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Post by yooom on Jan 22, 2021 20:20:19 GMT -6
It wasn’t exactly hard for Ravenna to catch up to Celaine. She had a longer stride, and Celaine’s wasn’t exactly running from her. Nevertheless, it was a little disconcerting to see her act so hostile, even without Saveria’s presence. She was clearly still quite upset, and Ravenna scrambled to try and figure out what she could to ease tensions between the two of them.
Ravenna felt herself cringe up as Celaine finally spoke. Her voice was hostile, callous, a far cry from the gentle, intimate girl she’d been a minute ago. Then again, Ravenna thought to herself, it was also quite far from the shrieking, raging fury who’d tried to shoot her several times. This, Ravenna supposed, was a kind of middle ground. She didn’t exactly like it, but she’d Celaine in worse states, she thought, trying to see the bright side to this.
As Celaine spoke, Ravenna realized that, perhaps, she was not the primary reason Celaine was being rather terse. She did not doubt that she had soured her guardian’s mood, but this town...it was where some truly terrible things had happened to Celaine. No wonder she was stressed. Ravenna nodded. Celaine had saved her life, had been very kind to her these past days. The least Ravenna could do was overlook a bit of rudeness. Besides, if there was one thing Ravenna could understand completely, it was wanting to put a great deal of distance between oneself and one’s hometown.
“Definitely!” she said, as brightly as she could. “The sooner this little mission gets done, the sooner we can go on to more enjoyable things. Right, Sonya?” She said, with a smile. She paused for a moment. It was good to move on, but...she still needed to apologize.
“Hey, Celaine?” she said, her tone much more tentative now. The young thief wasn’t exactly used to apologizing for much of anything. Still, she needed Celaine to know that she cared for her, and that she desperately needed her support. “I...I’m sorry for leaving like that, I...I just needed to go...and I know that wasn’t the right thing to do...and I’m sorry.” She was quiet for a moment, letting the apology sit for a moment, before beginning to speak again, her voice still more tentative, bordering on anxious.
“I...I know we won’t always be on the best of terms, and...and I’ll try my best to not do it again.” She was quiet again, for a longer moment. She knew that this might not be the best time for Celaine, given her mood but...she needed her to know it. “But...when we’re with Saveria...could you just...pretend things are okay?” Ravenna could feel that she was out on a limb, and spoke a little quieter. “She...she wants us to fail, Celaine. She wants to make me a doll.” She swallowed, still keeping pace with Celaine.
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Post by Emiko on Jan 23, 2021 0:27:40 GMT -6
Celaine maintained a steady pace as she went down the road. Even when Ravenna caught up to her and started to engage in conversation, that pace didn't slow. She also maintained her dutiful expression of calm focus not seeming to once let anything shatter it. That meant...walking in emotionless silence as Ravenna tried to make light of the situation and even apologized for what she had done earlier. Sad to say, despite her best efforts, Ravenna wasn't able to change Celaine's mood or demeanor. However...that all shifted when Ravenna revealed that Saveria wanted the two of them to fail and requested that Celaine pretend like everything was ok around her... It...was those two things that made Celaine finally stop in her tracks and stare at Ravenna in silence for...several long moments...
"...Don't you think I know that...?" Celaine finally spoke up with the harshest, firmest tone she had delivered yet. It only continued as she went on... "...The long hour I didn't return to my room last night...all she talked to me about was how this; how we weren't going to work. About how I fell in love with and saved someone who cares only about herself... She tried everything to make me renounce my protection over you and I refused..."
Following these words, Celaine quietly moved past Ravenna and set the picnic basket down on the ground. After doing so, she quietly shifted her shawl about her shoulders to make sure her wounds on her back couldn't possibly be spotted. Then after that, she adjusted her eye patch to make sure her magical eye was fully concealed. All of this in preparation for going into the town which wasn't much further away. As she did this though...what she said next...might really hit Ravenna hard...
"...I've been doing everything for you, Ravenna... Standing between you and a fate worse than death; being a wall to protect you from that...that monster. I've kept you safe, fed, clothed, returned what you've lost, helped you find new passions, even gain favor in her eyes with these challenges... Yet...as hard as I've tried, nothing seems to earn me a place in your eyes or...in your heart... I don't expect your love after just two days... I get that... But I'm tired, Ravenna... I've barely survived working under that witch all these years, and now I have you to protect which...feels like just another fruitless endeavor..."
In the moments that followed, Celaine felt somewhat silent staring out into the distance. The silence was only broken when Ravenna might hear a faint sniffle coming from the young guardian. Of course, Celaine was quick to wipe away any tears that had started to fall and took a deep breath to steady her nerves. Once calmed, she reached down to grab the picnic basket and begin on her way again... As she did, she gave Ravenna one last thing to think about...
"...I can't pretend like everything is ok when it isn't... She'll see through the lie and you know that... I am willing to protect and keep you safe from anyone; from anything... I meant it when I said you are a priceless treasure to me... If you want to stay safe, you have to help me protect you... I can't do this alone... I'm not strong enough to constantly be a wall without a purpose... I'm just...a broken, lonely girl and have been for years... And...throwing away this day and our time together as nothing special...? That only makes it harder to be what you need when you aren't even willing to consider what I need..."
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Post by yooom on Jan 24, 2021 21:04:15 GMT -6
Ravenna listened, as, at last, Celaine let loose. In a way, it was preferable to what she’d been like before, just as hostile, but silent, refusing to engage, speaking only in quick, curt phrases. Now it seemed hard for her to stop, and Ravenna felt another spurt of guilt. Celaine was right. She had done a lot for her. No, Celaine had done EVERYTHING for Ravenna, kept her from death, provided for her, but, more than either of those important things...she’d been a friend to her. Her presence had been invaluable for Ravenna, and, even if she wasn’t quite as affectionate as Celaine was, Ravenna still owed her much.
Still, her last word cut Ravenna hard. A fruitless endeavor? She didn’t see their relationship in that way at all. It was something that was building up to something, it was a constant battle to stay alive, and Celaine was her sole ally in that fight. Was Ravenna’s life not fruit enough of this endeavor? Did things have to go just as Celaine wanted, for Ravenna’s life to worth it for her? She let out a quiet sigh, opening her mouth, about to give her a piece of her mind, or at least express some of her outrage. That this entire life hadn’t been chosen by her, that she was more than happy to be alone, to be far away from this awful place, from Saveria, from even Celaine, that she’d been perfectly fine before she’d met the girl, and that she still would have been fine if Celaine hadn’t kidnapped her, hadn’t handed her over to Saveria.
But, before an enraged word could slip past the young thief’s lips, she caught a sound from Celaine, quite different from the harsh words she’d hurled at her a second ago. A quiet, weak little sniffle. She turned, actually looking at Celaine’s face, but she was already hurriedly wiping it, stepping away from Ravenna. She spoke again, her anger lessened. She was still very emotional, though, now more sad, and Ravenna was able to swallow her rage before she made things worse. Now was not the time for anger. She hadn’t liked what Celaine had said, but the first misstep had been on her own part.
Even as Celaine stepped forward, Ravenna continued to keep pace with her, reaching out to rub a hand warmly, apologetically, to her upper back, knowing how well Celaine tended to respond to touch. “You’re right. It was wrong of me to try to...diminish this. It’s still an occasion, one worthy of some celebration. A chance to spend some time together without her hanging over us…” her voice trailed off, eyes drifting to the bracelet. She still had until midnight to figure out how to get it off...of her and Celaine. It could be how she made it up to Celaine, by saving her from all of this. And yet, Ravenna knew well enough to not broach the topic to her. Not yet anyways.
“Let me do what I can to make it up to you,” Ravenna offered. “We’re out, we must make the most of it. I’ll need your help to know where to get to, but, if you don’t want to speak to anyone, I can do the talking. Let you keep your hood up the whole time.” She nodded, leaning a little closer to murmur conspiratorially into her ear. “And, once that’s done, we can go wherever you want. Does that sound nice?”
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Post by Emiko on Jan 25, 2021 17:19:33 GMT -6
This was the first time in a while that Celaine had expressed her emotions so openly, and even more of a first calling Saveria for what she was over her Mistress. For her to break down...it was unheard of and she was already feeling the need to walk it back. Her entire life in that 'sanctuary' was nothing but a nightmare as she lived in a place where she had to tread carefully existing as a shell of who she truly was. After Ravenna got thrown into the mix, it just made everything so much harder... As she revealed through her words and actions, she was just barely holding it together... Despite some of the horrible things she said, Ravenna still found the strength to reach up and stroke her back tenderly, giving Celaine a much needed sense of peace...
A faint blush spread over Celaine's cheeks as Ravenna replied back seeming to understand now just how important their time together was to Celaine... She acknowledged the importance of the day and expressed her own interest to enjoy it now. Ravenna even offered to do all the talking today if Celaine wanted to stay quiet and out of the way in this endeavor. But her final offer though, delivered in a bit of a seductive whisper which...Celaine blushed hard to was the most generous one. Upon completing this task, Ravenna agreed to go anywhere and do anything Celaine wanted to do. It...was a very generous olive branch, but...it wasn't exactly everything Celaine had hoped for...
Coming to a halt for just a moment, Celaine quietly turned to face Ravenna and grabbed the wrist of the hand Ravenna had used to rub her back. Holding it somewhat firmly, it might have seemed as if she were still upset or even physically reltaliating. But...soon enough, Ravenna would feel a faint shiver in Celaine's grip. It was a clear sign that she wasn't mad, but...sad and scared... And her words would go on to reveal as much as she spoke them...
"...You can't speak entirely alone on Saveria's behalf... You don't know how she conducts her business deals or her approaches..." Celaine replied softly, before turning away to look in a different direction trying hard to conceal her fears. Despite that, there was an unmistakable quiver in her voice revealing exactly what she hoped to hide... "...If for any reason, you accidentally said or did something that she might consider a disgrace to her name...she'd punish you severely... As much as I'd prefer and...need your voice in this matter...I can't let you do it alone... We can do it together, but...I can't let you do it alone..."
With her words offered, Celaine quietly rearranged her hold on Ravenna until she was holding her hand within her own. Celaine's fingers tenderly interlocked with Ravenna's creating a firm, but affectionate hold. Without letting go, Celaine slowly turned back and started walking on the road towards the town again. As she moved forward, she refused to release Ravenna seeming to want or...even need this small gesture for a while. It...was as important to her as the day itself. And...if Ravenna needed any clue as to what else she needed, Celaine somehow found the inner strength to let them be known...
"...After this is done though...I would like to go somewhere special and just...be with you... But...I'd like to do a little bit more than just have a picnic together..." Celaine quietly replied with a hard blush on her face and her hand tightening gently around Ravenna's... "...I know you don't have feelings for me right now, and I won't pressure you into it... But...if your heart is willing...I really could use someone that is more than just my roommate and a friend... Even if it's...just for this one day..."
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Post by yooom on Feb 4, 2021 19:48:21 GMT -6
At first. things seemed to be going quite well. Celaine responded exactly the way Ravenna had expected, a warm blush flooding through Celaine’s cheeks. They seemed to be making their way well along the road to reconciliation. However, the grab took Ravenna off guard.
Ravenna let out a quiet yelp of surprise when Celaine rather abruptly grabbed her by the wrist mid comforting stroke. She was instantly reminded of Saveria, who had done the exact same maneuver on her scarcely a minute ago. Needless to say, a reminder of Saveria was the last thing Ravenna needed, and she was plunged into another moment of fear. Fear that Celaine and Saveria weren’t all that different after all, that they were both vengeful, callous creatures, and Ravenna was trapped between the two of them. But a second passed, and it became clear that Celaine’s hold on her wasn’t the same thing. She was...nervous, perhaps?
Ravenna listened closely to Celaine’s words, and she had to admit, she was right. While she knew all she needed about Saveria to know exactly how she did her business, the terms she might use were beyond her. And she well knew that Saveria would be sure to take even the slightest slight very seriously. Ravenna’s body ached at the memory of her first meeting with Saveria, the savage attacks the woman was capable of. Perhaps it would be best if Celaine did the talking.
The hand holding her wrist loosened, shifting to tenderly take hold of Ravenna’s own hand, their fingers interlocking, and Ravenna gently squeezed on Celaine’s palm, comfortingly. “You’re right,” she said, quiety. She felt Celaine’s hand tighten, as she began to think about the day that might follow, what they might be able to do in their time together, with nothing but the wide French countryside for company. “I’m sorry, you’ll...you will still have to do this.”
Still, Ravenna hesitated. It wasn’t that she wasn’t used to pretending to have affections for someone. The right feigned attachments to the right people could get one through all kinds of doors that made pilfering sacred relics all the easier. She hadn’t exactly done it with another woman; a circumstance had never arisen where that would have worked to suit Ravenna’s own schemes, but that was hardly the issue here. No, the problem with putting on something like that with Celaine for a day is that, well...she already had some affection for the guardian. She’d never cared enough about those previous dalliances to mind leaving abruptly, some precious item stuffed into a pocket or bag. But with Celaine...she didn’t want to hurt her...and she knew that it would hurt Celaine if, after today, she acted like this was some temporary thing.
But...but what if it wasn’t an act? What if it was a chance to explore something she’d never done before: show genuine emotion with someone she cared for? Ravenna mused. She needed to let go of her reservations, she did trust Celaine, so...why not relax a little?
She leaned down, to speak directly at Celaine’s level, not quite the seductive murmur, but a quiet, plain voice. “Okay.” And, without the slightest warning, she leaned in that extra inch, and planted a peck on Celaine’s cheek. She let out a nervous laugh, perhaps the most genuine sound she’d made without some hypnotic aid, and, taking advantage of the surprise, pulled her hand from Celaine’s. “After this is done though!” she said, the same laugh to her voice. “For now, we are simply two...business partners. Associates of Saveria, just in town to collect that item.”
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Post by Emiko on Feb 6, 2021 10:17:32 GMT -6
When Celaine had finished speaking, there was a brief moment of silence it seemed where things just felt tense. She was feeling nervous about what she had allowed to escape her mouth, and it was most likely just her imagination reflecting her emotional state. She fully expected Ravenna though to jerk her hand away from hers, hastily reject her offer to be open, or at the very least decline that she wasn't ready as she had a couple of times before. Rather than do those things however, Ravenna instead gave Celaine's hand a tender, warm squeeze. And...that was only the first of a few additional surprises.
Celaine fell into a slight daze at Ravenna's tender hand squeeze, but that became shocked awe when the first thing Ravenna spoke to her were words of acceptance. She didn't try to decline or put the idea of being open and exploring on hold; she...was open to it. It was a simple move that would have made her blush on it's own...if Ravenna hadn't performed her follow up action. It was THAT action that would prove to be a game changer in so many ways...
Barely having a minute to register what Ravenna had said, the young thief didn't hesitate to reach in and give Celaine's cheek a quick kiss. It was nothing other than a swift peck, something so small that others might not think twice about it. But when Ravenna gave it to Celaine...it was a totally different story. Celaine was so surprised and taken back by it that she literally froze in her tracks with a deep blush forming on her face. The moment of pause allowed Ravenna to remove her hand easily without notice and...Celaine just stood there in a deep blushing daze...
For Celaine, that kiss as simple as it was was like a light in the darkness; an affection she had missed so much and would have traded anything for... In that brief moment, her breathing became heavier and her heart started to race, butterflies churning in her stomach. All that from just one kiss on the cheek... Still, she wasn't totally immobilized by it and did start moving again soon after. As she did though, Celaine shyly lifted a hand to the cheek Ravenna had kissed and warmly rested it on that spot with a happy grin spreading over her face, treating that kiss like a treasure she'd never let go of...
"...H-hm...? O-oh...yes, business associates for Saveria..." Celaine responded with a hint of dazed-weakness in her tone. She very much knew it was there, but giggled to let Ravenna know she was ok; a giggle that was as genuine as Ravenna's own and...a light into Celaine's true self. "...After this is over, I look forward to our time together... Town...isn't much further away. We'll just...get in, do our business, and get out... It should be really simple."
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Post by yooom on Feb 8, 2021 20:48:22 GMT -6
Ravenna’s actions worked just as Ravenna had expected. Celaine’s face was now practically maroon, she was blushing so hard, and Ravenna couldn’t help but let out another laugh, somewhere between mischievous and nervousness. It was nice, seeing Celaine all flustered from the simple, if quite affectionate, gesture. As she stuttered out her response, Ravenna gave her a sincere little smile. Any tension between the two of them, it seemed, has vanished, as quickly as it had come.
While it hadn’t been a surprise to Ravenna, it was still a profoundly important moment for her. She had, for just a split second, lowered her walls, poked out of her shell to reach Celaine, to do something vulnerable. A moment of weakness...of genuine attachment. She hadn’t had such a moment before, not with any of the girls at the abbey, who she’d never been close enough to trust with anything from her self, and certainly not with anyone since she’d escaped it. Seeing Celaine take that moment of vulnerability so well was a comfort. She had trusted Celaine before, but, before this, it hadn’t exactly been out of choice. Celaine was simply the only presence in Sanctuaire Sacre who wasn’t either a blank doll or actively rooting for her destruction. This was something else. A moment of trust, the first attempt to reach out of her shell. For both girls, it meant far more than the simple gesture might have suggested.
Ravenna allowed herself one more giggle, before shifting back into that business persona. Even as she did it, though, it wasn’t like she was shifting back into her shell, there was a brightness, an energy to her, that hadn’t been there before, and she grinned at Celaine, still riding the high of their tender, genuine moment. “Yes, a quick bit of business, before we do what we like,” she said, with another laugh.
They made the rest of the rather short walk in silence, though Ravenna walked with a bit more of a spring to her step. Even though she’d said they would be all business for the next bit of their trip, her mind couldn’t help but wander to what would come after. What plans did Celaine have for them? A meal, she knew but, judging from how much she cared about this...it seemed like there was more to today than just that. Despite the thought, there was no tension in her head. It was strange feeling, not to be worried about her immediate future. The past few days had been nothing but stressful, but even before them...she had always been nervous about her future. Of course, part of that had to do with the fact that she had been constantly attempting to steal from the most secure cathedrals on the continent, but...even before then, when she’d been at the abbey, she’d had the same anxiety about the people around her. Afraid of what they thought of her, what they were going to say or do. Not so with Celaine. It was like she’d said, she knew Celaine wouldn’t hurt her. And, while this respite from Sanctuaire Sacre was momentary at best...it was nice to pretend that it wasn’t. That there wasn’t an ominous shadow witch waiting for them back there, that they were simply a couple having a day on the town.
Ravenna felt the dirt path go hard abruptly, and jumped, her surroundings catching up with her as she stepped onto one of the stone roads of the small town. She scanned the environment, taking in the settlement before her. It wasn’t exactly much, a handful of cozy looking houses, clustered around a square that had a handful of larger, stately buildings. It was there, towards the center of town, that they were probably heading for.
A thought occurred to Ravenna, as they passed through the outskirts of the town, and she turned back, gazing at the areas around them. Somewhere out here, she knew Celaine had faced that vicious treatment, where she’d lost her eye. And somewhere, perhaps that same location, she had executed her former lower. Was it out here? Or somewhere else nearby?
Her gaze shifted to the girl beside her, and Ravenna immediately felt a mixture of shame at having tried to identify such a macabre location. Celaine knew exactly where those places were, and doubtless being this close to this town was affecting her. Even though she’d said that her kiss would be the last intimate thing she would do until they were done with town, Ravenna slipped her hand into Celaine’s for a second, and squeezed her comfortingly. “You’re okay,” she said, quietly, as she withdrew her hand again, a warm smile on her face. “You can do this.” She paused, turning back to the center of town. “Lead the way, Celaine.”
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Post by Emiko on Feb 10, 2021 21:09:25 GMT -6
That simple gesture that Ravenna gave her in the form of the kiss was enough to keep Celaine smiling with a faint blush all the way to the town. Though she traveled in silence for the time that followed, her mind too was filled with the possibilities of what the day had in store. She admittedly had only a few things she wanted to do, but just...more than anything just wanted to experience a 'free' afternoon with her crush. It had been three years since Celaine had a quiet evening with someone she cared about outside of the walls of Sanctuaire Sacre and she was greatly looking forward to it.
That...passion that Celaine had would remain quite strong within her until they reached the outskirts of the town. There, as they passed numerous houses, Celaine's pace started to slow ever so slightly. More often than not, she would glance at the houses as they passed seeming to know who lived in them... At one point near one of the houses, she almost came a complete stop recognizing it the most... That house...was actually hers at one point, but had since been sold to another family after she was declared 'dead' and her lover hung by the noose...
Even still, Celaine forced herself to get moving and did her best to make it seem like the house she stopped at was just like any other, only stopping to 'admire' the quality of it for a bit. As the two girls got closer to the heart of the business sector of the town, that's...where Celaine's facade started to fall apart... The very place where Celaine had been beaten and her girlfriend hang was right in the center of the whole town... It was the most open precinct in the whole village and accommodated everyone for all sorts of events. Rallies, festivals, speeches...executions...
Celaine was admittedly starting to get a bit anxious and each step she took only increased that anxiety a little more. She could feel the dread of having to return here and see it all again. This was far from the first time she had came back into town for something, but...it didn't matter... Regardless of whether this was the first, fourth, or hundredth time, it still hurt to come back... It still...so fresh and so painful to her heart after all of these years...
There was a literal moment where Celaine was about to pause needing a moment to catch herself. However, Ravenna seemed to notice that moment and provided her hand a tender squeeze. This, along with her affectionate assurances warmed Celaine's heart and gave her the strength to keep going on. She nodded at Ravenna as the thief encouraged her and moved ahead of Ravenna to lead her to where they needed to go. As she did, she made sure to give Ravenna a quick reminder of things.
"...Remember to call me by my alias here 'Pavia' and just blend in with the crowd." Celaine replied, glancing around at the various surroundings to make sure no one was listening. As strange as it was to say though, this area where the people lived...was hardly active at all... Perhaps they were all gathered in the town for something? Who really knew... "...These people won't suspect anything if you don't give them a reason to. Blend in, stay close, maintain a quiet existence as much as possible, and above all else trust no one..."
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Post by yooom on Feb 18, 2021 19:27:46 GMT -6
They hadn’t been walking too quickly down the road, but even still Celaine’s pace slowed to a crawl. Ravenna could sense the trauma welling up in her, as they passed the scattered houses on the edge of the town. She came to a complete stop by one humble little residence, and Ravenna gave it a quick glance. Not much to speak of, but it was obvious that Celaine had some intimate connection with it. Hers, perhaps, or her lovers...or relatives. She hadn’t thought to ask if Celaine had any relations still living in Du-Sang. She assumed she would have mentioned it but...when faced with such a traumatic task as this, she could hardly fault Celaine for neglecting every possible detail. They continued moving, even as Ravenna felt Celaine breaking down, each new sight bringing her a step closer to despair.
And yet, as much as Ravenna might have wanted to continue to reassure Celaine through some physical contact, even to continue to hold her hand as they made their way through the scene of god knew how many traumatic memories, she knew better. As Celaine had said, they would be fine as long as they didn’t give the villagers. And Ravenna knew that there was nothing like a moment of intimacy to get villagers gossiping. Still, that might not necessarily be a bad thing. Her lips curled slightly at the thought of Saveria’s face should an angry mob show up at the gates of the Sanctuary. In the rush of activity to repel the invaders, well, who would care if one lone prisoner and her guardian went missing?
And yet, if she was going to try to get the villagers’ attention, she’d first need to FIND them. Ravenna turned, looking around, but the town was desolate, empty. Where was everybody? It all felt very wrong and Ravenna, feeling a little sick, wondered whether Saveria was somehow responsible for this bizarre quietness,through some magic she had yet to reveal to Ravenna. Ravenna knew that she was no chance against Saveria one on one, her first night in Sanctuaire Sacre had been proof enough of that but this...emptying Du Sang was something else entirely.
She was about to ask Celaine if this entire journey might have been some kind of trick on Saveria’s part when a raucous noise came from nearby, the sounds of dozens of people scarcely a block away. “Well, that explains why the streets are so quiet,” Ravenna mumbled to Celaine. “Any idea what everyone’s up to, Sonya?” she asked, unable to keep herself from winking as she referred to her friend by the pseudonym.
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Post by Emiko on Feb 20, 2021 13:52:40 GMT -6
If this was some trick or trap that Saveria had orchestrated, it would have been something new to Celaine as well. When it came to her business deals, Saveria wasn't the type of woman to play around. She would naturally manipulate things to better benefit the deal she sought. However, she wasn't careless or reckless with her powers and that fact alone made a curious Celaine reason there was some more logical explanation for the village's silence. As the noise of a largely gathered crowd could be heard in the distance...somehow Celaine didn't feel comfortable knowing where they were...
As Ravenna asked what the sounds up ahead most likely were about, Celaine just stood silently for a moment almost frozen in fear... She acted as if she didn't even hear Ravenna speak as...something about this scenario had her spooked. Her face seemed to be filled with fright and her complexion had grown paler than it usually was. It took her an entire minute or so to gather up her nerves before she finally spoke with a tone that was...less that certain...
"I...I can't be 100% sure, but...they are gathered at the square... They usually only do that if they are celebrating something..." Celaine explained, doing her best to hold back her fears... Last time she was around one of their celebrations...she lost everything... "...It could be anything; a holiday, community event, political rally...possibly even an execution... Just...let's just get into town and get out as quick as we can..."
Without saying another word, Celaine grabbed the shawl that she wore and put it over her head like a hood of sorts. Upon doing that, she started to walk towards where the sounds were coming from as that...unfortunately was the only real route to get to the jewelry store from here. She dreaded the walk back to where everything started, but...there literally was no other way but this one...
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Post by yooom on Feb 25, 2021 20:35:14 GMT -6
“Exe-” Ravenna began, her tone a little higher than it usually was, unnerved at the very concept of an execution gathering such a crowd in this day and age, but Celaine was already off, making her way towards the crowd, hiding her face behind her shawl. Ravenna followed after her and, without a shawl herself, turned her gaze towards the rough stone paths, apparently very interested in the composition of stones that passed under her feet. Still, she couldn’t help but cast a glance at the crowd as they rounded the corner, entering the square, the very center of the town. She swallowed, hoping that Celaine wasn’t about to lead them right into the crowd, as it seemed she was about to.
The square was rather wide, nothing compared to the wide new avenues of Paris, or indeed any city Ravenna had ever been in. Three- and four-story houses surrounded the space, the largest buildings in town, most of them shops it looked like. But, at the center of town a new building stood, the sharp white Second Empire building clashing wonderfully with the humble city square it stood in. It was around this building the crowd had now gathered. Ravenna frowned slightly watching them. Whatever they were there for, it didn’t seem like a rally or holiday. She leaned upwards slightly, trying to get a look at what it was they were all looking for, if there was a person or...worse. But Ravenna didn’t see anyone or anything.
The young woman’s confusion was put to rest a moment later by a long, sharp ring that echoed across the entire town. The crowd came to life, scrambling forward, gazing down the long row of shining new tracks that extended from the new building right through the heart of this tiny town. Ravenna raised her eyebrows, as a faint clattering sound was heard, that grew louder with each passing second, until it was a constant thundering roar of industrial might, a blasting roar of technology. The crowd watched in awed silence. It took a few moments more for the train itself to appear, a vast black machine, shining and new. It came to a halt by the new station, the clattering of gears and who knew what else growing louders, a loud whining hiss echoing as the train slowed. With a final almighty crashing sound the train stopped, though it continued to send up plumes of white-grey smoke into the air. There was a momentary silent before there was another blaring screech from the train’s horn, met with raucous cheers from the gathered crowd. Ravenna smiled despite herself. It was amusing, to see these people so awed, so amazed by the sight before them. Trains were common in the cities, taken for granted by most of their residents. But out here, in the countryside, those technologies were only just reaching them.
Ravenna had, as she’d watched the train come into the new station, fallen a few feet behind Celaine, and she sped up her pace to a slight jog to catch up with her, her mind still on the train. She had no idea how long it would remain in town, but she was certain it would be long gone by midnight. What would happen to Saveria’s enchantment, she wondered, if she was on board the train. She doubted whether the bracelet would be capable of tearing her through the steel body of a train car, but...even if it was strong enough to resist that, would it eventually stop in its attempts to bring her back to its mistress? Or would she indeed need to consider cutting off her own hand if she was to stand a chance at escaping Saveria’s clutches? And what about Celaine? Ravenna knew she disliked Saveria but...enough to try to escape?
Ravenna said nothing of this idea yet. She wasn’t about to suggest they wander into the crowd in the center of this town, not when she was well aware of what crowds in this town had done to her, but, if they parted, and the train was still there, why not suggest a chance to check it out? She turned, giving her a sideways glance. She had been exceedingly nervous when there had been the first warning of a crowd, indeed, Ravenna had been scared she was about to faint, but so far, she was doing quite well. She followed her as they made their way through the thin glass doors of the jewelry store.
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Post by Emiko on Feb 26, 2021 19:15:29 GMT -6
As Celaine entered the town ahead of Ravenna, it...took her back to when it all happened. Years ago, she traveled this same path shackled in chains with armed townspeople she actually knew behind her ensuring she kept going forward. They gave her no reason for the treatment she received other than she was under arrest for a serious crime... Just like back then, she wandered the path forward into town as silent as the grave. But while her body didn't show it...inside everything was as tense and nervous as could be...
Moving into the square itself, Celaine noticed the townspeople gathered around a newly constructed building that...hadn't been there before. With more and more people gathering to join the crowd, it became obvious that they were indeed celebrating something. Only this time, it seemed to be something actually worth celebrating as a train made it's way into this sleepy town for the first time in Du-Sang's history. The crowd cheered as the locomotive rode on the newly formed tracks into the station seeing it as a symbolic sign of their push into the future. The townspeople seemed to think they were...'enlightened' thanks to this latest addition, but...Celaine knew the truth about what was really in their hearts...
Three years ago, these same people were gathering in droves around her as she was taken to this very square and brought before an illegally self-appointed judge... After being called out by her fiancee, declared guilty of sin, and sentenced to death, people came from all over to celebrate what was to be her death. Just like now, they cheered and shouted in glee enjoying the moment feeling as if they were in the right to see a sinner perish. But...they were no more enlightened back then than they were in this moment... The townspeople were nothing more than a bunch of hypocritical souls who loved to have a party for any reason that made them feel righteous...
The cheers of the crowd brought back so many horrible memories that it took everything in Celaine not to cry. Thankfully though, she managed to keep herself in tact by not letting a single emotion reveal itself in any capacity. If Celaine had acquired anything in her time of service to Saveria, it was an iron-clad resolve that wouldn't allow anything, or anyone to detour her from her duties. She was capable of hiding her emotions with the best of them and...that was perhaps why Ravenna didn't notice anything wrong with Celaine. It simply being that, while the emotions were very much there, she wouldn't let them show as long as she had a duty to fulfill...
In complete silence, Celaine moved through the crowd keeping her head down and moving at a simple pace to avoid attention entirely. She didn't make eye contact with anyone, nor say a word aloud keeping as low of a profile as possible. That also meant not even looking back to check on Ravenna. Celaine couldn't draw attention to herself at all and...just trusted that the young thief would be able to keep up with her to which, she did. And before long, the two women were at the entrance of the jewelry store.
Silently still, she opened the glass doors and went inside hoping Ravenna was behind her. Once inside the store itself, Celaine began looking around curiously. The store...had grown a bit since the last time she came here...a year ago perhaps? Where the store was once just a few cases of questionable pieces, there were many glass stands and counters now filled with treasures that might make any woman's heart gleam. It...was honestly a tad overwhelming to Celaine to be in a place like this. Of course...she wouldn't be standing in silence long.
"Hello, hello!" Came the cheerful greeting of a middle aged woman from behind one of the counters. As Celaine turned to her, she saw what was most likely the owner of the store; a black haired woman with strands of silver mixed into her long hair tied behind her in a decorative braid. She had on quite the fancy dress and her green eyes seemed to gleam with excitement of customers in her store. "Welcome to the DeRose Jewelry store! My name is Belle, the proud owner of this establishment. How may I be of assistance to you ladies today?"
To Belle's greeting, Celaine just offered a friendly smile and stood where she was for the time being. She glanced around the store to make it seem that she were browsing the contents of the inventory here. However...in reality, she was quietly taking note of her surroundings and more importantly trying to make sure Ravenna was in the store with her. This woman; Belle was the person Celaine would have to negotiate with, but she had to know Ravenna was here and safe first before she started those negotiations.
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Post by yooom on Mar 6, 2021 19:55:22 GMT -6
Ravenna nearly walked into Celaine inside the jewelry store; she had come to such a sudden, sharp stop past the entrance. She came to a hasty stop, taking a cautious step beside Celaine. It was cautious because of the innumerable delicate little stands and cass that filled the room. It reminded Ravenna of Saveria’s own treasure horde, albeit much smaller, and much more cluttered. She gritted her teeth faintly at the idea that, as much as she despised Saveria, she did have a good sense for interior design.
Ravenna gave a passing glance to see if they were alone. Once she was certain that there was no one in their immediate vicinity, the middle aged woman by the counter, she turned to gauge how Celaine was doing. She was quite awed by how straight-faced Celaine was. Coming this close to such a large group in this town was doubtlessly an incredibly traumatic experience. That Celaine looked so composed was unbelievable. Too unbelievable...Ravenna gazed closely at her. She hadn’t known Celaine for very long still, but she knew her well enough to know that this mild expression was a facade. She could feel the tension there, and felt a swell of sorrow for the poor girl, and the stress she’d just gone through. “You’re doing great,” Ravenna breathed, loud enough for only Celaine to hear, before turning away, to take in the room in a little more detail.
For a place that seemed so small it was deceptively deep, it took Ravenna a moment to realize it. And filled with precious, shiny little objects, golden rings with gleaming stones set in them, diamonds and sapphires, necklaces laden with pearls, even an ornate golden bracelet that put Saveria’s crude conjuration to shame. Still, none of it really struck the thief’s fancy. She had certainly stolen from the occasional jewelry store, but that had been when she had been starting out. Practice, if you will, for the big events. Cathedrals, Crypts, and Archives, anywhere she knew there would be something beyond expensive: something magical. Although Ravenna had nowhere near the keen sense for magic as Saveria or Celaine, she was fairly sure there was nothing of that nature here. Or at least...nothing like that out in the open. Ravenna reminded herself that the whole reason she was in the shop was to pick up an object for Saveria. She doubted that woman was interested in anything as mundane as mere jewelry.
That being said, it also didn’t seem like many other people were especially interested in this woman’s wares. The shop appeared completely empty, save one shabby looking gentleman in a coat that was several sizes too large, gazing out the window, probably at the crowd admiring the new train station. Ravenna studied him for a moment, wondering what such an unusual fellow was doing in an elegant place like this, but her attention shifted back to the woman as she called out to them.
“Hello!” Ravenna said, reflecting the woman’s brightness. She gazed at the woman, smiling slightly. It would be so easy to rob her, sweep up to her while keeping a hand behind her, scooping up whatever she wanted, and disappearing in a puff of her magical smoke. Ravenna grinned a little wider, trying to pull her head out of the dive into the thief mindset she had spent some five years in. Even if she was able to steal the artifact Saveria wanted, any damage she did to her reputation in the town she was certain she would feel against her own mind and body. Best to set that persona aside. For the time being, at least.
“We are, um,” Ravenna began, but quickly ran out of steam when she realized she still wasn’t entirely clear on what it was they were there to pick up. How much did Belle DeRose know about what she was selling? Who did she think she was selling to? Not wanting to make a mess, Ravenna stepped aside, murmuring lamely “my um...coworker can explain better.”
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Post by Emiko on Mar 7, 2021 11:36:24 GMT -6
Celaine had remained quiet, unwilling to say a single word until she knew that Ravenna was close by. Despite her earlier movements in the crowd seeming to affirm her earlier sentiment for Ravenna to 'keep up or go home', she was doing a great deal now to make sure that she was close. Perhaps it was just Celaine's fear of this place that made her not want to be alone? Or...maybe Ravenna was so important to her that she'd conceivably risk the deal to ensure Ravenna's safety... The reason would prove elusive in the present as Ravenna made her existence known by pushing forward with a very cheerful greeting back to the owner. It was a move that made Celaine honestly jump a bit not...expecting that sort of energy.
The energy and eagerness that Ravenna showed in her greeting instantly caught Belle's attention and she shifted her focus to the young thief with an eager smile to assist her. However...when Ravenna started to shrink back and her energy vanished it...created something of an awkward moment. Belle tilted her head curiously and glanced at Ravenna puzzled not quite sure what to make of it. Ravenna had stepped forward with what seemed like a clear goal in mind moments ago just...to falter a moment later. And it only became more awkward when Ravenna shifted the focus to Celaine stating she could explain things better...
It was a move that honestly made Celaine sigh a little bit now having to work with an uneasy client. She didn't hold it against Ravenna necessarily, but was quite quick to move in front of the thief and offer the shop keeper a warm smile. "...I apologize for my coworker's uneasiness. Pavia here; She's new in town and it's only her second day on the job. I'm still trying to teach her everything she needs to know and...she can be a little too eager at times..." Celaine assured the shop keeper before turning to look at Ravenna with a firm gaze. She quietly mouthed for Ravenna to stay calm before turning to Belle again. "My name is Sonia and I'm here on some business to purchase a special ring for my employer."
With the explanation offered, Belle's uneasiness seemed to fade away, at least for the moment. She smiled warmly back at the two woman and nodded her head as now their visit made sense! "Ah, I see! Well, we did just get a new shipment of rings in a couple of days ago for the celebration today! Was there a particular ring from the shipment that the pair of you were looking for?"
Things seemed to be going smoothly at the moment and Celaine had the door open to proceed. She quietly slipped a hand back to grab Ravenna's sleeve and give it a gentle tug hinting to follow her only to release it a moment later and move to the glass counter where Belle was. Once there, Celaine set her picnic basket on the floor and reached in to grab he envelope from within the basket. Rising up, she offered Belle another pleasant smile and went to work pointing out what ring they were REALLY here for.
"I'm sure they are quite lovely, but...our employer is actually looking for a special ring. She heard from her associates in town that you recently completed a transaction for a valuable piece of jewelry." Celaine said, putting out the facts as courteous as she could. For a moment, she glanced at Ravenna to let her see she just needed to be calm before glancing back at Belle to continue. "...She has a taste for antiques, and...it's that ring we are really here to conduct business for."
The description that Celaine offers seems a bit vague, but...it was designed that way on purpose. Celaine actually knew Belle and knew she had no idea about magic or anything of the sorts. If she acquired this ring, it was for not understanding what she had in her possession. Despite the vague explanation however, Belle seemed to understand exactly what Celaine was talking about. She took a moment to move to the left of the counter where she grabbed a decorative, ornate box before rising back up happily.
"Oh! Do you mean this ring?" Belle asked as she opened the box to reveal a beautiful treasure. It was a delicate ring coated in a pure silver metallic substance with a shining black onyx gemstone resting in the head. It's origins were a mystery to say the least, but...Celaine's eyes recognized it as a magical treasure. And...after years of pilfering such things, perhaps Ravenna might recognize a magical treasure when she saw one, too. "...This is a special ring we got in just yesterday! A one of it's kind I do believe. A fine gentleman sold it to me to pay off some debts he owed. It was a family heirloom of his from my understanding."
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Post by yooom on Mar 8, 2021 19:33:20 GMT -6
Ravenna gave Celaine a reassuring smile. She wasn’t as nervous as Celaine was in this place, not by a long shot. Part of that was because she hadn’t experienced the horrors these people were capable of first hand, certainly, but it also had something to do with the fact that Ravenna was just a fairly confident person. Even if she wasn’t completely clear what it was they were to obtain, she didn’t really mind. Just another dumb job assigned by the higher-ups, she supposed. It was a bit of a more glamorous job than going into town for food and the like, as she sometimes had done back at the abbey, but it wasn’t all that different from those little tasks.Plus, she had faith that Celaine knew what they were there for, not to mention she doubted that this woman wanted to end up in Saveria’s bad books. Even if the exact extent of her magical prowess was unknown, Ravenna was fairly certain that these townspeople knew that to cross her was to number one’s days drastically.
She followed along at Celaine’s slight tug, barely repressing a smile as she did. There was something about Celaine’s nervousness, her desire to keep Ravenna close, that she couldn’t help but find rather cute. She stood on the other side of the little picnic basket, gazing down at the glass case. This one had a lovely assortment of rings. Ravenna frowned slightly, spending a second on each one. They were all beautiful, she supposed but...none of them quite seemed magical. Granted, if an enchantment was faint enough, or in some way hidden, Ravenna might not be able to recognize it, especially surrounded by other, quite similar looking rings. Nevertheless, she doubted that any of these were the artifact Saveria was after.
Sure enough, at Celaine’s prompting the woman turned not to one of the rings in the case but a small decorated case. Ravenna took it in swiftly, and was only just able to keep herself from smirking. There it was. It wasn’t the most ornate reliquary, but there was no mistaking it. Not for the master thief who specialized in stealing them, that was, Belle seemed to have no idea what she had gotten her hands on. Nor did Saveria or Celaine seem at all bothered to take the magical artifact off her hands without her being any the wiser. An antique indeed.
Belle flipped open the box, and revealed the elegant little ring within. A silver ring with a black stone in it, didn’t that just fit perfectly in the shadow witch’s aesthetic. Ravenna’s brow furrowed slightly, and she bent slightly towards it, getting a closer look. She’d ordinarily be far more cautious with magical artifacts, rings often had a nasty tendency for having some additional curses on them, to keep would-be robbers at bay. Still, if this woman hadn’t even so much as noticed that the ring was magical, the enchantments couldn’t be quite that obvious. She gazed along the inside and outside of the bands, looking for some kind of inscription, but she couldn’t make anything out. It was quite the opaque little artifact, the shining onyx just as blank as the band. But still, quite elegant.
As Belle opened the box, the stranger in the room let out a loud sniff, and Ravenna turned slightly. He had turned towards the three of them but, when Ravenna caught his gaze he hastily turned away. Ravenna frowned slightly at his back. She had met many experts on magical artifacts, but being able to smell out magic, if that was indeed what she’d just seen, would be a new one. Probably a coincidence though. He did look rather ill.
Ravenna leaned back away from the ring, raising an arm casually over her shoulder, her expression unconcerned. “Ah, is that all? I can see why it stayed in his family for so long,” she said, her tone bored. It was perhaps a bit of a transparent ploy, but it was a bargaining tactic nonetheless, make someone believe that what they had was worth less than what its true value. Of course, Saveria and Celaine had already done that, what with the whole “antique” tack, instead of labeling it a magical artifact, but Ravenna wanted to help Celaine out in negotiations in her own, small way.
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