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

[inferus]

( Wrath tightens his hold on her hand as soon as their fingers twine together, as soon as he sees her suffering and knows he can do little else to ease it. His other hand drifts over her cheekbone so delicately, so briefly it is almost a whisper in and of itself of affection. He might hold on to her hand and look into her eyes without being able to say a word, thinking of all the words he might say if he had the freedom to do so, but they are interrupted.

He lifts his head from her if only to glance around his shoulder at the balcony behind him.

He can sense the feelings of embarrassment, shame, and worry even from here. Then there's this clattering sound and a loud, "Oof. No, I'm not here again, am I?" Emilia may not be able to quite hear it as well, but Wrath's senses pick it up with ease.

Wrath releases an annoyed breath. )

You've a visitor. ...again.

[valeas]

( Emilia closes her eyes again briefly, though there is no goddess to beseech for the emotion that roils in her chest. To think she once believed herself romantically doomed. Now all she'd like is for people to stop proposing to her, especially when she can't always react like she'd like to.

She steps away from Wrath and moves closer to the balcony once again. )

I told him in no uncertain terms to go.

( Is he — is he walking straight toward that potted plant? )

[inferus]

( Wrath follows behind her, still annoyed at having their moment interrupted. He is tall enough that even from just a step behind her he can see the man. His gaze narrows at the sight of him, and it takes one sweep from his gaze to be able to tell the following with a slight grimace: )

He's drunk.

( He glances from the man up to Emilia again. His gaze lingers on her for a weighted moment. )

If you ignore him, he will most likely eventually fall asleep in a flowerbed after wandering in circles in the courtyard, or you can speak to him again.

( The choice is hers. She said she wished to deal with the suitors herself, and he means to respect her wishes. )

[valeas]

( Emilia does not share Wrath's certainty this man will simply go to sleep near a flowerbed. Even if that ended up being the case, someone would eventually stumble upon him, and her instinct at the moment is to draw as little attention to herself as possible. )

What I want is to be rid of him.

( She holds up a hand before the demon can so much as get a word in edgewise. )

Not like that.

( But they'll need to get him out of the palace. Now. )

[inferus]

( Wrath's expression goes through the journey one might expect at this quick turn. There's a slight smile lighting up at the idea that he could see this desire through for her to deflating again when she clarifies. It's the slightest shift within his expression, but it's there if one is paying attention.

He heaves out a breath, knowing they should do so before any further attention is drawn to them. She does not want any more attention drawn to her nor the situation, and neither does Wrath. This role has forced Emilia through a great deal. His shoulders straighten and tighten as a dark look comes over him when he glances down at the drunk man. )

Then lets go fetch him and remove him from the premises. ( Yes, they'll do so together. She has already had to bear these advances enough on her own without being able to simply turn them down as she would wish to. He will help go with to make certain the man leaves as quickly as possible this time. They will make him respect her and her wishes. )

[valeas]

( Emilia briefly contemplates hitting the man with a sleeping spell to make their task easier, but the thought makes her queasy. She still believes having power doesn't give someone the right to abuse it. But she's leaned heavily on certain spells since their arrival in Taravast, in ways she'd have never dared before.

Not on mortals. A viperidae, a water dragon, demons with unimaginable power — these are mortals who stand no chance. Except there was Francesco, wasn't there? And there was Antonio; learning of his betrayal, of the violence he'd exacted on her sister, had made her see red until she almost murdered him.

She still wants to.

In the end, these deliberations will matter very little. When she and Wrath make their way to the courtyard, they'll find Alvize swaying so dramatically that he seems to be a wind's breath away from dropping to the floor unconscious. )

[inferus]

( Wrath's jaw locks at the sight of the man, staring him down like prey who just managed to escape its trap or who decided to return after Wrath had granted him mercy (and listened to Emilia when she said she wished to take care of it on her own, but being this close to the man now, it's much harder to shove down his possessiveness and fury on her behalf).

He reaches out to grip hold of him likely too tightly before the man can fall on his face, and indeed the man lets out a noise at the tight grip- it's a noise of both fear and ow. And Wrath delights in the sound of it though none of that delight will show on his face beyond the slightest of predatory flash within his eyes.

Alvize looks up at Emilia and then Wrath and then back at Emilia, and he flushes suddenly, squirming in Wrath's tight grip and under his unsettling gaze as his head ducks low like he's trying to disappear into the pavement beneath him, "My beautif- ow, my lady, I am so sorry. I was trying to leave as you wish, but my nerves have been shot since- since the Undead and the Huntress again."

His voice slurs, but his contrition seems genuine. )

[valeas]

( Her patience wears thin.

Thin enough that she is moments away from losing it altogether when something stops her. Her pace is brought to a crawl, and something in her expression shifts as she catches it. Catches that one word that gives a whole new meaning to tonight's utterly foolish ongoings. )

Again?

( The man's eyes squeeze shut, as if he wants to will this all away like some bad dream. His unsteadiness is true, as is his contrition and his fear. Emilia wonders how much of tonight was about the proposal, and how much of it was recklessness born from this fear. Her gaze lifts to Wrath as Alvize speaks.

"Don Bonaccorso's always protected us, always. She wasn't supposed to come back. Not after what she did. Why did she come back?" )

[inferus]

( Wrath meets Emilia's gaze for a weighted moment. The Huntress is someone they need information on if they intend to have any chance against her in the future. He can sense the fear inside of the man - the fear linked deeply to despair, which he can now associate with the Huntress and the Undead. )

What happened the last time she was here?

( The drunkenness allows the words to spill more freely from his mouth: "An entire district sunk into the water because of the Huntress, never to be seen again! So many died. They have empty graves, empty tombs. They could not be retrieved from the waters."

Wrath stiffens further. Their steps out of the palace have slowed considerably. He had wondered for some time how the district sunk, and now that he knows- The Huntress has to be powerful to make it through his own defenses, and this gives further evidence to the destruction she can bring. )

[valeas]

( The man speaks no further.

Not coherently, at least. Emilia is able to catch fragments amidst the sorrowful mumbles. Bits and pieces about how much magic was lost. But eventually, he slumps into Wrath's arms and passes out. An inconvenience to Wrath's growing frustration, to be sure. But helpful to their overall aim.

They're able to remove him from the palace and take him back to his office, as Emilia has no clue where he lives.

She's inordinately quiet on the way back, going over the things this man said.

If they can be trusted, drunk as he was. )