Sven's Hands

As the weeks and days count down toward Opening Night of the first season's Theatre Productions, Marius' days become longer and longer that he is away at work. The rehearsals for Actors are far more grueling than they are for Musicians, and I am home increasingly more ahns per day than he is. I've begun to miss him.

Too, Asia has been counting down her days that she will return to Thanta Isle. She says she will be returning, but I fear that may not be the case once she arrives there. Leda and Capriel work the Vineyards from sunrise to sunset everyday of the hand and I rarely see either of them anymore, either.

Once again I find myself dreaming of Sven's hands. They are warm and gentle, flecked with dark charcoal and paint beneath his nails that gives them a somewhat dirty appearance upon first glance. I have not laid eyes upon the Artist since before we set sail for the mainland and headed to the Sardar Mountains, and I find myself again, ever increasingly longing for his company in my own lonliness.

Marius has not expressly forbidden me to see Sven, but I know he does not care for these Bohemian types who live transient, migratory lives, roving from city to city, island to island. I however, think he is overly judgemental and harsh.

Sven is.. like no other.
Kind and with a zest for life.
Brilliant. Talented.
Breathtakingly handsome.
And mine.

Homecoming

As much as I love to travel and see the world, the sweetest part of every trip is the homecoming. It is not too much longer now before we reach the Port Authority of Jad on the Island of Cos, and I can scarcely wait to stand upon dry land again. I have been looking forward to seeing Leda again as well, for she was left behind at the House with Edgar to tend the Vineyards.

Coming home we are one more of us than what we left with, for Marius did purchase the woman Capriel at the Faire as well. I am particularly overjoyed that two women will be sharing life with me now. And I think Marius is glad too, though he does not show this readily. Instead, he puts on a front and acts as if he hates having women cluttering his life. But I know better. Too, I an certain that Edgar, our caretaker, will also be overjoyed at the extra pairs of hands, especially since Marius purchased the Coriolanus Vineyards right next to Batavian Vineyards.

Marius says he will keep both Leda and Capriel in locked chastity belts.
I only hope he was not serious.

The Admiral's Inn

So few people have anything decent rolling off their tongues for the city of Port Kar, though I rarely hear such negativity from my Master or any of his handful of traveling associates who are a few of Jad's most wealthy Merchants. Much planning over business forecasts and sales projections goes into these once-per-anum gatherings just before and after the En'Var Sardar Faire. They are powerful men, and my Master is numbered among them, though he is not of their caste.

The meetings may go on for an entire day and all throughout the night as well, and may not adjourn until sometime late the following afternoon. It is for that reason that a suite at the Admiral's Inn is usually rented where I and their companions are expected to entertain ourselves until these men run out of new ideas to seize and chew upon.

Rented out for the night like a whore, I am not able to choose otherwise but to entertain whomever has paid my Master for the use of me. Of course, it has all been arranged very discretely, right down to the renting of the suite under a pseudonym. No harm done the ladies. They, as well as I, are quite pleasantly out of the hair of their companions and Marius, respectively, for the entire night. It is not the first time I've been the plaything of a wealthy person. Nor is it to be the last. Did I have fun? Strangely, I don't even remember.

Typically I do not over indulge myself with wine or other strong drink, as Marius tends to frown upon anything that would be construed as excess. He is the epitomé of stoicism and practices all things in moderation. And while he might be inclined to disagree, he is rigidly severe in his ways. Yet on these once-yearly excursions to and from the En'Var Faire, I succumb to over indulgence and cast all moderation to the wind with drinking and merriment. This year I spent the two royal days with four free women, all at the same time. I had an excruciatingly good time -- I think. I hope I did. For the price I paid next morning was akin to having been stampeded by a herd of Bosk. They call it Hangover.

I call it being glad that my Master is opposed to this sort of thing on a regular basis.
Some folks live with this
affliction every day of their lives.
Especially in Port Kar.