A Knock For Room 206, Reprised (Blake & Gwen)

[The Spider]

(This is a continuation of my post in the Searching for Chills thread.)

Donald Blake had made an agreement with Spider. In return for leading him back to the road the successful doctor had agreed to accompany her to see an individual she'd identified as needing a doctor. To complete this agreement the third party had to be sought. This party was Gwendolyn of room 206. The one who had made the Valentine's Day paper craft that Jamison had put in her hands.

Once inside the Tel'Ranaemyn Spider lead the doctor up to the second floor. Down the hall he would be expected to follow until they reached the room. "We are here." In case Donald Blake could not see the obvious. Spider rapped on Gwendolyn's door with three clear knocks. Her knuckles she always struck three times when faced with any door. She had a peculiarity when it came to the number three.

As she waited for an answer she folded her hands in front of her. The dark purple petticoat she wore made a fetching backdrop and the heavy dupion overskirt a fitting frame. She wore her long black duster as usual. For the hours she spent outdoors her hair was neat hanging loose except the sides which were pinned up. Shockingly red roots were nearly two inches long. She was dressed appropriately for calling on someone. The same could not be said about the male standing next to her. But most men were slovenly.

She used the waiting time to look the doctor over again. Making sure there was nothing she had missed which would render him unsuitable. Narrow eyes would make the scrutiny obvious. She didn't see a need to be subtle. "I hope you know how to attempt to be charming?" She smirked but her question was serious. If he'd attempted to be charming so far it hadn't worked well enough to register with Spider.

She herself looked poised and regal. As proper and polite as she normally stood in public. From her demeanor most wouldn't know that she was privately overjoyed. She got euphoric satisfaction from making deals she initiated. But she didn't like being tricked into an exchange. At least this exchange had no parameters so she had a lot of leeway. She couldn't give just anything she felt like because Power of Exchange wouldn't accept it and the debt would remain. But she could give whatever she felt fitting.

Many would've been annoyed to be interrupted like Donald Blake had interrupted her in the glade. Not Spider. Everything was an opportunity. Opportunity that was knocking for Gwendolyn. Patiently waiting for an answer.

[DrDonaldBlake]

(posting in response to two posts, because someone's mean that way).

"Um, well that's cool then." in response to her statement about not remaining here It was something he could understand, after all he himself was slave to the whims of a god, and if Thor wanted to go, Donald couldn't really stop him from going. " I know we came to a deal, it doesn't mean that I can't be thankful does it? I mean, If I hadn't run into you, I'd be meandering still..." Which was his point, he really didn't need to hear you're welcome or anything. he was just trying to express that eh was thankful.

They kept walking and she asked about his leg injury. "I'm not really all to vain, but This, was sort of a punishment for his vanity. He was an egotistical jerk and I'm punished for it... well he was punished as well... but I think I got the worst of it."

Which was about the time they got to Gwendolyn's door. and she asked him if I could manage being charming. "I think that I can manage that... who's room is this? I didnt know anyone here needed a doctor..."

[Gwendolyn Zoi]

Inside the room that had received the knock on the door, was one Miss Gwendolyn Zoi, whom happened to be seated in the bench seat near the window once more. The lighting was the best in the room, with her back turned towards the window, weight rested on her left side. A book was on the cushion next to her, open, the spine upwards. Another book was seated neatly in her lap. A third and final book was in her hands, fingers pressing against the page, taking notes she was in her head. She always thought about getting a notebook to keep notes, or perhaps to write in the margins, but she felt funny with the thought of writing in the books themselves, even the ones that were her own.

When the knock came to her door, she jumped, which caused the book that had happened to be on her lap to fall to the floor with a thud. The book that was in her hands was set down, opened with the spine up on top of the previous book that was there.

Then feet would uncurl and down they went, though the sound of them hitting the ground was quieter compared to the book that went thunk. Those feet were bare, as they often were when she was in her rooms, though unlike her adoptive mother she was willing to wear shoes more oft then not. Steps were taken over to the door.

Normally the door would be opened rather widely, but due to the time of the year it was, she was afraid of leprechauns playing tricks, so the door was opened just a crack. Hazel gaze looked out through the sliver. A small intake of breath when she spotted that it was none other then Spider outside the door, and it would be opened wide. "Spider! Hello! How are you?"

The words were no sooner out of her mouth, when she noticed that Spider was not alone. Her first thought was that Spider had found her wife, but upon actually looking at the person with Spider she realized it was not a wife but a man. A small curious look flitted over her features. "Hello." The word came out, a bit bashful for her thoughts, it wasn't the man's fault. Her mind just flitted, it happened to the best of them did it not? Then she looked between the two of them, "Can I help you with something?"

Since the door was open, what she was wearing would be able to be seen. Unlike the last time that Spider had knocked on her door, the room behind her was spotless. The feet were bare as above mentioned, a small spring dress in a bright green was worn upon her form, tight fitting in the waist, a bit looser around the hips that hung to her knees. The top of the dress was sleeveless. Her long locks were split down the middle, each braid had two green ribbons braided in.

[The Spider]

He didn't know anyone here needed a doctor. Queer reply. "Are you supposed to know?" After she put the question to him she looked back at the door. Everything else Donald Blake said she put to memory. A punishment for vanity exacted on not just one man but two. If circumstances were different she may have questioned him further. It sounded like a Faerie punishment which is why it interested her. But Gwen answered the door and it was time to bring two exchanges to their finish.

"Gwen." Spider pronounced it just like Gwen had the day they met. She nodded her head to the virgin woman. Speaking the woman's name also answered Donald's question about who lived here. "Father delivered your offering to me. It was a skilled craft." She added the second sentence after a brief pause. She hadn't forgotten Jamison's request to be nice to this girl. He'd extracted her word that she would make an effort. So she had to do at least that whenever she came across Gwendolyn.

The minimum amount of effort made Spider could get down to business. When a fae was tricked into accepting a gift they were obligated to give one in return. This is what Spider did now. "This is Donald Blake. He is a successful doctor. I give him to you as a fitting reply to your gift." Gwen had made the card in honor of the lover's holiday. Spider had seen over a century's worth of traditional Valentine's activities and the materialism that came with it. And didn't all women want to fornicate with a doctor? Considering Gwen was a virgin giving the woman a successful doctor male seemed not only fitting but generous.

"Now, understand he is not perfect. His sense of direction is poor. So be certain to give him clear instructions on how to find this room again for your first noontime chat." Yes she spoke to Gwen about Donald Blake in the third person when he was right there. Until a question occurred to her that she should have asked him previously.

Spider's piercing eyes scrutinized the doctor with renewed interest. "You can fornicate well can't you? Gwen is a virgin. She requires a certain level of skill on her first handling. Do you have experience in this?" She needed to know. If Donald was shoddy in that arena he might prove unfit to be the item of exchange and she would have to find something or someone else to give Gwen.

[DrDonaldBlake]

"Well I would like to think that I do... I like to know my patients." Donald had rolled his shoulder and straitened his jacket, even going so far pushing his tie up a bit and adjusting his name badge, leaning into his walking stick.

And when the young lady opened the door, Donald smiled and was about to introduce himself when Spider spoke before him. and his smile grew when she talked about him being a successful Doctor. a bit of confusion when he heard her mention about him being used as a gift?"

"Wait... you said she needed-" pausing to allow her to speak more looking rather chagrined and he took a short breath and then when she turned to address him he was going to give her a piece of his mind but then she dropped that bomb shell." wait? what? no no... well not no. But You can't just decide that you're going to give me to someone else. " Donald looked back at Gwen and offered a bit of an awkward smile."hi there I'm Don Blake, its very nice to meet you... This, is a big misunderstanding." And then back to spider." you said you knew someone who needed a doctor not a lay."

[Gwendolyn Zoi]

Her smile did not falter upon seeing Spider. And she would even smile over at Dr. Donald Blake. Gwen did not know why at first Spider had brought him with her, but that didn't stop her from being polite. A small bob of her head, at the woman's words. "I did not want you to feel left out." She didn't, Spider was new here, and she wanted her to feel welcome. Of course, her training and her mixing up facts did not let her know about the exchange policy. She wouldn't want Spider to feel she was tricked into anything.

She looked over to the man as Spider introduced him. "Tis a pleasure to meet you Donald Blake." She then blinked her lashes, looking at Spider. "Your giving me a Doctor in exchange for the card?" Her head tilted just a bit, then right itself. "Oh, I didn't expect anything from you Spider." She only gave things because she liked to do so, not to get things in return.

Oh but she couldn't hold in the giggle while Spider was speaking of how imperfect Mr Donald Blake was. And his lack of directions. She was blushing she did remember the wording about a noon time visit. Indeed that was probably something that Gwen would never forget. But the blush she had was nothing compared to the blush that crept over her features, from the root of her hair down to her toes to be sure. It was the words that Spider was speaking to Donald Blake that had caused such things! When Don Blake did address her, she was already shocked and blushing so she really did not reply to him. Just a mere bob of her head. She wasn't being completely rude. Shell shocked perhaps.

And he was lucky that it was Gwendolyn because she did not even know that someone could be bad at fornicating.

[The Spider]

Spider's glare was sharp. Aimed at the space between Donald Blake's brows. Pitch was sharp too. "Have you no manners?" She shook her head. Typical man. Spider addressed Gwen. "As is true with most males you'll also have to teach him manners. In my opinion his poor sense of direction is the more immediate instruction." What good was a man with manners if he couldn't find Gwen's room again?

Now to deal with this doctor. Fixing him with her honey-bright eyes she spoke crisply. Direct as always. "Since the era of my girlhood mothers have told daughters that they need to wed successful male doctors. Gwen is unwed, she is virgin, and thus she is in need of a successful doctor as I told you. Are you so coarse and impolite that you won't give her your card, your company and your conversation for an afternoon?" He'd already run his mouth off like he had verbal dysentery. Would stick his foot in his mouth too?

Her eyes narrowed. Her lips pulled into a frown. "Or will you leave? Leaving now you leave Gwen in need. This would break our bargain. Are you the sort of man who breaks bargains, Donald Blake? I upheld my part." She folded her arms under her breasts. Her posture was straighter than a ruler and she stared him down. It wasn't wise to break a bargain made with a Fae. Not even a Fae of the Summer Court, not even a changeling.

Slowly she looked back at Gwen. "When you give a Fae a gift it the Fae's obligation to give one in return that is a fitting exchange. That information was in Father's books." Her look said what she didn't. One, those were the same books Gwen chose to abandon in order to do paper crafts. Two, Spider revealed that she was Fae to a degree.

[DrDonaldBlake]

"Hey! I'll have you know my bedside manners are amazing, and I do have manners." Donald stuffed his hands into the pockets of his lab coat. casting a smile to Gwendolyn.

Blues went back to Spider and he gave a nod." No no no, I've not intention of doing that, after all a promise is a promise. regardless of how I mistook your request." Which was true, she was talking about manners and sort of leaned on hidden meaning and misleading dealies...not entirely Donald's fault for misunderstanding.

Donald smiled back at Gwendolyn and he gave her a nod, offering a hand out. "It appears that you have yourself a successful doctor with a questionable sense of direction at your service Miss gwendolyn."

[Gwendolyn Zoi]

Now, she was silent at the play by play between the two, she even lifted her hand up to cover her mouth at the giggle that was threatening to escape. The man, according to Spider had no sense of direction and he lacked manners, but he was a successful doctor, so that made up for it right? She could follow that logic.

Once Spider’s attention was back upon Gwendolyn, she gave a small nod of her head. “I must of missed that part.” It was something that she would have to keep knowledge of. And even she could put the one and one together and come up with two. She noticed the things that Spider had said. Also remembering the things of in the room the day she had come to get her fathers books, she did know an awful lot about the fae.

Yes, Gwendolyn needed to concentrate upon one book at a time as well. It was just so hard, when there were so many books, and then she had even found out not all the books told the truth. As much as she loved reading she liked learning things from people as well.

“Thank you for the gift Spider.” She smiled over to the other woman, before taking Donald’s hand and her small fingers pressing against his, giving it a shake. “That is good to hear.” When he released her hand, her own fell to her side a moment.

Then she looked to Spider, “I am glad you thought of me. I hope we can visit again in the future. But it seems that I have a lot of work to do!” And with those words, her hands would slip out, grasping Donald by the lapels of his lab coat, and tugging him into her room. The girl had more strength then one would guess looking at her, and most likely the element of surprise, but was that enough? If Donald did get tugged into the room, she would wait until after the door shut before speaking. “Now its time for tea!” A clap of her hands, as she had dropped the lapels of his lab coat.

[The Spider]

Mistook her request is right. Spider believed meaning of her request was not hidden. She spoke her intentions as she was wont to do. What others chose to assume was in their control not hers. If others (like Donald) chose to act on their assumptions and not employ a higher level of sense or cleverness when speaking to her that was frankly their problem.

As the modern quip goes, only an ass assumes.

To all they said Spider said nothing. This was a calculated choice. She intended that Donald Blake be the gift that would complete the exchange Gwen initiated with the Valentine and Spider would do nothing to jeopardize this from becoming a reality. Besides. What happened between a woman and a man was an activity of two. From the moment they shook hands Spider was already removing herself from the picture.

Her triumphant smile broke free after the door shut. A single click of her tongue was her way of drawing the checkmark next to that item on her mental list. The obligation to Gwen was taken care of. She could concentrate again on more pressing matters.

Though she'd just returned here Spider went back downstairs and exited the inn. To return to the glade and continue her search for a gateway.

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