Posted by Civilian Caitlyn Dillon (Director, The House Sanctuary) in A Private Evening in Public

Posted by Civilian Kenzo B’tren-Hyrushi (Governor) in A Private Evening in Public

Posted by Civilian Caitlyn Dillon (Director, The House Sanctuary) in A Private Evening in Public
Posted by… suppressed (12) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Caitlyn was even more a bundle of nerves than she had been going to dinner with Kenzo. She was excited for the symphony and to meet the musicians. She was more excited for the company of the man she was attending with.

The dress she wore was magnificent. Alathide had outdone herself. It was a beautiful soft orange in satin. The wide straps led to a modest v-neck, the silhouette continued as it followed her tucked in waist and then fell in graceful lines to the floor. The bodice to the hem was covered in elegant hand sewn sequin designs. It began as a matching orange and slowly faded to a delicate ivory at the hem. Attached to the shoulders was a chiffon drape the covered her upper arms and hung around her back.

Runa had braided and pinned her hair into a truly elegant look. Runa began by giving her a French side braid and then gathering her curls into a low bun just off center to the left. Then she pinned tiny orange and cream ribbon roses and pearls into the mass of curls and through the braid. She left a few delicate curls loose to soften the look.

“Caitlyn, you look like a princess.” Caitlyn laughed selfconsciously at Ashran’s praise. “I feel like the dairy girl stealing a gown.”

“Nonsense,” Revna told her. “You are more than prepared to attend the symphony. This is not your first black tie event.”

“But…not, not like this.” Runa hugged her and so did Kelsey. Even though she was scared for her friend. But Kelsey knew that was more because of her own fear than a dislike of Governor Hyrushi. He had come a few days earlier. He was very polite and non-judgemental. Kelsey hadn’t been ready to meet a stranger, but she had watched. And before he left, she had surprised herself by being comfortable enough to meet him. Caitlyn liked him very much and Kelsey was happy for her.

“Now, we went over this. If you don’t want to answer the media’s questions, simply comment about the symphony. You can also simply say that you are a member of our clan and have relocated with us. You are not obligated to answer. If you feel very uneasy, simply let the governor answer.” Revna walked over and took her hands gently and squeezed. “But most of all, have fun, enjoy his company. The rest won’t matter.”

Ragna laughed, “Trust her, Caitlyn. She’s married to Mike after all. He’s faaamous. She also has to deal with Runa being his Biggest fan.” Caitlyn laughed as she heard a pillow thwump against Ragna. “Well, I suppose.” She sighed nervously, “I’m not sure I am ready to be so much in the public eye again.” There was a pause as Caitlyn was obviously thinking. “But I really like him.”

Paul set a hand on her shoulder. “Then go, have fun, and let the rest just happen. Come on, I do believe I just heard his shuttle land. We might need to call Ada. The Governor may faint you are so beautiful.” Caitlyn turned several shades of red as she took Paul’s arm as he guided her toward the front of tent around all of their various items.

Caitlyn

Kenzo had been preparing for this moment for several days. First he had a tuxedo made to compliment Caitlyn’s gown. It was a soft gray, but almost subdued ivory, highlighting the accent color of her dress. Unbeknownst to Caitlyn, the Governor had asked Ms. Fen to request a sample of the cloth; a favor Alathide had been happy to provide. An incredibly dark, almost black, orange shirt and a bow tie that matched her orange finished off the suit. His long, straight, black hair hung loosely down to the middle of his back. As he stepped out of the shuttle, he carried a bouquet of orange and white flowers that seemed to shimmer in the low-setting sun light. He walked towards the group around Caitlyn… but he looked only at her.

Paul quietly described what the governor was wearing, how his tuxedo perfectly complimented her dress and the stunning flowers he was carrying. He was also certain to make sure she knew how the man couldn’t keep his eyes off of her. Caitlyn blushed slightly and smiled with delight and giddiness as she recognized the sound of his gait. “And here he is. 10 feet in front of you.” She released Paul’s arm and he stepped back.

“Ms. Dillon… you put my efforts to look acceptable tonight to shame.” he said. He held out the flowers to her and said “Flowers for you. I selected them because they are the most aromatic of the native blossoms.” He waited u til she raised her hands and then gently set the bouquet in them.

He was so formal, but sincere at the same time. “Thank you, Governor Hyrushi. Paul told me we compliment each other exquisitely.” She wished she could see it. She reached for the flowers, and when he set them against her palm she lifted them to her nose inhaled. They were wonderful. Like a magnolia crossed with cherry blossoms and a background of fresh rain. “Oh, these are lovely. I’ve never smelled anything like them. What are they called?”

“Oedian Hiasinths.” he said softly, watching her inhale the aroma of the flowers.

She smiled as she inhaled again, the petals brushing against her cheeks. “There exquisite. I imagine a whole garden of them would smell magical.”

Hyrushi then looked at her ‘family’. “Good evening.” he said cooly but diplomatically. “I will ensure Ms. Dillon is safe, yuu have my word.”

Hyrushi, Governor

“Good evening, Governor,” Paul nodded politely and smiled, “Of that I have no doubt. I hope you both enjoy your evening.” He set a hand on Caitlyn’s shoulder, “Would you like me to take those? Kelsey can put them in a vase for you.”

Caitlyn wanted to keep them, but that would be combursome. She pulled one from the bouquet to keep with her and let Paul take the others. “Thank you Paul.”

“Have fun. We’ll take good care of these,” then he quietly faded away with the others. Caitlyn tentatively reached out for his arm. She hadn’t wanted to take her cane. It kept getting caught in the dress when she practiced. Probably nerves. “I am very excited for tonight.”

Caitlyn

Hyrushi took her hand set it on his arm in a manner that screamed of familiarity, even though the gesture had only been done a few times in the recent past. He nodded to the ‘attendants’ and then wordlessly escorted Caitlyn to the shuttle. He helped her find her seat and then nodded at the pilot who closed the hatch and lifted off and headed towards the city.

Caitlyn leaned closer to him, as they walked. It was easy and comfortable. She felt at ease with him. She wasn’t worried about tripping or running into anything. She felt secure on his arm.

Kenzo looked at Caitlyn and then activated the privacy field between them and the pilot. “Caitlyn… if I may be so bold… you are a true vision this evening. I truly do feel underdressed looking at you. You… you are quite beautiful. And it is not just the dress.”

Kenzo

Caitlyn’s head turned towards him, her hand sliding down his arm to his hand. She laid the single Hiasinth she had kept in her lap and laid her other hand over his. “Thank you, Kenzo. You make me feel beautiful.” It wasn’t his words, but his actions, the tone of his voice, the slight way his breath caught, and the slight softening in the way he said ‘if he may be bold.’ He made her feel special.

Her fingers traced the cuff of his jacket and then lifted to his chest where she could feel his shirt and then up to his bow tie where she could feel the knot. “Well, I will just have to be equally bold,” she said softly. “The material and textures of your suit tell me exactly how much effort you put in, even though I can’t see it. But the awareness of your presence is all that matters to me.”

Dillon, Director, The House Sanctuary

Kenzo didn’t move while her hand moved across his tuxedo, and his black eyes didn’t leave her face. She really was beautiful. And her dress was simply stunning. He watched her as she felt along his tie, and then took a quick intake of breath as her hand slid away. “In that case, I promise you that you will not be without at any point this evening.” He set his hand on the flower in her lap and said “Would you like to carry it? Or would you like to wear it? I think I could put it in your hair, if you so wished.”

Kenzo

She smiled. She had thought about putting it in her hair when he gave them to her. “Kenzo, are you reading my mind?” She wasn’t upset by the idea at all, but rather flattered. “I would very much like to wear it.”

Dillon, Director, The House Sanctuary

Kenzo chuckled dryly and said “No, not at all. It was a suggestion… or, to be more honest, an excuse to touch you.” There was a pause and then he said something in a language she didn’t understand. There was the sound of someone adjusting themselves to a different position… the sound of something metallic sliding in or out of something… a small snip sound… the sliding sound again… some more spoken language… and then he said “If I may…” and his fingers gently took her chin and he turned her head ever so slightly. He put the blossom in her hair on the left side, just above her ear. He looked at it for a moment and then his eyes fell on her face. His fingers stayed where they were for a long moment, and then he softly cleared his throat. “There. It’s… it’s perfect.” and he let his fingers linger a moment before he dropped his hand. “I think you will truly be the most recorded person at the Symphony.”

Kenzo

So many thoughts ran through her head and emotions too. There was a thrill at his confession and a quiet longing, curiosity about what he said in that language and what she had heard. Breathlessness at his touch, a held breath as his hand lingered, and an ache when his hand left her.

She was nervous over such a public appearance, but only because the last time she had dealt with the media, it had been cruel. None of that registered. She was nervous, exhilarated, her pulse raced, and her breath caught just slightly. Her hand found his, “You don’t need an excuse, Kenzo. It is amazing to me how certain I am of that.” How certain she was of other things as well. Like him kissing her. “I am certain… I am ready,” heat rushed up her cheeks. She admitted maybe she wasn’t ready, but she felt like she was. “For you to… kiss me. I mean whenever you want. When you’re ready.”

Dillon, Director, The House Sanctuary

Kenzo didn’t move for a moment, simply hearing her words play through his mind on a loop. He then blinked… and leaned in and kissed her very gently on the lips. He held the kiss for several heartbeats, and then several more, before pulling back ever so slightly. He kept his eyes closed for a long time before saying “I have give a great deal of thought as to what that would be like. I must confess… my imagination fell far short.” and he opened his eyes and looked at her.

Kenzo

Caitlyn was not prepared for how that gentle touch affected her. It was wonderful and warm and felt like the world stood still and an earthquake all at once. Her expression held soft, amazed surprise. She felt breathless and giddy and, oddly, very calm, comfortable, and at ease. A tiny soft smile graced her lips, “As did my own imagination, and it tried very hard.”

Caitlyn

“Did it now? That is very good to know.” Kenzo said with an audible smile to his words. He looked out the window and said “We should be landing in a few minutes. Last chance to back out. And I will completely understand if you wish to.” He took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Kenzo

Should she be embarrassed that he knew she was daydreaming about him? Maybe. She wasn’t though. They were filled with anticipation and happiness. No fear or anxiety marred them. For Caitlyn that wad a gift all in itself.

Kenzo felt her immediate rejection of canceling and her certainty about staying. She didn’t answer right away, however. Instead she squeezed his hand and gave the evening consideration. This was not just a private date. It was a public announcement. She wasn’t sure how they would label their relationship, but the media would label her his girl friend, his woman. She had fielded a few questions from the press, but she had only co firmed that Governor Hyrushi was escorting her to the symphony. She had simply refused to answer anything else.

So, this evening was different, but only because of the media. Caitlyn did admit that being around the media made her a sick kind of nervous. That was memories though, and not experience with the media of Oed V. Yes, she was nervous and anxious, but what was forming between herself and Kenzo she thought was worth facing that.

There were other things making her nervous though. She squeezed his hand again and turned her face fully back toward him. “New places and large crowds are very stressful for me.” A little frightening as well.especially at the same time. “I know you won’t let me get lost,” there was absolute faith and trust in those words, “but I’ll apologize now for holding on too tightly sometimes. I’ll try not to, but I am certain I want to go to the symphony with you.”

Caitlyn

“You may hold onto me as tightly as you wish. I am not fragile.” Kenzo said softly. The shuttle banked to the right and began it’s decent towards the venue. As it settled on the landing pad in the large open pavilion that was the main staging area for the red carpet arrivals. The carpet itself was almost a quarter mile long and flanked on both sides by press, onlookers, various staging areas for photo ops, and security. As the shuttle door opened, the pilot stepped out and looked around before nodding once. Kenzo stood and said “Well… here we are. And here we go.” He took her hand and set it on his arm and guided her out of the shuttle.

Before they stepped out the door, she said softly for his ears, “I am hapoy to be here with you, Kenzo.” Caitlyn gripped his arm firmly, her other hand on the edge of the hatch, as she stepped out. She did not want to trip or stumble.

The flashes of lights and cameras rained down upon them. Hyrushi was used to the press, but this was something else entirely. The number of cameras and vid-recorders was unlike anything he had seen outside of the Vren announcement. He set his hand on Caitlyn’s and said “This is… quite a bit. If you feel overwhelmed at all, we can always leave.”

She smiled, “They joys of being me, is that I cannot see the crowds, the flashes, the waves for attention, or the looks. But if it is too much for you, we can change our minds.” Caitlyn was teasing him slightly. She had no doubt he could handle whatever was going on. He offered out of care for her, and it made her elated. Her teasing was simply an acknowledgement of that and her joy at being there.

He guided her to the long, red celebrity highway and nodded at one or two reporters he knew. The questions began immediately, and came from all sides.

“Governor! Who is that you are with?!”

“My companion for the Symphony.” Hyrushi said plainly.

“Is that your girlfriend?!”

“When would I have the time for such pursuits?” Kenzo said with a slight smile and shake of his head.

“How long have you two been together?!”

“About twenty minutes.”

“Who made your dress?!”

It was a lot of voices, coming from different directions, sliders shuttles, the whispers of Security, the him of video drones. Revna had told her to ignore anything not specifically directed at her by name. That way she didn’t answer something by mistake. She also advised Caitlyn to not respond to anyone using her first name. ‘Do not encourage over familiarity’ had been her strongest advice. So the first few questions Caitlyn caught she didn’t answer. Since Kenzo didn’t either, she was confident in that choice.

A few more professional sorts had obviously done their homework, however.

“Ms. Dillon! Who are you wearing tonight?!”

“Alathide of Clan McKenzie-Edman,” she said with pride. Alathide was wonderful and talented and Caitlyn was happy to be wearing her design.

“Ms. Dillon! Over here! Smile!”

She did turn, but not quite enough. Her ears catching the sound and not her eyes. The photo would give a 3/4 profile rather than full on the reporter was looking for.

“Chef! Chef! How did you meet the Governor?!”

“Are you dating Governor Hyrushi, Caitlyn?!”

“How long have you been on Oed V?!”

“Are you going back to cooking?!”

“Who asked out who?!”

Caitlyn chose not to answer the other questions. She had no desire to share intimate details of her personal life, nor did she want to take away from the true stars of the Symphony with talk of her return.

“Did the Governor know you before your attack?”

Her hand tightened on Kenzo’s arm and a icy cold paralysis filled her emotions. However, her steps didn’t falter, and her smile stayed in place. Never show fear, things only got worse when you showed fear. For a moment, Caitlyn remembered the press in front of the Court House and Hospital. The cruel accusations, the rumors, the lies, and the never ending harassment. She was not going to answer or stop, but she came to an easy pause as Kenzo stopped.

The last question stopped Hyrushi and his head snapped in the direction of the inquiring individual. Enough of the press corps on Oed knew that there were certain lines you did not cross with the Governor… and calling attention to painful past events for the sake of sensationalism was right up at the top. Obsidian eyes scanned the crowd, and it was soon apparent who the perpetrator was as the rest of the reporters moved unconsciously away from him; as if trying to put space between themselves and him in case the Governor’s reaction should catch them in it’s blast area.

Hyrushi’s obsidian eyes bore into the paparazzi, and the man seemed rooted to the spot as Hyrushi looked at him. But the words that left Kenzo’s lips were flat… measured… and emotionless. “Sir. You are obviously new to Oedian press events. I strongly suggest you confer with your fellow press corps members so they can instruct you on what manners and decorum are expected of the individuals we entrust the dissemination of fact and needed information to. And then, perhaps, you may actually be allowed back to such an event as this one. Good evening.” He glanced at the nearby Security personnel and nodded once. Four suited and eyeshade wearing individuals moved to the man and he was ‘escorted’ away. Hyrushi then turned to Caitlyn. “My apologies, Ms. Dillon. Some just do not understand where the line of civility is. Shall we?” and he set his hand on the small of her back and began leading her back down the carpet.

Hyrushi, Governor

She squeezed his arm in thanks, “No apology necessary, Governor Hyrushi. You are not responsible for the actions and words of others.” As his hand slipped to her back and they moved forward again she smiled, “Yes, please. I am excited to hear Maestro Julpheta and her Orchestra play.”

Dillon, Director, The House Sanctuary

The rest of the walk was peppered with questions and requests for photos, but it was much more professional and reserved the closer they came to the music hall. As they entered, Kenzo began describing the building and the grand lobby they were entering. Voices filled the space, but Kenzo leaned close so she would hear him clearly. “Large vaulted ceilings with a domed roof made of transparent aluminum that is tinted a deep blue. There are statues in alcoves all around the mezzanine, and the walls are covered in murals and tapestries from all over the quadrant. There is a grand staircase directly in the middle of the room that will take us up to the second floor. From there we will go right and take a private elevator to our box.”

Hyrushi, Governor