delilah hart

[edenfishers]

Eden gasped, watched delilah match up their memories. "You had the dream too?" It was strange. so strange. Eden didn't know what to make of it, heads or tails, top or bottom. She nodded, from her spot on the ground. Yes, she was eden. but instead of being shunned or chased away, Delilah offered to bring her inside. out from the cold she'd run into so long ago. And Eden, despite all of it, yearned to come inside, to follow her. But she knew. She knew it was a bad idea.

"I'm a curse." She said, slowly. "You... you don't want me in there. I can't do anything right, I never could. She doesn't want me. The only people who do are my moms. I would sully the space."

[delilah-hart]

It was sacrilege, Delilah knew. Eden had abandoned her people, her tribe. And if she so chose to deny the Cailleach, then she deserved to wrath to be brought upon her. Those who turn their back on Her shall find Her back turned to them. Something her grandfather had taught her, after he originally awoke her from her slumber.

But yet, there must be something else. There was too much - She had come to both of them, in the same dream and given them sister visions. Delilah's head shook long before she had the impulse to speak. When she did, it was as if her voice wasn't her own, though she felt every word in her heart. "No, Eden. The Veiled One will lift your curse. She brought you here to be forgiven. To be redeemed. You, of all people, must be here."

[edenfishers]

"Some of it." She admitted, although she couldn't take credit for most of it. She was scared. Scared of what had come over her, of whatever was happening. And she was scared of delilah! The woman had terrible intensity, had always been intimidating when she was small, and now was telling her not to leave. Did she recognize eden? She couldn't tell.

"I-I... I knew how it fit together. mostly. I recognized it. The spiral. And I... drew it. here. but that, up there, it seems to connect somehow." She wasn't sure.

[delilah-hart]

Delilah's eyes had not strayed from the church walls. With a ritualistic pace, she stepped forward and picked up the paintbrush previously abandoned by some other resident. Spiral. It was all connected. It had to be. Her arm pulled across the surface of the wood.

Delilah's eyes flashed down. Certainly it couldn't be -- the figure in the sand matched too well. She transferred it across:

An almost perfect inverse of her own. A near perfect compliment - a near perfect shadow. There was a depth of meaning she could not deny. She gently replaced the paintbrush in the bucket and for the first time raised her eyes to see the woman she was speaking to.

Her mouth fell open and a soft gasp escaped her lips. "Eden?" A wave of shock washed over her. Could this be the same girl she had spoken to so many times? The one who answered as many questions as she asked? Had the Veiled One brought Eden back to her?

"Eden," she repeated, her voice soft and reverent. Her eyes shone with a divine love. "It's..." she paused, momentarily unable to form words. She shouldn't speak to this girl, this traitor. And yet it was undeniable: the Cailleach wanted her here, now, with Delilah and no one else. What other interpretation could there be when their symbols were so entwined? "It's good to see you. I'm glad you are here." It felt hollow and empty, but there was little more to be said. "I'm glad She brought you here. Would you... would you like to come inside? We keep a fire burning and can get you out of the cold."

[edenfishers]

@delilah-hart

The dream was strange. Maybe Eden would've talked about it to her mama, but her mama was dead. She didn't want to worry ruth, so instead, she just tried to get through her morning chores. She fed the chickens, took out the washing, but instead of turning to the river, she found herself drawn in a different direction. A familiar one, one she really shouldn't be taking. Her washng and herself were right outside the church before she could stop herself, and she knelt, drawing in the dirt.

Only, when she looked up, she wasn't alone. She hadn't spoken to delilah in years, but she knew she wasn't supposed to be here. She ducked her head, nervous. "I'm sorry, my lady. I'll... I'll be going."

[delilah-hart]

Delilah had woken up with one goal: get to the church as fast as possible. The Cailleach had spoken to her directly, and she needed to be in the church immediately. She sprinted from her home, wrapped only in a house robe and slippers, to find her way to the sacred place.

Only, she wasn't the first one there. A hunched figure was scrawling in the ground, and there was blood and paint smeared on the side of the building. Delilah softened her steps. "No," she said, with more force than she meant. "You're - it's okay. Did you -- did you do this?" She pointed to the wall, where the pieces of some strange sigil were starting to take shape.

[seer-cressida]

Cressida hummed, nodding at the strangeness of their predicament. "I suppose I am the one who is early," she conceded playfully, though there was still a heaviness between her brows. "I came seeking clarity. A moment with Her, or perhaps a greater attunement to Her words. She has been coming through so strangely," Cress shook her head, as though it might cause the fog to dissipate. It only blossomed a dull ache. "Something is shifting. Certainly you can feel it--" she searched for acknowledgement with gentle scrutiny.

[delilah-hart]

Delilah let a breathless laugh fall out of her mouth. Clarity. Though, she supposed, if anyone would find clarity from the Cailleach, it would be Cressida. So perhaps it made sense. It didn't, however, ease her worries; if Cress was still searching, what hope was there for the rest of the followers?

"Yes," Delilah confirmed softly. "It's... my grandfather used to tell stories of before they found the tome. Of how bad the world was, the weather, the drought. And then the shift they felt when they began the rituals. How the air itself felt charged and different." Delilah gently ran a hand over the pews in the church, reverence softening her voice.

"It feels like that, only..." Only what? In reverse? Perhaps. "Something is changing. I'm just glad we have someone as capable as yourself working on how to guide us."

[sherdakov]

Lucy Liu

[delilah-hart]

Stress was high, it could not be denied. Yet as a member of the Twelve, it was Delilah's sworn duty to protect her community and not show her own distress. It had been over a week of prayer, meditation, and sacrifice - and still nothing. In her defense, as she kept telling herself, she was not the most connected member to the Mother, so it wasn't odd that she had not been granted the sight needed to crack the mystery. What was scary, however, was that others had similarly remained blind.

All of this work, however, didn't stop her day to day duties from needing attention. She had a moment here, in a room in the back wing of the church, to gather herself. For a moment, she pressed her fingers into her temples, trying to stave off the encroaching headache she could feel. She knew she only had a few minutes before --

The door opened. Delilah threw a masking smile on her face and looked up. "Yes, hello. Sorry, come on in -- there was something you wanted to talk to me about?"

[seer-cressida]

The midnight hour drew nearer, and so the veil between worlds grew thinner in turn. Cressida had returned from the northern shore, from divining power from the moon's light, and her own had dimmed from exertion. In place of prayer, which required so much spirit, she tended idly to the church. She tidied the pews, then replenished the altar -- replacing the wilted flowers, pouring mulled wine into a goblet, nicking her thumb and spreading the blood along the metal rim. Stepping back, Cressida took her thumb in her mouth, laving over the wound until the metallic taste faded, and she turned toward the low creak of the wooden door.

"Blessed nightfall," she greeted, tucking the weariness away. It made her too mortal. "You're early. No one else will be here until at least a quarter to."

[delilah-hart]

Having finished her evening prayers, Delilah headed to the church with every intention of preparing it for the midnight service. In particular, she was bearing a small cup with a bit of the soup that a neighbor had brought over; it would serve as a warm offering for the Cailleach and then could be washed into the ocean later.

Her head was respectfully down as she entered the church. Delilah let out a small, startled chirp as she was greeted by what she had assumed was an empty room. However, the fright quickly gave way to a warm joy that sat behind her sternum. "Cress," she purred. "Blessed nightfall to you as well."

She crossed gently to the altar to lay the cup upon it and glanced around. "Normally I'm a little early to tidy up, but seems like you've beat me to it." Her eyes sparkled with slight concern. "How are you feeling?" It was rare for Cress to be out and about, and certainly doing something as mundane as cleaning the altar.

[delightfulfeet]

Lucy Liu

[gabbihart]

"I will." she promised, and now she was the one reaching across the table, thumbing the scar on the back of delilah's hand. They ached when rain was on the way, a bit of warning from the goddess herself. They were connected to each other, to Her that way.

Seeking to destroy. It hit a location in Gabbi's heart. a sense of fear. Vera hadn't seemed like that was her intent. She just seemed excited to hear gabbi's words. but maybe that was a trick. "Maybe you should pay her a visit." Gabbi asked, because she wasn't sure. "You know what to look for. when it comes to outsiders. And anyone could benefit from your wisdom. even her."

[delilah-hart]

Delilah placed a protective hand over Gabbi's. She gave it a small squeeze, indicating, Yes. We are here. We are blessed, and we are strong. It was a powerful place to be, under the comforting gaze of the Veiled One.

She pulled a small breath through her teeth, willing a smile back to her face. "I will," she agreed. "You're right. It's good for me to meet everyone, after all. We'll make sure she's on the right path together."

[gabbihart]

"Vera Crowe. yes." Gabbi's face visibly eased with Delilah's approval. "I believe I am. She had a lot of questions, particularly in light of recent events, about sigils. I let her touch mine." It was a very intimate thing to do, but she'd allowed it. "I was still careful. I didn't reveal any secrets." She wanted to reassure as much as she spoke. "She reminds me of one of our children. so much to learn."

[delilah-hart]

Delilah's eyes briefly flared with a flash of divine terror. It was one thing to counsel the unfaithful, to help re-guide them back to the path if they strayed. It was another altogether to share, explain, or demystify. The Cailleach was not a mystery to be uncovered - simply one to be revered.

As soon as it was there, though, Delilah beat it back. After all, this was Gabbi speaking. She wasn't just some youngling who didn't know the sanctity with which the Veiled one deserved to be interacted with. Gabbi knew what she was doing. With that thought, Delilah stooped her head momentarily, allowing a blessed breath into her body. "Good," she said on the exhale, with perhaps the slightest of hiss behind it. "Be careful with those who don't know the Veiled One. I know you know this, but she is not a child. Those on the outside, especially those who seek to 'understand,' more often than not actually seek to destroy."

[sherdakov]

Lucy Liu

[gabbihart]

"Of course." Gabbi agreed, returning to her food a moment. the touch to her hand reminded her of something, though, and after a moment she put her spoon down to ask. "Veilmother, did you ever talk to that girl who tried to rob the high priestess?" she asked. Of course she knew the girl. "I spoke to her at market. She's... unique. had a lot of questions."

[delilah-hart]

Delilah raised an inquisitive eyebrow as she poked at her stew. "The... Crowe girl, was it?" She had honestly forgotten the girl's name, happy only for her to have been punished as was fit. If she was still being useful to others, it was a blessing, but ultimately it was important that she learn the error of her ways. "I haven't spoken to her personally, no. Others have been... guiding her, from what I remember. Are you part of that? It would do her good, I think, to have someone as knowledgeable as you in her corner."

[gabbihart]

"She probably won't." Gabbi agreed, glad to hear that Delilah hadn't been too upset "But if she does, I'd welcome it." She doubted it, though, honestly. Still, time would tell. "I will ask. And I will bring the biggest concerns to you. I always do."

[delilah-hart]

Delilah smiled in acknowledgement. "Thank you. It's good to know I've got someone reliable out there." She placed a hand over Gabbi's for a moment before returning to her soup. "And the concerns don't have to just be about Eve and the man. Anyone can talk to me about anything, of course." Her eyes twinkled. Gabbi was an excellent ear for the townsfolk.

[gabbihart]

Gabbi's eyes flashed when Delilah mentioned eve, recognition sudden in them. She was much less careful with her face, and at points like this, it showed. "I've met eve." She said, carefully. "Don't tell me she ran through all those questions with you, too. She didn't keep you, did she?"

[delilah-hart]

Delilah nodded with a slight humor on her face. "She did. But no, she didn't keep me too long. She's... thorough." Delilah raised her eyebrows in place of a sigh. "And I suppose there are worse traits for law enforcement to possess. I just don't know that she'll find anything more than what we already know."

[gabbihart]

"We earn our mark every day." Gabbi agreed, speaking truisms to notions. It was true, everything delilah said. Often, their conversations went on like this. Truth stacking on truth, until they'd laid a finished pile of it between them.

"I think I'll be visiting everyone this week." she decided. "All the believers, all the households. Saying my hellos. Doing what I can. Perhaps I'll bake some bread to share." She made her rounds like that often. being accessible made her busy, but it certainly wasn't a burden. She liked to help. "I'll let you know if anything comes up."

[delilah-hart]

"That's kind of you," Delilah remarked, a smile on her face. She thought for a moment longer, and her brow sharpened - perhaps only the tiniest of facial changes. "Would you do me a favor while you are? Will you ask the faithful how they feel about this new... officer? Her name is Eve, and she's been asking questions of people. I'd just like to make sure everyone is... comfortable with her."

[eveirvine]

"I don't think you're cold," Eve said gently, shaking her head slightly, "You're a leader, you're trying to protect everyone the way I am." Which was to say Eve did think Delilah was being more than cold, would probably have called her a bitch if this was back home. She gave a shrug trying to temper the urge to lash out and instead offered, "I know I'm not...really from here - I do want to help out the best I can though, this place is really nice - the people are good - I want to work alongside you all, not against you."

[delilah-hart]

Delilah pressed her lips into a tight smile, her internal alarm bells suddenly firing at top volume. This place is good. Alongside you. How many times had she said those same words to people within the congregation? It was a communication she could relate to. Only: she only ever said them to troubled souls. Vagrants. Those who might cause trouble for the community.

Was Eve implying the same about her?

"Of course," she mused. She would have to be careful with her words moving forward. Perhaps she could play the part well enough of placated community member. "Your work is appreciated," she ventured. "Refreshing, even. To have someone who actually cares about the people of this town."

[gabbihart]

She still could sense the pride radiating off of Delilah's face, and it fed her. Even decades after her school years, it still felt good to be recognized for her talent in the liturgical classroom. "it's not my fault I listened in service." She defended, smiling. "I remember. I loved those days." not everyone did. some were scared of her prying questions about their studies. What had they learned of their goddess? It was important to know.

"It might be best to do next week. They will have a lot of questions right now. Let their teachers and parents bear that, and then you can see what conclusions they've come to. Maybe the Cailleach will speak through our youngest."

[delilah-hart]

Delilah nodded, sipping at her soup. "Kids do have a special connection to her. It's purer. More clear. As we grow up, we end up with all sorts of other stuff that gets in the way of our connection." It was a good idea, and Delilah made a mental note to reach out to the headmaster for scheduling.

"But we can work on it," she said, half to Gabbi and half to herself. "With dedication and purpose, we can keep that connection strong. We must."