Completed Chance or Fortune?

[Kelmar Hedos]

The belittling gesture had little impact on Kelmar, who never had a parent do that to him in his life. Mother always working, father always tutoring, he was more likely to get grabbed by the scruff of the neck or shouted at than have a finger waggled at him. Regardless, he could tell from her speech that it was meant to be chastising, how he hadn't been paying attention. How quaint. He was always paying attention, even when he led people to believe otherwise. "Forgive me, I did not mean to say you were not intelligent," Kelmar explained, looking curiously at the fortune teller. Was she hurt? Insulted? He could not tell whether it was genuine or jest, but he took it as the former. "I meant simply that such talents usually fall under the skillset of intelligence gathering, a field that looks as if lies outside your realm of knowledge." What reason should she have for needing to deduce such things? He could think of none, even for a traveler. As she took two cards from the bottom of the deck, Kelmar stood there expectantly waiting for a response. Her gaze trailed up from the cards to his face then back down, a look of thoughtfulness and puzzlement on her face. What did did she see in her cards? Most likely his ambiguity had left her confused, but as she explained how she saw him and noted what he was doing in the plaza, she sounded sure of herself. Her reading was accurate, and he nodded as a sign of affirmation that she was indeed correct. Whether fortune telling was a precise science or not remained unknown to him, but at least now he knew that he could believe what she told him to some degree. It was no subtle confirmation, he wanted her to proceed confidently. Watching her lay out his choices before him, Kelmar thought for a moment. What did he want to know? Everything would be the immediate answer, but more specifically in this circumstance he wanted to know what lied ahead. "The past holds no interest to me," he said aloud. "I know my own history well enough, I do not need you to explain it to me. What I would like to know is the paths that are ahead of me, though feel free to read my past if it would satisfy your own curiosity. Bare essences of readings are powerful, but without names or dates or specific events I cannot be hurt. So go ahead, begin wherever you wish."

[Amelia Cross]

Amelia looked closely at the man as he was apologizing; she felt like he wasn’t doing it sincerely and he wasn’t animated enough for her to analyze it by his body language. So she wasn’t sure was he mocking her or not, but she decided to go for the polite and political way her father usually used in situations like this, even if that wasn’t necessarily her favorite way of doing things ”I never hold a grudge, I just wanted to make it clear to you that it was in deed rude”she began speaking, thinking her words over carefully, unlike she usually did ”as for the skill in general terms, there is no knowledge that lies outside someone’s reach if you dedicate time and passion for it, don’t you think?” and Amelia believed in this with a passion, she had always thought of knowledge as reachable for everyone who desired it, any knowledge at all if you tried ”if you assume that some skill doesn’t fit a fortune teller, I could just as well name a list of skills that should be out of your reach and fortune telling isn’t even one of them” she continued, feeling her voice and manner of speaking coming off even a bit angered, so she toke a deep breath to calm her nerves down and tried to concentrate on her actual job here, fortune telling. ”I got carried away” Amelia stated before turning her full attention back to the cards. She didn’t ask for forgiveness as she didn’t take the man as superior to her, maybe an equal but if he wasn’t a friend, he didn’t deserve her apology, none the less for speaking her mind. Should she, or should she not look into the present and the past of this man. He seems quite ignorant and prideful to a manner that was disgusting to Amelia, then again, this could be her once again being judgmental just because this man wasn’t as easy to handle as the average client she had. None the less, she decided that sneaking into ones past wasn’t a thing she should do if her customer didn’t ask for it and so, toke the two lower rows of cards away and placed them to the side ”past shouldn’t be talked over, just respected and the present is a gift to enjoy with no worries, so I assume future it is” Amelia said, strongly believing her own words. ”I’d like to make it clear that what I can offer you is two paths of your life, not one determined line of events that will follow this moment” she explained before flipping open the card she had laid on the left side. The card that was his general path of this very moment, he just has to live the same way and this will come. Amelia had to admit she was a slight bit curious of this man’s path. However she wasn’t quite shocked or impressed by the card. The priestess, a knowledgeable woman, woman, that must be the only thing that seemed amusing to Amelia, earning a small chuckle from her. She wondered would there really be a woman teaching this man, or was the card played out generally. ”well, this doesn’t surprise me, the life you lead will eventually lead you to knowledge and power of a holy standing” and when she spoke of holy, the card began making sense, anywhere but Ravok it would be meaningless but where a certain god is placed above everything else, she had a good guess of what it could mean ”The power equal of a great and respected position in the order of The Black sun or perhaps a mark or two from a god, as far as it can be seen from this, but if you wish to see more, please show me” Amelia offered, as she picked the tarot deck in her hand and spread the cards in between her hands ”pick a card that speaks to you, that you feel is just right and warm, remember this card will give explanation to your general path of life, it can be changed but with effort” that said, she knew there where little people who would prefer to skip this little action, that could explain so much.

[Kelmar Hedos]

Rude? It was misunderstanding, and this was all a means to an end anyway. He wanted knowledge, she would give it to him. Her reaction was strange to him, since he'd said nothing that wasn't true, or at least true as far as he could see. It did indeed look as if she did not know much about intelligence gathering, but she took offense to that for some reason as if that were her intention. At least now he finally ruled out a cunning trap, for anyone who was trying to manipulate him would likely refrain from such aggressive mannerism or avoid passionate topics altogether. Some part of him wanted to point out why she didn't look as if she knew much about intelligence - he did know, and enough to spot the signs of someone who was new or untrained. He would not give himself entirely away though, not for the sake of explaining. "You're right," he conceded, "there's probably a long list of skills I can't do, most of them physical, but what I can do is enough for me to learn what I need to know. I have no business knowing most physical skills either, as that is not within my line of profession. As for passion, it can be a good motivator but can also serve as a distraction. Time and patience are the most reliable methods to knowledge and skill." His voice was calm and steady, his movement minimal and his eyes empty. Of course, there were slight signs of his confusion, his relaxed brow and slightly cocked head, but he was not yet good enough to have complete control. "Besides, it is not so much that the skill does not fit the role, but rather it is that the role has no need nor desire for the skill. You simply do not look the sort that would require or know much about intelligence gathering, that's all there is to it." Once she'd calmed down and spoke, Kelmar shook his head. "Perhaps you did, perhaps you didn't," he replied. "There is nothing wrong with what you have said, it is your opinion, just as what I have said is mine. You only get carried away when you say things that you should not have, and so far there is no reason for you to not have said anything that has been." He did not hold her passion over her, nor her opinion. Everyone looked at things their own way When Kelmar looked down at her, a well-dressed woman sitting on the bench, after speaking his thoughts on the past, he could see in her eyes a trace of disgust, the hint of a grimace on her lips, the slight furrow of her brow. Did she perhaps suspect that he thought of himself as superior, prideful in some manner? Oh, the irony. After meeting with various people like that, after years of working for nobles who held nothing but disdain for those without their level of money and status, it was ironic that someone, while performing a task for the agent (even if it was fortune telling) thought the same way of him. Perhaps that is what she could read from him so far, but it was not that truth. He had no pride because pride was worth nothing, did nothing, meant nothing. Superiority was understandable perhaps if it was well earned, but that was not relevant in most cases and in the end the feeling did not achieve anything either. All that mattered, all there had been and always would be was power. Of course, she did not know him, so he could understand if she mistook him or his mannerisms. After all, not many shared Kelmar's way of thinking. It was a mindset, an outlook that got Kelmar everything he ever had so far, and it was the way forward for him for years to come. "If people do not understand their past," Kelmar interjected, "or do not believe in the credibility of the teller, then the past should be talked over. However, I understand my past and believe in what you say, so I have no need for it. The present would be for similar reasons, perhaps to help with an immediate obstacle, but I have none at the moment. The only knowledge I do not have is the future, so if you could provide me with some that would be most appreciated." He kept looking down at the cards, at the woman's hands as she moved and adjusted them. It could be nothing, but he noticed that there was a slight hesitation in her movements, as if she were unsure about what she was doing. Was she having doubts about reading him, his future? Or had she not done this in a while? He could not tell. Again, Kelmar nodded as she clarified her limited power. "It makes sense you could not read a linear trail of destined events," Kelmar responded, adding a jovial tone to his voice, the first sign of emotion in a while, "otherwise people like you would rule the world." Flipping the card, she looked at it a moment, then a look of amusement graced her lips and brightened her eyes. Then she told him of where his current state would lead him, followed by her own interpretation. A position in The Black Sun? Perhaps, perhaps. The agent did not contest the legitimacy of the power that would give him, and it would give him ample time to practice and hone his skills, increase his individual power. "Pick a card that is right and warm?" Kelmar asked suddenly after listening to the rest of her explanation and watching her spread the cards, then realizing he'd asked the question aloud this time. "I doubt there is such thing as a 'right' card for me, and the only ones that should be warm are those closest to your palms," he explained, though he knew she would not like his outburst. He could not help it, in his binary mind there was only the logical, not the emotional or spiritual. Despite his belief in the practice of fortune telling, he did not think he would participate in such a process or contribute his own 'senses' to the reading. Regardless, he ran his hand over the cards, looking for one that was different, going along with what the woman said albeit tentatively. They all had the same texture, the ones on the ends where her palms were were warmer, their backs all had the same design, they all had the same shape and dimensions as far as he could tell, there were none that jumped out or warranted extra attention from him. They were all the bloody same. He searched, for whole chimes he searched, but none stood out from any of the others, none that he felt would particularly tell his future accurately. After five chimes total, Kelmar withdrew his hands. There was nothing. Which was a shame, for the knowledge perhaps would have provided some insight as to what was coming. "I am afraid that none of these really stand out to me," the agent explained. "There is no card that I can say that I feel holds my future and tell the truth. I have never been very apt at such senses, usually it is left up to the teller, so I cannot assist any further."

[Amelia Cross]

Amelia held some interest in the words her customer, if you could call him that, was saying, paying close attention to him all the time, even after he had sat down. More of all she was amused by him speaking of passion as if it wasn’t anything at all. For Amelia passion had usually been the driving force to keep her moving, the passion to please her father and make her mother happy, to learn new things and help others. ”I must say that I don’t agree, passion is the greatest power after knowledge” Amelia began, as she had always thought of time and patience to act much like a boundary, if there weren’t for time, they would have all eternity to study and enjoy themselves ”Someone who holds knowledge over his own passions, and the skills to light passion in others…those can truly manipulate with whoever they wish, driving them as far or as close to their goals as pleased, to sanity even…above other things” she finished, letting the last part of her sentence to slip in a soft, mellow whisper. She didn’t intend it to happen, as it often happened with her, it was subconscious, after all, for her passion meant more than just a motivator. For this creature, true passion was physical. As for his final statements of skills and how fitting they could be for one or the other profession, Amelia decided not to open her mouth any more. It was clear that bout of them held quite the opposite views of knowledge, and there for she knew a colorful argument was close to being born if she continued speaking. Then again, she didn’t know, maybe this man was calm and would stand his ground in a calm and collected manner, unlike the quite passionate way Amelia could get in an argument. None the less, she didn’t try to test her theory. Just rolling her eyes, not quite paying attention if the man saw it or not. She wished to let all of this just fly by like a fall leaf in the gentle, cool breeze. She just let her ears pay complete attention to his words, she did agree that if a fortune teller could trail a line of events, they would be close to gods themselves, knowing everything before it happens gives a huge advantage to someone and there for is a power millions would want to hold at their fingertips. Amelia looked at him with amusement as he was trying to sense the right card, the one that held knowledge of his own life, she was sure that he really did crave to see it and have her explain it. But the man had no actual emotional desire for it, otherwise he wouldn’t have to search, he’d just pull it out of her hands. For a moment she saw, what she assumed to be success, but it was false hope. What Amelia considered to be him finding the card, was nothing but the man jerking his hand away and explaining how he can’t seem to find the card. ”you are all about the numbers aren’t you? If you can’t see it, it’s not there for you…but the spirit and soul is always there” Amelia explained and with a bit of sorrow in herself while she was placing the cards to her side once more, she flipped the card of choice, the one path he’d have to work and change himself a bit to find, or maybe a lot. It all depended on the further cards the customer would pull out, but this one didn’t know how to close his mind and listen to the inner being. So it was quite impossible to really tell. Much to her surprise, the card she saw on his path of choice was Ten of clubs, the most positive card of the whole deck, if it hadn't been reversed. This little card being reversed, toke away the good and left with the empty. ”See? 10 of Clubs,this card speaks only good, it’s love and true friendship, a family and wealth complimented by peace” she began explaining to the man ”but you know what’s bad about it in this case?…it’s reversed…for you it promises only a broken hearth and loneliness, none the less, you’ll be great as the priestess had made it clear that power and success will accompany you in your whole life…sad ” Amelia finished, unsure if she should offer him a more in-depth explanation, after all, he doesn’t feel the cards, she doubted he could manage to feel the right one now.

[Kelmar Hedos]

Is that not what he said though? Well, perhaps not exactly, but along similar lines. "I agree," he replied, quizzically. "One should always have knowledge of their own emotions and know the passions of others. It is the greatest way to get a result, to use them for your means. Passion is a great power to manipulate, but can also be a weakness if used against you. Those who know of another's passion can help that person or use that person as they which, and can protect themselves by knowing their own passion and keeping it in check. Are you sure that we are not repeating each other, miss...?" He had not caught her name, not that he thought he'd need to. This was supposed to be a simple reading, a telling of his fortune, but had turned into a deeper discussion that involved both of them as people, not simply clients. All this coversation of passion, she talked as if she knew something about manipulation. Just who was this woman? Careful, Kelmar thought to himself. That was nearly curiosity there. As he looked down at her, he saw her roll her eyes rather carelessly, and was not quite sure how to take that. Was she mocking him? He could not tell, and did not want to press the matter. It was clear that she did not agree with him - though after her first attempt at arguing he wasn't quite sure anymore - and the refusal to answer rather than resolve this out loud suggested at a certain arrogance in and of itself. Regardless, he did not care enough to press the point, instead looking down at the cards. As he thought about why he could not find a card, he realized that perhaps he was mistaken. It wasn't so much of his lack of belief in the practice, as he did truly believe what this woman was telling him, it was that he tried too hard to see the little things. If he truly had wished to find his own card, he could have just picked any random one and shown it to her, but instead he searched for one that was different as per her instructions. That showed something to Kelmar about himself, that he was very methodical and precise, to the letter. Though the look of amusement on her face said that she thought it was something different. Spirit and soul? Kelmar knew nothing of them, nor did he have any particular desire to learn right now. He saw her fiddle with the cards, flipping the one she thought was his. Then, as she explained what it mean, Kelmar found himself smiling. He could not understand why, he just was. Then, as she punctuated he last sentence, stressing how sad his life would be, he gave a short bark of laughter, genuine amusement. Soon he was back under control though, the smile banished from his lips and all traces of the laughter vanished. His eyes were still alight though, their solid black centres shining. Oh, sadness. How fittingly ironic. "I think perhaps your cards might be mistaken," he told the fortune teller, "or perhaps one of the two is incorrect. You see, there is no such thing as happiness or sadness in my life. There is only power. If I have power, then I will be content and happy for as long as that power's mine. That is what your first set cards say, is it not? That I will have power and knowledge through lies and manipulation? Then that is all I need. Sadness, happiness, they are all irrelevant and needless, bothersome emotions that get in the way of my goal. No, there is only power, and that is what I will strive for."

[Amelia Cross]

Was Amelia insulted by the man’s question, not exactly, she was just embarrassed of herself not paying close enough attention to his speech after all. Made her wonder, has she really been as observing of others as she liked to think, but it all was irrelevant now, she had to think up an answer that would excuse her words ”Perhaps, but it’s a nice discussion, one can learn a thousand things from the other, when engaged in such topics, don’t you think?” she answered, not exactly sure of her own words, yet she tried to hide the doubt in her voice as well as she could. ”and don’t call me ‘miss’, reminds me of my father and his colleges” she explained, on intention not stating her name. Amelia held no interest in giving it away to someone who she will be seeing for the first and only time. She also assumed that someone like this wouldn’t even care of her humble name, so he wouldn’t ask anyway, maybe just be confused of her mannerism, but not correct or question her. None the less, Amelia had to face a reaction of the man she was far from expecting. He was smiling, he laughed at her. The girl wasn’t quite used to being mocked, none the less by someone as meaningless to her as a customer. She was sincerely putting all of her effort into keeping a straight, emotionless face that was present before the man broke into laughter. However her eyes never could hide her emotions, they went expressive and clear as a vantha’s that would change with their mood, but it wasn’t needed. Amelia’s black eyes showed enough of the anger that was hiding inside her soul. ”cards don’t lie...perhaps your just ignorant and blind to life” Amelia began speaking, despite hearing how her gentle voice had turned a bit cracked and showed the animalistic anger that would put a kelvic to shame, none the less she kept it in check, not even increasing the volume, just the tone ”If you have nobody to share power with, it’s meaningless, emotions like happiness and sadness are the ones that determine a person, if you hold none of them, I say your a shell of a human! But if you assume my cards are incorrect, I could read your palm and make it clear” Amelia finished, her voice making a solid point of her thoughts, maybe even the slight disgust she held, not the man himself, most probably his feelings and thoughts on power. But Amelia did mean her offer, reading someone’s palm was probably the best way to read them, too bad Amelia was never actually that good in it and knew nothing but the meaning of the few basic lines it held, sadly it never was enough to know just the few. A line of life going up and strong never meant one’s life would go upwards, and a line of love breaking in two didn’t mean that it will be the lucky second time or that someone is destined to be separated from the other. Sometimes Amelia really didn’t understand palm reading, but she rarely had to read, her intention was approaching slowly and guessing what to say, and with this man it was simple, he craved to hear of power and knowledge. Amelia leaned closer to him, slowly her facade of a calm face that was broken form the beginning, shattered completely letting out a more playful side of her to show in full glory. Her eyes however weren’t letting out the uplifting playful manner; they were more calculating, observant. Amelia had to see how her customer reacts to the quite sudden change of nature she had just performed, usually nobody minded and men found it interesting, intimidating, but this one was nothing like the men she usually handles, so she was left with doubt as her pale palm was outstretched towards the man, awaiting to see, will he, or will he not trust her with his hand.

[Kelmar Hedos]

"It is a nice discussion," Kelmar agreed, nodding at the teller. "The things one can learn from another just by talking is enormous, much greater than most people believe. Words can do more than swords ever could, simply because swords can only be used for one thing and words for so many." What he didn't mention was what he used his words for, nor did he mention that he used what he learned through conversation to manipulate a result and work to his ends. There was no need for her to know that, though this was the first time he'd shared so much truth about himself. So many of the opinions he told people were fabricated, untrue beliefs for the sake of spreading rumours and achieving desired reactions. This woman was one of the first to get him to speak truth, amusingly without even trying. He didn't even know her name, nor she his, and she'd chosen not to share it. Such enigma, a traveler who shirks tradition yet dresses finely, he had to know more. After, he told himself. The woman's anger was understandable, his own reaction was likely highly irregular and was probably perceived as mockery. To the contrary, it was laughter at his own fate. He knew logically that there was nothing wrong with the teller's cards, nor had she read them incorrectly, it just seemed so silly that the price for his knowledge and power was sorrow that he would never feel. More likely it meant he would be alone and unloved, what would constitute conventional sadness, but such things did not worry him. He could see that she was trying to suppress her natural reaction, though she gave herself away somewhat by calling him arrogant and blind. There was some truth to that, though he doubted blind was the correct term. He just thought differently, that's all. Her voice had taken on an edgy tone, defensive and upset, yet he remained as calm as ever, his dark eyes still bright with amusement, though slowly fading back to their original state of emptiness, voids into his soul. "Perhaps I am, as you say, a shell of a human," Kelmar replied. "Even so, I know what I want and I know how to get it, and more importantly I can control my emotions so that they don't get in the way, which is more than can be said for most people." It was meant not as a jab at her emotional state, just as a prod to make her aware of her fading control. Regardless of her profession and words, she seemed the sort who wanted to remain in control, retain her power over the situation, and allowing her passion to take over was not the way to do so. "Again, it appears we disagree. I do not think emotions determine a person, for emotions are something that all mortals share. Being angry doesn't distinguish you from anyone else, it just makes you angry. It's the choices you make and the results of those choices that affect who you are." Her outstretched hands waited for his palm, pale and unblemished in their smoothness. On her face, a slightly lighter and more easy demeanor presented itself, her cheeks pulling gently into a smile that for all the world seemed relaxed and carefree. However, in her eyes he saw something much different, something that confirmed his earlier suspicions. Her brow was a bit deeper set, her eyes not half-closed in comfort but rather wide open and purposeful, analyzing, calculating, scrutinizing. Immediately his mind fell into old routines, trying to discern the cause of her change in intent and determine her ultimate aim. His eyes grew distant, his body stiffening momentarily before loosening up as he considered his options, his own face showed not fear but cold calculating analysis. For what reason could she possibly want to observe him for? What did she want from him? Information was the most likely answer, it almost always was, but to what end? Had someone paid her to find him, to note his reactions? Was this a roundabout recruitment? Or was this a precursor to a hunt? He looked her over once again, looking for any clues that might link her to a nobleman of Ravok, but apart from her posture and choice of dress he could find none. So instead, he followed the train of thought that she was indeed just a travelling fortune teller. Why would she want to know his reaction? Perhaps to figure out how he thought? What would that give her? Maybe knowing whether he felt insecure or paranoid, then maybe telling him what he wanted to hear. Of course, she wanted his coin, and a happy customer was more likely to part with a few mizas than someone who'd just received their sentencing to a life of misery. Calming down, but remaining wary, he let his manner return to its relaxed state as it had been earlier. "Please do not tell me what I want to hear," he told the teller as he offered his palm. "I know what it is that I want, what I want right now is for you to tell me what you see so that I may plan appropriately."

[Amelia Cross]

Amelia refrained herself from stepping into another argument with the man. He had brought her close to losing her temper one too many times and therefor she wasn’t found of the idea of stepping inside the territory of risk once more. She put to use all of the little self-control she had left, in order to keep her mouth shut, not drifting into long monologues about the nature of humans that she assumed she knew better than anyone else. This man hadn’t earned the honor to hear of Amelia’s experience and knowledge, he was a blind man who refused to admit the truth and such people didn’t deserve her respect or teachings. None the less, his statement of getting what he wants amused Amelia enough to break apart her lips, letting her sugar coated voice escape ”everyone has their own way of getting what they want” she stated, stopping herself before she sank into too much detail. She could appreciate the man trusting her with his hand; with all the talk the two have had she wouldn’t have been surprised if he had just walked away. So she was happily surprised, running her fingers along his hand at first, after all actual fortune telling had gone to the background at the moment. Now, for Amelia he wasn’t a customer anymore, he was just a subject of study, and her experiments involved nothing but her touch and voice. ”strong hands…looks like you work with more than just words” she stated, feeling the contrast of her soft skin to his, they weren’t hands of a blacksmith of worse, but they weren’t of a noble man that studies all day. Made her wonder what he really was ”quite the interesting specimen” she giggled to herself, while running her index finger along the line of his life, that started above his thumb and came down in a deep arch to his wrist. Amelia would have lied if she said she knew what it meant, but she could guess and it would be clear the man wouldn’t know the meaning behind it more than Amelia did. ”I don’t lie about my readings dear, otherwise the cards would have said your dreams would come true” she said in a slightly playful purr, wanting to see the same reaction of the man that was present before, the short, barely noticeable shock and confusion, an emotion even he should possess. ”This line…it’s your life” she explained still having her finger gently pressed against the deep, curved line ”On its own it doesn’t say much, except the little fact of your life having a mayor twist somewhere in the past” Amelia said with confidence in her voice, nobody could really assume she was lying and had no clue of what she was speaking of ”but this line makes it interesting” she continued, while pulling her whole body towards the man, tilting her head to the side to allow her hair to reveal her neck ”the line of your love” her finger finding its way to the man’s love line, or so she assumed. ”it begins in the same spot where your life line, but has drastic changes…you don’t fall in love, but when you will, it will be hard and it will break you” she said, while dragging her finger along the line until it began fading it he middle of his palm.

[Kelmar Hedos]

For all the woman's anger, Kelmar was finding himself strangely drawn to her passionate defense of her beliefs. He felt no animosity towards her, after all she wall only arguing her opinion, and actually found a sort of companionship in their sharing of their thoughts and philosophies. That said, he didn't get out of the house much, and as this was more or less his first exposure to such a passionate defense he felt taken up in her words. His own principles were grounded within him though, and though this woman may influence him he was confident he could keep himself steady as a rock in the face of her passion. The agent watched as the teller ran her fingers across his palms with what was almost a gleeful manner, as if his hands were worlds for her to explore. Despite her mirthful confidence, Kelmar could not shake his earlier suspicion that she would not tell him e truth. At least, not what she believed in. Something about her analytical gaze from earlier, the tentative reluctance with which she traced the lines across his palms, the lack of concentration in her eyes that suggested that she was not trying too hard to actually read his palms. He'd warned not to tell him what he wanted to hear, though it appeared that the request hade gone unneeded in spite of her verbal confirmation. He listened to her words as she showed him what meant what, but he was only half-listening, storing the information to access it later. The majority of his cognitive thinking was geared towards determining whether she was making this up or not. To start the line of thinking, for what reason would she make it up? Telling him what he wanted to hear was the most obvious answer, again with happier customers being looser with their coins, but she'd made a point about referencing her cards. She obviously wasn't afraid to confront the truth and present it head-on. So what did that leave? Only one other thing he could think of, which was that she perhaps did not know what she was doing as well as she had suggested. It was simply a theory, one that lost ground when she accurately predicted the twist in his life, but he had to test it. As he listened to his 'love line' from the woman, which to him sounded like a load of bollocks, he was further convinced of his theory. Leaning in close, almost uncomfortably so, he began to whisper. "How certain are you?" he asked, quietly. "Can you truly read my palm as accurately as you claim?" It would likely make her angry and defensive, but if she was making this up then it would do him no good. Besides, there was no shame in not knowing, just taking someone's money for performing an act when they paid for a fortune.

[Amelia Cross]

Amelia wasn’t blind, she could see the man wasn’t entirely trusting her readings, she couldn’t blame him for it, maybe she was being a bit too lose and didn’t think much into her readings. Then again, pretending to be thinking hard would also cause suspicion, especially considering it would be a harsh change in her attitude. No, it couldn’t be done like that, Amelia would stick to the method she had been using so far, and hope he wouldn’t want to sink into too much detail. The black haired girl was about to let her fingers slide around a bit more, not for the sake of exploring or reading, she didn’t need that, but for the sake of the simple touch, a well-placed caress could go a long way and she knew it better than anyone. However she was a bit caught off guard as she felt her pray become a hunter, leaning close enough to whisper. What was the meaning of this? He was a stone wall just a few minutes ago, and despite Amelia wanting to praise herself, she wasn’t dumb enough to believe she had achieved this, at least not this fast. ”the cub wants to play…eh?” she thought to herself, not looking up at the man as her gaze was concentrated on his palms. ”cross my hearth and hope to die...””that I am up to no good” the fortune teller finished in her head. She might have gone in a more defensive of her natures, but she didn’t understand his motives, so she tried to surprise him by adjusting her voice to a soft, sensual whisper, hopping she could earn some time like this, gaining a chance to tell apart his motives. ”…you think of my reading as false, because you don’t believe in emotions…in love” she began speaking once more, finally lifting her eyes from the man’s palms and letting their eyes meet. Empty, she couldn’t see anything there that would signal for the man to be interested in her, in humiliating or mocking her… his eyes were empty, unlike the ones Amelia held, full of passion that’s motives weren’t clear, some might even mistake it for lust, but Amelia wasn’t like that, she fooled around as the mind of a man was nothing but a playground. ”there will be a woman, that will take your hearth and remember my words…she will destroy you” Amelia stated, limiting the distance between their faces to none as she leaned closer and let her breath brush over his skin ”for every man who doesn’t love, is destined to be crashed by it” each word coming off slow, voice fading as she continued speaking.