The Perfect Gift [ 5/8, Fred and Nik, Open ]

[Lord Frederick von Arles]

In the few encounters he had with the Lady Serah, he found himself wanting to spend ever more time with her. However, he also wanted to give in to natural feelings she welled within him, and one such feeling was the need to give her a gift. It was tempting to give her something showy, but there was also something to be said about subtle. Subtle gifts could be fun, especially if they held meaning only the two of them would understand.

But what should he get her? She obviously enjoyed flowers, she enjoyed placing small pieces in her hair. Perhaps a comb, then? A flower based comb? Ah, now there was an idea! Before, he had been wandering somewhat aimlessly through Triadon's impressive marketplace, but now he seemed like a man with a purpose. Fortunately, that did not preclude him from enjoying the sights and looking at the various wares on display.

The man was dressed in comfort blue doublet with black breeches and worn boots. The man truly looked at ease, however, it was obvious that he was some sort of noble or dignitary with the guard that was walking behind him, keeping a close look out for ne'er-do-wells.

[Prince Nikolai Fyodorov]

On occasion, Nikolai liked to visit the marketplace to see what wares they had and observe the citizens of Demeria. Watching commerce allowed him a glance into their culture and besides, he needed to get souvenirs for his siblings. He was fortunate, he supposed, in that his sisters' tastes were quite different from each others' and specific enough so it was easier for him to buy presents for them. Only a little. Acquiring a suitable present for his brother proved difficult enough, so he had to wait.

He had a few members of his entourage with him, partly for safety and because they wanted to find some suitable souvenirs for themselves and family members as well. Nikolai ensured that they had eaten decent food that they liked and they kept a drumstick or two to eat as they browsed the market. Nikolai's gaze wandered until he noticed a somewhat familiar face.

The Duke of Treniata here? A coincidence indeed. Nikolai headed over to him, hoping that he would not disturb the man while he searched for something. "Good day, my lord," he greeted. "May I ask what you are seeking? Perhaps I could assist you. Two pairs of eyes half the task."

[Lord Frederick von Arles]

Frederick had been looking curiously at a spice merchant's wares. There was not as much variety as he had hoped, but he also wasn't going to complain. After all, Treniata did not currently have an embargo against the wares of Arton. But with the trade deal coming up, there may be way of circumventing such a thing. He had been about to move on to a jeweler when he heard a voice behind him.

Turning about, Frederick immediately recognized the Prince and he gave the man a respectful bow, "Your Highness, good day to you. You are looking well." The pleasantry exchanged, he smiled a bit and glanced back toward the jeweler, "You have caught me in my gift giving mood. I hoping to find a comb that has a flowery theme to it. And yourself? What brings you down here?"

[Prince Nikolai Fyodorov]

As foreign nobility in another country, Nikolai felt as though the two of them had something in common with each other and were able to relate from their foreign perspective, such as it were. Nikolai bowed a little in response to Frederick's, as he did want to make a good impression on the man. "Good day to you as well," he said. "I am most fortunate to meet you in the marketplace, as I wished to make your acquaintance."

Ah, gift giving. A flowery comb had to be for a woman, unless Frederick liked that sort of theme. "I see," he said. "I like to watch the people of Demeria here. The true nature of a place is in their markets and common areas." But of course Frederick knew that. "May I ask for what occasion is this gift? Or is it a token of affection?" He had to admit, as much as he was not supposed to like gossip, he was curious to know what other women the men took fancy to here.

[Lord Frederick von Arles]

"A nice neutral location for such meetings, I think," a smile quirked the Grand Duke's lips, and then he nodded toward the jeweler he had been intending on inspecting. "Plenty of people, plenty to talk about, and plenty of places to run and hide," the statement, of course, was a jest, but that did not stop the smile from blooming into a grin. "So be careful, Your Highness, I must just suddenly vanish."

Upon reaching the jeweler, he looked over the wares offered, looking for a specific theme for the woman. "Ah, it would be a token of affection, I believe. Something I suspect that she would enjoy. Or, at least, that is my hope."

[Prince Nikolai Fyodorov]

"Indeed. It also allows for potential entertainment to wander our way." There could be street performers, an amusing discussion or argument, or a merchant trying unsuccessfully to persuade a customer to buy an item. He agreed with the Grand Duke and raised his eyebrows curiously for a moment before revealing a small smile. He would not be offended if Frederick left all of a sudden, especially if someone interesting caught his eye.

Token of affection. Nikolai wished he had more experience with those. He nodded once and inspected the stall's wares. "If that is the case, I might consider the lady's features. Has she fair hair or dark? Perhaps you could consider a brooch as well."

[Lord Frederick von Arles]

"She is fair haired, pale and.. petite," he seemed to shift the word at the last moment. The word 'small' was not exactly the most flattering descriptor for a woman that lacked height. Besides, petite was far more pleasant word to the ear, since it implied other more comely qualities to the woman. Or, at least, it did in Frederick's mind. "She has a wealth of hair, which is why I figured she might enjoy a comb or a clip. A brooch might be just as lovely, I agree."

Frederick carefully looked over the wares, not finding what he was looking for, and then nodded toward a shop further on down the road. "And you, Your Grace? Would you care to find anything for a lovely lady yourself? 'Tis spring, and thus, 'tis the season for such romantic ardor, no?"

[Prince Nikolai Fyodorov]

Interesting. Given those descriptors, Nikolai was unsure of whom Frederick meant, although it did not matter. In any case, the duke definitely knew more about shopping for tokens of affections than Nikolai, who had only given presents to his sisters. "I see the logic behind your reasoning," he said. "If she is petite and delicate, then the gift should reflect that as such. Have you seen her wear any jewelry? If so, what?"

He walked with the other man towards the shop farther down the road, considering a suitable answer to that question. "I would, yes, although I have the same difficulty in knowing what to buy." Something personal was not possible as he did not know what would be a special gift to Emmaline. "Late spring is a beautiful time of year. Perhaps I should buy her an intricate chair."

[Lord Frederick von Arles]

"Giving a gift can be quite challenging, especially if you've only just recent met and you do not know each other all that well. This particular gift is based on a recent encounter we had and enjoyed." He stepped into the shop, glanced around and then spotted what he was looking for. A smile spread across his lips as he examined the flower themed pieces of jewelry. The woman who ran the shop was a rather quiet woman but her silence belied her tremendous skill in crafting small pieces of art. He gravitated toward the works of yellow and orange topaz.

"A chair? You certainly could. Have you had any meaningful encounters since meeting each other? Fond memories?" Personal questions, yes, but he wasn't exactly asking for details, more trying to help the Prince think of ideas.

[Prince Nikolai Fyodorov]

"Exactly." Nikolai had had experience with buying gifts for his siblings, which was much easier as they had years of getting to know each other and were of the same house. Buying anything for the princess was much more difficult and he feared that his gift might upset her.

He followed the other man's gaze to the jewelry and wondered how Princess Emmaline would like any of those. Perhaps, perhaps not. He tried not to let his shame appear on his face as he managed a reply to Frederick's question. "She saw me playing the flute," he stated, though unsure of how that would help. "She plays the lute, although I doubt that I will be able to find a suitable gift to accompany the instrument."

[Lord Frederick von Arles]

"Hmm," he toned thoughtfully, "Ah! Here we go." He found a particularly lovely comb. "It's not quite a daffodil, but it is something close to it. A jonquil, I believe, but I am not that great with cultivars. I can identify medicinal herbs with greater reliability." The comb in question was brass with amber arranged artfully in the form of the aforementioned flower. "Nothing particularly ostentatious, but thoughtful nonetheless." He briefly haggled with the quiet jeweler and handed over the money.

His attention returned to Nikolai, "Siblings can be particularly useful here, as well." Then he realized something, "You say she plays the lute? Perhaps you can give her some sheet music from your country?"

[Prince Nikolai Fyodorov]

He watched as Frederick chose a comb he thought was best and inspected it for himself. The comb was nice enough and he hoped that whoever Frederick's lady friend was would enjoy it. "I see," he said. "I like it. May the recipient be most flattered." It was nothing too extravagant or strange looking, so perhaps he could take a cue from the other man's book.

He might have said something about the siblings comment, had it not been for the very useful gift suggestion. Nikolai was almost ashamed that he had not thought of that before. "That I am able to do," he stated and gave the other man a grateful smile. "I may have to place it in something leather bound, as sheet notes by themselves are not much of a gift."

[Lord Frederick von Arles]

"I hope she will be," the comb was placed in a small bag and then safely secured away in side his tunic. "Ah, very good. Especially if you can find a good quality leather for the cover. I believe there is a leather worker and book binder to be found here in the marketplace. They'd more than likely be most grateful for your patronage." He paused for a moment, "You could even get the cover engraved to make it more personal."

He was pleased to see Nikolai relaxing. The man seemed to be tense, but that was perfectly understandable.

[Prince Nikolai Fyodorov]

Frederick had plenty of good ideas to spare and Nikolai appreciated that. He wished that he had thought of that himself, but this opportunity might lead him into securing a good relationship with Treniata. No doubt the Grand Duke was a representative of his kingdom and Nikolai thought that he might be alone, without his family.

"Many thanks," he said. "It seems as if you have much experience with gifts, have you not? As a generous man, I am sure." He was teasing Frederick somewhat, but he assumed that the man could handle it. "Perhaps I will have to have a leather journal engraved, once I find the right design or words, with the sheet music to accompany it." His gifts were nothing if not meticulously planned.

A thought struck him and he hoped Frederick would not mind his forwardness if Nikolai asked it. "What will happen after the gift?"