Venessa MacShire

Venessa Ann MacShire

The private showroom was comfortable, a fire burning in the hearth and the low crackle of the flames as background noise. The wind outside barely heard for the solid structure of the building he owned. "Oui, ils sont exquis mon petit Venessa." The flow of a French accent purred by her ear as Etienne hovered very close over her left shoulder as if trying to see what she saw, although he already had seen, through the jeweler's eyepiece. He preferred using her given name than the nickname he was well aware of.

Velvet was intent on studying the intricate facets of the collection of diamonds, rubies and emeralds under the jeweler's eyeglass. That was until her concentration was broken for the words near her ear. Far too close and up personal, sending a shiver through the whole of her body. Not an unwelcome touch but this was Etienne Laurent, the most wanted and smooth talking Frenchman in all of Paris. The eyeglass was set aside as she leaned back enough in the opposite direction with the turn of her head towards him so there was no chance of their lips meeting.

"Are there flaws you wish to distract me from seeing, Etienne?" The mirth in vivid blue eyes would not be missed as they so contrasted against the darkness of her hair when they met and held his gray ones. He was a very handsome man, strikingly so. He had the power of words that she had witnessed, literally, having women swoon. Couple all that with the fact he was one of the richest men in all of Parrie, a son of a Duke and had made his own wealth on top of that. Precious and semi precious stones. The very reason they had met up, buying and selling. She was surprised he wasn't married yet.

He was surprised she wasn't married yet. Although she was not French, she was beautiful. Her could overlook the nationality in her case. "Non, le c'est votre beauté et les piste de votre parfumer that draws me to be close to you." The flow of words easily intermingling the two languages. He met those blue eyes and held. Perhaps a trace of seriousness flickered there along with his smile. "There are no flaws as I would not lead you astray." He could be as comfortable speaking English as he was his own language. The accent he considered a plus. He stalled there like some kind of stalemate drinking in the blue of her eyes before he finally straightened. "Then, do we have a deal? J'ai proposition mon le meilleur prix." A hand coming to rest along the tailored cut of his dress jacket. One that was a rich wine hue in crushed velvet. Stylish with tails over a silver gray vest and white ruffled shirt. Pants of a creamy tan heavyweight muslin, dress shoes beneath, finished the ensemble.

"No, there are no flaws and the price can have me wonder if you make much of a profit in the margin or you have shared a steal with me, Etienne." Speaking as she rose from the seat to come around to his side. "Have them delivered to my brother Draven MacShire in Ravanna of Heathfield. The funds will be paid in full with this note given." It was a letter to her brother all ready written out she turned over to him letting him know that these stones would be the start of her shop once she was back home. A prospect that had a coil tighten deep in pit of her stomach in anticipation. One of a good kind. She was excited to finally come home. Juniper was there already. Family. Ones she was missing sorely at the moment. Included in the letter were her plans. "I travel on to China within the hour to meet up with my brother Garath. He sent word on a find, ancient artifacts which includes jewelry. If they are noteworthy I will give you first dibs my friend." Her attire was dressed down compared to her French counterpart, business associate. Midnight blue crushed velvet skirt matched the stylized vest over a lacy blouse, a traveling outfit with a flare of class. Her long woolen cloak, which included a hood, was a deep gray and trimmed in silver fox fur. One which Etienne helped her into.

He adjusted the hood along her shoulders as he stood in front of her with the cloak now donned. "You need but send word and I will be there, always mon amie. My offer still stands." Leaving it go there to remind her of a conversation they had a few times he would every so often hint upon. There was something foreboding about this trip that trickled its way up his spine when he leaned in to touch a kiss upon each cheek, wishing for more but would always be proper. "China is a place of chaos in a struggle for power amongst the ruling families. There has been many deaths there recently so you be careful. In this, know you can contact me for I have ... resources, oui." Making it clear even if he had not talked upon any powers of authority he held, where needed he had such in both men and weapons. "I shall send these off under tight security to your brother immediately with your letter. Send me a note once you reach your home so I will cease to worry on your welfare. S'il vous plaît." Reluctant once more as he held that moment frozen in a stalemate before seeing her off through the door and sending one of his men to escort her down to the ship that awaited her.

A kiss in kind to each of his cheeks was given before he straightened away. Vibrant blue eyes studied him while listening. He was a good friend and there was this hint recently of more from him but she did not see it as anything more than a compliment as was his way. Teasing her in a way too. "I will do so, Etienne, this I promise. I will make it home safely with my brother, who is just as eager to be home as I am. Sometime, you will have to come visit the lands of Heathfield I've spoken on." A hand coming to touch upon his forearm before lifting in the delicate glide that spoke on encompassing more, something to be seen being better than words in understanding. Smile was bright before she headed out with her escort to see her to the ship. Her bag collected on the way out as with the diversion she would travel light.

The rest of her things would be sent directly to Ravanna in Heathfield. They may well arrive there before she did. She had sent a letter in return to Garath's and hoped it reached him in time there. There were no certainties where China was concerned in what got in or out.

The trip by ship went without incident but the surprise waiting in China was the storm to brew. Garath was not to be found at the place he rented while here. It had been terminated for he was going home to stay as the landlord informed her. Only information was that he was probably waiting for her down at the docks, giving her the name of the ship as it had been mentioned by Garath. Luckily she only had a carpet bag to hoist around with her as now she was heading for another port where this ship waited. She got there in time to find, he had just left and that he would be back as he had booked passage for them both. So Velvet waited there until the ship set sail. No Garath, nor word from him. Whatever merchandise he was sending back would be on it but Velvet was getting a foreboding feeling at this point. Instead of boarding, she went in search of her brother. They could always book another passage on another ship once she found him.

She was in a pinch for knowing very little Chinese. Luckily hand gestures were a universal language and one young man directed her to another shop owner, one dealing in merchandise around the world, who spoke English. He knew of Garath as the man had sold him quite a few things for his expensive collection. He had heard of his departure but knew nothing more beyond that.


	The look on Velvet's features was crestfallen edging on desperation. She explained who she was and as the man watched her, felt compassion for her predicament, he remembered something. Something that might be of importance, so much so he wrote the name of the Prince's family and the woman's name Garath had been seen with quite a few times. "This people, you finds. Theys help if can helps." He smiled bowing his head once the paper was taken. "It's all I knows, I wishes I knows more to helps." Velvet thanked him as this was more than she had and soon set out to find this warlord prince or at least more about him as that foreboding feeling only grew.