8. Romance. What is something that your character and their LI love to do together? How do they show affection?
When they aren’t getting into trouble on a boat or in a bar, Arsenal and Julian take most of their dates at home, enjoying each other’s company over tea/coffee and books. Lately, they’ve been practicing magic together, and Arsenal is endlessly proud of Julian’s progress. Big parties and grand gestures are few and far between; for the most part, a quick peck in passing or a “saw this and thought of you” trinket, book, or snack makes up their “I love you”s (not that they don’t say it plenty, too.)
Ornata and Lucio are very big on physical affection and will 100% make out anywhere and everywhere. Lucio loves giving Ornata gifts and compliments, and Ornata is happy to receive and return them. That said, Ornata’s quieter, truer shows of affection come in the form of talking: about the past, about the future, about the shit that Lucio is going to have to do and the fact that Ornata wants to be with him for it. “I think you’re sexy” and “I want to face our demons hand-in-hand” are both good.
10. WTF. Has anything just…weird ever happened to your character? Something that made them stop and go “What just happened?!”
Other than the entirety of the Prologue, Asra once glamoured them to look like each other. Arsenal Did Not Like That. They never got over the sight of Asra’s grin on their face, or the semi-phantom feeling of his floofy hair around their ears.
I don’t have any in-character, story-type stuff for Ornata but his original incarnation was a Literal Anthropomorphic Vampire Vampire Bat that started as a joke and somehow gradually became a small, blind aura-reader so there’s that?
18. Embarrassment. What is something really embarrassing that your character has done/said?
Arsenal thought they were going to die of embarrassment that time they got caught making out with Julian in Mazelinka’s bed.
Not sure it’s possible for Ornata to be embarrassed? Maybe the (1) time he tried to give a reading but the cards were facedown on the table (didn’t matter to him; the cards’ voices were clear, but the customer was Not Impressed.)
hhhh they’re done :D This was actually really fun! I’ll be reblogging these over at @storm-crest-apprentice for the sake of keeping them in order soon.
@aarcanefool @wingardium-letmefuckyou
1. Who is your character’s patron Arcana?
Her patron is the Empress. Meleena does everything she can to look after her loved ones and friends, reflecting the Empress Upright. However, she has a tendency to push herself too hard to protect the people she cares about, while the Empress Reversed gives so much of herself that nothing is left behind.
2. Take us on a tour of your Magical Gateway. (Use pics if you have them!)
Her gateway is a garden, neatly tended to and surrounded by wildlife of all kinds. There’s an ornate-looking fountain in the middle, and plenty of benches and seats to hide away in. She’s only ever let Asra, Julian and Muriel inside, as they are the three people she trusts the most. Portia is desperate to see inside, but has decided to wait until Meleena invites her in- even though Julian’s offered to try and sneak her in there before.
3. Does your character rely on The Cards?
Not really. She’ll listen to them if they’re really calling out for her to pay attention, but on the whole she doesn’t tend to pay them much mind. She’d prefer to rely on her own talents and the people around her for help before she’d ask the Arcana to intervene on their behalf.
4. Has your character come in contact with any other Arcana? (other than the Devil) Tell us about it.
She’s met with the Magician once or twice, mainly if Asra’s visited them and brought her along. Other than that, she’s met the Hanged Man (with Julian, not by herself) and the Empress, though it’s only happened once. She was in a desperate state trying to work out what their next steps were, and the Empress visited her while Meleena was hiding in her gateway. They had a long talk, which helped to bring a lot of clarity to the situation. Even though they’ve only met once, the Empress is the only one of the Arcana she’s met that Meleena is sure she likes and truly respects.
5. Any brushes with demons? (besides the Courtiers)
None that she knows of. While it’s entirely possible that she has in her past, her current state would mean she cannot recall it, and even if she did there isn’t a great deal she can do about it, short of attempting to track them down.
6. What is their favorite magically-enhanced thing? (Music, Food, Clothes, etc.)
Her favourite thing is magically-enhanced clothing. She personally enchanted her outfit for the Masquerade, partially to make absolutely certain that it would fit her and partially to stun her partner. The convenience of enchanted clothes has helped her many times in her life- she has a cloak she enchanted with a forget-me spell that she wears if she wants a moment of peace in the library without being disturbed.
7. In your character’s story, how did they acquire the Stove Salamander?
The Stove Salamander was a completely accidental acquisition. She found him curled up on top of the fire one day, and after checking that he was alright, she fed him and put him back into the fireplace to sleep. When she later wanted to make a pot of tea, the salamander lit the wood on fire for her as a thank-you for allowing him to stay. Once the fire had been lit, he curled up and went back to sleep, and he hasn’t left since. Meleena’s affectionately named him Sparks, a name that he seems to have taken a liking to.
8. How did your character meet Asra? Describe the meeting.
Asra and Meleena met for the first time at the docks of Vesuvia, where they were putting on a magic show for the visiting merchants and young children. Meleena became fascinated by his use of magic, and approached him once his show was done. She showed off a little of her own magic, causing small stormclouds to chase away some of the meaner characters that were hanging around, before asking Asra to teach her some of what they could do. The two of them spent nearly the entire day together, before Meleena was called to rejoin her troupe. She promised to meet Asra again the next day, and from there a deep mutual respect and trust grew between them.
9. Give us some headcanons of your character with other Arcana characters. Did your character meet them before they died? Were they close?
(I’ll do the other LIs for this one)
Meleena and Nadia- While they have a respectful relationship, it is very much one of boss and subordinate. Meleena would like to be closer to Nadia, but is often too intimidated by her general aura to approach her. Secretly, she thinks Nadia is one of the coolest people she’s ever met. Neither she nor Nadia have memories of them meeting before Meleena’s death, although Asra remembers a time when they had come to develop a close friendship. Asra’s certain they can be that way again, if only someone would make the first move.
Meleena and Portia- While they never met prior to her death, it’s true that these two are the best of friends now. While they’re working in the palace to track down Lucio’s killer, the two are near inseparable. This friendship persists no matter what dilemmas or difficulties arise between them, and eventually Meleena does allow Portia into her gateway, the ultimate sign of trust for Meleena.
Meleena and Asra- These two are by far the closest. Asra was the first friendly face she met when she entered Vesuvia, and they’ve stayed that way ever since. While it’s canon that Asra is in love with her no matter who she ends up with, she loves them in the way that she would love a member of her family- they’re her closest confidant, her oldest ally and her truest friend. She would never do anything to jeopardise that relationship- it means too much to her for that.
Meleena and Lucio- These two really, really don’t get on well together. After everything that’s happened, Meleena would at the very least attempt to be civil towards him, but she makes it abundantly clear that he’s on wafer thin ice with her. One wrong move, and she’ll personally chase him out of Vesuvia. As one of the few people who can clearly remember tales of the fighter from the North who could control lightning and storms, he does his absolute best to heed that warning. Whenever she’s around, he’s on his best behaviour- which still isn’t great, but it’s better than normal.
10. Describe your character’s Masquerade outfit. Use pics if you like!
This would be her dress- plain, simple and not too flashy. I chose her mask because her aim is to stand out as little as possible- the less ornamentation the better, especially since she and her friends are attempting to tarck down Lucio. The more she can blend into the background, the better as far as she’s concerned.
11. What did your character do right after they defeated the Devil? Did they pass out? Did they just keep partying? Did they run off for some privacy with their LI?
As soon as the Devil was defeated and they were back in the human world once more, Meleena immediately excused herself and retired to a spare bedroom. After everything she just went through, she needs some time alone to process it. Odds are pretty good she’ll pass out, still fully dressed in her Masquerade garb. Depending on the route she’s on, either Julian or Muriel will come to check on her after a little while. If Julian arrives, he’ll try and convince her to rejoin the party, but is just as content to remain in her room with her if she’s too overwhelmed. Muriel, however- Muriel will simply help her back into her ordinary clothes, curl up next to her and go back to sleep. It’s been a long time since they got to do this in relative peace, and neither one wants to face the real world just yet.
12. What happened the day after the Masquerade? Did they just keep partying?
Julian- They rejoined the party after a moment alone, and spent the whole night barely moving from each other’s sides. When morning finally comes around, they pass out in their room together, waking up well into the day tangled up in each other. After finally changing out of their Masquerade clothing and having a long soak in the Palace baths, they finally rejoin Nadia, Asra and the others in the dining hall for a very late dinner.
Muriel- After awakening in the Palace beds the following morning, Meleena and Muriel return to the shop, with a promise to come back later. Now finally away from the others and with this space completely theirs, they have a good long talk about everything that happened. They spend the whole day together, reuniting with Inanna once again and beginning to clean up any damages the shop sustained as a result of Lucio and his follower’s actions. They do return to the palace that evening, though both of them are utterly exhausted. That night, there are many reassurances and words of love passed between them, both of them haunted by the knowledge that they might never have gotten the chance to have this moment had things gone wrong.
13. What did Nadia reward your character with after the events of that night? (She did promise payment, after all)
Julian- Nadia rewards them with a ship and a home- namely, Julian is given a ship of his very own to travel in, as well as a crew to man it in his absence. The two of them are also gifted the vacant building directly next to the shop, to be turned into Julian’s doctor surgery. The two of them are immensely grateful for everything Nadia has done for them, and make sure she knows that the door is always open for her should she ever wish to visit them.
Muriel- Nadia offers both of them positions of high status within the palace- both of them have proven time and time again that they are dependable and good in a crisis situation, as well as being on very good terms with the people of Vesuvia. After a lot of discussion, as well as a reassurance that they can continue to lead relatively sheltered lives apart from the city, both of them accept. Muriel and Meleena become the spokespeople for the working classes of Vesuvia- the ones the people know has their best interests at heart, and who can be counted on no matter the situation. Their job entails suggesting reforms for the city, and voicing the concerns of the people to Nadia, as well as having a direct say in how efforts to improve the city should be carried out. While it is stressful, both of them appreciate the fact that they can make an active difference, and hopefully leave Vesuvia better than they found it. Nadia also gifts them a bigger home outside of the city, still within the woods and surrounded by nature, but better suited to accomodate the two of them. While the two are grateful for their newer home, they still often find themselves back in Muriel’s old hut, enjoying the small space together.
14. How did they folks in the neighborhood react to your character’s deeds after the Masquerade? Did they keep giving you those odd looks? Did they give you a hero’s welcome? Did nothing change at all?
Meleena and both of her love interests (regardless of what route she’s on) regualrly get stopped in the streets. It can be overwhelming at times, especially since Meleena is hardly used to such attention. Eventually, about 4-5 months after Vesuvia returns to normal, things calm down again and they go back to living ordinary-ish lives. The merchants they most commonly visit always give them a discount on anything they buy, and Selasi always has free loaves of whatever bread takes their fancy waiting for them, fresh out of the oven.
15. What were some life-altering events that happened that following year? Marriage? Babies? Renovations to the shop?
Muriel- Eight months after Vesuvia returned to normality, they married in a small ceremony, with only their closest friends in attendance. Two months after that, they announced that Meleena was pregnant. With the announcement and subsequent birth of their daughter, the three of them permanently moved from the tiny hut into the home Nadia had given them. With three of them now living there, it feels just as cosy as their old home did. With the new positions that the two of them took on within the palace, the first development made to Vesuvia was the demolition of the old Coliseum, with a beautiful park placed there instead as a tribute to the Vesuvians who had lost their lives during the Masquerade and the turbulent time that had followed. While this move did cause a bit of trouble for the old entrance to the Red Market, a new entrance was quietly crafted and business resumed there once more.
Julian- Two months after the return to normality for Vesuvia, Meleena and Julian paid a visit to Nevivon, with Portia in tow. After spending a week within the coastal city, Julian and Meleena secretly married- a decision which was made entirely on the spur of the moment. Upon their return to Vesuvia three weeks later, Nadia was informed, leading to a public celebration of their union. A further three months later, six months after the Masquerade and the defeat of the Devil, Meleena found out she was pregnant with their eldest daughter Ilona, named after Julian’s mother. When Portia was told of Meleena’s pregnancy, she didn’t stop crying for hours, and it became all she talked about with the palace staff for weeks afterwards. The doctor’s surgery and shop eventually had their upper floors connected to make one much bigger living space for their new family to share, and Asra eventually moved to the palace to live full-time.
Apprentice April Asks #15. Hidden talents. Is there something neat that your character can do? Tie a cherry stem into a knot with their tongue? Say any word backward perfectly? Stereotypical, I know, but I consider singing one of my hidden talents. I’ve never really sung around anyone but Asra, Faust, and my familiar Neve. At least not intentionally. Ilya walked in on me one time, so he knows now, but that’s still very few people. I also play the pan flute!
12. Secrets. What is a secret that your character has? Are they in line for the throne in a far off land? Was there this one time at band camp…? Are they secretly involved in an assassin’s guild? I secretly wish I had a better relationship with my father, particularly. I’m a nobleman’s daughter who, with the help of Asra and Ilya, ran away from home at the age of 18 to be free of the world of betrothals and gilded cages that my father was keen on. I know he doesn’t approve of the life I’m living, but I wish I could have a positive connection with him. I don’t dare bring it up around Asra or Ilya since I don’t want them to feel guilty for “springing” me.
Apprentice April Asks #25. Do they prefer to stay at home, or do they like to go out? I definitely prefer going out. I absolutely adore the idea of adventure and long for the day I can join Asra on one of his journeys.
12. Describe their perfect date This is probably going to sound really cheesy... My idea of a perfect date would entail receiving a flower when being picked up; it wouldn’t have to be a bouquet or anything fancy. Just a flower is perfectly fine. Then we would go to a quaint restaurant where we’d have dinner. After dinner, we would walk around and show each other one of our favorite places each, sharing stories about the locations and getting to know one another better. Once our mini-adventure was over, they’d walk me back home. I’d invite them inside and they’d playfully decline, then give me a soft and breathtaking kiss goodnight, and bittersweetly depart.
I am determined to get these done before April ends, so here we go!
@aarcanefool I’m probably just going to tag you in every part of these lol :D
@wingardium-letmefuckyou it’s up to you if you want to do these or not, but I’m enjoying writing these and I thought you’d like to see too!
Below the cut for length :) (Though this is much shorter than the others lol)
1. Your character's theme song
All This And Heaven Too- Florence and the Machine
“And I would give all this and heaven too
I would give it all if only for a moment
That I could just understand the meaning of the word you see
Because I’ve been scrawling it forever but it never makes sense to me at all“
2. Your character's LI's theme song
Julian- House of Memories by Panic! At The Disco
“Baby, we built this house on memories
Take my picture now, shake it til you see it
And when your fantasies become your legacy
Promise me a place in your house of memories“
Muriel- January Gloom (Seasons, Part 1) by All Time Low
“Come on and save me from this January gloom
Hiding in your room, the things that we could do
You're like the sunshine in the lazy days of June
Hiding in your room, save me from this January gloom“
3. The love song of your character and their LI.
Julian- Paper Rings by Taylor Swift
“I like shiny things, but I'd marry you with paper rings
Uh huh, that's right
Darling, you're the one I want, and
I hate accidents except when we went from friends to this
Uh huh, that's right
Darling, you're the one I want
In paper rings, in picture frames, in dirty dreams
Oh, you're the one I want“
Muriel- All My Love by George Ezra
“All my love is yours
All my time is ours
All my reckless dreams and
All my restless hours
No matter where you go, baby
I'll be there
No matter where you go, baby
I'll be there, I'll be there”
4. Your character's ass-kicking song
Believer by Imagine Dragons
“Pain! You made me a, you made me a believer, believer
Pain! You break me down and build me up, believer, believer
Pain! Oh, let the bullets fly, oh, let them rain
My life, my love, my drive, it came from...
Pain! You made me a, you made me a believer, believer”
5. Your character's favorite song
Ain’t No Rest for The Wicked by Cage the Elephant
“Oh there ain't no rest for the wicked
Money don't grow on trees
I got bills to pay, I got mouths to feed
There ain't nothing in this world for free
Oh no, I can't slow down, I can't hold back
Though you know, I wish I could
Oh no there ain't no rest for the wicked
Until we close our eyes for good"
6. Your character's sad song
Take it All by Adele
“But go on and take it
Take it all with you
Don't look back at this crumbling fool
Just take it all with my love
Take it all with my love”
7. A song to train to
I’m So Sorry by Imagine Dragons
“So you gotta fire up, you gotta let go
You'll never be loved 'til you’ve made your own
You gotta face up, you gotta get yours
You never know the top 'til you get too low“
8. A song to relax to
Death of a Bachelor by Panic! At The Disco
“The death of a bachelor, o-o-oh! Letting the water fall
The death of a bachelor, o-o-oh! Seems so fitting for
Happily ever after, whooo, how could I ask for more?
A lifetime of laughter, at the expense of the death of a bachelor”
9. A song that makes your LI think of you
Muriel- Favorite Place by All Time Low feat. The Band CAMINO
“So can we close the space between us now?
It's the distance we don't need (Hey)
Yeah, you're everything I love about
The things I hate in me (Hey)
So come on, come on, come over now and
Fix me with your grace
'Cause I'm not too far and you're my favorite place”
Julian- Oops by Little Mix and Charlie Puth
“Oops, my baby, you woke up in my bed
Oops, we broke up, we're better off as friends
Now I accidentally need you, I don't know what to do (Do, ooh)
Oops, baby, I love you“
10. A wedding song
Muriel- Sweetest Devotion by Adele
“I wasn't ready then, I'm ready now
I'm heading straight for you
You will only be eternally
The one that I belong to
The sweetest devotion
Hit me like an explosion
All of my life, I've been frozen
The sweetest devotion I know”
Julian- Still Into You by Paramore
“I should be over all the butterflies
But I'm into you (I'm into you)
And baby even on our worst nights
I'm into you (I'm into you)
Let 'em wonder how we got this far
Cause I don't really need to wonder at all
Yeah after all this time I'm still into you”
After seeing @aarcanefool talking about their boy Taliesin (who is AWESOME btw) I felt encouraged to do part 2 early! Here you go fren! Also tagging @wingardium-letmefuckyou because MORE OF MY GIRL
Questions will be answered for Julian and Muriel since they’re her mains :D (also I’m inserting the answers I may have given to these questions before, since I’ll be reblogging them to Meleena’s blog when they’re all done :) )
Part 2 asks below the cut!
1. What does your character feel when they see their LI for the first time each day?
Muriel- Peace and calm is usually the first thing they feel when they look at him in the morning. She’ll often curl up closer to him and bury her face in his chest, not wanting to get out of bed just yet, and occasionally she’ll press small little kisses near his heart as he wakes up- a small reminder that she loves him, even if he isn’t fully conscious yet.
Julian- She always wakes up with a smile on her face when she’s with Julian- even if he’s woken her up by swatting her in the face while he sleeps again. Her first feeling when seeing him is often amusement at whatever crazy position he’s fallen asleep in this time, before she’ll reach out and stroke his hair, content to let him sleep in since he works so hard.
2. What things does your character love about their LI?
Muriel- Meleena loves each and every thing about Muriel, it’s hard to narrow it down to one or two things! If she were pressed to answer, she would probably say his gentle nature is the biggest thing she loves about him. After such a hectic time together when they first started getting to know each other, his gentle nature went a long way to reassuring her that everything would be alright again in the end. When almost the entirety of Vesuvia ended up at his doorstep, that same gentleness shone through again as he dealt with people who were frightened and lost. When she saw him interacting with the townsfolk in such a patient way, despite his misgivings about people as a whole, Meleena knew she was in love with him. Another thing she loves is how easy it is to fluster him, even though she’s the first to admit that she’s no better than he is. When she’s in a teasing mood, she’ll often find him and see how long it takes him to turn bright red with a simple word of praise or loving look. (Answer: Often, it’s less than 30 seconds before he turns bright red from head to toe and starts spluttering at the attention. Yes, she has timed this, and no, it doesn’t make it any less adorable.)
Julian- For Meleena, the biggest thing to love about Julian is his confidence and energy. While she herself was a fairly confident person before the Red Plague came for Vesuvia, much of her former self-confidence has disappeared, leading her to be quite shy and retiring. Asra has been heard to say that when she’s around Julian, she seems more like herself before she lost her memories- more outgoing, more confident and certainly more willing to approach people. Julian had to work hard to coax her out of her shell, but once she regains that spark of self-esteem from her past then the two of them become near-enough unstoppable together. She loves his more caring side, too, and often relies on it when she’s had a particularly tough day at the shop.
3. What things about their LI annoy them?
Muriel- The only thing that ever seems to annoy her about Muriel is when he retreats too far inside himself. On those days, trying to talk to him is near impossible, and while in this state he’s prone to wandering the woods. In itself, this wouldn’t be too bad, but it often happens first thing in the morning and he won’t tell her where he’s gone. It’s led to more than a few early-morning panics from her as she tries to figure out where he is, followed by a morning where each is doing their best to look after the other. At most, though, that’s a minor annoyance, and it’s rare enough that it doesn’t serve as the root of their fleeting arguments.
Julian- Despite the fact she loves his confidence and his bravado, it’s often the reason they get in trouble too. He has a terrible habit of letting his mouth run away with him, particularly when he’s drunk. She’s often had to drag him home from the Raven after he’s had one too many drinks, before he can start a fight with someone who happened to glance at her in a way Julian took offence to. She knows it’s coming from a good place, and she’s flattered that he’s willing to stand up for her, but it can get irritating when it’s the third time this week that she’s had to patch him up because he spoke before he thought.
4. Who does what chores?
Muriel- They have a pretty even ratio as far as chores are concerned- Meleena handles the cleaning while Muriel largely handles the gardening. As far as things such as cooking, they’ll both do it, and whoever doesn’t cook cleans the dishes afterwards. Since their home is fairly small, chores never take them particularly long, and they have been known to use magic to speed things along if one or both of them is feeling a little lazy that day.
Julian- Julian has been expressly forbidden from setting foot inside the kitchen to make anything more complicated than coffee, so cooking and cleaning are Meleena’s chores. Julian will help out by doing the dishes and general tidying, as well as taking care of any grocery shoppign they have to do. They’re fine with this arrangement, especially since most days Julian comes home exhausted from his work as a doctor. Julian will absolutely take over chores for Meleena if she’s had a particularly tough day- though he will bring her food from her favourite vendor in the marketplace than try and cook anything himself. Roughly once a month they’ll have a major clean out, where both of them pitch in together to clean, so the day-to-day chores never take them particularly long to do.
5. Do they prefer to stay at home, or do they like to go out?
Muriel- They’re homebodies through and through. When they go home for the day, it’s only rarely that they’ll venture outside again- most likely to visit Asra or Nadia, if they’re summoned. Evenings are often reserved just for them, as a chance to recuperate from the day and to simply enjoy one another’s company. They’ll have dinner, then spend the evening cuddled together on the couch or bed, idly chatting about their day. After having to deal with the hectic crowds of Vesuvia, it’s nice to have someone to go to who can help recharge your batteries.
Julian- Depends on the day they’ve had. If it hasn’t been too bad, they’ll go out- usually for dinner first, then down to the Raven for drinks and an evening spent with friends. If one or both have had a tough day, then they’ll stay in and spoil each other. Evenings will be taken up with cuddles, ranting and eating home-cooked food. It’s simple and sweet, and everything either of them could conceivably want.
6. What are some little things they do for each other throughout the day?
Muriel- With near enough the whole city on his doorstep, she knows it’s easy for him to become overwhelmed. At various intervals throughout the day, they’ll pull each other to one side to make sure they’re alright, and to steal a private moment or two away before the hustle and bustle draws them apart once more. Once, while looking for somewhere private to sit, they happened upon a peaceful clearing near the grave of the Heart of the Forest- a small stream, some wide flat rocks and wildflowers growing everywhere. They’ve since designated it to be their spot, and can often be found there simply enjoying one another’s company. While it does earn them some teasing from both Asra and the Devoraks, the two of them can’t find it in themselves to be too concerned about it.
Julian- They always make time to check in on each other throughout the day, and will do their best to make sure they eat lunch together. In Meleena’s case, it’s because she needs to make sure that he eats at all (he has been known to skip a fair few meals when he’s engrossed in work), and in Julian’s case it’s because he misses her- even though he saw her mere hours earlier, he misses her smile and her humour. If one of them stays up too late, the other is always on hand to coax them to bed at a semi-reasonable hour, and every evening they share a dance together. Even if there’s no music playing, they relish in the chance to be so close to each other after a long day spent apart. Plus it reminds them of their dance at the Masquerade, which both of them regard as one of their fondest memories (disregarding almost everything that came afterward).
7. What are some private jokes they share?
Muriel- They have hundreds of private jokes that they share, stemming mainly from their time on the road. Their favourite happens to be their little catchphrase between each other, which is a phrase that Muriel coined early on in their relationship- namely “You’re weird, you don’t count.” They’ll often tease each other by saying it, which always leaves Muriel in particular with a soft smile on his face. Everyone around them thinks it’s almost sickeningly sweet how sappy he looks when he smiles like that at her.
Julian- Their private jokes consist mainly of silly nicknames they have for each other. So far Julian’s favourite is the kitten whisperer (since he thought he saw a kitten curled up on the side of the street while drunk, brought it back to the shop and tried to feed it, only to realise the following morning that he’d actually just brought home a scarf. He still hasn’t lived this down, and Meleena will never allow him to.)
8. What are some embarrassing couple stories?
Muriel- Their most embarrassing one is probably the time Muriel was down near the small lake near their home bathing himself and Meleena tried to creep up on him and surprise him. Unfortunately, Muriel’s reaction to being surprised was to grab her and throw her into the lake. This led to them having to return to the hut, both soaking wet, only to be greeted by Asra who had come by for a visit. Asra still teases them about it. Both of them will die a little inside if anyone else ever found out.
Julian- They have more than their fair share, many of them being on account of Julian, who has a habit of speaking before he thinks. Julian’s favourite (and Meleena’s least favourite, mainly because it was her fault) is the time they got caught by Nadia getting... intimate in the shop while on their lunch break because Meleena forgot to lock the door. Nadia swore herself to secrecy, but Julian will still tease Mel about it.
9. Is their relationship open or exclusive?
For any of her love interests, she is exclusive. While she has tried polyamory in the past (even though she can’t remember it), she would prefer to stay exclusive with her partners. She’s not against having someone else join in occasionally, but it would have to be heavily discussed beforehand.
10. How often do they need to be intimate?
Muriel- More often than you’d think. They’re rarely seen apart, and enjoy physical intimacy in a romantic sense (i.e hand holding, hugging, kisses) constantly. Sexually, it doesn’t happen that often, maybe once or twice a week. It’s less about the physicality of it, and more the feeling that they’re joined together, that for a little while the rest of the world doesn’t exist and it’s just the two of them together. They use it as a reassurance to each other that they’re both here, and there’s nowhere else they’d rather be. It’s still not a frequent event, but that’s mainly because both of them are fairly shy about subjects like this and are never sure how to talk about it with each other.
Julian- Physical intimacy in the way of hugging, hand holding and kissing- all the time. He can literally never get enough of it, and she’s more than willing to let him take his fill. Sexually, several times a week. Julian occasionally needs it as an escape from his own negative thoughts, and she needs it because she needs reassurances that despite her violent past, she still deserves to be loved and wanted. It’s an escape for them both, and they relish it all the more for the aftermath, where they lie together and know that they are loved and wanted and cherished more than they could ever comprehend.
11. Have they ever fought?
Muriel- Yes, but they’re few and far between, and they always make sure to talk about what happened and come to some form of resolution. They hate letting any argument linger- they’ve been through too much together to let bad feeling cloud the peaceful times they share. When they do argue, it’s usually about some small issue that spirals out into a bigger argument. When both of them have had a chance to cool off, they’ll sit down together and talk through what made them feel that way, and always attempt to address the underlying cause of it. They’re getting a lot better at identifying what could turn into a fight, and doing their best to defuse the situation before it ever gets there.
Julian- petty squabbles all the time. It’s rare that they’ll ever have an actual serious argument, but when it does happen they’ll both need a few days to cool off. Meleena has a habit of getting upset if she’s shouted at, so Julian is always careful to never raise his voice to her. If he accidentally does, he will wait on her every whim for days afterwards to try and make it up to her. She’s trying to get better about it herself, but it’s a long process. They’re another couple who don’t like letting disagreements linger, and they’ll often bring each other tea after a minor squabble as a sign that they’re open to talk whenever the other is.
12. Describe their perfect date
Muriel- Their perfect date would be simple and sweet. A picnic at their favourite spot in the forest, and an afternoon spent in each other’s arms. While everyone back in the camp assumes that they do ‘other things’ while on this date, it’s not always true. Often Muriel will work on his latest wood carving, while Meleena brings along her latest book to read. For the two of them, it’s less about being amorous with each other and more about enjoying a quiet moment away from the crowds and the pressures of their current lives. Depending on how long they choose to remain there, they’ve found it’s also a brilliant spot for stargazing, and have been found on more than one occasion by either Asra or Portia the following morning fast asleep, curled up together underneath a blanket that’s too small to fit them both. They claim that it never occurs to them to bring a bigger one- the real reason they never bring a bigger blanket is because they enjoy the physical closeness that having a smaller blanket requires.
Julian- Surprisingly, their perfect date is hardly a high-energy day together. It often begins on one of the seldom days off that they share, with neither likely to rise from their bed until late into the morning. Julian is the one to wake up first, and will make sure Meleena rises to a fresh cup of coffee and plenty of kisses. The two of them make breakfast together (which is mainly Meleena doing the cooking while Julian fetches ingredients and being altogether too distracting), and will take the day to relax with each other. They might head out to the market, where they treat themselves and each other to whatever catches their fancy. Evenings of the day off will regularly end up in the Rowdy Raven, where the two of them will share many a dance and many a drink too. Once the two of them finally make their way back home, they waste no time before curling up together in bed, tired but at peace. Occasionally, if neither of them are too tired, things will venture into N/S/F/W territory, but on the whole they just enjoy spending a day together free of the pressure and stresses of their everyday life.
13. Do they have an evening routine?
Muriel- Their evening routine is a fairly simple one. They both wash and change for bed, then cuddle in front of the fire for a while. Some nights they’ll tell stories and talk and laugh, other nights they just sit and enjoy each other’s company. Muriel is normally the one who decides to shift things to bed, usually because Meleena’s normally half-asleep leaning against his chest by then. They always make sure to say “I love you” before they finally fall asleep though, as one final comfort to each other.
Julian- Their evening routine usually consists of discussing their days, laughing and joking about various customers or patients that have walked through the doors. This often devolves into Julian telling one of his wild stories, which usually have Meleena in stitches of laughter. When they do finally decide it’s time for bed, they seem to be glued at the hip- they clean their teeth together, change together, climb into bed together too. Julian often holds her against his chest, while she wraps her arms around his waist and holds him as close as possible. She kisses his chest while he kisses the top of her head, slowly drifting off together. Until Meleena wakes up at 3AM because Julian’s accidentally hit her in the face while asleep.
14. Describe a “paid scene” with your character and their LI
Muriel- Their paid scene would most likely be the scene where everyone is playing poker together from Muriel’s most recent update. I can very clearly see them teaming up together to take down Asra and Julian, and the sound of them laughing together is enough to put smiles on everyone’s faces. Plus, she would probably cuddle into Muriel’s side when she inevitably loses, and try her best to help him beat whoever’s left in the game afterwards.
Julian- An evening in the Raven. Julian is sat on the bar, playing the vielle with a smile on his face, while Meleena is sat beside him singing along to the tune he’s playing. Members of the bar are calling out requests, and eventually Meleena and Julian jump onto a table and begin to dance together. The two of them are laughing, smiling and completely lost in each other. They undoubtedly cause a number of patrons to spill their drinks, but they can’t seem to bring themselves to care.
15. Would they go on a double date?
Muriel- Absolutely not. The only person they’d consider doing it with is Asra, and even that would be a big ask. They prefer their dates to be just them, a private moment to themselves that’s apart from their ordinary lives. They aren’t big on sharing that time with anyone.
Julian- Sure, why not? It definitely wouldn’t be often, but they have no objection to sharing a date with Portia and Nadia. Though there would be an expectation that they could have their own private moments, they would have no objection to the four of them having a nice evening out together.
16. Who pops the question?
Muriel- He probably would, though it would take a while to do. He’d lead her out to their private spot by the stream on a nice summer’s day. She assumes it’s for another date, and happily goes along with him. They sit there together for a while, before she notices he seems oddly tense. She puts a hand on his shoulder to ask him what’s wrong, and he turns around to hand her a beautifully-carved bracelet. His face is bright red, and he awkwardly stammers his way through asking her to marry him. Before he’s even finished, she’s crying and hugging him and excitedly accepting. He’s just relieved she said yes, and they spend the rest of the day at their private spot, taking their time to enjoy their privacy before they have to go home and start telling everyone. Asra cried like a baby when Meleena told them.
Julian- Both of them would ask each other. Julian would ask while he was drunk after a night at the Raven, slurring his way through it and giggling the whole time. Meleena laughs and accepts, assuming that he won’t remember in the morning. Come the morning, Julian very clearly remembers and spends the day moping because he had a whole elaborate proposal planned out. Meleena goes out to the market during the day, and by the time Julian returns that evening she has made his favourite dinner, prepared a bath for him, and offers him a ring of her own. They immediately tell everyone they know- Portia insists on planning the wedding herself.
17. Describe the wedding
Muriel- Nadia offered the use of the palace to them, but they respectfully declined. What they did accept was the invitation to marry within the palace gardens. There’ll only be a few people in attendance- Asra will be officiating, Nadia and Julian would be there to act as the witnesses, and Portia would be the maid of honour. There’d be very little planning that actually went into it- it would mainly be them saying their vows, dressed in wedding clothes provided by Nadia and enchanted by Asra, and showing how much they love each other in front of the people they’re closest to. Portia and Julian cheer as they kiss, while Asra gets choked up. Their reception is just them and their friends, sitting down to a nice meal and good company- reserved, peaceful and simple, just like them. Once the others leave to give them their privacy, they have their first dance in their shared bedroom within the palace, slightly tipsy and giggling to each other. They don’t regret a single second of any of it.
Julian- They had originally planned to have a ceremony graciously offered by Nadia upon their return to Vesuvia from their trip to Nevivon, however while the two of them were in Nevivon they decided there was little point in waiting. They got legally married in secret one night after a few drinks at a local inn, and their vows were full of small stumbles and giggles. They still went through with the grand ceremony once they arrived back in Vesuvia, but both Portia and Nadia were aware that the two of them were merely celebrating their marriage with their nearest and dearest. While they were disappointed that they weren’t there to see them get married, they appreciated the chance to celebrate with them. They spend their wedding night doing.... things ;) but wouldn’t change what they did for the world.
18. Any babies?
Muriel- Before the birth of their daughter, Muriel was convinced he could never love anyone as much as he loved Meleena. When his daughter Signe was born, he knew he would give his life for her without a second thought. He dotes on her, teaching her from an early age about the beauty and the dangers of the forest, with Inanna and Celyn serving as her loyal guardians. Meleena helps to teach her magic from a young age, and their daughter grows up with a curiosity for nature and an affinity with nature-based magic. Signe becomes firm friends with Asra and Portia, and when not in school will spend hours with them, finding out all the gossip from Vesuvia and learning about the different schools of magic. Unlike her parents, Signe is a very extroverted girl, and often goes on adventures with her Uncle Julian, much to the chagrin of Muriel.
Julian- They have three children- an older girl and twin boys. Julian has more than a few gray hairs from managing them all, as does Meleena. The older girl is named Ilona, after Julian’s mother, while the twin boys are named Dorian and Logan. The boys share their father’s personality, and can often be found pulling pranks and chasing each other through the streets of Vesuvia. Ilona shares her mother’s love of books, although she also shares her father’s love of the sea. The two of them often go out on miniature sailing expeditions together, while Meleena and the boys remain behind to work on their magic skills. All three of the children are talented magicians, with Ilona excelling in weather magic like her mother, while the boys excel in illusion magic. They often use this against their parents, driving them to distraction with it. Ilona one day wants to become a doctor like her father, while the boys take positions in the palace to work with their aunts Portia and Nadia. Dorian becomes the official animal tamer of the palace, and becomes firm friends with both Mercedes and Melchior, while Logan works in the kitchens, still trying to perfect his mother’s favourite pumpkin bread. (Selasi eventually gave her the recipe as a gift when she married Julian, a gift she guards with her life)
19. Do they stay in Vesuvia, or eventually move somewhere else?
Muriel- They do temporarily move into the shop within Vesuvia while Meleena is pregnant with Signe, to make it easier on her while she’s working and so she’s closer to a doctor. Once Signe was born, the family moved back to the forest. They eventually had to expand the hut to accomodate for Signe, but they’re perfectly content where they are. They do make sure to travel South to Khamgalai’s hut at least once a year, and those trips are ones Signe comes to relish. She loves observing the changing scenery as they travel, and the family feels like the spirit of Khamgalai enjoys seeing Muriel happy and seeing the legacy of their tribe live on through him.
Julian- The two of them do stay within Vesuvia for many years, although they do have a dream of moving to Nevivon once their children are grown and have left home. Ilona eventually takes over the shop, and the two of them get to make that dream of theirs a reality. They retire to a small cottage on the Nevivonian coastline, and spend the rest of their days living together in peace.
20. Talk about that family life. What’s it like?
Muriel- Peaceful, on the whole. Much of their days are taken with walks through the woods, teaching Signe about the various plants and animals that inhabit the land and allowing her to work on her nature magic. She does have her moments of chaos, and has needed to be rescued from trees on more than one occasion. The small wolf puppy that sticks to her side is the one who alerts Meleena and Muriel that she’s stuck again, and they often gently tease her for her adventurous spirit. Signe occasionally travels into Vesuvia with her mother, and gets a job working in the shop with her mother when she’s old enough. Her Aunt Portia and her Bibi Asra often stop by to visit her and her mother, and always extend an invitation to visit them at the palace. Signe likes to spend the evenings curled up with her parents after a long day of exploring and working, Inanna resting in her lap.
Julian- The three children all travel off to different places throughout the day. Dorian often goes to the palace to visit Aunt Portia, which is where he first discovers his affinity for animals. Logan normally stays at work with his mother and Asra, and travelling to the market if they run out of anything. He often stops by the baker’s to talk to Selasi, which is where he gets his love of baking from. Ilona goes to work with her father, and becomes a very well-known figure in his doctor’s surgery. She slowly starts to take on the duties of a nurse, and in his limited free time Julian teaches her everything he can so she can apply for a medical license of her own. Meleena is largely kept busy in the shop, but she makes time when she can to go and visit her children wherever they happen to be. Once Meleena and the twins arrive home, they work together to make dinner while they wait for Julian and Ilona to arrive. Once they’re all home, they eat, share stories about their respective days, then each one branches off to do their own thing. They do make time to cuddle as a family, and nobody goes to bed without getting a kiss and a reminder that they are loved.
4. Hobbies. What kinds of things does your character like to do for fun?
Meleena is an avid reader! She has particular favourites within the fiction genre, but she also takes any opportunity to learn. Mythology is something she’s particularly fascinated by, so hand her a book of myths and legends from a culture she knows little about and it’ll go a long way to gaining a new friend :)
12. Secrets. What is a secret that your character has? Are they in line for the throne in a far off land? Was there this one time at band camp…? Are they secretly involved in an assassin’s guild?
Meleena doesn’t have that many secrets that she knows of, mainly because she lost her memory upon her resurrection. One she isn’t currently aware of herself is that she used to be one of the most brutal fighters known to Vesuvia, many knowing her simply as ‘The Gathering Storm’. The nickname mainly came about from both her fighting style and the pin she still wears today that she has had since birth- a storm cloud, with a single lightning bolt erupting from it. Any who do know of her past are naturally hesitant to mention it to her face, and many of her friends have not informed her yet due to warnings from Asra that exposing her to her past may cause another bout of catatonia.
17. Language. Is your character multilingual? How many languages do they speak? Do they have an accent? Is it sexy? Is it silly? Do they have a multilingual lisp?
Meleena is indeed multilingual! As a result of her studying, she has gradually become fluent in many languages, leading to her initial appointment within the palace. Before her death from the Red Plague, it also made her a rather popular figure within Vesuvia, and many a travelling merchant would stop at her store for a conversation and some tea. After her resurrection, the ability to understand her many languages has begun to return to her, though her ability to speak them still eludes her for now. She is very soft spoken, and has a very slight accent. On her initial arrival to Vesuvia, it was much more noticeable, but after years of living in the city (and having to be taught how to talk again by someone with a distinctly Vesuvian accent) much of her original accent has been lost. Both Julian and Portia do occasionally reminisce about her former accent, leading Meleena to attempt to regain it- mainly because she knows it would make her dearest friends smile.
Apprentice April Asks- feel free to drop me a few!
SO APPARENTLY WHEN I SAY I GET THINGS DONE BY THE END OF APRIL I AM A BIG OLD LYING LIAR :D
ANYWAY HERE IS PART 4, these will all be done by the end of this week even if it kills me. @aarcanefool @wingardium-letmefuckyou
1. What is something that your character regrets?
On a relatively minor scale, she regrets not making more of an effort to keep a diary from before she died. It certainly would have helped her memory quite a bit when she came back, so she believes. In more major things she would regret... She regrets not making more of an effort to track down the people who helped to raise her, and make sure they were alive and well cared for. She wishes she could do something to repay them for taking her in, but since she can’t remember them or where they are clearly enough she feels like she can’t. This might be remedied in the future, but for now that’s her biggest one.
2. If they could change one thing in their past, what would it be?
Nothing. Everything she’s been through has made her into the person she is today, and without that she may not have met the people she has come to care about so much. There are a few minor changes she has considered before, like making more of an effort to keep her old accent or keeping some form of diary, but hindsight is always crystal clear, and such thoughts are often fleeting and mainly meant as a joke.
3. Have they ever committed an offense against someone else?
Considering she used to be a member of a mercenary troupe, she was surprisingly considerate. She would not kill unless she had no other choice. She would never even consider such a thing now, nor would she really want to enter the fight again. What happened with the Devil was different, but all too familiar, and it gave her glimpses back into a life that she’d much prefer stayed in the past.
4. When someone they care about is angry with them, what do they do? How do they resolve the situation?
She will want to try and talk things out, always. She is usually the first one to offer apologies, even if such an apology is not justified or warranted. If she can tell that the other person is too angry to talk, then she will give them space, but will simply leave the room if she can tell they’re looking for a fight. Once everyone’s had a chance to calm down, she finds a simple discussion of the issues is often enough to put the argument to bed.
5. What sort of things upset your character?
She will get upset if she is talked over or her opinions disregarded, but will also become annoyed if she can tell they are simply acquiescing to her wishes without voicing their own thoughts. She wants everything to be a fair discussion- the last thing she would want is to feel like she’s steamrolling a decision over someone who might feel differently. She also gets upset by people who assume violence is the first, last and only option- it took her quite a while to warm up to Morga as a result of this.
6. How does your character handle anger/sadness/stress?
She tends to bottle it up inside of her, and vent it in private later on. She tends to worry a lot about the people around her, and doesn’t want them to worry about her in return- she’s already caused everyone so much stress and heartache that the thought of them worrying about her again is enough to upset her on its own. A good way of venting for her is often to create a small stormcloud in a bottle, and attempt to channel her feelings into the storm. Watching the stormcloud rage is often enough to soothe frayed nerves and calm down her rarely-rising temper.
7. Do they have a defense mechanism?
She cannot handle people screaming at her in anger. She will leave if that is what a fight becomes, and will need time alone to potentially cry before she can face them again. If you try and disturb her before she’s ready to talk, then you risk those emotions being turned on you. This will often make things much, much worse than before, mainly because she is so blinded by her own feelings that she will lash out in the moment and deeply regret it once she comes to her senses again. It will often lead to her deeply apologising, and doing whatever it takes to make it up to whoever she offended, while acknowledging that she may lose friends or loved ones due to this. It’s something she’s actively working on, but it’s probably best to leave her alone until she’s ready to talk.
8. Are they internal or external with their emotions?
Internal all the way with negative emotions. If she feels them starting to rise to the surface, she will close off her body language and begin to retreat into herself. She’ll usually need some time alone to recuperate, or some time curled up in the arms of a friend or loved one in order to put those thoughts to one side.
9. Someone has accused your character of a crime they did not commit. How does your character respond?
She would respond calmly, regardless of the charges. She knows that whatever reaction she gives is likely to work against her, so she will quietly assert her innocence while doing what she can to prove it. Internally? She’s an absolute mess- freaking out and panicking, especially if they accuse her of a crime that happened before she woke up- because what if she really did do it, and simply can’t remember? She would have no way of knowing for certain if she did it or not.
10. When does your character know they must give up on a situation?
After every other attempt at a peaceful solution has failed. In the past, she would have resorted to violence to bring an end to such a conflict, but who she is now would never even consider it. As hard as it is for her to admit, there are simply some people who cannot be reasoned with, and who are determined to see a violent end to their actions. Vulgora was one such being- as tough as it was for her, Meleena knew there was literally no other way to win against them. She did need some reassurance afterwards, though, which Muriel was happy to provide.
I’ll talk about Meleena a bit more if that’s okay lol :)
So! Some headcanons I have in terms of her voice.
I believe that her voice is very soft and calming to listen to. Very slight accent due to her initial upbringing outside of Vesuvia, and partially due to learning how to speak again when she came back from her death. When she first came back, her accent was all over the place, but with her time mainly being taken up by reading and working in the shop and the palace, a lot of the harshness that was formerly present faded away.
Muriel in particular loves to listen to her read to him. If he’s having a rough night, then he’ll often hand her a story book opened to a particular tale, and rest his head in her lap as she reads to him. It seems to get him to sleep much quicker than any other conventional or magical method. If asked, he will vehemently deny that the main reason he does this is because he loves listening to the personality and unique voices that she gives to each character, and because he enjoys watching her face light up as he brings the book to her.
Her voice prior to her death had a tendency to be much rougher, with a much stronger accent. Portia and Julian used to tease her in a friendly way about her accent, especially when she was drunk- with the slurring of her words and the thickness of her accent, it became nigh on impossible to understand her. She occasionally wishes her old accent would return, if only because she knows both Julian and Portia would love to hear it again.
Her laughter is perhaps one of the only things that remained unaffected by her death and subsequent revival. If one can manage to break down her walls, and prove themselves to be a true and honest friend to her, you may have the privilege of hearing her actual laugh- a loud, harsh, almost barking noise. She is absolutely mortified by this laugh, and will become incredibly embarrassed if it’s pointed out or if she’s teased about it. Naturally, this does not stop either Portia or Julian from jokingly teasing her about it, leading often to them being swatted with a nearby pillow. They know never to take the teasing too far, but it’s always funny to watch her face light up bright red as soon as the noise escapes her. She’ll only truly laugh without inhibitions in the presence of those she cares most deeply about, so if you do ever hear that noise, it’s a sign that she unequivocally trusts and respects you. She’s also counting on you to keep it secret.
