Cassius
Cassius Knightly
Ganadella Rosindry
Gwenevyre Rosindry
Shense
Thom Locke Chapter 2: The Greatest Barber in the World
Maman and Papa were so proud of their son, Shensé. He had taken the time to accessorize the place and make it his own--and what a shop it became. With the experience he had growing up watching Papa and the Barber he was well equipped to cut mustaches. But alas...how he desired to have one of his own. The summer blossoms had began to close for winter's icy chill also making business slow for Shensé. Many of his customers grew out their beards and mustaches to keep even warm. So, pacing the spacious shop he did. He did not know how many times he had counted the floor tiles or swept the same spot during the past hour of quiet and stillness. Then a crack of light poking the corner of his eye caught his attention...a room never touched.
"Hmph. Thought I got to every room..." he muttered entering in.
Shelves upon shelves of books aligned the walls as well as boxes filled with dusty framed tools and more books. Shensé's eyes glistened with excitement as he cautiously made his way in and over the boxes. A particularly vintage book spine caught his attention. It's faded green and gold detail somehow glistened under the light as Shensé picked it up and slowly blew on it.
“…The…Greatest Bar-ber…” he struggled to make out the words before noticing the poor picture of the earth under the title, “The Greatest Barber in the World! Gee, that’s pretty broad!”
Quickly he went to dissect the book for answers, but the small bell rang over the door as someone entered in. Half irritated at the timing, but part thrilled for a customer, Shensé tucked the book under his arm and closed the door behind him, assuring whoever entered that he was coming. Hastily, he placed the book within his traveling bag and briskly approached a stunning woman. She was just as fancy as Maman at her birthday dinners. He swallowed hard as her round cheeks formed a smile and rose hair tucked behind her pointed ears.
“Hello, sir. Are you by chance Shensé the local barber?”
Her voice was smooth as silk and accented so carefully…like a queen. Shensé nodded with an, “Uh huh”, as a response. “That I am. Might I ask who is concerned?”
She smirked and lightly bounced on her toes.
“I am.”
He tried to stop his smile and hide his blushing, but it was too apparent. She continued.
“My name is Ganadella Rosindry.” She held out her hand while Shensé shook it kindly. Her face scrunched up suddenly.
“Do you not know how to greet a lady?”
Shyly he nodded and placed his hands behind his back.
“Kissing a woman’s hand is disrespectful…for you I do not know and likewise. Looking a lady in her eyes is also rude…” he blushed and chuckled before finishing, “being that I don’t believe I want to marry at 15 years of age, mademoiselle.”
A sly smirk spread upon her lips as she crossed her arms.
“Well, aren’t you a peach. Let us see how mannerly you are when I’m finished with you, hm?”
“…pardon?”
She hung her cloak upon the hanger revealing a barbers apron and attire. He dropped his mouth as she practically took over, making up her station near the front desk.
“They did tell you I was coming, right?”
“…T-they? I am confused, Miss-“
“No! Ganadella…please…”
Shensé watched her move around as if busy. Had there been some confusion between them? Suddenly there was a shriek behind him, where he had found the empty room. Quickly, he sprinted to see Ganadella standing facing the shelf , holding her hand over her mouth.
“ What ails you?”
She shook her head sadly.
“It is gone..”
“What is?”
“My book! It was given to me by my great grandmother!”
He tapped his chin and felt an unsettling feeling. Reaching into his bag he pulled out the book and held it out to Ganadella.
“Do you mean this…book?”
With a pink face, she snatched it and scowled at Shensé.
“Thief! How dare you go through my things!”
“But…but I did not know—“
“Hasn’t anyone told you about The Greatest Barber in the World?? Hm??”
“Well, my Papa mentioned heroes of our time—"
“No, not heroes!” She sighed and bumped past him, caressing the book.
“I apologize for my ignorance…”
“No, no…I should not have been so mean. You are young and well…for future reference…leave that room be, please.”
Questions whirled in his head as she calmly placed the book on the desk and smiled.
“I feel you eyeing me…something wrong?”
“Well…um—not so much as wrong, but….who exactly are you?”
A long pause went by before she answered with a boisterous voice.
“I am Ganadella Rosindry! The Greatest Barber in the World!”
"Hmph. Thought I got to every room..." he muttered entering in.
Shelves upon shelves of books aligned the walls as well as boxes filled with dusty framed tools and more books. Shensé's eyes glistened with excitement as he cautiously made his way in and over the boxes. A particularly vintage book spine caught his attention. It's faded green and gold detail somehow glistened under the light as Shensé picked it up and slowly blew on it.
“…The…Greatest Bar-ber…” he struggled to make out the words before noticing the poor picture of the earth under the title, “The Greatest Barber in the World! Gee, that’s pretty broad!”
Quickly he went to dissect the book for answers, but the small bell rang over the door as someone entered in. Half irritated at the timing, but part thrilled for a customer, Shensé tucked the book under his arm and closed the door behind him, assuring whoever entered that he was coming. Hastily, he placed the book within his traveling bag and briskly approached a stunning woman. She was just as fancy as Maman at her birthday dinners. He swallowed hard as her round cheeks formed a smile and rose hair tucked behind her pointed ears.
“Hello, sir. Are you by chance Shensé the local barber?”
Her voice was smooth as silk and accented so carefully…like a queen. Shensé nodded with an, “Uh huh”, as a response. “That I am. Might I ask who is concerned?”
She smirked and lightly bounced on her toes.
“I am.”
He tried to stop his smile and hide his blushing, but it was too apparent. She continued.
“My name is Ganadella Rosindry.” She held out her hand while Shensé shook it kindly. Her face scrunched up suddenly.
“Do you not know how to greet a lady?”
Shyly he nodded and placed his hands behind his back.
“Kissing a woman’s hand is disrespectful…for you I do not know and likewise. Looking a lady in her eyes is also rude…” he blushed and chuckled before finishing, “being that I don’t believe I want to marry at 15 years of age, mademoiselle.”
A sly smirk spread upon her lips as she crossed her arms.
“Well, aren’t you a peach. Let us see how mannerly you are when I’m finished with you, hm?”
“…pardon?”
She hung her cloak upon the hanger revealing a barbers apron and attire. He dropped his mouth as she practically took over, making up her station near the front desk.
“They did tell you I was coming, right?”
“…T-they? I am confused, Miss-“
“No! Ganadella…please…”
Shensé watched her move around as if busy. Had there been some confusion between them? Suddenly there was a shriek behind him, where he had found the empty room. Quickly, he sprinted to see Ganadella standing facing the shelf , holding her hand over her mouth.
“ What ails you?”
She shook her head sadly.
“It is gone..”
“What is?”
“My book! It was given to me by my great grandmother!”
He tapped his chin and felt an unsettling feeling. Reaching into his bag he pulled out the book and held it out to Ganadella.
“Do you mean this…book?”
With a pink face, she snatched it and scowled at Shensé.
“Thief! How dare you go through my things!”
“But…but I did not know—“
“Hasn’t anyone told you about The Greatest Barber in the World?? Hm??”
“Well, my Papa mentioned heroes of our time—"
“No, not heroes!” She sighed and bumped past him, caressing the book.
“I apologize for my ignorance…”
“No, no…I should not have been so mean. You are young and well…for future reference…leave that room be, please.”
Questions whirled in his head as she calmly placed the book on the desk and smiled.
“I feel you eyeing me…something wrong?”
“Well…um—not so much as wrong, but….who exactly are you?”
A long pause went by before she answered with a boisterous voice.
“I am Ganadella Rosindry! The Greatest Barber in the World!”
