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@carina-veer
A sunny afternoon, one of many soon to come. Carina Veer was enjoying it, her hair tied back and herself dressed in cool (yet appropriately modest, as befitting of her station) clothing. For once, she might've even be said to be enjoying herself, sitting on a wooden bench in the town square. A book of some kind lay open on her lap, but she didn't appear to be looking at it, instead watching the people passing by.
misplaced and missing ;; OPEN
It took a lot to make Nolan angry, or at least anything close to it. Losing a tool when he was almost done with his job? Quite close to it. He quickly excused himself after explaining that he had somehow left the most vital of his tools back at the shop. Running a hand through his already too long and disheveled hair, he took off quickly towards his shop, a bag hoisted over his shoulder as he went. He nodded quickly at passerby’s, but otherwise refused to slow his pace - the goal was to hopefully get back in time to be able to finish the job before it was much too dark.
The man was very far from forgetful, and he had no idea how he had forgotten such important tools, and part of him was sure as hell that he hadn’t forgotten a thing, and his steps were only going faster and faster as he went, wanting to get the job done as soon as possible, which he had promised he would do. His mind had still been lulling over what was even happening as he went, opening up his bag to make sure there were no holes in it that the tools could have possibly fallen out of.
It was when he looked up that something gray caught his eye in between the grass and wood that lined the forest. “What the-” he cut himself off as he walked toward it, sure that he hadn’t taken this path to work- yet there it was, one of the tools he needed to finish his job. Quickly picking it up, he placed it in his bag, eyebrows furrowing even more, continuing along the trail in front of him in case any of his other belongings popped up, half bent over and hoping no one noticed him in this odd situation.
Ever since the festival had ended, things had been oddly quiet for Carina. It wasn't that she didn't, on some level, enjoy it, but the fact stood that she was, also, somewhat paranoid. It felt like there were villagers around every corner waiting to stab her in the back. She'd no doubt that some would like to do that.
Which was more reason than ever to keep her own blade handy. In this case, it wasn't a blade, but a bow; Carina had been practicing on the outskirts of the village where no one could bother her. Her free time was limited, and if she could combine her alone-time with her practice-time, more was the better. She had even done fairly well - for someone so old, she figured, she could be much worse.
Her fingers ached, though, and so did the muscles in her shoulder after a while. It was time to return as well. For once, Carina knew what she would be eating for dinner (it was usually a hasty, last-minute decision), and she could even said to be in good spirits: more like the old Carina, the one who had aggressively cared about her people in an attempt to win them over. She still cared, but found it harder to show nowadays.
Something caught her eye, though. A flash of movement. Paranoia flared again - what if it was one of the village children going out towards the shrine? She had forbade it, but Carina wasn't stupid - children would be children, after all. Bow strung over her shoulder, she approached, expression turning from consternation to amusement.
"Mr. Lennox? What has you out here at this hour?"
Exchange || Open
Maids went off and picked flowers, but Isobel’s basket was full of things, trinkets and baubles that amused her enough to buy up when she was done with greeting spring. It’d been a long time since a young girl named Isobel, with a bright dewy flush and a powerful desire to make a garland, had gone off with her friends to wind together a crown or laurel. She’d been a deft hand at it, too, and she said so, to the patron sitting at the long table in her alehouse. All her doors and windows were as open as she could fix ‘em. A fine spring breeze wavered through a room that’d been choked thick with smoke and fume for a winter’s time.
"What’d I do with a garland now, I don’t know," Isobel concluded, laughing at her own nostalgia. She set up a pint and a platter of potatoes, with a small fish split open across the top on the table, and wiped her hands on her apron.
"Hang it prettily on the wall, more’n likely. But half the time, it was always a blessed wonder I’d make anything, with all the interesting happenings that one could get up to. There’s never an end to mischief, is there, my love?" She winked, leaning against the table, one hand on her hip. "You must’ve done some yourself! C’mon, I’ll trade you for it, word for word."
Carina in the alehouse should've been somewhat fishy, somewhat conspicuous and decidedley below her. When her own cooking ability was much lacking, though, and her (in her mind) allotted visits to Bethany used up for the week, it wasn't uncommon for her to visit the place. Certainly, it wasn't the glitziest place, nor the most high-minded, but they had good food. Besides, after being around scowls and sighs all day, surrounding herself with laughter and cheer, even if it wasn't directed towards her in the slightest, was a welcome relief.
Currently, though, she saw one Isobel Renard walking around, a laugh on her lips and a glint in her eye. She was against someone else's table, a group that included one certain young man who was watching Isobel with something resembling admiration.
"Boredom breeds mischief, young man. If you've such tales to share, perhaps you should be working instead."
Carina glanced between the participants of the conversation in which she'd just butted in. To some, Carina was straight-faced, serious, but to the observant, a sly, small smile played across her own face when she turned to Isobel. "And what are you doing encouraging such activities?"
A Visit || Gwyneth & Carina
Favours were something Gwyneth rarely did for people - her uncle often blamed her egotism and insensitivity when it came to others on her independence, but the fact of the matter was that there were very little people she cared enough about to carry out favours for, no matter ‘how little they interfered with what she was doing’, as Carina was careful to emphasise.
Was it selfish to expect something in return for every action she did? Yes, perhaps in a sense, but she knew from experience that relying on others to do a job you would not, or ‘could’ not, as so many liked to reason, never ended well. Refusing to carry out favours of others was an act of tough love that resulted in three positives – she didn’t waste her time, people weren’t disappointed and they learned to rely on themselves.
"I just want to know what the skinwalkers are doing.”
Oh, how innocent and pure the idea sounded coming from the mouth of the beloved Chief Elder, but even Gwyneth, an ignorant outcast when it came to the gods of Braemer, knew how scandalous the simple action could be. But, the longer the idea lingered in the hunter’s mind, the more the flame of hatred that had sparked within her chest nearly sixteen years ago stirred.
This was a free pass, a chance to get closer to the skinwalkers with full permission from the Chief Elder herself: there was no law that could hold her back, just as there had never been any faith or traditions to blind her. The finely carved hatchet presented to her meant nothing – she hated the damn weapons – but the information she could gain, on the other hand…
“Full immunity,” she replied, her tone as cool as the eldest Veer’s, giving away none of what she was feeling. “I want full immunity, no matter what actions I take. Give me that and I’ll give you whatever information you want.”
Favours were something Gwyneth Verdun rarely did for people, but she even she knew to take the chance of a lifetime when it was presented to her, no matter the cost.
Carina watched the other woman seemingly consider the offer - surely that's what she was doing. An outright refusal would've been easy enough for her, Carina assumed. She didn't move either, content to let the offer speak for itself. Though the information would undoubtedly be useful, there was always another way to get what she needed. There had to be.
"Full immunity?" The request caught Carina by a slight surprise, and for a moment, the calm facade of her features broke into bemusement. What would the huntress do that full immunity was required? Carina wanted indepedence, not necessarily a civil war.
Though she wouldn't back down.
She pursed her lips, weighing the positives against the negatives. On the one hand, this could easily get her into a messy situation. She had no real knowledge of what Gwyneth would do, and she would end up with full accountability of the situation. On the other, though, if Gwyneth was able to accomplish something, than that could only be positive.
"Alright. That sounds reasonable enough to me," Carina replied after a moment, tilting her head slightly. "Full immunity from any punishment."
She specifically made a point not to ask Gwyneth why she wanted it. Carina had a feeling that wasn't going to be information she was going to get.
.
As A Feast || Bethany & Carina
She wasn’t ever far off from her sister at events like these, there was no one else to celebrate such merry times with. A bitter pill to swallow, but not something she would ever find the heart to complain over. She loved her sister. It was amazing to think of the woman Carina was. They had been so young when they lost everything, and since then they had never been able to hold on to much for very long without it slipping from their grasp. Except each other.
Admittedly, the gods had caused them both more grief than any person should ever endure, but Bethany had faith that they were not without reason. She knew Carina disagreed. It pained her to think about her sister’s new laws, the way she scorned the old ways. She would anger the gods further, she would cause them all more strife. She would bring nothing but death, and chaos, and flames. Bethany had dreamt it all, she was certain that it was more than just a nightmare. The gods had granted her a second sight, and she had to take her fate into her own hands. A lesson she learned from Carina.
Carina who was now — unless her ears deceived her — sucking the very joy from the face of a young man. A boy whom she knew from her lessons, Aiden. A sweet boy, though not the brightest. His father had only been a few years older than her, she remembered he hadn’t been the brightest either. Bethany knew the haughty smile that twisted on Carina’s angled face. Oh, she knew it all too well. With haste, the younger Veer moved towards the sight. Hoping to distract Carina before the day would be ruined for her pupil.
You know that even mentioning that sort of filth is against our laws? And you know what happens to people who break laws, don’t you?
He had mentioned one of the gods within earshot of her, no doubt. If he had listened to her story at all the day before, he would have mentioned Cern. Bethany had stressed the importance of the festival on the children before dismissing them. Cern protected them, he loved them. He gave them wisdom and creativity. He gave them the forest that fed them. He was life. And this festival was a celebration of the life he breathed into the world. Or at least, that’s what it should have been.
"Well, Varhak judges them," she moved herself between Aiden and Carina. She side-eyed her sister while focusing mainly on the boy. She reached into her side-bag and handed him a few small coins. "Go on and fetch me some lavender, you can bring it to me tomorrow during my lesson. Off you go."
He looked at her confused and she waved him off, pushing his shoulder slightly as if to give him the propulsion to move. She turned back to her sister.
"Let them have their stories, let them have their fun," she reached out for her sister’s hands. "And let me have it too. Just one moment in time when you forget your distaste. For me?"
Only one person could make Carina stop as abruptly as she did, the smile brushed off her face in equal parts exhaustion, irritation, and relief. Bethany still entrusted her faith firmly with the gods, something that Carina couldn't understand. Even if Bethany was young when their father passed away, surely she knew now? Was it denial? Guilt? Carina had never once considered stupidity, even if the idea was - she knew her sister was far too clever for that.
"You coddle them. They need to learn to face the consequences of their actions sooner or later."
Carina drew her arms across her chest, not bothering to hide the simple irritation on her features. There was no real venom in her voice, though, and when Bethany's fingers brushed against her hand, she couldn't help but relax slightly. Family was family, and Carina would never, ever take it for granted.
Besides - even if she would hardly admit it, she did want to enjoy the heathen festival.
"I will hardly forget it, but I have been meaning to see if the basketmaker had anything new. And something - apple pie I believe - smelled quite delicious on the way here." She sighed, apparently relenting for the moment. "What is this about lavender anyway? Or was it a trick to spare him my lecture?"
As A Feast || Bethany & Carina
As much as Carina would've liked, getting rid of the festival welcoming spring would be a ridiculous and insanely stupid move. She wasn't a foolish leader, and she couldn't take away every tradition that irked her. No, the most she could do was try to make the occasion as secular as possible - gone were the offerings and celebrations of Cern. If the people wanted to worship him today, they would have to do it in the privacy of their thoughts. Carina was going to have absolutely none of it today, which was something she considered a fairly reasonable trade-off, at least in her opinion.
The other reason being that she couldn't even suppress her own slight enjoyment. It was nice, seeing everyone out and smiling. This was the village she enjoyed governing, the people she didn't mind. This was humanity at its finest - to others it might not've been much, but the accomplishments of humans would never cease to be important to Carina.
Still, the small (but genuine) smile disappeared somewhat quickly as she heard something in her periphery.
"All praise Cern! May he forever prosper."
Carina turned, looking for the culprit. It seemed to be a young man, a boy being the more descriptive term. He was prancing about happily with his friends. Carina caught another mention of the God's name, and she knew that she wasn't merely being paranoid this time.
No matter. It would hardly be the first time she'd dealt with such behavior.
"Young man," she began, approaching with a smile on her face. "Did I hear you correctly? Discussing Cern at our fine establishment?"
The boy paled slightly, having been confronted by the Chief Elder. "I, uh, um..."
"You know that even mentioning that sort of filth is against our laws? And you know what happens to people who break laws, don't you?"
A Visit || Gwyneth & Carina
Her name sounded strange coming from Carina’s mouth - there was a metallic-y twang to it, accompanied by a strange smoothness that almost mirrored the sound her knife made as it was drawn across the whetstone. But her name did not belong in the mouth of someone as superior and oh so mighty as the woman standing before her, which led her to question once again: why was the Chief Elder wasting a ‘mere’ hunter’s time?
Gwyneth’s eyes flickered to the bundle Veer had brought with her, narrowing as she tried to make out the shape of whatever appeared to be so important, but she had the self-control not to question it: the amount of effort Carina was going through to draw curiosity to the object and make a show out of its reveal was far too obvious to fall for such a thing.
Brushing straight past the compliment - flattery got you nowhere - Gwyneth barely let a heartbeat pass before replying. “And what favour could that possibly be?” she asked, her tone just as brisk as before as she got straight to the point.
"The favor - I understand you go out into the woods often. I neither care nor wish to interfere to whatever you're doing, only to add something to it." Carina shifted, knowing that what she was about to ask, while not particularly indecent compared to the things she had done already, probably wouldn't be approved of by the townsfolk. As always, she preferred to keep such information out of the public eye, but she wouldn't deny the truth were it asked of her. In all, it was a precarious line she was trying to balance, and Carina only hoped she could toe the line just a little longer.
"I just want to know what the skinwalkers are doing. I've heard reports from some of the other hunters that they've run into some of the beasts during their own hunts. I need to know if they're coming closer to the village or if they seem to be planning for anything."
If they're going to be a problem.
Carina felt her conviction waver for the briefest moment. She didn't show it, though, instead holding the look with Gwyneth.
"As a gesture of my good faith, I've had this made. She unwrapped the bundle, showing the edge of a hatchet and reaching out to offer it. "It's neither a bribe nor me trying to win you over. A favor is a favor, and should you ever need to call on me for one, I will be good for it. So what say you?"
A Visit || Gwyneth & Carina
Taking the block of whetstone off a shelf, Gwyneth grabbed her hunting knife from her belt and rammed the point into the table, adding yet another wound to the old oak slab. It was strange how such a simple action reflected how little she truly cared for her furniture, or any of her possessions for that matter. They were there for comfort’s sake - how could lifeless hunks of wood really mean anything?
A glint of amusement briefly passed her eyes as they scanned over the bow resting against the door, a quiver with half a dozen arrow sitting beside it. And yet, she had contradicted herself…
She reached into the small satchel as she sat and brought out a small bottle of oil. After putting some on an old rag, she ran it over her knife several times, polishing the dented blade, before picking up the whetstone. The hunter didn’t react as she pulled the knife over the block at an angle, creating a rather unpleasant scratching - the noise was familiar to her, and oddly comforting. It meant she was prepared, that her tools would not let her down during the times she needed them the most.
Not again.
Gwyneth froze mid-stroke, her dark eyes darting towards the door as she heard someone approach. Their footsteps were light, unnoticeable to most, but after decades of learning to hone her senses, her unannounced guest could not have made a more dramatic entrance.
Sliding her knife back into her belt, she padded towards the door, reaching it barely a second a knock echoed around her small house. A small frown appeared on her face as soon as she opened the door: Carina Veer was standing on her doorstep, a thin, grimacing smile painted on her lips like this was something the Chief Elder did every day.
"A word?"
Gwyneth raised her head, raising a questioning eyebrow at the slightly taller woman’s request, but didn’t make any signs of moving from the doorway and inviting her in. “Yes?” The word was curt and her tone was rather rude, given who she was speaking to, but Gwyneth had more important tasks at hand than making small talk.
Few people really bothered to stand up to Carina Veer. There were those that explicitly opposed her, of course, but she found that more people were likely to be subtle and underhanded concerning their agendas. It was a shame, really, as Carina saw no value in such opposition. She was more than willing to say her piece against someone who didn't like her, and she was ever ready to do the same.
Gwyneth Verdun did not seem like one of those people.
"Gwyneth," she said, her tongue echoing her thoughts. "You hardly seem like the type to waste their time on small-talk, and, quite frankly, neither am I."
Carina removed the bundle from her shoulder, gripping it in one of her hands. She made no move to unwrap it just yet, though. Carina did not move from her place, neither trying to enter or leave. Naturally, she preferred to be respected enough to be afforded courtesy, but she did not demand it.
"I have heard that you are quite the accomplished huntress. As fate would have it, I can currently think of no better person to take on this...little favor. What would you think?"
A Visit || Gwyneth & Carina
Change was difficult to enact, and not least because of the people Carina was trying to get to. They were difficult, stubborn, and unthinking. Could they not see how much they'd be better off if they weren't dependent on beings that couldn't even be counted on to keep their promises.
Carina had no special powers, but at least she kept to her word.
Over her shoulder was a long, wrapped bundle of sorts. She shifted it so that it was more comfortable and continued to walk forward towards the home. She had heard things about the occupant, yes. Carina couldn't remember specifically helping the woman out before, but that didn't mean she wasn't willing to now, but more importantly, she remembered the bits of conversation that had passed about her.
A huntress, stealthy and strong.
Motivated and ruthless.
Someone who lost something, negligent and stupid.
As with all things, Carina doubted the vast majority were actually true. She knew some of the villagers spoke things about her that were definitely not true. It was just the nature of a mob, to warp things over person to person.
Still, as she rapped on the door firmly, perhaps Gwyneth Verdun could perhaps live up to her reputation. Carina waited until the woman opened the door, at which point she raised her eyebrows slightly and gave a thin smile.
"A word?"
On My Way || Carina & [OPEN]
While the vestiges of winter could occasionally be seen and felt, there was something else in the air besides the biting cold - a hope, a hope of spring and warmth and safety and birth. Even Carina Veer, who was by now almost hopelessly immune to the stuff, walked around with a slight spry in her step. The basket in her arms held a couple days' worth of bread in preparation for the new week - she knew that with the spring came new responsibilities, and Carina wasn't going to bother spending much of her time on something as petty as sustenance. She was walking along the outskirts of the village now, eyes focused as she looked around.
Some children played a game, throwing stones at something on the ground.
A man was hauling a cart of firewood, presumably to his home or business.
A woman was sitting on her porch fletching arrows.
Life as usual, in other words. Carina exhaled softly and reached a hand to brush her hair behind her ears. Banality was both something she craved and feared - this normality, the one Braemer had now - that had to change. Carina was determined to rid the village of the Gods, and she knew if she were to do so, there would undoubtedly be a period of time in which the routines of the villagers would be disrupted. Things would change - permanently.
Carina would create a new normal, one without gods, one lacking dependency. She just hoped the others Bethany would understand. Sure, Carina had her own stake in this, but so did everyone else, even if they didn't realize it.
And speaking of 'everyone else,' Carina finally noticed the person standing to the side, as if they had been or were in the process of trying to get her attention.
"What is the matter? Come, you can tell me."
V I L L A G E R [ O P E N ]
“I am what you have made me. I am a bloodstain left by the world that betrayed me.”
Carina Veer ↳ the iconoclast.
AGE: 46 OCCUPATION: Chief Elder of the Council of Elders. FACECLAIM: Cate Blanchett (preferred)
Basics:
When her father was Chief Elder, he imparted a truth to his eldest daughter that she never forgot: you are free to make your own fate. But then he started to disappear- not physically, not quite, but Carina could see her father slowly changing for the worse for some unknown cause. He stayed away from home for long hours on end, he became jumpy and distracted like a man possessed. It wasn’t long before she learned that he actually was possessed, in some way, but by then it was too late- a teenage girl can’t save a madstruck man. He was found murdered in the woods- wolf bitemarks on his throat. That was only the beginning of Carina Veer’s life of tragedy.
Carina had always loved the Gods earnestly and wholeheartedly, just like anyone else. But everything changed after her father’s death. Her mother died from grief just a short time afterwards, and the Goddess Asena, still furious that a mortal man would dare to capture her, transferred her anger to his firstborn daughter. Carina sought forgiveness with Asena and mercy from the other Gods- to no avail. Just as her father and mother had been taken from her, so were soon her husband, and unborn child. That was when Carina decided she would no longer be a victim. She had only hate for the Gods in her heart, and she would pay them back with an iron hand for the wrongs they had done- or allowed to be done- to her. Even before she was appointed as Chief Elder, she made her intentions of banishing the Gods very clear.
Connections:
Carina’s younger sister, and only existing family left alive, is Bethany Veer. The younger Veer sister is not as steely and hard-edged as her older sister; she was young when their parents died, and she has not suffered the wrath of Asena as Carina has. Still, Carina does not hold that against her sister- in fact, she is happy that the girl was spared the pain she has endured in her own life.
Others on the Council of Elders include Ivy Iskra and Godfrey Wellen, and both have so far been opposed to the drastic reforms Carina wants for Braemer. Their lives have been spent devoted to the Gods, and they could never imagine allowing such heresy to come to pass.
Neither Carina nor Bethany know of their half-sister, Amira Asenis- the skinwalker, however, is aware of their existence.
Accepted- Carina Veer
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Cate Blanchett by Mark Abrahams for Marie Claire (2008)
