Time Under Chaos | TimeUnderChaos / Road to Ramblin' Queen: Mandor browse

Mandor was looking around with interest - although his strange eyes never moved that far from Petra herself.

"Oh," he said, "I am very open to ... experience."

His look settled fully on Petra, and he smiled slowly.

"Are you?" she responded and her smile turned sultry. "How very exciting for all of us invloved."

She gestured without breaking eye contact to summon up a lovely young thing with a tray and several glasses like the one she held in her hand. "Have you had Atlantian Fire Wine, Prime Minister? I am quite fond of it myself and it makes me a bit selfish, as I rarely let it out of my stores."

The glasses were wide bowled and flawlessly clear. The stems were the carefully constructed blown glass depicting two lovers in a passionate embrace. The wine was dark-almost black. At that moment there were dimmly simmmering spots of color in its depths where it waited on the tray. In Petra's hand, however, the threads of pink, purple, green, blue and gold were bolder, shimmering and swirling around one another.

"They insist we serve it in their custom made glasses," Petra informed him with a whispered aside. "If you have ever visited Atlantis, you know how their artists can be."

Mandor moved forward and lightly ran his fingers over the closest of the glasses. It sang in response - a sudden pure, clear note, and then a faint ripple of melody. Smiling, he ran his thumb over the curve of the glass - a slow, sensuous caress. Then he looked up to regard Petra steadily as he raised the glass to his lips. The rim was touching his lower lip when he suddenly lifted it higher so that she saw his eyes, the colours swirling with the strange lights of the wine through the glass. The wine should had dimmed his eyes, if not hidden them altogether, but somehow they seemed clearer and more compelling than ever, an Atlantian fire of them own burning within.

Petra's lip parted slightly, the tip of her tongue tracing the inner conture of her lip as she let herself be captured by those eyes. The fingers of her right hand twitched at her side in a reflexive move in search of a non-existent paintbrush.

"To your continued good health and fortune," he said.

Then he lowered the glass and drank.

"Vikund," he said suddenly, "I'm surprised you never told me of the excellence of the Lady Petra's wine cellars."

Petra blinked slowly and smiled again. "Perhaps, Vikund is a bit selfish himself," she offered and turned to face fully for the first time the man in question Vikund knew her better than the other two with him. Perhaps it was the makeup or the color she was wearing, or the gown itself and the way it clung to her. Her eyes were far more green than hazel, the lashes that framed them appeared thicker, longer. Her lips perhaps slightly fuller than he possibly remembered. Petra at any time was beautiful-as they all were. But Petra right then was somehow more. Some might even say stunning.

There was a pause of a heartbeat before Vikund responded, seemingly dazed by the full light of divinity upon him. "I - Yes, if such a thing were possible I'd rather keep the hidden treasures of the 'Queen for myself," he admitted with a wan smile. "There are some unique and precious things to be found, for sure. I presumed His Majesty had conveyed the excellence of these things to his First Minister." Reluctantly he dragged his gaze from the hostess and regarded Mandor.

Mandor appeared quietly amused by the exchange.

"One hesitates to monopolise the hostess on a first visit," he said, "but if, my dear lady, you were able to find the time, I would be more than happy to dine a deux, if such a thing were possible."

Petra turned her emerald gaze back to Mandor and replied in a smoky voice that gave even the passing Gino pause . "Our goal is to provide our guests with the fondest memories mere mortals are capable of creating, Prime Minister. I would be delighted to attempt to create such for you."

"Assuming your companions for the evening will entrust you to my tender mercies, that is" she added with a smile.

"I'm sure they'll be delighted to enjoy other entertainments," said Mandor.

She studied him for two heartbeats and then Petra gestured to the still dazed Gino. She turned to him when he came to her side. "Tell Antonia and Vincenzo the floor is theirs. All the usual protocols apply."

She smiled up at Ingrey and Sorcha and then gave Vikund a lingering look before devoting her full attention to Mandor.

"Sergio has planned an exquiste menu for tonight's dinner. Would you care for my usual table in the dining room, or would you prefer something more ... intimate?"

"More intimate, I believe," said Mandor.

"And I trust it is possible to make some ... special orders with regard to food?" His long fingers stroked delicate across thegolden globe at the head of his cane.

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