video — un: vast & furious.

[valeas]

( Last Emilia di Carlo was seen, she rode a thestral into the dark of night, with flowers burning in her hair and fury blazing in her eyes. Tonight, she looks somber and composed, her resolve no less steely for it. She sits at her desk, hair half braided into a coronet and the other half down in loose waves.

She's dressed practically, unlike when they're conforming to the city's fashions. )

I've gathered some donations from the nobility.

( Influence with the gentry (and their connections) helps, as does rich guilt. Emilia still takes great issue with everyone else being left to fend for themselves during the siege, but she decided to channel that anger into something productive. People need resources, not the consequences of her temper.

She'll need remember to do so on behalf of Vannozza. The siege doesn't, unfortunately, put an end to why they're here. )

I invite anyone that would like to help with its distribution to join me. Furthermore —

( Her brow furrows at the sudden commotion outside. The desk is close enough to the balcony that anyone who's decided to listen in is privy, as well. Much like the chimney debacle, really, except these are no protesters. No, these are two gentlemen suitors. And they bring ... poetry?

It would seem harrowing experiences turn already insensible men into impulsive brutes. Impulsivity further prompted by the fact Emilia, catch of the season, has yet to accept any offer. She's betrothed to someone else, in truth. Though at the moment, she'd like to eschew the presence of any and all men.

Forever.

The clearing of a throat: "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day — "
"Look around, you complete and utter toadstool. It is far from summer, and you cannot propose when I intend to do so."
"The lady will not marry you. I am the one she favors — "
"No, I shall be her heart's truest desire in the end."
"Dear man, you know little of desire, if all rumors prove true."
"You besmirch my character! There is only one way to solve this — "
"Yes. Y e s - !"
"We duel at dawn!"

Emilia closes her eyes.

Draws in a deep breath. Prays to the goddess of strength and reasoning: may she keep a moon daughter from committing any violence this evening. )

You'll excuse me.

( Before she ends the transmission, a third unaffiliated voice can be heard, wailing in the distance, "I'm so alone." )



( ooc: this post is for their network only, but the commotion outside is, of course, free game for anyone to catch wind of.
this post is open all month. there's no such thing as too late.)

Comments

audio. threadjack away. :)

[inferus]

( Wrath does not like seeing his betrothed-to-be serenaded and fought over as if she is an object to be won. A well of possessiveness slides up in him though he certainly is aware Emilia has not chosen a relationship with him either (and she will always have that freedom of choice). He is respectful of said current choice, which means not yelling over her feelings in a courtyard. What even are mortals. He is on his way to view this in person, but first: )

We should allow them their duel.

Is it to the death? ( Because if that is how they choose to go out without taking into consideration Emilia's feelings or thoughts at all then they deserve the fate they have chosen. )

[valeas]

( Emilia brings herself to her feet and moves toward the balcony, goddess help these men if they are still out there. )

Is there any other sort of duel?

( She's never been involved in one. But she's read plenty of books, and in books, duels are to the death always. In books and in practice, too, a woman is often blamed for the tantrum of a man. A good thing that Emilia is in no possession of a guilt complex. But there's been too much death and destruction. )

[inferus]

( Wrath strides through the courtyard with frustration in his stance. He gives off a certain predatory, frightening vibe especially at present that has many people along the way give him a wide birth as they stare while he passes them by. )

The rules can be set in whichever way they like so long as they each wield a similar weapon. First blood, a severe wound preventing one participant from continuing, or death.

( He hears the tone of her voice and knows her well enough to know she does not want this. Not that they have asked. ) I see they've yet to specify.

[valeas]

Specificity did not seem to be a priority, no.

( There's an impressive bite to her words, and she swears the air she's breathing is fire. And beneath it, somewhere she does not want to acknowledge, is the sting of humiliation. She'd had other plans for tonight, much more productive ones at that. )

I can handle this.

( Emilia is not in need of a protector. If she can't handle two bumbling and presumptive men, how will she handle demon subjects? )

[inferus]

( Wrath halts in his walk despite the anger urging his feet to continue its path. He is, as always, in control of his own emotions, and he can tell she wishes to handle this on her own. It is not as if he ever doubted she could. She simply should not have had to.

She did not ask for this, and neither of these mortals take into consideration her feelings, her wants, how their actions may affect her. And he reads more than anger in her tone of voice. Perhaps he simply knows her so well. He takes in a careful, controlled breath and then releases it again before he speaks: )

You can.

( It is quiet acknowledgement before he finds a shadow to slip into. A moment later, he transvenios to her room to wait and listen. He does quite enjoy her sharp tongue, and this time, it will be used to eviscerate mortals who could not be more deserving of it. )

username: absterge

[downswing]

( Perhaps consider announcing your betrothal. )


Cast water upon them.



( After all, if they act as if they are cats in heat... )

[valeas]

( Oh. She thought Lan Wangji may not wish to speak to her any time soon, in truth. His response reminds her of the fact he knows of her real betrothal, and because her temper cut their conversation short, she's yet to inform him that only a handful of people are aware of that fact. No time like the present.

Time to make this private. )

Not the element I was thinking of, admittedly.

[downswing]

They impose upon you.

[valeas]

Not for long, I assure you.

[downswing]

You indulge them.

action!

[lancifolium]

[ After being far too tipsy to have her friend's back the last time random men bothered Emilia while she was trying to have some peace in the privacy of her room Lily took almost no time getting to her door that night. After her friend cut her message to the group short due to being shouted at, not checking in on Emilia felt wrong, and Lily was quick to get out of bed and dressed before sneaking down the hallway.

She knocked a few times before cracking the door open, tentatively peeking inside. Lily didn't want to be invasive - but if something was wrong and Emilia needed help because one of those shouty blokes was trying to scale the side of the palace, (blokes, by and large, were messy enough that she wouldn't put it past them) - she didn't want to get to her friend too late. ]

Emilia are you alright?

[ Peering in Lily kept one hand on the knob of her friend's door, and the other on her wand in her pocket, ready to draw should she have to. Her experience during the Beastmaster's visit had left her looking a little paler than usual, but if she felt weaker for it, it didn't show. ]

[valeas]

( Her throat tightens as her head lifts toward her friend.

Her friend, whose body ached too recently from such terrible an experience, and came to check on her anyway. Emilia is not used to this. The state of her mortal realm discouraged cooperation among witches. It taught her that to speak too much to another witch was to put her in danger, a death sentence.

She is used to dealing with things alone.

But together, the two of them, they've built a community. It is small, but it is fierce, and in this moment, there is an endless well of gratitude for it. So much so that her eyes almost burn. She wants to say that she is all right. Wants to keep projecting everything she means to, if she is ever to step foot in the Seven Circles and conquer it: someone fearsome, someone undaunted. But the siege has left her a bit raw, uncertain, and this humiliation stings, for all that she ran them off, hopefully for good. )

No. I don't know how much longer I can do this.

( Not that she's done very much with her role as of late, and certainly she never encouraged this. Emilia was willing to try and leverage the role she was assigned with the belief it would advance their goals, with the understanding she would never let anyone work past her boundaries. If the attention ever felt intolerable, limiting, infuriating, suffocating — she'd close her eyes, think of her twin and the justice she still deserves, and find her resolve once more. For Vittoria, she would do this and more. But Emilia has not much to show for it, and she's no closer to returning to her mission. There's only the ruin of Taravast made.

Silence follows her rare admission, and she turns it back to Lily. She's been so worried. ) Are you?

[lancifolium]

[ Lily kept her hand on the door after it closed, keeping herself steady as she looked towards Emilia with adoring, but very tired eyes. She was on the mend but worn down by her experience under the Beastmaster's thrall, paler, the red of her hair a little less vibrant, she almost looked threadbare - if a person could be worn down that way. At times she felt as though for all she hurt, that she ought to remember something for the extensive trouble it had caused her.

As exhausted as she is there's more than enough of her left to be concerned for Emilia, and her expression darkened when the other witch gave her an answer. Nodding her head sadly, her eyes darted down to the floor as she fought back the swell of emotions seeing the look on Emilia's face brought on.

Of course, she wasn't alright - who was, after what they had been through. The siege at the farmhouse, before the group traveled to Taravast seemed more like a friendly sparring match after what had happened here in this terrible, utterly mad city. At least while the group had been trapped on the farm and barely scraping by, they could at least be who they were instead of having to maintain a ruse while drained dry of anything to give. ]

It's like everything in this city has been rotting, and all that decay finally caved in.

[ Lifting her hand she stepped closer and wrapped an arm around Emilia's shoulders in a loose hug, uncertain if the gesture was out of line, but hopeful that Emilia might let her rest a moment before withdrawing. ]

I'm tired, but my energy for magic's slowly coming back. There are a million things to do, there's no time to be as tired as I am.

[ If she hadn't sounded so weary she might have sounded petulant. Sitting idle when so much was left undone and so much hanging over their heads was driving her to distraction, not being able to spring into action and sort whatever it was that might fall in her path was maddening. ]

I forget sometimes, how we're never really safe in this world. It's stupid, I know.

[valeas]

( Her own arms slide around Lily to bring her closer, to sink into this warmth and give it back, offer steady support should she need. Offer as much comfort as she herself is receiving. To remind herself that these violent hands can still nurture, be it through cooking or holding that which is dear.

She'll gently try to steer them toward the foot of the bed. That they may wish to be tireless doesn't make it so, and Lily sounds so tired that it hurts her heart. Emilia wonders if making the trek to this room only made it worse, in which case, she'd like to make sure that Lily rests. )

It isn't stupid. You simply aren't cynical. You choose to act from a place of love.

( Her tone is firm, even as it's low. Lily believes and she tries, and she's perhaps one of the kindest people Emilia's ever met. Smart as a tack, but she couldn't have known just how deep Taravast's underbelly ran. None of them could have. Now they've learned better. )

My grandmother once said love was the most powerful magic. ( A hint of rue twists her lips. ) I don't think I understood when she said it. I might've taken it too literally, too sentimentally. And at the time, I was too angry to want to understand.

( She still is. She doesn't think that piece of her soul will ever stop howling. )

We'll need more than weapons and fire to defeat them. They will attack everywhere despair might live, so they may leave their cold behind. But I think it exists too in how we can treat each other and ourselves. Every time we lose heart. Every time we cede. I think, then, perhaps one of the best things we can do is hold on to those loving parts of us, even when they grow weary.

[lancifolium]

[ Whether she acknowledged it directly or not, there's been a hole in Lily's heart since everything happened, bored through by the knowledge of her powerlessness and left to quietly fester. Without realizing it Emilia had managed to say just the right things to help patch that place of pain, and though she didn't want to, Lily felt herself begin to cry.

Her shoulders went tense as she took a moment to hide with her forehead against her friend's shoulder. She sniffled before straightening resolutely, tired but not yet willing to go entirely to pieces. ]

Your grandmother raised an extremely wise woman.

[ When they reached the foot of Emilia's bed Lily let her friend go so that she could sit with a tired sigh, her friend's words continuing to resonate with her. ]

If you ever need to, I hope one day you remember everything you've just said to me.

[ Considering their circumstances, she had a feeling they were going to be words she thought back on a lot. ]

action_

[in_theworks]

[and now, as promised and in the worst British Accent he can muster, a reading from the book of Two Princes by Spin Doctors:]

Marry him, marry me
I'm the one that loves you baby can't you see?
Ain't got no future or family tree
But I know what a prince and lover ought to be
I know what a prince and lover ought be~!

[he's not really interested in Emilia's hand -- he's interested in heckling the idiots that are. considering they immediately turn on him, yelling at him to get his own balcony, it seems to be working, too. he, uh. he might need to climb up to your balcony before too long, Emilia, if they start getting violent. he's not really the dueling type]

[valeas]

( Before Emilia was wrenched (pun only a little of intended) from her realm(s) and unceremoniously brought to this one, she'd been a step away from becoming Queen of the Wicked. Power and strength is everything in the Seven Circles. Relinquishing hers for even a moment would make her an easy target.

And she's been trying, so very hard, to toe the line while not losing a shred of it: her power, her sense of self, her self-respect.

Upon hearing a baffling song that she's absolutely never heard before, humiliation blooms across her cheeks. She feels it like a blade to her chest, eyes stinging with it. Shortly after, of course, she realizes the show is not meant for her. More than that, it's wildly successful.

The gentlemen have their attention pinned solely on Wrench, one of them outright glaring. "Who are you?"

The other squints in the dark of night. "He's that wise mentor, isn't he? For Chosen Ones."

Emilia glances down, noticing tiny cuts in her palms where her nails have dug in hard enough to break skin. She decides, in this moment, that Wrench will not need to climb up her balcony. No, she will go to him. To them. And deal with this once and for all. )

[in_theworks]

Yeah, something like that.

[here, have a smile -- or at least the facsimile of one that he doesn't really feel, projected across the mask. (^_^) he really hates this title crap. he really hates having to pretend to be a courtesan]

But, uh -- don't look now.

[looks like Emilia's coming, which is not what he had in mind, but -- hoo, boy, does she look pissed. he can work with that. maybe. hopefully. hopefully, she's not pissed at him]

[valeas]

( Wrath once said that life always deals you a hand you didn't chose. The cards can be, in fact, quite lousy. And it's how you end up playing them to your advantage that counts. She's always been a little too stubborn for her own good, too intent on following her own will and ambitions.

But not so unreasonable she'll discount honest good advice. Here is an opportunity she should not squander. An opportunity to use this egregious gaffe against them so that she may be left alone without jeopardizing the collective group for it. She does not come with mercy in her heart.

When she does bring herself to a stop before the two gentlemen and not so far from Wrench, however, her anger is not the fiery anger that drove her in the tower, flames licking at her fingertips. It is cold and unforgiving. She does not raise her voice. She does not need to. )

I will waste not your time or mine own. Know this: I will not marry either one of you. I would only marry a man I respect, and one who respects me enough not to cause a shameful scene out my balcony while a city lays in utter ruin. Know, too, my current focus is Taravast and helping those most in need, as should be for us all. ( With even more imperious bite: ) I bid you farewell.

( And she makes no move to leave, so it is clear she expects the two gentlemen to do so. )

[in_theworks]

[Wrench watches her for a moment, not particularly surprised that she's not as keyed up as she was, that day in the Tower. that was a tense situation, and as far as he knows of her beyond that, she's always had her shit together, otherwise -- especially when she told him to get fucked, stay fucked, when they first 'met']

[she's more than capable of handling herself, without him, and so he'll just stand here quietly. mostly. he may offer a few helpful hand gestures, but otherwise, he got yo' flower, bae]

[rawr. (>_-)]

un: eclipse | audio

[soloritur]

[ He doesn't mean to eavesdrop, but wow. The secondhand embarrassment is strong for those guys. He nearly asks if she has to deal with men fighting to the death over her all the time, but he's still in the polite phase of this relationship. ]

...You said something about donations?

[ Does he need to come up with a code for her? Blink twice if you need help?? ]

[valeas]

( She is grateful for the audio function, in retrospect. Despite the fact it's some time later, one look at Emilia and others might question the confidence and boldness she otherwise tries to project. Clearing her throat, she eases a bit. Marcos must have that effect on people, she thinks. )

Yes, I did. There are those who are displaced or in dire need of resources.

( This is not their city to rebuild. It isn't. But turning a blind eye to such an injustice would be unforgivable. )

[soloritur]

[ He wouldn't have said a thing, but he's giving her the benefit of the doubt that these are unusual circumstances. ]

Do you still need a hand? [ Not to... be confused with the guys hounding her. He's careful with his words just in case. ] I mean. They've been paying me more than I'm worth, so I could contribute something to the cause.

[valeas]

There is strength in numbers.

( She won't turn down a willing pair of hands. The state of her world did not encourage cooperation among witches, and Emilia largely worked alone, with only a demon prince as an ally-enemy. She has to believe their numbers can make the difference. )

I don't know that I'd agree with that ( his worth, that is ) but if you can spare it, we can put the funds to good use.

( She'd like to ask if the Attaryl have been bothering him, but she wouldn't want to make him uneasy through this venue. )

It is not our city, I know.

[soloritur]

[ He appreciates the compliment. Most of his concern right now is with Lorna, hoping that she doesn't reach a tipping point before things settle down, so he could honestly use someone to talk to that isn't worried about setting off.

Thankfully, Emilia is generous with her time. ]

It's fine. I'd rather put it to better use. [ And technically he hasn't known how to spend what he has. At least here he'd be doing something. — Still, he doesn't push in case she needs a breather from all the attention she's getting. ]

I won't take offense if you'd rather I just drop it off somewhere, but I'm happy to tag along if you're not sick of company. [ He's very much taken, so he figures he's the safe option. ]