fandomhigh | Practical Etiquette, Period 3, Class #7

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Practical Etiquette, Period 3, Class #7 - Thursday, June 25th

Miss Bennet was a generous, kind soul who would never place her students in any real danger. But she was going to amuse herself at their expense. Somehow, teaching etiquette did not preclude her from misbehaving.

Oh, this would be fun.

"Good morning," Miss Bennet said, clapping her hands in front of herself. "As I warned you last week, you do, in fact, have a final exam today. That is why I have asked all of you to assemble here, in the Danger Shop. Your exam will be a test of many of the principles we have learned over our short weeks together -- how to be social and civil even in circumstances which may be considered less than ideal.

"In this next room," she said, gesturing through the doorway, "is a gentleman by the name of the Reverend William Collins. He wishes to propose marriage to you, for varying reasons, which he will list for you at the slightest provocation. I assure you, you do not wish to accept his proposal. However.

"You cannot simply stride into the next room and call him rude names. The laws of inheritance state that Mr. Collins is next in line for your estate; should your father fall ill this very evening, and pass away, then by dawn, your house and all your possessions will belong to Mr. Collins. Making an enemy of him will have very real and very dire consequences.

"Walk that particular balance as best you can. Persuade him that you do not wish to marry. Spare his feelings. Dissuade him from wishing to offer for you. This is your final exam: refusing Mr. Collins's proposal while not causing him to throw your family out onto the street." Her smile was nearly evil. "Good luck. I do believe you shall need it."

(OCD COMING!)

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Karla...was a little unsure how to Procede. Protocol had handled dissuading persistent males, of course, but not any who had any form of power over her. And she didn't have other males around to send him packing if and when all else failed.

Leto shot Karla a glance, smiling a little. "I'm sure you won't have any problem with this."

"I don't know," she said with a grin. "I have a feeling that my usual methods all involve getting tossed into the street. Or in jail. Or arrested for witchcraft or something."

"Do you have any ideas?" she asked. Not that she was trolling for ideas or anything.

"I believe I will have to meet the man before I can decide on a strategy." Leto grinned. "You have to take into account his intelligence and perceptive talents."

"True. And I don't suppose this would really be a test if he just did the honorable thing. You know, gracefully accepting the refusal and continuing on without reprisals against the family." Karla sulked. Just a little.

"Hey, Karla," Triela waved. "Got your voicemail."

"Good," Karla said, grinning. "Do you have an idea for when?"

"Well, if you want to do it before the field trip, then sooner is better," Triela pointed out. "And I'm pretty free once class is over." And after she ran an errand or two.

"When does the field trip begin?" Karla asked. "Is this the one Lady Ghanima offered?"

Karla had been toying with the idea of going. Of course, Jaenelle's invitation pushed that thought right out of her mind.

"Yeah, that one. And it starts on Tuesday."

"Are you coming?"

Karla grinned. "Nope!" she said. "I'm going back to Kaeleer! For a party! For Jaenelle!"

You could almost hear the exclamation points.

"Wow, Karla, that sounds terrible. I can tell you're dreading the trip."

"Positively devestated," Karla informed her solemnly. "Totally trying to figure a way to get out of it."

"And how come," Triela smirked ever so slightly, "I didn't get an invitation?"

Aside from no one from Karla's world knowing who she is.

"You did!" Karla protested. "Mine was actually for you. But, knowing how truly awful this is going to be, I courageously took your place, so you could go on the trip and be free."

She gave Triela pupy-eyes. "You see how much I care for you?"

"Wow, Karla, that's so selfless of you."

Then Triela burst out laughing.

Which had Karla laughing, too. "This is not the way Miss Bennet planned for us to be preparing," Karla said in between giggles.

"With her, how can you be sure?" Triela had a hard time reading Miss Bennet, but she suspected that the woman was laughing behind her eyes more often than not.

Karla would have whole-heartedly agreed with that assessment had Triela spoken it aloud.

"I can't, really, which is why I like her. If she took this class alf as seriously as she pretends she does, it wouldn't have been half so fun," Karla said, still smiling.

Triela looked at Karla like she might be a little bit crazy. "You've enjoyed this?"

Karla returned the look. "You didn't?"

Triela shrugged. "Not especially."

"Protocol's pretty important in Kaeleer," Karla said, shrugging. "Which is probably why I got put in here. But it was much more fun than my old lessons, by myself, with my mother's stuffy, old Steward."

"Besides," she said, running her fingers through her hair. "The rules are more fun to break when you know what they are."

Triela grinned. And then grinned more broadly. "Well, I do have to admit that Miss Bennet is less stuffy than Hilshire. She at least seems to have a sense of humor."

"Exactly. Etiquette's okay when the instructor knows not to take it too seriously," Karla said, grinning.

Then, her smile faltered a bit. "And you never know. Following Protocol might save your life one day."

She shook herself and her smile grew brighter again. "Still, stuffiness in an instructor is never a good thing."

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