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09/28/2007 13:21:00
[info]samra_chance
(Thread) The Hamlin Marketplace, Friday late morning (open)
With Enki and Garage at school Samra was bored at home. She'd spent a little time in her shop working on some new half-cocked invention, but it hadn't occupied her long. She was hoping that Hamlin would make his usual morning stop, but he didn't this morning. She thought it odd as she gave him no reason not to come, but perhaps he had reasons of his own. The coronation was on Monday and he probably had some secret preparations of which she wasn't aware.

She sighed and huffed around the kitchen until she decided to head into the marketplace in Hamlin. She hadn't been down for shopping in awhile and the pantry was getting low. It would be a good day to get out of the house and get some tasks done.

Perusing the fruit section took a good twenty minutes longer than she thought. The produce was very good this time of year and would be a little more expensive to trade for if she waited much longer. A few preserving spells and she could have the best fruits through the winter. She picked through the selection and was admiring a particularly beautiful peach when someone or something bumped into her.

 
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From: [info]notvanilla_chai Date: 10/02/2007 19:37:31  

Chai was trying to balance too many things at once. He had a late morning break, and decided to extend it throughout his lunch break. It wasn't as though he could be penalized at work, although he was one of few who knew this was his last day. He had Saturday and Sunday off, and then Monday... Monday he'd be king.

It was that last thought that had him so distracted he wasn't quite watching where he was going, which was why he bumped into someone. "Oh excuse me," he said politely, pulling himself out of his reverie.
From: [info]samra_chance Date: 10/02/2007 19:54:17  

"Oh, it's ok," Samra said. She had dropped the peach she was admiring and rolled across the floor, bumping into the next stand over. She hurried to pick it up, though now it was bruised and not as appetizing as it was moments before. "Ah, a shame," she said lightly, though she gave the man who ran the stand some money for the damaged peach. She rubbed it off on her long, light tan skirt and took a big bite. "Still good," she said cheerfully.
From: [info]notvanilla_chai Date: 10/02/2007 20:00:22  

Chai frowned. At the very least he should have made the offer to pay for the fruit before she did. Where was his mind today? "Well, now I feel both an oaf and a bit ill-mannered," he said, only partly teasing. "May I make it up to you? With a cup of tea perhaps?"
From: [info]samra_chance Date: 10/02/2007 20:10:47  

She smiled. "That would be very lovely," she said sweetly. "Though entirely not necessary," she added. "I was the one who dropped the peach after all."
From: [info]notvanilla_chai Date: 10/02/2007 20:19:29  

"Ah but would you have dropped the peach if I hadn't bumped into you?" Chai countered, a little small on his own lips. He'd found himself smiling easier lately, something he attributed to Evie's influence.
From: [info]samra_chance Date: 10/02/2007 20:51:26  

"Maybe," she said. She was trying very hard to be nice, mainly because he was being so very polite. "I was going to buy it anyway," she said and smiled. "But I do think a cup of tea would be nice, and I do appreciate the offer."
From: [info]notvanilla_chai Date: 10/03/2007 23:13:21  

And Chai was trying to be polite because she was being so nice. "Good. There's a café nearby that has a wonderful selection of herbal teas. Oh, I'm Chai, by the way. And I'm aware of the bit of irony of that being my name and me asking you to tea." He gave her a wry little smile.
From: [info]samra_chance Date: 10/03/2007 23:32:09  

She smiled and laughed kindly. "Samra," she said. "I like it," she said of his name. "You look like a chai, sweet and spicy." She gathered up her bags, grinning as she went. "Not that appearances are always accurate," she added, "though so far I'd say maybe."
From: [info]notvanilla_chai Date: 10/03/2007 23:43:26  

Chai couldn't help but blush at the comment. "Pleasure to meet you, Samra. I don't know about sweet and spicy, but I know I'm not vanilla." He walked beside her, heading towards the nearby café he liked to stop into for tea. It wasn't far actually, and so the walk wouldn't take very long at all.
From: [info]samra_chance Date: 10/04/2007 05:29:27  

She followed him eagerly. "I like any flavor of Chai," she said conversationally. "I've always loved tea, any flavor I can get my hands on." She kept a stash of all her favorites on hand in the pantry, and a few of the ones Hamlin really loved. Garage was never so much into tea as Sam's best friend.
From: [info]notvanilla_chai Date: 10/04/2007 10:58:19  

Chai couldn't help but chuckle at that. Evie had said similar things before in regards to flavors of chai versus Chai; the the way Samra said it left Chai smiling, while the intention Evie had given it left him in an entirely different sort of state. He licked his lips and then pulled quickly out of that train of thought.

"I suppose I could blame my family for my liking for tea. We'd have it every evening without fail. My grandmother makes a very interesting kind of tea I can hardly find unless she's prepared it. It's sweet, creamy and if you're drinking it with incredibly spicy food" --which his grandmother cooked constantly -- "it helps cut right through it."

He held the café door open for her. "This place doesn't have it, but it does have some of my other favorites."
From: [info]samra_chance Date: 10/04/2007 20:44:28  

"Your grandmother's tea sounds fascinating," she said, genuinely interested. "Though I don't eat spicy food so much that I'd need it." She laughed lightly and entered the cafe, her eyes exploring just as much as her nose (the smell within was phenomenal, full of herbs).
From: [info]notvanilla_chai Date: 10/04/2007 22:22:08  

"It is," Chai agreed, "and just as good without the food." He found them a table, and held out Samra's chair for here. Within only a few moments, a server had approached them. "Is there anything you're in the mood for? I think I myself will be having a darjeeling white."
From: [info]samra_chance Date: 10/05/2007 12:45:35  

"Would you have Jasmine Yin Hao?" she asked, impressed again by Chai's manners (though she never understood the fuss with chairs and doors when it came to men).
From: [info]notvanilla_chai Date: 10/05/2007 13:25:57  

Chai seemed impressed by her taste. "That's a very good one, and one of my favorites as well. Would you care for anything to go with it? Cake, muffins, a sandwich?" He was considering getting a lemon and green tea muffing himself.
From: [info]samra_chance Date: 10/06/2007 00:03:10  

"Oo," she said. "A muffin," she asserted. "If that's ok?" she asked, though it was clearly ok since he asked her if she wanted one.
From: [info]notvanilla_chai Date: 10/06/2007 00:25:01  

"Of course," Chai responded. "I plan on one myself." He placed the order for them both and then sat back in his chair. "Well, I've literally run into people before, but rarely have they been so pleasant."
From: [info]samra_chance Date: 10/06/2007 01:01:47  

"I can honestly say the same," she said with a big smile. "If I may be so bold to say so, I am really enjoying your company and I would not be opposed to beginning a delightful friendship." She laughed lightly. "Next time, I'll buy the muffins."
From: [info]notvanilla_chai Date: 10/06/2007 11:28:26  

"Be as bold as you like; I was thinking the exactly same," Chai responded. He wasn't sure what it was about the woman, but he liked her. She was pleasant and-- "Wait... Samra. Samra Chance is it?" The name had sounded slightly familiar and if she was Samra Chance, Chai knew why. That was one of the names Hamlin had tossed at him weeks ago, as one of the current members of Graves Hall, when he'd first garred to become a member himself.
From: [info]samra_chance Date: 10/07/2007 03:20:11  

"Yeah," she said, a little surprised. She moved very slightly backwards. "I didn't know it was a common name." She hadn't been to the hall in weeks and though she was aware there were new members she didn't know exactly who.
From: [info]notvanilla_chai Date: 10/07/2007 09:25:12  

Chai shook his head. "It's not. Hamlin mentioned you to me a few weeks ago, when he invited me into the Hall. I haven't met most of the other members yet, but I do remember their names." Their tea was brought then, and placed before them. Chai thanked the server and reached for his cup.
From: [info]samra_chance Date: 10/07/2007 09:54:21  

"Congratulations," she said cheerfully. "We haven't really done much lately. It's usually just Evie and I hanging out. I hadn't known Hamlin invited more people."
From: [info]notvanilla_chai Date: 10/08/2007 10:15:31  

Chai assumed she meant Evie Chanson. As far as he knew his Evie hadn't had much chance to visit the Hall either lately, unless it was with him. "Yes, as far as I know, he's invited myself and Evie Wilheard. I haven't had as much chance to go as I'd like, but maybe that will change soon." He hoped it would. After being crowned, he was clearly planning to look to the Hall as his refuge, his downtime, the place he could hang up his crown, so to speak. "Well see now, that's why we've hit it off so well, isn't it?"
From: [info]samra_chance Date: 10/08/2007 14:11:39  

"Maybe," she said with a little grin. "I'm not really sure how that works and Hamlin never says." She laughed lightly and took a big bite of her muffin. "My goodness, this is divine."
From: [info]notvanilla_chai Date: 10/08/2007 14:16:44  

"They are superb here, really." Chai had neglected his own food for the moment, but he went for his own muffin then. The green tea muffin was a favorite of his, and he was no disappointed in it today. He chewed and swallowed, sipping at his tea and then finally said, "Hamlin does seem to be a secretive sort of man. He pulls it off quite well."
From: [info]samra_chance Date: 10/08/2007 14:20:44  

She smiled at that. "It's been a relief on more than one occasion," Sam said lightly. "He's trustworthy to a fault." She sipped her tea, very pleased with the flavor. "I don't know what he's told you and I won't guess because he has a fair share of my secrets to keep as well. But he's a good man and if you're a member of the hall there's a reason for it. He'll have your back from here until the end of time."
From: [info]notvanilla_chai Date: 10/08/2007 14:37:10  

"That was the impression I got, but it sounds as though you know him well." Chai sipped at his tea some more. "I won't ask any of his secrets with you either. I suppose secrets are really only so while they remain just that: secret."

He folded his hands as he continued speaking. "I was flattered enough to receive an invitation before. Now the more I hear, the more that feeling deepens. I'm really glad of it."
From: [info]samra_chance Date: 10/08/2007 17:35:03  

Samra really didn't understand the inner workings of the hall. She had never really concerned herself with it. She wasn't aware why she'd been invited and every time she'd bothered Hamlin about he deferred the question. "We go back a long ways," she offered vaguely. "I'm glad he invited you as well."
From: [info]notvanilla_chai Date: 10/09/2007 14:12:33  

Chai was every bit as in the dark as Samra where it came to his own reasons for having been invited. He polished off his muffin and worked on his tea. "As am I. I would like to meet the other Evie as well. It would be wonderful if we all meshed this nicely." He finally finished his tea and folded his hands on the table as he spoke.
From: [info]samra_chance Date: 10/10/2007 22:27:22  

"She's wonderful," Sam said, though perhaps she was a bit biased since they were good friends. "I'd like to meet the other Evie," she said. "I do think it's time we're due for a hall gathering."
From: [info]notvanilla_chai Date: 10/10/2007 23:10:23  

"He's wonderful too," Chai said, a smile curving his lips again. He couldn't ever talk about Evie without smiling now, and yes, he was incredibly biased, but he did think Samra would like him. "Perhaps one or both of us should drop a few hints about having a hall gathering to Hamlin, hmm?" The idea sounded wonderful.
From: [info]samra_chance Date: 10/11/2007 03:31:32  

"I will begin to bend his ear the very next time I see him," she said cheerfully. She was hoping it would be sometime this weekend, since he'd missed his usual morning appointment today. "We could always just go ahead and meet up without him. He'll come if we're all there."
From: [info]notvanilla_chai Date: 10/11/2007 18:55:49  

"That's a thought at as well," Chai agreed. "Well if you don't get a chance to speak to him to plan one, then maybe you and I should just go ahead and start a gathering ourselves." Samra actually had him looking forward to it. There was still the masquerade to attend later. And the reception after the coronation Monday... For someone who wasn't usually such a social butterfly, Chai has quite the full platter ahead of him.
From: [info]samra_chance Date: 10/13/2007 23:10:12  

"Perhaps we should hold off a bit," she said with a big grin. "There will be so many parties to go to this weekend. We'll all be completely exhausted."
From: [info]notvanilla_chai Date: 10/14/2007 00:13:17  

"True," Chai agreed. I take that to mean you'll be attending the pre-coronation masquerade tonight at Hotel Mosaique? It sounds like it should be a wonderful party." It had been a brilliant idea, and Chai loved it. He'd found himself an outfit and mask and was looking forward to the evening.
From: [info]samra_chance Date: 10/14/2007 20:45:58  

"Oh yes," she said excitedly. "I've been working on my costume since I heard of it. I'm really looking forward to a night out of the house and around town."
From: [info]notvanilla_chai Date: 10/15/2007 12:03:07  

"I plan on attending as well. Perhaps well meet again all unknowing tonight," Chai said, a smile on his face. It was getting a bit late; his lunch hour would be over soon and he'd need to return to Parliament, but he didn't much feel like cutting his time with Samra short.
From: [info]samra_chance Date: 10/15/2007 12:54:10  

"Perhaps we will," she said happily. "I just like the idea of the masquerade. Friends and strangers all at once. It's fascinating."
From: [info]notvanilla_chai Date: 10/15/2007 13:07:23  

"It is. You can be yourself, or someone else. Talk to anyone you wish, without reservation, without having to keep things in check. You can just... be." Chai realized he was looking forward to it more than he expected. It was rare enough he got to let loose. he was certain it'd be rarer still after the coronation. He sighed then because he knew he really did have to get going. "I really enjoyed out chat, Samra. But sadly, I'm going to have to get back to work."
From: [info]samra_chance Date: 10/15/2007 15:18:26  

"Understandably," she said with a little smile. "It was a pleasure meeting you and I cannot wait until we have another opportunity to chat."
From: [info]notvanilla_chai Date: 10/15/2007 15:49:15  

"It was a pleasure meeting you too. I'll seen you soon, Samra." Chai paid the bill as he spoke, leaving a nice tip for their server. "Be well!" And he slipped out the door, and started walking back towards Parliament.
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