A Tale of Two Pools

A roleplay transcript by Lyrena Auberan and Gisele Valentein

Lyrena Auberan had returned to her house after coming back to the city from her mission in Cawdor, then made her way to the bathhouse for a much needed soak - and cleaning. Lyrena chose one of the smaller pools for privacy - whereas the larger one usually had more people and was more favorable for socialization. The Blood elf rested her forearms on the top of the pool, and her chin on them, her tired eyes occasionally closing for longer than a blink. She wasn't paying much attention to the newcomers arriving via the ferry, though at one point, Lyrena fluttered her eyes a moment, as if she had spotted a familiar face stepping out of the latest boat.

Gisele Valentein handed the ferry master a coin as they finished their conversation and waved off his hand when he offered it to provide some stability as she stepped down from the boat. She ambled up the stairs and to the bath attendant. “Just me,” she said and was led to the nearest little pool. The woman looked down to the towels and oils, and began to undress. She took her time removing her belt as the attendant assisted with the ties at the back of her corset. Once loosened, the clothing fell away. Gisele handed the girl her weapons and then worked at her boots and britches next, allowing them to pool at her feet as she peered over at the soothing waters in her private pool. If she was aware anyone else was around, it wasn’t obvious. She dipped a toe into the warm water and hummed in satisfaction. “Let me know if you need anything else, Miss,” the attendant offered and then turned to go. Gisele took another step down into the water until she was in thigh-deep. She turned then, her gaze landing on the blonde elf in the identical pool next to her. She appeared to do a double-take at a familiar face. She smiled as she attempted to make eye contact.

Lyrena Auberan had momentarily returned to soaking after the newcomer initially left her view, closing her glowing eyes and turning a bit until she rested her upper back against the edge of the pool. The Blood elf's long ears perked though when she heard a familiar voice coming from the pool beside her. She opened one eye, then the other - and watched Gisele as she rid herself of what looked like a decent quality quickblade's garb, as well as two fine-looking daggers. Lyrena's eyebrows perked. Though normally she would have gazed more longingly - and longer - at the human's exquisite, feminine form as she unveiled it, the Dame Commander didn't quite look to be in the mood today. As Gisele made eye contact, Lyrena nodded ever so slightly, but didn't smile herself. "Doesn't look like you need that cook's job anymore.", Lyrena called out, neutrally - in observation. Her eyes briefly peered again towards Gisele's equipment, wherever most of it was, or had been taken. Her tired eyes then looked back into the human's, perhaps not in outright suspicion, but certainly searchingly.

Gisele Valentein squinted her eyes as she seemed to attempt to put a name to the pretty face. “Lisa, is it?” An impish grin tugged at one corner of her lips. “No, that doesn’t seem right. I’m terrible with names,” she said, her tone apologetic; but she wasn’t. She waded over to the other side of the small pool and sat on the ledge, closing her eyes as she enjoyed the warmth of the water and leaned back. “I work for them sometimes, but I no longer work in the same capacity I did previously,” she drawled. The smile still played over her lips when she turned to look to Lyrena once more. “Oh, my apologies, you have a title, yes? Commander, is it?”

Lyrena Auberan just barely shook her head as Gisele mistook her name. "No,", the Blood elf plainly answered, without clarifying. Not with aggression, just apathetically. Certainly, her mood seemed to be a far cry from the more talkative and playful self she had been when last they spoke at the Wayward King. "I am off-duty.", was all Lyrena said in regards to her title, before splashing a bit of water over her shoulders. She peered back to Gisele, nodding absentmindedly. "What do you do now?", she inquired in regards to her dark-haired companion's job. "Something to do with that?", she added, again peering at the human's weapons and armor.

Gisele Valentein inhaled the heavenly scent of treated water and essential oils in the air. “Well, good for you. As am I at the moment. We deserve a break every once in a while, don’t we?” She said good-naturedly, her smile deepening. “I donate my time at the local soup kitchen and I run deliveries to the nearby businesses in the city.” She laughed lightly, as if she may have been embarrassed when she added, “And the undercity. Pretty dangerous down there, but everyone needs food. And some, moreso than others,” She twisted her body, folding her arms on the marble floor and lowered her chin to her arms. “Oh speaking of,” she started and sighed, but her eyes sparkled at the blood elf. “What is your name again? Linda? No! Lyrena. That’s it, isn’t it?” She chewed at her lip a moment, pausing for the dame commander to respond. “I wanted to thank you for offering to inquire about the cooking job for me. That meant a lot when I was down on my luck.” She went on, her smile returning. “You know, if you ever want me to deliver some food or sweet treats to the garrison, I would be happy to do so.”

Lyrena Auberan hummed - or grumbled - in approval when Gisele mentioned deserving breaks. "Donate?", she repeated that one word. "You work without pay?", Lyrena asked for a clarification. As Gisele explained the need for her weapons, in connection with the Undercity, the Blood elf absentmindedly nodded again. "I did not take you for a fighter.", she plainly said in observation, with a pinch of surprise in her otherwise monotone voice. As she spoke, Lyrena stood herself up, her face briefly clenching from the aches she still felt from that journey - and fight, then began to bathe near the center of her pool again. "I sent someone to the tavern for you,", she started off, pausing to splash some water on her face. "A few days ago. To tell you could begin work the next day.", she nodded. "Your bosses told us you no longer worked there." At that point, she looked back at Gisele. Met her eyes.

Gisele Valentein sat up and dipped her cupped hands into the water, gently splashing it over her shoulders and arms. She laughed throatily at the mention of working for no pay. “No, I donate my time cooking and serving food at the soup kitchen, but I work for a company that allows me to run deliveries out to businesses. The companies pay for the food and delivery, which provides enough income to buy supplies and ingredients for the fresh food we make each day. I get to keep the delivery fee and tips though.” She went quiet, watching the shapely blood elf bathe. Her smile faltered and something surfaced in her blue eyes, and then quickly disappeared. “Oh I know how to fight. My father taught me,” she casually shared. She gave a nod, her gaze locking on Lyrena’s when the blood elf turned her gaze to her. “Yes, not in that capacity,” Gisele responded when the elf mentioned her previous bosses informed the guardian she no longer worked there. “I do deliver my freshly baked bread to them when they order it though. It’s not often, but the patrons seemed to be fond of my cooking over the current cook’s.” Her gaze was bold and unyielding as she stared back at the dame commander. “Were you recently in a physical altercation? You seem a little weary.”

Lyrena Auberan did look back at her companion in the other pool from time to time as Gisele more thoroughly explained her new job better, though the human may suspect that the Blood elf was only partially paying attention. "Very well,", Lyrena merely said at the end of that job description. "I hope the pay satisfies you.", she added, trying to summon more friendliness in her voice this time around, though still wasn't particularly smiling. "Do you still have troubles going through that gate?", the Dame Commander added, remembering it as one of the things Gisele had wanted her help with. On the question of her having been with a fight, Lyrena hesitated for a few seconds. "Something like that.", she answered dismissively, then reached back for the bottle of soapy lotion she had left uncorked, and likely last applied before Gisele's arrival. She squirted just a bit on her palm, then foamed it before spreading it to her tanned form. The rogue could tell the warrior probably didn't want to get into the details of what was troubling her right now, either way. While rinsing herself, she peered back at her companion, this time, noticing her well-trained but still feminine form more amicably. "How long have you been fighting?"

Gisele Valentein gave a little half-shrug before she remarked on the pay. “It’s fine. I would like more routes though. If I can recruit a few more businesses, I may be able to show my employers that I’m a real ‘go getter’,” she said, full lips curling in a way that her dimples deepened. “I feel lucky to have this job, and they are working on getting me a pass to use the gate.” Gisele shook her head, “I don’t fight much these days,” she responded softly. “Certainly not like you. I admire what you and your guardians do, protecting the city you love and all.” Her teeth tugged at her lips again, “This city.. It’s unlike any place I have lived in before. I mean, the king goes missing? Or did he flee? Abduction? Or escape?” She let that hang in the air a moment. “Is there something I should know about? Perhaps I shouldn’t have chosen Ansa`fel to settle down in. Has the king left in this manner before or is there true danger here?”

Lyrena Auberan mostly continued to bathe herself in silence as Gisele occasionally chimed in about the finer details of her new line of work. It wasn't until the human started talking about the Guardians, the city, and the King's absence did the Blood elf momentarily slow her bathing to a halt. She didn't face the human woman for a little while, while she internally stewed again on the recent troubles, troubles she had hoped to forget for the rest of this evening. "No more questions, girl.", Lyrena suddenly interrupted near the end of Gisele's barrage of questions. "I am off-duty.", she reminded, and sighed - not at disappointment at Gisele, in particular. It seemed a more personal frustration than that. With that, though, Lyrena climbed atop the bench of her pool, ankle-deep in water, and shook the water off herself before stepping out of the pool entirely. With a towel, she quickly dried her hairless and slightly bruised body. "Enjoy your bath,", the Blood elf cordially wished towards the human, without looking at her. "Perhaps we will meet again." As the Dame Commander put on her tall boots and slipped into her dress and prepared to take her leave, she looked again towards Gisele. She considered asking her about Selma, the missing barmaid Gisele had worked with. About the report of stolen money at the very same tavern. She remembered, though, that she was off-duty, and quickly dismissed those questions from her mind. She nodded again mostly amicably at the woman in the other pool as she made her way out of the bathhouse, taking the road towards Moonflower Hollow and the Crescent Moon.

It was time for Gisele to stand. She leaned forward, giving full view of her own womanly curves to anyone around as she languidly reached for a bottle of essential oil, twisting off the cap. The woman moved away from the ledge and stood tall - her full height of five foot one - and poured a small amount of the oil into the water, immediately swirling and cupping the scented water in her hand, and splashed it over her skin again. “Gisele,” she corrected the dame commander - her voice neutral - at the mention of the word, ‘girl’. “Ah, yes, my sincerest apologies, Lyrena,” she spoke, not looking at the blood elf as she removed herself from the water. Gisele bent at the knees to dip her hands in the pool once more. “I will try, but I feel I have offended,” she said, finally peering up at the blood elf when she told her to enjoy the bath. “It was never my intent,” she said quietly and nodded in return before she turned away.