Ooh Pretty! Oh - Oh Damn | 4.15 mid-afternoon | Belle/OPEN

[Belle Shadowmere]

After catching up with her sister and keeping a close eye on Arryk, Belle found it safe to explore Gora. It was a fascinating place and she had never been there before. She liked how the castle in Gora gleamed, how the marble was white and polished and footfalls echoed through the domed corridors. It was light and airy, which was very important given how hot Glodhet could get. There was nothing as uncomfortable as sitting through a formal dinner in a stuffy dress, having to swat inconspicuously at whirring flies with a fan and feeling the sweat run in thick streams down her shift. Not good, so light and airy was greatly appreciated.

"Ooh!" Belle exclaimed when she came across a statue by a magnificent fountain. She could imagine sitting by it and reading a book. She touched the arm of the statue, having to stand up on her toes to look into its face. She always found the eyes of statues so very creepy... and... oh damn. With a sickening crack and the unmistakable feeling of her heart slipping down to her stomach, the finger of the statue broke off. She looked down into her clenched palm and gasped. Oh, in the name of Estetis, why did such things happen to her?

[Oswin]

Rather interestingly, Oswin had indeed been sat nearby reading a book. Or maybe lounging was a more accurate word, reclining upon a bench that lay close to the statue. In her haste, she seemed to have failed to notice he was around, just as he hadn't noticed her, so engrossed as he was in his novel. The unmistakeable crack when she broke off the statue's finger, however, was more difficult to ignore.

Still, it never paid to show too much interest. Without even lifting his eyes from the book, he casually turned the page and spoke matter-of-facty, with a vague hint of detachment.

"You'll have to pay for that, you know."

[Belle Shadowmere]

Belle knew that.

But that did not mean that she particularly enjoyed it when the man pointed it out. Whipping around, she eyed the man with unmistakable of annoyance. It ebbed somewhat when she realised that she knew him from somewhere. She had no idea where from, but she was sure that she had seen him somewhere. Instead she chose to get defensive. "Oh, really? I do apologise, I had no idea that I was in the presence of a genius." She opened her hand to reveal the perfect statue's finger, now completely cracked down the middle. Damn it.

[Oswin]

Oswin spared a glance at her, an infuriatingly smug grin upon his face, before he laughed and turned back to his book. He'd had enough of babysitting Saia Sparrow to be too interested in this naive little girl and her poor broken statue.

"You don't have to apologise for being intimidated by my immensely superior intellect. Most are."

His voice was flat, deadpan. Of course he didn't believe such an arrogant statement, but she wasn't to know that he was just playing along for the sake of it. It might make her go away quicker. Sadly, he was wrong, so when he glanced at her again, she opened her hand and displayed the cracked finger. Oswin let out a long suffering sigh, closed his book and looked up at her skeptically.

"I'm guessing you actually have no idea how to fix that."

[Belle Shadowmere]

Oh! What Belle would have given to be able to chuck the stone finger at his head. Just to be rid of that self-assured smile of his. Most men were always so cocky in their responses and then expected women to be intimidated or awed by their superiority.

She crossed her arms over her chest and eyed him skeptically. "No, I'm mistaken. You don't even exhibit the illusion of being intellectually superior to me. I suppose being in possession of a book like that only strengthens your belief that intellect is a Gods given gift to man."

She gave him a rather angry look. "Because I'm a woman?"

[Oswin]

Oh boy. So now he'd made her cross. If she wasn't reacting exactly as he expected her to, he would be even slightly phased by it, but she was just the equivalant of a deer looking down a drawn bow - Not knowing which way to duck. It would have been cute if it wasn't so damn irritating.

"What gave it away? The fact that the book is as thin as my fingernail? Or was it the fact that it is as small as my fist?" Oswin pocketed the book, which didn't deserve the slander he was getting, because it was actually very interesting. "I may not be...how was it you put it so delicately? Ah yes, 'intellectually superior' to you, but at least try not to insult what little intelligence I do have."

Oswin smiled at her. All the more infuriating to responding to insults, he had learned, was to take it as a mantle and wear it without any visible problem. It annoyed them more than denying it ever would. Still, he smiled his confident smile and held out his open palm to her.

"I say that because you're still holding it. If you knew, you'd have done it by now. Simple deduction for a simple mind. If you want to fix it, give it here."

[Belle Shadowmere]

Belle shrugged. "I suppose it could have been that. Or it was just the expression on your face." A part of her wanted to ask more about the book. She actually liked books and liked hearing about stories and such. But she'd also been chatted up by too many men who pretended to be reading books in order to gain favour with the women. As if anyone needed reminding of how much better men thought they were, even intellectually. Which was why she instantly decided that she did not like this man. His responses, full of confidence, did not appeal to her. Not that she wanted men without confidence... but not cocky men like him.

Belle actually laughed and backed away, her palm closing over the finger. "I've no simple mind, thank you very much." She glared daggers at him. "I don't need your help. It can't be that difficult. Who in the seven hells are you anyway?"