Darius nodded along. "That is very true, but there is nothing wrong with a perfect version of something common. Roses make me feel at home, they smell wonderful, and they come in many colors. So they are both wonderful in their own ways. "

He noticed the worry and immediately looked apologetic. "I am so sorry I don't mean to scare you. I am just worried. There has been so much pain and death lately, I hope it has passed with him. " He knew such things didn't just pass, they were always lurking in the shadows. It wasn't his brother who had caused his own losses. He tried to clear his mind of such painful memories, otherwise it could effect his work.

"Ah up ahead." He wrapped an arm around the man's shoulders in a friendly gesture as he pointed ahead towards the large estate. "The Carrington manor."

Chéri could not dispute that. It was something personal, but also something they could understand. No place like home vs the exotic. They actually lost themselves briefly in the meditation, as no one, despite the compliments, had ever gone as far as actually taking the time and the patience to discuss complex artistic topics with them. They might even start to suspect Darius *actually* intended to simply paint them.

Chéri nodded, but did not deny or saw any decrease in their fear. But it was too late to go back: right in front of them there was Carrington Manor. Calliope turned to Darius and repeated “Carrington?”

Darius grew quiet as they walked with nothing to say until he revealed where they were going. The surprise had him blink and look confused. "Did I not say my last name?" He was usually so quick to make use of his family, perhaps it was because he was excited about painting and the family had nothing to do with that.

He immediately stepped away and held up both hands defensively. "I swear, nothing will happen. My brother was always a monster. And you can ask anyone, I am nothing like him." They probably wouldn't say much good about Darius but he was sure everyone would agree he was harmless, the most sinister thing about him was his laziness and how odd he was.

Chéri blinked back “You… are a Carrington,” Chéri had heard that name often enough in the last few days he could make a connection “You didn’t say you are a Carrington. You only said Darius.” They concluded. Chéri prevented themselves from gulping, while the other read their mind.

Chéri blinked slowly and took any emotion away from their face, including the staggering light that always made their eyes alive and filled with a joie de vivre that had made them so successful in life until now. Chéri breathed in deeply and in the end Chéri concluded “You will pay me well, monsieur.” Without going on about any other danger and took to hiking towards the house. They had decided to take the risk in full, but they were not going to pretend it wasn’t a risk.

Darius nodded but frowned as now their muse was very unhappy. He hadn't lied and hadn't intended to mislead, it was just a misstep. "I am sorry I forgot to tell you sooner. And yes, I'll pay you well. I already intended to!" He said as he led the way. There was no hesitancy among any who worked there to let him and his guest inside. There was no question he was who he said.

Darius also didn't waste time to care if anyone saw them as he led the way up to his room. It was large and had an odd assortment of things inside, from silks to strange taxidermy animals posed and dressed like little soldiers or musicians. He had painting supplies around the room and a few musical instruments cast aside in a corner. IT wasn't crowded, but it was haphazardly arranged and the empty wine bottles left around were the only things that truly should have been cleaned up.

"See? Just my room with plenty of space to paint." He gestured towards a love seat and on the wall just beyond was a large canvas hung up with Sonia from the Diamond Pony, painted sitting upon said love seat facing a window in a state of undress but kept modest with her hair and some fabric around her.

"That is my favorite piece but I have plenty more I can show you." He said. He was planning on closing the door before they began, but he wasn't about to make his guest feel trapped. "And then we can decide on the price, if you like?"

Chéri took the words but said nothing at this point, potentially a little bit weary, but still willing to go on. They just entered as requested.

Rather than welcoming them in their house, Darius pushed them towards his room. Not new to this, Chéri was anyways suspicious, finding it at least odd that no servant had anything to say about them entering the space, given the presence of any servant whatsoever. However the room, filled as it was with the oddest things, certainly attracted their attention. There were curiosities of various types, things that Chéri hadn’t seen since arriving in England and they could easily lose themselves looking at the animals or at the silks. In fact, that seem to bring back a flash of red to their face and a joyful, luminous smile. Apparently it was as easy to aggravate them as it was to cheer them up again.

Chéri laughed “Paint and lots of other things, it looks like” Chéri laughed, while taking off their jacket. They doubted Darius wanted that only anyway. They also took off hat and gloves, which they left on any surface that looked decently clean and promising to stay such.

Chéri looked at the local Olympia with a certain interest and smiled, some irony in them “Is that the plan? Full figure, partially naked, lying on the side?” Chéri asked, practically. And then added “sure, if you have something that better represents the idea you currently have.” They made an inviting gesture. They seemed more relaxed.

Darius became relaxed when Calliope didn't look more nervous being exposed to his room. Some people found it unsettling, but he seemed to appreciate it. Darius nodded and laughed softly as he rubbed his neck a bit embarrassed. "It's my sanctuary to enjoy any of my interests.." He looked around and dug into a chest and pulled out a silk robe with golden birds and elegantly decorated trees were carefully embroidered into it. He forgot what distant land it had come from, but it was also very soft and he found it one of his most beautiful pieces of clothing. "I think shirtless but wearing this. I like art that shows intimacy and a vulnerability." He looked towards him hoping he wouldn't be against it.

He pushed forward a large arm chair and pulled off the pants and shirt that were draped over top. "The loveseat or this? I would say you could sit on the bed if you wanted, but the light here is much better and I want you lit up like a gift from the heavens." Darius moved to pull over some mirrors to catch the daylight from the nearby windows before grabbing a large canvas like the one on the wall.

Chéri, who was still expecting an at least partially sexual encounter, took the comment as a double entendre and put a strongly ironic smile that radiated light and warmth “You have a lot of interests, monsieur” They noticed, without explaining themselves any further or making any explicit specification. Chéri was mildly interested at least in half of the pieces in the room, but as soon as the robe appeared, their eyes where fixed on it. Big and fascinated, Chéri walked closer to it, asking silently permission to touch it. Chéri nodded. “Alright. You want to feel like you have caught me while I was relaxing. Or did I just wake up?” There was some acting going on.

Chéri looked at the chair, at the loveseat and then shook their head “What would monsieur prefer? If the bed does not have the right light, then maybe something else is better.” They turned to Sonia on the chaise longue “but if we go for that, it will look quite a bit like that portrait. Do you want to make a pair? Otherwise, I would put something on it, so that ti doesn’t look the same.” Chéri started unbuttoning their waistcoat in the meantime, preparing to undress. “Where can I leave my clothes?” They asked.

Darius smiled happily. "Oh, yes... I would say that. I like a lot of things." He said cheerfully and walked around as if eyeing his room for the first time. He did have a lot of stuff. He shrugged then handed the silk robe to Calliope. "I think simply relaxing, or look like you are thinking about something very deep in your soul." He gestured towards his heart.

"Hm... that is a good question." The taller man looked from the sofa to the painting and then back to him. "You know, I think I can make the love seat a place as an introduction to my muses. " He clapped his hands together and seemed in thought to make sure it looked perfect. "You can place them anywhere you want, I won't bother them. Just as long as they aren't too close to me, I'd feel bad if there was some paint on it." He looked towards him. "So what price do you want? I think we can get it done .. in three maybe four days depending on how the light goes."

Chéri definitely didn’t take that as a double entendre. But they didn’t say, so it was just as well. Darius seemed somewhat proud of what they had created for themselves and that made Chéri smile, appreciating his confidence, especially as an extravagant personality in a small town. Chéri kept striking the silk robe while they waited for instructions. “And what is something very deep into my soul?” Calliope asked, without changing their facial expression in the slightest.

Chéri followed the thoughts, raised their eyes to the sky and wondered if that could work. “I think the loveseat might create better folds, so objectively it is better than the chair.” Chéri suggested . Chéri nodded then continued to undress. They took their cravat and waistcoat off, then started to work on the boots “It makes for sense for me to be barefoot, right? Or do you want me to hide my feet?” They continued asking for instructions. Chéri raised their eyebrows “I guess you will need to have always the same hours. I mean, I don’t think I will be working around that time and it is not too early, so it should work.” Chéri turned to the instrument. They had to think a little about what could be a price here. They had only ever been paid in francs. In the end, they calculated how much train fares, the few meals they had had and their few purchases had cost and came up with a “I think twelve shillings a day could be good, ten if the day is cut short.” Chéri looked at the instruments, meditating. After silent deliberation, they determined to ask this at a later date, once they had gathered a better understanding of who Darius was as a person.