The Darkest Manor (D5LE)

[Lucinia Malveaux]

(Eggspecting)

Compared to the first time Jan had visited Malveaux house, it might appear slightly more welcoming. The night was clear, so there wasn't quite as much wind whipping threateningly around. The stars above may not have been especially bright, but at least they weren't foreboding storm clouds. There was even a porch light on, providing a bit more welcome light, and perhaps even suggesting that visitors were welcome.

On the other hand, the door was still a heavy cold metal, stained with rust. The building still seemed to loom imposingly, full of dark corners, creaking ominously. The porch light made the immediate area brighter, but seemed to cast as many shadows as it dispelled.

Perhaps one could grow used to it, with time.

[Jan Melmoar]

Snip

Jan hobbles out of her taxi and using a crutch and manages to limp over to the door. The Czerka rep is a little paler than usual (almost nearing Malveaux whiteness) and has a fashionable bandage around her forehead with the Czerka logo.

Despite mild discomfort she's rather glad of the porch light, it helps somewhat dispel the feeling of imminent monster attack that otherwise hangs over Lucinia's home. Still, it wasn't entirely welcome and she felt a small shiver pass down her spine as she used the knocker to wrap heavily against the door.

[Lucinia Malveaux]

Slowly, the door swung open; more smoothly than at Jan's first visit, but still creaking ominously. Clearly it was only getting better in steps. There was a bit more light inside, the hearth piled up higher and warmer.

Lucinia was there, walking slowly towards the door, one hand just falling to her side. She wore a black dress (what else), although this one was a bit closer to evening-wear than she normally wore, being of a bit thinner fabric, and leaving her pale shoulders bare. "Good evening, Jan." She said, her red lips curled up into a smile...

... until she good a good look at her visitor. "My goodness!" One hand flew up, almost touching her lips, her green eyes widening with surprise. "Jan... whatever have you been doing since I saw you last?"

[Jan Melmoar]

Slowly, the door swung open; more smoothly than at Jan's first visit, but still creaking ominously. Clearly it was only getting better in steps. There was a bit more light inside, the hearth piled up higher and warmer.

Lucinia was there, walking slowly towards the door, one hand just falling to her side. She wore a black dress (what else), although this one was a bit closer to evening-wear than she normally wore, being of a bit thinner fabric, and leaving her pale shoulders bare. "Good evening, Jan." She said, her red lips curled up into a smile...

... until she good a good look at her visitor. "My goodness!" One hand flew up, almost touching her lips, her green eyes widening with surprise. "Jan... whatever have you been doing since I saw you last?"

"Lord Malveaux!"
Her crutches beams up a set of holographic finger guns

"Looking stunning as ever....and your house is...."
Blink blink
"Almost warm and well lit...huh."

Actually looking a little embarassed by the question
"Let's just say I volunteered for a few minor tasks with major paychecks and used up some of my 'sorry you got stabbed' and some of my 'sorry you got shot' chocolates."

[Lucinia Malveaux]

Lucinia laughed softly, waving a hand. "Oh, yes. Believe me, almost warm and well lit is the best it can manage. Even on Korriban is manages to be dark and unpleasantly cold somehow." She half-shrugged, one bare shoulder rising and falling. "It must be something in the architecture."

"I see." Lucinia considered this a few moments. "Well, please, come, have a seat. We can take some refreshment before we get started. Would you care for a glass of wine, perhaps? Malveaux House may not have quite the variety of colors as the beach bar, but it does do a very good red, as you know."

She walked towards the credenza, but then paused, looking back over her shoulder with a smile. "And, as it happens, I still have some of my 'sorry you got shot' chocolate left. I suppose I would be willing to share a bit of it, by way of commiseration."

[Jan Melmoar]

Lucinia laughed softly, waving a hand. "Oh, yes. Believe me, almost warm and well lit is the best it can manage. Even on Korriban is manages to be dark and unpleasantly cold somehow." She half-shrugged, one bare shoulder rising and falling. "It must be something in the architecture."

"I see." Lucinia considered this a few moments. "Well, please, come, have a seat. We can take some refreshment before we get started. Would you care for a glass of wine, perhaps? Malveaux House may not have quite the variety of colors as the beach bar, but it does do a very good red, as you know."

She walked towards the credenza, but then paused, looking back over her shoulder with a smile. "And, as it happens, I still have some of my 'sorry you got shot' chocolate left. I suppose I would be willing to share a bit of it, by way of commiseration."

Jan happily hobbles over to the couch with a nod of thanks, extending one leg onto a coffee table.
"....Oh! I was suppose to bring the wine...or chocolate...or something...damn."
Thinking quickly
"Your family doesn't accept gift crutches does it? This is a very fine model....I could exchange it for the chocolates and wine?"
She makes her eyes big and sad.

[Lucinia Malveaux]

From the credenza, Lucinia shot Jan an amused glance. "Jan, you are a guest. You're not required to trade for hospitality, not even in a Sith's home." She poured two generous glasses glasses of a dark red. "Those eyes you're giving me, my goodness."

She walked back, handing one glass to Jan, her green eyes glinting. "Besides, what good would those crutches do me? They're probably calibrated for your freakishly long legs."

Sitting down next to Jan, Lucinia opened the box on the table, sliding it closer to her guest. There was perhaps a third of the box remaining, but all of the caramels had been taken.

[Jan Melmoar]

From the credenza, Lucinia shot Jan an amused glance. "Jan, you are a guest. You're not required to trade for hospitality, not even in a Sith's home." She poured two generous glasses glasses of a dark red. "Those eyes you're giving me, my goodness."

She walked back, handing one glass to Jan, her green eyes glinting. "Besides, what good would those crutches do me? They're probably calibrated for your freakishly long legs."

Sitting down next to Jan, Lucinia opened the box on the table, sliding it closer to her guest. There was perhaps a third of the box remaining, but all of the caramels had been taken.

"..."
She squints at her legs and then Lucinia's before turning her nose up and daintily extracting and consuming a small blaster pistol shaped chocolate

"Hmmph! They could be recalibrated for teeny tiny short Malveaux legs"
She clinks a wine glass against Lucinia's in toast.
"Your hospitalty is appreciated though, I don't get invited into a lot of homes, not outside of work at least."

[Lucinia Malveaux]

Lucinia raised one hand to the corner of her mouth, laughing softly; it was perhaps a younger cousin of her usual 'ooohohoho'. "Teeny-tiny?" She said, giving Jan a mock-incredulous look. "Ooh, you'll be paying for that one later."

She crossed said legs as she peered into the box, suddenly frowning. "Damn you, Drascovina." She muttered darkly. Still, after another moment of consideration, she selected one in the shape of a probe droid, popping it smoothly between her lips.

Lucinia smiled as their glasses clinked together, taking a sip to wash down her chocolate. "Oh, is that so? Why is that, do you suppose? I know some of my fellows look down on fieldwork." She rolled her eyes. "I don't understand why. It's not as though they've never seen blood or scars before."

[Jan Melmoar]

Lucinia raised one hand to the corner of her mouth, laughing softly; it was perhaps a younger cousin of her usual 'ooohohoho'. "Teeny-tiny?" She said, giving Jan a mock-incredulous look. "Ooh, you'll be paying for that one later."

She crossed said legs as she peered into the box, suddenly frowning. "Damn you, Drascovina." She muttered darkly. Still, after another moment of consideration, she selected one in the shape of a probe droid, popping it smoothly between her lips.

Lucinia smiled as their glasses clinked together, taking a sip to wash down her chocolate. "Oh, is that so? Why is that, do you suppose? I know some of my fellows look down on fieldwork." She rolled her eyes. "I don't understand why. It's not as though they've never seen blood or scars before."

"Oh I suspect it's because most Sith are..."
She raises a hand making a wooshing sound
"And really I'm more"
She lowers her hand making a sad whoosing sound.

"That and my height of course." Big smirk "But I suppose when I was in the service I spent most of my time....well not avoiding Sith but trying to never be around them and actively disappearing if they approached..."
Short pause
"On reflection yes, that actually would probably qualify as avoiding. Now whenever I visit someone unexpectedly it's all business, which I actually quite enjoy, they sometimes provide nice gifts. Still, it's not quite the same as actually being a guest, is it?"

[Lucinia Malveaux]

"I... see." Lucinia said. In truth, comparative woosh was not her specialty.

"Hmph!" Lucinia tilted her chin up proudly. "You're really not that much taller than I am." In fact, with those legs of hers propped on the coffee table... Lucinia sat a bit straighter, her elegant chin tilting just a little further. Perhaps perfect aristocratic posture would make the difference while sitting...

Lucinia's red lips curled up in amusement. "That would count as avoiding, yes." She gave one of her half-shrugs. "I can't really blame you. Sith are dangerous. Myself included." She smirked. "Fortunately, I've taken a liking to you. Which is why you are here as my guest. It's a very exclusive list, too, if I do say so." She took a slow sip of her wine.

[Jan Melmoar]

"I... see." Lucinia said. In truth, comparative woosh was not her specialty.

"Hmph!" Lucinia tilted her chin up proudly. "You're really not that much taller than I am." In fact, with those legs of hers propped on the coffee table... Lucinia sat a bit straighter, her elegant chin tilting just a little further. Perhaps perfect aristocratic posture would make the difference while sitting...

Lucinia's red lips curled up in amusement. "That would count as avoiding, yes." She gave one of her half-shrugs. "I can't really blame you. Sith are dangerous. Myself included." She smirked. "Fortunately, I've taken a liking to you. Which is why you are here as my guest. It's a very exclusive list, too, if I do say so." She took a slow sip of her wine.

"I mean...a few inches make all the difference...."
Jan smiles and raises a glass on one side to distract while discretely sneaking a cushion underneath her...every inch counted!

"Well I'm actually quite honoured to be on the list, particularly of such a dangerous woman willing to brave a beach for a statement about...what....what our statement was, which was very profound as I recall!"
Nodding, yes, profound.
"If I also had a large mansion you would be on my list, although I'm not really dangerous of course, just a businesswoman."

[Lucinia Malveaux]

The distraction may have been successful, but there was no disguising the cloud of dust that came from the disturbed cushion. Frowning, Lucinia coughed, taking a sip of her wine to clear it. "We were here!" Lucinia said, holding her hands up, one over the other. "Only..." she reversed the position of her hands; the sign had been upside down.

"Oh, I don't know." Lucinia gave Jan a look through her lashes. "Surely you're at least a little bit dangerous, aren't you?" Her pale green eyes seemed to glint in the firelight.

She smiled suddenly, resting one arm on her knee; clearly posture didn't make enough height difference anyway. "So tell me about your mansion." She said. "Would it be warmer than this? Better lit?" She waved her wineglass around, indicating their dreary surroundings.

[Jan Melmoar]

The distraction may have been successful, but there was no disguising the cloud of dust that came from the disturbed cushion. Frowning, Lucinia coughed, taking a sip of her wine to clear it. "We were here!" Lucinia said, holding her hands up, one over the other. "Only..." she reversed the position of her hands; the sign had been upside down.

"Oh, I don't know." Lucinia gave Jan a look through her lashes. "Surely you're at least a little bit dangerous, aren't you?" Her pale green eyes seemed to glint in the firelight.

She smiled suddenly, resting one arm on her knee; clearly posture didn't make enough height difference anyway. "So tell me about your mansion." She said. "Would it be warmer than this? Better lit?" She waved her wineglass around, indicating their dreary surroundings.

"I mean...maybe a little bit dangerous, in the right time, at the right place....."
She lines up a finger gun with Lucinia's head and pews it
"My mansion? Hmmmm"

"Well....It would be on a beach."
Raising both her hands
"I mean, yes, duh, of course it has to be on a beach. It also has a cleared space of 100 metres surrounding it and a well trained and loyal local guard. As for warmth and light....well it has to have extremes. The top floor will be brilliantly lit by the sun, or a local sun, planet depending. The lower levels will offer a dark coolness perfect for cinema, reflection and the warm summers."

Clearly already picturing it in her mind

"Two garages, one for air speeders on the roof and one for the more exotic collection opening out to the water on the sands."
Snapping her fingers
"And not a single corporate logo anywhere, in fact, logos shall be banned in general."

[Lucinia Malveaux]

The finger gun made Lucinia smile, but she didn't comment.

"Of course a beach." That made Lucinia laugh, much more musical than haughty. "I should have expected that. Did you grow up in a place with no ocean?" Her red lips quirked. "But I admit, it does sound rather nice. Although myself, I would insist on a library. But... if it happened to have a pleasant view of the ocean, that would be acceptable."

She tilted her head, regarding Jan curiously. "But no logos. How interesting. So it won't be a Czerka brand mansion." So Jan wasn't one of those corporate warriors who intended to die at their desk. Or, rather, in their research tent. Lucinia smiled. Of course not; that would be far too boring.

[Jan Melmoar]

The finger gun made Lucinia smile, but she didn't comment.

"Of course a beach." That made Lucinia laugh, much more musical than haughty. "I should have expected that. Did you grow up in a place with no ocean?" Her red lips quirked. "But I admit, it does sound rather nice. Although myself, I would insist on a library. But... if it happened to have a pleasant view of the ocean, that would be acceptable."

She tilted her head, regarding Jan curiously. "But no logos. How interesting. So it won't be a Czerka brand mansion." So Jan wasn't one of those corporate warriors who intended to die at their desk. Or, rather, in their research tent. Lucinia smiled. Of course not; that would be far too boring.

"We didn't have much of anything."
She shrugs, an unconscious mimicry of the common Malveaux shrug.
"A beach would have been nice though, oh and a library is a good idea...not that I read much I'm afraid."
She got the sense that Lucinia's house probably had a library, maybe several...they probably had dictionaries.

"Oh no...not Czerka brand."
Her dress flashes an angry red
"....Not that there's anything wrong with the fantastic Czerka brand, leader in home security."
The light dims
"But I think I'd like something....bespoke, a little personal, probably very expensive."

[Lucinia Malveaux]

"I see." Lucinia said, giving Jan a surprisingly gentle smile. "That really does sound quite nice."

A moment passed, and then she leaned over, giving Jan's arm a (very careful) nudge with her hand. "Well! I promised you a tour, didn't I? I can promise you that Malveaux house has absolutely none of those things you just mentioned. Including corporate logos, fortunately." Lucinia frowned. "Of course, it also has a lot of stairs. I swear, the blasted thing is almost fifty-percent stairs. Do you think you can manage?"

Lucinia leaned a little closer, her red lips curling up. "I don't think I could carry you, unfortunately. We'd probably collapse, end up in a pile, limbs all splayed out. We'd be in quite the state then, wouldn't we?" Her tone was decidedly playful.

[Jan Melmoar]

"I see." Lucinia said, giving Jan a surprisingly gentle smile. "That really does sound quite nice."

A moment passed, and then she leaned over, giving Jan's arm a (very careful) nudge with her hand. "Well! I promised you a tour, didn't I? I can promise you that Malveaux house has absolutely none of those things you just mentioned. Including corporate logos, fortunately." Lucinia frowned. "Of course, it also has a lot of stairs. I swear, the blasted thing is almost fifty-percent stairs. Do you think you can manage?"

Lucinia leaned a little closer, her red lips curling up. "I don't think I could carry you, unfortunately. We'd probably collapse, end up in a pile, limbs all splayed out. We'd be in quite the state then, wouldn't we?" Her tone was decidedly playful.

“Oh I mean... traditionally I collapsed into a pile with my limbs all splayed out and in quite the state... after the tour. I’m a very conservative pole collapser”

She hides the smile forming on the right sided of her face.
“I’m sure I can make the stairs if I just hop a lot and convince my body we actually go to the gym.”
She levers herself upright, giving Lucinia’s hand an equally gentle nudge.

[Lucinia Malveaux]

"Mmm." Lucinia's red lips quirked. "I suppose we'll just have to see then, won't we." Her hand, as always, was a bit chill, but soft, and twitched lightly in response to Jan's touch.

Rising gracefully to her feet, and with one more sip of her wine, Lucinia led the way out of the room through an arched doorway to the right. A dark staircase led almost immediately up... and then back down. "You see what I mean?" Lucinia cast a smirk back over her shoulder.

Through another doorway, and the pair found themselves in a room almost as large as the parlour. There were a few cushioned chairs and a couch near the front, with rows upon rows of shelves holding holocubes. Towards the back of the room, there were even real books, obviously old, even from this distance. And in the dim light. The chill didn't make it any harder to see them, but it did add to the atmosphere.

"While I may sometimes question my family's priorities-" Lucinia began, turning to Jan, "at least each of these has a well-supplied library. All the Sith classics, naturally and more." Grimacing, she wrapped her arms around her torso, doing her best to fight off the chill. "Still, I'm sure you can see why I usually select a book from here, and then bring it back to the parlour to read."

[Jan Melmoar]

Panting a little from the stairs

"Yes....yes it's a....more formal room."
she starts rubbing her own arms.

"Athough, real books? The thought of how many cr-knowledge they're all worth, that would warm me for a while."
Peering around her
"Just how old is the manor anyway?"