The Most Mundane, Grey Day Of The Year

[Kender Bard]

Locket smoothed the skirt of her maid outfit carefully. She was doing her best to contain her amusement and glee at the role she would be adopting. That was counterproductive.

Gotta remember life before the temple, she reminded herself sternly. She was always a bit of a wild child, just a bit, but she was a lot more calm and reserved back then. She took a few deep breaths and checked that she had her featherduster. It wasn't necessary, and she'd probably discard it, but it was a prop she refused to start the day without.

With a pleasant smile, but tight and reserved, she approached Crawford's room and knocked lightly.

[Darastrix]

There was a soft sound of movement from within, then Crawford opened the door, raising his brows when he saw who it was. "What do you want?" he asked bluntly, unable to account for why in the hell Locket would be knocking at his door in a maid's outfit.

[Kender Bard]

Locket bowed to Crawford, long hair fighting to free itself of the bun she'd put it in. A little less than half slipped free, making a mess of her outfit already.

"Today is Grey Day," she informed Crawford. "And I have dedicated myself to spending it in service of the palace. Particularly - you. I am at your command, Master Crawford."

[Darastrix]

"And what, exactly, is Grey Day?" he asked. Crawford had had very little exposure to the Soahcian faith over the course of his life, and knew hardly anything of their holidays. Though if this one would make Locket do what she was told, he might petition the temple to make it a month long.

[Kender Bard]

Locket cleared her throat and tried to affect a cultured voice as she replied, "Grey Day is the day of moderation in moderation amongst the Soachians. It is a day we spend in quiet reservation, contemplation, and helpfulness. This is to remind us that not everyone is fortunate enough to have the wild abandon that we do, that sometimes we have to set aside our pleasures in the course of our duties, and that sometimes being calm can be a good thing. It's also a day to give those who would normally be stuck doing drudgery a chance to revel. That means all temple servants in service of the Soachian branch are now enjoying a wild party similar to Sinfest."

She blew some of her bangs out of her eyes. "And we priests take their place. Or just sleep all day if you're uncaring like that. That being said, I think I, the high priest, and one other temple-mate are actually bothering to do stuff today." She cleared her throat. "And like I said, today I am at your disposal. Anything you say, I shall obey, Master."

[Darastrix]

Crawford stared for a moment, then stepped back into his room, leaving the door open for Locket. His room was very nearly immaculate, completely unlike Schuldig's, and had little in the way of decorative knick-knacks, though there were a few items here and there. He gestured at a large bookshelf, filled with books.

"You can take the books off, dust the shelves and the edges of the books if they need it, and put them back, alphabetically, by title."

[Kender Bard]

That's not so bad, she thought. In her younger age, she mostly did household chores. She was being brought up with the idea that she'd be wedded off to some other merchant's son and her mother wanted her to be a good little housewife. While the idea hadn't stuck, the skills had.

She bowed to Crawford again. "As you command, Master." Striding in she began to set to work. No humming, no antics, no jokes - just plain drudgery.

Can't wait until I can go back to being me, she thought with a sigh.

After a while, feeling a bit weary in her arms with the weight of some of the books, she found herself repeatedly biting her tongue. She wanted to ask things - what was this? Where did he get it? Why did he have it? - but knew that she wouldn't be a good priestess if she indulged in her Curiosity.

But there was one question she had to ask. "Cra- er, Master Crawford," she said in a subdued tone, not breaking from her work as she spoke. "Are we never going to get along? Ever?" She glanced over her shoulder at him nervously.

[Darastrix]

Crawford had watched her for a bit, mostly to make sure she wasn't going to damage something, then had gone back to poring over some papers on his desk, only occasionally glancing back in her direction. At the question, he paused and looked over at Locket, arching one brow. He wasn't aware that there was any relationship between them to qualify "not getting along." She did something, he might comment if she was distracting or annoying him, and she went on her way.

"We're not generally in each other's company long enough to get along or not," Crawford pointed out.

[Kender Bard]

Locket blinked at that, a bit surprised that he answered rather than simply tell her to get back to work or somesuch.

She twisted around and took the moment to try and put her hair back up, talking as she did. "Well the way I see it, when we are in company, I'm just being me and you're always getting annoyed or something about it. I don't-" she paused "-usually try to go out of my way to be a pain but it seems that I manage it anyway. I mean, I always figured you wanted me to leave from the first day you saw me and that the feeling hasn't changed."

[Darastrix]

"In case it hasn't been noticeable," Crawford said, his tone dry, "Schuldig annoys me as well. But yes," he added, looking back to the page in his hand, "I did want you to leave from the first day." It was the truth, and there wasn't any sense pretending otherwise.

"It did not, however," he continued, "have anything to do with you personally."

[Kender Bard]

"That doesn't make any sense," Locket protested. "It-"

She paused. Well, maybe it did. She remembered a few things Nagi had said when they first met. She'd almost forgotten, actually. "Well... Maybe. But is that still the case?"

[Darastrix]

"Not particularly," Crawford replied, reaching for a quill to make some sort of note on whatever it was that he was reading. "The issue regarding Nagi returning with you has since been resolved, so I have no further objections to you being in Khelek."

[Kender Bard]

Warm, real warm, she thought wryly but smiled a little anyway. "Does this mean I have a chance to be friends with you?" she asked, and started to put the books back. "I don't want to argue and stuff with you. I won't change who I am but I'll try to be nicer."

[Darastrix]

Friends? Crawford shot a puzzled look at the girl's back. Why would a child-priestess of Soahc want to be friends with a thirty-year-old guard and adviser?

"No guarantees," he stated. Sure, he was friends with Schuldig, but their shared experiences had a good deal to do with that. And Crawford wasn't sure he had the fortitude to have two friends of that kind of personality.

[Kender Bard]

Locket gave a small nod - well that was a start. "It's just that I'm friends with Schuldig and Nagi, and I like His Majesty in a distant-citizen sort of way. Um, well, I don't think I'll ever understand Farfarello; but that's okay since he seems pretty distant. Anyway, here in Khelek, when my temple-mates hate me, I want as many friends as I can get. Friends make a home, you know? I had a lot in Anarlina. I'm so glad that Lady Lilith is with us now. I like her a lot and she reminds me of home. Well. Not-home now."

She bit her tongue. "Er, I'm starting to talk too much aren't I?" she mumbled sheepishly. "Sorry. It's hard not to." She cleared her throat and finished shelving the books. "All done, Master Crawford," she giggled.