forum Songs of Storms and Magic // oxo // private, stalking welcome

Started June 22, 2020 by @croccin-champagne

tune

"Magic is more natural to me than swordsmanship; I mainly learned that because magic can be difficult when fighting face-to-face with someone, so swordsmanship gave me a way to defend myself if an enemy got closer. It also taught me self-defense, which was…rather necessary." she didn't choose to elaborate, merely paused for a moment and then continued on. "I would of course like to say that my magic is the best it possibly can be, but I'm still young and have much to learn." she gave a small smile, shrugging her shoulders.

Zarya laughed, the sound somehow almost magical. Her magic was her voice for the most part, after all. "Would we not all like to say we were as good as can be? However, there is something thrilling about knowing you have more to learn. Knowing there is more power waiting for you. More knowledge. Though, the two tend to be intrinsic. It would be wonderful to see what you are capable of. You have a good head, and are smart. I do not doubt your skill."

Rose smiled again. "Thank you." she replied, shrugging her shoulders a little bit. They had reached the royal wing, and she continued walking through the halls, headed towards her room. She opened the door, turning to Zarya. "You are welcome to come in and wait, if you wish, or you may wait out here." she didn't really care which Zarya chose; the other woman might be more comfortable in the sitting room, but if Zarya didn't wish to come inside, Rose wouldn't pressure her to.

Zarya thought for a moment, before following Rose in. "Waiting outside your quarters may seem incredibly suspicious. At least this way it is obvious I am welcome." She said, her tone just light enough to be joking. She took a seat on the edge of a chair, one leg crossed neatly over the other. "Take all the time you need, of course. There is no hurry great enough to warrant not putting yourself together." Obviously not exactly true, but the point still stood in her mind.

Rose nodded slightly. "Alright." she closed the door behind them, and then headed to another door, which led into her bedroom. From the bedroom was the access to the bathroom and closet. "I shall be back in a half an hour, most likely. You're welcome to read any of the books on the shelves in here, if you like."

Zarya did just that, spending a few minutes scanning the shelves before settling on a book detailing the history of magic use in the country.

When Rose eventually finished, she would find Zarya curled up in the chair she had claimed when she'd first come in. The Sorceress, undisturbed for so long, had completely wrapped herself up in the book. Her brow was furrowed just slightly. She was careful to keep her boots off the seat, but had sort of tucked her legs up and shifted to get comfortable.

Rose came out of her bedroom in leggings and a skirt, with a white blouse tucked into the top of the skirt. Her hair had been tied back and was, while still a little damp, now clean and fresh. Light make-up had been put on her face as well, and a pair of dark shoes completed the outfit. She smiled a little at the sight of the sorceress so focused, and cleared her throat quietly. "Ready to go?" she asked, that little smile still tugging at her lips.

Zarya startled slightly, glancing up and almost looking confused at her surroundings for a moment. After gathering herself, she nodded. "Yes. I am. Though, I may have to find myself a copy of this book while we are out." She mused, carefully unfolding herself and standing. She took a look at Rose's outfit, gesturing to her own. "We match, just a bit. You look lovely."

She smiled a little, looking at Zarya's outfit, and then laughed. "Oh, oops. I must have subconsciously mimicked your skirt, my apologies." She gave a quick, joking curtsey, straightening back up again after only a moment. "Thank you, though. You look quite nice too. Are we ready to head out to the market now?" She wasn't worried about being attacked; she could hold her own against nearly any attacker that could have come after her, and she wasn't very worried about Zarya betraying her.

"Your Majesty, there is no need to apologize. Frankly, I am flattered." Zarya said, lifting a hand to brush a dark lock of hair away from her face. "And thank you. I am ready if you are." Something like excitement sparkled in her eyes, the color seeming to grow a playful, light hue. She set the book back on it's shelf, making her way to the door and holding it open for Rose. "After you, my lady."

Rose smiled again, ducking out the door. As they walked down the hallway, there was a crash and a curse from behind a closed door, and she paused. "Excuse me, I need to check on my brother. It will only take a moment." she shot Zarya an apologetic smile, slipping into her brother's rooms and closing the door behind her.

Inside, she found Korain sprawled on the floor, blinking hard. He seemed to have fallen, and his eyes looked vague and confused, with violence brewing in the back, and she crouched beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder and shaking him. He had the same expression that he had often had while under their uncle's control, and she did not want a return of those times. "Kor, come back." she whispered, hand moving to his forehead. "Be here, not there."

He blinked again, staring up at her for a long moment, wherein he didn't seem to recognize her, and then he returned to himself, looking up at her in confusion. "I…Rose, I don't think my…I don't think I'm getting better." his voice was quiet, but broken. The remnants of a man broken apart too many times to be stitched back together right.

She closed her eyes for a moment. "You will. You have to, you…you're all I have left." their parents were dead, their uncle imprisoned by Rose's own hand. They had no other close family left, save themselves.

"But what if I don't? I…Rose, please, there are days I want to die more than I want to live, because I've hurt so many people. And…and I'll hurt them again because I can't control this thing inside of me, I…I'm so empty, all of the time, and…and…" he looked up at her, shaking his head.

She bit her lip, looking at her twin brother and wishing she knew any way to help him. Any way to help soothe his troubled mind. "Have you done any sparring lately? I know that…that in the past it has helped you, would it help again?"

He stared at her, then slowly shrugged his shoulders. "I haven't…but…maybe?"

She nodded. "Take a hot bath, have some tea, and do some sparring. Maybe– maybe it will help. And I'll speak with more magicians, doctors, see if…if there's some way to help you." the last thing she wanted was to lose her only surviving family member, but she hated to see him suffer like this.

"Okay." he said, pushing himself up from the floor and standing up. "I…I'll do that. I think." he glanced over towards his bathroom. "Bath first?"

"Bath first." she agreed, giving him a gentle push towards the bathroom. "Then a black tea, then sparring. Or, you can visit Harun, you both always like that."

He nodded again, going into the bathroom. "Okay." he repeated, closing the door. After another minute, she heard the water running, and she took a moment to compose herself again before going back out to the hallway. She still couldn't completely erase the worry for her brother from her features, though, and it showed in the tightness in her eyes, and the slight pinch at the edges of her lips, in the way her hands were fidgeting faintly.

(went a little overboard, oops, sorry)

((fdhjghdf totally fine))

Zarya had waited patiently outside, not quite concerned about what was going on. A crash didn't always mean bad things. No, she was more curious. It was obvious to her that there was something going on, something almost like an ailment affecting the prince. And she'd be a fool not to note the effect it had on his sister. A curious thing, one that she wanted badly to inquire about.

When Rose returned, she kept quiet, allowing her a moment. Almost tentatively, she reached out a hand. Placing it on the queen's arm, she spoke softly, allowing just a hint of her magic to seep into her voice. "Are you all right?" The magic wasn't to pull anything from her. She knew better, and she had no want to drag any truths from Rose, not unwilling ones. No, the magic itself was more for a calming effect. As though her words themselves were wrapped in something soft and welcoming, something kind.

Rose looked at her, taking a breath to calm herself. "I'm fine, yes." she replied. She paused for a long moment, deliberating over what exactly to tell Zarya. "My brother is…not quite mentally sound some days. He was there when our parents…died, and he's never been the same." the official story was that their parents had been killed in a terrible carriage accident, but that wasn't the full truth; that day, when the twins were fifteen…that had been the first time the monster surfaced, and Rose knew that what really had happened, was that the monster had killed their parents, and then the wreck had happened. Her parents had been dead before the carriage left the road, and she and Korain both knew that. She could still remember, clearly, the shadows in his eyes when the guards had brought him back, how the captain had told her a stammering, confused story of three of the four carriage horses being dead, torn apart, of the king and queen's bodies hopelessly mangled, of the driver lying dead in the wreckage, and her brother…being something else entirely.

Zarya nodded, not yet retracting her hand. "Death changes people." She agreed. There was something more, she could tell. It was in the way Rose almost seemed to be not saying something, more than saying something untrue. Whatever it was, it obviously wasn't something for her to know. Not yet. "Especially of one's parents." She knew that herself, from experience.

Shaking her head, Zarya stepped back, pulling her hand back. "Time often aids in the process of healing. I hope it helps your brother. And should there be anything you can think of that I may be able to do, tell me."

Rose nodded a little bit. "Yes. He…he just needs time." I hope. She tucked back a strand of hair that had drifted into her face, and summoned up a smile. "Thank you. Shall we get going, though?" she led Zarya out of the royal wing, hoping Korain would be alright on his own, hoping he wouldn't lose control without her there to help keep him under control.

"Time. Lots and lots of time." Zarya murmured, following Rose through the palace. She still hadn't run her time. The nightmares still followed, the smoke still filling her lungs at the sight of a flame larger than a candle's. She loved kitchens, loved cooking, but still couldn't flame broil without forgetting where she was. Time had helped, but time wasn't done yet. Even with Mishal's help, with Sampson's begrudging patience and steps.

"It may be a good thing we are not going out tomorrow." She said, speaking up after a long few moments of silence. "If it is as you say, and tomorrow is the big day, that means there will be even more people. Larger crowds draw a large number of pick pockets." Which was why her money was in a bag strapped to her leg, underneath her skirt. Alongside a knife. She had made sure to bring a combination of her own currency and the currency of this kingdom, in case certain merchants refused to take hers.

Rose nodded slightly. "Yes, that is true. Although the larger markets are always quite amazing, if you have the awareness to avoid the pickpockets." she let out a quiet laugh, a small smile pulling at her mouth. She led Zarya to a small side gate, which was manned by only a single guard, who let them through without a word.

"I should think I would. Maybe I should at least get a peak of it tomorrow." Zarya mused, internally laughing at her own joke. A pick pocket had better know how to avoid pick pockets. She'd grown up thieving, if she had lost her awareness, she might need a swift slap upside the head. "Is there a reason we are leaving from somewhere other than the main entrance?"

She nodded, then sighed at the question. "Yes. If I leave by the front gates, people will see us, and then I'll have to bring a whole contingent of guards along. If we leave by this gate, though, we don't have to bring guards." She explained as they walked away from the gate. "That guard will receive a bonus for…not insisting upon coming along." She laughed a little bit, her lips pulling into another little smile.

"Oh, we are sneaking." Zarya said, something like a mixture of amusement and excitement in her tone. She didn't get many opportunities for sneaking anymore. Funny enough, she only really got them outside of her own country. While she adored nothing quite as much as her country–maybe shiny things and clothes, she missed sneaking. She missed trouble, honestly. Though her last great adventure before the battles had been harrowing and dangerous, there was something so fun about that kind of excitement.

"Does it count as treason, my lady, if I am aiding you in escaping the palace without an armed guard? Or might I count as your guard for this time?" She asked, humor coloring her voice. And, just faintly, her expression.

She laughed a little, considering the question. "I…I don't know." She replied, shrugging her shoulders. "In any case, no one is going to blame you. And I sneak out enough on my own for it not to be too much of a rarity." She laughed softly, leading Zarya through the streets and down into the depths of the city, heading towards the market.

"Temporary guard it is. Just in case." She said, eyes immediately enraptured by her surroundings. The streets, despite being unfamiliar, reminded her of home. Of the streets she had grown up on, at least. Of unsuspecting targets and the thrill and safety of never being seen. Now, anymore, she was always seen. Far too often, no matter what she was doing. But then, back then, nobody knew or cared who she was. Some days she fantasized about going back to that life. But she was always reminded of the work and the luck it took to get where she was, and of the power she had in her position. She was far less powerful back then, at least in any way that mattered.

"Where all do you know of that merchants come from?" Zarya asked, reminded suddenly of one of her goals. "Do you receive many from my country?"