[h2][centre] [color=a2d39c] [color=f6989d]Marinalia Romus Olympus "Mali" [/color][/color][/centre][/h2] [h3][centre] [color=a2d39c]Luna Sports to Park View . Late afternoon to Lunch[/color][/centre][/h3] [hr] Marinalia had a abit more bounce to her as she left the sports centre and seemed in a rather pleasent mood as her winter boots gave her confidence on the snow and ice, the thick wool coat, flight jacket, glove. Scarf meant she was rather well equiped to face the cold. Glad her thoughts where private, Xia definitely was a good swimmer a d gave a rather good challenge to Marlin, old Marlin would have won hands down but that when she was a near profeshinal athlete level and her fitness was due to having time to dedicate on a more refulqr basis to swim, train and being a little younger did help. The injury had caused trouble and that had taken time to retrain her body to its old level. A slight blush came to mind when she relised Xia looked as good as she swam, slightly shocked that thought had swam by and sipped her mango heavy smoothie. The taller atheltic trainer was well, definitely practicing what she preached. Having time to talk as they left, Marlin was a alittle busy making sure that the public transport was just about running before she left. Apologising to Xia Marinalia crunched on the snow with a slight childlike glee finding patches of fresh snow to get a propper crisp crunch... [i][color=f6989d]Sorry, checking what buses still running, thanks to the snow and all. Your pretty good yourself, I'd of beaten you more safely when I was 18...now it's 50/50. My grandma, its a little tradition. They always go to a pair of sisters in the family. Hey. I'd hate to pepper spray you.... [/color][/i] Smiling as she drank a smoothie, it was good and Xia definitely knew how to get a rather lot of Mango, definitely a win win in her book today. It sounded silly but mango really helped her recover after a rather intense work out. Smiling and teasing Xia abit, the old slightly more bubbly and playful Marlin crept out and sniffed the air sensing it wa safeish. [i][color=f6989d]your obviously not a winter person miss Xia... Hoped you say yes, your a good egg. I have had my full of crazy! A quiet bar, good drink and good company is just fine. You have to try Lemon chello then, and maybe some French Choclate liqueurs... Sounds lovely. I miss those. The American kind just ain't the same as real thing. Yep, well your a good egg, this city has too many bad eggs spoiling the box. [/color][/i] Her preference to egg puns was well known to her freinds, a trait that seems to carry from her mother and a alittle joke book, well they stuck. A nice quiet night out with few expectations and drinks with a few people she trusted at the most sounded a very good idea. She had been arrested, broken hearted and drugged alrwsdy at big events. Marinalia knew her luck was not exactly great in Sol. Ren had been rather nice to her and they got on so well but he seemed to have vanished, they genuinely had fun at times. That was sad, he was a nice friend, even if he definitely seemed to not be on the market and batting for the opposite team so to speak. Smiling and giving her a hug before beginning to walk over hearing her anaswe the phone and argue at someone before she Crich of snow under her boots was louder and began to walk to a bus stop to catch one of a growing rarer buses back to park view, cabs where not running in these conditions, and any that where wanted a fortune. Then Xia came up ans seems her place lost power and while she had a few bad experiences, turning her away to a cold night with no power just did not feel right. They had plenty of food, a warm fire and so. She could always take the spare room on third, it even had a small ensuite. [i][color=f6989d]you alri... Yeah, of course. I meant it Xia. Cousin, well he can chill a while... Ha. Got plenty of room, fuel and food. Having a 4x4 was a life saver. Its... A little, just Don,t judge me please, my family is... Fairly well to do. We owned the home for decades. It was safer... And well we already had to pay for it. Why not live in it... Come on, il try and find us a bus. Walking would not be fun. [/color][/i] ... Chatting with Xia casually as the two women climbed aboard the bus packed with people trying to get home, to work, or anywhere else in the snowed in city, Marinalia was nervous about the fact her family home was not exactly a small place and had a ballroom... How do you even explain that. It was easy to talk with her though, the two where somewhat contrasted in many ways though Xia did have a reassuring confidence that did alway her own somewhat battered inner self from her Sol city adventure, no scars or so, but some you could not see on your skin. The bus was busy, and gave a little embarried smile as a kid sat on end of row meaning she had to budge up abit. The bus service was take what you could get, and Marlin could not refuse a kid who asked her a few questions about England noticing her rather obvious accent which she took in good spirits. [i][color=f6989d]This one's our stop. Its not too far to home. [/color][/i] Walking down a slightly sloped pavement and reached out a hand helping Xia from slipping as she seemed a alittle less prepared for the winter and got her back onto steady ground before letting go, falling over in this would hurt rather badly. The street ews lined with larger homes opposite the park all set back from the road, many with gates walls and high hedges for privacy. The old houses here where calm enclaves from the busy city. Passing a smaller cottage type one, well that was strange, construction materials about and all, snowed under a thick layer of white. Oh well, there land, do as you like. Reaching a large set of steel gates that stood outside a parisian style large townhouse, a pair of garages and a thick layer of undisturbed snow on the drive. The cars had already been moved to one of the garages just incase. Opening the gate on a electronic lock she gave a small twirl in the fresh snow gesturing round. [i][color=f6989d]welcome to Hesphestus Manor, or just home. [/color][/i] Adding with a smile, she lead Xia down the drive, past snow covered two story garages, the roof was mostly white with a few patches of tiles and the chimney was half free of snow from the residual heat of the fire. Opening the front door and closing the heavy entente, little did anyone know it was wood but reinforced with metal just as a paranoid back up. The magnetic lock bolts in a alarm. Would mean you would need a battering ram to open it. One of the reasons her family insisted the two women take the place over. Multiple flood lights and cameras where aimed onto the drive way, sides of house and more beside. The place was definitely safe. The three story entenece was light and open, cool but it always would be, the heavily sloped glass high above was partly snowed over and a down the tiled lower level, a large round table with fake flowers filled space in a trying to be elagent way. Leading her up a large curving staircase to a less ornate and more comfortable area of the house with large sofas. Views of a private garden out a large set of windows and a general theme of paler colours and mix of antiques and modern items all about. A mix of kitchen, living area, dining room and so, all in one large open plan area with glass doors onto a balcony overlooking the entrance hall closed to keep the room warmer. The ball room and conservatory where viable as the headed up closed off as kept house warmer and the garden behind the house was a image of pure white. More ornate than the family floors, the wood panels and plasterwork etc was detailed with gold leef, painted designs and art works. The ballroom currently closed away had a large painted ceeling that had been merticouliely restored when they renovated and brought to its former glory. The marble of staircase gleamed but clever stone work meant grips had been carved discreetly into the steps. Throwing off her extra layers and swapping to some ugg boots in a pair of jeans and her cute t shirt from earlier, the house was cool but my no means cold as she threw a few extra logs on the hot embers of the fire and gave it a poke a few minutes later it was licking high battling the cold winter of Sol city. It would keep things comfortable at least as it crackled and logs popped slightly as the flames first hit the wood. Returning with a pair of mugs of tea, Marlin sat on a sofa pulling a soft blanket over her lap hiding where the t shirt rode up a fraction past her scar and explained where things where letting her have some time to make her self more used to her souroundings. A warm mug of tea should help with the cold, and a dash of some supermarket rum added to give it abit more of a warming kick after the storm raging outside. [i][color=f6989d]so, that the house, Victoria is rather sensetive about her office, so leave it be. My suite is on right, 3rd floor. Of you need me and we stuck here overnight. My sisters on left. We have a spare up stairs with a small ensuite. It's not the biggest. But it's warm and it's perfectly formed. Let me know if you want anything, you are a guest after all, and I'd be a lacking hostess if I did not treat you well. I hope I can atleast make use of my families good fortune for good cause anyway. So... Cheers. Its not best rum but she is ukd warm you up. I'm. Starting to relise why my grandmother loved this place.. [/color][/i] Gently chinking a slightly stronger mug of tea, though it definitely was working at warming her back up the Ugh the cold had made her pwler skin slightly pink. Thankfully it was a good way to mask her nerves at how confused her reaction to things had been the past few days. Adding on the end with a slightly sad tone, Marinalia shared a name, and never remembered meeting her, but everyone seemed to think Marlin took after her. Hopefully she was proud of what they where doing, her ring glittering on Marlins opposite engagement finger, rarely ever coming off. [@King Tai]