#rhea 008

[visxionaries]

who: @rhea-florent when and where: set following his conversations with halima yronwood and tirius rowan, cedric tyrell sees his spy mistress the following morning. they are enjoying a leisurely morning stroll, following cedric's first official meeting with his newest member of the family - cillian.

the morning air was cool, touched with the scent of fresh blooms from the gardens surrounding highgarden’s sprawling paths. cedric tyrell strode with an unhurried grace, his gaze fixed ahead as lady rhea tarly walked beside him, her pace matching his. their surroundings were idyllic—soft birdsong, the murmur of fountains, and the golden light of dawn spilling over the emerald expanse of their home—but cedric’s thoughts were far from tranquil. “a plan has been set into motion,” he began, his voice calm but with an edge of finality. he didn’t look at her directly; his eyes lingered instead on the vibrant rows of roses they passed.

“it is delicate, rhea. not one for prying eyes or wandering ears. yet, like all plans worth their salt, it will require your expertise to guide it to its inevitable conclusion. in a few days, or weeks, or months, events will unfold, and the realm will turn its gaze where it’s meant to. you will not speak to me of this again, nor will i speak to you. our silence, as always, will be our strength. when it is done, the results will speak for themselves.”

his eyes narrowed slightly, though his expression remained calm. “this is not for the council. not for tirius rowan...not for tion peake. not for omer, not for lucrezia...they will have no part in this." that was a lie regarding tirius rowan; only, he would not implicate tirius as being fine with the murder of one of his own. not when they sit at the same table, and there already remained tension between tirius and rhea that he was not blind to. he clasped his hands behind his back, the cool morning breeze brushing against his face. “there are whispers already, as there always are. but they’re unfocused, scattershot. i need them shaped, narrowed. targeted, in the aftermath of something specific.” he finally glanced at her, his hazel eyes sharp and expectant.

cedric paused near a low stone bench, his gaze softening momentarily as an attendant walked by holding a young girl—his cousin's daughter helena, —her laughter echoing across the garden. cedric offered a faint smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. when the child had disappeared around the corner, his expression hardened once more. “you’ll ask no questions about the particulars of the plan,” he continued, his tone lowering but firm. “you to understand the need for discretion, even among allies. i've already sourced someone willing to sully their blade; all you need do is spin the blood to face toward the high septon when it comes."

[isolatednights]

momentarily distracted by the hair that's beginning to creep around the frame of his face, aiyla's fingers practically itch to brush them back. his words break her from the thought ⸺ though she makes a mental note to search for a pair of scissors and sit him down for a proper cut in the coming days.

"we were talking about building a few new raised beds near the house before they showed up, and now we'll really need them if we're taking on two more mouths. maybe you can show him where we found the spare lumber in the morning and i can spend the day instructing him on what to do. you'll know right where to find me and i'll be in your sight from most places on the farm." perhaps it was a bit cruel, giving the man two laborious jobs back to back, but if the two of them wanted to stay with aiyla and cade, it would be long, strenuous days until things were properly set up. leaning into the brush of his fingers and blushing slightly, aiyla releases a soft hum of agreement. "me and you."

that remaining daylight hours pass quickly ⸺ and after sending rhea off with some food for the evening, it's blissfully quiet once more. aiyla contemplates arguing with cade, but knows its an argument she won't win. brushing down a wild tuft of hair as she passes, the woman slips into the bed with a sigh. "m'kay. just wake me when it's my turn, alright? we both have to be awake enough to deal with them if things take a turn," not that she expects it to, but aiyla hopes it will prompt cade to at least wake her halfway through the night, rather than taking the full shift.

padding into the barn, brows raise at the transformation that's taken place. rhea had poked her head in shortly after their arrival during her tour with aiyla and assumed they'd continue to rough it until they were invited into the farmhouse, but somehow elias had gone and transformed the space. flashing him a smile before dark hues continue to drink in the strung lights and bed.

snorting at the mention of the smell, her attention returns to him. "yes because i smell like a sweet peach." her day might have been far easier than his, but the luxury of a proper scrub down had been sporadic during their travels. everything about what they'd grown familiar with, however, had the promise of changing now that they'd found this place. "aiyla mentioned she'd get us some towels and a bar of soap from the house in the morning. apparently there's a well nearby and we're welcome to wash up but need to dump the water away from where they're growing crops." it wouldn't be the hot shower she craved, but it would be nice to be clean again.

"oh you didn't manage that today on top of everything else?" she teases, "i was planning it right over the barn door so everyone sees it as they enter." padding across the space, she offers out the pack she'd been handed before saying her goodnights to cade and aiyla. "they sent along something to eat and refilled our bottles.... and you aren't in this alone, you know? we have a chance of some normalcy here, so we'll work together to make this work. and if it doesn't... well. as long as you're with me, i'll have a home."

cade's hair had reached the point where it was starting to flick and curl, little tufts peppering across his forward and the way he always pushed it back was effortless. "it's a good plan, try n' scope him out a bit? see if his story lines up but, you just... be careful with him alone yeah? i'm never far i just.." a slow breath, a heavy exhale.. thoughts heavy on his mind. "you come irst to me so, don't like the idea of you goin' far with a still stranger or anythin' happening to you. just don't go far with him but if anything, even if you just suspect, shout. you know i'll come runnin'." he reached forward, dared to be a bit soft.. maybe there presence had him feeling that bit more protective but he reached to tuck a fallen strand of hair back behind her ear. "aiyla you are my number one, ride or die me n' you right? that don't change."

elias battled on through the day, he got the jobs done, cade showed him where he and rhea could set up for the night. after that he went through their packs, pulling out the bedding and trying to make up a safe and comfortable corner for rhea to sleep, he'd be fine taking first watch. unbeknownst to him that was also what Cade had done, moved a chair to the window where he could overlook the barn, just incase. "you sleep first, no arguments."

"there's my lovely wife." elias was smirking, being a big idiot as ever when rhea came in. he'd set up the bed, strung up to solar powered lanterns so it felt a little more homely than desolate and sure, it wasn't ideal but it was a roof, it was safe and secure and he'd done his best to clean their section. "now i know this isn't the ritz, but maybe when they trust us a bit more- as for the smell well, awfully sorry, been lugging around logs." he smiled, stupid and goofy and if she ever realised, it was in admiration of her, always smiling at the brightest thing he had in his life now. "i'll work on the live laugh love sign." he joked, taking a seat beside the makeshift bed of sleeping bags and piled blankets, one spread and neatly arranged underneath them rather than cold hard dirt. farm life suited him. "i'm gonna do my best, you know to make this work? i want this to work for us, i want you to have somewhere to call home rhea." he just... he hoped it was with him.

[firstginger]

I've already done yor test and it was so beautiful!!! Im curious, what are the tare and the secret outcomes? If you dont want to share it with everyone, you may answer to this privately. Only if you want to, of course!!! 💖💖💖

hey, thank you so much for your kind words! 😊 i’ve been loving seeing what everyone gets, hermes and hypnos seem to be tumblr’s patrons haha!

the rare/secret outcomes are chaos and cronus/rhea! not so secret since i forgot uquiz shows you the breakdown at the end PFT but they’re both coded to be much less common. chaos was accidentally coded to be too common in the beginning so quite a few people were getting them initially, but right now the statistics are .03% of people have gotten chaos and .008% of people have gotten cronus/rhea.

[lisettefoix]

#task005

001. name / age / pronouns

Jo aka Joana you’ve all graduated to knowing my full name congrats. 

22 but only for like 6 more days

she/her or they/them gender is complex fam ✌️

002. which character(s) do you play?

rn: isette, arthur, noori, mirey

have played in the past: reha, nic, rhea, ariel, andrés, bastien, anya, like a million versions of lis... maybe more? I’M A MESS

003. nationality / ethnicity / timezone

Portuguese / white / gmt

004. tell us a bit about your  ( home / current ) country / city / etc. your pick

it’s been long enough since I talked about #dickcity and a lot of the people here probably weren’t here back then so I would like to introduce you all to #dickcity aka Caldas da Rainha, a small town near the capital of Portugal whose main export is dicks made out of china or sometimes clay. 

no really. they have mugs, lil dicks with the football teams colors, dicks with their dicks out, football players with lil pop up dicks (it’s hiden behind the cloth here’s it out), just gigantic dicks (bonus boob mugs), dick dressed as a roman, medieval dick in a dick horse, this thing, ect

i don’t live there i just need people to know.

005.  favourite color / fruit / season

blue / raspberries but they’re expensive so i live on strawberries / spring or fall 

006. favourite books + writer whose writing style you admire the most

my favorite book is little women and i was supposed to go watch the movie today but a football team was playing and the best cinema here is inside the football stateum #endmysuffering.

I also really like fantasy books and my favorite author of those rn is Brandon Sanderson. also i’m a hoe for graphic novels specially SAGA & Paper Girls. 

my favorite author is a pt dude named Gonçalo M. Tavares cause he lowkey writes nonesense type of short stories. idk i love it i rec it but i think he’s stuff is only translated into french.

007. what kinda music do you listen to + any fave bands / musicians

I’m a trash music lisnter and my most lsiten too things are either disney or whatever musical i’m obssesing over that month. my favorite disney movie is the fox and the hound and i know that has no music i just need you guys to know i’m a sad hoe.

side note: watch this video and tell me it’s not mimi/gio/natalia like last year. i dare you.

008. what are you doing for a living / what are you studying?

I’m an art history major finishing that hopefully by next semester and minors are not really a thing here but I’ll be doing 4 semesters of Arabic so I’m saying it’s my minor. also hopefully want to do Ancient Egyptian art in my masters. 

009. what’s your dream occupation?

Egyptologist 🥺

010. relationship status

single like a pringle

011. coffee, tea or hot chocolate?

hot chocolate but also all three. my mom says i drink old people coffee tho cause i don’t like expresso. 

012. dream holiday destination?

I’m a history hoe so if it has some ruins probably there.

013. the thing you’re most proud about yourself

I honestly don’t care what people think of me and it’s so damn freeing ya’ll. Down side is that I’m really self critising and perfectionist so we get anxiety in this house anyway buT still.

014. tell us a bit about your family!

It’s mostly just me and my mom and we’re very close literally everyone in my closer family is either dead or a huge asshole other than my cousins and one set of uncles so like ✌️

I also have 3 cats and their names are Boneca (Doll) Cinza (Ash) and Mel (Honey) and they cute.

015. how long have you known your closest friend?

13 years goddamn - but we have this inside joke that i say she doesn’t remember me for the first two years we knew each other and her reply is always “I DON’T KNOW WHAT 5TH GRADE WAS”

016. superpower you’d like to have?

stop time. I need a break

017. celebrity you’d like to meet?

I don’t trust celebrities, but also Zendaya.

018. guilty pleasures

fries in McDonald's ice cream. sims videos on youtube. and shitty teenaged shows and movies on netflix.

019. pet peeves

we! hate! slow! walkers! also uni profs thinking dislexia makes you dumb.

020. do you have any hobbies?

procrastinating uni works by watching netflix???? jk. other than roleplaying and reading I like to draw sometimes. I also bullet journal and while that’s technically “useful” I use it to pretend i’m 5 again and color.

021. where would you like to live in the future?

Egypt. I’m trying to get into an american uni there but will my grades be enough to get me in and financial help? we’ll see.

022. tell us a story about a thing that recently happened to you! it can be a funny, scary, sad story, your pick!

my youngest cats favorite game is for me to throw her a hair tie and she plays catch with it and sometimes she just brings it over so we can play. she also washes the hair tie in her water bowl sometimes cause it got like dust or hair on it. 

anyways all she wants to do now is play catch and today she dropped the wet hair tie on my homework - it’s not funny it’s just sad.

“funny” one recently I made my arabic teacher laugh by filling in one of our assignments with hungry in arabic where it was to put our name cause it’s spelled something along the lines of “jauana” and I wanted to make a dad joke.

[strings-have-been-cut]

CHARACTER TRUTHS

bold  –  always  ⁄  often

italic  –  sometimes

strikethrough  –  never

Rhea Barclay: 

001.   smoking:  the  action  or  habit  of  inhaling  &  exhaling  the  smoke  of  tobacco  or  a  drug.

002.   binge drinking:  the  consumption  of  an  excessive  amount  of  alcohol  in  a  short  period  of  time.

003.   drug abuse:  the  habitual  taking  of  illegal  drugs.

004.   nail-biting:  a  common  body  language  sign  of  anxiety / tension.

005.   lip-biting:  a  common  body  language  sign  of  anxiety / tension.

006.   night owl: a  person  who  is  habitually  active  or  wakeful  at  night.

007.   early bird:  a  person  who  rises ,  arrives ,  or  acts  before  the  usual  or  expected  time.

008.   negative attitudes: a  philosophy  of  approaching  life  with  criticism  &  pessimism.

009.   positive attitudes:  a  philosophy  of  approaching  life  with  optimism  &  confidence.

010.   swearing:  the  use  of  offensive  language.

011.   superstitious:  an  irrational  belief  that  an  object ,  action ,  or  circumstance  not  logically  related  to  a  course  of  events  influences  its  outcome.

012.   inspecting fingernails:  a  common  body  language  sign  of  boredom.

013.   scratching your neck:  a  common  body  language  sign  of  uncertainty.

014.   foot  & finger  tapping:  a  common  body  language  sign  of  stress / impatience.

015.   nose touch:  a  subtle  body  language  sign  of  deceit.

016.   flipping  hair:  a  common  body  language  sign  of  craving  attention.

017.   twirling  hair:  a  common  body  language  sign  of  flirtation.

018.   cracking  knuckles:  a  common  body  language  sign  of  readiness.

019.   hands behind back:  a  common  body  language  sign  of  confidence.

020.   finger-pointing:  a  common  body  language  sign  of  authority.

021.   hands on hips:  a  common  body  language  sign  of  readiness.

022.   hands in pockets: a  common  body  language  sign  of  mistrust / reluctance.

023.   frequent touch:  a  common  body  language  sign  of  warmth / familiarity.

024.   throat  –  clearing:  a  common  body  language  sign  of  rejection / doubt.

025.   jaw  –  clenching:  a  common  body  language  sign  of  hostility.

026.   eye  –  rolling: a  common  body  language  sign  of  irritation.

027.   head  –  tilt: a  common  body  language  sign  of  interest.

028.   whistling: to  emit  high  –  pitched  sound  by  forcing  breakthrough  a  small  hole  between  one’s  lips  or  teeth;  usually  to  a  tune.

029.   humming:  make  a  low,  steady  continuous  sound  like  that  of  a  bee;  usually  to  a  tune.

030.   perfectionism:  refusal  to  accept  any  standard  short  of  perfection.

031.   photographic memory:  the  ability  to  remember  information  or  visual  images  in  great  detail.

032.   paranoia: a  mental  condition  characterized  by  delusions  of  persecution ,unwarranted  jealousy ,  or  exaggerated  self  –  importance,  typically  worked  into  an  organized  system.

033.   exaggeration:  a  statement  that  represents  something  as  better  or  worse  than  it  really  is.

034.   intuitive:  using  or  based  on  what  one  feels  to  be  true  even  without  conscious  reasoning;  instinctive.

035.   quick-witted:  showing  or  characterized  by  an  ability  to  think  or  respond  quickly  &  effectively.

036.   interrupting:  breaking  the  continuity  of  a  conversation  with  one’s  own  statements.

037.   doodling:  to  scribble  or  make  rough  drawings,  absentmindedly.

038.   irritable:  having  or  showing  a  tendency  to  be  easily  annoyed.

039.   gambling:  to  play  games  of  chance  for  money;  bet.

040.   travel – sick:  suffering  from  nausea  caused  by  the  motion  of  a  moving  vehicle ,  boat ,  or  aircraft.

041.   sensitive:  having  or  displaying  a  quick  &  delicate  appreciation  of  others’  feelings.

042.   melancholy:  a  feeling  of  pensive  sadness,  typically  with  no  obvious  cause.

043.   chewing gum:  the  exercise  of  chewing  flavored  gum  which  is  not  intended  for  swallowing.

044.   fidgeting:  to  make  small  movements,  especially  of  the  hands  &  feet,  through  nervousness  or  impatience.

045.   skeptical:  not  easily  convinced;  having  doubts  or  reservations.

046.   neat–freak:  compulsively  obsessed  with  cleanliness.

047.   gossiping:  divulging  personal  information  about  others.

048.   prim:  feeling  or  showing  disapproval  of  anything  regarded  as  improper;  stiffly  correct.

049.   abbreviating:  giving  others  nicknames / shortening  names / giving  pet  names.

050.   having a catchphrase: having  a  sentence  or  phrase  typically  associated  with  a  specific  person.

@ltbroccoli​

[aitne-sl]

Look::008

Head: LeLUTKA Fleur Head 2.0 Skin: (Enfer Sombre*) LeLutka Skin Applier - Porcelain tone - Mia (BOM) Eyes: L'Etre - Catwa eyes [#54] Lip: IVES. Sugary Lipgloss. (LeL Evl) ‘FATPACK’ Hair: Sintiklia - Hair Rebecca - Fatpack+Tint Bang Hair : Sintiklia - Hair Rhea - GIFT Eyesliner: [PF] GENUS EYESHADOW Applier - Beauty Glaze - NEUTRALS Bossie. quick eyeliners [genus][BOM] Accesorio: .Dekopon. Purrfect Choker Top: AsteroidBox. Alina Shirt - FLF Exclusive Jeans: Blueberry - Power Play - Jeans - Classic - Blac

[hskinstim]

i also figured out colours :B

in case it’s hard to read:

dane: rgb = 132/000/000 | hex = #840000

drew: rgb = 255/180/008 | hex = #FFB408

june: rgb = 89/150/195 | hex = #59965F

jace: rgb = 40/84/42 | hex = #28542A

jaye: rgb = 77/205/166 | hex = #4DCCA6

judy: rgb = 59/136/243 | hex = #3B88F3

rhea: rgb = 225/178/255 | hex = #E1B2FF

roni: rgb - 206/118/219 | hex = #CE76DB

[rfarnese-blog]

Task 008: Rhea’s Instagram 

[visxionaries]

♠

cedric’s steps did not falter, his gaze steady on the garden path ahead. the cool morning air wrapped around them, a pleasant counterpoint to the heated undertone of their conversation. rhea’s frown, though fleeting, was not lost on him. "what are you on about?" he asked, glancing to her side as he noticed the ire upon her features. he knew her displeasure intimately; it came like the prick of thorns beneath a rose’s bloom—sharp, insistent, and entirely expected. her words, even softened, carried an edge, but cedric let them hang in the air a moment before responding, his tone calm but unyielding.

“you’ve always worked well with what little you’re given. that's your point.” he said, a faint smile curving his lips, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. a slight jab, cocky in nature no doubt. “this will be no different to your usual method. you’ll make it work."

cedric slowed his pace, his hands clasped loosely behind his back as he turned slightly toward her, his vivid ocean hues flicking to her face. “let’s not dwell on the particulars of what you don’t know. instead, perhaps you can tell me what is known to you—about harlon.” the shift in subject was deliberate, the mention of her husband pointed. “he’s distant. quiet in court, even quieter when the council convenes. it’s unlike him.” his voice was low, threaded with something resembling concern, though he carefully masked it.

“i don’t have the patience to play the guessing games he seems to prefer these days. if he's pissed off with something, do me a favour and get it out of him will you?”

he stepped toward the edge of the path, running a hand lightly over the stone bench they’d passed earlier. “i imagine you know more than i do, as usual” he continued, his words casual, as though discussing the weather, though the intensity in his gaze betrayed him. “it isn’t like harlon to retreat without reason, and i suspect the cause is something more than simple disinterest.” there was a level of exasperation in her words of cedric tyrell as he referred to his brother; the brother none knew he had. it were strange; for all the years they had known eachother, he considered him a brother - and yet, the ties of blood felt distant. "is he having some crisis or something?

The Mistress of Whispers walked alongside her cousin, a leisurely walk that appeared inoffensive by all accounts. Not like the tangled scheming and plotting for the toppling of pieces around the realm that it actually was. The king spoke of plans within plans, and unveiled secrets that even Rhea was in the dark about. Frankly, she hated not knowing, and the fact that her cousin was asking of her to not dig deeper. She glanced at him with a mild frown, skeptical. He was asking to keep tied hands of the person he'd asked to weave secrets to begin with. Cedric bore the name Tyrell as his banner, but truly, he was more a Florent than anything else. Dear Eloise's blood had not been diluted one bit.

“I don't like this,” she murmured, “I cannot work with what I don't know, Ced”. There was merit to compartmentalizing information, that she knew far too well. But surely the king knew her usefulness was diminished when she was left partially in the dark. Rhea had no trouble keeping matters out of the council —there was plausible deniability then. But she had stained her hands before, and could do so again for the good of the realm. It was the beauty of working with the veil of secrecy and anonymity.

It had been a long time since the whispers sullying the faith had begun. Matters like that took time to flourish and Rhea had been gardening the talk, the perceptions, with utmost care. A final blow was coming, she gathered, from her cousin's words. “I understand discretion, you know that,” the lady said with a firm nod, casually glancing around the gardens. For all the loudness in Rhea's usual demeanor and bold personality, she was as skilled in discretion, subtlety, calculation.

“You're the one who will need to work on being more discreet, dear cousin,” she said as she lowered her tone. “A Dornish woman?” The Mistress of Whispers gave the king a pointed look, tilting her head slightly. The whispers informed of that meeting, and if Rhea had managed to learn that, there was the risk other spies could have gained insight into it too. Other than that broad descriptor nothing else had been learned. No name. No specific ties to one house or another. Still, she'd worked to diffuse any murmurs around it, invalidating, twisting, replacing information. “So you've sourced your blade from Dorne,” she stated then, quietly. She did not even phrase it as a question.

[isolatednights]

rhea tried not to appear surprised when elias slipped his hand into her own once she was close enough. she might have been the one to suggest the game of pretending, but it didn't leave her any less surprised all the same. the woman always had known she'd enjoyed elias' company - it was why they'd stuck together for so long, but there had always been something else festering beneath the surface. some unspoken feeling of want - and now that she was expected to exchange these casual touches or glances of affection with the man, rhea wasn't entirely certain she'd ever be able to stop.

the look she offers him as they part for the day is weighted - and one she tries not to think about ; instead focusing on what aiyla tells her. from the few glances she manages of elias, her day is by far less labor intensive. the tour is relatively brief but peppered with information on what the couple plans to change or fix. it's ambitious, but rhea is certain the extra hands will do some good and tries to boast about either her own or elias' skillset when she can. after the tour, items are removed from a clothes line and then the two women spend most of it working at the gardens, retreating inside for a drink and something to eat. glancing up at the sound of the screen door, lips quirk at the sound of cade's questions. "the yapping grows on you, as you can see," she jokes, flashing her left ring finger briefly. "got a tour and rundown of current or upcoming projects. threw some ideas around which i'm sure you two can talk about."

"you ought to bring elias some water and some of the leftovers to eat," sending a smile in rhea's direction, she rises from her seat at the table and follows behind cade. "figured as much," aiyla murmurs, falling silent as elias approaches with an armful of logs and offers them both a smile. despite the smile and wave she offers in return, blues eyes scan over him skeptically as he turns to continue the task he's been assigned. "rhea was pretty forthcoming on how they found one another, where they've been and what they've done since the beginning. if he actually talks as much as you say, i could always drag him along with me for chores in the morning. see if everything lines up?" chuckling at his statement, her attention flickers toward the long stack of wood that now takes up a portion of the porch. "i wasn't looking forward to helping you either so, win win i suppose."

even a little water was more than enough to be grateful for but food too? well, he was excited about the prospects here, more excited to be able to get rhea a nights sleep under a shelter, he wanted her to feel safe and he'd go to great lengths for that. he found her friendly too, more than the man that'd barked a threat... and honestly elias couldn't blame them, had he and rhea found a good thing he'd have done the same. when rhea got closer he instinctually reached and took her hand, feeling the cool metal of his ring on her finger. he had to play a doting husband after all, only there was little acting involved.

there was a look he gave her, before he released her hand so she could go with their new found, hopeful friend, aiyla. somewhere he did hope that thhey'd all become close friends, another part of him wanted to keep rhea firmly at his side but eli wanted to prove he was capable of being useful here, and hopefully his determination would soften up the grumpy one. cade. she'd said his name was cade.

as the day progressed cade got eli to work, had him moving fire log after fire log so they were more close to hand, stacked at the front of the house. a tedious task and damn hard work so, for the most part, he appreciated for elias was simply cracking on with it and getting it done, sleeves rolled up. what he didn't do was talk, he wasn't talkative but that man sure as hell kept talking at him. yap yap yap. part of him appreciated the noise, another part of him craved the silence and birds chirping he'd become used to.

"thought i'd leave him for a bit, god rhea how'd you put up with all the yappin' that fella does?" he half grumbled, reaching for a pitcher or instant coffee which at this point, he was still thankful they had. "how you findin' it, aiyla showed you around?" he questioned, but after his small talk he gestured for aiyla to follow him to the porch. eli was walking off to get the next armful of fire logs. "we're gonna have to watch 'em tonight, you know that, right darlin'?" he asked, sipping the coffee he'd poured and eli was quick to come back, a light sheen of sweat on his forehead, dirt from the wood smudges on his shirt but he kept going only, he flashed this big goofy smile their way. the most approval he'd got from cade yet was the thumbs up he gave when he neatly piled the next lot of logs up. "....i was really dreading moving those." he finally flashed aiyla a lopsided smirk.

[isolatednights]

was it her way of telling him to take a deep breath? probably. elias had done everything to keep her safe and at ease over the weeks ( or was it now months? ) that had passed since things had gone to hell. she'd tried to do what she could to make sure he was just as taken care of as she was, but sometimes, rhea couldn't help but feel she fell short. "yeah, take a deep breath," and despite how much she means it, it comes out as a tease.

a groan escapes her at the thought ⸻ almost capable of tasting the sweet drink on the tip of her tongue. "yeah. a nice cocktail and a bowl of fruit. watermelon. mangos. ooh, no. raspberries." just another thing on the long list of what she's missed since the world went topsy-turvy. "but being my own little pool-boy? or beach boy in this case? scandalous eli!" she giggles.

"i mean, that makes sense right?" suddenly, her sudden demand of such a thing makes her feel self conscious ⸻ even as he holds out one of the silver bands she's grown so familiar seeing adorn his fingers. even as she slips it onto her left ring finger. "i wouldn't want people to try and separate us, or get the wrong idea." which they still would with the lies to pair of them were not planning to run with, but that wasn't something rhea wasn't to think about. "rhea kennefick. gimme a notebook. i've gotta write my new name with hearts all in the margins to make it more believable." shooting him a grin, fingers absently twirled the silver band on her finger. "right before this all started, maybe? i mean, we've been together since the beginning. known each other way longer. wouldn't be hard to believe that we'd gotten married, were getting ready for a honeymoon and then well.."

"is that your way of telling me to take a deep breath?" he couldn't help but laugh softly, making a point of a slow and rather dramatic breath in and out. he then got lost in the daydream of a dog, a shepherd. it was a dog that'd suit him and if he got the chance, he'd absolutely take one in. there'd been a few wild dogs he'd seen, reverting back to natures way seemed to be how everything was going slowly. either way he played day dream and make believe just as a way to cope.. a way for them both to cope.

"yeah? sun shining and warm sand? i'd be a gent, bring you a cocktail, you know the type with the sugared rim and the little umbrella?" he was beaming thinking about it. "hold me to it, i'll find us those little cocktail umbrellas one of these days."

elias nearly choked on air when she said that, married, then how she went on to add about it being there plan. "right! right, yep. married." he wore rings on his hands, plenty of them, so he slid one off, the silver band from his little finger and held it out to rhea. "well, if you're going to be mrs kennefick, lets at least make it believable." he held it out, not traditional but times were tough. "how long have we been married, mrs kennefick?" elias couldn't even keep a straight face. secretly, he liked the sound of that a little too much.

[isolatednights]

rhea knew it had been her suggestion to go with the lie of being married, yet something about hearing elias refer to her as his wife - insisting she be safe made her want to squirm in pleasure. instead, dark hues flickered to meet the blue of the other woman - a look of understanding exchanged between them. as if both were familiar with posturing, over protective men.

glancing back at cade, aiyla's head dipped into a small nod. until these two proved themselves trustworthy, she would agree to them staying away from the house. it had become a little safe haven for the pair of them, and well it would be nice to have extra sets of hands to help make it into something more permanent, aiyla also wasn't entirely eager to pop the little bubble that had formed around them. "we'll give you some water and food as well. it's not much, but it'll fill you up." a rarity these days. a kindness not often offered by strangers, but aiyla hoped that would be enough to keep the other two from doing anything horribly rash.

"eli!" rhea hissed at the sarcasm, eyes narrowing to shoot him a look of warning before flickering back toward the other man and woman. "thank you - for the offer of the barn, food and water. we're willing to put in the work and learn whatever we don't already know." walking up to join elias - fingers squeeze at his arm, a gentle reassurance - ready to separate from him, at least for a brief period, only to pause at cade's warning. it ought to terrify her - ought to make her worry that one wrong move will place her and elias into a world of trouble - but instead, she can't help but softly chuckle. "we don't mean any harm to you or your wife," she agreed with elias. "just want somewhere safe like everyone else."

aiyla is aware how important they've become to one another - yet cade's warning causes her attention to move from the couple before them to look at him. it seems... extreme for just friends, and the others woman mistaking their relationship because of it just causes her to flush. "i'll be just within yelling distance and i'll keep my knife on me," she assures softly, offering him a small smile before stepping away from his side to properly introduce them to the others. "i'm aiyla, this is cade. rhea right? i've got some sheets hanging outback on a line to dry. should keep you both warm enough tonight. c'mon. i'll show you around while these to finish up, ya?"

"we picked a farm, it seemed liek a smart idea. farm or island but an island well, we weren't exactly spoiled for choice and this was the closest farm before nightfall so.. we just picked this one, i won't lie to you ma'am we didn't have much more of a plan after that, it was just come up with something and go from there and here we are." lying was going to get him nowhere, he knew that. either way he was making sure that rhea was a safe few feet back, this one hand hovering at his side as if to keep her there, where he knew she was safe. "i'd just like to be able to keep my wife safe from travelling in the dark hours."

"if? there isn't a chance in hell that they're gettin' near the house." see had anyone else brought it up, had any other person questioned him on letting them stay.. he'd have given a very firm and final answer but because he was aiyla he was pliable, he'd crumble for her so easily. if only she knew how easily.

with a slow exhale he turned his head to speak up. "what are you good at, what're your skills? you can lift, carry weight?" he had half a grumble in his voice when he asked. "you know anythin' bout farming? about repairing any of this? 'coz if you can be sueful then.." he flashed aiyla a look, he wasn't sure... but if they were in the barn away from them? they could take turns the first few nights, watching, waiting for some sort of overthrow, whether they'd stay there. "then you can stay in the barn, not in the house or anythin' but the barn is a roof.. it's clear, you can help me finish clearin' it out since there's an hour or so left of sunlight."

elias couldn't have been quicker to roll his sleeves up and open the gate. he was more than ready to put the work in. "point me in the direction, i'm happy to work." he did flash a smile to aiyla too. "rhea knows all about raspberries if that's a possibility for the farm!" sarcastic as ever.

with that cade held a hand up to pause them before they got too close. "i'll say this once and once only, for the sake of sayin' it. you hurt her, you cause any trouble, i'll break all of your limbs n' string you up for passerby's to see, makin' myself clear?"

elias wanted to retaliate, he really did... but he also knew that it was for now, better to keep the peace and not be turned away and cast out into the dark. "there wont be any trouble, not for either of you."

[isolatednights]

lips press together as he speaks - earlier teasing demeanor replaced by one of concern - entirely unconvinced that this is a good idea. it might appear to be one woman, but rhea has learned that looks can be deceiving these days and she refuses to trust anything at face value. wandering about once the sun sets however, isn't really an option, so almost reluctantly, she sighs. "i don't like it." any further protest is halted by the kiss pressed to the top of her head - doe eyes blinking after him in surprise. they've been affectionate, certainly but that was... different.

it isn't that she's unaware of her surroundings - her head remains on a swivel despite having settled into the farm some weeks earlier - but the glances she tosses up are sporadic. the dead are slow and they haven't seen another living soul since they'd claimed the farm as their own... so perhaps she's grown a bit complacent. thoroughly distracted by the raised garden bed they'd installed, aiyla nearly startles out of her skin at the abrupt greeting. taking half a step back from the garden, blue hues assess the man critically before flickering behind him to the woman whose several paces back. it isn't a decision she'll make alone, and while part of her wants to call for cade, aiyla doesn't want to place him into any unnecessary danger either. "how'd you stumble on our home?" it's the only thing she cares about.

rhea isn't surprised to see someone else appear given how unlikely it is the other woman is alone - but its the sheer speed of his approach - the way his face seems to soften for her before immediately telling them off. swallowing a lump in her throat, she steps forward to hover just behind elias ( fingers reaching blindly to clasp around the material of his sleeve once more ). "we've just been looking for a place to settle - just like everyone else these days. it's just us - elias is right. we're just looking for somewhere to stay for the night."

unconsciously, aiyla finds herself leaning back into cade's touch - grounding herself and attempting to shake some of the nerves that have appeared with the appearance of two strangers. "i'm fine - they haven't stepped beyond the gate since they showed up," she assured quietly. "we can't just turn them away, cade. they aren't wrong. it'll be dark well before they hit another farm - assuming they manage to keep the right direction. we could let them stay in the barn for the night if you don't want them in the house."

everything looked a shorter distance on a map, he thought they'd be here sooner, time to change plan if they needed but they were running out of time. it'd be dark soon, dark and fucking cold and he didn't want to sit there and watch her shivering thanks to his mishap. he should have picked a different farm, a different place. "rhea.." he used a calmer tone. "listen, listen to me. it'll be fine." he reassured. "it's not a group, see? one woman, i doubt she'd look at us and think oh yeah, let me fight them so how about this. yous tay back a bit, i go forward, i talk. we need somewhere to rest, we need a good nights sleep, something. maybe she needs help with the land, that's something we can offer in exchange." elias had to think with a clear head. "it's worth us trying. not everyone is bad, she might be just like us. we don't know that she didn't think exactly like us, a farm being a good idea."

with that elias turned to her and moved in quickly, just to press a quick kiss to the top of her head. he meant it to seem friendly, just a passing thing, decision made and he'd get the job done if it meant she'd be warm tonight but beneath that.. he wished he'd been brave enough to kiss her on the lips, properly. "i'm not putting you at risk travelling at night." he spoke before turning on his heels and walking right up to the front gate. "excuse me! ma'am? hi! hi, i don't mean you no harm." his hands were held up, his pack shoved to the ground already. "my name is elias, i was wondering if you might need anyone to help with the land or anything heavy needs moving, i'm good at fixing things, just me and my wife, we're looking for somewhere to lay our heads tonight and there isn't anywhere else for quite some miles.. everybody knows it isn't safe to travel at night."

cade heard an unfamiliar voice. he was out of the old barn and crossing the farm in a heartbeat. aiyla. if anything happened to her, if something bad happened. no, he couldn't bare the thought. he came rushing up behind her, his hand immediately going to rest on her back. "what's going on- the fuck is he? he hasn't hurt you no, you're okay?" he spoke lowly, his frown already settled, the judgement of the man at their gate and the woman off in the distance. all elias could do was curse under his breath. he could tell in an instant that whilst he might have managed to charm the woman, there was no charming cade. "tough." was all he stated, one word, firmly.

[isolatednights]

she can't help but laugh, knowing there is truth behind the words. "the cheesiest, i'm sure. that would've been cute though. RW + EK under where my band sat. maybe with the date. that way there would have been no mistaking that i was someones," twirling the ring that now sat on her left ring finger, rhea can't help the slight furrow of her brow, knowing this was just another thing that would have been lost with time.

"oh how the tables turn," she mused. "my apartment was colorful. plants, homemade quilts, art." now, she'd settle for somewhere that was at least safe. everything else would just be... extra.

"any animal will bite when cornered, sweetie." flashing him a grin, she skipped ahead a few steps from him, "only time will tell i suppose. though i like the thought of someone noticing that about it first. would make for a good story."

the rest of the walk to their chosen destination is spent exchanging quips, sidelong glances, and plenty of laughter. by the time the woods were clearing to give way to open fields, rhea was more than ready to bask in the open air and sunlight - but the sight of a figure near the house gave her pause. almost blindly, fingers reached out to snatch onto elias' sleeve - drawing them to a halt. it was difficult to tell at first, but the movements were clearly human - a woman, from the looks of it. "someone lives here," for some reason, that came as a surprise to rhea. when was the last time they'd seen anyone? glancing at elias, a brow rose. "maybe we ought to pick another farm nearby?" it was late afternoon, but the sun was bound to set within a handful hours, and traveling at night.... it just wasn't safe.

"we could be that real cheesy couple rhea, each get something on our wedding fingers you know? I could get your name in cursive but I would settle for just a simple letter symbolizing me." time were never going to be that simple again it seemed. if only. then again, their age difference and all of that would've been far more controversial if.. tinder and all those things were still a thing.

"oh yeah, absolutely i would. you seen me? overflowing with personality, flair and charm. i had a boring apartment, very grey and modern and it was so.. dull. i hated it but i thought that was what i was meant to be striving for." the same old run of the mill thing. he didn't want boring anymore, he actually found the end of the world quite.. freeing.

"ouch! since when does a bunny rabbit bite?!" he teased again, giggling, scrunching his nose, his laugh still quite low. "my lovely wife, you're never going to be terrifying to me." he said that with a certain charm. "raspberry ranch it will be. it can be the first thing people ask us about our home."

[isolatednights]

"lucky you, i heard the job market is brutal these days," she laugh. rhea knew she was reading too much into the smirk that tugged on his lips or that slight twinkle in his eye. it was just light hearted banter on his end - nothing more. it didn't matter that it did something funny to her heart. made her feel light and cared for in a way that she'd thought would have vanished in this new world. but those were feelings she tried ( and likely failed ) to keep for herself. rhea could only hope that the giddy feeling he gave her wasn't something he felt the need to bring up. she was certain she'd crumple if he felt the need to lay down boundaries between them.

rhea had a handful of small tattoos from her time in college, each hidden away beneath her clothing. she'd always planned to add more in the future - birthdates of children perhaps. but that would certainly be a thing of the past now. "we'll swing by the nearest tattoo parlor on our way through the next town. only seems fair i get something too, right? maybe a bit more dainty. maybe 'kennefick' and the date of our wedding."

shaking her head, rhea shot him a glance as she weaved between a handful of trees. "so what you're saying, you'd be the one to make our house a home? give it some real personality?" another thing she'd always wanted and now seemed a bit out of reach. perhaps, if they were lucky, they could find a place to settle for the long term. "i like the thought of that. people coming over and pointing something out, asking the story behind them." if they settled, were neighbors even a possibility? she hummed at the thought.

reaching over to smack his arm at the comment, eyes narrowed playfully. "i'm gonna make you eat those words someday, husband dearest."

chuckling at his suggested farm names, rhea rolled her eyes. "raspberry ranch? well, if we manage to settle down, we can have a ribbon cutting ceremony and rename our little farm."

"i have a very generous employer." his smirk was flirtatious, his eyes even more so, it was growing harder and harder not to fall into playful and what he considered harmless flirting with her.. only he was very aware that he was older than rhea. he wondered if she thought that, that the fondness he felt for her, this idiotic crush was.. creepy. fuck, he didn't want to be that kind of creep, but would age be seen different now the world had ended? it wasn't like there were dating apps anymore.

"oh, i'd hope they'd be really jealous actually, the bigger the better, show it off proudly. roll my sleeves up just to make sure it's seen." that'd be a dying art too, tattoo's. after all, who the hell was going to have that stuff to hand, sanitised, or knowledge of how to do that? maybe it'd go back to the old way of people giving tattoos, hand poked with a needle. "wife with a raspberry then, definitely." he laughed, head shaking. little things like that he would've put such thought into once, now it was a joke, a passing idea.

"oh no, you'd have far better taste for decorating than me but i would insist on the cheesy walk plaque with the awful quote." actually, he'd insist on many stupid little things around their home, but they could still have a home... they could still find a place to be theirs, if she wanted that. he'd be a good makeshift husband or he would at the very least, try to be. "you? terrifying? rhea i'd be more scared of running into a bunny rabbit than you." he couldn't resist teasing her. the thing was if it came down to it... he could be intimidating, he could be scary. he was tall and once, he'd had to be intimidating, it was like something washed over him. like he put on a mask of a person that, he'd never been with her.

"Lilyglade Farm it is then, it's the closest, it'll hopefully do for the night. It's certainly the better name option, I'd have gone for something better. Moo Moo Meadow? Fifty shades of Hay? Endless opportunities they had, but these people lacked creativity." he grumbled the last part and kept it internal that he was so mesmerised by her smile. "Raspberry Ranch. that is what we should have called ours."

[isolatednights]

her heart clenches at his words, dark hues flickering to look at him with affection. rhea knows its all just a joke - a way things to keep things light and airy, but she doesn't doubt his words. the two of them... they'd likely do anything to make the other happy. "growing me raspberries and thinking i'll ever get sick of them? not possible." releasing a dramatized hum, a finger taps her chin, "your employer finds this uniform acceptable."

"oh don't go putting words into my mouth," she laughs, nudging him back. "i think it would look perfect right here." reaching over to tap his bicep, rhea can't help another cheeky smile from spreading across her lips, "just imagine how jealous all the rest of the girls would be when you flex and its my name right there - big bold and proud." why the idea of such a thing makes her feel a certain type of way is.... not something she wants to think about. "nah, it has to be a heart. traditional seems so much better. but i will gladly accept 'wife' with a raspberry in your phone as my contact name."

the thought of such a cheesy sign anywhere in a home they might share makes her snort. rhea can almost picture it - something made of weathered looking wood, pleasant blue text and a random starfish or something else on the thing itself. "we're those people, huh? cheesy signs and all. i'm a bit disappointed you think that's how i'd decorate." yet for some reason, it seems entirely appropriate. "hey now, i can be terrifying when i want to be." a straight lie. if either of them was meant to play intimidator, it would have to fall to elias.

reaching out to make elias stop walking, rhea flashed him a brief smile before leaning over to look at the map. "farm sounds good. maybe pick one for the night and look through the others over the next few days?" then they could figure out a game plan, because outside of their little fantasies, rhea wasn't sure either of them had a solid idea of what to do or where to go. "funniest name, for sure, hubby dear. i'll let you do the honors of making the final decision."

"well, when we have our island, i'll grow you as many raspberries as you can eat. until you're sick of them and begging me not to grow them the following year actually." if that was the way to her heart truly, he would find a way to make it happen. he'd make it his life's mission. "the pool boy uniform? shorts, you know the bright red baywatch kind? sunglasses too, the cool kind."

that wink could have sent him into a whole spiral but his toothy smile, bright and gleaming said it all. "oh i think i can handle it, why? don't you think i'd look like a real tough guy with the traditional heart? maybe i should make it a big raspberry with your name over it instead." he winked back, nudging with his elbow to her arm to tease. "you remember the days of smart phones? you'd have definitely had the raspberry emoji after your name, hundred percent, no doubt about it." he was laughing, low and under his breath.

"a little sunburnt, a little tipsy and a lot in love. i think we'd have had that on some sort of fancy print in our house, maybe in the kitchen above the drinks counter?" his head lowered, he must not show it other than his boyish smile but hearing her say that had him so star eyed and adoring. "oh i'd hate to imagine you picking a fight with someone keeping us apart. til death do us part, darling."

elias had the map out again, not that he hated being more in the country. he preferred it, he found it far easier than navigating a damn city actually. "so if not an island right now, how about a farm? maybe if we go off path and walk the fields we'll find wild horses- i mean anything is wild now... but you get what i mean. you ever rode a horse, my darling wife? we have a few hours before it starts getting dark so we could definitely make it to one of these farms. quite a few around. random finger point or funniest farm name how are we gonna pick?" anywhere was perfect, so long as he still got to spend his end of the world days with her.