[D4 LA] The Book Lovers

[Jason Whitt]

"A gentle songbird, misplaced in time and lost in the New World, welcome to my holdings, you have my protection and once we commit the pledge you can be bound to my Freehold," he said kindly.

"I shan't not cast you out in the cold, but hold you close and give succor as I would expect any in this Freehold to do."

[Tiffani]

Tiffani blinks a few times in utter astonishment. She really wasn't expecting this kind of compassion to be honest. In fact, if he wasn't the king, Tiffani very well may have run up and hugged the king - but even she knew that might not be such a good idea. Instead, she tried to be ceremonially somber, keeping her voice steady in light of her excitement.

"You have my eternal gratitude, your majesty. If ever you need anything from me, you have but to ask." She gives him another curtsey - or at least one that is passable as curtsey. Meanwhile, she watches Chatelle to make sure there were no subtle movements or some kind of ritual that she should imitate.

[Jason Whitt]

"Minuit is a welcoming safe space for all our kind," he said kindly. "Would you two be amenable to some afternoon tea?"

[Tiffani]

Tiffani gives Chantelle a hopeful look before turning back to the king. "I would be honored, your majesty."

At this point, she is almost brought to tears given the kindness and compassion she had been shown thus far - even if she did make everyone nervous with her question earlier. She still doesn't quite know why that seemed to set everyone's hackles on edge and it didn't bode well for her long-term happiness. Again, she spared a glance at Chantelle, wondering what she was thinking, but of course, thoughts were private things and should only be shared voluntarily.

"Chantelle?" She asked the egret-woman, wondering if she planned to stay for tea as well or if she had other matters to attend to.

[Chantelle Rossette]

“I woul’ be ‘onoured,” she answered, offering Tiffani an encouraging smile that seemed to say I told you it would work out. Plus, she’d never had tea with a king, and was curious.

[Jason Whitt]

He guided them to the back storage rooms where books were piled in neat stacks or in boxes. An employee working at organizing the chaos, he glanced at the trio but said nothing as he worked. They came to a door that seemed out of place, old and made of gnarled and aged wood. Jason twisted the knob and it opened into a grand hall where rats wearing maid and butler outfits stood lined up and bowed to the King and his guests.

Jason entered and said, "Follow me."

[Tiffani]

Tiffani tried to catch the title of books as she passed through the storage room, her insatiable, cat-like curiosity getting the better of her. She had to will herself to keep moving forward and not stop - but if these books contained knowledge and literature the likes of which she heard coming into the store, she would have loved to read a few of them. Not that she had the funds to be wasting on books, however.

She paused in front of the door looking nervous - but it did not seem to be due to anything the king or Chantelle were doing. No, she didn't like strange doors. It was in those in-between places where she felt the most at risk of being set up by her Keeper again. While it was true her Keeper had evicted her like a tenant late with the rent, that didn't mean her landlord might not want its tenant back.

But what choice did she really have? To avoid walking through doors for the rest of her life. Therefore, she squared her shoulders against the unknown and followed the king and Chantelle through, her head tilting with curiosity at seeing a small army of rats in uniform bowing to the king. It was surrealistic to say the least - and she sardonically thought about changing her name to Alice. If a rabbit with a watch came barreling through the room, she would not have been at all surprised.

[Chantelle Rossette]

Chantelle cooed over the well-dressed rats, a little wide-eyes at the splendour of the King’s Hollow. She felt underdressed, not that she owned anything that would fitting for such a grand setting. “Fameux,” she breathed.

[Jason Whitt]

“Mr. Nibbles we will be having tea for three in the reading room and make sure an extra chair is prepared for my guests. Have the cook prepare sweet biscuits and make sure I have no surprise guests,” Justin commanded the lead rat.

Mr. Nibbles nodded, “Of course, your grace, and may I add your grace these visitors are much more pleasant than your previous guest.” He gestured to the other rats who scurried off to handle their tasks. He followed the trio and said to Tiffani and Chantelle, “How do you take your tea, esteemed madames?”

Justin opened double doors to the reading room with walls lined with tomes and texts. Two large plush chairs sat in the center of the chamber with a third being dragged in by a couple of servant rats.

Justin said, “Welcome to my abode, this is perhaps my most favorite room and one where I entertain most of my guests. Many of these texts were gathered by members of my motley when we were more active… others come and go as the Hollow decides.”

[Chantelle Rossette]

Chantelle suppressed a squeal of glee as the King addressed his butler. “A lil milk, no sugar, dank you Mr. Nibbles,” she answered and followed Whitt into his reading room. “Your ‘ighness, you ‘ave such a marvellous ‘ollow.”