Thinking on things

[Casandra Lightheart]

Cas was sitting in the middle of the lounge with several book spread out around her; they all depicted the artwork of local artists she was trying to sort them and it was becomeing harder.

If she didn't find something that cought her eye soon she was going to have to change her mind.

[Epiphany]

Ever since she had helped move things into the Lounge she had never spent much time there - in fact she hadn't spent much time in the Inn at all lately. Nevertheless she found herself entering the Lounge. Lime green leggings under jeans that had the front calfs ripped out and an over sized white sweater that hung off one shoulder, a dark green shoulder strap seen.

Inside she saw someone looking at pictures. Curious. "Hey there," she said as she approached. How could she stay away? The person was looking at pictures. "Whatcha doing?"

[Casandra Lightheart]

She looked up at the woman and smiled she would have offered her hand but she was sitting on the ground and her hands were full at the moment.

"I am looking for an artist to paint a picture for someone special to me."

[Epiphany]

"Oh yeah?" Now Epiphany was a bit nosey - especially when it came to things like this - and she was curious about this. She leaned over the table to get a better look at the pictures, hands clasped behind her back. No worry about her shirt showing anything indecent - there were not any men for her to be concenred about and she wasn't bending over that much.

"What kinda picture are you looking to get down? Oh." At the last she figured that if she was going to continue talking, she should introduce herself. "By the way, I'm Epiphany."

[Casandra Lightheart]

She smiled.

"I'm Casandra."

She looked around to make sure they could not be overheard and then looked back to her.

"I want to have a painting done of myself for the man I am seeing as a Christmas present."

She began to turn bright red and her voice lowered considerably.

"I want a nude painting but it was to be tasteful and not show much if anything at all."

[Epiphany]

"Nice to meet you." Epiphany said while looking between the scattered pictures on the table and Casandra. She straightened up and brushed her hands on the untorn part of her jeans.

She chuckled slightly. "That's something I never thought of, giving a man a picture of myself. Does it work?" Perhaps this was some type of new thing and she could learn from it for the future. "If you don't mind posing nude you can always pose for me. I do good work. Could make the drawing for you."

[Casandra Lightheart]

Having gotten that out her color was returning to normal.

"I don't know I have never given a man a painting of myself; but what else do you give the man that has everything, and from the looks of his manor house he loves art."

She looked up and smiled brightly.

"You paint? Posing for a woman would be much more comfortable then posing for a man."

[Epiphany]

She gave a light shrug and rocked back and forth on her heels. "Lucky for you that I'm not into females." that was suppose to be a joke and therefore she laughed a bit. "I've never had a live model actually standing there to be drawn. They been there but.." she scratched the side of her neck. "Nevermind." Before she went on some type of tangent.

"Just tell me what you want as far as size and when you'd like it done and I'll take care of the rest. "Then she thought of another. "I think I have a few pictures here in my room."

[Casandra Lightheart]

Cassie stood as she laughed and began to gather the pictures off the floor.

"I guess it is good nither of us is interested in women."

She looked at the woman becoming more relaxed. When she had made the decision to do this as his christmas present she was really worried that she was going to be uncomfortable through the whole process.

She thought for a moment.

"If you have the time I would like a full size portraite that can hang on a wall above a fireplace, and in my rooms here if you don't mind they are private enough."

She placed all the pictures in her bag that she had with her.

"Now lets go see some of your drawings."

[Epiphany]

Sure, they should go and see the paintings she had stored here. "All right then. Let's go." With a bit of a skip she headed out of the lounge and up to her room on the first floor.

Her room was at the end of the hall and the door was noticeably different. Yes, Epiphany was different. She liked being different or having something that could stand out from the rest - though sometimes she did like to blend in. The door looked to be made out of really thick wood with a pair of metal strips down the front. No doorknob but a wrought iron knocker in the shape of a gargoyle head.

Maybe different was the wrong word.

A quick wink to Casandra before she knocked on her door to the tune of 'shave and a haircut', the 'two bits' being played out on the knocker. Maybe an explanation? "Different knocks for different things." Yeah, that explained a lot.

Epiphany's room was.. different. There were a series of columns here and there and the furniture seemed the be absent, replaced with large and comfortable pillows and cushions. It looked bigger than it appeared on the outside and at the back left, a staircase went up into the ceiling. (Maybe it was all in how she arranged it? Of course there was not tricky. In Epiphany's room? Never. . . ) Bolts of fabric here, some building material there, even what could have been set props? Surly, this was an ordinary, typical room. On the walls were light scones, though the room was bright enough with the natural light from the large window.

Near the window were covered canvases on easels, an old paint covered stool nearby. This is where she went. Giving Casandra time to look around, if she wanted, while she started to take the covers off the canvases.

[Casandra Lightheart]

She followed Pip down the hall to her room and looked confused when she saw the door knocker. She then smilied when she heard her knocking out shave and a hair cut. When the door was opened. Cas was speacheless she moved around the room her bag slipped from her arm and she set it down on the floor as she looked around the colors were such a mish mash but it worked she started looking at the different odds and ends in the room.

"You live in a studio?"

She spent a few minutes looking at the props before moving over to her to see the canvases she was uncovering.

"Maybe doing the painting here would be better the light is great."

[Epiphany]

"I...have many places," she answered. That was the best answer she could give. The knock brought them to this particular room. "A different knock, or something done differently to the door, would have brought us to a different place all together. Or no place at all."

There, that was better and might have explained a bit more.

The first picture she pulled the cloth from may have appeared to be a simple one. White landscape, a snow covered ground. A pair of silver dog tags attached to their silver chain laid on snow covered ground. The tags were worn, like they had been though a lot. The picture was a mixture of white and black pastel, colors mixed well that it was no mere black and white work, but held many shades between. It appeared almost three dimensional. If she looked close enough at the picture she could even make out the name, Pitt Osborne, engraved upon them.

The second picture was a balcony scene. This picture was more complex in that it had many things taking place. It was at night in what appeared to be a garden. Hiding in the corner amongst some bushes was a blond young lady who was looking up at what was taking place on the balcony. White stones, looking almost a type of blue in the moonlight that shone down, vines had crawled over part of the balcony. French doors were thrown open, sheer drapes were being blown out in the wind. There, standing on the balcony, where two figures. One, a young lady - much like the one hiding in the bushes - was in a white gown. She was limp in embrace of the other, a handsome male vampire with short, dark wavy hair. His lips were upon her neck and it was obvious that he was feeding. The work was done in various charcoals. At the bottom the picture was labeled: "Midnight's Kiss"

Then the third. This one was in a beautiful garden in the Spring and there was a young lady sitting by the lake. She was dressed in a blue pleated skirt a small shirt and barefoot. Her position was turned, looking up to a person behind her. A Knight on a white horse. He had one gloved hand on the reign, the other was offered down to her. This picture was done, believe it or not, in colored pencils. It was not a typical color pencil drawing. the colors where blended together so well it was hard to see any lines at all. This picture was labeled: "Promise"

All the pictures were done with a lot of feeling, a general feeling of quietness and joy mixed with tears. Certainly they had their stories.

"So...I know they're not much. I have others just...not..here."

[Casandra Lightheart]

Cas looked at each of the paintings in turn and smiled she looked at the picture of the dog tags.

"This one here these beloged to Pitt Osborne, they are worn like someone lost him and had to keep a piece of him with them until they could let him go, then they dropped them ."

She went to the one that was titled Midnights Kiss.

"This one here; these are two sisters, the younger of them is watching the older from the garden. The way she is hiding there and from the scene on the balcony it looks to me like they were sleeping and the vampier came to feed, he came in through the door on the balcony and got one sister but the other got away."

"This last one, the flowers are beautiful the lady here is sitting at the lake she was probably day dreaming of her prince, then here comes the knight offereing to take her away from it all. He is promising the world."

She stopped and smiled a sparkle in her eye.

"Sorry I got carried away I could see a story in every picture. They are wonderful, when can you start and what do you want for the comission?"

[Epiphany]

Epiphany gave Casandra a small smile and glanced over her pictures. She didn't look at them long though. Sure she could have the pictures hanging up someplace, or even uncovered, but there was a reason she kept them covered and out of her sight. The covers for the paintings were in her hands and she fiddled with them, looking anywhere but at them.

"People see different things in art." She paused. "I'm glad you like them." Epiphany thought about saying something else, but changed her mind at the last moment and headed over to the fabrics. "I can always create a backdrop. What kind of colors would you want?"

[Casandra Lightheart]

She frowned.

"You seem agitaited, I'm sorry if they bring back memorries they are beautiful."

She would cover them herself before moving with her over to the fabric.

"Something muted partialy in shadow."

[Epiphany]

Epiphany did a very light shrug of her shoulders. "Memories are memories. Sometimes they are welcomed with open arms and they bring lots of joy and happiness. Other times the same memory can bring you to tears." She looked through the fabrics and found a dark smokey green, and a deep maroon.

"I'm not really sure what you mean by commission. Like trade? What's the theme of your picture?" Then she frowned, it was one of those concentration frowns.

[Casandra Lightheart]

She nodded.

"You are right about memories."

She lookes at the green and maroon colors.

"Yes like trade what do you want for painting this for me."

She thought a moment on the next question.

"Never thought about a theam, I want something seusual but very tasteful something that shows my I want to open up more."

[Epiphany]

"So...emotion...." Her frowned slightly deepened and she scratched the side of her neck. "And you already said that you like the guy, so I'm guessing you like him an awful lot." Epiphany pulled out a blue and grey and bunched those together with the green and maroon. Holding them at the tip she held her hand out to Casandra.

"I can see why you want to be nude then. Nothing... shows openness like being able to bare yourself in front of someone. Symbolic you know? Here, hold these against you at the tip." Still thinking about the commission offer as she watched Casandra. "I may have to give you an answer about commission later. I usually haggle with guys and lesser type so it.. different. What can you offer?"

That was a start.

[Casandra Lightheart]

When she answered her question about the Marques her eyes lit up as the smiled she wore now reached them.

"Yes I care very much about him, he is special to me."

She thought carefully about her words.

"In many ways I have bared myself to him, there are still somethings hidden but not much, and not because I feel a need to keep them secret but because the right time has not presented iteslf."

She took the cloth and held it to herself. The tip to her chest the other hand she droped to her side.

"I can offer money, a good horse, healing, I'm also a priestess."

[Epiphany]

Casandra's last statement made her laugh. "Money and a good horse. Almost sounds as if I need to flee the country." Then she paused and gasped, a wide-eyed look coming over her face. She even put a hand up to her mouth for dramatic effect.

Lowering her voice she scanned the room as if someone could be hiding there amongst her things and crept closer to Casandra. In low tones she said, "You don't think they found out about me do you? That they realized it was me who caused all the havoc and are coming to take me away? Gee I hope not." A slight pause and she looked off to the side. "Maybe I should flee."

Epiphany paused again, giving time for what she said to sink in, and then she laughed. "I'm just kidding." Or was she? Epiphany had started looking at the props. "Healer and Priestess you say? What a coincidence. I heal - love alchemy - and do work at a church. " Looking back to her. "I can work with those colors. You want to stand, kneel... lay down."

[Casandra Lightheart]

"You missunderstand me Castle Claremount breeds horses and because of it I have a lot of money."

Then she was looking around and leaning in close to her, Cas wasen't really sure how to respond then Epiphany was laughing she had been joking. Cas smiled and shook her head.

"You had me worried there for a moment."

She listened.

"You are a healer too? Herbs, magic, or both."

She thought a moment.

"I think I will stand."

[Epiphany]

She wouldn't exactly call it magic, but that was easier for a lot of people to accept and therefore Epiphany let it be. Often it only caused more confusion, or people called it magic in the end.

"I guess you can call it magic. I work in herbs too, yes, and alchemy. I can even perform surgery. Not afraid to get my hands dirty." she wiggled her fingers before moving to her paints. "Some of the other healers I've come across, aside from the ones that work in the hospitals or clinics, have never cut a person before." It was all strange to her but, in a world were magic was a quick fix, she understood it. At the beginning it got to her but then it was simply something she came to accept.

"When do you want to start?"

[Casandra Lightheart]

"I mostly deal with herbs, I have used stitches, and though I was trained to perform surgery I have only performed one."

She sighed.

"As for magical healing, I use it as little as possible it makes me physically exhausted."

She looked up at her and smiled.

"As soon as possible I would really like it finished before Christmas."

[Epiphany]

"If you have the time we can do it now," Epiphany said with a slight shrug. "And as long as I get a good basic sketch down you won't have to sit around and wait until the entire thing is done. " There were some artist that had their subjects remain in the pose they were drawing until they were done, but that's not how she worked.

Moving things around in a chest she had, she was looking for her supplies. Even if Casandra didn't want to start right away it was good to have her things in order. She emerged with scissors and approached Casandra, pulling on the cloth she had with her she got a good bit of give it cut it. The fabric was three feet longer than the length she held it.

"Get to stripping ah, that is if you want to do it now." She pointed off to her left and there was a door - that possibly wasn't there three seconds ago. "If you want to prepare in private or whatever you can use the bathroom."

Smiling she started to sort out her colors.

[Casandra Lightheart]

"I have the time right now."

She looked at the bath and then back to Epiphany. She had no dressing gown and the bathroom was across the room. She made her decision and began taking off her dress and undergarments till she was standing nude.

"How do you want me."

[Sponsored content]