(no subject)

"Hm," mused Yvienne, "I don't mean to insult your certain skill, but I must admit, I rather expected the bodyguard I hired to be a man."

"Will that pose a problem?" asked the woman before her. She was all straight back and dark hair, and was not at all bigger than Yvienne, which gave her a fairly unimposing build, as far as bodyguards go. Still, her face and voice were both brick flat in a way that Yvienne supposed could be unsettling, and she carried herself with an air of clear confidence.

More problematic than her gender, really, was her scent: it wasn't at all unusual, perhaps a touch more floral than average, and it had Yvienne smothering the undignified urge to pace around her in circles as if they were predator and prey instead of newly established associates.

"No, no," Yvienne replied, beaming her reassurance, "it's just that I had been so hoping for a torrid romantic affair with a ruggedly handsome man, completely devoted to my protection. You must understand my disappointment." Her new bodyguard pursed her lips very slightly, which could equally have been a sign of sympathy for Yvienne's plight or a small show of disgust; it was difficult to tell, when it made no discernible impact on the overall effect of her expression. "You would be the youngest daughter of the Kingdiamonds' main branch, would you not? What was your name again?"

"My name is Lariatte Kingdiamond," answered Lariatte Kingdiamond.

"Yvienne Magnolia, as you may be aware. I look forward to being in your care, Miss Lariatte. I do hope we become good friends." She offered Lariatte an outstretched hand and her most charming smile. Lariatte lifted her own arm partway out, but then hesitated pulled back before they made contact.

"More importantly, Lord Lightsphere did not inform me that I had been referred to another of his kind. Will you be quite at ease with this arrangement?"

"Oh." Yvienne hadn't expected her to bring it up- she felt her smile startle off her face, but replaced it after only a moment. "Yes, don't worry. I appreciate your consideration, but I assure you, my self-restraint is very good. I'm perfectly confident that I won't unexpectedly eat you."

At that, Lariatte took her hand so easily and suddenly that Yvienne might have jumped, if her nerves had been working quite the same as they would for a living person. "In that case, you'll be safe with me, Lady Yvienne Magnolia." Her grip was firm and warm through the silk of Yvienne's gloves.

"Just 'Yvienne' is fine," she told her, the first word broken apart by a small laugh. Lariatte nodded a silent agreement, and they dropped their hands. "Come, come, do make yourself comfortable. As requested, I'll fetch my schedule for your reference." Lariatte obediently walked to a couch to sit as Yvienne hurried off, calling a maid to bring them tea as well as she went.

When Yvienne returned and gave Lariatte her schedule, sitting beside her on the couch, Lariatte stared at it for so long that Yvienne became restless and began to search her face for clues to her thoughts. Lariatte's eyes, narrowed critically, flitted over the page again and again as Yvienne watched and waited for her response.

"Is this correct?" questioned Lariatte, sounding almost wary. Yvienne tilted her head with a puzzled hum and took the papers back to scan them over once herself.

"Yes, it seems to be," she confirmed, handing them back to Lariatte once more. "What makes you ask?"

Lariatte lowered her eyes to stare at the first page once more before finally replying, "It seems like an unusual amount of shopping trips."

Yvienne laughed. "Oh, I try to fit in as many as I can! After all, you can never really have too many."

"I see." Lariatte went quiet for a bit as she set the schedule on the coffee table before them and reached for her teacup, taking a well-mannered sip before continuing. "If you're not planning to travel, I must ask, why is it that you suddenly have a greater concern for your safety?"

"You're so professional," hummed Yvienne. "It's all this politics, with the prime minister elections coming up, you know. January isn't so much in harm's way himself, since if he were to die now, of all times, naturally all fingers would immediately point to his opponent, but as for vocal, influential supporters like myself... I have my own fair share of enemies, after all. Well, I'm not so bothered about it, personally, but it would break January's heart if someone were to be killed for associating with him." Lariatte raised her eyebrows, infusing the gesture with a coolness Yvienne hadn't previously thought it could convey.

"I don't doubt it would. May I ask what potential threats were already present against you?"

"Oh? I expected a person of your family's reputation to be quite well-informed." Yvienne only meant to tease, but Lariatte took a sip of her tea and answered in all serious.

"I am, of course. However, besides Lady Lightsphere and her lord, I have not worked closely with anyone especially entangled in your affairs, or you in theirs, as the case may be. Because of this, much of my knowledge of you is only basic information. It would be best for me to hear of your current political circumstances in detail."

"My," Yvienne exclaimed, "do you mean to imply that January placed you in the service of his wife? Why, I can think of no higher compliment to your trustworthiness." Lariatte frowned, somewhat. It was perhaps the clearest expression Yvienne had yet to see her make.

"I was, although officially I was employed for his own guard, and given Lady Lightsphere's skill in weaponry, I would judge him to be much more in need of one. But as is not uncommon," she murmured, her head slightly inclined, so she nearly looked down on Yvienne, "Lord Lightsphere is frequently more concerned for his loved ones than for himself."

"Oh, but with the lady of that house, you're bound to protect a secret just as well as a life." Lariatte took another sip of her tea, and Yvienne followed suit, not wanting to let it get grow cold.

"That never posed any difficulty for me."

"You see? The words of a truly reliable person. Some people would be quite scandalized to learn of it, you know. That the wife of our future prime minister is not wholly woman, nor even man--why, imagine how happily Tenial would use such a thing against him. I'm sure he'd do his best to paint January as some sort of sexual deviant, all while encouraging people to vote for him instead. As if anyone with a brain couldn't see that January is practically a nun compared to Tenial."

Yvienne thought she could really identify Lariatte's emotions, this time: she looked uncomfortable.

"It didn't strike me as so scandalous."

"Oh, it isn't," Yvienne agreed. "I imagine Tenial wouldn't find it so, either. But therein lies the difference between us, you see: unlike you, Miss Kingdiamond, Tenial and I see the potential for it."

Lariatte's silence, though it didn't manage to hamper Yvienne's smile, felt somehow heavier in the air than most. "What you're saying is that you're an unreliable person, you mean."

"Now, I wouldn't say that," Yvienne hummed. "I've also protected them for all this time, after all."

Lariatte set her teacup back on the table and didn't reply. "Might you answer my question now?"

"Yes, of course," agreed Yvienne. "Well, I'm only barely a political figure, as I'm sure you're aware. I do very little in the way of governing, and often in regards to legislature I simply throw my support behind January's opinions on matters."

"Pardon me for saying so," Lariatte cut in, "but you should be aware that there are those who would want to kill you for your inaction alone."

"I suppose there are. I imagine we'll be adding them to the list of possible assailants, then, somewhere below Tenial's minions. And as for other matters, of course, there's my impending marriage to General Krohiten."

That got a real facial expression out of her: still fairly subdued, but unmistakably surprised.

"I heard no news of a proposal. Was it unannounced?"

"Oh, there's been no proposal just yet," Yvienne laughed, "but you can understand how that would hardly matter. Krohiten is a very handsome, powerful man, so naturally I have my fair share of love rivals, unknown to me as they are."

"I see." Lariatte brought her tea back to her lips, considering the information. "It's a bit of a vague group, compared to the others."

"I'm sure you'll manage. You know to be especially prepared, now, don't you?" Yvienne smiled just a bit brighter. "Us unreliable gossipers aren't such terrible sources of information."

"I didn't mean--"

"I know you didn't, Lariatte," she assured her, taking a sip of her own tea. Lariatte went quiet again, at least for a moment.

"Isn't he much older than you?" Yvienne was taken aback- and then laughed.

"My, as much as your family involves themselves with our nightlife, you're certainly still humans! We don't age in remotely the same way as you do, you realize."

"Yes," Lariatte admitted, "but with your unusual birth..."

"You thought I might be more humanlike, being born, rather than made?"

"Not precisely," she murmured, which was close enough to a yes.

"How careless," chided Yvienne. "All it means is I've no memory of being human at all."