Dames de Classe et de Luxure (for DSX93)

[Elphie]

Being a scion of nobility was a pretty paradoxical thing: on one hand one was constrained by the shackles of high societal behavior, but on the other the biggest displays of hedonism came from that socia stratum. Life could be simple enough for those who didn’t need to worry about money but it could also be a part of an intrincate tree of events and social obligations. The last couple months had been pretty interesting for our protagonist, who had found herself excited about something after some months of dull weariness. This was after she learnt about a not-so-small show called LAW After Dark, a venue where competitors engaged in the most civilized of contests: the war of sensual control. One capable of controlling their own desires and the ones of the rival was capable of controlling the world itself, or at least that’s what this woman thinks. She had to sign strong NDA’s in order to attend to the shows as a spectator, but as she witnessed competitors engaging in sensual combat while sipping the best champagne money could buy she knew she couldn’t resist the urge to join for too long. That’s how she got into her office one day and started composing a letter:

From the pen of Évangéline Etheldreda Constaintenau-Le Fevre, 29th Countess du Constantineau

To the attention of Ms. Alix Jacques

Dear Ms. Jaques:

First of all let me remark how laudable and praiseworthy I find your person to be. Being capable of maintaining a business like LAW After Dark profitable and enticing. Let me tell you that my experience so far has been that juggling the two isn’t as easy as you make it look and for that I congratulate you. Know that for the last weeks I have grown more and more interested in After Dark. I started attending the show in the VIP area but with time I started developing a growing interest on it, call it curiosity if you like. I happen to think of sensual combat as one of the most true ways of expressing oneself and I have to admit that after some time I fell for your show’s spell.

I would value the opportunity for the two of us to meet and arrange the details of what could be my ingress to After Dark. I even took the liberty of conceiving some match idea that I hope you would find suitable for the show. In order to discuss the further details I would ask of you to meet so I can make a proper presentation to you. I wouldn’t dare to force you to conduct business on any of my properties since I know how uncivilized that would be, so I once again took the liberty of booking the whole last floor of the Aman Tokyo. There my personel would guide you towards the penthouse where I hope we would meet and see each other eye to eye. With this letter I'll attach a detailed dossier of my plans in After Dark, as well as the match I would expect us to greenlight during our meeting.

In hopes to hearing from you soon. Yours truly. Évangéline Etheldreda Constantineau-Le Fevre – Countess du Constantineau

[DSX93]

Évangéline Etheldreda Constaintenau-Le Fevre, 29th Countess du Constantineau. That there is a certified mouthful. And so was the woman who bore the name. A certified snack! Yum! And a noble too, one with roots that go back to Charlemagne,

had heard.

Evangeline has been a real After Dark faithful, having a VIP spot reserved in every venue that allowed an audience thus far, going all the way back to the very first show in Hokkaido Valley. It really brightened Alix's day to receive that personalized letter lavishing praise upon her and her business, expressing desire to meet and discuss joining its roster! The Moonlight brand, from the sound of it. The vibe was very much that the French noblesse was a competitor after her own heart. And already offering ways to improve the product!

And if the business she's done with Madeline Christiansen is any indicator, Evangeline is going to be another big signing. And this time, Alix had some free time, so she'd be getting the first taste of her. The gothic vixen could hardly wait!

The two Frenchwomen would dine first, so she busted out one of her favorite dresses. Scoop-necked. Tight. A perfect fit over her well-toned curves. Complete with a choker -- Alix loved those -- and one of her favorite necklaces. She got her hair done up really nice, sprayed on some Parfum d'Aphrodite,

(OOC Note: And a made up brand)

and had a nice little, more comfortable something to slip into after dinner waiting inside of a bag she carried with her. Something much more appropriate to...go over the particulars of this new match type that Evangeline is proposing.

She arrived at Aman Tokyo not on time, but early, being guided to the penthouse just as promised, ending with an elevator ride where the doors would open to her destination. She could smell it after those first few steps: A fine feast had been prepared. But in Alix's eye, it didn't quite measure up to the one that walked up to meet her.

"Hi, Evangeline!" Alix greeted her with her trademark sunny smile and a wave. "It's lovely to finally meet you! Handshake? Hug?" She gestured the options, first extending a hand, then holding her arms out wide, letting the redheaded vision choose whichever she preferred. A lot of upper class people stick to decorum, but she's met her share that liked a more informal, personal approach. It's what she herself liked better.

[Elphie]

Évangéline Etheldreda Constantineau-Le Fevre waited patiently while looking at the skyline of Tokyo. She had to admit that the views were impressive at sunset in the city. It was her first time at the Aman Tokyo’s royal suite but it had proven being a more than suitable lodging for her purposes for the night. She had been informed when Alix Jacques made it through the main entrance, so she ordered her personal service staff, who had replaced most of the hotel’s when she booked the royal suite (she always brought her chef and butler whenever she could), to finish the last details on the dinner table and dismissed them. Then she made it to the elevator door in wait for her hopefully soon business associate with a composed elegant grace.

When the elevator door opened Évéline was presented with the sight of a fine lady, elegantly clad in a modest but classy dress, beautiful dark long hair cascading through one of her sides. Alix clearly was aware of the fact that presence in business was key because she had dressed in a way that could get a couple ballrooms looking just at her. When Alix greeted her so casually, Évangéline repressed a grimace. Being a scion of nobility she wasn’t used to not being addressed as ‘Countess’ or even something like ‘my Lady’ or ‘your Ladyship’, but she decided to let this pass. Alix was carefree in her treatment and when she offered her greetings, Évangéline talked for the first time.

“Let me humor you my country’s way…”, she said before leaning in and giving Alix one kiss on each cheek beore breaking her distance. “It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ms. Jacques, and to bid you welcome to this beautiful abode where we will discuss matters of business and pleasure. Let me commit the audacity of telling you how fine you look in that outfit. It absolutely suits your eyes and your skin perfectly…”

After saying this, Évangéline walked back inside the room, moving inside the dining room. One careful look would notice that this woman was the absolute peak of nobility and grace and every move or word she made was absolutely deliberate to make an impression or get anything from people, the result of years of practicing perfect manners and then experience in using that training as Countess du Constantineau. The clacking of her heels stopped in front of the table before she made a sign for Alix to approach. “Come on in and sit. The margot de canard a l’orange is excellent.”, she said while signalling at the multitude of delicious looking dishes while she had a seat first as corresponded to someone of her stature. The glasses were already full of wine so Évangéline got her on her hand and raised it towards Alix. “First of all, here’s to a fruitful business transaction and a pleasant dinner…”, she said before sipping the wine and silently looking at the beautiful Tokyo sunset.

[DSX93]

Her lips were as soft and pleasing to the touch as they looked. "Why, thank you! Allow me to commit the same audacity in telling you how lovely you look in yours! Black and gold looks exquisite on you!"

Watching her walk, however, it would quickly become apparent to Alix that Evangeline was a woman of closer adhesion to propriety. She'd never been around nobility, but she knows that walk. And that she'd likely committed at least one faux pas during her greeting. Or maybe even for how she dressed.

Oh dear.

Margot de canard a l’orange, eh? It's been a while since Alix had duck for a meal. Her time spent with Dizzy, Gabby, Rai, and the others had led her away from more quote-unquote "upper class" establishments. Not out of any negative reasoning, but simply because she wanted to be with them in places more familiar to them.

“First of all, here’s to a fruitful business transaction and a pleasant dinner…”

"And to new friends." Alix toasted before taking a sip from her glass, her eyes following Evangeline's to the sunset. Lovely. The two would sit in a comfortable silence for a few moments before Alix decided to come clean. "I'd like to make an admission here: I come from wealth, but I've never dined with nobility before. So if I commit any faux pas, please do inform me. I don't mean to offend."

[Elphie]

For some instants Évangéline just remained there, savoring her excellent wine while looking at the beautiful Tokyo skyline. No matter how long she lived under the most opulent of luxuries, the aristocrat never got bored of it. The hedonist she had inside made her look for as much variety as possible in pleasures, and that one was new for her since she hadn’t been in Japan in the past. After sighing in content the brunette took her attention back to Alix, who was politely making an apologetic speech about some supposed lack of manners and asking for forgiveness in advance for any transgression. It may be true that the woman had failed when she must have addressed the Countess by her title or by any other formal address, but the aristocrat was willing to ignore that affront.

“You won’t have to worry. I know of your origins and I’m sure you are a highly educated woman. Follow your instincts and everything will be fine.”, Évangéline said in a calm tone. As always happened with true aristocrats this statement had layers of meanings, the more evident one being that the Countess had researched her background and the more implicit one being that she should remember her upbringing as a higher class woman to know how to talk to nobility, all without making the slightest affront. As it corresponded to someone of her station, the Countess started eating. “I won’t run around the bush and get to the point. This meeting isn’t only to have some delicious supper. I expect to leave this fine establishment as the latest addition to After Dark’s roster. I trust you had a thorough reading at the details I forwarded you in my letter?”, said the Countess just before she took a bite, enjoying the mixing of some of that delicious duck breast with the wine.

[DSX93]

"I’m sure you are a highly educated woman. Follow your instincts and everything will be fine."

That was...so not helpful. But Alix kept that complaint on the inside, taking care to ensure that it didn't show on even so much as a centimeter on either her face or her body language. "Stiff upper lip", as the saying goes in Britain. She'd indeed been taught that as a part of her course in manners as a child, especially in more social scenarios. There was a time and a place for everything, was the gist of it.

Right now? In Evangeline's house? Or so it was in practice, with this being the place that Alix had been invited out to, for the reason she had been? It was neither the time nor the place.

It became apparent very quickly: Evangeline was the sort who was used to getting her way. Of being in charge. This was Alix's show, and if one really wanted to get down to it, this was the noble's opportunity to show how she was a good fit for it. But a fly on the wall would likely see it the other way around, watching their interaction.

"Yes, Countess." Yeah, she doesn't lead with informality, definitely. "Quite the stimulating read!" The double-entendre was there, but she kept the porn star energy out of it, balancing it like the seasoning to the meat they were eating now. "And this new match type of yours: The ruleset speaks of high confidence in your abilities. You're limiting yourself, but I can do whatever I want. And each climax of yours would take five minutes off of the timer."

Alix wouldn't quite give voice to her challenge, but the Countess ought to be able to see the "Don't you know who I am?" in her eyes. The former porn star -- world-famous porn star -- wasn't an arrogant sort, but...she knows her own capabilities well. You don't get to make a long career out of sex when you're bad at it.