Dandelion Sphinx @theophilus-sphinx - Tumblr Blog

lord-graham:

Graham doesn’t respond to the compliment on the quality of his rooms as his eyes wander over the belongings of the bride and groom to look for any clue. He hadn’t expected to find them here, hadn’t dared to hope lest the couple turn his nightmares into reality. It’s macabre, but also practical ( in his opinion ) that his expectation is for the worst. Though they have no tangible evidence, there’s a feeling sinking deep into his bones since they were all back in the chapel that this wedding would not be taking place.

His thoughts are broken by the sound of Theo running into the trunks and his head snaps towards the noise. Silently assessing the other man, signs of stress are written all over him as the priest attempts to collect himself on the bed. That same anxiety courses through his own veins, but he’s lived his whole life with at least some level of tension and is either more practiced at hiding or has adopted it into his persona that he doesn’t seem more off than his usual self.

Concern for Theo has Graham crossing the room for the water pitcher and brandy decanter, selecting the less expensive glass tumbler over the crystal goblets in case his companion develops the shakes. They’ve already lost the bride and groom, why add his finest drinkware as well. He pours a healthy measure of amber liquid followed by a few drops of water and then holds it out for him to take. “No apologies necessary,” Graham says as he presses the glass into his hand. “We shall take a moment to regroup before checking the rest of the rooms.”

He tries to open one of the trunks atop the pile but finds them locked. There’s no reason to break it open now, he’ll leave that up to the families if this drags on. “Did you speak with either of them before the ceremony?” It seems like something that might take place, though Graham is far from an expert of the timeline of a wedding.

- - - 📖- - -🕊️- - -

Theophilus had felt better, after speaking with Mina on the matter his nerves had settled, except now facing an empty honeymoon suite his nettle had deserted him. Theo held his head in his hands, desperate for the world to stop spinning for a moment, for the sun to pause its descent through the sky until they could find their couple and marry them as was good and proper.

Instead all the happened was that Graham moved across the room and began to clink crystal together and pour a glass of... Theo looked up just in time for Lord Mulberry to offer him the drink. Usually Theo would have demured the offer at such an hour, but his nerves needed it more. "Thank you," he said, squeezing his hand around the crystal. Theo took a healthy sip, wincing as the burning-sweet brandy slipped down his throat and warmed his belly. He had been too nervous to eat breakfast, so without doubt the drink was sure to hit him fast.

Theophilus nursed his drink as Graham inspected the trunks, which were locked. Theo was beginning to conclude that they hadn't come here at all, which failed to bode well. As did Graham's question, that still sent Theo's heart trembling with angst. "I meant to... I wanted to, but... the day slipped away from me." Theo smiled, and gave a self-depracating shrug of his shoulders, willing himself to keep his nerve. He would not like to be a trembling mess in front of Lord Mulberry, as the oldest of their university friends, he had always wanted to impress upon him. "I should have... I should have spoken to them, then it would be more clear whether their disappearance was due to nerves or excitement." Theo offered a wan smile. Ah, hindsight.

He finished his serving of brandy, already beginning to feel pleasantly light-headed, his hands sturdy instead of wavering. Theo stood up from the bed, smoothing his perspiring palms over his trousers. "If they... if they are not here, I doubt they would be in the other rooms... If they have eloped they would either come here, heedless of the consequences, or attempt to hide themselves away... What do you think?" Theo asked, looking to Graham for his opinion.

#graham 01 #lord-graham

hemlocksiren:

It would appear that the jitters she had during her conversation with lord of Mulberry was solely due to her husband’s impatient and quite anxious glances cast her way. While she spoke to lord Graham, Theo was occupied by the frightened flock of the Holy Sanctum, but she knew her husband well enough to know he, too, was quite probably panicking worse than a deer caught in a hunter’s trap. Fighting an urge to crack an affectionate smile before she finished chatting with the young lord, Mina wondered how long will it take her husband to whisk her away the moment her current conversational partner said his goodbyes and went off on the town wide search.

As expected, lord Graham barely managed to walk five steps away before she felt an all familiar touch of her husband’s hand guiding her further away from the crowd - although the majority of people already cleared out and paired off to go searching for the Bride and the Groom. He immediately started to speak and Mina gently ran her fingers through his hair in an attempt to soothe him. The only way she could calm him is to divert his attention elsewhere. “No one can know what would have happened if you went out to meet with them beforehand. Perhaps you would have stumbled upon something…” she hesitated for a moment, fighting the urge to crack a grin - it was neither the place nor the time, and most definitely not the occasion, for her train of thoughts. But she knew he’d be waiting for her response, so she continued. “Perhaps they are simply enjoying themselves, having lost the track of time in their bliss. Not everyone shares our devotion to restraint, my dearest.” She replied, a knowing smile tugging at the corners of her lips. It was a soft, light hearted jab in an attempt to distract her husband from thinking of the worst possible outcome.

“Ish.” Mina tsked, very gently flicking the tip of Theo’s nose, before fixing his robes and resting her hands upon his shoulders, giving him a light, reassuring squeeze. “It means people are unpredictable and governed by their whims. The worst case here is that they got jitters, or they eloped, or they are enjoying activities two young, healthy people enjoy when they are caught up in the romantic air of a wedding. Relax and breathe.”

- - - 📖- - -🕊️- - -

Mina soothed him at once, just as he had known she would. An affectionate rustle through his hair. Theophilus leaned into her hand ever so slightly, anchoring himself in her touch for a brief moment. He held his eyes closed in a blink and breathed. When he'd opened his eyes, Mina was suggesting that the to-be-weds had run off to enjoy each other. In the same way Mina had attempted to seduce him, those years ago.

She flicked his nose and Theo returned to himself, resolve rebuilding his spine in the face of woe and panic. "Surely..." Theo trailed off, swallowing his words as his frown deepened. Surely they could wait the few minutes it would have taken Theo to bless their union? He had managed to wait even with Mina's attempts at seduction. Theo gnawed on his bottom lip, trying to make sense of it. "I hope whatever has kept them is worth this scandal," Theophilus mumbled, taking a moment to appreciate the chaos that was circling about the Holy Sanctum. How Mina stood amongst it all like an island in the sea that Theo now clung to like a shipwrecked sailor.

"You think it is likely they... uh... succumbed to their passions?" Theo asked, looking to his wife for reassurance.

#mina 01 #hemlocksiren

lord-graham:

where: the typhon inn & pub when: 2:46 p.m. with: @theophilus-sphinx

Unable to stall leaving the church any longer, Graham proposes to the good Reverend that they head to his inn so they can check all the rooms in the hopes of finding the bride and groom. The Typhon was centrally located in town and took less that ten minutes in his carriage to arrive, not that he was looking forward to what they might discover. If they did come across the bride and groom, he hoped in the very least they had checked into the honeymoon suite early. Hell, he’d even settle for just one of them in the room with some secret lover.

With a large key ring in hand, Graham leads Theo up stairs and slowly slides the largest into the lock. His eyes shift over to the other man to silently ask if he’s ready before turning the handle and opening the door. In another life, Graham may have cracked a joke about taking bets on what was behind the door, but his existential dread has ruined the development of a sense of humor. He doesn’t announce his presence as the loud groan of the hinge does it for him, though it turns out it doesn’t matter. “Empty,” he announces obviously. This may be their largest room, but it’s still only a bedroom with a sitting area off to the side.

This doesn’t come as a surprise to him, as if he already knew they weren’t inside before they came in. “Bed still made. Trunks, delivered last night, still unopened.” No signs of life here. An optimist would focus on the dozen other rooms still left to search, but this one held the highest probability and he was already feeling the sting of defeat. Shoulders slumped as he looks around, as if some clue or inspiration will jump out at the men.

Action was the cure to Theophilus' woes. Action brought hope, and Theophilus was in desperate need of hope. So much so that he agreed to come along with Lord Mulberry to investigate the suite the couple had booked for their first night of martial bliss. The insinuations were clear, and their penance would be great indeed if they were so caught up in their passions that they absconded to consumate their marriage early. But... but, but, but, perhaps it wouldn't be too late. Theophilus could perform marriage rites swiftly to save them from this sin.

Theo hurried up the stairs after Lord Mulberry, dabbing his forehead with a handkerchief held in his trembling hand as Graham opened the door. All his fears renewed again with the single word Lord Mulberry uttered. Empty.

Theophilus tentatively entered the room after Lord Mulberry, dabbing his forehead as a fresh bout of sweating overtook him. Another lead, dried up. "These rooms are very handsome, Lord Mulberry," Theophilus commented, defaulting to the age-honoured tradition of benign, dazed flattery as the room began to spin in front of him. Theo stumbled into one of the trunks and then found himself on the bed, the bed that should have been their marriage bed! "I must... I must apologise... I..." Theophilus pushed himself to seating on the bed, wary of trusting his legs which seemed to buckle and shake underneath him. "A few moments, perhaps, and then we can continue looking..." Where, was another question. One better suited to when he might not feel so horribly pale.

#graham 01 #lord-graham

Location: The Holy Sanctum, approximately 2:20 pm @hemlocksiren

A marriage was the most sacred of rites, the most happy and joyous of rites. Joining two souls as one, for eternity, before the eyes of God and man. And the couple today were so perfect, the union of two old, well-respected families of the Netherfield Parish. The weather this morning was perfectly mild, sunlight shone above…

But around noon, the winds shifted. Theophilus noticed it, and tried to think nothing of it, the Northerly swells. Portents of doom, as the couple were later and later, until their absence was noted by the crowd. Theophilus heard nothing after that declaration, he stood tall and stark like a statue at the front of the church as the congregation began to talk amongst themselves, calling up a search party. Someone came to speak with him, Theo heard them not, all he could do was reply automatically and wait for his wife to be free.

Once she had finished her conversation with Lord Graham, Theophilus quickly came to her, taking her arm wordlessly to lead her to the side of the room, to a little privacy they could be afforded.

"Oh Mina," he softly cried once they were out of earshot, wishing they were private, that he might clutch her as he truly wished to. "Mina, I should have fetched them earlier! I meant to- I wanted to go over their vows… I should have gone over their vows with them, if I had done so they would be here! But instead! Instead I hid myself in here, practising my lines. Lines I may never utter again if they cannot be found!" His first marriage ceremony, and it was a disaster. "What does it mean, if both bride and groom are absent from the first marriage I am to conduct?"

#mina 01 #hemlocksiren #wet cardboard enters chat

occultusrparchived

DANDELION SPHINX.

NAME: THEOPHILUS AMBROSE HARRIS.

OCCUPATION: PRIEST.

AGE: 32.

PRONOUNS: HE/HIM.

FC SUGGESTIONS: Matthew Macfayden*, Aneurin Barnard. *use of younger source material.

DANDELION.

The life of a priest suited your character more than it suited your religious inclination. While you believe in a God, you’re not necessarily conventional in your beliefs which makes for an interesting clergyman. You’ve always preferred the company of books and animals to the one of people, but as you matured so did your love of all things flourished within you. You no longer keep yourself closed off from the rest of the town, but while you’re kind and polite with them, you’re not inclined to seek out their company of your own volition. When you finally married the woman of your dreams, you were more than happy to just keep tending to the two of you, looking at your modest house like a garden of Eden. When your family grew for one you were beside yourself with glee, and when the old priest of your town died, you succeeded his place by the townsfolk’s vote. It’s been a full year since you’ve worked as the local priest, chatting with your people instead of holding cold, impersonal confessions, and while you didn’t do it for your own benefit, you knew it was one of the reasons why they all loved you so much.

During this year you’ve worked as a priest you’ve never once tied two people in holy matrimony and now you find yourself filled with anxiety. You know you will do it well, but you can’t help being a little stressed out about it. The two lovers you are to wed both belong to prominent, powerful families, and the mother of the Bride is your patron, no less.

SPHINX.

You always loved the mysteries of nature, the riddles of God. They say you are religious, but your love of the otherworldly secrets has nothing to do with your occupation. You enjoy the subtle presence of the supernatural, a breath of Life contained within every living being. Is life not a riddle in itself? To have the knowledge of existence and of matter that makes Life, is to have the power of ancient Gods - but while it is attainable to you, you’ve never been the greedy sort.

INVITED TO TEA.

HEMLOCK SIREN. Being married for over three years and graced with a two year old babe you’ve never thought you could be this happy. Your loving wife is your rock and where you are sometimes shy and hesitant, she is brave and audacious. While you seek the otherworldly you also dread it, yet you know what she is and you remain firmly by her side. She never outwardly told you her secret and you don’t ask it of her, but having a witch for a wife brings more blessings than it does damnation.

JESSAMINE DAEMON. They are your patron saint, but you know there’s nothing akin to sainthood within the daemon. An excellent conversationalist and a true host, you enjoy their company whenever they invite you over for tea. You know they are interested in you, in a way they’re interested in all unconventional - but not scandalous - things and you feel flattered knowing they value you.

YARROW HYDRA. The two of you get along really well. They share your love of mysteries and riddles, but their inclination lies within the material world, while you are more attuned to the metaphysical realm. You like to spend time with them and often the conversation exchanged between the two of you leaves you with a thoughtful frown.

PEONY WEREWOLF. A shepherd should love all of his flock, but you do not hold them in such high regards. Peony Werewolf and their spouse might be the only two truly slimy people you’ve ever met in your life. You can’t put your finger on it, but whenever they drop by for a chat, or a confession, you either want to bolt through the door or bolt the door. Needless to say, whenever they, or Iris Vampire, leave you find your wife cleansing your house with herbs or frankincense.

AZALEA WYVERN. He returned home from across the sea and while he’s not a foreigner, he’s not a true local either, and so you’ve taken it upon yourself to make him feel welcome, inviting him over for dinner and tea. He’s a smart lad, roughly about the same age as you, and you are delighted to see the two of you have some shared interests, or at least shared ideas.

DANDELION SPHINX IS PORTRAYED BY ANEURIN BARNARD AND PLAYED BY GREY.

#bio #about