Closed rp- Lizzy and Simkin

[fine-eyes-lizzy.livejournal.com]

Lizzy was curled up in an armchair in the corner of the Ravenclaw Common Room, hugging her knees to her chest.

Though her expression was calm, it was very clear that'd she'd just been crying, and her hair was falling out  of its pins. She rubbed absently at an ink stain on her sleeve and looked up. Her voice didn't seem to want to work.

After several tries, she managed, "Over here, Simkin." And then, rather more quietly, "Thank you very much."

Comments

[silk-simkin.livejournal.com]

Simkin was shocked to see her crying, and a little angry. Darcy had made her cry, he was sure of it. This would not do.

He moved close and knelt in front of her.

"Elizabeth..." Forgetting his manners for a moment "Miss Bennet, what's wrong? What happened?"

There's genuine concern in his voice. You may have had an effect on the boy, Lizzy.

[fine-eyes-lizzy.livejournal.com]

Elizabeth, slightly ashamed of her tear-stained appearance, smiled at him briefly and focused her eyes on her folded arms.

"I do apologize for my appearance," she murmured, shakily pushing a stray curl out of her eyes. "I... that is... Mr. Darcy has...." Lizzy closed her eyes to block the resurgence of tears and, once she had gained control over herself, spoke as calmly and evenly as she could. "Forgive me. The story is not long, but it is painful to relate. I met up with Mr. Darcy again, and I happened to mention that you asked permission to court me. After lambasting my judgment and my father's, insulting you and then insulting my family again and again, Mr. Darcy...." Her voice began to tremble, and Lizzy hugged her knees to her chest tightly, eyes on the floor. "Mr. Darcy told me that he loved me."

[silk-simkin.livejournal.com]

Simkin's face darkened as she recounted the slights against her, until she got to the final line, at which point his face went blank.

"There is no need to apologise for your appearance, m'dear. You look exceeding beautiful, as always." He paused, and stood, and began to pace.

After a moment, he sighed, stopped and looked at Elizabeth. "Mr. Darcy claims he loves you, does he? And yet he insults those you care for, and yourself by extension, demonstrating that he is indeed a true lout. Egad. The man bewilders me."

Simkin's at a loss. He wants to rip Darcy limb from limb for hurting Lizzy and attempting to thwart him. But he doesn't want to leave Lizzy.

"What can I do?" He asked, both rhetorically, and actually.

[fine-eyes-lizzy.livejournal.com]

Lizzy managed a shaky laugh. "I thank you, sir, though I have not the happy talent of looking beautiful while crying."

She tugged on the hem of her dress uneasily, her hand trembling. "Perhaps... perhaps you could stay here a moment? I confess... I should very much like your company at this moment."

Besides that, Mr. Darcy had raised certain questions about Simkin that she wanted answered. Lizzy wasn't sure if she could ask them with any semblance of dignity or equanimity, but she would be uneasy with herself until she did.

[silk-simkin.livejournal.com]

Simkin nodded, and smiled that infamous smile of his.

"Then I shall stay." He sat at the foot of her chair, reclining like a cat, or like he had always been there.

Or that he would always be there. Your choice, Lizzy.

This whole thing was utterly new to him. An eternity of existence, and love had missed him. Or as the current cause of the problem, Mr. Darcy, had put it, he had been love, and thus was not affected by it.

Of course Thimhallen wasn't exactly the place for Magic to find love. It was Life itself. Anyone without it was Dead.

Here, perhaps, magic was something different. And Magic was changing.

[fine-eyes-lizzy.livejournal.com]

Elizabeth smiled down at him and gave him her hand. "Thank you."

After a moment, she hesitantly said, "Simkin... Mr. Darcy asked me questions about you that I was hard put to answer." Lizzy bit her lower lip a moment, then continued on. "He had heard a report from Mr. Goodfellow that you bored easily, and Mr. Darcy then inferred that you were but trifling with me, and that I should find my hopes and happiness ruined when I ceased to interest you." It was more difficult to ask the next question then it should have been, and any equanimity that Lizzy had regained instantly disappeared. "Pray tell me sir... are your intentions honorable? Am I simply an amusement?" She shivered and buried her face in her arms. "I can well understand if I am. You are immortal, I am not- my life span would be but a few moments to you. But... please. Are Mr. Darcy's fears groundless or are they based in truth?"

[silk-simkin.livejournal.com]

Simkin looked positively aghast at the questions and accusations she cast at him, as well as deeply angry for a brief fleeting moment.

He turned his head from her, as if unable to meet her eyes and then softly spoke.

"Miss Bennet; your Mister Darcy has an admitted stake in whom you place your affections. He brings you reports that cast me in the worst light, as some sort of deliquent rake, and sows doubt within you as to the longevity of my affections. I am no Puck to heedlessly lust after anything that appears mildly attractive, nor do I bestow my affections lightly. In all my existence, you are the only one who has received them."

He paused and turned back to Lizzy. "Yes, my intentions are honourable. No, I do not intend to discard you the minute I become bored. But I am deeply hurt by your willingness to believe a man who has mistreated you again and again; especially when he brings rumours and hearsay that paint me in such terrible light."

You've actually wounded him, Lizzy. Well done.

[fine-eyes-lizzy.livejournal.com]

Elizabeth was horrified. "Simkin- I had no- no intention- please forgive me. I did not mean in the slightest...."

She slid out of her chair to kneel in front of him and, trembling, hesitant, and feeling altogether wretched, did one of the most forward things she'd ever done and held her hands out to him, with every intent of embracing him.

"Please forgive me. I did not mean to wound. My own mind and feelings are in such a state of turmoil that I scarcely know what to say or think. I cannot tell you how sorry I am. You were kind enough to come when I asked and this is how I repaid you...." She shook her head, suddenly tearful, and closed her eyes. "It was wrong of me. This moves so quickly, I could not help but doubt a little. No gentleman has ever expressed an interest in me before without ending his affections by revealing his distaste of something about my person, be it my lack of funds, or the inferiority of my connections. And magic can have such a dark side- as the personification of magic, you cannot help but know it. I am honored by your attentions- please Simkin- I have done you great wrong and I am heartily sorry for it."

[silk-simkin.livejournal.com]

Simkin took her hands in his own and held them reassuringly. His voice was slightly hesitant, but there was still a hint of his usual humour and wit. "My dear girl, the only thing I currently find distasteful about your person is your willingness to believe Darcy. And I am certain I can overlook that."

He moved closer, letting go of one hand in order to wipe away any tears that remained on her cheek, and said softly "You are wrong about magic. Magic has no light side, nor a dark side. It is not the Force. It is those who use it for good or ill that have the dark, or light within them. I do not reflect that division."

He's forgiven you, this time. Mostly because he's confused by this whole thing.

[fine-eyes-lizzy.livejournal.com]

Elizabeth managed a laugh and squeezed his hand. "I am sorry Simkin." She looked up at him with a smile. "I think I may safely say that I will never believe anything that Mr. Darcy says about you from now on."

Still feeling somewhat wretched, she blinked away the rest of her tears. "I used to pride myself on my ability to judge character, but things seem to have spun so wildly out of control. Once I learned that Mr. Darcy is somehow in love with me, which I thought to be an impossibility, my judgment was blown to pieces."

[silk-simkin.livejournal.com]

Simkin, feeling marvellously magnanimous towards Lizzy again, reached out to pull her into a hug. "Come here, dear girl."

He smiled at her, most of the pain gone from his face. "I think you'll find that those who reside in this school are not always understandable. The amount of immortals who reside here, many of them personifications of various forces, are enough to drive anyone mad trying to understand. Hence the reason I do not. Try to understand, that is. And I think your judgement is superb. After all, you're here, with me, are you not?"

Egotistical git.

[fine-eyes-lizzy.livejournal.com]

Lizzy nearly fell into his arms, overwhelmingly grateful, and rested her cheek on his chest a moment.

She smiled back at him wryly. "My dear sir, it is a good thing then, is it not, that I no longer must worry about sketching their characters correctly? I doubt I could trust myself in such an endeavor." Lizzy cautiously hugged him back, still unsure of what, exactly she was doing or if she was even doing things correctly. "Though I do seem to have had a remarkable stroke of luck in chosing yours to sketch. For that, I am very glad."

[silk-simkin.livejournal.com]

Simkin held the girl close, trying to sooth all her ills just by being there. He's got about as much idea as Lizzy does.

"I imagine your skill at judging character is far greater than you give yourself credit for. I certainly trust your judgement."

He's very tempted to kiss her now, but he won't. He's still enough of a gentleman not to.

"I, myself, am incredibly glad that you arrived. Perhaps it is destiny." He laughed softly "Although destiny has a strange way of manifesting itself, believe me."

[fine-eyes-lizzy.livejournal.com]

"Destiny, sir?" Lizzy asked, with an attempt at her usual wit and good humor. She rested her head on his chest, hesitantly. "Do you believe our fates written in the stars, then? Most of those who try to seek their fate there seem to end in the dark. I myself could never predict such a strange turn as this. I still am uncertain of what to think of it."

She brushed her extremely mussed hair out of her face and smiled to herself. "I never imagined being half as forward either. I am only slightly more surprised by my behavior than by the fact that I am the only person to have received your affections."

[silk-simkin.livejournal.com]

Simkin grinned. Written in the stars? Oh yes, Lizzy. Oh yes.

He waved his hand and stars (or possibly the illusion of such) appeared on the ceiling, rearranging themself to read

ELIZABETH BENNET AND SIMKIN ARE DESTINED FOR EACH OTHER.

"Why believe, when I can prove so, m'dear." He chuckled as he looked back down at her. "Miss Elizabeth, welcome to what they call the 21st century. Many of the ladies here are more forward than the men. It is occasionally vulgar, but most intriguing to watch. Your self-sufficiency will stand you in good stead here."

[fine-eyes-lizzy.livejournal.com]

Elizabeth looked up and laughed. "Sir! I think you go too far with that, though I must confess myself impressed by your ability to take a random phrase said in jest and somehow inscribe it in the heavens. A benefit to being the personification of magic, I presume?"

Now amused and much cheered, she leaned against him again. "I am glad to hear it. I was terrified my pertness would be off-putting."

[silk-simkin.livejournal.com]

"Well, lady, there has to be some benefits to being me. Otherwise what would be the point?" He smiled at her again, and stroked her hair.

"My dear, your pertness is exactly one of the things that first caught my attention."

[fine-eyes-lizzy.livejournal.com]

Well, the hair-stroking was unexpected. However, it was quite nice and Lizzy enjoyed it, suddenly rather glad that her hair had already begun to fall out of its pins.

Her spirits rose to playfulness once more and she looked up at Simkin with an arch smile. "I have often been scolded for it; I am glad I have cultivated it for some greater purpose than for my own amusement in conversations. Now, sir, I am quite done with fishing for compliments, and it is up to you to supply some conversation." Or keep stroking her hair. Either one was fine.

[silk-simkin.livejournal.com]

"Conversation, madam? Certainly. Would you care to converse regarding the weather, or perhaps the gardens. The school is also a fine topic."

Or how about how I feel about you, and the changes that are occuring. On second thought, that whole topic disturbs me.

Simkin continued to stroke Lizzy's hair, as he blathered on. He does this a lot.

Also, as a note, he's still wearing the violet.

[fine-eyes-lizzy.livejournal.com]

Lizzy smiled and relaxed against him, feeling very much at her ease again, and also very pleasantly content. She listened to him talk for a bit, then felt called upon to make some sort of response.

"The weather, the gardens, and the school? How very mundane of you, my dear Simkin. But I shall oblige your wishes. Have you noticed that one may tell the weather by looking at the ceiling in the Great Hall? It is marvelously convenient, particularly since, if it rains, one does not get wet. Ha! I fulfilled two of your chosen subjects. Your... turn."

Lizzy had spotted the violet, and blushed again. It was a very little thing, but she was touched by it. She laid a hand on the violet a moment, unsure of what to say, and settled for hugging Simkin again.

[silk-simkin.livejournal.com]

Simkin noticed the blush, and welcomed the hug. As if he'd say no to a pretty girl wrapping her arms around him.

But of course, she was right. He was being mundane; how gauche. He would have to rectify that immediately.

"Alas, my dear Miss Elizabeth, I am being terribly mundane. However, it has sparked conversation, even if it is terribly egotistical in so forth as we are talking about me and my mundanity. Which, I will confess, I do indulge in occasionally, if only to keep people on their toes. It would not do for dear old Simkin to become predictable. That would be horrifying beyond belief!"

[fine-eyes-lizzy.livejournal.com]

"You? Meedle in the mundane? My dear Simkin, I cannot credit such an absurd report. Surely you cannot have anything to do with predictability."

he smiled up at him. "I grant that you have sparked conversation, but, as it still centers on you, perhaps I should keep score and deduct a point. That is not to say that such a subject is entirely unwelcome, however, so perhaps only half- a- point?"

[silk-simkin.livejournal.com]

Simkin grinned, as he usually does, and held Lizzy close, looking down at her (though not in the condescending way).

"My dear Miss Elizabeth, if I did not know better, I would say you were flirting with me. Of course, I would not object what-so-ever, should you choose to do so. But I digress, for it is not myself I am curious about, but rather you. Tell me, what sort of place conjures forth such a striking young lady as yourself?"

[fine-eyes-lizzy.livejournal.com]

"Me? Flirt?" Lizzy asked, in a tine that was half- playful and half- arch. She raised an eyebrow in mock surprise. "What a shocking proposition, sir!"

Rather pertly, she added, "I was merely being playful. However, I am glad to hear that, should the temptation ever strike, you should indulge me in such a pursuit."

Careful not to move too far way from Simkin, or end his embrace, Lizzy shifted slightly, so she could sit comfortably and somewhat properly (or, at least, fix her skirt so that no one could see her legs) and look at Simkin at the same time. "I cannot confess an understanding of your curiosity as to my situation, Simkin. My life must be very dull indeed in comparison to yours. I have lived at my father's estate of Longbourne, in Hertfordshire, my twenty years of life, with very little variation, save for the occasional holiday. Longbourne is near Meryton, which is a small, bucolic town of little consequence to anyone save those that live there. I should be pleased to satisfy your curiosity on any other part of my life that sparks your interest, but I doubt there can be anything else at all interesting to relate."

It was actually quite nice to be held by Simkin. In Lizzy's day, it was excessively improper to hold hands with a member of the opposite sex unless you were engaged (and ever then, you didn't hold hands in public). However, she was at Hogwarts, where most people threw propriety out the window, and, thus, Lizzy felt somewhat justified in moving the slightest bit closer to Simkin.