the phoenix

[serakaran]

zephyrjcksn‌:

Intriguing as it were, the procured extravagance didn’t draw Zephyr in as it did so many others. A facade, of which he was sure. Purely because he’d seen the workings of the darkest of beings and understood all too well that the art of distraction was as lethal as a violent act in and of itself. It was merely a matter of when such glamorous displays would turn bloody that held his interest. Hues that leveled easily with all those he spoke to taking in every detail that so many might miss. Conversations in hushed tones, the linger of a hand a moment too long, dire glanced between associates. The oversight of Milena’s death had been of his own making, a momentary shift that only told him they weren’t enough steps ahead and the war that ensued only furthermore proved that for a split second - they’d underestimated the Vittori. A rough pill to swallow - yet one that he refused to choke on as yet. His every effort to pull them from the ground up only left them as strong as their weakest soldier; a fact that Zephyr intended to swiftly change - he could only protect those willing to offer the same in return.

Thoughts which all plagued a never slowing mind, despite conversation splitting to things far more mundane. The interruption was one that he easily welcomed, one that had yet painted itself in a heady light beyond the parting of those around him. Turning, it was devastatingly obvious to what might have offered such a reaction, and while one of such reasons did not pose itself in a momentary standoff in any light; she was perhaps more distracting. Conversation around him lulled to a dull roar as he shifted to meet her. His towering figure didn’t seek to overwhelm, hands pressed deeply into the pockets of his pants as she spoke, the toying, unbridled lift of his brow at her jest a far easier one to offer than that of those surpassing the months she’d been gone. “You’d think by now that nothin’ would have been a ‘cause for worry between us, an’ yet here you are, doubtin’ my ability to run a fuckin’ bar.”

It had been well over a decade since Sera came to recognize that while Zephyr wielded the power to intimidate or coerce anyone into bending towards his will by mere presence alone, he had never sought to enact as much against her. Not even for a moment. Perhaps she never allotted the correct circumstance in her faithful occupation at his side, but even in the earliest days of their interactions... He simple existed as he meant to and granted her the opportunity to choose this life, to choose him. She always had. “I never doubt your abilities,” the brunette mused with a furtive smile. “I just enjoy leaving the opportunity open to be perpetually surprised by you.” The most that they can grant each other is playful jest when in public, something harmless and innocuous, but the expression lingering behind two gazes held another story entirely.

“Would you excuse us?” She addresses the few stragglers who remain loitering as if awaiting the opportunity to swoop in like vultures for another moment of his time, which now belonged to Sera. Her tone left no room for rebuttal and, inevitably, the others dissipated into an already saturated crowd as she pivoted into perhaps the most important reason to speak with him. Not fond of lingering ears, she led Zephyr a bit further into the property. “I know your memory isn’t short, so I’ll state the obvious. This reeks of the same scene as Vincent Vittori’s unfortunate murder.” One their organization undoubtedly orchestrated for Ivory gain which spiraled from that point onward. “The Vargas family are a bunch of snakes and I didn’t trust them from the moment I walked in. Which means I know that you don’t trust their bullshit philanthropy.”

[serakaran]

xwickedsins‌:

The need to prove one’s self was a beast of a battle, and of all the people Jackie had come to know over the course of the last two years, no one quite understood her like Sera did. Her superior’s arrival in Montreal had brightened the capo’s spirits considerably, even if it did coincide with a party in which she had no interest. “Thank God you’re home. I’ve had to report to Zeph directly and he intimidates the fuck outta me,” Jackie spilled, dropping her hand away from the hem of her dress. It was obvious she felt out of place. At the party, definitely, but also sometimes within the syndicate. Like maybe she didn’t deserve her spot or that she would inevitably fuck something up as she did with most things in her life. “Will I ever get used to these things?” she joked, swapping out her empty wine glass for a full one as a waiter passed before motioning to the throes of party-goers.

A wry smile overtook her lips as Sera lifted her own wine glass to painted lips. “He intimidates everyone, that’s his job.” Well, the consigliere supposed that was where the difference lay; she never feared Zephyr even under threat of death, only respected his authority and expertise in this cataclysmic world. “No, but you’ll look like you have adjusted. It’s about how you present yourself, I learned a long time ago that appearances are half of the battle.” Not necessarily in physical dress, but the way a woman carried herself and the poise exuded even under worst circumstance. “The rest of the time you just have to pretend as if you trust everyone passing you, while remaining aware that any one of them could be poised to stab you in the back. Quite literally.”

[serakaran]

ambrosenina‌:

Nina’s eyes shifted over her shoulder in a flash, an action only a select few could elicit from her with only the sound of their voice. Sera was an enigma; Nina did not know the full story of her history, but the older woman had always been a strong and loyal presence in her life and Emilia’s. Emilia would be lost without her and, as Sera climbed the ranks and displayed just why she was the perfect woman to do so, the more Nina thought that she might be too. “Sera, hi!” Her excitement was immediately diminished and something else clouded her visage; Nina hated when people were disappointed in her or greeted her with anything other than fondness, especially when it was someone whose opinion she valued. “Please, don’t do that. I already got the third degree from Zephyr, I don’t need it again.”

Of course she had received a similar treatment from the leader of the Ivories, both of them valued the singular heir to Milena King’s empire far more than the vasty majority. Not only did Emilia hold business relevance, but emotional as well... At least for Sera. "I’m sorry, I only just heard on my way here.” This party did not hold the appropriate atmosphere to interrogate Nina on precisely how this occurred under everyone’s careful scrutiny of Emilia, but the topic remained far from over and she sincerely hoped that the other woman recognized as much. “Are you enjoying yourself otherwise? This seems to be your ideal scene.”

[artacide]

[serakaran]

Special delivery for bae: @zephyrjcksn​

We’re touching down now. Welcome home, Ms. Karan. 

The pilot’s words spoken mere hours prior referred to an empty runway on some abandoned airstrip outside of Montreal, yet to Sera there had always been an underlying depth to such a demure phrase. Long had it shifted from a physical location and since become an active choice, an undeniable feeling, a specific person. Beyond her desire to receive any comprehensive update regarding their situation with two opposing enemies flanking either side of the Syndicate, came the undeniable obligation to discover his state of mind. Twelve and a half years operating side-by-side and never had the pair been separated for such an extended duration. No matter how necessary to ensure a proper hand off of Sera’s former responsibilities to Jackie’s capable hands, distance placed undue strain and relief would only be found in reunion.

Glamorous city wide events were a norm for their line of business, both the legitimate and illegitimate ones, but this particular party, coupled with natural apprehension, left an uncomfortable knot in her stomach. One that could not be relieved until she located the subject of her search, the reigning leader who nearly parted the crowd with his very presence. 

Those surrounding him pivoted upon catching a glimpse of her approach, at the very least intelligent enough to never stand between Sera and Zephyr. Neither would display any sort of public affection, however that hardly stopped the playful quip she reserved for him alone. “I was told on my way here that Le Rouge didn’t go bankrupt while I was gone. It turns out you might just be a decent businessman after all.”

[serakaran]

Special delivery for the child: @emiliaking​

In the two hours between her touchdown arrival at an abandoned airstrip and appearance in Montreal’s social circles for the first time in half a year, Sera had been immediately informed about the status of those closest to her personal interests. According to sources, Zephyr had been preoccupied, irritable, and engaging in a whole host of his less than savory characteristics; that news did not come as a surprise and, if anything, felt manageable. Emilia’s disappearance and return, however... It ricocheted through her ribcage with the force of a gunshot, knocking breath from otherwise steady lungs.

They had been speaking over the past few months, too infrequently for Sera’s preference, but always in touch as she occasionally discovered time. It became a priority when allowed, ensuring the safety of someone who physically existed as more of a family than the ghosts who resided in her heart. To be told that Emilia had lied to her, had run away from the safety net which carried the King heir, both infuriated and overwhelmed Sera to an unfathomable point.

She carried that concern whilst meandering through the boisterous crowd, all chattering away as if this were the festivity of the year with some greeting Sera in an effort to begin conversation. Their distracting tendencies could not divert her true intentions as she finally excused herself and clasped at the arm of a passing girl, operating through maternal instinct alone as she tugged Emilia behind a wall of foliage. The embrace was practically a deadlock, as if daring her younger counterpart to vanish once more. “Seni öldürebilirdim. What were you thinking? Don’t ever let me find out that you’ve run away again. You’ll give me grey hairs before my time.”

[serakaran]

Special delivery for the prodigal son: @frxmeden​

Montreal certainly hadn’t changed in any noticeable capacity after her departure, if only more peaceful as the storms ebbed to reveal a momentary bright spot amongst the destruction. Or perhaps they all lingered within the eye of a hurricane, temporarily relieved just before the wreckage once more obliterated everything in its path with no one left the wiser. Except the only man who ever managed to pinpoint calamity before its inevitable wake, eternally steps ahead of every person in the game. Zephyr.

The first person she sought out and, naturally, the missing guest she couldn’t locate. Pausing beside a group of lower level members in the Syndicate, Sera’s gaze ventured between a crowd cocktail of allies, enemies, and strangers without sight of him. "Where is Zephyr?” She asks pointedly to–– Luca was it? The consigliere had never been the fondest of his involvement in their business, intuition hinting against any semblance of trust in the young man, but for this moment she required him. Most were too infatuated with their leader’s very presence to take note of detail, but something about Luca... He seemed to observe Zephyr from another standpoint entirely and she held every belief that he wouldn’t allow the Boss out of sight for long. “If you don’t know then would you mind helping to look? Surely you can take a quick break from your friends. They aren’t going anywhere.”

[serakaran]

Special delivery for the protégé: @xwickedsins​

The other woman’s slender figure had long since been a welcomed sight in the short while that she had known Jackie as a member of the Ivory Syndicate. From the moment that the now capo entered their ranks, the potential billowing within her had come under such perilous scrutiny and reminded Sera of her own beginnings. Underestimated and questioned by all but one, the singular individual to whom she owed every semblance of her loyalty now. In the same breath, she created a similar bond of sorts to Jackie to secure both her allegiance and a damn good friend. "Stop fidgeting with your dress, you look beautiful.” Lips quirked ever so slightly at each corner once her companion pivoted to level hues upon her own. “Six months is a long time to be away. It’s nice to see you, Jackie.”

[serakaran]

ambrosenina‌:

Nina Ambrose was not the type of girl to turn down a party with free alcohol, even if it just happened to be thrown by the enemy. She was at her best with a glass in her hand, manicured nails tapping against it, one of her ticks. The Ivory girl would be careful, of course, but Nina would be lying if she said she was not out for some fun. 

There was always, however, work to be done. First she snapped a picture of a group of a few King Charity board members, women entirely too old for the outfits they were wearing, and paired it with a non-controversial caption about supporting Montreal’s newest business owners. Send tweet. Next, she tapped her own personal instagram and scrolled through a sea of photos before selecting just the right one. Smiling to herself, Nina took a sip of wine while her thumb flew across the iPhone keyboard. Post.

Now she could relax. “Interesting tactic, naming this place after a Grecian paradise,” she mused as she took in her surroundings. “Canada isn’t exactly the Mediterranean, though.”

Nina Ambrose had long since been an attachment to Emilia’s life, one Sera welcomed with open arms if it allowed for her pseudo sister to live a relatively sane and normal life. Yet precisely when reliance upon the wealthy media mogul became most necessary, she allowed the jewel of the Ivory Syndicate to slip through careless fingers. While the King heiress might have returned safely and others allowed themselves time to settle their tempers over the matter, the consigliere had only just learned of the news and her own burned lowly.

“No, it isn’t. The mediterranean is stunning in more ways than most could ever imagine.” Her poised frame did not move to either greet or rebuff the girl, simply observing with the faintest hint of disappointment. “You're in excellent spirits. It must be so wonderful having your best friend come home, a true relief. How long was Emilia gone again?”

[serakaran]

Special delivery for: @angclra​

Much had been instructed and absorbed over the last thirteen years, with the most prominent lesson being that she could never allow herself the languid breadth to trust any situation at face value. Every inch of grass held vipers waiting to strike, every cup of wine offered so easily diluted with poison, not to mention the risk of standing near to a balcony’s edge with stonework below. Survival echoed paramount and despite the glittering decadence which cloaked this event, Sera remained vigilant. "This is a beautiful party,” she mused aloud in a neutral tone, unwilling to reveal interest or boredom to the man at her side; Ángel Cabrera, someone whose personality she wished to interpret on her own terms. “But I am curious as to what are we’re meant to be celebrating?”

[serakaran]

henri-philippe‌:

A palm cupped the belly of a half pour of merlot, steely eyes surveying the property with the subdued interest that seemed to define Henri-Philippe Baudelaire. Something about the entire scenario struck him just as similarly as the night Vincenzo had been slain, the eery invitation, the smell of trouble in the air as volatile elements socialized. Tit for tat, the families had gone. Vincent, then Milena, and now, with Lorenzo comatose, Henri was leading the family. With the Vargas empire consuming the power vacuum that was growing within the city’s limits, Henri needed all of his little birds present and with their ears open.

It was evident the red prince was enjoying his silence, until movement in his periphery would drag a lazy gaze towards the figure brave enough to summon the courage to approach the small wine bar that Henri seemed to have staked a claim to. “And here I thought I’d spend my day free of stupidity.” He remarked with a demure smile.

The Vargas empire had been expanding throughout Sera’s absence from the city and from every update issued by those within her circle, the news of their territorial claims had only served to cause an edge to all parties. Chaos already reigned in the midst of a Vittori and Syndicate war, any additional party became another irritating factor that no one held time or patience to hurdle. All made only that more potent as the entire city filtered through the expansive property.

From the very second she arrived, emotional blow after emotional blow tested both her natural poise and the tutelage which the consigliere held so dear. Thus a short drink became required to maintain a level focus and ease any lingering tension... And naturally the closest opportunity boasted someone she’d rather drown than endure. "Perhaps you shouldn’t have opened your mouth then. I can’t prevent your own poor decisions.” Sera offered her own polite smile, tinged at the edges with malicious intent, before requesting her own drink from the bartender.

[talesofnorth]

So you might as well bloom. Because it’s going to be dark for a while.

[forthewickedrp]

ALIAS: Sera Karan

FACE CLAIM: Fahriye Evcen

AGE + DOB: Thirty-One | 09.16.1988

GENDER + PRONOUNS: Cis Female | She/Her

AFFILIATION: The Ivory Syndicate

OCCUPATION: Owner of Le Rougue Nightclub + Ivory Consigliere

THE STORY //

— kidnapping tw, murder tw, prostitution tw, death tw

Born and bred in a small fishing village on the cape between Turkey and the Grecian islands, Sera Karan could only recall beauty throughout her childhood. From the endless rolling hills, to the splendor of fields painted in wild flowers, to the wondrous architecture adorning their little town, some might consider her home to have been picturesque in nature. The reality, however, differed substantially and were she not a wide eyed child filled to the brim with hopeless dreams, perhaps she might have noticed. The eldest of six children, each day possessed a struggle for survival– their father worked long hours as a fisherman and their mother could barely earn enough liras to maintain a sustainable household.

By the time she reached seventeen, the dire straights of her family became increasingly clear to Sera and were only made more abundant the night that her father returned home from the docks with a proposition. He had heard a rumor in the shipyard about a man who matched young women up with American men wishing to pay a hefty sum for overseas brides. It would be an opportunity to remove excess mouths to feed while also ensuring that the Karan daughters might discover more fruitful lives across the ocean. It took less than ten minutes to convince their mother before Sera and her sister were instructed to pack with minimal information regarding their futures; that night their parents dreamt of the monetary gain whilst Sera lay awake imagining her American husband.

From the moment she and her sister stepped upon the docks to board a vessel destined for America amongst throngs of other girls from various surrounding villages, a sinking feeling entered the eldest Karan’s stomach and remained throughout their entire journey. Something wasn’t quite right about this arrangement. Why must they enter the country in secret? Why did no one utter even a word to the women? Her intuition proved steadfast and correct once they reached the port in New York City, unloaded like cattle in the dead of night from a cargo hold and into a truck which drove them through the seedy underbelly to what would become their new home: a rundown brothel located in what appeared to be a vacant warehouse.

There were no husbands. There was no promise of a better life. Just clients in need of more living product and a criminal organization which provided it to them… At a price. The conditions in which they lived were lackluster, to put it mildly, however those who ran the operation assured the working girls that the streets were far more dangerous if they chose to run away. The weapons on their hips only providing the faintest of deterrents, after all there were always more girls to replace anyone who even thought to escape. Six months into her tenure and another house opened across the city, those in charge opted to transfer some of the current staff to this new location and in doing so permanently separated Sera from her younger sister.

Some might say that initiated a breakdown of sorts, behavioral issues and pure insubordination welled up inside of the young woman until she finally burst like a pressure ridden pipe. A guard with far too much aggression in his bones attempted to strong arm her one evening and Sera retaliated with a shiv she had filed down on her own toothbrush, lacerating his arm and effectively ending her usefulness. No one would stand for a violent liability… Except one. Zephyr Jackson had been making the rounds that night, ensuring that the brothel operation was running smoothly when he witnessed the altercation. Somehow he took on a particular intrigue towards the girl and her fighting spirit, offering her the chance to work for him.

Over the next thirteen years he sculpted out a protégé of sorts, instructing and molding his ideal soldier within the Ivory Syndicate as she joined them properly and began to rise through the ranks. Becoming a Made Woman was easy, with nothing left to lose and the tutelage of how to simply “shut off” under pressure, Sera performed her hit flawlessly and earned her placement amongst the most lethal players in the game. She has continued to prove herself as not only ruthless when it comes down to the wire and the syndicate’s survival is at stake, but also rather level headed and amenable in tense negotiations. Her singular goal being to earn respect from the man who saved her life and ensure his pride in her accomplishments. In the last year, she seamlessly ventured from Capo with the task of establishing a drug foothold in the city of Montreal for the Ivory Syndicate, to Consigliere as the power structure shifted. Now returning from a six month tour in South America where she solidified their import connections and finally released the reigns of being a Capo, Sera accepts the newest responsibility thrust upon her whilst never forgetting the circumstances which brought her to this point.

WRITTEN BY MARTY. SHE/HER. PST.

[gorgeus-fashion]