Wise Old Wine [Caitrin]

[Philip de Calmot]

It was a beautiful day and Philip de Calmot was soon to be earning himself a rather nice sum of money, but that was not enough to tempt a smile to form on his lips. He should not be earning money at all. A man of his status, of his birth and breeding should not be required to take a trade. And yet here he was, the sole heir of the de Calmot inheritance, on his way to the de Archer estate in the hopes of tempting Lord Rouland into buying some of his wares. He had heard that Lord Rouland would not take much tempting. It seemed he was well known for his appreciation of wine. Perhaps he was a drunkard, that would be preferable. Then again, Pip never had much difficulty getting what he wanted from people. This man would be no different, just like all men. They had their little idiosyncrasies, of course they did, but human nature could not be changed or ignored by anyone. And those that understood it, those such as Pip, could use it to their advantage.

It was not just the wine trade that he found himself in, but the trade of people. That sounds rather more sinister, but it is not as one might envision. He did not trade people in its crudest sense, of course not; he just used them, as one might use a horse to pull a cart, a dog to guard livestock. To him, other people were no more than pawns. Not only was it is his right as a man of title, but as a man of intelligence, a man who understood the simplicity of the human psyche and possessed the ambition to exploit this talent.

At last the carriage came to a halt – he may have no inheritance or not much to speak of – but he did not lower himself to drive his own carriages. He climbed out, smoothed down his clothes and pulled out two bottles of wine from inside. It would be ridiculous of him to go around with all his stock so he had selected what he thought Lord Rouland was like. It had not been the easiest of tasks, having never met the man before, but he was almost certain he would like something red and from the continent. With the two bottles in hand he made his way towards the building’s entrance.

Servants, he often thought, were idiots. This opinion was not solely based on his general dislike of those below him socially, but also because they never questioned a visitor. He simply told the girl his name and that he wanted to see Lord Rouland. That was it, that was all that was necessary for him to gain entrance. It turned out, just to add to her idiocy, she wasn’t even aware whether he was at home or not and so he was left alone in the parlour while she found out. This was why his own servants had been told, on several occasions, never to let anyone inside without his permission. Pip, if he so wished, could easily do...well, anything. But he did not, he was not in the mood, so he just waited.


Tagged: Caitrin de Archer
Timeline: Series two

[Caitrin de Archer]

As usual Caitrin’s plans for the day had been somewhat restricted by her Uncle’s ridiculously busy lifestyle. Rouland de Archer had been called away on business after they had broken fast together. She had been busy perfuming her hair with lavender when he had hastened to tell her that he would be away all day, and that she would have to remain at home in case the wine merchant he had sent for arrived. Her Uncle hadn’t been incredible specific when he had told her the merchant would be arriving. A time of day might have been nice, she had been intending to take Lily out into the fields today, it had been far too long since she had stretched her legs. There hadn’t been a feast or a dance in quite some time either, so all in all life in Camelot had been quite boring as of late. Sighing to herself, and pulling her brush through her hair for what felt like the hundredth time that morning, she finally placed a small silver circlet on her head, and spread out her red hair so it spilled onto her shoulders. Caitrin always made a point to make an effort with her appearance, no matter what the occasion was.

Sitting back in her chair she pulled out the book she had been reading. Her Uncle kept quite a heavy stock of books, and one of his favourite topics was history, so she usually had those to read, but this was a book on herbalism. It was the one Helgund had gifted to her, and she very rarely got it out anymore that she was in Camelot, but she was on her own, doing little else. She would have loved to be more talented than she actually was. Caitrin jumped slightly as there was a knock at her bedroom door. She put the book back under her bed before she shouted the servant in. The young girl quickly entered and told her that there was a man waiting downstairs who had come to see her Uncle. Caitrin could only assume this was the merchant so she made her way swiftly downstairs. If she got rid of whoever this man was then she could still make the most of her day with Lily.

Entering the solar, she was pleasantly surprised in a way. The merchant was the complete opposite to what she had expected. Her Uncle often had merchants round to sell him their wares, but this man was by far the youngest. The rest were usually drunkards. Remembering her manners, Caitrin swept into a low curtsy and as she raised herself she couldn’t help but flash a smile at him, mainly because now she felt quite bad that her Uncle wasn’t here to receive him personally. “I must apologise on behalf of my Uncle, Rouland de Archer, as he was called away on urgent business this morning.” She could still do some business on his behalf but not in the same quantities as he would be able to transact, “My name is Lady Caitrin de Archer, it is a pleasure to meet you.”

[Philip de Calmot]

Philip was not alone for much longer, a few moments later he was joined by someone who definitely was not Lord Rouland. He was not complaining though, she looked like she was much more fun. He inclined his head as she curtseyed and introduced herself. She was the niece, was she? How interesting. Presumably she was able to continue his business with Rouland, otherwise what was the point in her being here? After a moment, he returned the favour and introduced himself. “Lord Philip de Calmot.” He was going to ask whether she was fit for the business, but stopped himself. He found himself no longer in the mood for discussing such matters. This girl in front of him was far more interesting than a few bottles of wine.

“The feeling, I can assure you, is mutual.” He returned, a small smile forming at the corner of his mouth. He stepped forward, but not too close, he didn’t want the girl suspecting his intentions so early. “So your uncle, Lord Rouland, he will not be back for some time?” His words with a tone of innocence – he just wanted to know when the man would be back so he could get down to business with him, surely? But Pip had already moved on from wine. His mind was turning and he wanted to know how much time he had before Rouland returned, how much time they were going to have alone.

[Caitrin de Archer]

Caitrin let out another small smile as the man introduced himself. It was not every day that a Lord was also a merchant, but there were different kinds of Lordships, and Caitrin was never one to judge, or point these things out. Some men made their money from trade, others from their estates. She didn’t bring the matter into conversation though, as her knowledge on the topic was quite limited, and business was such a boring topic of conversation anyway. She wondered if Philip would prefer to come back another day, when her Uncle was actually in. Caitrin could speak on his behalf, but only in a limited sense. Not that she minded that much of course, she didn’t really want the responsibility of choosing her Uncle’s wine for him.

She wasn’t quite sure what to make of this man yet, he was quite handsome, there was no denying that. But for once in her life Caitrin felt like seeing how the situation was going to turn out rather than jumping in with both feet. Philip seemed quite agreeable anyway from first impressions, so she hoped that she was right in that respect. Philip’s question was one she had been expecting and she shook her head, “He will not return until this evening at the earliest, I am sorry for the inconvenience my Lord.” Sometimes her Uncle’s business could keep him away for days, Caitrin never asked why, because he would make a point of telling her every little detail, and she wasn’t really that interested in it. All she knew was that it was all matters to do with the estate. “If you wish I could pass on whatever matters of business you wish to speak to him about?” She asked him brightly, she knew he was here to transact wine, but her Uncle was always interested in knowing where the wine came from, and what sort of wine it actually was. “But if you would rather come back when he is in I will understand my Lord.” She wasn’t the best option if the man wanted to trade with her Uncle, she was in fact a poor substitute in that respect. All she could do was act as a go between Philip and her Uncle.

[Philip de Calmot]

She was certainly a pretty girl, he thought, looking her up and down. Whether she knew it or not he couldn’t tell. There was a shyness about her, but that didn’t mean anything. Anyone could put on a facade, he of all people knew that. He supposed Rouland would not have left her alone, especially not when he knew Pip was coming, if she was such a delicate flower. That certainly did mean less effort on his part.

“It is no inconvenience at all.” He replied, smiling warmly at her. If anything, it was opportune. He still hadn’t made his mind up yet about how he was going to amuse himself, but at least now he wasn’t going to have to throw himself into anything. No, without Rouland’s presence he could take his time, see what this girl had to offer.

It was not a surprise that she was expecting him to leave. As far as she was concerned, he was only here to discuss wine with her uncle and now that was no longer happening what reason could he have for staying? Pip, however, had other ideas and certainly no intention of leaving so soon. There would hardly be any fun in that, now would there? The only problem was that he still couldn’t decide what kind of a woman and Caitrin was, and was therefore unsure just how to proceed. “I have no other business today, my lady,” he began, choosing his words carefully, “And I must confess once I leave I will have nothing else to do with myself. I wonder if you would mind humouring me for a while, if you would be so kind.”

[Caitrin de Archer]

Though she was quite puzzled by the fact Philip insisted that it was no inconvenience that her Uncle wasn’t here, she felt like she shouldn’t have been at all. After all, what man would admit to a lady that she had inconvenienced him? He was quite a charming man then? Well, she had quite a great deal of experience of charming men didn’t she? So she took a step towards the man and flashed him a smile, not really sure where she was going with this just yet, “Well, as long as you are sure it is no great inconvenience to you my Lord.” It was said out of courtesy than anything else, and she was quite glad that he hadn’t asked her to speak on her Uncle’s behalf. Though she was quite good at drinking the wine that he bought, she had no idea what the wine actually was in terms of region or vintage or whatever it was that made a certain type of wine special.

Caitrin was again quite surprised that Philip wanted to stay here rather than seek out new business. She had no idea how one would spend their day as a merchant, but she didn’t really mind that much that he wished to spend a little time here with her. She didn’t have much else to occupy herself with anyway. Besides, she could always have a little bit of fun with the man, it was what she was best at after all. “Of course my Lord, it would be no problem.” She gestured to one of the seats in the solar, now that he wanted to stay she was sure he would be grateful of a seat and perhaps a drink, “Would you like anything to drink?” They had most things in, so she could always send a servant away to get Pip his drink if he did want one. Sitting down, Caitrin looked back to Philip with a small grin, she was sure he would prove no different to her than most of the men she had welcomed into her affections. All men were the same, she had enough experience to assume that much, “Now, how would you like me to humour you? Did you have anything in particular in mind, my Lord?” She flashed him a quick grin, setting her eyes back to him, still trying to grasp what kind of man he was.

Post #1000 ^_^[/color]

[Philip de Calmot]

Of course he was sure, Pip was sure about everything once he had decided on it. He would not have said it otherwise. Pip was a great believer in the power of words. They were powerful things, weapons he had learnt to use to his full advantage. He was quite sure he could have anyone to anything he wanted just by using words. So, when he said something such as Rouland’s absence being inconvenient, it was because he had chosen his words very carefully and was sure that they would have the desired outcome. “Very few things are an inconvenience, my lady,” he smiled and inclined his head slightly, “I have learnt how to make the best of any disappointment.” It was something he had learnt to do as a child, when it was made perfectly clear his inheritance from his father was worth practically nothing. He had been given a world that was a disappointment, but learnt to mould it into whatever he chose.

It seemed he had chosen the right way to go, Caitrin seemed surprised that he wanted to stay, but he supposed her manners were preventing her from turning away. He had been somewhat relying on that fact, but he was also keen for her to want him to stay. Following her invitation, he sat down and put the bottles on the floor by his feet. His hands rested on his lap. It seemed too easy, now that she was asking him if he wanted a drink. If the conversation continued in this way, he would hardly have to do anything himself. “Well I do have two rather fine vintages.” He bent down and picked up the first one, in his opinion the better, “Surely you are curious to see what your uncle is purchasing?” The bottle in his hand was only a tester and one that was meant for Rouland, but if he was going to have to come back another day to speak to the man then he saw no harm in opening this bottle now and bringing another one on his next visit.

He was quite certain, by the evidence of Caitrin’s grin, that she was not the embodiment of innocence. Many other women would feel uncomfortable in this current situation, but Caitrin seemed at ease. Perhaps she was used to entertaining men. It was with this thought that he decided the best way to win her over was to be a little more charming, a little more daring with his speech. A smirk passed across his lips, “I’m afraid I cannot answer that truthfully, not in front of a lady. So I shall lie and say I am quite content to simply ask after your health and comment on the weather.”

[Caitrin de Archer]

In a way Caitrin was surprised he was being quite honest with her, or at least she assumed this was his honesty. She had no reason to doubt anything that Philip said, so she flashed a quick smile at him before making her answer. “Then I assume you will be making the best of this situation.” She asked him, a little more sure of herself now. Each man required their own brand of charm, and Caitrin was no stranger to this. Sometimes she held off a little to get a grasp of what she was dealing with. Philip seemed quite typically charming, like most men she had charmed in the past. To her it was always like some big game and it would never be any different.

They had more than enough wine to offer Philip, but he had already got one of the bottles that he had brought for her Uncle to sample. She grinned at him, and for a moment she wondered if she should take the wine or not. Well, he was offering so it would be rude to refuse wouldn’t it? She could always give her opinion to her Uncle later couldn’t she? Standing up, she fetched two goblets and returned to where she had been sitting opposite Philip, “You aren’t charging me for this are you?” She asked him, giving him a quick wink in the process, but he was a businessman she supposed, so he could do as he wanted with his own wares.

Well, a man who was as forward as Philip was currently being was quite different. Usually men waited quite a while into the conversation before hinting anything near what he was. It didn’t mean anything had to come of it, no, it just made the conversation more enjoyable, rather than them dancing around a topic that most would be shocked and horrified at discussing. Caitrin was incredibly liberal with thoughts regarding those kinds of conversations. Her grin only widened and she inclined her head towards Philip, only ever so slightly. She knew exactly what she was doing, she was experienced enough in her charms to stay in control. Hardly any man had the initiative and knowledge to take charge themselves, they were easily led, and Philip would probably be no different. “And what would you have to say if I were not a Lady?” She asked him, her smirk returning to her lips, “Unless you think I should just play my part, and believe that you are quite content to speak of the weather.”

[Philip de Calmot]

Pip was already making the best of this situation, he would have thought that much was clear. This was especially so now that Caitrin seemed to be relaxing more and he became more certain that he knew how to behave in this particular situation. Usually he knew straight away how best to act in order to...get the most out of people. Caitrin clearly liked charm so he could work this to his full advantage. “I am certain anything else would be impossible.” He would have explained the reason for such a statement was because he was in her company, but he was fairly certain that was already implied, besides, he could very quickly become overbearing in this situation. This was a time to stand back for a moment and allow Caitrin to come to him, like taming a wild animal.

He watched as she stood up to get some goblet, head turning so he could get a better view. She wasn’t an unattractive girl, and he supposed she had a rather shapely figure. No doubt there was some poor soul pining over her somewhere, but he had a feeling such a soul was used to being rejected. Leaving such thoughts behind, he opened the bottle. It would have to breathe for a few moments first so he set it back on the floor. “Consider it a payment for your hospitality, and your company.” He returned her wink with a grin. Yes, Caitrin was becoming easier and easier, and so he was becoming increasingly confident.

She was certainly no prim and proper young lady, no, he daresay she liked to think of herself as rebellious, different from all the other girls in the world. Pip would have found it quite sweet, at present he just saw it as opportune. Women like Caitrin were the easiest, they thought themselves so much cleverer and worldly than their more timid counterparts, when in reality they were by far the most vulnerable. Pip had barely been here five minutes and she was already well on her way to trusting him. It was too easy, and easiness that could have taken the enjoyment away, but Pip was not so desperate for a challenge. “I have no doubt you can imagine, and if you cannot, well, you will not understand my explanation.” He picked up the bottle, it had been left long enough so he poured it into the goblets that were still in Caitrin’s hand. “As for talk of the weather, I am sure a woman such as you could make a subject as seemingly dull as that the height of interest.”

[Caitrin de Archer]

Nothing that Philip was saying, or doing was disagreeable in Caitrin’s eyes. He was something different, and that excited her in a way, because court life had been dull of late, and anyway this was more interesting than sitting in her room all day. She was suddenly incredibly grateful that her Uncle had left her alone today, she probably wouldn’t have met Philip if he had been here. His words left a smile on her lips which she had no interest of getting rid of. Instead she just nodded at him, and let her eyes just drink him in for a few moments. She was allowed to look after all.

She was quite pleased that Philip responded in such an agreeable way. It was always irritating when she didn’t get the reaction she wanted out of a man. Sometimes it was because they were too simple to catch onto her meanings, other times it was because they were trying to appear chivalrous. Philip, it seemed, was hindered by neither of these traits, and Caitrin wasn’t complaining in the slightest. “Then I hope my hospitality and company lives up to the quality of the wine, my Lord.” In essence it sounded like an innocent statement, but she was still grinning.

Philip was incredibly sure of himself wasn’t he? Caitrin found that in itself quite intriguing, and without really realising she was doing it, she was almost hanging off his every word. Blinking, she sat back in her chair and let a small smirk form on her lips. She knew exactly what Philip had meant with his words, was he trying to get her to speak their meaning instead of him? In a way Caitrin was finding it difficult to work him out, he was very agreeable, and confident, and yet there was something which made him quite different about him which she couldn’t quite put her finger on. She was probably over thinking it, so she set her thoughts aside and decided to just enjoy Philip’s company. She leant forwards ever so slightly towards Philip, her smirk still firmly on her lips, “I’m sure I would have no problem understanding your explanation. Try me.” Caitrin doubted very much so that Philip thought she was an average noblewoman, saving herself for marriage and all of that. No, she prided herself on being different in that respect, and it wasn’t going to change anytime soon. Caitrin handed him the other goblet and raised it with him before taking a sip. It really was divine, she had clearly been stealing the wrong bottles of wine from her Uncle’s stores. “This tastes divine.” She said softly before taking another sip as he spoke again. Her grin was tugging at the corners of her mouth, and she pressed her lips together, thinking on how to answer him. “I’m sure I could, but would you really want to hear me speak about the weather? No matter how fascinating I could make the conversation.”

[Philip de Calmot]

i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l516/Rosalind_Amy/Layouts/pipcaitlayout1.jpg

[/img][/center]

Sometimes it really was this easy. Pip had found his way in, and it was such a simple one at that. Whether he would actually do anything he hadn’t decided, but he liked to know how people worked, how he could manipulate them, regardless of whether he had any plans to do so. Who knows, one day Caitrin de Archer might become vital. This exchange may enable him to use her at a later date, when he actually needed to, instead of just for fun. “I am certain it will.” He replied, matching her grin. All it had taken was a few well placed compliments here and there and some wine. Either Caitrin really was that simple, or he had been severely underestimating himself. It was probably the former, Pip never underestimated himself. He knew exactly what he was capable of.

Philip wondered whether this sort of talk often had the desired effect on other men. He supposed it must do, otherwise Caitrin would not be so confident. Did men really succumb to such lines? Then again, he had managed to get her with a few simple lines of his own, so maybe they did. How strange people were. Philip was certain he would never be quite so affected by such things. Words were his way, he used them against people, not the other way around. “I shall have to let you down,” he replied, “Words could not possibly do justice my thoughts.” That wasn’t true. There was nothing words could not do justice to, especially when they were as carefully as chosen as his were, but it was all part of the game. He had to keep his tricks up his sleeve, not in full view.

Rather irritatingly, he was quite pleased she approved of the wine. He’d expected so much – Rouland had asked for the best. And yet, another part of him was annoyed for a different reason. As much as he was enjoying this conversation and seeing how far he could take Caitrin, he should not be sat here, he should not have arranged a meeting with Rouland in the first place. He didn’t want to be complimented on his wine because he didn’t want it in the first place. His fingers twitched slightly. He simply inclined his head in reply, he didn’t want to talk about his wine.

Everything Caitrin said was just helping him, he briefly wondered whether she was doing this on purpose. It was obvious she was trying to make some sort of impression on him, but he couldn’t quite tell whether she was, like him, playing a game, or just reacting. If she was playing, he would gladly rise to the challenge, but if she was only reacting that was welcomed to. Mainly, he just wanted to see how much of what she was saying was directly caused by him, wanted to see how clever she was. “I would hear you speak about anything.” He gave a small laugh and looked down at the floor, “Was that a horrendous cliché? Or only a slight one?”

[Caitrin de Archer]

The fact that Philip was grinning too made Caitrin quite sure that he was enjoying this little encounter just as much as she was, and for that she was quite pleased. There was no point in trying to charm a man if he didn’t return the favour, and Philip was playing that role very nicely at the moment. She flashed a grin back at him and took a step closer, just because she could mainly. She just wanted to see what reactions Philip would give her, because then she could work with that.

Caitrin was a little disappointed that Philip didn’t rise to her words, and instead deemed that he couldn’t do his thoughts justice. Well, where could she go from there? “Would actions suffice instead?” Now this would be a challenge, whether he would be so bold as to rise to this, or whether he would just hide behind his words again. She was well used to playing this game, but she felt like Philip’s rules were different to the ones she was used to. Now it was time to change tact somewhat, that was what she was used to anyway wasn’t it? Caitrin de Archer always got her way with men in the end, or if not, then she was the one to stop it, they never were. If her thoughts were defensive, then her body language didn’t show it, and instead she just sat back in her seat and looked across at Pip with a wide grin, “After all, I have often been told that actions speak louder than words.” Should she be being so forwards with him? Nothing had ever stopped her being this way with men before, so why should this be any different? She wanted a reaction from Philip, and everything he was already giving her almost made her want more, and she couldn’t really explain that sensation away, so it was easier just to ignore it.

The wine really was some of the best she had had in a long time, but she decided to drink it slowly, so as not to let it go to her head. After all, she wanted to enjoy herself and she wouldn’t be able to do that if she was worried about getting tipsy. She would have to tell her Uncle that he would probably like some of the wares this man had to offer, if this was just one of the things he stocked. She didn’t want to get into business, and in that respect she was glad that he didn’t say anything about the wine. She didn’t really want to speak of trade and wine all afternoon anyway. There were much more interesting conversations to be had after all. So instead she just set the goblet down beside her, and pressed her lips into a grin at Philip.

Caitrin couldn’t help but join him as he gave a slight laugh. It had been a bad cliché but she was well bred enough not to sit here and insult the fact. After all, she was still getting to know Philip, and she had no wish to alienate him or to put off his attentions anytime soon. Caitrin was enjoying herself too much for that. “A slight one.” She said, but her laugh gave her away slightly and she brushed a hand through her hair before looking back up at Philip, “Well, if you wish me to speak, what topic can I indulge you in, my Lord?”

[Philip de Calmot]

i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l516/Rosalind_Amy/Layouts/pipcaitlayout1.jpg

[/img][/center]

It seemed Pip had underestimated just how...enthusiastic Caitrin was. He had been expecting some repartee, the beginnings of some flirtation, but he hadn’t expected her to be quite so forward so quickly. He supposed she liked to think herself shocking. A less experienced man may well have been surprised, and perhaps made uncomfortable by such obvious advances. Curiosity piqued and he found himself wondering how many times Caitrin had found herself entertaining a man. Her eagerness suggested this was a relatively new experience – one that she was determined to throw herself into. Her confidence, however, and ease of speech gave the impression that she was far from naïve in these matters. She was a rather interested specimen. Of course there was the rather small possibility that he was misreading her. The flirtations could all be put upon, nothing more than a jest. Pip was not entirely convinced though – his first opinions were usually the correct ones. His ego was telling him his first interpretation was correct, but his brain was questioning whether or not he was willing to risk it. He didn’t want to ruin the fun too early, well, ruin her fun.

As tempting as this was – she was not a bad looking girl – and he was sure indulging her would only improve his position, he was also quite sure that it was too soon in their acquaintance for such things. Should he play the game her way now, she might be satisfied and see him as no longer with any use. No, with women like her, a slower game was more appropriate. “As have I, my lady, as I have also been told that patience is a virtue.”

Caitrin had joined in with his laughter, so she must feel comfortable in his presence. Her guard was down; he was finding a way in. He continued the charade of embarrassment, of trying to impress her with his hapless attempt at flirting. It was an easy part to play, but then weren’t they all? It was certainly a good thing that he did not relish a challenge. If anything, the opposite was true more often than not. He liked seeing how quickly he could get people to trust him. He’d barely been here ten minutes and already such progress had been made. Hadn’t anyone warned the girl about the dangers of speaking so intimately with strangers? It always took him a little by surprise when he found himself in the company of such well-bred ladies. He would have thought their father’s would have warned them against men like Pip, but then maybe that was why they were so easy. He was there act of rebellion; it was quite flattering really.

But, as flattering as it was, he was soon becoming bored with their current situation. It felt too...stiff, too claustrophobic. He had an idea, one that would hopefully...progress things a little. “I have a better proposal, or rather, an addition.” He set his goblet down next to the bottle, “I find it a little stuffy in here, could I tempt you to a walk?”

[Caitrin de Archer]

It was usually through being a bit daring and a little bit liberal that Caitrin was able to get a full grasp of a man’s personality. However, Philip was still quite reserved, and he wasn’t giving that much away. Far from being irritated by this current situation, she just found herself becoming more, and more intrigued by him. Inclining her head forwards slightly, her lips slid into an easy smirk. This was one occasion she could not claim was just too easy, or that she knew exactly how to handle it. However, she wasn’t completely against the sensation, a challenge was always welcomed every now and again. She was sure that Philip would turn out to be the same as all the rest once he had had all the fun he could with his words. She wanted to know more about Philip, not just so she could know how to charm him, but because she was quite interested as well. He was quite unlike any man she had come across before, and she was sure he would prove to be quite an interesting person overall. She took another sip of the wine, her eyes never leaving his.

Again, it wasn’t disappointment that she felt at the fact that he wasn’t rushing into any situation with her, it was intrigue. He was not implying rejection, no, he was suggesting patience instead and with that came the promise of things to come. Usually it was the woman telling the man to be patient with such matters, not the other way around, and she found herself quite drawn in by the promise of things to come, and hoped it was not just empty words. Caitrin could of course have been seeing too much into it, but she hoped not. She would like to think that Philip had something up his sleeve to impress her with before their little meeting was drawn to an end. “Patience is not one of my talents.” She mused with a soft smile, “So I hope you will not keep me waiting for long my Lord.” Another wink accompanied her words, she didn’t want to overuse the expression, but she felt it was necessary in the circumstances.

It was quite sweet to see Philip quite embarrassed after his earlier words, and she put a hand to her mouth tenderly to stifle her laughter. She wasn’t laughing that much of course, she just wanted to make the effort for him. Caitrin was really trying to make some sort of effort so that she could get a reaction from Philip, so his suggestion of a walk was one that she completely agreed with. The solar was, as he said, incredibly stuffy, and they could be a lot more free out in the open air. “I would be honoured to my Lord.” She set down her goblet, but not too quickly so she didn’t appear overtly keen. That wouldn’t do at all would it? She stood up and smiled gently at Philip, “We could take a walk round my Uncle’s gardens, they are after all quite beautiful this time of year, if that would please you my Lord?” The door to the gardens was in the solar, which was incredibly convenient and she gestured to it, waiting for Philip to make his move.

[Philip de Calmot]

Pip noticed her smirk. She must think it made her seem all the more attractive. It was something Pip could live without. People should only be allowed to smirk when they were being clever, Caitrin wasn't being clever. She was behaving just as he would expect. If anything, her smirk was irritating. She was far too confident, far too sure of herself, of her ability to charm him. How naive, it was almost sweet. Of course showing this irritation would never do, so he just matched her smirk, although his was more subtle.

Patience may not be one of her talents - what, exactly, were her talents? - but it was something she was going to have to accept. He knew very well the advantages of patience, after all, some people took a lot more persuading than others. She had, however, managed to unknowingly redeem herself. This lack of patience, this continued eagerness was just showing Pip that he should carry on the way he was. A chance of tacticts was not needed, no, he was beginning to think a slower pace might indeed be the best option. Caitrin would not like it, but if he could get her to stay interested, stay hanging on his every word, well, that would be worth the extra effort. "Perhaps it is something you should practice, I find most things can always be improved for having to wait."

She'd put her hand against her mouth, hiding her laughter. His eyes flickered for a few moments, focussing on those pale fingers of hers. After a couple of seconds he caught himself, gave a little awkward cough and tore his gaze away from her hand. That had been...unusual. Anyway. The moment had passed now. "An excellent suggestion." he replied with an easy smile and stood up - there was no point sitting around waiting for her to be the first to move. He was still smiling at her, and now offered her his arm. If they were going for a walk they were going to do it properly.

[Caitrin de Archer]

Caitrin was quite struck by how bold Philip was acting in front of her. This wasn’t a man who was testing the waters, no, this was a man who was quite sure of himself, and was making a point of ensuring that fact was well known in front of her. Although she wouldn’t have thought it, it was an incredibly attractive and intriguing quality for him to possess, and she found herself quite taken by him in that respect. Now though she was an experienced woman, and she had the reputation to prove it, she hadn’t ever really been in this sort of situation before. Philip’s personality was not one she had encountered before, so she had no idea where to go from here, so she wondered if she should play this by his rules, and learn to play the game as she went along. She didn’t want to risk saying or doing the wrong thing, because she was enjoying this too much to let him slip through her fingers. “That would depend if it was worth waiting for what was on offer, my Lord.” There was no point in being patient if she was just going to be disappointed in the end, and though they were speaking quite generally, Caitrin was sure that their words were implying something for the near future, or perhaps that was just hope on her side.

She grinned with ease at Philip as she stood up, straightening out her dress before accepting his arm tenderly. Again, she did everything quite gently, and slowly, taking care with every action, so that she didn’t look too eager or disinterested. This was the closest that they had been so far, and she took a moment to breath him in, not really giving much away behind her smile. Philip was a little taller than she was, so she had to incline her head upwards slightly to look at him full on, but he did so anyway, locking her eyes with his for a moment. Caitrin was still trying to work Philip out, and she was sure she would have fun doing so. Perhaps he enjoyed making women guess, but she hoped that he would not disappoint her in the end. She would like to think she would get something out of this encounter rather than just confusion.

As they made their way outside, Caitrin was glad to see that the sun was still shining down upon them. The weather was always beautiful in Camelot, well, it didn’t take that much to beat the weather in her native Mercia. She grinned up at Philip as they started a slow and gentle walk. Her Uncle did keep a beautiful garden, “What do you think of the gardens my Lord?” She asked, taking a quick sweep of the garden with her eyes, “Did I not say they were beautiful this time of year?” Her grin had widened slightly as she tried to be a little bolder, to see what he liked, and to see what reaction she could get. Philip wasn’t giving her very much to work with, but for some reason, that was why she was as intrigued by him as she was.

[Philip de Calmot]

If Pip was still considering whether Catrin's actions were those of someone inexperienced, but desperate to learn, her next words would have surely proven such thoughts incorrect. There was nothing, he was certain now, inexperienced about her. Well, that was not entirely true. She had clearly not come across many men like him, otherwise she would not be quite so naive. Then again, he thought, allowing himself a moment or two of arrogance, how many men like him were there? He repressed a smirk, instead focussing his attention back on the task at hand.

He took a sip from his drink and looked down at the floor for a moment, considering his reply. Caitrin was a woman of action, Pip was a man of words and so they had to be chosen carefully. "Well, I would not be the best judge of that." He replied, his gaze falling on her again. There was no questioning what they were both talking about, so he took it a step further, curious to see how Catrin would react. "I am sure it will...interest you to know, I have never had any complaints." There, he had said it, he had put his cards on the table (as far as Caitrin was concerned anyway, for his part, he was still quite undecided).

Pip had half expected her to refuse his arm - she being independent. But she had, and so they made their way outside. The gardens really were quite pleasant, even someone such as Pip could appreciate that. "I think you were right, they are beautiful." He matched her grin, "And I find myself feeling much more at ease." Now that they were outside they were now given a little more privacy. Pip was always more cautious indoors - one never knew when there was someone else about - but the gardens provided him with a perfect view, and the pair of them with privacy.

[Caitrin de Archer]

There, now that had been what Caitrin had been after all along. As she had now come to expect from Philip, he did not give her everything that she was trying to pull out of him, but it was a good start. Caitrin pressed her lips into a grin and inclined her head towards him. Everything he said seemed so confident and calm, that she wished he would expand on everything. Perhaps this was his game then, causing her to wait, and learn some patience. She supposed it had its advantages, if she continued to enjoy Philip’s company as she already was doing. “Neither have I, my Lord.” She said with a soft smirk; her eyes never leaving his. She wondered whether to just leave it there, or whether she should continue her thoughts. She was now sure that Philip would not disappoint her. In the end she decided to leave it there, because he would either see it as an invitation or not, Caitrin had no interest in appearing desperate in front of anyone, no matter how tempted she herself was.

Unsurprisingly Caitrin did spend a lot of time in the gardens. They were quite fun to walk around with a book, or when she was feeling bored. There wasn’t often that much to do in Camelot. After all, she had no suitors at the moment, and there wasn’t anything exciting happening in the city. So she was just here day after day, waiting for something to happen. “Were you not at ease in the house my Lord?” She asked gently, her fingers lightly brushing against the flesh at his hand as she flexed them. The gardens were quite built up with conifers and hedges, as her Uncle liked them, but that meant that as you walked further and further towards the end of the garden, you became shielded from the view of the house, and gave complete privacy to whoever was walking there. That was not the first thought in Caitrin’s mind, but it was one of them. Any other woman would probably have been incredibly hesitant at letting themselves be being led into complete privacy with someone who was practically a stranger. When they had been in the solar there had been servants in the next room that could be called upon, out here they were completely alone. Caitrin grinned up at Philip, wondering if he had noticed how private the gardens actually were, it probably hadn’t even crossed his mind yet. “You can barely see the house from here.” She pointed out after they had been walking for quite some time towards the back of the gardens. Caitrin then lent over slightly to take in the aroma of a pretty lavender bush to her right, and as she did her eyes flicked in the direction of the house. She was right, they couldn’t be seen here. Her fingers ran against Philip gently, and she grinned up at him, wondering just how much more patient he expected her to be.

[Philip de Calmot]

If Pip was of a more delicate nature, he would be feeling rather unnerved. Caitrin was a straightfoward women - she clearly knew what she wanted, and unless Pip was mistaken - how unlikely! - what she wanted was him. Again, if he was of a more delicate nature, he would show more modesty, and not presume that just because Caitrin was being so open in her flirtations she was being serious. Modesty, however, was not one of Pip's finer qualities. "Now that is something I can readily believe." Pip replied, he had a feeling that modesty was not one of her finer qualities either.

Pip felt her fingers brush against his hand. It was only a brief moment of contact, but it was enough for him. Those pale, slender fingers he'd noticed only a few moments before. His own twitched slightly and for a second or two he found himself craving such attention again. Such thoughts were quickly discarded, pushed the rather more repressed corners of his psyche. This sort of thinking would never do, but that was alight. Pip would simply ignore it. He had a habit of doing that sort of thing, of compartmentalising. So, when his thoughts returned to the task at hand, he was quite able to ignore such previous cravings. He was also able to ignore the confusion, the surprise at such a thought, the randomness at the thing and the lack of control over his own self. It was not something Pip would be overly fond of experiencing again.

Such thoughts had been so surprising and caught him off guard so much, he'd almost forgotten that she was expecting a reply - but only almost. There were few things he missed, no matter how many thoughts were fighting for attention in his mind. "I was not ill at ease," he replied, and looked as if he was trying to think of a better way to express himself. "I just find our new setting more relaxing, more...intimate." The faintest of smirks was upon his lips, but he was sure Caitrin would notice it.

[Caitrin de Archer]

There wasn’t any part of Caitrin’s personality which could be described as subtle or delicate. Now she knew that Philip was not a man who would not be offended by such forwards flirtation it meant she could up her game a little. Caitrin was sure that he was just encouraging her by not stopping her flirtations, so he must want this as well. He was just fanning the flames, and Caitrin was now determined to keep that flame burning. She was enjoying herself too much to let Philip slip between her fingers. “I’m sure that you won’t be disappointed.” She replied with a grin, not really backing down either in terms of her ego or with how bold she was being. There was no point in breaking off now, and trying to pretend that she had an ounce of innocence or delicacy in her nature, because the years had taken all of that away from her. She enjoyed who she was now, and she had no intention of changing that anytime soon.

Already Caitrin felt like she was getting to know Philip quite well. She didn’t usually take this much time to get to know men when there was only one intention within the conversation. However, every other man would have probably already given her more, physically and verbally. Caitrin felt that Philip was holding off somewhat, and forcing her to be patient, to see what he had to offer. She wasn’t quite sure how she felt about it yet, beyond her initial intrigue. She did however find herself somewhat focussed on the man beside her, just waiting to see what he was going to do or say next. It was a new sensation, and she just had to decide whether she liked it or not.

It was true that their new setting was a lot more intimate than the solar, it was more picturesque as well. Caitrin caught the smirk that had found its way onto Philip’s lips, and she couldn’t help forming her own. She wondered how bold, and how daring he would be, out here in such an intimate setting. Caitrin was prepared to be bold, but only if Philip was going to match her advances. These things were never fun when they were completely one sided. Her fingers brushed lightly against Philip’s again, and she looked at their hands before raising her eyes to his again; her smirk still firmly on her lips. “Then perhaps we should do the change of scene some justice.” She suggested, her words were slow and the suggestion was laced in every syllable. There was no real possibility that Philip couldn’t know what she was hinting towards. Caitrin wasn’t after anything sudden, but she wanted him to do something that would show her that they were on the same page. She didn’t really want to do everything herself after all.