Originally posted July 14, 2008
Siobhan's Apartment is neater than one would think. More plants and flowers adorn the moderately sized two bedroom apartment than the young mage's personality would belie.
A brief tour would start in a functional kitchen, refrigerator stuffed with produce, cheeses, and meats. A small wooden table sit over to one side of the room, two chairs besides. The drawers and cabinets contain little in the way of silverware or other utensils, more in the way of British beer and foreign wines. A single large pot rests on the stove.
A series of cushions and thick carpets litter the living room. Hand woven tapestry adorn the walls, inter-spaced between full bookcases. You may feel a chill in the room. Siobhan will shrug when asked. "Tis mae cie," she tells you, her mouth stumbling over the Polish word. "Mae shadow."
You may stop, sit, and talk in the room, Siobhan pouring an ale or perhaps a glass of wine. The plush surfaces invite conversation and reflection. From the floor, you'll notice a laptop and iPod pushed over to one side of the room. Dust covers the computer. It takes a moment before you realize. There is no television.
After a drink, she'll show you the second bedroom. Carefully hung costumes line the walls, uniforms and dresses. A current project lies on the table of a cast iron sewing machine. "For the 95th Rifles, Prince Consort's Own," she explains. "Peninsula War." She'll watch you for a moment. "Ah make historical costumes. Tis a hobby."
She'll take a few moments to show you a few pieces of her work. You may consider what they would look like on a friend or lover; Tightly woven beads spread across a breath of decolletage, the curve of breeches along a muscled buttocks.
A large wrought iron bed dominates the master bedroom. She made it herself, trading other trinkets and tools for the hand made linens and comforters. Archaic weapons, free standing wardrobes, dressers, and a full length mirrors line the walls. Series of photographs have been tucked into the frame of the mirror: Siobhan in a redcoat costume standing next to a handsome young man, a stiff necked middle ages woman with tightly curled black hair. Snapshots from a life.
Your eyes may travel back to the inviting bed. Siobhan will hide a blush behind a raised glass. She'll take your hand in hers and gesture with her head towards the door. "Come on, then. Let's chat a bit more. Fancy another drink?"
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