pats it lightly, smoothing down the material before she pulls away. Gold eyes rise to meet gray-green, appearing not to see him, exactly, but see through him.]

My people also refer to me as the Golden-Eyed Commander of Wishes, you know. What do you wish for, my lord?

idek i have like over 9000 icon journals for this asshole

[fingerling]

You would crown me as your king of love and beauty?

[The jape comes with a faint laugh as the rose rests over his heart, nudged by the beak on his mockingbird.]

I don't think I could wish for much more than this.

[A lie, of course. He wants everything there is.]

do we need an intervention

[kaiserin]

[She blinks at him, all wide-eyed innocence] Is that what it means, to give a rose? I have more to learn than I thought.

[She gives him a playfully chastising look] Come now, even I know that's not true. No one wants for nothing. [Still, the empress chuckles] But it's sweet of you to say nonetheless.

And here I'd thought you'd be cruel and a brute. I was a little worried about having to work with you at first.

yeeep

[fingerling]

Cruel, yes. I've tried for years to cultivate such a reputation. You simply mustn't spread ridiculous rumors about my kindness. People may come to expect it and be sorely disappointed.

But a brute? Oh, that's one thing I could never be. Swords would slice through me far too easily.

[kaiserin]

My lips will be sealed. I shall keep the knowledge for myself. [She presses a finger to her lips in a 'shush' motion and smiles]

Such is the nature of swords, unfortunately. But the more dangerous weapon is the one you cannot see, isn't that right?

[fingerling]

Tis why the tongue hides in a closed mouth, is it not?

[kaiserin]

[Her expression is one of wide-eyed innocence again]

Are you saying your tongue is your weapon of choice? Should I be worried?

[fingerling]

One should always worry.

[kaiserin]

You wouldn't do anything to me though, would you? [She looks to him with a feigned concern]

I believe such things would be conceived as a threat, and I wouldn't want you to get into trouble, you know. Especially not after I just gave you my favor.

[pimping]

Gods be good, I wouldn't dream of it.

[After all, he's an architect, not a dreamer. Some men weave wickedness behind closed eyes. He makes nightmares come to pass in daylight.]

Besides, you couldn't get me into trouble. I'm already neck-deep in it. It's how I flourish.