#aetherwatchsociety

[katalinhunter]

[rosettevaleria]

@hanabi-works / @saphyra-tsuki does some amazing artwork! The first is a commission piece that was gifted to me for my birthday. The second was a quick sketch she did of Rosette today while she was bored at work.

[rosettevaleria]

Red in the Ledger

Rose sat in the uncomfortable, high back chair in front of the large rosewood desk and she kept her gaze steadily on the surface of it. It was organized and pristine. Papers were neatly stacked and books were set to the side, there was no clutter at all on the large, polished surface. It was so unlike her own that her mind was having a hard time processing it. How in the hell was she related to this man?

She leaned back against the back of the chair, taking a deep and steadying breath. She wouldn’t have come here unless the situation called for it: protecting the teams searching for and retrieving Layla was worth it. She hated this. Every fiber of her being was screaming to get out, to run. Her demeanor was calm and collected, but inside it was a chaotic and destructive whirlwind. “Well, I didn’t expect to see you grace my door...for negotiations, no less.” Alistair’s honeyed voice came from behind her.  She didn’t turn around but straightened in her chair, feeling her pulse begin to race. His hand touched her shoulder and she flinched, unable to stop herself. “We may be at odds, brother, but we are both still business people. I see no reason why we can’t talk about a business deal.”

His hand tightened on her left shoulder, his fingers digging in painfully and Rosette grit her teeth. It was purposeful, a warning. She knew it for what is was and knew there would be bruises as a reminder of whom she dealt with. Pain and fear caused her pulse to pound in his neck...but the one who was in tune with it was nowhere near to know.

“Yet all of the business proposals that I’ve offered thus far were rejected...rather rudely.” Her elder sibling smiled down at her, showing his straight white teeth in a mocking smile. “That’s truly no way to do business, little sister. I thought Father taught you better. Perhaps you shoulder apologize?”

Rosette’s temper sparked, “Apologize for telling you to go to--” The grip tightened more and she broke off in a hiss. “Alright! Alright... I apologize for being rude in my rejection.” She whispered softly, pain making her voice tight.

The grip remained a moment and then left her shoulder entirely. Alistair moved to the other side of the desk and sat down, leaning forward and folding his hands on the table. “Well then, Rosie, what has brought you to my door?”

She set the piece of paper on the desk, sliding it across the smooth, rosewood surface. “I need these items...delivered to the person on this list.” She watched her brother from over the rim of her glasses as he read through the paper, nodding slowly. “I know Miss Oktovia Dirgdottir...Miss Odd, as she prefers.” Alisters murmured as he stroked his bearded chin. “Aurum regis? Refined into sand?” He looked to Rosette, arching a brow at her. “Rare and expensive.”

She nodded, shifting in her chair and resting back against it, her hands folded demurely in her lap. “I know. I’d be willing to pay the market price for the amount, as well as cost your shipping costs. It would be gil in your pocket.” She met her brother’s gaze, his expression nonplussed. “...And I would owe you a favor.”

That certainly gained Alistair’s attention, a slow smile curving his lips and he leaned forward on the desk. It took every ounce of Rosette’s willpower not to recoil.

“Well, Rosie...” He spoke softly with barely restrained amusement and interest. “It seems we’ve some terms to negotiate.”

mentions: @saphyra-tsuki, @aetherwatchsociety, Layla Locklear

[rosettevaleria]

Training

Rose sank into the steaming water of her bath up to her nose, staring at the wall opposite of her unseeingly. Her cerulean eyes were dull, a shade darker than normal and her eyes slightly bloodshot. Her freckles stood out against the pallor of her skin, her hands were blistered and burned, and every muscles in her body ached.

But, damn, was she making progress. Her manipulation with aether was starting to progress and her reaction times were becoming faster. She could feel it slithering through her veins when she focused enough. It was still difficult as all hell, but she could now bring it forward with more ease and use it to punch faster and kick harder. She and her sparring partners at the Pugilist Guild had all walked away with bruises, scrapes, and bloody wounds...and it had felt good. 

She glanced to the chronometer, noting the time and she leaned her head back against the tub. Some of her ebony hair had escaped from where it was pinned atop her head, the strands sticking to the damp skin of her face and neck. She was going to get looks at the meeting tonight; she looked like shit and she knew it. A little make up and her gloves would go a long way.

Well, maybe no gloves, she thought at she looked at her bruised knuckles and blistered palms. She flexed them and cringed, but gave a humorless chuckle. 

She settled them in her lap beneath the water once more, eyes closing. The carousel of her mind turned again as her thoughts shifted toward the current predicament: tracking down Saphyra.

Thanks to Murdock and Richart, they had pinned her location down in Limsa Lominsa and the underground fighting rings there. Their next move was to infiltrate, rig the brackets, and get Kayne and Arik to fight against her. Why the little Raen had gone there, it was unknown. Her retainers had lost her there -- but there had been reports of a new Xaela entering the rings. She had a suspicion, but she wasn’t going to make assumptions until she managed to catch sight of this ‘Xaela’, herself.

The more shocking revelation was that of Saphyra’s relations with the beast tribes and her Astrologian stone. The beast tribe portion explained Saphyra’s speech pattern slip-ups and the constant grubbiness she sported; branches, dirt, ruffled hair, and torn clothes...the young woman was certainly working with some fairly interesting friends. It shed a lot of light on some things. The Astrologian Stone...that was something of a mystery. She was quite curious why she entrusted such a stone to the little Sylph and where the Raen had obtained it. Time would only tell.

She would have Emeline and Jun get in earlier, maybe recommend some fighters be removed from the brackets or find a way to get them to throw the fight...or stack the odds in the favor of Kayne or Arik, perhaps both if there were team entries. She would leave the two towering male Xaela to handle Saphyra in the ring. 

Rosette continued to formulate the plan in her mind, knowing that she would need Catherina, Mafrea, and C’reiyah in the locker room to find Saphyra’s affects. Said locker room was warded with intricate magics to keep patrons and sponsors from tampering with the fighters’ affects -- the runners of the pit fights wanted equal and fair play. At least, on their terms. 

Her retainers were still gathering intelligence on the when, where, and what...but she had a faint idea in mind. Now, it was just the finite details and setting the wheels in motion.

She smirked, “Challenge accepted, Saphyra.”

mentions: @saphyra-tsuki, @oroete, @iname21, @blackmagesol, @creiyah, @healeremeline, @junakagane, @kayneblackfire, @aetherwatchsociety