beautiful as the dawn

regnantdawn‌:

As quickly as he dared was enough to make the young woman gasp–she hadn’t expected to be moved so quickly, and her grasp on him tightened slightly.

Once they were secure in the lift, she glanced about the gilded cage, confused by its workings. Of course she knew what a lift was, what it typically looked like, but this was perhaps a modern version? Perhaps…

“A soldier? What sort of museum-library is this that it would have German soldiers?” She frowned. “Have things changed so much since I’ve been…well, asleep? Do libraries require soldiers now? Am I in Germany?”

“…you don’t know me. You don’t know my name, so you wouldn’t know how long I’ve been in that…that…encasement, either, hm? Is there anyone who might?”

“A very organized sort. It’s complicated.”

“May I ask.. how long you’ve been asleep? Do you remember the year?”

Horst wasn’t sure how many rules he had broken in waking the mysterious woman, but he knew it was a lot. He also felt quite strongly that he had done the right thing. Even if it had been technically wrong.

“Germany? What? Oh! My accent, you mean? No, no, we’re in England. Quite an ear you’ve got, picking that up. You’re the first person to notice in a long while.”

Horst adjusted his hold on Aurora as he felt the liftcar slow; his gaze directed to the cage doors as they slid into alignment. Although he offered her a small smile, inwardly he prayed that the hallway would be empty when the doors opened.

“Don’t you worry your pretty head about anything, alright? I’ll take care of you, I promise. Just.. if we see someone, let me do the talking..”

“You also called me Prinzessin.” She pointed out, offering a small smile. “I’m...not certain why I know that, but I know that it’s German. I also know that I’m not, but I can’t tell you why I know that, either. I don’t think I’m entirely English...that doesn’t sound right to me.” The young woman gave a small, defeated sigh. It was still nice to know that she recognized something.

Her grasp tightened slightly as the doors began to open, glancing between Horst and the hall that opened up to them. He had tensed, as if expecting...well, expecting just about anything, really. That wasn’t particularly reassuring, and the young woman clung to him in her anxiety.

“Alright.” She managed after a moment, and then, far more quietly, “Are you in some trouble? Have I gotten you into trouble somehow? I’m terribly sorry...”

regnantdawn‌:

“I don’t…” She glanced down to her feet, bare and already feeling a bit chilled. “No, I suppose I don’t mind.”

Still, she hesitated, just a moment or two longer before reaching to wrap her arms around Horst’s broad shoulders as he lifted her up with startling ease. Alarm bells continued to ring in her mind, but it was becoming less and less due to Horst’s presence and more to the fact that she simply didn’t remember anything at all. He seemed to truly want to help, but what about anyone else they might encounter?

“You are very strong, Mr. Cabal.” She replied after a moment, clinging close to him. “Will you be entirely honest with me, if I ask if I can trust you..?”

“I’ve got you, Prinzessin, it’s alright, you’re safe.”

Horst tucked the previously-slumbering beauty against his chest, his arms cradling her back and legs. He moved with human slowness as he carried her out into the hall- —glancing quickly in both directions– –before stepping as quickly as he dared towards the lift.

“Can you trust me? Corr, I’d be offended if you weren’t a distressed damsel. Yes, you can trust me. See the uniform? I’m sort of.. ah, like a soldier. It’s my job to keep ladies like you safe.”

#;horst #infamouscabal #v; agents of dee #A: has a million questions #Also A: my you are strong

As quickly as he dared was enough to make the young woman gasp--she hadn’t expected to be moved so quickly, and her grasp on him tightened slightly.

Once they were secure in the lift, she glanced about the gilded cage, confused by its workings. Of course she knew what a lift was, what it typically looked like, but this was perhaps a modern version? Perhaps...

“A soldier? What sort of museum-library is this that it would have German soldiers?” She frowned. “Have things changed so much since I’ve been...well, asleep? Do libraries require soldiers now? Am I in Germany?”

“...you don’t know me. You don’t know my name, so you wouldn’t know how long I’ve been in that...that...encasement, either, hm? Is there anyone who might?”

regnantdawn‌:

“The infirmary?” She glanced about again, wrapping the jacket around herself–it wasn’t difficult, she was swimming in the fabric. “Is this…a ship? A boarding school?” What sort of building had an infirmary on hand?

Carefully, she began to move herself to her feet. She was forced to take it slowly for fear of her knees buckling, her fingers curling into Horst’s sleeve as she stood. He certainly was a large man, wasn’t he? And he didn’t know her, either. Very curious.

“You said you…you kissed me awake? Who are you?”

“Not a ship, no. More like.. a big library combined with a museum.”

Horst provided a steadying hand as the lady rose from her coffin, keeping his voice soft. He didn’t want to scare her any more than she already was.

“Ah, yes. Yes I did.” Horst smiled bashfully, glancing down at her bare feet- his brow creasing with worry.

“Horst Cabal, at your service, Miss. Do you mind terribly if I pick you up? It’s only that we’ve got a bit of a walk upstairs, and you don’t have any slippers…”

“I don’t...” She glanced down to her feet, bare and already feeling a bit chilled. “No, I suppose I don’t mind.”

Still, she hesitated, just a moment or two longer before reaching to wrap her arms around Horst’s broad shoulders as he lifted her up with startling ease. Alarm bells continued to ring in her mind, but it was becoming less and less due to Horst’s presence and more to the fact that she simply didn’t remember anything at all. He seemed to truly want to help, but what about anyone else they might encounter?

“You are very strong, Mr. Cabal.” She replied after a moment, clinging close to him. “Will you be entirely honest with me, if I ask if I can trust you..?”

regnantdawn‌:

She didn’t actually expect to have any sort of answer, but it wasn’t just the large man that now held her hand that startled her. Safe wasn’t really a location, and this man wasn’t known to her–

Pulling her hand from his, she shifted to the side of the coffin away from him, her limbs shaking from disuse. Sleeping or cursed or something. Didn’t he realize how ridiculous that sounded? And yet…and yet she was in a coffin…

After a moment, she seemed to realize she was being spoken to, and finally met Horst’s eyes. And her mind went blank.

“…I…can’t remember...” She whispered.

“You can’t remember your name? Oh, that’s.. awful.”

Although Horst could understand how disorienting it might feel to wake up after being inert for a long period of time, he couldn’t imagine losing his memories. He frowned.

“I won’t hurt you, no need to be frightened. Here, you must be cold.”

Horst took off his jacket and draped it around her shoulders.

“Do you think you can stand? Might be best to take you upstairs, to the infirmary…”

“The infirmary?” She glanced about again, wrapping the jacket around herself--it wasn’t difficult, she was swimming in the fabric. “Is this...a ship? A boarding school?” What sort of building had an infirmary on hand?

Carefully, she began to move herself to her feet. She was forced to take it slowly for fear of her knees buckling, her fingers curling into Horst’s sleeve as she stood. He certainly was a large man, wasn’t he? And he didn’t know her, either. Very curious.

“You said you...you kissed me awake? Who are you?”

|| @regnantdawn [♥]

She had only just closed her eyes, or that’s how it had felt. The lights were blinding to eyes that hadn’t seen light in decades, and her hand shook as it lifted to shield them as they adjusted. This wasn’t right…this wasn’t home.

Well, at least she didn’t think it was. She didn’t remember, actually.

For a moment or two longer, the Sleeping Beauty lay still, attempting to take in her surroundings and settle a frightened and racing heart. Finally, she clutched the silken gown she wore to her to preserve her modesty and slowly sat up, hardly noticing anything else or anyone else that might be around her.

“Where am I..?” She asked quietly, more to herself than to anyone listening.

“Hullo! Oh, it worked! This is just.. aces! I kissed you… and you woke up! Like a princess in a fairy tale! Hullo, hi there!”

Kneeling beside the open glass coffin, Horst greeted the woman in soft, excited tones. He reached out to touch her hand; supporting her shoulder as she rose.

She was even prettier now that she was awake!

“Ah, well, that’s complicated. But I can promise you that you’re safe. I think you’ve been sleeping, or cursed or something, but if I know anything about curses its to ask my brother about it. I’m Horst, by the way. What’s your name? Oh, I bet it’s something lovely…”

She didn’t actually expect to have any sort of answer, but it wasn’t just the large man that now held her hand that startled her. Safe wasn’t really a location, and this man wasn’t known to her--

Pulling her hand from his, she shifted to the side of the coffin away from him, her limbs shaking from disuse. Sleeping or cursed or something. Didn’t he realize how ridiculous that sounded? And yet...and yet she was in a coffin...

After a moment, she seemed to realize she was being spoken to, and finally met Horst’s eyes. And her mind went blank.

“...I...can’t remember...” She whispered.