shelley_winters | (no subject)

Shelley feels strange.

It isn't just being worried about that evening, it's... well, everything. Starting with what - after over half an hour's careful make up - she now looks like, which is not herself. Loira had told her something about it being intended for the low lighting, and maybe it will work there, but the girl still feels decidedly uncomfortable about it. Her lips are stained ridiculously dark, and it doesn't appear to be coming off, though she has already tried to discreetly lighten it. She decided right off that even going anywhere near the shading around her eyes would be a bad move.

The dress... Loira is helping her with it right now, and she could see from the moment she opened the box that it will be beautiful. Beautiful, but not something Shelley Winters would ever wear. But then, isn't this whole evening supposed to be a forfeit? It feels like a punishment, though for what she doesn't know. She blinks perfectly-blackened eyelashes carefully to make sure no tears fall. That would never do.

Then coughs in surprise, as the laces down her back are pulled tight.

"...Loira. Ow."

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Loira nodded calmly and quickly put the earrings on Shelley. It was the proper thing, and she did not want to get her hair stuck in the earrings.

"There, my lady."

"Thanks," she says again, touching them lightly with a small frown. It feels so very odd having sombody else put your earrings on you.

"H-how long until I have to go, do you know?"

It was her duty to know such things and she quickly replied.

"Forty-five minutes or so, my lady."

"Oh, God."

Carefully the girl leans forward against the table. Is it too late to make a run for it?

Loira nodded quietly before patting her mistress on the shoulder. Graendal's pets bothered her as well, at least in concept, but Loira was sure they were even worse in person.

"It will be quite all right, my lady. Just go on and enjoy yourself."

Shelley suppresses a bitter laugh. She isn't entirely sure it wouldn't have come out slightly hysterical instead. Enjoying herself is the least likely thing that could happen tonight.

She sighs instead, and looks at the floor.

Loira nodded calmly and put her arm around her mistress delicately. She was so very volatile. Medication could help that.

"You have a pretty dress and a pretty young man on your arm... It will be enjoyable."

Shelley grits her teeth and turns to give Loira a vaguely disgusted look.

"He is old enough to be my ancestor, and wherever he is in relation to me, I don't want him there."

A light laugh as Loira waved dismissively. Why would one be concerned by the age of a Channeler? It was like being resentful that a man was preposterously wealthy.

Just silly.

"You have such silly conceptions. He is a Channeler. That is the way of things."

"He's also my jailer, and I detest him."

Her hands are clenching again, and she stops with an effort. Her painted nails have left little pink half-moons in her palms.

Now, Loira would never lie to her mistress and pretend that her relation with Lord Ishamael made even the slightest shred of sense, and so she was never sure exactly what to say at such moments.

So she found it best to simply wiggle her toes at Abdiel until he swatted at her from under the bed.

"Abdiel! My toes are not your playthings."

Somewhere in her frightened, angry mind, Shelley knows why Loira will never commit herself to an opinion one way or the other. She is loyal to Ishamael, but her maid, and the conflict of interests means she can't.

But oh, does it ever set her teeth on edge never to be listened to, always ignored when she tries to explain about this.

She walks away from the woman, furiously aware that she really does try to help, but needing to get away, get out for a bit; but of course she can't and ends up walking into the bathroom instead, and pouring a glass of water with a shaking hand, staring down at the smooth stone floor and trying to get a grip on herself.

Frowning slightly at her mistress's silent outburst, Loira quickly picked up Abdiel and carried him into the bathroom.

She smiled as he craned his neck forward and licked the tip of Shelley's nose.

The girl and the kitten stare at each other for a moment, Shelley's eyes unusually cold and distant.
no no no I hate you all I hate I hate I can't stop it I want to go home stop it
Then she reaches up with a small finger to scratch slowly behind Abdiel's ear, and he closes his eyes to purr in bliss.

Loira held him out for her mistress to pet. She could not very well get cat hair on her gown. A small smile from Loira at the purring form. Abdiel always soothed her.