[PRP] The Art Of Antagonizing [Eloise + Lightner folks]

[Ephemeral Hope]

Eloise Mowway didn't have much free time to herself. Most of her daylight hours were equally split between the cleaning and the cooking. Her night hours were spent praying and figuring out what she would, exactly, be cleaning and cooking the next day.

Not that she was complaining. Far from it, actually. She considered her life one of growing luxuries. Her bed was much softer than her former one, her food more vast and variable. And she was never left wanting for heat at night. No, Eloise considered herself among the luckier souls.

None the less, like everyone else, she enjoyed her free time, however small it may be. And when she was faced with one of these moments, she enjoyed nothing more than to explore her new found city.

Today was a particularly special treat. Not only had she been given a majority of her day off, but her mistress had been kind enough to give her a few coins in which to shop with. Which is how she found herself wandering down the market place of her new beloved home, coins in her purse, basket around her arm, and shiny bottle (Which she had grown alarmingly possessive over, as time grew on) in her basket's grasp.

Now all she needed to do was find something to spend her treat on.  

[Olivia Solace]

It seemed like every time the Lightner family met someone new, they met them at the market. There was something about a place that brought so many different items together, that it in turn would bring so many different people together. That day was a nice sunny day, not too hot, but at the same time not too breezey, and equal and pleasant balance of wind blowing through the stands and trees as well as sun beating down to warm the skin.

Hayden had been out shopping that day with Allegro, Cante and Benjamin, gathering some things for a supper they had been planning with a friend and his child. As Hayden looked through the many types of meat the butcher had on display, his sons were doing as young boys often did, bothering everyone and everything that happened to pass by them.

It had become a ritualistic game of sorts for the three boys; Cante would pick them out from the crowd, Benjamin would flag them down than bring Cante over to interact with them and Allegro would fret after, drag them back and apologize to the poor people who had the bad luck of being the object of his brother’s misplaced curiosity. It was fun for Cante and Benjamin, but for Allegro it was just another day of keeping the two out of trouble and harms way, not that Allegro didn’t get into his own trouble.

Today was Allegro’s day of trouble though; he just didn’t know it yet. Lately he head been getting his feelings, the ones he usually got whenever someone like himself was around, and it had been playing games with his mind. He had followed them on occasion but never ended up finding whomever it was that he had the feelings about. He wondered if he was simply going crazy, but at the same time figured it could be like a lingering feeling, as if the person had been there earlier but were currently gone. Either way he drove him a little bonkers sometimes.

He was getting his feelings one more, but trying his best to ignore them. After all, Cante and Benjamin needed watching while Hayden shopped and he couldn’t be indulging his curiosities if Hayden was preoccupied. Noticing as Cante was shoving his hand down into his father’s bag to try and pluck himself some money, Allegro frowned, speaking up immediately, “Cante you ask if you want some spending money.”

Hayden, having heard Allegro, looked down to see his son’s hand in his bag (which looked more like a purse, but we’re not here to judge) and frowned in mimic with his adoptive son, “Cante, get your hand out of there. You spent all your money for the week on treats for yourself. You’re not getting anymore.”
 

[Ephemeral Hope]

Though Eloise had been to the market place on many occasions, to shop for dinner items for her mistress, she had yet to have the joy of pleasure shopping in her new city. And so it seemed, to her, that the few extra spending coins had magically, and miraculously, expanded the marketplace to three times its previous size.

No longer was there just a fish monger, bakery, butcher stand, and other such sustenance filled shops. Now there were stores for clothes, and books, and knickknacks. There were stands with people behind them trying to sell their wares. The possibilities suddenly seemed rather intimidating when she wasn't already on a predetermined mission for a pre-planned item.

Standing in the middle of the square, all the girl could do was gulp and look around the busy marketplace, feeling rather misplaced for the second time in it's streets. Where would she start?

After a moment of standing stock still (beyond people rudely pushing her out of their way when they needed to slide past her), Eloise sucked up the fading remnants of her courage and, with a falsely confident stride, set off to the bakery. That she figured, was a pleasant shop with which she was familiar. Today, instead of buying the normal bread she always purchased, she'd obtain herself a sweet, and then decide where to go from there.

The way to the bakery, once she knew where it was that she wanted to go, was easy and comfortable, and so was her purchase of freshly baked brownies. Feeling proud of her indulgent snack, Eloise left the building and scanned the streets once more, her eyes landing on a pair of children, one's hand shoved deep in a man's purse.

“Cante you ask if you want some spending money.” Was that child stealing? from the man? Didn't the child know that was a sin? Eloise was horrified! What kind of children was this city raising? Hooligans that stole money from unsuspecting men?

Shoving her brownies in her basket, next to her bottle, Eloise quickly lifted the skirts of her dress up and moved towards the boys and the man. She was so going to box his ears, and she didn't care whose child he was. No one should steal! It was a sin!

However, just as she reached the group, the man spoke, directly to the child. It slowed her pace, and a blush instantly crept on her face. Oh. That's who the child belonged to. ...perhaps it was a good thing she didn't get to his ears after all. That would have been rather embarrassing.

Shuffling awkwardly, Eloise looked around and then slowly started to make her way past the group. After all, she had no reason to go to the butchers, and to just stand there looking like she was poised to bring down the hand of justice on some man's child, probably wouldn't go over so well.  

[Olivia Solace]

The group hadn’t noticed as Eloise made her way over, preparing to hand out some well deserved justice to Cante. Hayden was too preoccupied with handing out his own form of justice as he made his young son stand hip-to-hip with him as if he was a conjoined parasitical twin. For Cante it was highly embarrassing, even at this young an age, considering his twin, Benjamin, was pointing and laughing at him for it.

It didn’t take long before Benjamin himself was now a parasitical twin to his father for laughing at his brother’s punishment, leaving Allegro free to roam about on his own where he pleased. Being the responsible and sensible one out of the three, Allegro was awarded much more freedom than his brothers. It did cause some tension on occasion, but Cante and Benjamin were fully aware of why exactly they didn’t get the same freedoms.

As Allegro was attempting to clear his mind of the incessant protests of his brother’s he felt it once again, the tugging feeling indicating someone like him was near by, or had been near by. Unlike his previous feelings, this one was very strong, almost as if it were hanging out right by him. He looked around, the ribbon from his little top-hat swaying in the breeze his turning head created, somewhere around here was another like him, if not a bottle like him.

He walked off from Hayden, Cante and Benjamin, following the feeling he got in his gut. It led him close to Eloise, but he passed by her for a moment, only to double take as a rush of air blew past him towards Eloise. It wasn’t a normal rush of air, as the breeze he felt came almost out of nowhere, hitting his face, when the air tunnels they had been experiencing from the marketplace was distinctly from his side, making his hair rush sideways.

Looking back around it took Allegro awhile to spot it, the cyclone of air that was surrounding Eloise, this random woman who seemed to be standing randomly close to his family. Perhaps she had felt it too and went to approach him as Cante and Benjamin were being punished and was hesitant than to engage them. He quirked his head to the side and approached Eloise, tapping her on the shoulder politely, “Excuse me, Miss?”  

[Ephemeral Hope]

Eloise had made it a point to keep her head down as she passed the family. As a result, she missed the thief becoming attached to his father's hip. She also missed watching the other little boy slip away.

No, her feet were rather interesting, and she wasn't going to look up until she was far away from the butcher shop. She'd only just managed to shuffle away from the shop when a little hand on her shoulder had her jumping up spastically, and searching the crowd for who'd touched her.

Oh, dear Aveh. Eloise's stomach dropped to her feet as she took in the figure who'd tapped her. It was that other little boy who had tried to stop the thief. He'd seen, hadn't he? He'd known she was going to smack around the other child.

Quick! Play it cool. "Uhmm...Hello?" ...and bribe him. Maybe it'll distract him! "...want a brownie?" Okay, that sounded a little creepy even to her. Oh, I'm in so much trouble now.  

[Olivia Solace]

Allegro blinked as Eloise awkwardly greeted him and offered him a brownie. Before he was able to completely process the situation, Allegro made a face at the treat in which Eloise had offered him. He was not entirely fond of brownies, they had the consistency of cake and he didn't quite like cake all that much; he was a little odd in that regard.

Quickly realizing his actions he shook his head to her and politely refused the brownie, "No thank you Miss, I'm not a big fan..."

Offering her a pleasant smile, he did a little bow. He would have tipped his hat to her, but it was frightfully difficult to keep on his head in the first place, what with it being tied underneath his chin with a bow and kept in place by various nondescript bobby-pins, "My name's Allegro Lightner, and while this may seem like an odd question, do you happen to have a little glass bottle with you?"

Odd question indeed, but Allegro had no other way of phrasing it. Most people didn't carry little glass bottles around with them, but at the same time he didn't see a child with her, and now being so close to her Allegro could feel that the presence he usually got when another of him was around was not directly her; the pull was much too faint for that.

"I realize it's a bit of an odd inquiry, and if you don't want to answer that, I completely understand. I was merely curious..." He explained.  

[Ephemeral Hope]

Eloise let a frown mar her expression as the boy made a face at her offering. What was wrong with brownies? She pulled her basket of goodies a bit closer, feeling rather self conscious. When his words accompanied his actions, she felt only mildly better. He may not have had a taste for them, but he still rejected her distraction-slash-peace-offering.

"Oh...that's fine.." She paused before sighing, but the boy pushed on through the conversation, offering her a small boy and his name. ...And then asking her about her bottle. Her bottle. The special one that she had found.

"...Uhm...oh...it's nice to meet you, Allegro... I'm...uhmmm...I'm Eloise. Eloise Morrow," And then, remembering herself, offered a slight curtsy, all while keeping her focus carefully on her bottle. If he was asking about it, he might want to steal it, like those thieving fiends he was with earlier.

"I..." She hesitated, wondering if she really should answer his question or not. But something about his odd appearance, reminded her of the fellow she had met in the book store, and thus, feeling minutely better about the situation, nodded her head, slowly. "I do have one. ...why do you ask?" She wasn't going to offer any more about it, unless he offered forth why he knew she had it.  

[Olivia Solace]

Eloise is a pretty name, Allegro thought to himself as he listened to the woman awkwardly address him. He wondered if she was shy, or perhaps one of those recluses who just didn't get much human contact, like the Widow Eddlestein across the street. Widow Eddlestein didn't quite like Allegro or his brothers; he was pretty sure she was on of those bitter old maids that he read about in story books, but that was besides the point.

As soon as Eloise mentioned that she was indeed carrying a glass bottle with her, Allegro perked up, looking visibly interested. He wasn't quite as keen with the rest of her statement, inquiring into was he was asking her in the first place. To him it meant she probably did not know the implications of the bottle, or had met another child like himself. If not that, than it was merely a coincidence she had a glass bottle of some sort with her, and that she was wondering how the crazy kid knew about her bottle and if he was going to mug her for it or something similar.

Regardless, he prepared to answer her, "Well... You see, Ms. Morrow, I..."

Wait.

How exactly was he going to answer her? 'Hello Ms. Morrow, I came from a magic bottle and I felt you had a magic bottle with you and figured me and the bottle could exchange addresses.'? My that sounded so... odd. Allegro now felt rather apprehensive about answering her and felt he probably shouldn't have asked the question in the first place. All the while the sun began to move overhead causing a shadow to creep along the ground and begin to cover part of Allegro's arm.

Now you see this wouldn't be a big problem, except for the fact that anytime shadow or darkness hit Allegro an odd aura mimicking that of the natural sunlight surrounded him as if it were attempting to combat the very darkness overtaking him.  

[Ephemeral Hope]

Eloise listened, with a hint of nervousness as the boy began to speak. Somewhere in the back of her mind, the young woman recognized, and respected the boy's sense of manners. He was a well brought up, she decided, unlike those hooligans he hung about with. She thought- for a moment- it would be wise to bring up his choice of friends with him. Maybe he'd find better people to spend his company with, rather than fiends.

But then he stopped talking, and the nerves hit her stomach. Why wasn't he finishing what he was going to say? Did he know what kind of magicks she hide with her? Her meager breakfast roll with the thought. What would happen if he knew? Would she have to fight for the bottle? She couldn't fight. Maybe she could run? He was just a small child. Surely she could handle herself in his presence.

Just as she was steeling herself for a game of fight or flight, a shadow moved to cover the boy and his very skin seemed to give off an Iridescent glow. A startled and terrified squeak left Eloise's mouth as she backed up. Her eyes wide, her mouth open, and her hand moving to cover the impolite reaction she had, she could only stare at the child before trying to gather her wits about her.

For the love of...of...everything! Either this was a devil's child or it was "...You're magick. You're...a bottle-baby, aren't you?" Or at least, she hoped to all that was good in the world he was. Cause if he was something evil-spawn, she wasn't so sure she could fight. Or flight.  

[Olivia Solace]

Allegro hadn't noticed he was glowing; often times he never noticed he was glowing. He was so used to it simply happening whenever he entered a shaded area that after awhile he paid no mind to it. When he caught Eloise's expression he jumped, looking about himself and noticing the shade that had crept up onto his arm, showing off his faint glow.

He quickly jumped out of the shade and turned to apologize to Eloise as she blurted out her stuttering question concerning him and whether or not he was a magical bottle baby. Quickly forgetting himself he blurted back, "Yes I am! I was about to ask you about it but I wasn't even sure how to approach the subject without making myself seem like a loose screw."

He quickly realized his babbling and exclamation over Eloise's words was probably drawing unwanted attention to the pair so he quickly hushed his voice and scratched the back of his neck with slight embarrassment, "Uhm, Yes. Yes I am. I, uh... I felt the presence of your bottle, and at first thought maybe it was, well, you."  

[Ephemeral Hope]

Giddy glee bubbled up inside the young maid at the boy's exclamations. Oh, it was another one of them! The blissfully ignorant bubble she had lived in had popped and suddenly it seemed as if these creatures were all around her, roaming the streets with her. Had they been there all along- and she had not noticed? Or were they only manifesting themselves now, because of her knowledge?

It seemed as if a magical door had opened, and she'd stepped through it- allowing her to interact with these...other beings. Had she not found her bottle, would she have never been invited into this world?

She was so excited at the prospect of meeting another magickal one, she couldn't even form the embarrassment that would have been needed to wonder at how 'loose-screwish' she might have seemed had he not been a bottle-baby. Instead she latched onto his slightly lowered words hungrily.

"You thought it was me?" Eloise took a moment to imagine herself as one of him. Magickal abilities. Born from a bottle. Oh, if only! If only! But she wasn't and she shook her head to clear herself of these thoughts. Her eyes darted around looking at the small attention they'd garnished. A crowd had not formed around them, but curious bystanders were watching them queerly, as if waiting for a show. Well, she was a lady, and she certainly would not be giving them one at the moment.

Now she focused on the environment around them, taking in their settings. She wanted someplace where they could talk without the prying eyes.

Finally, her eyes found purchase on a little restaurant, and she motioned with her head to it. "You...uhm...must be hungry," Her stutterers came back as did the nerves at the idea the boy might not want to follow her plan. She wanted him to play along so that she may be able to get more information from him. He felt the presence of her bottle. Maybe he could tell her what it was? "Would you like...uhm...mmm..." She sighed, frustrated with herself. "Get something to...eat?"

Oh! Gods! Did she sound like she was trying to kidnap the child?!  

[Olivia Solace]

Allegro nodded his head to Eloise once more, giving a passerby whom was rudely starring a very displeased and stern look. It didn't matter if they had made a tiny scene, it was still awfully rude to stare at anyone. Proper etiquette in Allegro's mind dictated that when someone was making a scene you ignored it and went on your way, only interfering if something turned violent. After all, it was not your place to comment in on anything, no matter how much you wanted to.

"Yes. The feeling I had gotten was faint at first, so I thought maybe someone like me had been here before and I missed them, but when I passed by you I felt an unusual breeze and caught a little whirlwind. When you didn't react to me, I figured you must be carrying a bottle, or just standing coincidentally in a place another like me had been," He explained, phrasing his words the best he could to be clear in how he determined she was carrying a bottle with her. For a child Allegro tended to be a little eloquent in his words from time to time due to the multitude of books he read, because of this he had to watch his words around his brothers and some less educated adults so he didn't make them feel as if he was above them; that in itself was rude, after all.

His attention being snapped back to Eloise, and away from his motherly eye-scoldings of the people around him, he listened as she assumed him to be in some way hungry, and offered to purchased something for him. Truthfully he hadn't been, but he could tell that she seemed eager to talk to him some more and preferably in a location where everyone was not starring at them, and offered some small semblance of privacy.

"I would very much like that Ms. Morrow, but I have to ask my father first. He wouldn't be pleased with me if I simply took off," He said, offering her a small smile, "He's got enough on his plate dealing with my two rowdier brothers, you see."

He hoped that the fact he had to consult his father on the matter would not put Eloise off. He knew Hayden would no doubt give him the permission her required, especially taking into consideration this was a matter of someone like him and the fact that Eloise was a woman and could not pluck him off the street corner as easily as a man could.  

[Ephemeral Hope]

Eloise stood, enraptured with the child in front of her. He had felt a breeze? A whirlwind? Was that a hint as to what the essence inside the bottle was? Her fingers itched to grab the emerald vile and bring it out for inspection, but she withheld. No good would come from that, she was certain. Besides, she could remember the swirling presence inside the bottle clearly without any visual stimulation.

And really, it all kind of made sense.

The spiriting inside the bottle was barely visible, swirling around inside it's prison. It had reminded her of a spirit, at one point, even.

Could she have with her a whirlwind? Would she be able to control something of that nature?

She seriously doubted it.

Oh, and lady Sarah-Anne would have her head if she brought upon such a force in her manor. ...What would Eloise do then? What would Sarah-Anne do then? Would she pack Eloise up and ship her right back to where she came from?

The young maid was forcefully pulled from her thoughts when the young boy in front of her agreed to her request for food. ...After he sought permission from his father. Her face instantly flamed as blood rushed to her cheeks. Heavens to Betsy! How could she have forgotten? Of course he'd have to ask for permission before traipsing off with her.

Would his father let him go? She probably wouldn't let her child go off with a strange woman...

"O-oh!" She stammered out, her face heating even further as her voice came out as little more than a squeak. "O-of course. ...uhmmm....that makes sense, yes. You should certainly ask your...uhm...dad." Especially if those rascals she'd seen earlier were, in fact, his siblings. The man probably had enough on his plate without his well-mannered son disappearing. Especially with his given nature.

Her eyes darted around the area, taking in the people once more, before her free hand grabbed at the hems of her skirts. "Do you...uhm...need me to take you to him...?" She doubted he did, but how else would he find her again? Unless this was all a well mannered attempt at getting rid of her. Oh, poppycock! She was just messing this up left and right!  

[Olivia Solace]

Allegro blinked at Eloise awaiting her response. She was a little on the odd side to him, though he knew he had no right to judge. She seemed to always be looking around as she contemplated any answers she offered, as if unsure of herself half the time. She was shy. That was probably it.

"Dad's only over there," Allegro said, pointing over to the still shopping Hayden and the very fidgety and unhappy looking twins who at this point had noticed Allegro had left and were looking at him curiously, wondering who he was talking to at the moment. He knew his pointing was rude, but at the moment it was one of those acceptable rudeness' needed for him to actually show Eloise where his father was currently located.

"If you want, Ms. Morrow, you can come with me while I ask him if it's alright. He'll probably want to be introduced to you anyway. He likes to know the other parents of kids like me, something about networking," Allegro said, offering an explanation and reason for her to tag along, incase she felt like she had no reason to or was concerned about losing him within the crowd.  

[Ephemeral Hope]

'Dad's only over there'

Well, wasn't she just dumber than a June bug on a string? That was definitely his way of trying to politely tell her to talk a long walk off a short pier. She was creeping him out with her kidnapping tendencies, and he was trying to get her to stay put and not stalk him and steal him away into the night.

Well, she could do that. Couldn't she?

Still, her eyes followed his fingers, to see four eyeballs staring back at her small companion, and the adult who was with them. Three children. Three. She was wondering how in the world she could possibly make it work with one, and that man had three. Where in the world was his wife? Or his nanny?

Looking down at Allegro, Eloise decided the man could definitely afford a nanny.

Giving in, Eloise let out soft sigh, about to excuse the boy when he offered to allow her to come with. Oh, well child after her own heart! She nodded her head excitedly, her brown tresses bouncing around seemingly emphasising her joy. "I would really like that!" She exclaimed, a bright smile working it's way on her face. In her joy to meet another human in this situation, it completely passed over Eloise that she didn't stutter in that particular sentence.