[Closed - Halloween] A Beautiful Partnership

Posted 6 years, 10 months ago (Edited 6 years, 9 months ago) by Starion

((AS A QUICK NOTE: This is currently a closed RP between myself and Halloween! Please do not post here in response to us. Thank you! ♥ ))

 

A letter had arrived at Hillshire’s house. It was wrapped in a simple envelope and smelled of a perfume that suggested to come from someone of wealth. The main letter inside was hand-written in neat, cursive font.

Dear Hillshire Allard,

Greetings, Mr. Allard. My name is Diamond Lapillus, the neice of the late Jacinda Lapillus and current owner of The Diamond Cut clothing company. Through some associates, I have come to learn of you and your company, and I must say it is incredible and inspiring to see one so youthful as successful as you are.

I write to you today to offer you a business opportunity: I am interested in supplying my clothing to sell at your stores. I know the inventory you keep is that of excellent quality and I’m certain a partnership between us would bring us both even better business.

Enclosed within this envelope is my address, where I live just beyond the Capitol. If you are interested, do feel free to come by at any time; I am always home. If you wish to decline my offer, I would appreciate some form of notice so I do not expect something that isn’t coming.

My best regards,

Diamond Lapillus

------

The address left in the letter would lead one to the countryside surrounding the Capitol. It was beautiful, wide open plains with houses dotted here and there, ranch animals grazing beyond picket fences, and overall a very quaint area. It was a beautiful spring afternoon with a bright sun sitting in a bright blue sky as lazy white clouds drifted across. The address sent in the letter would lead to a gate at the front of a fenced property, one with a beautiful stone archway that had a diamond shape cut out of iron resting atop the arch. The ornate iron gates themselves were closed, but nothing was there to keep them lock, and an easy push would be all it took to open them and get into the property.

The dirt road is a little bumpy and uneven as it winds through grassy fields and leads up to a large manor house sitting pleasantly atop a hill with a copse of trees nestled around it. It’s painted in soft brown colors with an off-white trim, and is two stories high with many windows easy to see through with curtains drawn away from them. There’s a large wrap-around porch on one side that covers a large quarter of the house, offering an excellent space outside for people to enjoy the fresh air; the porch is empty, though, save for the furniture. The landscape outside is in pristine condition and the flowers bright and cheerful; clearly someone with a green thumb must live here, or perhaps the owner hired someone to do the yard work for them.

There’s a small flight of stairs that lead onto the porch and directly to the beautiful wooden front doors. The house and countryside was quiet on this lovely day, save for the sound of birds chirping as they fly and loop through the air above.

 

 

((I found this house and thought it was pretty, so imagine it's this house but with more brown paint rather than the blue and kinda purple-ish colors. :3 ))

Halloween

[[@Einnob Not sure if you've subscribed to the board/going to get the ping for a response so I'mma just tag you in the meantime]]

Hillshire's Valet had pestered him for days now, nagging on and on about a letter that had arrived and which dearly needed his attention. The eater rarely handled his own mail, seeing fit to delegate such duties to his house staff unless there was something which actually required his personal attention. Time was a valuable thing and a good portion of Hillshire's was saved by having someone else handle the majority of sorting through mail and responding to the most tedious letters on his behalf.

The eater finally conceded to having a look at said invitation, and arranged to have have it brought to him the following afternoon. As Hillshire leaned back and made himself comfortable on one of the plush sofas in his sun room, he unfolded the neatly creased paper and gave the short message a quick once-over. As a man who was often quick to form a first impression he had to recognize the care and effort put into the letter. It was clearly not run of the mill as far as invitations went, as evidenced by the ornate handwriting and perfumed paper; someone took great care to ensure that they presented themselves as professionally as possible.

Hillshire summoned one of his nearby servants with the crook of his finger and instructed them to bring a writing slate, a fountain pen and some stationery. When they returned the eater had his servant support the slate for him while penning a quick response.

Dear Diamond Lapillus,

My apology for the delayed response, my staff failed to adequately notify me of the importance of your dispatch upon its arrival. I am pleased to hear good word of my business travel as far as the capitol, and that there are those who have an interest in expanding communication and business between our two cities. I regretfully admit to not having much knowledge of your company as keeping tabs on anything that is up and coming in the Capitol can be difficult for one with only a few modest connections within.

It is always within my interest to expand into areas where others are hesitant to go, and there are few in Ivoryhelm would deny craftsmanship and distinctive design associated with the work of shooters. It would be my pleasure to arrange a visit to have a look at your work; and potentially set up an arrangement to carry your designs at one or more of my boutiques should things work out.

There is time in my schedule precisely two weeks from the signed date, and I shall arrange to travel by then.

Sincerest regards,
Hillshire Elain Allard

The eater finished his script with a flourish and gave the ink a few minutes to dry before primly folding the stationery and tucking it in a matching envelope. Equally as neatly he addressed and stamped it with a monogrammed wax seal before having one of his staff members cart if off for delivery. In short order he also summoned his Valet to make note in his schedule of having someone ready for his eventual departure, and to arrange a carriage a few days beforehand. It wasn’t Hillshire’s first visit to the Capitol so he knew precisely how much time travel would consume and the best time to organize a departure; the rest he would leave up to his staff.

--

It wasn’t long before Hillshire found himself confined within the interior of a coach, seated opposite his rather bored looking weaver bodyguard – the both of them looking rather uninterestedly out the window at the passing scenery. Hillshire had never had a terrible interest in the countryside, or understood what others saw in it – and lacking interest in the only thing to look at during the journey made for a painfully long ride. Eventually however, the coach came to a slow stop. The coach driver opened and held the door for the two passengers inside. Levi, the weaver exited first followed by his boss. Hillshire looked around, making note of the meticulously kept grounds and gardens. It was a nicely maintained small estate, not terribly grand given some of what he’d seen other shooters own along the way but it was clearly well taken care of by someone who dearly loved the property. There was a gate that enclosed the pathway up to the house, and though it wasn’t locked neither Hillshire nor Levi made move to open it – one did not simply let themselves into another person’s property even if invited or expected. It was rude and just not done. Instead Hillshire and his weaver bodyguard waited for someone to open the large iron structure and allow them inside; it wasn’t as if they weren’t awaited after all.

Starion

((Np! I would ping you right back but I dunno how :'D But I am subscribed so all is good~ ))

 

When the return letter arrived to the Lapillus estate, a female weaver servant brought the letter upstairs where she knocked upon a door. "Come in," a voice responded from within. As the door opens, the room within seems to be a workshop of sorts, set up with multiple life-sized figures with in-progress clothing projects on them. Some are cloaked with shiny fabrics, one has multiple layers of frills pinned to it, another has something long and sweeping with feathers sewn in near the bottom of a long skirt. Materials and tools are sprawled around that, to outside viewers, would seem chaotic and in a complete mess, as if some sort of tornado had come through to sprawl everything around. The more dangerous and sharp objects--like pins and needles and scissors--are kept to one table, where a dasher is sitting with his hands delicately weaving a thread between two fabrics to sew them together. He's dressed in an oversized shirt that looks old and faded with a low-cut neck and short sleeves. A simple pair of shorts that rest just above his knees are the only other piece of clothing he wears, aside from the multiple piercings in his face and a few accessories.

The weaver gives a polite bow. "I didn't mean to disturb your work, Cynrik," she apologizes. "But I have a letter for you, from the gentleman you wrote to the other day."

The dasher, Cynrik, immediately perks up. "Bring it here." He gently sets aside his current project as the weaver picks her way across the room to him. She hands over the letter and he quickly opens the envelope to read what was inside. His heart feels as if it skips a beat as he reads over the words and can't help the grin from spreading across his face. "This is wonderous news!" he exclaimed as he hurries to fold the letter up neatly. "He's accepted our offer. We'll have to get this place into tip-top shape!" He takes a look around his workshop and sighs longingly. "Including cleaning up this mess a little." He makes a 'shoo'ing motion at the weaver. "Go on, then! I'll start in here and help with you afterwards. And drag Opaline out of bed, if she isn't already awake; that girl is lazier than a munf!"

The weaver giggles as she gives another bow to him. "Right away!" She hurries out of the room and Cynrik immediately sets on cleaning the place up. All thoughts of his projects and such are gone from his mind as now he just wants to ensure this house is in pristine condition for the arrival of his guest. He still had nearly two weeks before Hillshire's arrival but that didn't mean he couldn't get an early jump on things. He had someone to impress and knew he could do no more than pray that all of this would work out according to plan.

------

Here it was! Today was the big day and Cynrik had never felt so nervous before in his life. He'd been through a lot over the close to 40 years he had been alive thus far and this day, he felt, would be one he'd always consider one of the most nerve-wracking. This was his first big outreach to someone beyond the Capitol; it wouldn't be the first time he exposed himself for who he truly was, but that still didn't make it any less of a risk. He'd heard many great things about Hillshire, however. It was a great business step, to be sure, but it was also there as a sort of fall-back plan in case Cynrik found himself needing to leave his current home. Though he felt pretty comfortable as it was, there was always a chance at something going horrendously wrong.

He shakes his head and takes in a deep breath. Focus and calm down, he told himself. This would be fine. Completely fine. It was too bad Opaline was out today--some fashion show or something, he didn't really care, he was too upset she wouldn't be here with him--but he could totally handle this. He straightens out the professional-looking vest he wore over a short-sleeved dress shirt and pants to match, looking every part like another part of the servant staff, but Hillshire would soon realize that's not the case shortly after he arrived. Food and beverages had been prepared in the kitchen already; all they needed now was the guest.

Outside, the weaver was tending to the garden, her gaze flicking now and then towards the iron gates at the end of the driveway. She wasn't sure of what time exactly this guest would be arriving but knew she'd be able to waste plenty of time out here until he did appear. As she was crouching down to examine some of the growing buds on some of the flowers, her ears pick up on some sort of noise from the direction of the gate. She lifts her head and immediately jumps up to her feet to see a carraige had stopped just outside of them. Oh, dear, this must be him!! She straightens out her outfit and leaves behind the gloves she'd been wearing as she makes her way down to the gate. She doesn't rush towards it--no need to seem in a hurry--but she definitely knows how to walk with a purpose. The guests aren't waiting long before she comes to the gate and swings open both of the doors to allow the carraige passage onto the property. She would even give them a curtsy as they passed, staying behind so that she'd be able to close the gates behind them.