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Post by Ossular on Mar 22, 2019 18:04:22 GMT
The days after her little adventure to the menagerie that had kidnapped Citrine and enslaved several different magical creatures didn't help to improve Orin's mood. Having come back that night, she didn't eat before passing out, which didn't help with the hangover she had been dealing with. She had taken extra care to not only draw her curtains and close her window, but also covered the edges of her door and seal the gap at the bottom of the door so that way Citrine wouldn't have a way into her room. Her days had begun with leaving her half-plate armor behind in favor of her much lighter leathers, and, still resolute on the promise she had made at the back of the circus, she brought her ax, strapped across her back. Instead of using the door, she'd peek from the corner of her curtain before misty-stepping out to the roof out her window to the north, which she could easily slink down into the Way of the Dragon and out into the Southern Ward of the city.
It would be three days, unintentionally, before she spoke to Citrine again. She had just needed some time to herself, to sort everything out. She didn't have any of her usual powers, thanks to her matron, and if she did, she wouldn't use them either way. Incapable of adventuring thanks to a lack of magical abilities, Orin figured she could try to get a job again. Somewhere in Waterdeep had to be looking for some kind of assistance, right? The money would help cover some of the expenses, like her room, and eventually, she'd at least want to look into getting a more permanent residence in the City of Splendors, a small place to call her own. The morose thought, though, of not being able to find the person that could perceive the vial didn't really cross her mind, though. If it wasn't Citrine, she was out of time, out of ideas, and despite the fact that she had yet to reveal the vial, she had a credible amount of faith that it was, in fact, Citrine that she was looking for.
But for now, she would wait. They had another date set up, and despite the fact that it would mean she would be wearing a dress again, Citrine promised- gave her word to the seas and skies, even- that she would not miss this date. She would reveal the vial to Citrine then, and if it wasn't Citrine? Well, she would be back in the embrace of her Winter Lady, where she would accept the punishment for her hubris, atone for ever doubting her, and devote herself, just as she had agreed to when she took this challenge, that night at the end of her service.
Maybe all of these thoughts running through her head were the reason she couldn't focus, though. Her trances had brought nothing, and she awoke every morning cold and chilled, no matter the alignment she found herself in. Today was Summer; in this alignment, Orin wore brighter yellows and golds, her hair and eyes both a presence of a bright golden fire, her skin a pleasant, if not unearthly, tanned honey, a vast difference from the more pale shades that Winter or Spring held across her body. Her hair was un-braided, loose, and wild- a small fire that churned down her back. Despite her golden appearance, though, the eladrin would hold a single stark white streak that ran over her left ear, frozen compared to the rest of the hair on her head. The strand of white snow matched the end of the scar that ran from her left eyebrow to her left ear. She put on her best appearance, wore her best smile, and tried her best through all of the meetings she had today, even changing out the rings at the tips of her ears.
The first had been with a female dwarf at the House of Good Spirits, between the High Road and the Caravan Court on the Rising Ride. She had loved alcohol in all of its forms, and while she didn't have her mythical constitution in this form, she still held an appreciation for spirits. Unfortunately, despite her interests, the dwarf didn't feel like they needed any kind of help at the moment, and she was sent on her way.
The second was with a human man at the Metal House of Wonders, at the corner of Gut Alley and Belnimbra's Street. The Splendid Order of Armorers, Locksmiths and Finesmiths were known for crafting adventuring gear, armor and tools that everyone used, and had been where she had ordered her armor and shield from when she had been looking. Still, the impression of the man, who had declined giving her a job, but was interested in propositioning the eladrin for, well, favors left a sour taste in her mouth. He was interested in "the adventurin' types," even offering to change his mind if he was pleased by her. Orin was sure, though, that she wouldn't be allowed back anytime in the future after she cleaved her battleaxe through the corner of his desk, right between his legs, inches from the hammer he had been referring to after Orin told him that she would be willing to do anything for a job. She also made sure to rip the battle-axe through his pants as she withdrew it, leaving him there an angry, pantless mess.
The third? An interview with an elvish sorcerer at the Tower of the Order, between Selduth Streeth and Buckle Alley on the Street of Bells. She had found out that the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors were looking for wizards and sorcerers to maintain wards and protections around Waterdeep, which seemed right up her alley, honestly. But without access to her magics, she wouldn't be able to weave the necessary spells in order to help. She was offered another interview once she had gotten her magical problems figured out, but Orin didn't think that was going to really be anytime soon.
The sun was on it's way down from the middle of the sky as the day was transitioning from the end of work to the opening of the various festhalls that populated every street of Waterdeep. She kept her head up, but her flattened ears revealed the quiet frustration of the day she had, and she wanted to- well, she didn't know what she wanted, at the moment. The day was still young, and Orin didn't want to just go home and stew on today, so she just kept walking around Waterdeep, finding her way, eventually in the Trades Ward, just south of the City of the Dead. Hands in her pockets, she turned onto Sleeper's Walk, making her way toward the High Road, walking past a Thond Glass Shop without really thinking too much about who worked there. She would stop, looking down the Wide Way, then Slipstone Street, then out to the High Road, mentally deciding which way to go.
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Post by moralhazard on Mar 22, 2019 18:25:53 GMT
“Yes, Lady Peamont,” Thea promised, holding the door open. “The piece will be ready by the fireblossom festival.”
Lady Peamont sniffed, gathering a heavy fur stole around her neck. Thea wasn’t sure exactly what manner of creature it was; there had been some new fashion for exotic furs during the winter, and Lady Peabody seemed to be determined to ride it to the very last dregs. It was really a little too warm for a fur today, but she didn’t mind, as far as Thea could tell. “It simply must be,” she said, fixing a firm gaze on Thea. “I have invited simply everyone; if Narcissa thinks she can upstage my party by hiring young Melshimber’s minstrel, well – we’ll show her, won’t we?”
“Yes, Lady Peamont,” Thea promised, inwardly wincing at the memory of her last encounter with said minstrel. “I promise – now that we’ve finalized the sketches, I’ll start work today. I will bring the small model to your manse tomorrow evening, and once that meets your approval, the bigger piece won’t take more than a few days.”
“Excellent,” Lady Peamont smiled, suddenly; she really had a very nice smile. Thea wasn’t sure why she seemed to prefer a faintly haughty expression. “I’m looking forward to it, dear. Jhalassan has really said very nice things about you – it’s only that it simply must be ready by the festival.”
“It will be,” Thea promised. “I swear it.” She smiled.
“Excellent,” Lady Peamont said, sweeping out the door past Thea. “A very pleasant day to you, Master Baring.”
“And to you, Lady Peamont,” Thea bowed a little, and sagged against the door once the lady was out onto the street, eyes fluttering half-shut for a moment. It would be easier to work, she thought, if Lady Peamont would leave her alone, even for a half-day!
Thea straightened up, about to close the door and go inside, when she saw someone – familiar – walk past. It was… Orin? For a moment Thea wasn’t sure; the eladrin looked oddly… golden. Her skin and clothing were dramatically different in color than the last time they’d met. But it was Orin, Thea was sure; she recognized that frustrated look. She also seemed to have a battle-axe strapped to her back; was that new? And – she was getting away.
Thea stepped out into the street, impulsively hurrying after the eladrin. “Orin!” Thea called. She had planned to work today, so she wasn’t wearing anything fancy, just a plain blue tunic over baggy brown leggings. The eladrin stopped at the end of the road, and Thea managed to catch her, only to find she had no idea what she’d intended to say. “Um – good afternoon.” Thea managed, finally, and even smiled.
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Post by Ossular on Mar 22, 2019 19:09:17 GMT
"Pardon me," Orin would step to the side of Lady Peamont as she moved down the road with purpose. The eladrin would stop and raise an eyebrow, watching as the woman would saunter past. What kind of fur was that? It was horrendous- especially in the heat of a rare Spring day that it hadn't rained in the morning. The look at Lady Peamont gave Thea enough time to recognize the Summer Eladrin as Orin correctly as her ears flattened, turning away with a muttering under her breath as to how rude the woman had been in passing.
That's when she heard a familiar voice- Thea's. Still facing away, Orin would quickly adjust her jacket, trying to un-flatten her ears and be a little more pleasant, despite how the day had went for her. "Thea," she'd curl her lips upward. "Good afternoon to you as well," the eladrin's lips would curl into a genuine smile when she stopped trying. "Did I walk past you or-?" she'd look around, finally seeing the sign for Thond's, where Thea worked. Orin had been there before when Citrine had given her a tour of the City of Splendors, though ultimately, it had been a little more than a really long pub crawl, not that she minded it. Or minded how the night had ended.
Shoving the thought aside, Orin would continue. "I didn't even realize where I was. I- uh- would have stopped in to say hello if I... really knew where I was," she would admit, a little nervously. "How are you doing today?"
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Post by moralhazard on Mar 22, 2019 19:15:39 GMT
Orin’s smile looked even more strained than Thea’s, at least at first; she seemed to relax a little, although The wasn’t exactly sure why.
“I was inside,” Thea shook her head a little. “No, don’t worry about it – I’m glad I happened to see you.” Thea paused, glancing at Lady Peamont’s purposefully retreating back, wincing at the way the fur swayed against (and clashed rather terribly with) her cloak. “It’s – been a bit of a long day,” Thea grinned slightly, sheepishly, the closest she would get to publicly complaining about a client. “But quiet at least.” Which was a nice change of pace from a few days ago; Thea could happily go another few tenday without another day like the last time she’d seen Orin.
“What about you?” Thea paused. It was uncomfortable standing out on the street, and... it would be nice to actually talk to Orin. She'd heard so much about her from Citrine - as far as she knew, they were back on good terms - but their actual face-to-face interactions had been limited. Once, she'd invited Orin to Citrine's room; once, Citrine had pulled a rather tipsy Orin into the shop for a tour that, thankfully, hadn't broken anything; once, she had banged on Orin's door in a desperate attempt to recruit her for a mission to rescue Citrine...
“Actually – I could really use a cup of tea. Would you – “ Thea glanced around. “There’s a nice shop just – here,” she gestured slightly down the street. “If you’d like to join me?”
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Post by Ossular on Mar 22, 2019 19:27:55 GMT
Orin would look around Thea as she glanced back at the same lady with the gaudy fur over a cloak with a little bit of a chuckle. "It's been-" Orin would think back to each of her interviews, thinking about how each one of them had ended. "-a day," the eladrin would look back at Peamont one more time. Who in their right mind would dress like that? Especially with the weather, the fur and the cloak mismatching as much as they did. That had to be an accident, right? She shuttered, mentally, at the though.
"Oh?" Orin would follow Thea's hand as she gestured down the streets. She would think about the last time she had tea. It was the final night of her service to the Winter Lady. The eladrin wouldn't reveal anything of what she was thinking, but honestly, she missed drinking tea. It had been a moment.
"Tea sounds nice," the eladrin would agree, stepping to Thea's side, letting her lead the way, seeing as she didn't fully know where anything was to a knowledgeable extent. It would be nice, actually getting to know more than just the tavern-hands at the Mariner's Hall and Citrine. "I could use it after today," her ears would straighten out once more as she walked. Knowing Thea would ask about it, she would continue. "I've been trying to find a job that doesn't involve, uh, physicality." It was the most modest way she could put it at the moment. "I figured since I'm here, there has to be plenty of jobs that are always looking for people, right?
"Apparently not," Orin would answer with a bit of a sigh.
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Post by moralhazard on Mar 22, 2019 19:38:36 GMT
“Tea makes everything better,” Thea promised, stopping at what looked like a narrow alley between two buildings. Honestly, alley was generous, it was really more of a winding path, narrow and dark. Thea grinned at Orin. “Follow me,” she said, cheerfully, disappearing into the dark.
They would push through what felt like curtains at the end of the pathway and emerge into a small courtyard, tucked between several other, higher buildings. The courtyard was stone, a perfect little square, with a small fountain filling its left-hand side. Despite the fact that they were nearly in the middle of Waterdeep, there was a sense of quiet and calm, the busy traffic outside faded nearly to nothing.
The little shop at the opposite end of the courtyard looked as if its entrance had been carved out of marble. There was a long doorway, and on top of it rounded triangle, with a screen-like lattice etched into it. There was no door, just flowing red curtains. Thea was already slipping off her shoes at the door, taking them in one small blue hand. She smiled at Orin, waiting, and would step inside when the eladrin was ready.
Inside was a simple room, with red curtains dividing it into several different, private sections. There were tapestries on the wall, fairly elaborate, and thick, heavy rugs lining the floor.
“Cousin,” a man who looked almost nothing like Thea but for the blue tint of his skin and the white of his hair came forward, extending his hands.
Thea had set her shoes down, and reached out with a smile, clasping his hands in hers. “Mehmet. It is a pleasure.”
Mehmet leaned forward, kissing each of her cheeks, and Thea reciprocated the ritual. “Far too long. They keep you too busy, Althea.”
Thea smiled. “Do you have a space for my friend and I?” She asked, politely.
“Of course,” Mehmet gestured towards the curtained off areas. “Sit – I will bring you tea, and perhaps just a bite of food.”
Thea would lead the way deeper into the tea shop. There were low tables with comfortable soft chairs scattered about, and Thea would choose one near the window, where a soft breeze danced through red curtains. She sat, hands on her lap, and smiled at Orin. “I hope you don’t mind Calishite tea – it’s all Mehmet serves, but it is very good.”
"So - what happened?" Thea asked, curiously. "I would have thought you could easily find a job in Waterdeep."
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Post by Ossular on Mar 22, 2019 20:11:53 GMT
Orin would look at the alley, a dark passage between two buildings. She would watch Thea walk toward it, letting the other woman take more of a lead as she walked in behind her. In the absence of her matron's power, she had to rely on her normal eladrin darkvision- something that Orin had never experienced before. The entire place seemed dark, and her sight seemed limited- she hadn't really been outside after having her Devil's Sight (that's what High Cleric Davis had called it, at least). Still, though, the eladrin would trust Thea and push on several steps behind her.
The ambiance that pervaded the area behind the curtain brought a sense of awe to the eladrin. Instantly, it was noticeably more quiet and she would follow what Thea was doing. It took her a moment to unlace her boots, though she was able to catch up easily enough, flexing her bare feet against the ground as she picked up her boots, walking in with a nod. She would listen quietly, giving a quiet "hello" to Mehmet. She would go along with the welcome if it was needed.
"I can't say that I've ever had Calishite tea," she would sit near Thea, enjoying the breeze as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ears. Thea asked her question as the eladrin adjusted, and she would inhale. "Well, I mean, I could. I'm sure there's plenty of opportunity for, like, adventuring and mercenary work and the sort," Orin would begin. "But I figured I might be able to get into one of the guilds and actually learn a trade or an art. I've been fighting for a long time. It'd be nice to learn something that wasn't... fighting," she would admit.
"So I had some meetings set up. The first one was at the House of Good Spirits, over on the Rising Ride by the Caravan Court. Lovely dwarven woman named Melana, but she felt like they didn't really need anyone else at the moment. They'd just went through a recruitment for some festival that's coming up, and all of the taverns they sponsor are apparently full at the moment," she would explain, then think about the second meeting she had.
"Then there's... the second one." The look on the man's face still made her chuckle.
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Post by moralhazard on Mar 22, 2019 20:24:01 GMT
Thea nodded slightly, understanding the impulse. Well, not entirely. She had started her apprenticeship at 15. Adventuring for her had always been something on the side; it was Dom who had wanted adventures, Dom who she had accompanied. Now, here in Waterdeep she’d had some adventures of her own, but Thea wasn’t sure if she would ever find the confidence that someone like Orin or Arioch had in their abilities. Citrine was just – an entirely different comparison. Thea couldn’t imagine ever feeling about her magic the way Citrine felt about hers, even if she felt she had made a lot of progress these last few months.
“The fireblossom festival,” Thea nodded a little.
Mehmet himself came over, carrying a tray with two small metal bowls filled with clear water, smelling faintly of lemon. He set them on the table with a smile.
Thea would dip her fingers into the bowl, using the hot water to wash carefully.
After both she and Orin were done, Mehmet would return, sweeping the bowls away, and replacing them with small glass cups, like muted figure eights, with a dark reddish liquid inside, resting on small white ceramic plates. In the center of the table, he set down a handful of little bowls, with dried apricots, almonds, hazelnuts, dried figs, and a last little plate with square pastries, sweet-looking, with what seemed like a mixture of pistachios between the flaky layers. Last, he set down a little bowl of honey, with a wooden spoon resting across the top of it.
“Thank you, Mehmet,” Thea smiled up at him.
“Of course. Please, enjoy,” He smiled at Thea, then at Orin, and left them in peace.
“What happened at the second interview?” Thea asked, curiously. She picked up the honey spoon, drizzling just a little into the glass, then took a small sip of the brightly colored liquid. The tea was strong and full-flavored, bitter, but well-balanced by the honey.
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Post by Ossular on Mar 22, 2019 20:46:46 GMT
"That's the one," Orin would nod in agreement on the festival.
She wouldn't start up until after she had cleaned her fingers carefully, following Thea's lead. She had only really had tea with Lady Susan, so she wanted to be cautious of any other traditions she didn't know. She would watch as Mehmet came back to them, replacing the water with the red tea, accompanied by dried treats, nuts and sweet looking pastries. "Yes, thank you," Orin would chime in respectively before trying the tea by itself, a small, polite sip. It was strong, bitter, but pleasant. The eladrin knew of her sweet tooth, though, opting to add a bit of honey after Thea had asked about the second interview.
"Well," Orin would chuckle lightly, taking a sip of her tea. Much better. "It was at this place called the Metal House of Wonders- uh-" Orin would recollect her thoughts for a moment- "they're known as the Splendid Order of Armorers, Locksmiths and Finesmiths. They would on adventuring equipment, magical armors and the sort. I ordered my shield through them, as well as my armor," Orin would smile. It really was nice craftsmanship. "I interviewed with this Tethyrian man with brown hair and blue eyes named-" a quick second passed- "Darvin Tallstag?" As if Thea knew of the man or something, she'd ask, then shrug.
"Either way, though. I interviewed with him. He said that he was interested in the adventuring types, and, well, he propositioned me. Said that if I did well enough, he'd find a spot for me somewhere in the guild," Orin took a light sip, the sour thoughts coming back to her for a brief moment. "So I told him that I think I could manage to surprise him- that I'd do anything for a job. He was on the corner of his desk, pants down. I got close, his head went back-"
Orin would inhale briefly, then smile, quietly continuing. "-and then I landed the blade of my axe right between his leg and his hammer- his words not mine- and the look on his face was worth not getting that job," the eladrin would chuckle, remembering the man jumping at the thud of the axe into the edge of his desk. "Scared him so much I don't think he'll be doing that again anytime soon."
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Post by moralhazard on Mar 23, 2019 2:47:28 GMT
Thea gave a little shake of her head at the name Tallstag; she’d never met him. Armor wasn’t generally of much interest to the sorcerer, unfortunately. She did wonder if maybe that was where Arioch had gotten his half-plate? She’d never asked.
Thea gasped aloud at the news that Tallstag had propositioned Orin, setting the cup down on the saucer with a little clatter. Her eyes went wide at Orin’s description of her own response, and she leaned forward, waiting, absolutely unable to believe that anyone Citrine respected would be willing to –
Thea began to giggle. “Oh!” She giggled harder, sitting back and covering her mouth with her hand. “I can imagine!” She giggled a little harder, grinning at Orin. “What an awful man. That’s – that’s disgusting,” Thea wrinkled her nose. “At a guild, too! I’ll tell Jhalassan, our guild head. She might know someone at the Armorerers’ Guild. They shouldn’t – he shouldn’t – ” Thea shook her head. “I’m sure you really did give him a good fright, but all the same the guild should know how he is representing them.”
Thea reached out, taking a single almond and nibbling on it. She liked Orin already, she realized; she reminded her a bit of Citrine, at least in terms of will. She wasn’t surprised that Orin could make Citrine back down – Thea hadn’t thought anyone could possibly make Citrine back down – and she hoped Orin would remember everything soon.
“Well, that sounds like a truly terrible day,” Thea proclaimed. “Here – you should try one of these.” She set the remaining half of the almond down on the edge of her plate, pushing the little plate of sweet squares towards Orin. “It’s layers of flaky pastry, with pistachios and honey between, and just before serving them Mehmet sort of – soaks them in honeywater. Turn it upside down, so the bottom – it’s a bit heavier, see? – touches the roof of your mouth.” Thea would take one herself, delicately demonstrating. The treats were absolutely delicious, sweet and melting and rich.
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Post by Ossular on Mar 24, 2019 4:49:21 GMT
"It would be appreciated," Orin would smile, finding amusement in Thea's response, from the wide eyes to the giggle. "I'd like to be able to purchase equipment through the guild again after all of this," she'd think back to her shield, happy that they could fill the request for a magical shield on such a short notice, ultimately. Granted, she hadn't really used it just yet, but having held it and moved with it, at least? She was happy.
"A little, yes," the eladrin would agree nervously as the sweet squares were pushed toward Orin, tempting her. She would listen to Thea describe them as she lightly itched the tip of her ear with a quiet "pardon" to excuse herself. Amafreya had told her it was rude, but Amafreya had also pranced around Silverymoon's stables at night in the cover of a fog cloud to charm a man to have conversations with a cow that didn't actually exist, so it wasn't like she was the end-all-be-all of elvish courtesies.
"Oh?" Through her service, she had seen pastries of all sorts, though during the proper parties that the Winter Lady held, she was never allowed to take any of them. She was always preoccupied, standing against the wall with the three other Knights. Observing, waiting on their Fey Ladies and Lords, even trading, though Orin was never traded, even as a joke. She would reach forward, carefully taking one of the pastries, and followed Thea's advice, turning it upside down and popping it in her mouth all at once, as her sweet tooth demanded.
She would chew, carefully at first- you know, as if she wasn't going to like it?- before nodding happily, maintaining as much courtesy as she could in her appearance. "It is-" she would give herself another second before finishing her sentence- "delectable. I think that may be one of the best things I've had since I've come to Waterdeep," the eladrin would smile. It reminded her of a type of lembas bread she had in Silverymoon and through the beginning of her travels to Waterdeep. Orin resisted the urge to get a second for the moment, not wanting to rush the taste in her mouth, so instead, she opted for a sip of tea.
"If you don't mind me asking," Orin would smile, "how did you and Citrine meet?" It was a curiosity, and while she hadn't really seen the avian too much in the last tenday, she was curious enough to figure out more of who Citrine was as a person, and now that Citrine wasn't around? It seemed like a good time to ask.
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Post by moralhazard on Mar 24, 2019 5:05:01 GMT
Thea giggled, smiling at Orin’s obvious pleasure in the treat. She had eaten about half of hers, and the rest joined the remaining bit of almond on her small plate. Thea sipped at her tea again, enjoying it, relaxing slightly.
It was, Thea thought, only fair that Orin would have questions for her. Perhaps it wasn’t surprising they were about Citrine; it had to be strange, knowing that Citrine knew so much about her but without any memories of her own. It would have been stranger if Orin hadn’t had any questions about Citrine.
But… how they had met. Thea shifted a little in her chair, biting her lip before noticing it and stopping; she hated that habit.
“Well,” Thea smiled. “Actually, we met for the first time at an exhibition I was putting on,” Thea grinned at Orin. This part of the story was easy enough. “When I first came to Waterdeep, I had – just a small exhibition in the guildhall, to show off a few of my pieces. I’m not sure quite how Rain heard about it, but she came by to see, and of course we met then.” Thea decided to gloss over the attempted theft of a wand by sweet little Enchee and Citrine’s role in helping guide the little goblin to a more effective life of crime.
“Of course, I was very curious about her then,” Thea grinned at Orin, “but I – I’m not sure whether we would have met again, except that a few days later there was… a storm. A winter storm; it blew in from off the coast, with snow and ice and lightning and thunder,” Thea was quiet, one finger tracing the rim of her cup. She could still remember it; if she thought too much about it, she could almost feel it swirling in her blood, even months later.
“I was…” Thea looked up at Orin, then back down at her tea cup. Citrine would, hopefully, never know she’d told this story, and honestly if Citrine wasn’t such a good friend, it would be much more than she could bear to tell it; Orin was a stranger after all, even if she was a stranger that Thea liked. But Thea had an opportunity here, to help Orin understand who Citrine was, that messy, complicated person who was one of Thea’s best friends, and Thea didn’t want to let her down. “I was sort of… entranced by the storm,” A shiver ran through her at the memory. “I was caught outside in it, and – well – Rain was there too,” Thea grinned. “She was flying it, I think – she said it’s a hobby of hers. By fate we ended up trapped in the same cave, trying to wait it out.”
Thea exhaled, a long, slow breath. “I think I would have frozen to death if not for her,” she admitted. “She made a fire, kept me warm, and… scolded me for neglecting my magic,” pale blue cheeks flushed darker. Did Orin know? Thea didn’t know what Orin knew. “I’m a sorcerer, not – quite like her, but,” Thea shrugged one shoulder. “We talked, too, quite a lot and… she offered to help me learn. Since then, we’ve been friends.”
Thea cradled her tea in her hands, sitting back slightly, and smiled at Orin, still blushing a little. “So – that’s how I met Rain.”
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Post by Ossular on Apr 16, 2019 3:56:32 GMT
Orin would lean forward as Thea started to speak. Her ears perked and folded inward with interest, and she would listen. Orin's situation was unique and one-sided, and while she didn't completely understand the relationship between the phoenix and herself, she knew that Citrine was important, the key to her current predicament with the Winter Court of the Realm of Golarian.
The art exhibition received a nod, but the mention of a storm caused a small headtilt from the eladrin. Taking a quiet sip of her own tea as the air genasi figured out the best way to explain what had happened. Some of the small details were picked up by Orin, the shiver unknowingly shared between the two of them as the eladrin was briefly brought back to a past life, on the shores of the Shackles, looking into the Abendego, entranced by it, feeling herself pulled toward it's center.
Orin took off, stepping toward the cliffs before the natural wind carried her into the skies. The feeling of freedom. Disappearing into clouds to break through the other side. The memory played behind her eyes, which remained on the corner of Thea's lips physically. The feeling of the winds through her body, maind and soul, potent enough to move water and erode coastlines, douse fires, cause flashes of lightning and claps of thunder.
As she had done, many times in her recollections, she spun, riding a jet-stream to glide for a moment. This time, in her daydreams, though, was a woman with wings of magnificent light and fire, resilient even against the winds of the Abendego, trailing just behind her. It was Citrine, doing as she had said she had done- following her captain.
Thea exhaled, and Orin blinked, taking another small sip. The eladrin would smile. "It... sounds like her," Orin would admit, looking down, thinking things through as she mused aloud for a moment. "It sounds like me, actually, which is... weird, but I guess she had to get it from somewhere. It was a lesson I had to learn-" Did Thea know about Citrine and Orin's... cycle of life? She would play that one safe, at least for now. "-back in the day.
"She gave me these books, journals that she kept on her adventures," it was the easiest way to be vague but honest about it at the same time, in case Thea didn't know. "Some of the entries are pretty... vague and poorly written, if I'm being honest. It's kind of hard to read through at the end of the day. But-" Orin would look at the table for a moment. "On every thirteenth day of every eighth month, there's... pages, and pages, all about me," the eladrin would grow quiet, her ears flattening. At least, like her race, they jumped from emotion to emotion fairly easily. While it wasn't outright sadness, there was a bit of anxious confusion coming from her.
"Just... all these memoirs of me, and I feel bad because... I have nothing. I can't remember her birthday. Her favorite drink outside of... whiskey, I think? Hells, I didn't even realize I had her cat for... months... years, even." Orin would look up, running a tongue behind her lips.
"Sorry, I'm bringing the mood down," she'd chuckle a little bit, her ears moving up and down as she inhaled and exhaled quietly to herself. "It's also just a bit overwhelming."
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Post by moralhazard on Apr 16, 2019 17:04:12 GMT
Thea reached forward and set her hand on Orin’s. It was a bit of a risk, she thought, but she would do it slowly and carefully, giving the eladrin a little squeeze if she didn’t seem to mind the contact, before pulling her hand back. She hoped – hoped – it would be comforting. They were near strangers, but Thea felt so close to Citrine that it was hard not to feel close to Orin as well. If that meant she had overstepped then – well – so be it.
“I can’t begin to imagine,” Thea said, quietly, hand coming back to her tea. She didn’t take another sip, just fiddling with the glass slightly.
It was true – Thea couldn’t imagine. What would it be like to have such a – such a hole in your life? There were bits of her past Thea didn’t remember, traumatic moments that had been erased by the sheer intensity of them, the way the mind could only hold so much, or by delirium and exhaustion. She didn’t know, in some cases, how she’d gotten somewhere or what had happened on the way, and there was no one to tell her. But those moments were few and far between and, honestly, Thea was grateful; she preferred not to be burdened with some of those recollections.
The closest Thea could imagine would be to have forgotten Dom. How could she? He was woven into the fabric of her, now. She didn’t love him anymore – she refused to love him anymore – but he had been the center of her heart, of her world, for so long. How much would she even be Thea if she had forgotten him? Would she have forgotten herself too? Her first storm orb, the one she’d made for Dom – would she forget that?
“Do you remember… parts of it?” Thea asked, softly. “I mean – do you remember the things Rain writes about, but... without her? Or are they entirely…” her voice trailed off, and Thea flushed blue, realizing how rude the question was. “I’m sorry, that was rude, I - I didn't mean to…” her voice trailed off a little. She hoped Orin would want to speak about it – it had to be hard to discuss it with Citrine directly – but she would understand if she didn’t want to.
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Post by Ossular on Apr 20, 2019 18:31:04 GMT
Orin's eyes of fire would watch as Thea's hand came forward, coming to rest on the top of her own hand before giving the eladrin a light, supportive squeeze. The eyes would move down to the hand, up back to Thea and repeat before she gave a soft half-smile of approval. It wasn't all bad, right? At least she had time, she had a chance. She just hoped that this wasn't some ploy by Lady Susan. Orin didn't want it to be.
"It's... a bit overwhelming, honestly," Orin's half-smile would turn to a small smirk, her ears loosening slightly as Thea spoke. "But yes. I remember... every single detail. Just-" Orin would think back, the small instances that came through here and there. A shout on the wind in the middle of battles. A seventh shadow on the wall in their group of six people. Gaps in the birthday party within the Shooting Star (the tavern that her group traveled in during her first life and the adventure it held); the pause was a little more noticeable than she was comfortable with, lost in her thoughts and memories.
"No, no, it's- it's fine, Thea," the eladrin would assure her. "It- it helps to talk about it, if that makes sense? But... yes. It's like-" a much shorter pause this time- "living through an adventure, and getting to the end, and then finding out that someone had wrote a book about that adventure. Except the book is extremely detailed. Personal, even, and the author wrote themselves as a character in your story. They experienced all this stuff. You did all these things together. You could see yourself acting the way they wrote."
At some point, Orin had started to fiddle with her fingers, crossing them, then uncrossing them. "You even remember brief instances of what they wrote, and they fill in the rest. Like... private moments. An extremely cold ice bath that I felt like someone was watching me? In her journals, she was there with me in the ice bath. Or specific details about people that we knew- that died in our-" Orin would stop for a brief second, then correct herself, "-my adventure. How they died. When. What did it. What she felt from her perspective.
"Even how she felt about... when I died," Orin would say that last part quietly. "What it was like when I came back. I- there's maybe... what, four people still possibly alive in all of the dimensions that would know these details, and then- just- it's... it is not a coincidence. It can't be." Especially when paired with everything else Orin could think of? Why Lady Susan had forbade her from returning to the realm of Golarian unless it was absolutely necessary. The last night with Lady Susan in her mind felt clear, but the more she meditated on it, the more it felt... off.
"I look back at everything I did... and I wonder why I did it. I feel one way, but I remember acting a different way-" Orin would lift her tea cup- "that probably sounds ridiculous, but I can't really think of a way to explain it. It's not an easy thing to really do."
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