Rook 🐴

its my rp blog and the pfp will be whatever i want it to be

[loyal-equestrian]

℧ Pinned Post

₊ ៸៸ Perhaps he didn't plan accordingly for his appearance here.

Welcome to my silly Rook Ask/Rp blog!

Not everything here will be entirely canon as I'm grasping Rook's character better, please don't be mean if I happen to act out of character.

This blog may dive into uncomfortable themes, if you are sensitive to these topics (that'll be listed later) do not proceed through this blog. If you do, do not blame me for your actions.

RULES AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Your Host? You already know

Rules?

no NSFW content, mod is a minor

Shipping is fine, go bonkers

Anon magic is encouraged, do whatever

Anybody can interact including OCs, AUs, crossovers, whatever

Don't be afraid of being OOC, it's roleplay, not the military

If you're looking to roleplay with me, just send an rp starter, I'm always open

If I don't respond to an ask, it's for a reason, please don't bug me about it

TAGS

#Loyal Equestrian: Overall blog tag

#Ask the Hostler: Answered Asks

#Domesticated Charger: In-character/Lore post

#Bolted Mustang: Shitpost, typically OOC

#Staunched Host: Moderator speaking

Mod will use // To also signify themself

₊ ៸៸ I completely agree, My Lady!

[loyal-equestrian]

Hey, so uh. Sailor sent me to kidnap you. Time to be a frog :3 🐸

₊ ៸៸ Uhm. No?

[Mod is too lazy to make Frook.]

[loyal-equestrian]

Did Cecilia and you enjoy the cookies I gave you? Did you even eat them?

₊ ៸៸ Yes, of course! They were delicious.

[She says while shoving one in her mouth.]

[loyal-equestrian]

Picks you up and spins you around ! :)

₊ ៸៸ Put me down-! [She is not enthused.]

[loyal-equestrian]

Will you sacrifice yourself for Cecilia if paired up with her again in a later round?

₊ ៸៸ My loyalty remains even in death.

[A very roundabout way of answering the question. Does she mean it?]

[loyal-equestrian]

It was after the interviews, the back stage dim- never fully dark, even their right to a proper night stripped in the favor of surveillance. If anyone else dressed in black was sneaking, they’d have a chance of blending in. Unfortunately, with a hat left in her room, the bright blonde was a beacon.

Finding Room wasn’t a hard task, Cecilia launched into a skip when she spotted her- already relieved that she hadn’t missed a shot of speaking to it one on one.

Her hands landed its shoulders, somehow devoid of all force even though she hopped into it with her whole body.

“Boo!”

Before the laughter even sounded, it started with the scrunch of her eyes, and spread her lips into a grin that proceeded the giggles, her curls springing with her shaking shoulders. Cecilia’s fingers started to take a little stroll down Rook’s arm, humming merrily all the way.

“My dear, Rook! You did wonderful on your interview- I’d be plum surprised if you aren’t ruling the roost of the audience’s hearts.”

A slight pause, before Cecilia’s entire face lit up with an idea, eyes sparkling without the need for any lights trained on them.

“Why don’t you come spend the night with me? They didn’t say anything about keeping company. I’ve hardly gotten a second alone with you since roulette!”

The intentions were completely innocent- there wasn’t a trace of malice in the maiden’s tone, no clue pointing toward trying to temp Rook to a more secluded spot to “thin out the competition.”

Eerie quiet permeated the air, but Cecelia made everything feel natural. As if nothing was out of place for these circumstances. As if the world entire bended to make her intentions ring true.

- @heartful-maiden

[The equestrian lady's shoulders tensed as Cecilia came up behind her. She snapped her head to look behind her, but she relaxed once she realized who her tormenter was. Her expression lit up once she saw her lady. She let Cecilia's arm roll its way down her arm before she turned around to face the woman behind her.]

[She bowed to Cecilia after the compliment. She tried to hide the faint blush that appeared across her cheeks afterwards, but it was a futile attempt. She straightens up quickly and clasps her hands behind her.]

₊ ៸៸ You are much too kind, My Lady.

[Rook responded with a resounding beating in her chest. She always seemed to get this flustered and bashful whenever Cecilia was around. She just had that certain poise about her that made Rook head-over-heels.]

[Cecilia popped the question, and Rook couldn't believe what she was hearing. A night alone with her lady? She couldn't believe it! Even if there was malicious intent, Rook wouldn't noticed it from a mile away.]

₊ ៸៸ Are you sure? I wouldn't want to intrude on the privacy of a noblewoman!

[Despite her coyness, she remained composed enough to be sure. She wouldn't want to accidentally ruin the friendship between her and such a lovely woman.]

[heartful-maiden]

Habitually, Cecilia's head tilted following Rook's bow, curls cutting in front of her face. Her hand darted up to tuck them behind her ears, mindlessly always adjusting, always ready for any camera, any prying eyes that could pass poor judgement on her. However, the only person watching was Rook, who would never think twice about "Her Lady"'s hair coming undone. Still, Cecilia straightened herself out the level of revelry it was gifting her was perfectly commonplace. Cecilia was a lady after all- people did owe her respect, at least in this bubble of reality Bet and Forgive manufactured. Rook expressed her doubts, and the maiden dusted off the skirts of her dress, innocently clasping her hands together. ཻུ⸙͎ “I’m absolutely positive! You’re always free to decline.”

With her grin, Cecilia's face didn't give away a drop of anxiety about Rook potentially turning her request down. Her hands darted to her boa, twisting the fluff about in a coil round her finger before letting it fall back into place.

ཻུ⸙͎ “You’re precious company to me. I didn’t mind watching over poor Sandbag, but I couldn’t help but wish I was with more familiar company. At least company that could speak back." Cecilia swayed slightly, blinking to herself. It was a nervous tendency, like the wings of her brain fluttering, trying to take off with how much energy her anxious thoughts produced when she was thinking hard, searching for a feel on the situation. Luckily for Cecilia this looked much more like batting eyelashes, pleading Rook to say yes; as opposed to the reality of tracing over the words that just left her mouth. The longer it took to get an answer, (it wasn't long at all, her mind was just stretching this moment into taffy) the more her mind spun, and lashes beat in time to her pounding heart.Cecilia tried to put it to a halt with a gentle grin. Ladies don't overthink. ཻུ⸙͎ "If you aren't up for it, maybe you'll grant me the pleasure of walking you to your room?"

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook's heart swells at the invitation being opened (it was open before, but she had to make sure). Internally, she was prancing around and twirling Cecilia in her arms with saying yes a thousand times over as if they were getting engaged, but in reality, Rook was as still as a statue.]

[Cecilia's imitated batting only served to fluster poor Rook worse somehow, though every little detail about Cecilia seemed to fluster her. She also couldn't believe the words coming out of Cecilia's mouth. "Precious company"? The Loyal Equestrian herself was precious company to the most outstanding, brilliant, and marvelous noblewoman she knew. She could've made such a scene about it, but she didn't.]

[Instead she gently takes one of her lady's hands in hers. Her eyes shining brilliantly in the dim light.]

₊ ៸៸ I'd love to accompany you tonight.

[She would've said more, but she feared any other words coming out of her mouth would've been more than just a slip of the tongue.]

[heartful-maiden]

It would take a fool to not be able to spot how her shoulders thawed at Rook's words, head lulling. All her body language melted in fact, as enticing as frosting on a freshly baked cake. With the drip, her eyes also drooped before she brought her tender gaze back up sharply.

₊˚ ꒰ঌ “Really?” Her voice lilted into a sing-song ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "You're such a gentle-lady." The tone was now almost veering into a coo, shoulders squared back as her hand served to conceal the smile, a job normally reserved for a fan.

Like a curtain draw, Cecilia moved her hand from her lips to unveil the very tip of her tongue sticking out, the playfulness perfectly framed by her lips stretched into a coy smile.

While Rook was hopefully distracted by Cecilia's theater of the face, she let the hand that it wasn't holding slide over so now it was Cecilia who was cupping the equestrian's hand, and leading her along. Every step careful, slow, walking backwards to not take her eyes off of Rook's stone-ish features quiet yet. Watching for any sign of not wanting to follow. If the gentle pull, wasn't enough a clue that she was intending to guide Rook down the halls, the fact her heels had started their signature click was a dead give away. Somehow, even the harshness of heels managed to sound modest. The carpet must be a help, but it was so flat and worn, they may as well have been walking on tile.

₊˚ ꒰ঌ “I'll do my very best to make sure you don't have a terrible time- Oh my heavens! I haven't had a sleepover since my school days. Where on earth did the time go?"

Cecilia wouldn’t call sharing a cell a sleepover.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook tilted her head curiously at being called a gentle-lady. She personally thought she was far from one herself, but she appreciated the compliment from Cecilia nonetheless.]

[Rook let out a small laugh at Cecilia's theatrics. Cecilia was such a darling to be around, Rook couldn't imagine spending this night with anyone else right now. She was so entranced in this one woman that she might forget entirely why she's here: To be pardoned.]

[Rook took the hint and followed Cecilia's slow footsteps. She hadn't noticed that their handholding had swapped places yet despite being tugged along. Everything about this noblewoman was just ever so perfect. Rook swore that Cecilia was an angel from heaven, descended down to grace these vile criminals with her holy presence, and It wishes she would never leave.]

₊ ៸៸ I do not believe I've ever been to one.

[A rather nervous expression crosses the equestrian's face afterwards. It's a strange thing to admit, but it is unfortunately true.]

[heartful-maiden]

Positive now that her cue had been caught, Cecilia adjusted her hand in Rook's to allow her to spin around, face forward. her skirt swished around her ankles, layers fluttering against each other. Walking backwards through unfamiliar halls is unwise enough, adding her current footwear into the mix was asking to bump into a wall. As Rook confessed to having a complete lack of sleepover in it's life, Cecilia was interlocking their fingers together while humming a noise of surprise. At least, it might have been surprise. It was harder to tell now that she was facing away, eyes more trained on looking out for the right door. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "Aha, they've been going out of style I suppose-" It was half true, in any culture where crime is centered in entertainment, the notion of sending your vulnerable children to unfamiliar homes was going to be unpopular. Though Cecilia knew that this was a factor, she was deeply aware that Rook might not have been that popular. The former angle was the gentler approach.

₊˚ ꒰ঌ "Really, that's for the best. Teenagers are terribly immature. You wouldn't have liked it much- we can have ourselves a refined night."

Light peaked out from under Cecilia's door, her role being placed on the placard rather than a name. Other's lights were on, but it was safe to assume she had just forgot flick the light switch. The bright light spilled over the both of them as Cecilia opened the door, and finally let go of Rook's hand to lift her boa off her shoulders, placing the feathery mess on the coat rack next to the door. It's a rather decadent room, The set designers had obviously taken a slice out of Old Hollywood's idea of western glamour. The deep, rich teals paired with greys, blacks and soft whites were very evocative of blue-jays, In fact, blue jays were mixed into all the decor. It was a bit heavy handed with the theming but the most eye catching thing was the golden bird cage hanging in the corner, halfway covered by blue velvety curtains. The tie for them laid on the floor, Cecilia hadn't taken the time to close them properly. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "I imagine they want footage in here." She tilted her head sharply to the camera in the corner. It isn't recording right now, but the intent is obvious.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook laughed awkwardly at the suggestion of her not liking a sleep over. If anything, Rook would've loved to just have been around people for a whole night. She spent most of her life around horses and as much as she adores them, they don't make very good company at night.]

[Rook stepped into the room slowly. She was quickly enamored with the atmosphere with the room. It was so ornate in its design yet somehow not overwhelming to the eye. It was a perfect balance between embellished and tranquil if you ignored the camera in the corner. She halted in her footsteps suddenly, but she waited a few feet from the entrance. She looked at Cecilia with bright eyes, asking for a full invitation into the space.]

[She glared up at the camera. She had half a mind to take it down, but she knew tampering with equipment would probably lead to her "disqualification", and it was above such depricating measures.]

₊ ៸៸ How dare they film such privacy! These insolent bastards.

[She muttered the last part of her sentence as it slipped out of her mouth. She tried not to use such foul language especially in front of her lady, but sometimes she couldn't help herself. People nowadays were disgusting enough to film a lady in her own private space and it made Rook sick.]

[heartful-maiden]

Even if Rook hadn't met her it's curses to reach her lady's ears, they did nonetheless, and it earned a cheery giggle, that almost knocked her right to the ground. ( Not that it was too strong of a laugh for Cecilia to handle, it just happened to catch her as she was balancing on one foot to take her shoes off. ) ₊˚ ꒰ঌ"Ah, but it makes for such juicy storytelling, darling! Can you imagine how the people at home will feel, seeing one of us after a monumental loss, pacing in here! The quiet conversations, secret deals, all the drama that would all go missed if not for a handy little camera like that." You'd think Cecilia was buzzing with thrill to be filmed, to have every moment of what could very possibly be the last weeks of her life scraped for content. She was already stripping the bed of it's contents, hands shaking with every movement. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "Buuuuuut!~ we can hide from the cameras, nothing in the guidelines forbidding friends from making forts! Have you ever made one?" Her face easily shifted back into pure glee, shaking the quilt in a telling way, showing Rook her very special weapon against their bonding night being used against them. Cecilia hardly waited for any answer either, already pulling the chair from the vanity for structure.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook walked further into the room, taking it as that she could enter fully after staring at it so bedazzling. She still continued to look around as she was enamored with it. Such a refined room for a refined lady.]

[She listened closely to Cecilia's words about the film. She wasn't much enthused with the film industry, especially reality TV, so she didn't know too much about it. Even after Cecilia's explanation for the little camera sitting there, she still thought it was entirely too rude. What if it flicked on while Cecilia was getting dressed or during even direr situations that she refrained from thinking of? It was all too crude.]

[She tilted her head curiously at the idea of a fort. In all honesty, no, she really hadn't. Maybe when she was much smaller, but those days blur together very easily, so it was hard to remember.]

₊ ៸៸ No, I have not.

[She responded simply. Despite her lack of knowledge, she still wanted to help and took the vanity chair from Cecilia's arms and placed it near the bed, assuming that's where it would go.]

[heartful-maiden]

₊˚ ꒰ঌ "Oh, you're so helpful, dear! You could have fooled me!" Maybe she's laying on her encouragement a little thick, only wanting to make sure Rook doesn't feel out of place. Cecilia took a step or two backwards as Rook, giving her room to work. Idly swaying as if the moment the task was lifted from her hands, she forgot what was happening. It took the full moment of Rook setting up the chair before she fluttered back into action, draping the blanket over the bed and chair. Leaving a perfect space underneath for a pair to lay.

Sideways, Cecilia stepped over to a shelf- it's not a large room, about as small as a jail cell even, and takes an small bunch of books. Without turning around, she holds about half of them out to Rook, asking her to take them wordlessly.

₊˚ ꒰ঌ "I wonder if by peeling back this wallpaper- If I would find the last contestant's wallpaper- or a cement wall." Her wide eyes danced down the patterns of the wall, skipping between the wall decor set up. Anything heavy was screwed down, everything else was false, fake. When she honestly gazed at it all, it was evident how much this finery was still intended to cover up how much this was still a jail cell. Cecilia closed her eyes as she turned away the wall, only opening them once facing Rook, still smiling faintly- that mirth never really dropped fully, unless it was replaced with soft, mild, polite sadness. Nothing that couldn't be the subject of a painting. Suddenly, she recalled the false books still sitting in her arms, and she placed them down on one of the two corners of the blanket laying across the bed. It took more than it should, the books didn't hold any real weight after all, but they did work.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook nodded appreciatively to Cecilia's words. It felt nice to be encouraged even if it wasn't entirely real. She was quick to act on taking the books from Her Lady's hands. She set them down on the bed after as an attempt to gather more that Her Lady gave her.]

[She followed Cecilia's gaze, also looking around at the wallpaper, but she was much more intrigued by the decor. Her own room wasn't nearly as spectacular, but I suppose there's not much to work with when she has a title such as "Loyal Equestrian". Even if most of it was fake, it was so beautiful that it could fool the viewers. There was such a strange sentiment in it.]

[Rook only snapped back to life once Cecilia looked at her again. Her face flushed out of embarrassment of being so easily distracted.]

₊ ៸៸ I'd assume it to be cement. It can be quite difficult to layer wallpaper on top of each other.

[Rook responded. Her tone was rather monotonous compared to other times she spoke, which was peculiar from the vehement woman. However, nothing in her behavior seemed to change other than a visibly relaxed expression.]

[heartful-maiden]

₊˚ ꒰ঌ “That’s a shame. It would be nice to pry back the layers, see who was here before.”

Careful there. Cecilia started to sound like she was about to star in her own squeal of the Yellow Wallpaper. A yearning flooded her tone, saturating her eyes with an unreadable feeling.

Performance is part of any life, but a very special sort of isolation was coming from her entire identity being fabricated for the most perfect spectacle.

As if simple contact could starve off the disconnect making Cecilia’s vision swim, she stepped around the fort to grab Rook’s free hands.

Gracefully she sunk down low, trying to lure Rook with her to lay under their basic drapery.

₊˚ ꒰ঌ “Won’t you come inside?”

Her voice dripped with a mix of emotion. The way that her tone always swirled with affection, made an invitation so warm, Cecilia tried not to wince at her own longing.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook's gaze seemed to narrow at that comment but quickly returned back to its softened expression. She couldn't read her lady's expression all too well. She just waited for the next move which didn't take long to find her. Cecilia gentles grasp of her hands. The touch could easily make Rook melt like a candle next to an oven. Her face also flushed softly.]

[She nodded as she followed Cecilia into the fort. She ignored her mild discomfort because of her outfit. Waist coats were not certainly pleasant to sit down in, but she did anyways. For Cecilia, for her only lady. Her own discomfort seemed to regurgitate towards concern for Cecilia.]

₊ ៸៸ Are you comfortable, my dear?

[She gently squeezed Cecilia's hand that was suddenly encased in Rook's own. Her gaze full of worry. All Cecilia had to do was say the word, and Rook would be at her side assisting her in any way possible. She was like a delicate doll in Rook's eyes. A doll that deserved cradling, love, and the best care.]

[heartful-maiden]

It wasn't exactly a smile on Cecilia's face, but it was still joy. It creased with her eyes, sang in the air with her every breath as she reached over to push Rook's hair out of it's face. The maiden just couldn't keep either of her hands away from her. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "It must be stuffy in here, you're feeling warm." They both knew this space was extremely well ventilated. Cecilia mused over Rook's concern. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "My corset is a tad tight- I didn't think much about nightdresses before running off to find you..." She huffs under her breath, and rolls so her back is facing Rook. Her well manicured hand slips up her neck, holding pale curls out of the way. Cecilia's shorter hair isn't a recent development but the habit still takes over every time she asks for help. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "Would you mind loosening the strings, darling?"

Cecilia called everyone and anyone who crossed her path pet names, they spilled out of her mouth like sap from a tree. Sweet, with a way of sticking to you, wildly natural. Every dear and darling that Cecilia gave to Rook though were far more intentional, somehow sweeter. Still natural-- more like honey. Deliberately picked out of the cupboard, oozed onto a spoon and mixed into the tea of Rook's brain.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook let out an embarrassed laugh at Cecilia's first comment. She had a feeling her cheeks were a bit rosy from the previous interactions. Her cheeks only warming as the interaction went on. She takes the hint as soon as Cecilia moves over as has her back faced towards herself. Her eyes going wide for a moment until she hears the full extent of what her lady's asking. In all honesty, Rook had always had a mind stuck in the gutter. She thought it might disappear as she got older, but it only seemed to worsen instead.]

[She nodded excessively, not that Cecilia could even see it. She carefully undid the ribbon strings that were tied in a bow, just to get the surplus fabric out of the way. She went row by row with a small tug of her finger on the ribbon laced along the corset. She began to start a much looser bow but paused momentarily.]

₊ ៸៸ Is that alright?

[She was always such a cautious woman. She was so abudantly loyal that one wrong step might ruin her overzealous attitude immediately. She took extra precautions around someone of such fine nobility as Cecilia. She didn't want to imagine the possibility of doing anything wrong. She couldn't tell if she was afraid of the mistake itself or the potential repercussions.]

[heartful-maiden]

A heavy sigh escaped Cecilia as the strings came a little closer to undone, and her back rose and fell in a much deeper rhythm than before. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "Much more than alright." It was unspoken how unreasonable it was for the laces to be that tight, a small red line where the corset has met the skin was obvious on her pale complexion. Cecilia didn't have a drop of melanin in her to even hide the irritation, so the red bloomed like petals. She rolled back over, face relaxed- though not unhappy. Perfectly content painted all of her body language as her eyes danced around Rook's face. Cecilia was more than anxious to grab at Rook's hands again, and press a kiss to the back of it. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "There, a gentleman's thank you. Is there anything I can insist you with?" A posh, false accent came about- it seemed to be a mix of british and trans-atlantic. Always ending with a question, inviting Rook's response in completely. Maybe she was scared if a response wasn't required, Rook would have a moment to think this over and leave. Cecilia rolled her thumb in their interlaced fingers, as if she could press out every single one of Rook's woes, like lumps in dough.

[loyal-equestrian]

[As Cecilia confirmed that it was fine, Rook's mind settled found briefly. She tied the excess fabric back into a loose bow, hoping it wouldn't get in the way. She also took mental note of the red line across her lady's skin. There was a perfectly good reason why, but why would a corset be that tight? By God, she hoped that Cecilia could breathe with it being that tight. A look of worry flickering itself across Rook's flushed face.]

[She was taken out of her worried trance when her lady pressed soft lips on the back of her hand. She muttered a small thank you. Her face got unbelievably hotter as the small action, it almost made it hard to speak. At Cecilia's questions though, she thoughts for a split second before making up her mind.]

₊ ៸៸ I'm alright myself. Thank you for the offer though.

[She smiled bright as day while answering. She was lying straight through her teeth, but she highly doubted her waist coat could bother her any more than Cecilia's unbelievably tight corset. Not to mention her waist coat was buttons, so she could easily do it herself if she needed to.]

[heartful-maiden]

₊˚ ꒰ঌ I'm always happy to help." Nothing truer had ever been said, and Cecilia didn't even have to say it, she laced this truth through every one of her actions. From guiding Rook's movements during roulette with forgiving hands, sending Eddie to check on Rook when she didn't have attention to spare. Her fingers kept wandering, playing with Rook's hand. Flipping it over, around, folding the joints. People say "idle hands are the devil's plaything" Maybe Cecilia was the devil, her role being much more than something tacked onto her for theatrics. Maybe there was something wicked glittering behind Cecilia's big eyes, staring at Rook, like it had something precious. If she was trying to protect that something, or take it for herself was another secret that Cecilia wasn't going to volunteer. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "Without a doubt, I declare this must be the strangest sleepover I'll ever have."

Cecilia kicked her feet a little, keenly aware of the way they were sticking out from under their fort. She wondered if this moment would be scooped up by the camera. If in a promotional video, a clip of their almost intertwined legs would be broadcast and still she smiled. because they wouldn't know all of it. They wouldn't get to see anything else than what amounted to a tease.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Cecilia's compassion for Rook spread far further than Rook could've ever imagined for herself. Cecilia was a light in the dark that seemed to squander over Rook's path as soon as she entered this game. All her motions subtly guided under the thought of her lady. Every step, every motion, every outlash, and every compliment or apology, all done under the thought of "She'd want me to". It was such a strange thing. Rook was so utterly enamored by this woman, her potential killer, yet she saw her as nothing less than a savior.]

[Rook let Cecilia play with her hand. She glanced down a few times to stare at the motions, but otherwise her gaze was set directly on the refined lady in front of her. Her gaze significantly softer than usual. She was always such a harsh woman, loud, reckless, and rash, like a mustang, but now within the close precense of Cecilia, she could be no calmer than an American Quarter horse, sedated and relaxed.]

[Cecilia speaking launched Rook out of her dazed staring at her. She cleared her throat to redirect her own focus back to the conversation. Despite Cecilia's smile and kick of her feet, Rook didn't reciprocate the actions. She was much more cautious, keeping her legs tucked closer to her. She hoped that people wouldn't get the wrong idea about this interaction.]

₊ ៸៸ I've never been to one, so I don't really know how they're supposed to go.

[Nervous laughter rang out from Rook after she spoke. It was an embarrassing thing to admit though she admitted it before. It didn't make her any less self-conscious about the matter.]

[loyal-equestrian]

It was after the interviews, the back stage dim- never fully dark, even their right to a proper night stripped in the favor of surveillance. If anyone else dressed in black was sneaking, they’d have a chance of blending in. Unfortunately, with a hat left in her room, the bright blonde was a beacon.

Finding Room wasn’t a hard task, Cecilia launched into a skip when she spotted her- already relieved that she hadn’t missed a shot of speaking to it one on one.

Her hands landed its shoulders, somehow devoid of all force even though she hopped into it with her whole body.

“Boo!”

Before the laughter even sounded, it started with the scrunch of her eyes, and spread her lips into a grin that proceeded the giggles, her curls springing with her shaking shoulders. Cecilia’s fingers started to take a little stroll down Rook’s arm, humming merrily all the way.

“My dear, Rook! You did wonderful on your interview- I’d be plum surprised if you aren’t ruling the roost of the audience’s hearts.”

A slight pause, before Cecilia’s entire face lit up with an idea, eyes sparkling without the need for any lights trained on them.

“Why don’t you come spend the night with me? They didn’t say anything about keeping company. I’ve hardly gotten a second alone with you since roulette!”

The intentions were completely innocent- there wasn’t a trace of malice in the maiden’s tone, no clue pointing toward trying to temp Rook to a more secluded spot to “thin out the competition.”

Eerie quiet permeated the air, but Cecelia made everything feel natural. As if nothing was out of place for these circumstances. As if the world entire bended to make her intentions ring true.

- @heartful-maiden

[The equestrian lady's shoulders tensed as Cecilia came up behind her. She snapped her head to look behind her, but she relaxed once she realized who her tormenter was. Her expression lit up once she saw her lady. She let Cecilia's arm roll its way down her arm before she turned around to face the woman behind her.]

[She bowed to Cecilia after the compliment. She tried to hide the faint blush that appeared across her cheeks afterwards, but it was a futile attempt. She straightens up quickly and clasps her hands behind her.]

₊ ៸៸ You are much too kind, My Lady.

[Rook responded with a resounding beating in her chest. She always seemed to get this flustered and bashful whenever Cecilia was around. She just had that certain poise about her that made Rook head-over-heels.]

[Cecilia popped the question, and Rook couldn't believe what she was hearing. A night alone with her lady? She couldn't believe it! Even if there was malicious intent, Rook wouldn't noticed it from a mile away.]

₊ ៸៸ Are you sure? I wouldn't want to intrude on the privacy of a noblewoman!

[Despite her coyness, she remained composed enough to be sure. She wouldn't want to accidentally ruin the friendship between her and such a lovely woman.]

[heartful-maiden]

Habitually, Cecilia's head tilted following Rook's bow, curls cutting in front of her face. Her hand darted up to tuck them behind her ears, mindlessly always adjusting, always ready for any camera, any prying eyes that could pass poor judgement on her. However, the only person watching was Rook, who would never think twice about "Her Lady"'s hair coming undone. Still, Cecilia straightened herself out the level of revelry it was gifting her was perfectly commonplace. Cecilia was a lady after all- people did owe her respect, at least in this bubble of reality Bet and Forgive manufactured. Rook expressed her doubts, and the maiden dusted off the skirts of her dress, innocently clasping her hands together. ཻུ⸙͎ “I’m absolutely positive! You’re always free to decline.”

With her grin, Cecilia's face didn't give away a drop of anxiety about Rook potentially turning her request down. Her hands darted to her boa, twisting the fluff about in a coil round her finger before letting it fall back into place.

ཻུ⸙͎ “You’re precious company to me. I didn’t mind watching over poor Sandbag, but I couldn’t help but wish I was with more familiar company. At least company that could speak back." Cecilia swayed slightly, blinking to herself. It was a nervous tendency, like the wings of her brain fluttering, trying to take off with how much energy her anxious thoughts produced when she was thinking hard, searching for a feel on the situation. Luckily for Cecilia this looked much more like batting eyelashes, pleading Rook to say yes; as opposed to the reality of tracing over the words that just left her mouth. The longer it took to get an answer, (it wasn't long at all, her mind was just stretching this moment into taffy) the more her mind spun, and lashes beat in time to her pounding heart.Cecilia tried to put it to a halt with a gentle grin. Ladies don't overthink. ཻུ⸙͎ "If you aren't up for it, maybe you'll grant me the pleasure of walking you to your room?"

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook's heart swells at the invitation being opened (it was open before, but she had to make sure). Internally, she was prancing around and twirling Cecilia in her arms with saying yes a thousand times over as if they were getting engaged, but in reality, Rook was as still as a statue.]

[Cecilia's imitated batting only served to fluster poor Rook worse somehow, though every little detail about Cecilia seemed to fluster her. She also couldn't believe the words coming out of Cecilia's mouth. "Precious company"? The Loyal Equestrian herself was precious company to the most outstanding, brilliant, and marvelous noblewoman she knew. She could've made such a scene about it, but she didn't.]

[Instead she gently takes one of her lady's hands in hers. Her eyes shining brilliantly in the dim light.]

₊ ៸៸ I'd love to accompany you tonight.

[She would've said more, but she feared any other words coming out of her mouth would've been more than just a slip of the tongue.]

[heartful-maiden]

It would take a fool to not be able to spot how her shoulders thawed at Rook's words, head lulling. All her body language melted in fact, as enticing as frosting on a freshly baked cake. With the drip, her eyes also drooped before she brought her tender gaze back up sharply.

₊˚ ꒰ঌ “Really?” Her voice lilted into a sing-song ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "You're such a gentle-lady." The tone was now almost veering into a coo, shoulders squared back as her hand served to conceal the smile, a job normally reserved for a fan.

Like a curtain draw, Cecilia moved her hand from her lips to unveil the very tip of her tongue sticking out, the playfulness perfectly framed by her lips stretched into a coy smile.

While Rook was hopefully distracted by Cecilia's theater of the face, she let the hand that it wasn't holding slide over so now it was Cecilia who was cupping the equestrian's hand, and leading her along. Every step careful, slow, walking backwards to not take her eyes off of Rook's stone-ish features quiet yet. Watching for any sign of not wanting to follow. If the gentle pull, wasn't enough a clue that she was intending to guide Rook down the halls, the fact her heels had started their signature click was a dead give away. Somehow, even the harshness of heels managed to sound modest. The carpet must be a help, but it was so flat and worn, they may as well have been walking on tile.

₊˚ ꒰ঌ “I'll do my very best to make sure you don't have a terrible time- Oh my heavens! I haven't had a sleepover since my school days. Where on earth did the time go?"

Cecilia wouldn’t call sharing a cell a sleepover.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook tilted her head curiously at being called a gentle-lady. She personally thought she was far from one herself, but she appreciated the compliment from Cecilia nonetheless.]

[Rook let out a small laugh at Cecilia's theatrics. Cecilia was such a darling to be around, Rook couldn't imagine spending this night with anyone else right now. She was so entranced in this one woman that she might forget entirely why she's here: To be pardoned.]

[Rook took the hint and followed Cecilia's slow footsteps. She hadn't noticed that their handholding had swapped places yet despite being tugged along. Everything about this noblewoman was just ever so perfect. Rook swore that Cecilia was an angel from heaven, descended down to grace these vile criminals with her holy presence, and It wishes she would never leave.]

₊ ៸៸ I do not believe I've ever been to one.

[A rather nervous expression crosses the equestrian's face afterwards. It's a strange thing to admit, but it is unfortunately true.]

[heartful-maiden]

Positive now that her cue had been caught, Cecilia adjusted her hand in Rook's to allow her to spin around, face forward. her skirt swished around her ankles, layers fluttering against each other. Walking backwards through unfamiliar halls is unwise enough, adding her current footwear into the mix was asking to bump into a wall. As Rook confessed to having a complete lack of sleepover in it's life, Cecilia was interlocking their fingers together while humming a noise of surprise. At least, it might have been surprise. It was harder to tell now that she was facing away, eyes more trained on looking out for the right door. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "Aha, they've been going out of style I suppose-" It was half true, in any culture where crime is centered in entertainment, the notion of sending your vulnerable children to unfamiliar homes was going to be unpopular. Though Cecilia knew that this was a factor, she was deeply aware that Rook might not have been that popular. The former angle was the gentler approach.

₊˚ ꒰ঌ "Really, that's for the best. Teenagers are terribly immature. You wouldn't have liked it much- we can have ourselves a refined night."

Light peaked out from under Cecilia's door, her role being placed on the placard rather than a name. Other's lights were on, but it was safe to assume she had just forgot flick the light switch. The bright light spilled over the both of them as Cecilia opened the door, and finally let go of Rook's hand to lift her boa off her shoulders, placing the feathery mess on the coat rack next to the door. It's a rather decadent room, The set designers had obviously taken a slice out of Old Hollywood's idea of western glamour. The deep, rich teals paired with greys, blacks and soft whites were very evocative of blue-jays, In fact, blue jays were mixed into all the decor. It was a bit heavy handed with the theming but the most eye catching thing was the golden bird cage hanging in the corner, halfway covered by blue velvety curtains. The tie for them laid on the floor, Cecilia hadn't taken the time to close them properly. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "I imagine they want footage in here." She tilted her head sharply to the camera in the corner. It isn't recording right now, but the intent is obvious.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook laughed awkwardly at the suggestion of her not liking a sleep over. If anything, Rook would've loved to just have been around people for a whole night. She spent most of her life around horses and as much as she adores them, they don't make very good company at night.]

[Rook stepped into the room slowly. She was quickly enamored with the atmosphere with the room. It was so ornate in its design yet somehow not overwhelming to the eye. It was a perfect balance between embellished and tranquil if you ignored the camera in the corner. She halted in her footsteps suddenly, but she waited a few feet from the entrance. She looked at Cecilia with bright eyes, asking for a full invitation into the space.]

[She glared up at the camera. She had half a mind to take it down, but she knew tampering with equipment would probably lead to her "disqualification", and it was above such depricating measures.]

₊ ៸៸ How dare they film such privacy! These insolent bastards.

[She muttered the last part of her sentence as it slipped out of her mouth. She tried not to use such foul language especially in front of her lady, but sometimes she couldn't help herself. People nowadays were disgusting enough to film a lady in her own private space and it made Rook sick.]

[heartful-maiden]

Even if Rook hadn't met her it's curses to reach her lady's ears, they did nonetheless, and it earned a cheery giggle, that almost knocked her right to the ground. ( Not that it was too strong of a laugh for Cecilia to handle, it just happened to catch her as she was balancing on one foot to take her shoes off. ) ₊˚ ꒰ঌ"Ah, but it makes for such juicy storytelling, darling! Can you imagine how the people at home will feel, seeing one of us after a monumental loss, pacing in here! The quiet conversations, secret deals, all the drama that would all go missed if not for a handy little camera like that." You'd think Cecilia was buzzing with thrill to be filmed, to have every moment of what could very possibly be the last weeks of her life scraped for content. She was already stripping the bed of it's contents, hands shaking with every movement. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "Buuuuuut!~ we can hide from the cameras, nothing in the guidelines forbidding friends from making forts! Have you ever made one?" Her face easily shifted back into pure glee, shaking the quilt in a telling way, showing Rook her very special weapon against their bonding night being used against them. Cecilia hardly waited for any answer either, already pulling the chair from the vanity for structure.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook walked further into the room, taking it as that she could enter fully after staring at it so bedazzling. She still continued to look around as she was enamored with it. Such a refined room for a refined lady.]

[She listened closely to Cecilia's words about the film. She wasn't much enthused with the film industry, especially reality TV, so she didn't know too much about it. Even after Cecilia's explanation for the little camera sitting there, she still thought it was entirely too rude. What if it flicked on while Cecilia was getting dressed or during even direr situations that she refrained from thinking of? It was all too crude.]

[She tilted her head curiously at the idea of a fort. In all honesty, no, she really hadn't. Maybe when she was much smaller, but those days blur together very easily, so it was hard to remember.]

₊ ៸៸ No, I have not.

[She responded simply. Despite her lack of knowledge, she still wanted to help and took the vanity chair from Cecilia's arms and placed it near the bed, assuming that's where it would go.]

[heartful-maiden]

₊˚ ꒰ঌ "Oh, you're so helpful, dear! You could have fooled me!" Maybe she's laying on her encouragement a little thick, only wanting to make sure Rook doesn't feel out of place. Cecilia took a step or two backwards as Rook, giving her room to work. Idly swaying as if the moment the task was lifted from her hands, she forgot what was happening. It took the full moment of Rook setting up the chair before she fluttered back into action, draping the blanket over the bed and chair. Leaving a perfect space underneath for a pair to lay.

Sideways, Cecilia stepped over to a shelf- it's not a large room, about as small as a jail cell even, and takes an small bunch of books. Without turning around, she holds about half of them out to Rook, asking her to take them wordlessly.

₊˚ ꒰ঌ "I wonder if by peeling back this wallpaper- If I would find the last contestant's wallpaper- or a cement wall." Her wide eyes danced down the patterns of the wall, skipping between the wall decor set up. Anything heavy was screwed down, everything else was false, fake. When she honestly gazed at it all, it was evident how much this finery was still intended to cover up how much this was still a jail cell. Cecilia closed her eyes as she turned away the wall, only opening them once facing Rook, still smiling faintly- that mirth never really dropped fully, unless it was replaced with soft, mild, polite sadness. Nothing that couldn't be the subject of a painting. Suddenly, she recalled the false books still sitting in her arms, and she placed them down on one of the two corners of the blanket laying across the bed. It took more than it should, the books didn't hold any real weight after all, but they did work.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook nodded appreciatively to Cecilia's words. It felt nice to be encouraged even if it wasn't entirely real. She was quick to act on taking the books from Her Lady's hands. She set them down on the bed after as an attempt to gather more that Her Lady gave her.]

[She followed Cecilia's gaze, also looking around at the wallpaper, but she was much more intrigued by the decor. Her own room wasn't nearly as spectacular, but I suppose there's not much to work with when she has a title such as "Loyal Equestrian". Even if most of it was fake, it was so beautiful that it could fool the viewers. There was such a strange sentiment in it.]

[Rook only snapped back to life once Cecilia looked at her again. Her face flushed out of embarrassment of being so easily distracted.]

₊ ៸៸ I'd assume it to be cement. It can be quite difficult to layer wallpaper on top of each other.

[Rook responded. Her tone was rather monotonous compared to other times she spoke, which was peculiar from the vehement woman. However, nothing in her behavior seemed to change other than a visibly relaxed expression.]

[heartful-maiden]

₊˚ ꒰ঌ “That’s a shame. It would be nice to pry back the layers, see who was here before.”

Careful there. Cecilia started to sound like she was about to star in her own squeal of the Yellow Wallpaper. A yearning flooded her tone, saturating her eyes with an unreadable feeling.

Performance is part of any life, but a very special sort of isolation was coming from her entire identity being fabricated for the most perfect spectacle.

As if simple contact could starve off the disconnect making Cecilia’s vision swim, she stepped around the fort to grab Rook’s free hands.

Gracefully she sunk down low, trying to lure Rook with her to lay under their basic drapery.

₊˚ ꒰ঌ “Won’t you come inside?”

Her voice dripped with a mix of emotion. The way that her tone always swirled with affection, made an invitation so warm, Cecilia tried not to wince at her own longing.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook's gaze seemed to narrow at that comment but quickly returned back to its softened expression. She couldn't read her lady's expression all too well. She just waited for the next move which didn't take long to find her. Cecilia gentles grasp of her hands. The touch could easily make Rook melt like a candle next to an oven. Her face also flushed softly.]

[She nodded as she followed Cecilia into the fort. She ignored her mild discomfort because of her outfit. Waist coats were not certainly pleasant to sit down in, but she did anyways. For Cecilia, for her only lady. Her own discomfort seemed to regurgitate towards concern for Cecilia.]

₊ ៸៸ Are you comfortable, my dear?

[She gently squeezed Cecilia's hand that was suddenly encased in Rook's own. Her gaze full of worry. All Cecilia had to do was say the word, and Rook would be at her side assisting her in any way possible. She was like a delicate doll in Rook's eyes. A doll that deserved cradling, love, and the best care.]

[heartful-maiden]

It wasn't exactly a smile on Cecilia's face, but it was still joy. It creased with her eyes, sang in the air with her every breath as she reached over to push Rook's hair out of it's face. The maiden just couldn't keep either of her hands away from her. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "It must be stuffy in here, you're feeling warm." They both knew this space was extremely well ventilated. Cecilia mused over Rook's concern. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "My corset is a tad tight- I didn't think much about nightdresses before running off to find you..." She huffs under her breath, and rolls so her back is facing Rook. Her well manicured hand slips up her neck, holding pale curls out of the way. Cecilia's shorter hair isn't a recent development but the habit still takes over every time she asks for help. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "Would you mind loosening the strings, darling?"

Cecilia called everyone and anyone who crossed her path pet names, they spilled out of her mouth like sap from a tree. Sweet, with a way of sticking to you, wildly natural. Every dear and darling that Cecilia gave to Rook though were far more intentional, somehow sweeter. Still natural-- more like honey. Deliberately picked out of the cupboard, oozed onto a spoon and mixed into the tea of Rook's brain.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook let out an embarrassed laugh at Cecilia's first comment. She had a feeling her cheeks were a bit rosy from the previous interactions. Her cheeks only warming as the interaction went on. She takes the hint as soon as Cecilia moves over as has her back faced towards herself. Her eyes going wide for a moment until she hears the full extent of what her lady's asking. In all honesty, Rook had always had a mind stuck in the gutter. She thought it might disappear as she got older, but it only seemed to worsen instead.]

[She nodded excessively, not that Cecilia could even see it. She carefully undid the ribbon strings that were tied in a bow, just to get the surplus fabric out of the way. She went row by row with a small tug of her finger on the ribbon laced along the corset. She began to start a much looser bow but paused momentarily.]

₊ ៸៸ Is that alright?

[She was always such a cautious woman. She was so abudantly loyal that one wrong step might ruin her overzealous attitude immediately. She took extra precautions around someone of such fine nobility as Cecilia. She didn't want to imagine the possibility of doing anything wrong. She couldn't tell if she was afraid of the mistake itself or the potential repercussions.]

[heartful-maiden]

A heavy sigh escaped Cecilia as the strings came a little closer to undone, and her back rose and fell in a much deeper rhythm than before. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "Much more than alright." It was unspoken how unreasonable it was for the laces to be that tight, a small red line where the corset has met the skin was obvious on her pale complexion. Cecilia didn't have a drop of melanin in her to even hide the irritation, so the red bloomed like petals. She rolled back over, face relaxed- though not unhappy. Perfectly content painted all of her body language as her eyes danced around Rook's face. Cecilia was more than anxious to grab at Rook's hands again, and press a kiss to the back of it. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "There, a gentleman's thank you. Is there anything I can insist you with?" A posh, false accent came about- it seemed to be a mix of british and trans-atlantic. Always ending with a question, inviting Rook's response in completely. Maybe she was scared if a response wasn't required, Rook would have a moment to think this over and leave. Cecilia rolled her thumb in their interlaced fingers, as if she could press out every single one of Rook's woes, like lumps in dough.

[loyal-equestrian]

[As Cecilia confirmed that it was fine, Rook's mind settled found briefly. She tied the excess fabric back into a loose bow, hoping it wouldn't get in the way. She also took mental note of the red line across her lady's skin. There was a perfectly good reason why, but why would a corset be that tight? By God, she hoped that Cecilia could breathe with it being that tight. A look of worry flickering itself across Rook's flushed face.]

[She was taken out of her worried trance when her lady pressed soft lips on the back of her hand. She muttered a small thank you. Her face got unbelievably hotter as the small action, it almost made it hard to speak. At Cecilia's questions though, she thoughts for a split second before making up her mind.]

₊ ៸៸ I'm alright myself. Thank you for the offer though.

[She smiled bright as day while answering. She was lying straight through her teeth, but she highly doubted her waist coat could bother her any more than Cecilia's unbelievably tight corset. Not to mention her waist coat was buttons, so she could easily do it herself if she needed to.]

[loyal-equestrian]

It was after the interviews, the back stage dim- never fully dark, even their right to a proper night stripped in the favor of surveillance. If anyone else dressed in black was sneaking, they’d have a chance of blending in. Unfortunately, with a hat left in her room, the bright blonde was a beacon.

Finding Room wasn’t a hard task, Cecilia launched into a skip when she spotted her- already relieved that she hadn’t missed a shot of speaking to it one on one.

Her hands landed its shoulders, somehow devoid of all force even though she hopped into it with her whole body.

“Boo!”

Before the laughter even sounded, it started with the scrunch of her eyes, and spread her lips into a grin that proceeded the giggles, her curls springing with her shaking shoulders. Cecilia’s fingers started to take a little stroll down Rook’s arm, humming merrily all the way.

“My dear, Rook! You did wonderful on your interview- I’d be plum surprised if you aren’t ruling the roost of the audience’s hearts.”

A slight pause, before Cecilia’s entire face lit up with an idea, eyes sparkling without the need for any lights trained on them.

“Why don’t you come spend the night with me? They didn’t say anything about keeping company. I’ve hardly gotten a second alone with you since roulette!”

The intentions were completely innocent- there wasn’t a trace of malice in the maiden’s tone, no clue pointing toward trying to temp Rook to a more secluded spot to “thin out the competition.”

Eerie quiet permeated the air, but Cecelia made everything feel natural. As if nothing was out of place for these circumstances. As if the world entire bended to make her intentions ring true.

- @heartful-maiden

[The equestrian lady's shoulders tensed as Cecilia came up behind her. She snapped her head to look behind her, but she relaxed once she realized who her tormenter was. Her expression lit up once she saw her lady. She let Cecilia's arm roll its way down her arm before she turned around to face the woman behind her.]

[She bowed to Cecilia after the compliment. She tried to hide the faint blush that appeared across her cheeks afterwards, but it was a futile attempt. She straightens up quickly and clasps her hands behind her.]

₊ ៸៸ You are much too kind, My Lady.

[Rook responded with a resounding beating in her chest. She always seemed to get this flustered and bashful whenever Cecilia was around. She just had that certain poise about her that made Rook head-over-heels.]

[Cecilia popped the question, and Rook couldn't believe what she was hearing. A night alone with her lady? She couldn't believe it! Even if there was malicious intent, Rook wouldn't noticed it from a mile away.]

₊ ៸៸ Are you sure? I wouldn't want to intrude on the privacy of a noblewoman!

[Despite her coyness, she remained composed enough to be sure. She wouldn't want to accidentally ruin the friendship between her and such a lovely woman.]

[heartful-maiden]

Habitually, Cecilia's head tilted following Rook's bow, curls cutting in front of her face. Her hand darted up to tuck them behind her ears, mindlessly always adjusting, always ready for any camera, any prying eyes that could pass poor judgement on her. However, the only person watching was Rook, who would never think twice about "Her Lady"'s hair coming undone. Still, Cecilia straightened herself out the level of revelry it was gifting her was perfectly commonplace. Cecilia was a lady after all- people did owe her respect, at least in this bubble of reality Bet and Forgive manufactured. Rook expressed her doubts, and the maiden dusted off the skirts of her dress, innocently clasping her hands together. ཻུ⸙͎ “I’m absolutely positive! You’re always free to decline.”

With her grin, Cecilia's face didn't give away a drop of anxiety about Rook potentially turning her request down. Her hands darted to her boa, twisting the fluff about in a coil round her finger before letting it fall back into place.

ཻུ⸙͎ “You’re precious company to me. I didn’t mind watching over poor Sandbag, but I couldn’t help but wish I was with more familiar company. At least company that could speak back." Cecilia swayed slightly, blinking to herself. It was a nervous tendency, like the wings of her brain fluttering, trying to take off with how much energy her anxious thoughts produced when she was thinking hard, searching for a feel on the situation. Luckily for Cecilia this looked much more like batting eyelashes, pleading Rook to say yes; as opposed to the reality of tracing over the words that just left her mouth. The longer it took to get an answer, (it wasn't long at all, her mind was just stretching this moment into taffy) the more her mind spun, and lashes beat in time to her pounding heart.Cecilia tried to put it to a halt with a gentle grin. Ladies don't overthink. ཻུ⸙͎ "If you aren't up for it, maybe you'll grant me the pleasure of walking you to your room?"

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook's heart swells at the invitation being opened (it was open before, but she had to make sure). Internally, she was prancing around and twirling Cecilia in her arms with saying yes a thousand times over as if they were getting engaged, but in reality, Rook was as still as a statue.]

[Cecilia's imitated batting only served to fluster poor Rook worse somehow, though every little detail about Cecilia seemed to fluster her. She also couldn't believe the words coming out of Cecilia's mouth. "Precious company"? The Loyal Equestrian herself was precious company to the most outstanding, brilliant, and marvelous noblewoman she knew. She could've made such a scene about it, but she didn't.]

[Instead she gently takes one of her lady's hands in hers. Her eyes shining brilliantly in the dim light.]

₊ ៸៸ I'd love to accompany you tonight.

[She would've said more, but she feared any other words coming out of her mouth would've been more than just a slip of the tongue.]

[heartful-maiden]

It would take a fool to not be able to spot how her shoulders thawed at Rook's words, head lulling. All her body language melted in fact, as enticing as frosting on a freshly baked cake. With the drip, her eyes also drooped before she brought her tender gaze back up sharply.

₊˚ ꒰ঌ “Really?” Her voice lilted into a sing-song ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "You're such a gentle-lady." The tone was now almost veering into a coo, shoulders squared back as her hand served to conceal the smile, a job normally reserved for a fan.

Like a curtain draw, Cecilia moved her hand from her lips to unveil the very tip of her tongue sticking out, the playfulness perfectly framed by her lips stretched into a coy smile.

While Rook was hopefully distracted by Cecilia's theater of the face, she let the hand that it wasn't holding slide over so now it was Cecilia who was cupping the equestrian's hand, and leading her along. Every step careful, slow, walking backwards to not take her eyes off of Rook's stone-ish features quiet yet. Watching for any sign of not wanting to follow. If the gentle pull, wasn't enough a clue that she was intending to guide Rook down the halls, the fact her heels had started their signature click was a dead give away. Somehow, even the harshness of heels managed to sound modest. The carpet must be a help, but it was so flat and worn, they may as well have been walking on tile.

₊˚ ꒰ঌ “I'll do my very best to make sure you don't have a terrible time- Oh my heavens! I haven't had a sleepover since my school days. Where on earth did the time go?"

Cecilia wouldn’t call sharing a cell a sleepover.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook tilted her head curiously at being called a gentle-lady. She personally thought she was far from one herself, but she appreciated the compliment from Cecilia nonetheless.]

[Rook let out a small laugh at Cecilia's theatrics. Cecilia was such a darling to be around, Rook couldn't imagine spending this night with anyone else right now. She was so entranced in this one woman that she might forget entirely why she's here: To be pardoned.]

[Rook took the hint and followed Cecilia's slow footsteps. She hadn't noticed that their handholding had swapped places yet despite being tugged along. Everything about this noblewoman was just ever so perfect. Rook swore that Cecilia was an angel from heaven, descended down to grace these vile criminals with her holy presence, and It wishes she would never leave.]

₊ ៸៸ I do not believe I've ever been to one.

[A rather nervous expression crosses the equestrian's face afterwards. It's a strange thing to admit, but it is unfortunately true.]

[heartful-maiden]

Positive now that her cue had been caught, Cecilia adjusted her hand in Rook's to allow her to spin around, face forward. her skirt swished around her ankles, layers fluttering against each other. Walking backwards through unfamiliar halls is unwise enough, adding her current footwear into the mix was asking to bump into a wall. As Rook confessed to having a complete lack of sleepover in it's life, Cecilia was interlocking their fingers together while humming a noise of surprise. At least, it might have been surprise. It was harder to tell now that she was facing away, eyes more trained on looking out for the right door. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "Aha, they've been going out of style I suppose-" It was half true, in any culture where crime is centered in entertainment, the notion of sending your vulnerable children to unfamiliar homes was going to be unpopular. Though Cecilia knew that this was a factor, she was deeply aware that Rook might not have been that popular. The former angle was the gentler approach.

₊˚ ꒰ঌ "Really, that's for the best. Teenagers are terribly immature. You wouldn't have liked it much- we can have ourselves a refined night."

Light peaked out from under Cecilia's door, her role being placed on the placard rather than a name. Other's lights were on, but it was safe to assume she had just forgot flick the light switch. The bright light spilled over the both of them as Cecilia opened the door, and finally let go of Rook's hand to lift her boa off her shoulders, placing the feathery mess on the coat rack next to the door. It's a rather decadent room, The set designers had obviously taken a slice out of Old Hollywood's idea of western glamour. The deep, rich teals paired with greys, blacks and soft whites were very evocative of blue-jays, In fact, blue jays were mixed into all the decor. It was a bit heavy handed with the theming but the most eye catching thing was the golden bird cage hanging in the corner, halfway covered by blue velvety curtains. The tie for them laid on the floor, Cecilia hadn't taken the time to close them properly. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "I imagine they want footage in here." She tilted her head sharply to the camera in the corner. It isn't recording right now, but the intent is obvious.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook laughed awkwardly at the suggestion of her not liking a sleep over. If anything, Rook would've loved to just have been around people for a whole night. She spent most of her life around horses and as much as she adores them, they don't make very good company at night.]

[Rook stepped into the room slowly. She was quickly enamored with the atmosphere with the room. It was so ornate in its design yet somehow not overwhelming to the eye. It was a perfect balance between embellished and tranquil if you ignored the camera in the corner. She halted in her footsteps suddenly, but she waited a few feet from the entrance. She looked at Cecilia with bright eyes, asking for a full invitation into the space.]

[She glared up at the camera. She had half a mind to take it down, but she knew tampering with equipment would probably lead to her "disqualification", and it was above such depricating measures.]

₊ ៸៸ How dare they film such privacy! These insolent bastards.

[She muttered the last part of her sentence as it slipped out of her mouth. She tried not to use such foul language especially in front of her lady, but sometimes she couldn't help herself. People nowadays were disgusting enough to film a lady in her own private space and it made Rook sick.]

[heartful-maiden]

Even if Rook hadn't met her it's curses to reach her lady's ears, they did nonetheless, and it earned a cheery giggle, that almost knocked her right to the ground. ( Not that it was too strong of a laugh for Cecilia to handle, it just happened to catch her as she was balancing on one foot to take her shoes off. ) ₊˚ ꒰ঌ"Ah, but it makes for such juicy storytelling, darling! Can you imagine how the people at home will feel, seeing one of us after a monumental loss, pacing in here! The quiet conversations, secret deals, all the drama that would all go missed if not for a handy little camera like that." You'd think Cecilia was buzzing with thrill to be filmed, to have every moment of what could very possibly be the last weeks of her life scraped for content. She was already stripping the bed of it's contents, hands shaking with every movement. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "Buuuuuut!~ we can hide from the cameras, nothing in the guidelines forbidding friends from making forts! Have you ever made one?" Her face easily shifted back into pure glee, shaking the quilt in a telling way, showing Rook her very special weapon against their bonding night being used against them. Cecilia hardly waited for any answer either, already pulling the chair from the vanity for structure.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook walked further into the room, taking it as that she could enter fully after staring at it so bedazzling. She still continued to look around as she was enamored with it. Such a refined room for a refined lady.]

[She listened closely to Cecilia's words about the film. She wasn't much enthused with the film industry, especially reality TV, so she didn't know too much about it. Even after Cecilia's explanation for the little camera sitting there, she still thought it was entirely too rude. What if it flicked on while Cecilia was getting dressed or during even direr situations that she refrained from thinking of? It was all too crude.]

[She tilted her head curiously at the idea of a fort. In all honesty, no, she really hadn't. Maybe when she was much smaller, but those days blur together very easily, so it was hard to remember.]

₊ ៸៸ No, I have not.

[She responded simply. Despite her lack of knowledge, she still wanted to help and took the vanity chair from Cecilia's arms and placed it near the bed, assuming that's where it would go.]

[heartful-maiden]

₊˚ ꒰ঌ "Oh, you're so helpful, dear! You could have fooled me!" Maybe she's laying on her encouragement a little thick, only wanting to make sure Rook doesn't feel out of place. Cecilia took a step or two backwards as Rook, giving her room to work. Idly swaying as if the moment the task was lifted from her hands, she forgot what was happening. It took the full moment of Rook setting up the chair before she fluttered back into action, draping the blanket over the bed and chair. Leaving a perfect space underneath for a pair to lay.

Sideways, Cecilia stepped over to a shelf- it's not a large room, about as small as a jail cell even, and takes an small bunch of books. Without turning around, she holds about half of them out to Rook, asking her to take them wordlessly.

₊˚ ꒰ঌ "I wonder if by peeling back this wallpaper- If I would find the last contestant's wallpaper- or a cement wall." Her wide eyes danced down the patterns of the wall, skipping between the wall decor set up. Anything heavy was screwed down, everything else was false, fake. When she honestly gazed at it all, it was evident how much this finery was still intended to cover up how much this was still a jail cell. Cecilia closed her eyes as she turned away the wall, only opening them once facing Rook, still smiling faintly- that mirth never really dropped fully, unless it was replaced with soft, mild, polite sadness. Nothing that couldn't be the subject of a painting. Suddenly, she recalled the false books still sitting in her arms, and she placed them down on one of the two corners of the blanket laying across the bed. It took more than it should, the books didn't hold any real weight after all, but they did work.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook nodded appreciatively to Cecilia's words. It felt nice to be encouraged even if it wasn't entirely real. She was quick to act on taking the books from Her Lady's hands. She set them down on the bed after as an attempt to gather more that Her Lady gave her.]

[She followed Cecilia's gaze, also looking around at the wallpaper, but she was much more intrigued by the decor. Her own room wasn't nearly as spectacular, but I suppose there's not much to work with when she has a title such as "Loyal Equestrian". Even if most of it was fake, it was so beautiful that it could fool the viewers. There was such a strange sentiment in it.]

[Rook only snapped back to life once Cecilia looked at her again. Her face flushed out of embarrassment of being so easily distracted.]

₊ ៸៸ I'd assume it to be cement. It can be quite difficult to layer wallpaper on top of each other.

[Rook responded. Her tone was rather monotonous compared to other times she spoke, which was peculiar from the vehement woman. However, nothing in her behavior seemed to change other than a visibly relaxed expression.]

[heartful-maiden]

₊˚ ꒰ঌ “That’s a shame. It would be nice to pry back the layers, see who was here before.”

Careful there. Cecilia started to sound like she was about to star in her own squeal of the Yellow Wallpaper. A yearning flooded her tone, saturating her eyes with an unreadable feeling.

Performance is part of any life, but a very special sort of isolation was coming from her entire identity being fabricated for the most perfect spectacle.

As if simple contact could starve off the disconnect making Cecilia’s vision swim, she stepped around the fort to grab Rook’s free hands.

Gracefully she sunk down low, trying to lure Rook with her to lay under their basic drapery.

₊˚ ꒰ঌ “Won’t you come inside?”

Her voice dripped with a mix of emotion. The way that her tone always swirled with affection, made an invitation so warm, Cecilia tried not to wince at her own longing.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook's gaze seemed to narrow at that comment but quickly returned back to its softened expression. She couldn't read her lady's expression all too well. She just waited for the next move which didn't take long to find her. Cecilia gentles grasp of her hands. The touch could easily make Rook melt like a candle next to an oven. Her face also flushed softly.]

[She nodded as she followed Cecilia into the fort. She ignored her mild discomfort because of her outfit. Waist coats were not certainly pleasant to sit down in, but she did anyways. For Cecilia, for her only lady. Her own discomfort seemed to regurgitate towards concern for Cecilia.]

₊ ៸៸ Are you comfortable, my dear?

[She gently squeezed Cecilia's hand that was suddenly encased in Rook's own. Her gaze full of worry. All Cecilia had to do was say the word, and Rook would be at her side assisting her in any way possible. She was like a delicate doll in Rook's eyes. A doll that deserved cradling, love, and the best care.]

[heartful-maiden]

It wasn't exactly a smile on Cecilia's face, but it was still joy. It creased with her eyes, sang in the air with her every breath as she reached over to push Rook's hair out of it's face. The maiden just couldn't keep either of her hands away from her. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "It must be stuffy in here, you're feeling warm." They both knew this space was extremely well ventilated. Cecilia mused over Rook's concern. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "My corset is a tad tight- I didn't think much about nightdresses before running off to find you..." She huffs under her breath, and rolls so her back is facing Rook. Her well manicured hand slips up her neck, holding pale curls out of the way. Cecilia's shorter hair isn't a recent development but the habit still takes over every time she asks for help. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "Would you mind loosening the strings, darling?"

Cecilia called everyone and anyone who crossed her path pet names, they spilled out of her mouth like sap from a tree. Sweet, with a way of sticking to you, wildly natural. Every dear and darling that Cecilia gave to Rook though were far more intentional, somehow sweeter. Still natural-- more like honey. Deliberately picked out of the cupboard, oozed onto a spoon and mixed into the tea of Rook's brain.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook let out an embarrassed laugh at Cecilia's first comment. She had a feeling her cheeks were a bit rosy from the previous interactions. Her cheeks only warming as the interaction went on. She takes the hint as soon as Cecilia moves over as has her back faced towards herself. Her eyes going wide for a moment until she hears the full extent of what her lady's asking. In all honesty, Rook had always had a mind stuck in the gutter. She thought it might disappear as she got older, but it only seemed to worsen instead.]

[She nodded excessively, not that Cecilia could even see it. She carefully undid the ribbon strings that were tied in a bow, just to get the surplus fabric out of the way. She went row by row with a small tug of her finger on the ribbon laced along the corset. She began to start a much looser bow but paused momentarily.]

₊ ៸៸ Is that alright?

[She was always such a cautious woman. She was so abudantly loyal that one wrong step might ruin her overzealous attitude immediately. She took extra precautions around someone of such fine nobility as Cecilia. She didn't want to imagine the possibility of doing anything wrong. She couldn't tell if she was afraid of the mistake itself or the potential repercussions.]

[loyal-equestrian]

It was after the interviews, the back stage dim- never fully dark, even their right to a proper night stripped in the favor of surveillance. If anyone else dressed in black was sneaking, they’d have a chance of blending in. Unfortunately, with a hat left in her room, the bright blonde was a beacon.

Finding Room wasn’t a hard task, Cecilia launched into a skip when she spotted her- already relieved that she hadn’t missed a shot of speaking to it one on one.

Her hands landed its shoulders, somehow devoid of all force even though she hopped into it with her whole body.

“Boo!”

Before the laughter even sounded, it started with the scrunch of her eyes, and spread her lips into a grin that proceeded the giggles, her curls springing with her shaking shoulders. Cecilia’s fingers started to take a little stroll down Rook’s arm, humming merrily all the way.

“My dear, Rook! You did wonderful on your interview- I’d be plum surprised if you aren’t ruling the roost of the audience’s hearts.”

A slight pause, before Cecilia’s entire face lit up with an idea, eyes sparkling without the need for any lights trained on them.

“Why don’t you come spend the night with me? They didn’t say anything about keeping company. I’ve hardly gotten a second alone with you since roulette!”

The intentions were completely innocent- there wasn’t a trace of malice in the maiden’s tone, no clue pointing toward trying to temp Rook to a more secluded spot to “thin out the competition.”

Eerie quiet permeated the air, but Cecelia made everything feel natural. As if nothing was out of place for these circumstances. As if the world entire bended to make her intentions ring true.

- @heartful-maiden

[The equestrian lady's shoulders tensed as Cecilia came up behind her. She snapped her head to look behind her, but she relaxed once she realized who her tormenter was. Her expression lit up once she saw her lady. She let Cecilia's arm roll its way down her arm before she turned around to face the woman behind her.]

[She bowed to Cecilia after the compliment. She tried to hide the faint blush that appeared across her cheeks afterwards, but it was a futile attempt. She straightens up quickly and clasps her hands behind her.]

₊ ៸៸ You are much too kind, My Lady.

[Rook responded with a resounding beating in her chest. She always seemed to get this flustered and bashful whenever Cecilia was around. She just had that certain poise about her that made Rook head-over-heels.]

[Cecilia popped the question, and Rook couldn't believe what she was hearing. A night alone with her lady? She couldn't believe it! Even if there was malicious intent, Rook wouldn't noticed it from a mile away.]

₊ ៸៸ Are you sure? I wouldn't want to intrude on the privacy of a noblewoman!

[Despite her coyness, she remained composed enough to be sure. She wouldn't want to accidentally ruin the friendship between her and such a lovely woman.]

[heartful-maiden]

Habitually, Cecilia's head tilted following Rook's bow, curls cutting in front of her face. Her hand darted up to tuck them behind her ears, mindlessly always adjusting, always ready for any camera, any prying eyes that could pass poor judgement on her. However, the only person watching was Rook, who would never think twice about "Her Lady"'s hair coming undone. Still, Cecilia straightened herself out the level of revelry it was gifting her was perfectly commonplace. Cecilia was a lady after all- people did owe her respect, at least in this bubble of reality Bet and Forgive manufactured. Rook expressed her doubts, and the maiden dusted off the skirts of her dress, innocently clasping her hands together. ཻུ⸙͎ “I’m absolutely positive! You’re always free to decline.”

With her grin, Cecilia's face didn't give away a drop of anxiety about Rook potentially turning her request down. Her hands darted to her boa, twisting the fluff about in a coil round her finger before letting it fall back into place.

ཻུ⸙͎ “You’re precious company to me. I didn’t mind watching over poor Sandbag, but I couldn’t help but wish I was with more familiar company. At least company that could speak back." Cecilia swayed slightly, blinking to herself. It was a nervous tendency, like the wings of her brain fluttering, trying to take off with how much energy her anxious thoughts produced when she was thinking hard, searching for a feel on the situation. Luckily for Cecilia this looked much more like batting eyelashes, pleading Rook to say yes; as opposed to the reality of tracing over the words that just left her mouth. The longer it took to get an answer, (it wasn't long at all, her mind was just stretching this moment into taffy) the more her mind spun, and lashes beat in time to her pounding heart.Cecilia tried to put it to a halt with a gentle grin. Ladies don't overthink. ཻུ⸙͎ "If you aren't up for it, maybe you'll grant me the pleasure of walking you to your room?"

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook's heart swells at the invitation being opened (it was open before, but she had to make sure). Internally, she was prancing around and twirling Cecilia in her arms with saying yes a thousand times over as if they were getting engaged, but in reality, Rook was as still as a statue.]

[Cecilia's imitated batting only served to fluster poor Rook worse somehow, though every little detail about Cecilia seemed to fluster her. She also couldn't believe the words coming out of Cecilia's mouth. "Precious company"? The Loyal Equestrian herself was precious company to the most outstanding, brilliant, and marvelous noblewoman she knew. She could've made such a scene about it, but she didn't.]

[Instead she gently takes one of her lady's hands in hers. Her eyes shining brilliantly in the dim light.]

₊ ៸៸ I'd love to accompany you tonight.

[She would've said more, but she feared any other words coming out of her mouth would've been more than just a slip of the tongue.]

[heartful-maiden]

It would take a fool to not be able to spot how her shoulders thawed at Rook's words, head lulling. All her body language melted in fact, as enticing as frosting on a freshly baked cake. With the drip, her eyes also drooped before she brought her tender gaze back up sharply.

₊˚ ꒰ঌ “Really?” Her voice lilted into a sing-song ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "You're such a gentle-lady." The tone was now almost veering into a coo, shoulders squared back as her hand served to conceal the smile, a job normally reserved for a fan.

Like a curtain draw, Cecilia moved her hand from her lips to unveil the very tip of her tongue sticking out, the playfulness perfectly framed by her lips stretched into a coy smile.

While Rook was hopefully distracted by Cecilia's theater of the face, she let the hand that it wasn't holding slide over so now it was Cecilia who was cupping the equestrian's hand, and leading her along. Every step careful, slow, walking backwards to not take her eyes off of Rook's stone-ish features quiet yet. Watching for any sign of not wanting to follow. If the gentle pull, wasn't enough a clue that she was intending to guide Rook down the halls, the fact her heels had started their signature click was a dead give away. Somehow, even the harshness of heels managed to sound modest. The carpet must be a help, but it was so flat and worn, they may as well have been walking on tile.

₊˚ ꒰ঌ “I'll do my very best to make sure you don't have a terrible time- Oh my heavens! I haven't had a sleepover since my school days. Where on earth did the time go?"

Cecilia wouldn’t call sharing a cell a sleepover.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook tilted her head curiously at being called a gentle-lady. She personally thought she was far from one herself, but she appreciated the compliment from Cecilia nonetheless.]

[Rook let out a small laugh at Cecilia's theatrics. Cecilia was such a darling to be around, Rook couldn't imagine spending this night with anyone else right now. She was so entranced in this one woman that she might forget entirely why she's here: To be pardoned.]

[Rook took the hint and followed Cecilia's slow footsteps. She hadn't noticed that their handholding had swapped places yet despite being tugged along. Everything about this noblewoman was just ever so perfect. Rook swore that Cecilia was an angel from heaven, descended down to grace these vile criminals with her holy presence, and It wishes she would never leave.]

₊ ៸៸ I do not believe I've ever been to one.

[A rather nervous expression crosses the equestrian's face afterwards. It's a strange thing to admit, but it is unfortunately true.]

[heartful-maiden]

Positive now that her cue had been caught, Cecilia adjusted her hand in Rook's to allow her to spin around, face forward. her skirt swished around her ankles, layers fluttering against each other. Walking backwards through unfamiliar halls is unwise enough, adding her current footwear into the mix was asking to bump into a wall. As Rook confessed to having a complete lack of sleepover in it's life, Cecilia was interlocking their fingers together while humming a noise of surprise. At least, it might have been surprise. It was harder to tell now that she was facing away, eyes more trained on looking out for the right door. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "Aha, they've been going out of style I suppose-" It was half true, in any culture where crime is centered in entertainment, the notion of sending your vulnerable children to unfamiliar homes was going to be unpopular. Though Cecilia knew that this was a factor, she was deeply aware that Rook might not have been that popular. The former angle was the gentler approach.

₊˚ ꒰ঌ "Really, that's for the best. Teenagers are terribly immature. You wouldn't have liked it much- we can have ourselves a refined night."

Light peaked out from under Cecilia's door, her role being placed on the placard rather than a name. Other's lights were on, but it was safe to assume she had just forgot flick the light switch. The bright light spilled over the both of them as Cecilia opened the door, and finally let go of Rook's hand to lift her boa off her shoulders, placing the feathery mess on the coat rack next to the door. It's a rather decadent room, The set designers had obviously taken a slice out of Old Hollywood's idea of western glamour. The deep, rich teals paired with greys, blacks and soft whites were very evocative of blue-jays, In fact, blue jays were mixed into all the decor. It was a bit heavy handed with the theming but the most eye catching thing was the golden bird cage hanging in the corner, halfway covered by blue velvety curtains. The tie for them laid on the floor, Cecilia hadn't taken the time to close them properly. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "I imagine they want footage in here." She tilted her head sharply to the camera in the corner. It isn't recording right now, but the intent is obvious.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook laughed awkwardly at the suggestion of her not liking a sleep over. If anything, Rook would've loved to just have been around people for a whole night. She spent most of her life around horses and as much as she adores them, they don't make very good company at night.]

[Rook stepped into the room slowly. She was quickly enamored with the atmosphere with the room. It was so ornate in its design yet somehow not overwhelming to the eye. It was a perfect balance between embellished and tranquil if you ignored the camera in the corner. She halted in her footsteps suddenly, but she waited a few feet from the entrance. She looked at Cecilia with bright eyes, asking for a full invitation into the space.]

[She glared up at the camera. She had half a mind to take it down, but she knew tampering with equipment would probably lead to her "disqualification", and it was above such depricating measures.]

₊ ៸៸ How dare they film such privacy! These insolent bastards.

[She muttered the last part of her sentence as it slipped out of her mouth. She tried not to use such foul language especially in front of her lady, but sometimes she couldn't help herself. People nowadays were disgusting enough to film a lady in her own private space and it made Rook sick.]

[heartful-maiden]

Even if Rook hadn't met her it's curses to reach her lady's ears, they did nonetheless, and it earned a cheery giggle, that almost knocked her right to the ground. ( Not that it was too strong of a laugh for Cecilia to handle, it just happened to catch her as she was balancing on one foot to take her shoes off. ) ₊˚ ꒰ঌ"Ah, but it makes for such juicy storytelling, darling! Can you imagine how the people at home will feel, seeing one of us after a monumental loss, pacing in here! The quiet conversations, secret deals, all the drama that would all go missed if not for a handy little camera like that." You'd think Cecilia was buzzing with thrill to be filmed, to have every moment of what could very possibly be the last weeks of her life scraped for content. She was already stripping the bed of it's contents, hands shaking with every movement. ₊˚ ꒰ঌ "Buuuuuut!~ we can hide from the cameras, nothing in the guidelines forbidding friends from making forts! Have you ever made one?" Her face easily shifted back into pure glee, shaking the quilt in a telling way, showing Rook her very special weapon against their bonding night being used against them. Cecilia hardly waited for any answer either, already pulling the chair from the vanity for structure.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook walked further into the room, taking it as that she could enter fully after staring at it so bedazzling. She still continued to look around as she was enamored with it. Such a refined room for a refined lady.]

[She listened closely to Cecilia's words about the film. She wasn't much enthused with the film industry, especially reality TV, so she didn't know too much about it. Even after Cecilia's explanation for the little camera sitting there, she still thought it was entirely too rude. What if it flicked on while Cecilia was getting dressed or during even direr situations that she refrained from thinking of? It was all too crude.]

[She tilted her head curiously at the idea of a fort. In all honesty, no, she really hadn't. Maybe when she was much smaller, but those days blur together very easily, so it was hard to remember.]

₊ ៸៸ No, I have not.

[She responded simply. Despite her lack of knowledge, she still wanted to help and took the vanity chair from Cecilia's arms and placed it near the bed, assuming that's where it would go.]

[heartful-maiden]

₊˚ ꒰ঌ "Oh, you're so helpful, dear! You could have fooled me!" Maybe she's laying on her encouragement a little thick, only wanting to make sure Rook doesn't feel out of place. Cecilia took a step or two backwards as Rook, giving her room to work. Idly swaying as if the moment the task was lifted from her hands, she forgot what was happening. It took the full moment of Rook setting up the chair before she fluttered back into action, draping the blanket over the bed and chair. Leaving a perfect space underneath for a pair to lay.

Sideways, Cecilia stepped over to a shelf- it's not a large room, about as small as a jail cell even, and takes an small bunch of books. Without turning around, she holds about half of them out to Rook, asking her to take them wordlessly.

₊˚ ꒰ঌ "I wonder if by peeling back this wallpaper- If I would find the last contestant's wallpaper- or a cement wall." Her wide eyes danced down the patterns of the wall, skipping between the wall decor set up. Anything heavy was screwed down, everything else was false, fake. When she honestly gazed at it all, it was evident how much this finery was still intended to cover up how much this was still a jail cell. Cecilia closed her eyes as she turned away the wall, only opening them once facing Rook, still smiling faintly- that mirth never really dropped fully, unless it was replaced with soft, mild, polite sadness. Nothing that couldn't be the subject of a painting. Suddenly, she recalled the false books still sitting in her arms, and she placed them down on one of the two corners of the blanket laying across the bed. It took more than it should, the books didn't hold any real weight after all, but they did work.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook nodded appreciatively to Cecilia's words. It felt nice to be encouraged even if it wasn't entirely real. She was quick to act on taking the books from Her Lady's hands. She set them down on the bed after as an attempt to gather more that Her Lady gave her.]

[She followed Cecilia's gaze, also looking around at the wallpaper, but she was much more intrigued by the decor. Her own room wasn't nearly as spectacular, but I suppose there's not much to work with when she has a title such as "Loyal Equestrian". Even if most of it was fake, it was so beautiful that it could fool the viewers. There was such a strange sentiment in it.]

[Rook only snapped back to life once Cecilia looked at her again. Her face flushed out of embarrassment of being so easily distracted.]

₊ ៸៸ I'd assume it to be cement. It can be quite difficult to layer wallpaper on top of each other.

[Rook responded. Her tone was rather monotonous compared to other times she spoke, which was peculiar from the vehement woman. However, nothing in her behavior seemed to change other than a visibly relaxed expression.]

[heartful-maiden]

₊˚ ꒰ঌ “That’s a shame. It would be nice to pry back the layers, see who was here before.”

Careful there. Cecilia started to sound like she was about to star in her own squeal of the Yellow Wallpaper. A yearning flooded her tone, saturating her eyes with an unreadable feeling.

Performance is part of any life, but a very special sort of isolation was coming from her entire identity being fabricated for the most perfect spectacle.

As if simple contact could starve off the disconnect making Cecilia’s vision swim, she stepped around the fort to grab Rook’s free hands.

Gracefully she sunk down low, trying to lure Rook with her to lay under their basic drapery.

₊˚ ꒰ঌ “Won’t you come inside?”

Her voice dripped with a mix of emotion. The way that her tone always swirled with affection, made an invitation so warm, Cecilia tried not to wince at her own longing.

[loyal-equestrian]

[Rook's gaze seemed to narrow at that comment but quickly returned back to its softened expression. She couldn't read her lady's expression all too well. She just waited for the next move which didn't take long to find her. Cecilia gentles grasp of her hands. The touch could easily make Rook melt like a candle next to an oven. Her face also flushed softly.]

[She nodded as she followed Cecilia into the fort. She ignored her mild discomfort because of her outfit. Waist coats were not certainly pleasant to sit down in, but she did anyways. For Cecilia, for her only lady. Her own discomfort seemed to regurgitate towards concern for Cecilia.]

₊ ៸៸ Are you comfortable, my dear?

[She gently squeezed Cecilia's hand that was suddenly encased in Rook's own. Her gaze full of worry. All Cecilia had to do was say the word, and Rook would be at her side assisting her in any way possible. She was like a delicate doll in Rook's eyes. A doll that deserved cradling, love, and the best care.]

[loyal-equestrian]

🫵 i know what you are...✂️✂️✂️✂️✂️✂️✂️✂️✂️✂️

₊ ៸៸ I am not a pair of scissors-

₊ ៸៸ Oh.

[loyal-equestrian]

ONE HUNDRED HORSE PLUSHIES FOR THE EQUESTRIAN!!!!!

₊ ៸៸ WHERE DID YOU GET ALL OF THESE?!?

[loyal-equestrian]

70?

₊ ៸៸ Yes, I do. I owe my life to her.

[loyal-equestrian]

27, 29, and 8 for the ask game :)

8:

₊ ៸៸ I believe equestrianism is a sport, so yes, I have.

27:

₊ ៸៸ Heaven's no! I can't imagine breaking anyone's heart, it's just cruel.

29:

₊ ៸៸ No. I've never had one.

[livixdunne-blog]

70 horrible questions ... Fuck it

01: Do you have a good relationship with your parents? 02: Who did you last say “I love you” to? 03: Do you regret anything? 04: Are you insecure? 05: What is your relationship status? 06: How do you want to die? 07: What did you last eat? 08: Played any sports? 09: Do you bite your nails? 10: When was your last physical fight? 11: Do you like someone? 12: Have you ever stayed up 48 hours? 13: Do you hate anyone at the moment? 14: Do you miss someone? 15: Have any pets? 16: How exactly are you feeling at the moment? 17: Ever made out in the bathroom? 18: Are you scared of spiders? 19: Would you go back in time if you were given the chance? 20: Where was the last place you snogged someone? 21: What are your plans for this weekend? 22: Do you want to have kids? How many? 23: Do you have piercings? How many? 24: What is/are/were your best subject(s)? 25: Do you miss anyone from your past? 26: What are you craving right now? 27: Have you ever broken someone’s heart? 28: Have you ever been cheated on? 29: Have you made a boyfriend/girlfriend cry? 30: What’s irritating you right now? 31: Does somebody love you? 32: What is your favourite color? 33: Do you have trust issues? 34: Who/what was your last dream about? 35: Who was the last person you cried in front of? 36: Do you give out second chances too easily? 37: Is it easier to forgive or forget? 38: Is this year the best year of your life? 39: How old were you when you had your first kiss? 40: Have you ever walked outside completely naked? 51: Favourite food? 52: Do you believe everything happens for a reason? 53: What is the last thing you did before you went to bed last night? 54: Is cheating ever okay? 55: Are you mean? 56: How many people have you fist fought? 57: Do you believe in true love? 58: Favourite weather? 59: Do you like the snow? 60: Do you wanna get married? 61: Is it cute when a boy/girl calls you baby? 62: What makes you happy? 63: Would you change your name? 64: Would it be hard to kiss the last person you kissed? 65: Your best friend of the opposite sex likes you, what do you do? 66: Do you have a friend of the opposite sex who you can act your complete self around? 67: Who was the last person of the opposite sex you talked to? 68: Who’s the last person you had a deep conversation with? 69: Do you believe in soulmates? 70: Is there anyone you would die for?

[iodine-coated-cleaver-deactivat]

gng please ask….

[paran0idcosmol0gist]

// hi I’ll answer these as Vega 🥹🥹 (I miss posting on this account every 3 seconds /hj)

[loyal-equestrian]

// i forgot to mention i'd be doing this on this blog as well.. especially since TUMBLR WONT LET ME SEE MY BONES BLOG ...

[loyal-equestrian]

did you even have friends before this show ?

₊ ៸៸ It's rude to ask someone about their personal life when you don't know them.

[loyal-equestrian]

soooooo what’s your type?

₊ ៸៸ Women.

[She's not picky.]

[loyal-equestrian]

do you think the justice system is always right? does it get weaponized against anyone?

₊ ៸៸ That is a... deep seated question. I think the justice system has flaws as everything man-made does...

[She trails off after and doesn't pick it back up.]