un: a civil serpent. | audio

[inferus]

( Wrath has heard from his disciples Vannozza plans on summoning or exorcising- a special ritual spell. He means to look into it more, but he would prefer to have some idea of what he may be walking into. He knows the group is exactly that.

They are a team, and while he is not used to relying on others in such a way, this world is making him experience many things he is unaccustomed to. He means to speak to Vannozza himself, but first, he wishes to inquire about those who have already had dealings with her. In exchange, he would be willing to let them know what he has learned and what he will learn.

A Prince of Hell always knows how to bargain. )

Has anyone had interactions with Lady Vannozza thus far? I am curious as to what others may have learned or what their reading of her has been when they've interacted with her.

Comments

[valeas]

( a flare of irritation.

it is impressive, almost, how easily he can chase away the sadness to draw out the fire instead. her glare should be felt even from this distance, not that he's looking at her to properly notice. with that in mind, she steps away from the balcony and back into her room. )

Trust you to bend this entirely to your favor.

[inferus]

You know me... epitome of sin, as you said. ( his smile widens slightly, because he does feel the heat of her gaze, feels the irritation flare up inside of her. she has fire inside of her, and he knows she has walked away from her spot on the balcony. wrath breathes in as his back rests against the tree, wanting to teleport in to see her in person.

there is an ache at her absence which he cannot ignore, but it is not about what he wants as much as he does want to teleport into her room at the moment. he glances up at the moon in its brightness, and he is quiet for a long time before he finally speaks: )

What has you awake so late into the night?

[valeas]

I could ask you the same thing, demon.

( without meaning to, the conversation has steered toward the true source of her insensible vexation. it wasn't anything emilia planned to address via pendants. in spite of assurances from others, she can't entirely trust this method, which may be why she keeps it vague enough.

but she saw him asking questions about vannozza.

she'll eat her hat if he wasn't with her tonight. )

[inferus]

( there is some understanding when she asks the question in that way. emilia is one to pay attention after all, to catch details of her own, and so he is not surprised that she noticed.

he is perhaps slightly surprised at the reaction.

after a moment, he no longer relies on the stones, but steps into the shadows and transvenios into her room as he wanted to all along. this time it's because it is clear she has something to say to him, and they both do not trust the stones enough to reveal very sensitive information over them.

he appears there in the corner of her room, careful to stay away from the balcony, out of view. )

...so ask then.

[valeas]

( emilia half-turns to face him, consider him. her temper is reined, for the time being. )

You're playing your cards close to the vest. I cannot fault you for that, I suppose.

( she is too, after all.

but to ask her questions, she'd first need to trust that he would give her full answers, no omissions, and they both know she doesn't. that she didn't know he intended to speak privately with vannozza in the first place tells her the sentiment is returned, and she can't really hold that against him, either. )

Our being here doesn't change anything that happened, nor that I am a member of House Pride.

( he has his schemes. she has hers. though she thinks, maybe, they were assigned to the wrong teams. his interest is evidently in vannozza, and emilia is still digging what she can on macaluso and matteo. if only they could swap places, yes? )

[inferus]

( wrath says nothing about playing his cards close to the vest. she has done the same from the beginning, and he follows her lead. she decided time and time again he cannot be trusted despite his actions- that she would rather play with his brothers, believe in them, make blood deals with them than ever purposefully choose him.

he remains in the corner only temporarily, stepping closer to her as she speaks. a flash of something- of anger in the dark of his eyes when she speaks of his brother in that way, speaks of where she now belongs.

it's infuriating when he he knows her anger so intimately, when he feels it in every action she has taken since they met. )

It was not your pride that you summoned that evening in the bone circle.

It was your wrath. Your fury. ( her deep burning need for justice for all witches that shared a similar fate as her sister. )

[valeas]

( she made a choice in a moment of true fear and desperation, two essential ingredients in creating disaster. and yet she doesn't know that she'd make a different choice if she were given another chance, not with the scant information at her disposal. the gates of hell were weakening, threatening all she's ever held dear.

all that is left, in any case. she could not bear the loss of one more life. she could not bear getting so far and never knowing what happened that night in the catacombs. and he — he was nowhere to be found, no matter how many times she summoned him. he only showed up when it was time to collect her soul, his freedom.

that he has the nerve to stand here and condemn her for it. )

You've not seen me furious yet. ( she's only just begun. )

[inferus]

( wrath strides closer to her as his gaze draws over her face from what little space exists between the both of them. she is angry too, and this much has been clear.

it must be a combination of all that happened regardless of everything else he has done. there's the betrayal from when envy appeared with his words about how wrath is the biggest liar of them all, the worst of them. there's his coming to deliver her soul after their fight about exactly that, but that was not his choice. but hers.

her anger ignites something in him too. the anger, as always, is easier than the rest - than the hurt, than the jealousy, than the betrayal of his own pricking sharp like glass in his heart. )

Is that a promise, witch?

( there's a challenge in his voice as he schools his features again. )

[valeas]

( emilia holds her ground as he bridges the distance between them, at least physically. the rest is another matter. she watches as his expression grows unreadable one more. inhumanly blank. she could not pluck a single emotion from him if she tried, and she envies him the ease with which he is able to do this.

every time she is confronted with how little she really knows him, how much he'll keep out of reach if he decides it, she still manages to be surprised. and it's this detachment that takes her back the most. how did i not see? how did i not see you could be so cold?

she lifts her chin in all her wounded defiance. if he expects her to cower, he'll be sorely disappointed. )

Take it however you like. Now leave.

[inferus]

( briefly, unintentionally, the room grows colder in response. his hurt lashing out despite his expression remaining guarded as ever.

he straightens his shoulders. his dark gaze remaining locked on her own like he might be able to read more of her, understand what she is thinking. he has many powers, but the ability to read minds is not among them. he respects her choices, and so there is no argument from him despite the very real understanding there is so much left unsaid between them.

she tells him to leave.

and he transvenios out the way he came, back into the evening with the moon up above and the knowledge of their choices and the weight of their consequences. the air around him is colder than the rest of taravast, the shadows bending beneath his feet in his wake. )