[The Velvet Ear] Company Comes Calling (Inari, Adair)

by **Adair Askara** on September 15th, 2013, 1:29 pm

„Ari?“ Adair asked and looked from Fiora to Inari and back. „So you don’t work here? Anyway, my name is Adair Askara, and I’m glad that you are glad that I’m not actually dying.“

He smiled at her and turned to her friend who she had called a talented and wonderful person.

„I’m pleased to meet you, Miss Lorak and Miss … or is it Mrs. …“ He looked at the baby Fiora was holding in her arms. „… Radacke? Are these your children?“

He was indeed pleased to meet them. Fiora and Inari were beautiful – and likeable, and the two little children were cute. The only thing that he wasn’t pleased about was that she was apparently a Radacke. He didn’t like the Radackes, they were brutal and barbaric and treated their slaves badly.

How could it be that a nice woman like her came from such a family?

„No, I’ve never been to one of the Midnight Performances before“, he admitted. „Miss Lorak, you have to tell me more about them! What exactly is it that do you do at midnight?“ There was a bright shimmer in his eyes now. He was very obviously curious.

Since Pina and Thia had apparently found his growl funny, he put the mask on again and growled once more, and then he took it off and stuck his tongue out at them.

„Thank you“, he said as Inari told him that the mask was a gift. „Balrog will get a special place in my room, and I’ll wear him on the thirty-second. That’s when the party is. It’s my twenty-third birthday, and as I already told your friend Fiora I’m Adair Askara.“

“I’ll also need a few masks for my slaves though“, he added. “I’ll pay for those of course.“

by **Inari Lorak** on September 15th, 2013, 10:07 pm

"Oh, of course! Pina, would you be a dear and find some appropriately scary masks then ring them up for our new friend?"

Pina made a face at having to confront the creepy shelf, but she was eager to please their exciting new customer and dashed off to do as she was told. Thia ran after her, stifling her giggles as they ventured into the dire lands that housed all the legendary monsters.

"These little cherubs are most definitely Fiora's children," Inari answered, letting baby Marco grab at her finger again. He had such a strong grip; he would surely grow to be a strapping young boy and do marvelous things under his mother's loving guidance. She only hoped Bice would not bend the child towards the typical Radacke crassness, for it would be a terrible shame. But that was another worry for another day. They would figure it out together, she and Fiora, if it was the last thing the Lorak did.

"As for what we do at midnight..." Inari grinned deviously, as though divulging a secret."Well, it's a talent show of sorts for the spoken arts, from poetry to storytelling to comedy, whatever it is that strikes your fancy. But it's the audience that makes it rather magical. You see, the performance serves as a sort of neutral territory; anyone can attend, many appear disguised, and Dynastic rivalries are all but forgotten. If you're interested in performing..."

She flourished a plain sheet of paper clipped to a slim, wooden board. It had time slots stretching from midnight to the second bell, and a couple names already scribbled down. "You are more than welcome, and even if you decide simply to watch the first time around, I can let you in for free as a guest of honor. It will be the least I can do for such a prestigious invitation!"

At that very moment, Pina came back with Thia in tow, pushing a little cart filled to the brim with a whole assortment of ghoulish masks. "I found some, Mister Adair! How many would you like?"

Then she slowly crept up to her mistress and whispered earnestly, eyeing the Askara all the while, "Can he have a birthday discount? We like him! He's funny." Still guarding the cart, Thia nodded, eyes wide in agreement. Pina was obviously not very good at whispering, nor very shrewd when it came to business.

Inari laughed all the same, unmindful of either qualities. "Most certainly! Just let us know how many you'd like, Mister Adair, and we'll rack up the total and hold you hostage in our shop no further. And this party of yours, we won't miss it for the world. Isn't that right, Fiora?"

She waggled her eyebrows a bit at her friend. They had more than ten days to concoct a plan to whisk the Radacke away from her duties, and that was more than enough time. It would happen, Inari was sure of it.

by **Fiora Radacke** on September 16th, 2013, 1:34 am

Fiora

That fleeting frown of Adair's did not escape Fiora's attention when he heard her surname. She was used to similar reactions all over Kenash, though, and he was certainly good with the children. Smiling at Pina as she and Thia ran around the shop to get creepy masks, Fiora listened to her friend explain her midnight performances. The Askara man was certainly the perfect type of person to attend one. She'd love to see him perform and was certain he would come up with something creative and original.

Marco was getting fidgety and Fiora knew he must be getting hungry. The sweet smells wafting over from the tea shop next door were making her own stomach rumble. She could also very much use a drink to combat this oppressive humidity. Inari said her name and Fiora snapped back to attention.

"No, of course not, Ari," Fiora said almost dreamily as Inari reassured Adair that they would be attending his party. She actually couldn't wait to go, if only she could come up with a good excuse to tell Bice. Oh, it would be so fun shopping for the event! Which reminded her...

"Sir, what should we wear?" she asked the Askara while she bounced Marco up and down lightly. "And is there anything that we should bring to your party?"

by **Adair Askara** on September 17th, 2013, 5:16 am

„I shall definitely attend one of your midnight performance“, Adair decided as Inari described them. They sounded like they could become his new favourite event and be a lot of fun – more fun than sleeping. „I’m a master of disguise, and there are a hundred different stories I could tell. When is the next midnight performance going to take place?“

He tried to look over her shoulder as she produced the clipboard, but couldn’t quite read the names on the paper. „You’d let me in for free? You are too kind, Miss Lorak. As I’ve already told you, I will definitely try to entertain you and your guests. I just need to decide what I’ll do.“

It was just then that Pia returned – with a whole cart full of scary masks. He definitely hadn’t expected that. „About half a dozen will do“, he decided as he inspected the masks in the cart to find the scariest ones. As Pina whispered something to her mistress, he briefly stopped, and his eyes widened. „A birthday discount? I would definitely like that!“

„But I wouldn’t mind being held hostage for a while by such lovely ladies.“ He gave them his most charming smile.

As Fiora asked him what they should wear, he thought about it for a few moments before he replied, „Something dark and creepy, the creepier the better. It’s a death day party after all. I’ll leave the exact nature of your clothes up to you though. You can come in elegant gowns or costumes, whatever you like. As for whatever you should bring anything …“

„… just bring yourself, that will be enough of a present. Unless you absolutely insist on giving me real birthday presents!“

by **Inari Lorak** on September 17th, 2013, 5:15 pm

Pina rushed off again to scribble down the sale in the ledger, then pelted back with a hastily compiled receipt simply titled "birthday stuff." All the while, Inari gleefully ran through all the things she and Fiora would have to do in preparation for the death party. Hadn't Eyasia mentioned something about running a clothing business? They would absolutely have to drop by!

"Every fortnight, which means the next will begin right on the twenty-eighth, as soon as the clock hits one tick past midnight," she answered, struggling to keep her balance as the children grabbed her arms and bounced up and down at the very mention of a show. She gave an exasperated laugh before stuffing their giggling faces into her skirts to keep them quiet. Somehow, little Thia managed to wiggle free and ran straight to her mother's skirts, peeking from behind at Adair with unabashed interest.

Inari blew an errant curl from her face, coaxing the paper from Pina's fist. She looked at the sum, shared a knowing look with Fiora, and handed her ever-increasingly popular customer the receipt, which had totaled to 20 gold mizas after a big, fat discount, courtesy of the already smitten Pina.

"I think you've no choice now; the girls would be utterly crushed if you didn't come. And don't worry too much about what to perform, it's a rather intimate setting so it doesn't have to be overly elaborate or grand. "

At his comment on being held hostage, Pina and Thia were promptly reduced to another fit of giggles and blushes. Their mirth was contagious, especially Thia's, and Inari couldn't help smiling. It had been ages since she'd last seen her dearest friend, thought of shopping, or socialized of her own free will. It felt good, and her spirits lifted higher than they had in a long, long while.

That is, until her stomach let out a deafening rumble, and she slapped her hand against it, utterly mortified.

"Oh gods, Fi...I think I could definitely use some of those cakes right now."

by **Fiora Radacke** on September 17th, 2013, 10:25 pm

Fiora

Patting Thia's head as the toddler hung onto her skirt, Fiora nodded at Adair's answers, her mind conjuring a list of things to do before the day of the party. More than anything, she hoped that she had a nanny to take care of the children by then, since she didn't want to leave them home alone with Bice for the entire night.

Inari's stomach rumbled loudly and Fiora's shoulders shook with silent laughter. She could not judge the Lorak, though, as she was just as hungry.

"We were going to have a picnic near the lighthouse soon," she said to Adair. "We'll be taking the little ones. Of course, you're welcome to join us, unless you have more preparations to get to for your party," she hastened to add, even though she was worried about being seen walking with the interesting man. If someone that knew Bice saw her, she would surely be harshly reprimanded, or worse.

"If you'll excuse me, I'll head over to the Tea Room to pick up some provisions while you both finish business here. Mister Askara, thank you for the invitation. I will definitely attend if I can." Fiora paused at the door, once she realized Lenthia was not coming with her.

"Inari, bring the girls over when you're ready, will you please?" she asked lightly. Then, she opened the door with a tinkle and headed back outside, squinting into the sunlight.

by **Adair Askara** on September 23rd, 2013, 5:44 am

Adair looked at the receipt Pina had given him and arched an eyebrow. „Birthday stuff?“ he asked and smirked before he looked at Inari.

„I’ll be there on the twenty-eight then“, he said to her. „Shortly before midnight so that I can prepare for the performance. I have to admit, I’m excited!“

He felt like bouncing up and down as well, just like the children, but since he was a grown man (more or less), he refrained from it. There were limits to how childish even an Askara could be. He waved at little Thia though as she peeked at him from behind her mother’s skirts. She was such a cute little girl!

„I don’t want the girls to be crushed“, he continued. „So I’ll definitely come, and I don’t mind having no choice. Oh, and …“ He opened his purse. „… here’s the money, before I forget.“ He handed a few shimmering golden mizas to Inari. „The coins aren’t fake“, he added, in case she was worried.

At the mention of cake Adair’s eyes lit up. „I love cake“, he informed Inari and Fiora. „I would be delighted to join your picknick. I can always continue the preparations for my funeral tomorrow.“

by **Poppy** on October 20th, 2013, 5:16 pm

...because you've EARNED it!

Fiora Radacke :

Inari Lorak :

Adair Askara :

Notes :

Please PM me with any questions, comments, or concerns!

Completed [The Velvet Ear] Company Comes Calling (Inari, Adair)