#adriwyn

[valeriavaldis]

Looking over the calendars she’d bought the night before, Valeria sighed and started chewing on her lip, shaking her head at herself. She looked again at the valentine page and started to choke up. You know you’re being stupid about this, right? She sighed at her internal voice. Of course I am! But I can’t help it!

With another shake of her head, she closed the calendar up again, blinking back the tears that were threatening to fall. So talk to her, idiot! You have that option, at least! She nodded to herself this time, and sat down, trying to compose herself enough that at least her thoughts wouldn’t be shaky, no matter her voice.

<Are you awake, cousin?> She hoped she was using the device correctly, still not used to being the one to initiate contact.

<Hullo, darlin’! I am, yes. What’s up?>

The redhead couldn’t help but smile at Adriwyn’s mental voice, but now she had to answer that question, and she flushed, feeling foolish all over again. <I... I was... I got the calendar.> Idiot! You sound so stupid!

<Did you, now? And you thought of talking to me? I bet it’s really about Alex, but I still haven’t managed to make you two your own link yet.> Her tone was gently teasing, though it did seem a touch apologetic at that last part.

<I... umm... well, in part....> She flushed again. Why can’t I just ask her?

<Then what’s the rest of it, darlin’?> Her mental tone was surprisingly gentle, at least to her cousin.

<I... Are you two - three! - really coming home?> She cringed at her own pleading tone. At least that’s finally out in the open....

The diminutive tow-head blinked and paused for a moment in the cleaning of her clothes she’d been doing in the river. <Oh, sweetheart, are we worrying you that much? I’m so sorry... and I ... well. I can’t actually promise, but I certainly believe that we will indeed be back home, and fairly soon at that.>

<But you can’t promise... that means risk, doesn’t it?>

<It does, darlin’. Alex is champing at the bit, and I’m almost recovered - and she’s not sounding like she’ll settle for less than going after that Mantle witch ourselves. And you know I can’t let her do that alone.>

Valeria sighed heavily, nodding numbly as she sat alone in her room. <Of course you can’t - and I wouldn’t want you to. I just wish you two could leave it to others... but I suppose I can understand, too. But you’d better come back to us!>

<We’ll do our best, darlin’. And our best is really good. Hold onto that, hmm?>

<I’ll... I’ll try.>

[aleyannadenton]

The Desired Result

The talk between Aleyanna, Dawn, Adriwyn, and Alex had gone remarkably well, in a manner of speaking. Despite knowing that Alex still had some apprehensions on her end, she would still come to the planned party in a few days time. Renita would be thrilled to hear the news.

But Aleyanna knew that Alex still had some anger and disgust at Dawn, just from looking at her gaze when she revealed her plan to Dawn. Perhaps she was only doing it for her friends, just to save the holidays for them. But in the end, it didn’t matter. Wintersday could still be saved after all.

[aleyannadenton]

Ever Faster Descent

The night was awful for Aleyanna. In the span of an hour, it had gone from a chance of hope to all out angst and despair. It had all started as the operative made her way to the Shaemoor tea house as she had heard Dawn was there. Instead, she was greeted with Alex and Adriwyn mentioning that Dawn had already left long ago, and that the pair of them would not be attending the house party later on.

Aleyanna already knew the potential ramifications of that, but she just had to ask how Wintersday could get any worse. It came in the form of a new arrival to the shop, a certain Gregory. A smooth talker and charismatic, but also enduring a curse from Renita. One Aleyanna inquired about, along with a warning not to interfere with her again, and a potential promise to deal with the curse, but no guarantees.

And so, Aleyanna found herself heading back to the Refuge, hoping Dawn was there. To her surprise, or not, her wife was nowhere to be seen at the house. Tired, frustrated, angry, and drained, the operative just collapsed onto a sofa in the common room.

“Definitely not a merry Wintersday so far,” Aleyanna muttered as she fell asleep.

[aleyannadenton]

Ballroom Nights, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love My Friends

By all accounts, the Seraph Charity Ball did not go as planned in Aleyanna’s mind. Sure, there was being able to catch up with old friends. There was also the moments where new contacts were being made. But no one there could have forseen Mikaela’s revelation to Renita and the drama that unfolded between her and Luxelen.

Despite being told to enjoy the party by Renita and having Adriwyn arrive, Aleyanna found it difficult to enjoy, especially with Luxelen there being so unempathetic and unwilling to compromise at least for the sake of not causing a scene. So it was after a while that the operative found herself heading to the Salma Graveyard. Out of respect for her friends, she kept her distance at least until Alex made her way over. With the magister stepping forward, so too did Aleyanna and to her relief, there was a sense of calm and understanding.

What followed between the quartet was a long discussion of just how things were, how poisonous everyone was, but ultimately, how important and wonderful everyone was, despite their shortcomings. And with it becoming so late in the evening, it was agreed upon for all of them to spend the evening at Renita’s Rurikton estate.

Once there, the four friends were finally able to relax somewhat, as they all did something that wasn’t done at the ball, dance. With Renita leading Aleyanna and Alex guiding Adriwyn, each pair was at least able to enjoy the music and the dance without outside intrusions. Even with having to discuss Lux and her shenanigans afterwards, there was still positive chatter to have in regards to another bastion of friends, Flixxa and Mixxa.

So as the day came to an end and Aleyanna found herself sound asleep in one of the guest rooms, she couldn’t help but smile. Sure, nothing went to plan earlier, but in the end, it was probably better the night unfolded as it did. After all, what better way to celebrate than in an appropriate manner with friends and those who cared about you.

[aleyannadenton]

Small Things and Plans

A magnitude of positive thoughts were going through Mixxa’s mind as she found herself on the airship flight back to the Refuge Unlike the foray to Shaemoor the past Thursday, this latest visit turned out to be a positive as she found herself with the company of Adriwyn and Alexandria.

The main topic of focus for the time was on relationships, more to the point, how Mixxa and Flixxa’s one year anniversary of their first meeting came about. And the mistologist confessed that she had only envisioned preparing a nice dinner for the pair to enjoy. Mixxa also admitted to trying to keep the whole thing a surprise, so as not to ruin the moment. Thankfully, Magister LaCoria agreed to allow Mixxa to store some cookbooks at her place, to keep the secret.

And thus, Mixxa found herself attempting to be as inconspicuous as possible when she returned to the Refuge. Mostly, she didn’t want to alert any camera golems of the surprise she had in store. But even then, if her plan was exposed, it wouldn’t be problematic. It would just mean a second mind knew of what was planned. With a smile, the mistologist quickly deposited the books as instructed before heading back to Flixxa’s lab. After all, there was cake prepared from the teahouse to enjoy before it melted.

[alexandrialacoria]

When Winter Dawns, My Flowers Fade

Her mind was as damaged as her body was; her thoughts jumbled and half complete, repeating over and over again. One moment she was forced to relive Tacita’s death, watching the mutated form of her former student clutching at her sliced throat, wailing that she was dying, begging her Master for help.

Going dark momentarily, her mind then played through every possible outcome of Nepilim’s reaction to the news. Her other beloved student, the Sylvari that had been there the moment Tacita had awoken, guided her into life and eventually to Alexandria for learning. In one outcome, she watched Nepilim fall into the same crushing despair that she was; another saw her attacking Alexandria in rage for failing to protect her sister.

Again, the thought scattered, leaving her in crippling darkness before she saw Minthe. Her wife, standing there with the dagger in her hand, looking coldly upon the twisted form that she still dared call sister. No words came from her moving mouth, but even she faded into Mist, and Alexandria felt her stomach tighten painfully.

Crying out in pain, she woke up, still lying on the table in her room. Nausea overwhelmed her, and reaching out with her right arm she barely pulled the bucket close enough in time to retch into it. Shaking, she focused on the pain in her shoulder, it wasn’t as bad, but she could still feel the rent and stitched flesh pulling and tugging as she moved.

It was her legs that were the worst. Below her knee, she could barely feel anything, but what she could feel was enough to cause her to retch again, whimpering as only bile and a bit of omnomberry juice from the previous day came up. Adriwyn had told her that her legs were as shredded as her trousers had been, and by the tone in her voice she wondered if they were even still there. Did it matter? Dizziness and despair overcame her and she lowered her head down onto the rolled up blanket that served as her pillow, clutching the bucket tightly in her right arm.

In life, Mordremoth had threatened to take her wife from her. In death, he stole all the flowers in her life. Tacita was dead, and Nepilim would never be able to look at her again, much like she knew she would never be able to look at Minthe without seeing Tacita dying. Consciousness abandoned her again, sending her back into her nightmares, the hopeless abyss of loss.

[alexandrialacoria]

Leaving Home Again

Everything was packed and ready to go. After having spent so much time in her childhood home, it pained her to think about leaving again. As she closed the door behind her, she gave her childhood room a last look before the door clicked shut. With everything that had to be done, she didn’t know when she would be back, most likely Adriwyn would be back and using it long before she and Minthe did.

Making her way down the stairs, she shifted the pack on her back and looked down the split hallway. Left would take her to the front of the house or the garden, to the right was her mother’s quarters. That was the worst part of all of this, leaving her mother again especially since the pain of losing Laila was still raw.

Heading towards the private quarters, she set her pack on the floor outside the sitting room and knocked softly.

“Come in my light,” her mother said, likely not even looking up from the knitting that she was doing. Tietra sat on her usual loveseat, her legs curled up on the couch next to her, fingers expertly weaving strands of yarn together into some new creation. In this case, it was a baby blanket for Renita and Cameron’s child, something that would be of use to the child for many years.

“We’re about ready to head out mom,” instead of heading for one of the other three seats, she walked around the table and knelt on the floor in front of her mother. “Are you going to be okay?”

“I will be fine my dear,” Tietra said with her usual soft smile, knotting the yarn so she could safely set it aside. Her hands sought and found her daughter’s hair, fingers running through the silvery strands as she looked her child over. “I am your mother and naturally I’m worried about you. Having you back home for a while has been a welcome relief and rather nice as well.”

“Nothing will happen, I promise. I have a small army going with me this time.” Anytime her mother played with her hair, it made her feel like she was a child again, sitting in her mother’s lap after an argument with Lord LaCoria, or an amazing day with Master Thindrid where she learned something new about magic. “I’ll send daily messages letting you know how things are going. Plus, I’m pretty sure that if I didn’t, Mirex would.”

“That she would my light. Like me, she knows what it’s like to worry about you when you’re off on an assignment. Perhaps it’s hypocritical of us, since when we’re in the field, we’re to remain in the dark, leaving our loved ones wondering. But, you are not a Blade, so we know you can send word.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Alexandria smirked, rising on her knees to hug her mother. “I promise I will keep in touch. I love you mom.”

“I love you too Alexandria. I’ve already said goodbye to Mirex and Minthe, and tell your dearest Adriwyn that I send my love and best wishes along with her as well.”

“I will,” she giggled as her mother kissed her forehead and squeezed her tightly, holding her close for several moments. Finally letting her go, Alexandria rose and headed for the door. “I’ll try to be back within a week.” Picking up her pack, she made her way back to the split in the hallway, continuing on to the front entrance.

Andrew was waiting for her, standing straight and looking fierce and proud, along with Minthe. Giving her a hug as well, she kissed the old man on the cheek. “I know I don’t have to say it Andrew, but take care of my mother while we’re gone. Just need to stop by the Durmand Hall, then off to Lion’s Arch and the Priory.”

Considering who they were going to be going to the jungle with after investigating the ley-line surge in Snowden, she had written up a quick letter to send to Ruo. Dropping it off this early at the Durmand Hall, it would likely be in the jungle before evening.

 Commander Nightrend,

No doubt by now you’ve heard of ley-line surges erupting in various places in the Shiverpeaks, Ascalon, and Mount Maelstrom. By the time this letter reaches you, I, along with a small team will be studying the site in Snowden Drifts and I will give you a full report upon returning to the Noesis Base. My arrival should be within four days, and I will not be alone.

Several of the members of my team joining me in Snowden will be accompanying me to our outpost. From there we will be launching a recovery mission into Tangled Depths to find a lost student of mine from the Priory. Additionally, I will be sending extra supplies along with the next two shipments from Olivia’s Refuge for our expedition. They will be clearly marked and if you could order the workers to set them in one of the storage spaces, I would be extremely grateful.

I will see you soon, and I pray that I arrive with good news.

Sincerely, Loremaster Alexandria LaCoria-Eskara

@nightrend

[summerbloom-fae]

🎭 — performance art/acting

I’ll probably answer this OOC, cuz I am running out of drabble steam for the day. Never fear though, there will definitely be drabbles on the subject!For whatever reason, she has an assassin’s own grace, and a con artist’s silvered tongue. She’s never formally pursued anything in the world of acting or acrobatics or performances, though.She wanted to, growing up, but there were other plans in place for her at the time. That being said! Rose would certainly take to either like a duck to water.She’s actually been looking for excuses to show off her grace and strength at tumbling and basic ground acrobatics. She could likely also be pushed into the gregariousness required to at least -try- to hold her own in a troupe of actors. She’d have a ball with that xDBonus secret! She walks around on her hands a lot when she’s at home, just for fun.

(( @aaduchamp thanks for the ask! ^.^))