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Post by yooom on Jun 30, 2021 18:31:09 GMT -6
Despite her smile, Ravenna felt rather nervous. She had said much to Celaine, many reassurances, but Celaine’s face barely seemed to respond to the words Ravenna was saying to her. She remained, motionless and emotionless, by her former love’s grave.That loss, compounded no doubt by all the suffering she’d faced since then, weighed terribly on her. And that was understandable. Ravenna wasn’t sure how she would have dealt with such loss. The one and only benefit of living life a loner, she supposed dully.
The girl stared in mournful silence for a few moments longer, gazing at the slab of stone as if she was gazing into Melody’s face itself, and not the faded letters on the rock. It was a long silence, one that Ravenna knew better than to interrupt. She remained still, quiet; respectful of this hallowed space, and the relationship between the dead and the living, never more present than in these moments.
Finally, Celaine reached out, and took Ravenna’s hand. Ravenna smiled brightly down at her, and helped her up, continuing to tenderly hold her hand once she was on her feet. Celaine spoke quietly, her voice almost breaking, before she hastily pulled out something from her basket. It took Ravenna a moment to realize that she’d drawn out the second ring they’d purchased off Belle. Before Ravenna could say a word, Celaine had slipped the ring onto Ravenna’s finger. Celaine beamed at the perfect ring, brought to tears, and Ravenna raised her hand to gaze at the bright pearl. It was so very different from the other ring, the black ring that had practically oozed with magic. This one was subtler, quieter, but so much brighter. Ravenna turned her hand, showing the sparkling pearl off to Celaine, before wiggling her fingers in a beckoning sort of motion.
“Then come,” she said softly. “Our pasts shape us, but it is we who make our presents...and our future,” she said, with a soft smile.
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Post by Emiko on Jun 30, 2021 19:18:33 GMT -6
There was admittedly a slight worry within Celaine that Ravenna might not be able to accept this ring, or the promise that went with it. For what it meant, Celaine feared it was too much, too fast and that it could end up leading to a rejection. Yet, to her surprise yet again, Ravenna not only accepted the ring, but...spoke with encouragement about the two women shaping their own present...and future... Celaine didn't know what the future held, truth be told. But...if Ravenna were to be apart of that future...she could move forward... There was just...one last thing to do...
Celaine smiled at Ravenna and gave her the sweetest of nods before turning to look at the headstone of her former lover once more. Taking a step towards it, the young maiden rested a hand at the top of it and stroked it tenderly yet again as if she were stroking the face of a lover. After a few moments of silence...she finally spoke out to the one who laid to rest here to...say her good byes...
"...I've said this so much before, but...I'm sorry for all that happened to you and...to us..." Celaine remarked sadly as a lone tear rolled down her cheek. "...I wish things could have been different; the way we dreamed it to be, but...fate had other plans... You were taken and...I was left behind... Even still, I realize now that I have a life to live and...I think I can finally live it now..." Celaine paused for a moment to raise her head and to look at Ravenna with a cheerful grin before looking to the stone once more...
"...I have to go now, and...I doubt I'll be visiting much more from this point on... I have a new future I have to forge, and I will do it with someone who brought me happiness in such a magical way... She's really nice and...I promise we'll take care of each other. But...I can't stay here with you and be with her too, so...this is...my way of saying good bye... I loved you, and...you'll always have a place in my heart. Maybe one day, we'll meet again... Until then, this is...good bye...Melody..."
As she said her final good byes, a small stream of tears started to run down Celaine's face from the emotional moments. Of course, as always...she was swift to wipe them up and regain her composure not wanting to seem weak now of all times. After taking a deep breath to settle her nerves, she leaned down to grab the picnic basket and turned from the grave determined to never return to it again... And then...she took the next brave step...by taking steps to walk away... Celaine said nothing more about the grave, or even referenced it. Instead, her words were on the 'future' with Ravenna.
"...We shape our presets and our futures... I like that, and it's very wise of you to see things that way." Celaine giggled, seeming like...a totally different, joyful person now. Her next question was sure to give Ravenna the clue as to why. "...We've done everything we were supposed to do for Saveria. How would you feel if we get out of these gloomy woods and go have that picnic now? I know a little meadow not far from here, and after we eat, we can see what that ring of yours can do. Maybe even have another one of your challenges, if you're interested?"
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Post by yooom on Jul 4, 2021 10:31:46 GMT -6
Ravenna smiled back at Celaine, and stepped backwards as Celaine turned back towards Melody’s headstone. Ravenna watched in silence as Celaine spoke quietly to the stone and the woman who rested below. Melody and Celaine, Ravenna reflected, had had quite the relationship, one of soaring highs and devastating, brutal lows. It was at perhaps their lowest point that the relationship had come to its traumatic end, when Celaine had ended up at Sanctuaire Sacre, and Melody had ended up right here. And yet, even after that horrible end, Celaine still spoke so intimately here, with such reverence. Ravenna didn’t really understand how it could be possible, she’d seen how that relationship had played out through Celaine’s own eyes, but...she knew she couldn’t really understand.
Celaine turned from the grave, scooping up the picnic basket, and her face seemed more settled now. Ravenna followed beside her, watching her carefully. She was glad to see that Celaine was smiling. It was as if a weight had been lifted from her very soul, the pressure of that terrible day still weighing on her all these years later, a wound that had never healed, because it had never been given the closure that Ravenna had helped Celaine to finally realize. Ravenna beamed at Celaine’s soft laugh, as they passed through the cemetery gates, back into the lush landscape of the French countryside. She was happy, and that made Ravenna happy. But she was still far from free; they both were, a little voice murmured in the back of her head. Ravenna pushed it back. That would be a problem for the future, once she had a greater grasp on what Saveria could do, on who she really was.
“Well, I grew up in an abbey,” Ravenna said with a playful smile. “You pick up a thing or two in a place like that.” Ravenna was quiet for a moment at Celaine’s proposals, her eyes sparkling with excitement at the chance to experiment with the ring, or better yet, one of Celaine’s delightful hypnotic challenges. “Yes, I think that could be fun,” she said, and, while her words were quite polite, they were brimmed with enthusiasm, as she grinned at Celaine.
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Post by Emiko on Jul 4, 2021 11:58:05 GMT -6
The sparkle in Ravenna's eyes, the hint of excitement and enthusiasm in her voice; even with her best efforts to be polite, Celaine saw right through it. There was such an eagerness and passion within the young thief when it came to things of magic, and Celaine honestly loved it. That spark inside of her along with that happy smile was what captivated Celaine into her current infatuation. Ravenna may have given her a 'blissful moment' of fantasy dance when the two first met, but it was the woman behind the 'moment' that Celaine was falling head-over-hills for.
Celaine couldn't help but offer a pleasant giggle to Ravenna's words as she spoke them. The mood was so light after they pair passed through the cemetery gates and proceeded to the countryside. As Celaine led her partner to the special spot she had mentioned, her mind was a whirl with all the things they could do. Where they were going was secluded and could offer them the chance to do almost anything, really. Despite her own curiosities about the ring Celaine had given to Ravenna, her thoughts were slightly more focused on the specific challenge this time around...
"I'd absolutely love the chance to have a bit more fun with our challenges, love! But which one should we do...?" Celaine asked with a hint of mischief in her voice as she did. She wore a smile on her lips to match. "...We've put you through a test of greed and sloth already. I don't want this special day to be stressful with something like wrath or pride... Lust and Envy may also be too much right now, so...why don't we try gluttony, next?"
A test of gluttony seemed like a perfect 'test' for a day like today! At least...in Celaine's eyes anyway. Her idea for the challenge though was...far different from what Ravenna might be thinking or expecting. But, if she were wise enough to catch on to how things never seemed as straightforward with Celaine as she made them sound, she might already suspect that. All the same, it would still be a test of sorts and the two girls had what seemed like a perfect day to try it if Ravenna agreed.
While waiting for an answer, the two women hadn't been walking more than fifteen minutes when they happened upon such a lovely meadow in the countryside. The area was strangely isolated from civilization without any hints of people being anywhere near it for ages. A large forest separated the area from the town they came from to the north and east. Less dense foliage still provided cover to the south. While the horizon to the west was a bit more clear, there was nothing west of here for miles meaning Celaine and Ravenna had total seclusion...
Aside from isolation of the area, the two woman would also come to notice the meadow's beauty as well. The area was covered in lush grass along with lilies and other wild flowers growing here as far as the eye could see. There was a stream that seemed to flow right through the heart of the land with crystal clear water, and small shade trees dotted the land providing for such a beautiful scenery. And as Celaine came to an immediate halt seeing this meadow, it might become obvious to Ravenna that...this was the spot where they would spend their day.
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Post by yooom on Jul 26, 2021 18:35:24 GMT -6
Celaine had cheered up tremendously as they cleared the cemetery; it seemed that she had at last been able to come to terms with what had happened all those years ago, and was finally allowing herself at least a semblance of peace. Ravenna smiled eagerly, for it made her happy to see that her friend’s mood had been so thoroughly brightened in such a short amount of time. Celaine’s happiness swiftly turned to a kind of mischievous energy as she began plotting their next not so deadly test.
Ravenna watched cheerfully. It would have taken her a lot of pushing to admit it, but inwardly she firmly believed that Celaine was at her most adorable in this state, plotting out some little magical adventure she was going to take Ravenna down. Of course, the promise of any kind of magic was always enough to pique Ravenna’s interest. Her experience with Celaine’s particular brand of magic, the mind-numbing hypnotic glow of her eye made Ravenna all the more excited to face whatever test she threw up against her. Whatever form they took, they always felt utterly blissful.
Ravenna nodded thoughtfully at the proposal of gluttony, looking skeptically down at the picnic basket. It was large enough for a lovely meal, to be sure, but...an engagement of gluttony? That seemed dubious. Ravenna knew that, while gluttony wasn’t quite as defining a trait of hers as, say, greed, she certainly had a bit of it within her. The life of a thief who specialized in big heists meant long stretches of little money, and brief moments of absurd wealth, and in those periods she’d always made sure to treat herself to the very finest in cuisine the continent had to offer. Nevertheless, she felt that the odds of her being able to fight the urge to submit to gluttony were...fairly good. Especially with Celaine right beside her, as she knew she would. Gorging oneself was a challenge when right next to someone that she, by this time, was nurturing perhaps the slightest crush on.
Ravenna was still lost in her thoughts when Celaine came to a stop, and she quickly took in the space Celaine had found, a peaceful clearing in the midst of the forest, a large meadow overgrown with flowers of all kinds, a rainbow of shades that surrounded the two women. The horizon, in every direction, was only the forest, neither the village they had just come from nor the towers of Sanctuaire Sacre. “Oh Celaine, this is wonderful!” Ravenna gushed. Ravenna had always preferred the city to the countryside, but a piece of land this beautiful was impossible to turn her nose at. It was a place Ravenna could relax, could forget their predicament, for a little bit. Still, the thought of Sanctuaire Sacre reminded Ravenna of something, and she nervously cleared her throat.
“Celaine, I think...I’d be fine if you didn’t want to do one of our tests here,” she said, nervously scanning the horizon, trying to figure out where the cathedral was from here. “I don’t want anything to happen to you out here, if you...if you run out, I don’t know how long it would take to get you to Saveria,” she said quietly. Ravenna’s stomach clenched at the very thought of having to bring an unconscious Celaine to Saveria. Without Celaine’s presence, she was at risk. With Celaine in a dire condition...Ravenna did not like to think what would become of her. Much less if she took too long and something serious were to happen to Celaine. Ravenna wasn’t sure what would happen if she did run out of magic. Certainly, Celaine had been told the magic kept her alive, but...Ravenna sighed. Even if she didn’t like Saveria, she could trust her to tell the truth. She could picture how smug she would have been, to inform Celaine that her life was bound to hers.
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Post by Emiko on Aug 23, 2021 19:48:15 GMT -6
Ravenna's excitement to the scenery before them was heartwarming to Celaine. She had hoped her partner might find this place as serene and beautiful as she herself did. When Ravenna let that passion of hers flow yet again, it made Celaine's own heart skip a beat or two in excited joy. She let a small blush overcome her face as she thought about how wonderful this potential day would be in this most perfect spot. As much as Ravenna's excitement made her happy, it...was actually her concern that followed that really got to Celaine.
Celaine suddenly paused and looked to Ravenna curiously when the young thief expressed doubt about doing a challenge here in this place. Her reasons were simple, and logical enough in reason for Celaine to understand. However, it was the concern and care within Ravenna's voice that really touched Celaine's heart. There may have been a grain of fear behind the motives, but Celaine could see that Ravenna really did care and was willing to put everything on hold for Celaine's benefit. It...was touching...
For a moment or two, Celaine simply stood where she was, glancing at Ravenna quietly before suddenly shifting her gaze towards the western horizon. Yet again she stood in silence making it quite obvious that something was on her mind even if what it was wasn't quite clear. She'd stand there in total silence for a moment or two longer before finally speaking up again. As she did, Celaine's voice had a hint of...calm and peace to it that it hadn't ever had before... It was the voice of a girl Ravenna had seen and heard pieces of, but...never to this degree; Celaine's true self.
"...I know I've said this before, but...you have no idea how much this day means to me... Just being here with you is more than I could have ever hoped or dreamed of. And...hearing you speak concern on my behalf touches me so deeply..." Celaine slowly turned to look at Ravenna with the softest, sweetest gaze she could possibly matter. Her long brown hair began to lightly blow in the breeze as she continued. "...You've given me something I never thought I'd feel again... I now know what warmth and joy feels like for...the first time in years..."
It was true... Celaine hadn't felt this happy in a long time, and Ravenna was directly the cause of that. Just...being here with her and showing concern for her well being meant more than Celaine could say. It made her feel human again to have someone in her life who cared. And it was something that Celaine would thank Ravenna for much later on. For now though...
"...How about we have that lunch and enjoy a little breather? I think we've both earned a break after...well, everything. After we eat, we can see what to do a bit after that?"
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Post by yooom on Sept 1, 2021 8:08:12 GMT -6
Celaine was quiet for a long moment, and Ravenna turned away from the wonderful natural setting to Celaine, just in time to see her hastily turn away from Ravenna to look at the horizon herself. Ravenna smiled slightly. Celaine’s cheeks were still noticeably red. Her voice came, thoughtful, perhaps even faintly deeper than the way she usually spoke. There was a lovely tranquility to Celaine’s voice, a different kind of peace to the one she could inflict on others with her hypnosis. It was nice; Ravenna could tell that this slight shift showed how much Celaine trusted her. Ravenna could feel her heart speed up noticeably, and she wasn’t sure exactly why. It didn’t feel quite how she’d imagined affection would feel, and she wasn’t entirely sure if this particular moment was that. It felt more like anxiety, a feeling she’d grown much, much too familiar with at the Sanctuaire Sacre. She had become close to Celaine, very close, too close for comfort, for someone like Ravenna, a loner at heart. And yet...she did want this, so much of her craved this feeling, the feeling of being trusted, appreciated...loved, even. Even though part of her was nervous, she smiled back at her.
Celaine’s words were even more touching, and Ravenna could feel a lump beginning to form in her throat, and she was only just able keep eye contact with Celaine as she turned back to face her. It made sense that warmth and joy had become distant memories in the cold stone halls of the sanctuary, firmly under Saveria’s heel, but all the same...the idea that Ravenna, someone who had certainly never been told she’d brought such feelings, and had never considered herself a bearer of joy, could bring such happiness to someone once so lost to anger and vengeance...it was very touching for her.
It took Ravenna a beat to recover from Celaine’s heartfelt words...to compose herself after gazing into her soft, blue eye, hypnotic even without magic coursing through it, her soft, flowing brown hair. Ravenna nodded hastily, feeling the faintest bit of a blush developing now on her own face. “Yes,” she squeaked, her own voice notably higher than her usual tone. She cleared her throat hurriedly, her blush deepening. “Yes, that...that sounds good,” she said, with a smile. Where exactly this relationship was going was...uncertain to Ravenna. What she even wanted with this friendship was unclear to her. She wasn’t even sure she wanted to form any kind of bonds to anything in this town, she certainly had no intentions of staying her longer than it took to scheme her way out of it, and yet...she certainly had a connection with Celaine that she couldn’t help but continue exploring.
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Post by Emiko on Oct 8, 2021 18:47:49 GMT -6
Celaine felt her heart flutter with joy as she saw Ravenna's blush. It was very faint, but it along with her surprisingly squeaky voice left the young maiden with the giggles for a moment. It was cute! However, there was plenty of time of relish their respective cuteness together after getting settled. With another smile, Celaine simply gave Ravenna a little nod and proceeded forward into the meadow with her companion certainly not far behind.
Celaine wouldn't travel very far until she happened upon one of the shade trees that just happened to rest near the flowing creek. Arriving at this spot, she set the picnic basket down and reached in to pull out a decently sized blanket that had been tucked away within. After spreading it out onto the long grass with ease, Celaine made herself comfortable on one of the corners of the blanket and set the basket in the center for easy access for wherever Ravenna might choose to sit.
"...You know...I've been doing some thinking since we left and...it occurred to me that I don't exactly know much about you or your life in general. I suppose the same could be said about me for you..." Celaine remarked, reaching into the basket to pull out some plates and other utensils in preparation for the coming meal. "...I know you were raised in an Abby and...that you're a thief now. I know a little about who you are, but...the finer details are still a mystery to me..."
Celaine would go silent for a moment as she again reached into the basket to pull out a couple of loafs of bread and a bottle of fine wine that Saveria had been so kind to give to the two women. A couple of wine glasses, and various covered platters of other goodies were pulled and promptly dispensed on the blanket preparing the contents for what would be a delicious meal.
"...If you'd be willing to talk about it, I'd love to get to know you better. I'll be happy to share things about myself that you might be curious about as well. Would...you be willing to talk about your past a little bit, Ravenna?"
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Post by yooom on Nov 22, 2021 16:19:03 GMT -6
Celaine let out a light but hearty laugh, and Ravenna felt the world fade away. Her own troubles, the deadly witch waiting for them, the entire cathedral complex of Sanctuaire Sacre, dissipated, blown out of her mind by the light, energetic giggle. It really was like a weight had been lifted from Celaine’s shoulder, her troubles at last forgotten. And who could blame her, out here in the beautiful countryside, nothing but green trees and the rolling hills beyond. Ravenna wasn’t sure if it was a deliberate choice, but from here even the towers of the Sanctuaire Sacre were gone. There was not so much as a house on the horizon, just rings of green. She smiled, absorbing the beautiful countryside, as Celaine set a blanket and basket on an expanse of grass. Ravenna flopped down on an opposite corner, laying on her back, gazing up at the bright blue sky. She took a long, slow, deep breath...savoring this peaceful moment.
Celaine’s voice came to her, and she rolled over onto one side to face her, watching her fishing out bread, wine, and assorted snacks from her basket. “My life?” she asked, eyes on Celaine’s. It was a good point, now that she thought of it. She’d spent so much time with Celaine, sometimes literally inside her head, feeling all her memories bleeding out of her, that she hadn’t exactly talked much about herself. “No no, I don’t mind,” Ravenna said hastily. She had witnessed so much of Celaine’s life, only partially by Celaine’s own will, that it felt wholly unfair to turn Celaine down.
Ravenna straightened into a sitting position, letting a hand fall thoughtfully on her chin. “Well, that is the bulk of it, I suppose. I spent seventeen years at that abbey, and then three as a thief. No, that’s not right,” she added hastily, scrunching up her eyes and trying to remember how long she had been free. “Six years as a thief,” she said, her voice apologetic, not so much at her years of crime as at her memory. “It was, let’s see...three years in Austria...Vienna, Prague, Budapest,” she said, counting on her fingers. “and then a year and a half in the Low Countries...Amsterdam, Bruges, Leiden...and then this past year has been…” she paused, before shrugging. “all over, I suppose. Went back to Vienna for a bit, and of course Paris, but a lot of smaller places in between.” She paused for a moment, letting the memories swirl by in her head of all the places she’d been, all the sites she’d plundered. It had been good fun. But she had a feeling her devious exploits weren’t quite what Celaine was trying to ask about. She began again, her voice a bit quieter now, a little more hesitant, as she got more personal.
“I was born in Ravenna, but I don’t remember it,” she said, in a hushed voice. “I don’t remember my family at all, but...but I think they were the ones who brought me to the Abbey. They…”she paused, looking down at the blanket, her fingers tightening against, not so much in anger as shame. “They weren’t welcome in the city, is what I was told, I’m...I don’t even really know what that means,” she said, with a shaky laugh. She shivered, the expansive countryside suddenly too empty, and reached out a hand towards Celaine’s.
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Post by Emiko on Jan 23, 2022 17:21:08 GMT -6
After dispensing the various snacks from within the basket, Celaine was being a bit of a busy bee prepping something for the two women to eat. Of course, while she did, her ears were constantly attentive to anything Ravenna had to say. She took note how Ravenna had seemed to travel all over Europe in her six years as a thief. While Celaine was curious what she had stolen and done with those goods over the years, she found herself more curious about what it was like to actually travel... What was it like to see and experience new things and places beyond the walls of safety and comfort? Would she ever find out?
Moments later, the tone of things would shift when Ravenna actually spoke about her past before becoming a thief. It...was strange hearing how her family had brought her to the Abbey for the mysterious reasons of not being welcome in town. There were a hundred reasons someone might not be welcome in a certain place, Celaine reasoned. Celaine herself found herself in that same situation in the town she had called home all her life til they found out the truth about her. Again though, her thoughts would be put on hold as Ravenna reached out for her hand with a look of loneliness that Celaine recognized and was quite familiar with.
Not wasting a moment to offer company to the lonely girl, Celaine reached out and took Ravenna's hand. She held it firmly, yet comfortingly for the longest time using her thumb to affectionately rub the back of it. As she did, there was a noticeable crimson glow about her cheeks. As simple as this was, it felt nice. And there was no way she could deny that.
"...People can be unwelcome somewhere for...lots of reasons... Just the fact that...I'm how I am was reason enough for the town to turn against me. People are just...fickle..." Celaine would reply gently in an attempt to comfort Ravenna and not feel any sense of shame or struggle over that.
"...I am sorry to hear that you didn't really know your family, though... I may not have had the best childhood growing up, but...my mother made the first years of my life really precious. And I couldn't imagine my life today in any capacity without at least knowing her for the short time that I did."
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Post by yooom on Jan 30, 2022 19:01:57 GMT -6
Ravenna watched Celaine set up the plethora of dishes and plates across the mat. It was an elaborate arrangement, especially for a picnic, and Ravenna admired each one. Halfway through, she felt a flash of guilt that she had only sat there and bragged about her adventures, and began rather sheepishly sorting plates out too.
She was happy that Celaine, without so much as a word, reacted to her outstretched hand, reaching back and holding it comfortingly. Ravenna let out a sigh, feeling herself relax. She felt less alone than she had a moment ago, less alone than she had back at the Abbey, that much was more than certain. She looked up at Celaine’s face and saw the deep blush on her face, and felt her lips curl, instinctively, in response. She smiled back at her, more purposefully now, her eyes a little unfocused, thoughtful. She was already very familiar with how different they were, the thief whose exploits spanned the continent and the guardian who had never strayed from this quiet part of the French countryside. That either of them should have any affection for the other, especially considering that they had started out enemies, was remarkable. And yet, Celaine had certainly developed quite an attachment for her, and…and Ravenna was finding herself caught off guard by how much the guardian was endearing herself to her. Beyond the magic, beyond the fact that they were stuck together…she was just such a wonderfully genuine person.
Overcome in that moment, Ravenna could help but slid her head forward, and planting a quick kiss on the girl’s cheek, before pulling back with a mischievous smile on her face, drawing her hand away in the moment to busy herself in turn with Celaine’s basket, and setting out the last morsels.
“Yeah, people are terrible,” Ravenna said, picking up the conversation, and feeling her mood already growing stormy again. “judgmental, exclusive, and arrogant,” she said, punctuating each word with a piece of silverware she brought out of the basket, nearly puncturing the fabric of the blanket. She blinked, surprised at herself. Something about her family, or more truthfully the fact that she didn’t KNOW her family, still upset her. The people of the Abbey had been so casual, and so callous to so many people, Ravenna truthfully had no clue which group of undesirable people her parents might have been.
“I’m glad your mother was there for you,” she said, in a tone so venomous she was taken aback by her own voice. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she said, hastily, “I…I didn’t mean…I am happy you had a good childhood,” she tried again, her voice quivering emotionally. She shivered, and lay on her back, gazing up at the sky, trying to get a hold on her emotions. She had felt so peaceful, so loving only a second ago, only for those feelings to sour at the reminder of her own vulnerability, the gaping void that was her very identity. She swallowed, biting her lip. “I’m sorry,” she said again, feeling wretched.
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Post by Emiko on Jan 30, 2022 19:41:25 GMT -6
For the moment, Ravenna's mood seemed to improve dramatically. She was smiling a genuine smile, and there was a spark in her eye that wasn't easily ignored. It touched Celaine that Ravenna could feel like this, but...it was a follow up action that seemed to really affect her quite significantly.
When Ravenna sat up and leaned in to kiss Celaine's cheek, not expecting that in the slightest, Celaine seemed to freeze. Her face flushed a deep red and...she felt paralyzed for several moments by the warm show of emotions. And even when she did regain the ability to 'move' again, the first thing she did was raise a hand to rub her cheek that Ravenna had kissed. She treated that as if it were a priceless treasure and for a moment had the most vacant, yet dreamy expression on her face.
Celaine was quite caught up in the warm affection that, she initially missed when Ravenna's mood started to sour. At first, towards people which...Celaine in her passive hearing took it as just part of the conversation. But then, there came a harsh tone of 'well wishes' that Celaine was NOT expecting in the least. And this...was what brought her back down to earth with a rather hard crash. Celaine didn't quite understand what Ravenna was upset about until she apologized and tried to rephrase her words of being happy Celaine had a good childhood. This...along with more apologies and negative actions helped Celaine to understand.
Ravenna didn't have the best of childhoods and was envious of the one that Celaine seemed to have. She...didn't quite realize what Celaine's younger years were like though, and...Celaine worked to remedy that...
"...I wouldn't say I had a good childhood... I had problems, too..." She started, taking time to look at the sky herself hoping not to cry... "...My father wasn't much of a father... He was no good drunk who only kept food on the table, and that's it. My mother...was my best, and only real friend growing up. At least until she passed away when I was only eight years old. After that, I was just...alone for a really long time..."
As Celaine offered these words, she let out a sigh and let her eyes close again doing her best not to cry. The memories she had of her mom were often one of the few things that gave her comfort and...she missed her terribly. A fact she didn't hide from Ravenna...
"...I loved her and...missed her a lot. We were poor, so...I had nothing to really remember her by after she passed. Save for the lullaby she sang to me when I was sad. The same lullaby I sung for you the first night you were imprisoned in the cathedral."
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Post by yooom on Feb 5, 2022 19:42:41 GMT -6
Ravenna sat by and watched, feeling helpless as the conversation soured. Granted, it had not exactly been the most positive conversation, but…but they had been at the same wavelength, had been able to match each other’s energy. Had been able to, that is, right up until Ravenna had ruined it, some part of her unable to snarl at the slightest bit of happiness Celaine had had, what was, as far as she knew, Celaine’s ONLY happy moments. Why couldn’t she have just stayed silent, or had been able to speak with just a bit more sincerity. Why did she have to ruin this wonderful moment, that Celaine had worked so hard to put together? Ravenna rolled to one side, feeling wretched, wracked with guilt. She was only barely able to pay attention to the words Celaine was saying. Every quiver in the woman’s voice reminded her horribly of how she had mucked it all up.
Of course, she knew full well that her family, or rather lack thereof, was a sore spot for her. Even after all these years, the lack of history, the lack of identity…she felt it keenly, and it sparked whenever someone mentioned their family. It always had. But for Celaine, for someone who had risked everything for her, she had to do better. She needed to do better.
She rolled to her side, and felt miserable. Celaine’s eyes were shut, and she could tell that she was on the brink of tears. She reached for her hand, and held it loosely. “I’m sorry,” she said again, quietly. “I am happy for the good memories you have of her…and sorry you do not have more,” she said, and she was grateful that, this time, she was able to say it with sincerity. “It’s a beautiful song,” she said, gazing up at the sky herself. Ravenna wondered what her mother had sounded like. Whether she sang, like Celaine’s mother. She had often convinced herself that they were perfect people, her parents. Now that she was no longer a child, she tried to think of them more realistically. They had abandoned their child; they could not have been particularly good people. Beyond that…there was no real way she would ever know.
The thought didn’t make her sad. She had known it for a very long time. Had known a search was impossible. Even when she had escaped the abbey, she had never tried to track them down. There was simply no point. Ravenna sighed, focusing on Celaine’s hand in hers, feeling oddly content in the quiet.
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Post by Emiko on Mar 18, 2022 20:23:32 GMT -6
Celaine's attention was still focused upwards to the sky when Ravenna first addressed her with an apology. For a moment at least, she couldn't bring herself to shift her gaze anywhere else except the sky overhead a bit lost in her memories and feelings. But then she felt Ravenna's hand in her own again which...brought her gaze down to it with a blush on her cheeks. She looked to Ravenna just long enough to hear her make a single comment about the song and Celaine's memories before going silent again...
It was in this moment of silence that Celaine seemed to catch onto the things Ravenna was feeling deep down. Her tone combined with the apology made it obvious that she wasn't feeling comfortable about how things were going. And...despite the genuine words she spoke about being happy for what little Celaine had, it was obvious to the young maiden that there was a hint of envy within those words. Ravenna had told Celaine how she didn't really know her family, but...it was obvious to her now just how much it bothered her. That, along with her lifestyle meant that...she was alone just like Celaine was. Maybe even more so. Had...Ravenna never experienced a true bond? Did she even know what a genuine act of care really felt like...?
With a...rather strange thought in mind, Celaine suddenly released Ravenna's hand without a second thought. From Ravenna's perspective, it might have seemed as if she were done with all of this. And as Celaine pushed the basket and contents on the blanket they rested on aside while standing to her feet, it certainly helped to solidify that perception. However, Celaine instead simply made her way around to where Ravenna had been laying and took a new seat there. She folded her skirt behind her legs, fell into a kneeling position at just above Ravenna. And then...the young maiden gently coaxed Ravenna to rest her head in her lap.
As soon as Ravenna's head was in it's new resting place, Celaine quietly went to work showing Ravenna true affection. She used one hand to cradle the back of Ravenna's head while the other hand gently stroked through the thief's hair in the most tender, gentle way possible. Celaine did her best to show Ravenna something the young maiden felt she desperately needed, treating the thief in this moment as if she were as priceless as the treasures she guarded. And for Celaine, that couldn't have been more true...
"...I am so sorry that your life has been so hard... What you've had to endure in this life... I have a little good, but...you've had nothing... I am truly sorry..." She'd say softly, tenderly to her partner before offering Ravenna a genuine, warm smile.
"...If you'll let me and trust me to do so...I'd like to give you what you never had... Moments of warmth and care; tenderness and love from a genuine heart... I know I promised in the beginning that I'd never rush you into anything, and I stand by that... But...everyone needs to feel some sort of warmth. I'll give you that...if you'll accept it..."
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Post by yooom on May 17, 2022 14:41:37 GMT -6
It took Celaine a moment to respond to Ravenna’s quiet apology, and for a moment, Ravenna was nervous that she simply would not. But she saw the slight reddening of her cheeks, the way she turned to look at their clutched hands, before looking directly into her face, and Ravenna felt a wordless acceptance of her apology, and smiled tenderly back at her. She sighed, letting her own eyes slip shut for a moment. No need to worry about what other trouble might be brewing, what chaos the world might have in store for her down the road. Now was simply a chance to relax with someone who, despite their rocky start, cared about her.
Ravenna’s eyes slipped back open as Celaine pulled away from their quiet hand holding. She stayed laying down across the blanket, watching as Celaine rose, and began pushing some of the empty plates out of her way. Ravenna rolled onto her side, and helped a little with clearing a space. It seemed rather preemptive to her, to call this whole thing off, and some small part of her brain whispered to the former thief that this was her fault, that she had ruined this the way she had been ruining this since before they had even left Sanctuaire Sacre. But that part of her brain felt dulled, muted in the quiet calm of peace with Celaine. She could trust her. DID trust her. And if Celaine wanted them to return back to the Sanctuaire…Ravenna found that she was surprisingly accepting of even that.
But Celaine only used the cleared space to seat herself closer to Ravenna. Ravenna shivered slightly as Celaine’s cool hands took her head, but raised herself up and allowed her to quietly rearrange her posture so that Ravenna’s head was resting quietly against Celaine’s soft thighs. Ravenna gave her a quiet smile, keeping herself still, not completely sure what Celaine’s plans were, but feeling obliging. It was a feeling not entirely dissimilar to the hypnotic magic Celaine sometimes used to make Ravenna more accepting, but this was different. Ravenna could tell that the source of that feeling of acceptance was not coming from any kind of magical interference from Celaine. It was from Ravenna herself, some deep something that had finally clicked into place. Some unspeakable thing that she had been missing, had not even felt missing until Celaine had taken her under her protection.
Once Ravenna’s head was in position, Celaine’s hands returned, one hand cupping the weight of the girl’s head, the other quietly and tenderly stroking through her hair. She spoke, soft and tenderly, and Ravenna felt another shiver run right down her spine.
Something about Celaine’s smile was too much. Perhaps it was how kind it was. Maybe it was the way the smile filled up the girl’s entire face, her eye sparkling. And all of a sudden Ravenna’s vision went cloudy, and she was choking out sobs as the tears began to flow, running down her cheeks into Celaine’s lap. It was something Celaine had been offering repeatedly, but something about this time, after seeing the slightest glimpse of what Celaine’s life had been, after going to Meloday’s grave, after talking about her own lack of family. Ravenna felt a tension she had not even been aware of relax, and intense emotion rippled through her body. Not at her current predicament, as she had been so terrified of. But at everything that had come before. A sorrow whose breadth encompassed all her days loosed itself then and there, and she wept profusely into Celaine’s lap, her body quaking like a child, for these were words that had never been said to poor Ravenna, this was a kindness that she had never been given, an openness she had never dreamed possible for her.
Ravenna wasn’t sure how much time had passed before she could finally speak again. “I-I’m sorry,” she finally managed to stutter out, sniffling still. “I’m…I don’t know what happened,” she said, blushing as she felt, for the first time, the embarrassment of having completely broken down to Celaine. “But I, um…” she sniffled again, wiping her face with a hand. “I think…I think I would like that,” she said, with a shy sort of giggle.
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