Angelica wasn’t so angry with Hamoa anymore. Coming to her home and knowing that the woman didn’t mean it bad to get Angelica soaked, that did something at least. Plus Hamoa seemed like an interesting woman and she did seem very nice – and when Angelica asked for a robe, Hamoa brought her one. She also said she didn’t have a favorite painting, because this was apparently more a business than anything else. Angelica decided to change first though, before she’d take a proper look at the offered paintings.

Hamoa turned her back and Angelica looked at the robe, which did look like it might sit tightly… but she had to get out of her soaked gown first. Just a few moments after Hamoa turned her back, Angelica decided she needed help.

“Will you open the laces for me?” She asked and turned around to let Hamoa help her. Meanwhile she looked around in the pretty, but sparse home… at least compared to her own.

“Do you live here alone?” She wondered. Think, that a young woman could live alone in Venice. Perhaps Hamoa was not so bad after all.

@Spiegel

Hamoa turned to face Angelica, helping her with the laces, as she considered what to say in silence. After a brief hesitation she responded. "Yes. Though my mentor checks in now and again to see if I'm okay." Hamoa tugged the last lace loose off of Angelica's dress, while curling a fist into the fabric to help keep the corset up. She smiled faintly for a moment before speaking up again. "I know it's unusual for a woman to live alone. It also invites trouble from men with a lack of sense or manners." She lapsed into silence as she waited for Angelica to respond.

Angelica stood silently to listen to Hamoa, while the laces of her bodice of the dress came undone. She wondered if the corset underneath was wet too, but she'd see once the actual dress came off. Meanwhile Hamoa said she did live alone, but her mentor checked in on her and then added something about living alone and men without manners. Angelica turned around as she pushed the top of the dress over her shoulders and forwards. With that off, she could open the ties to the skirt and let that fall down and pool around her feet; apparently she was not modest and didn't seem to mind undressing in front of Hamoa. She now just wore her white low-cut chemise, the corset, stockings and good shoes. She then took the robe off the mannequin and picked up the skirt and the top to hang there instead, to see the damage.

"I know all about men with lack of sense and manners. Especially one of my brothers is terrible and he's been like that for as long as I can remember. He'd not think twice about intruding on a lone woman." Angelica said; her brother Andrea was terrible towards more or less everyone. And he'd of course also bullied his younger siblings and more than once came closer to Angelica than what she thought comfortable. Not that he ever did anything, but she knew he hated she was his sister and that meant hands off. Poor Andrea... not... she thought about him as she began trying to fit into the robe, but her hips were wider than Hamoa's and it was the same problem with her bosom. She couldn't close the robe properly and gave Hamoa a small smile, "I hope you don't mind the sight." She said, knowing it must look stupid with the too small robe for her.

@Spiegel

Hamoa stared for a split second too long at Angelica's bosom before snorting out a laugh, looking away. A dark blush touched her skin as she turned towards her paintings. "I don't mind. Let's discuss paintings. Have you looked through them? I'm curious about which one you like the most. I love what I do, I wouldn't have made my choices if I didn't, but it is a business to me."
Hamoa lapsed into silence as she waited for Angelica to respond, wondering what the noble would say. She had never really interacted with nobility before. This was a new experience for her.

Angelica blushed a little when Hamoa laughed and looked away by the sight of Angelica trying to wear Hamoa’s robe. But after a few moments, it was all fine and they both seemed able to ignore it. Angelica joked about how she hoped Hamoa would not mind the sight of it, and Hamoa simply said she didn’t mind. Well that was good at least. Angelica did her best to try and close the robe, but it wouldn’t fit at the top, so she just ignored that. She wasn’t shy anyway and she was with a woman; so why did she have to hide anyway, if Hamoa didn’t find it unpleasant?

Hamoa then began talking about the paintings, if Angelica had looked at them and decided which she liked the most. She confessed that it was indeed a business, despite how she loved painting.

“So you don’t sell very well?” Angelica wondered if it was because Hamoa was a woman. She began moving around, looking at the various pieces on display and stopped in front of a painting with a rather petty looking vase, but with the most extravagant bouquet of flowers in it, all in full bloom, it was so lush that it was almost too much. There was a great attention to detail and it was difficult to not enjoy looking at it. The flowers almost seemed like you could reach out and touch one…

“I like this one. You’re skilled. Do you have a patron?” Apparently all thoughts about the soaked dress were gone for now.

@Spiegel

Hamoa shook her head. "Not yet. But I'm hoping somebody I got a letter from will be my patron. Why? Are you offering?" She glanced towards the painting Angelica was looking at. "Like I said, I'm not famous yet. But I have the talent to be famous. So I have hopes that it will change." She smiled slightly at Angelica. "You're interested in that one? All that's left is signing it. After that, it's yours."

She turned her attention fully onto the vase of flowers in her painting. "I was proud of that one actually. I wish I could have bought a better vase but the rest of it was really nice. The flowers were not cheap, which took most of the money that I could afford to spend." She looked around her sparse apartment. It bordered on spartan, the only accessories being her easel and stack of canvases. "Money has been tight for a while . . . But I can't afford to move somewhere cheaper. That's a downhill slide that ends in the ghettos. Once I'm there I turn from a struggling artist to a failed one."

Angelica studied the painting she’d decided upon, while Hamoa spoke of how she didn’t have a patron yet, and she wasn’t famous yet, but she believed she could be. Angelica gave her a smile, she thought it good that the woman was confident at least. Confident women could get far in this world, but there were so few of them! Perhaps it wasn’t so unlucky after all, that her dress was soaked today. And Alessandro would no doubt be curious about the whole tale and want to meet Hamoa too. She could only imagine her sweet brother would adore Hamoa.

“Maybe I am, I think I can afford being someone’s patron. It could be exciting. My brother recently decided to support a female musician. So why not support you too?” Angelica said with a friendly smile to the other woman, “I am indeed interested in this one.” She confirmed afterwards, and let Hamoa explain more about the painting itself.

“I don’t think it’s bad that the vase does not quite match the flowers. It makes both stand out more… a perfect vase would have made it too perfect. I like the contrast of it.” She said to the other woman, almost considering if she should offer her a place in her home with Alessandro, but they already also had Narciso and she didn’t want it to be too crowded. Hamoa was cute though, in her own way. Both her personality and the way she looked. And sadly she didn’t have so many money and now she’ give Angelica a painting for free, just because Angelica lost her head for a moment or two in the street…

“If you’re that short on money, I feel bad about taking this from you. I’ll pay you for it.” Angelica then decided.

@Spiegel

Hamoa paused for a moment, giving Angelica a considering expression. She was silent for a minute before nodding. "I will have to see what my other potential patron thinks first but otherwise I am happy to accept your offer. With a little luck she won't place any restrictions on my choice in art. Which would leave you free to dictate terms to me. As for the painting, I would be happy if you bought it." She looked down at the painting, twisting her lips to the side in thought.

She briefly wondered how much she should charge for the painting before sighing quietly again. She finally spoke up after a minute. "Two ducato seems like a reasonable price." She looked towards her easel before walking towards it. Hamoa picked up her paintbrush, mixing some black paint. She dipped her clean paintbrush into it before signing the still-life. Hamoa looked down at the painting with a pleased smile. "This will help pay my rent and restock my pantry for a while. Thank you for buying a painting."

She really had to remind her brother to go out on his own more often, because although some bad incidents could happen, they could also lead to new friendships and more. It was certainly a bad incident when Claudia’s dress was soaked, but now turned so much better. Hamoa said she could consider another patron, if her first didn’t mind it. Then she spoke of restrictions and added she’d be happy if Claudia bought the painting.

“I don’t believe much in restrictions. Our family has plenty of those… I’m much happier here in Venice, free from those from my family who’d restrain me from doing as I pleased. You should paint what you want, Hamoa, and for whom you want. When you want. Paint what inspires you the most. What does inspire you the most, Hamoa?” She mused, looking at the beautiful dark-skinned young woman. Such beauty would certainly inspire Angelica, but painting wasn’t her strong side. Like her brother, dancing and singing was more enjoyable for her. And a few things that weren’t ladylike at all.

Hamoa decided on a price for the painting and signed it then, “Don’t worry about it. I may have that much…” She went to her wet dress on the mannequin and found a hidden pocket between all the layers. There was a purse and she looked in it to find the money, “There you go.” She held out her hand with the coins for Hamoa to take, “I have to say, this has been far more interesting than I thought it would be. I’m sorry I was so angry when we met.” She said with a smile, but she didn’t blush. She wasn’t embarrassed; just… felt she could have been nicer.

@Spiegel

Hamoa paused for a minute, a light blush dusting her cheeks as she looked away from Angelica. A faint smile touched her face as she thought of Claire, giving all the signs of being infatuated with somebody. She forced her gaze back to Angelica, an eyebrow perked up as she considered what to say. She settled on something she considered a little safer as a topic. "It has been interesting for me as well. Your apology is accepted." She lapsed into silence for a moment before looking towards Angelica's dress. "Is it salvageable? I'd hate to see an expensive dress like that ruined."

She glanced up at Angelia, making an attempt at steering the conversation into safer territory. Though subtlety was not her strong suit. It was obvious she was avoiding the topic. She blushed again, looking down at her nails for a moment before sighing quietly. "If you're interested in commissioning some art I'm willing to get started immediately."