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hiemaliis‌:

@diessolis​

‘‘ —and that’s my week. ’’ beatrice stopped, tugging on the sleeve of her nice sweater and leaned back in her chair. it was nice, she decided as she let her gaze roam over cecilia’s garden that was stretching out in front of her. unlike her, the other had a green thumb and it showed; the roses were … beautiful and she could remember a time when auburn had had the patience for something like this. then, the redhead — arguably the best gardener beatrice knew — had always had a knack for growing food, not beauty.

 “ you had such a stressful week, dear. No wonder you look so tuckered out.” Cecilia said, placing a cup of Fay’s favorite blend in front of her. Cecilia always made sure to serve Fay herself. Not all her guests could claim such a privilege. Most of the time she had her butler attend to guests these days whereas she only did the honors for special guests. “ you know that you just need to ask, if you want advice.”

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the cake fay had made for cecilia's birthday was ... prettier than what she could have managed on her own (dion's advice had paid off; theresia had been a great help), but fay was still nervous. cecilia meant high standards, and fay meant disliking to come up short. offering the cake to the other, she still managed a smile. 'happy birthday, cecilia.'

Cecilia leaned closer to properly inspect the cake Fay presented her with. It was a finely layered thing in pinks and berries. The rings of colored mousse were perfectly symmetrical and looked too good to be cut into. But of course that was utter nonsense. Cake was meant to be eaten, to be enjoyed together no matter how perfect it looked. And cecilia was sure that it did not only pass optical inspection. She appreciated that Fay put earnest and thorough effort into everything she did, so the cake was going to taste as good as it looked. Someone as diligent as Fay would of course rarely fail at anything she attempted.

Of course even back when she had still considered herself a normal mortal being, she was old. She had died in her sixties the first time around. And then, it seemed more like something to celebrate. Not everyone was so fortunate. By now, immortal and with no blood relatives left, celebrating her birthday had become a formality held up mosly for the sake of her staff.

Cecilia regarded the pale girl with warmth and pride as if she were a granddaughter and put a hand on her shoulder. She was indeed a bit surprised by her own emotions regarding the girl. Almost as if she had family once again.

“ It looks perfect. Thank you, my dear. I’ll get the cuttlery at once. I want to take a bite of my birthday cake. “   

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carnationhearted‌.

sometimes, polite people were harder to deal with than rude ones,  especially  when they were driven by the kind of stubbornness eleanor could not even condemn as she shared it. this alchemist  was  certainly the kind of person that the mage could not help but admire a little for the way she carried on, doing as she pleased and forcing others into playing her tune by being unfailingly polite. it was no less disturbing as it was stunning, was the kind of display eleanor could not help but watch with a familiar sense of morbid curiosity.

sighing yet not defeated, eleanor smiled faintly. “ we do not have a specific destination, just yet, ” she said, anxiety briefly dwelling up inside of her. their last trip had been to thalassa and had gone all kinds of wrong. the green hue had since vanished from her skin, but it had left behind a sense of inner confusion that she did not care for. “ we did consider heading out of this kingdom and to another — there are some mountain ruins i would like to see again. but you are right … the way this rain falls, it will be quite a hassle to deal with. ”

( alas, she was not her mother. she had never learnt how to silence a storm with a single wave of her hand and a burst of raw power. )

She was dodging another polite attempt at conversation with vague statements. She was a stubborn one. Cecilia normally disliked this quality in another person, especially if she was the one who was feeling it’s consequences. But Cecilia had politeness on her side and she had been raised to use it as a weapon as well as a shield. One of the things most people succumbed to in the end was unfailing politeness. One of the others was poison. But she had given that up when she retired. Now she was most happy with entertaining the rare guests, and tending to her beloved husband and plants. 

Cecilia poured herself a cup of herbal tea with a steady, delicate hand and breathed in it’s aromatic scent. She put in a piece of brown sugar and took a biscuit from the glass bowl next to her. Slowly she stirred her tea with her biscuit three times before taking a bite. She gave the red haired woman a pointed look and polite litlle smile. 

There you go. I did not die.

“ the hour grows later and later and still the downpour keeps going. At this rate, you’ll have to stay overnight. It would be my pleasure to give you two a tour of the guest rooms later on. If you like, i can also show you my greenhouse too, if you’re interested in botany. I’m always happy to share my pride and joy with others. “ 

Let the woman see for herself what she had in her garden. Maybe her doubts would be dispelled then. Of course the greenhouse was only a part of her beautiful collection.   

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hiemaliis‌.

“ his manners are  far  above what i’ve … experienced from other classmates. i’ve known him for a while and i  suppose  we are on friendly terms right now? it’s all complicated. and his, uh, mother  definitely  shares your opinions, ms alderidge. ”

“ Oh, at least he generally knows what manners entail then. What would make you think you’re on friendly terms with him? “

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hiemaliis‌.

“ i think that there  should  be a rule against it. he has no business appearing … endearing. ”

“ You need to make it very clear to boys that there is a line you don’t want them to cross. If they are let run wild, they will become incorrigible scoundrels in their later years. A mother has to teach her son some respect. Who is this particular boy? “

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ofmsfortune‌.

»had she left me other options, i wouldn’t be considering to take it this far,« freya said, hands folded neatly in her lap. and it was not untrue. if her mother had not her younger brother’s blood on her hands  ( though it stained freya’s conscience, too, for complicated reasons ),  freya would have gone for a less drastic option, would have locked audierna up in a frozen prison somewhere up in the high north where, according to rumours, multiple powerful ice users were currently making names for themselves. but audierna had committed a crime so horrible that freya would not allow mercy to soften the blow she wanted to deal against her mother.

of course, audierna  had done countless other horrid deeds that would have inspired others to wish her dead. but — no matter how much freya had grown to hate her mother in the years of her life, she had never been able to shake off the fact that the other mage  was  her mother. and matricide was  frowned upon  in all four kingdoms of the continent. and that was what freya had grown up with — moral limitations that had been put in place by people who had had mothers deserving of compassion and love, not mothers who had been monsters in disguise.

»claude deserved better than to be a — sacrifical lamb in her feud with me,« freya said quietly, mostly because her anger had been like frost — silent and lethal — in more recent years. the impulsiveness of her youth was buried in days she could never get back, lost amidst shattered potion bottles and broken music boxes. »but my current main concern is … she placed a tracking spell on me that makes it impossible for me to approach unnoticed. and i’d rather face her on my terms as you may understand — i believe her actions in the west three years back are something everyone heard about by now?«

“Of course. It is an open secret by now. It was discussed among us. ”

For an Alchemist to help a mage was almost unbecoming when mages were counted among the more disreputable groups in today’s society. An Alchemist had an image to lose. Granted, she was not unaware and ha d to acknowledge that the Alchemists had gained their reputation by entirely destroying the mages’ image. At the same time she was also not humble enough to wish to make amends for this fact. The time of mages had simply been over. Her reason for helping the young mage was a different one. 

She knew vendettas and family feuds. Her own eldest son had once sabotaged her  lab equipment, almost leading to a fatal incident that had prompted her to end her long running career to make the room he had wanted to create for himself. Not without disowning him first, of course. She could have ruined his reputation for life, done away with all the potential he had. But in the end she decided, it still pained her too much to do that. Even disowning him had been painful. She would never see him again. And she found that despite what he had tried to do, she still loved him like only a mother could. In Audierna’s case it was exactly the opposite. Her maternal instinct forbid such behavior and maybe it also played a role in her agreement to help the young dark mage. The other part was that when she heard that that wretch had murdered her own son in cold blood, she felt disgusted. As if she had touched a dead slimy slug. It was almost an obligation for anyone with a moral code to help in enacting some well deserved punishment.

“ She is too dangerous,this is true. How can i help you? Do you need any ingredients for rituals? “   

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hiemaliis‌:

@diessolis

❛ i’m certain that etiquette doesn’t allow for boys to  blush  at girls. it’s just … just infuriating. ❜

“ I have never heard of a rule explicitly against it. But it is certainly more becoming for girls than for boys. Especially if it was unwarranted or unprompted ”

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carnationhearted‌.

❛ fortunately, we stocked up on supplies before coming here so i won’t have to strain your hospitality much further, madam alderidge, ❜ eleanor replied as she leaned back in the chair she had been offered, though her relaxed posture became a lie the moment the alchemist referred to seth. having been alive for a long time, eleanor could guess what the  second  intention of the remark was, but she could keep herself from speaking out of turn. it was doubtful, after all, that her companion would appreciate her caution to affect his stay at the mansion. and patronising him was out of the question as well. ❛ i obviously cannot speak for my companion so you’ll have indeed to ask him. ❜

“ Oh, nonsense. I enjoy being a good hostess so you are not inconveniencing me in the slightest. Really. “ The task of a hostess was in no small part made harder or easier by the guests she was catering to. And this one was definitely not the sort to making things easier on her. Her tension betrayed her mistrust, and as much as this was uncalled for and aggravating, Cecilia would not allow it to color her behavior. A good hostess kept her composure no matter what. And she was good and practiced at this. Her smile surely looked natural but it felt fake She’d carry this conversation somehow. “ With this weather, some roads may soon become impassable. Where are you traveling to, if i may ask? “

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hiemaliis:

@diessolis

❛ i’m certain that etiquette doesn’t allow for boys to  blush  at girls. it’s just … just infuriating. ❜

“ I would certainly expect a gentleman to have a better grasp on his emotions and be smoother so as not to embarrass a young lady. Who is the boy in question if i may know? “

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ofmsfortune.

»full disclosure — i am seeking to hurt a very bad person quite badly,« freya started, taking another sip of her tea. to kill one’s own mother was very much frowned upon in most parts of the four continents, even if said mother was many cruelties past being deserving of any mercy. and freya knew that in most cases, it would be easier for her to secure the alliances she needed for her plan to work if she lied about the identity of the person she was looking to take down, but she did not think that was the right thing to do. if someone had part in her quest to matricide, they should know about their involvement. it was only fair.

taking a shaky  breath because this had not gotten any easier since the first time she had explained it to two trolls who had thankfully understood why she was doing what she was doing, freya continued to speak. »sorceress audierna is a name you’ll surely have heard about. i doubt i have to explain why the world would be better off without her destroying everything that displeases her,« she said quietly, something akin to shame burning in her cheeks now. »and after she killed my brother who was also her son, i dedicated myself to taking her down.«

Cecilia was nobody who sought to hurt others, much less a mother. And had she not heard the stranger out to the end, she might have pointedly asked her to leave. But then she would not have heard her reasons. 

Cecilia had, like many others, heard tales of cruel exploits. Tales that at first glance seemed to be to tall to believe for anyone with their moral compass intact. And while Cecilia could not boast a completely intact moral code herself, she could and would not condone murdering one’s own child. She was a mother and grandmother herself and she loved her children with all her heart. Cecilia could not for the life of her imagine how someone could be so heartless. Of course the poor woman would want to eliminate the threat this woman posed.

Cecilia was not angry however. In such instances, her calm presence of mind aided her in composing rational strategies and execute plans to the t. Her levelheadedness was one of the reasons why Cecilia was so dangerous. That and her knowledge and access to potent poisons and other lethal potions. She could see why the young mage would come to her.

“ I have also heard worrying tales about this woman. I am sorry for the loss your own mother inflicted on you. And in this case i will grant you my assistance. A person like her should not be allowed to walk on this earth. “

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carnationhearted.

eleanor had always  hated to offend others, but the idea of being poisoned did not exactly sit well with her either. she supposed that if the alchemist knew, for sure, that she was dealing with a mage, she would likely not have made the offer to begin with — old difficulties ran deep and both sides knew all too well why the other was somewhat wary. ❛ you are a  wonderful  hostess, ma'am, but i am recovering from the last traces of an illness and my healer might not agree with me going off the diet plan she has assembled for me, ❜ she said, praying to deities she had often felt abandoned by to guide her through this particular social mine field.

“ Oh, i am sorry to hear that. If there is anything i can provide you with that would go in accordance to your assigned diet plan, just say so. “ Illnesses were not to be trifled with and she was no stranger to them despite her excellent health. She was an old lady after all. “ In the meantime i’ll ask your friend if he wants anything. “ 

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ofmsfortune:

♛. — retired alchemist // @diessolis

freya did not  like alchemists  in general very much, but that probably came with the territory of being a mage. while the relationship had not always been quite as tense as it was now, it had been downright antagonistic for about a century now. not that freya had been alive long enough to witness how it had worsened along the years. still, while she was a mage — and an excellent one at that — she was also someone who was trying to hurt someone very, very powerful. and this worked best when one collected allies of considerable strength. and sometimes, these allies could be found in the most unusual places.

and this was  why she sitting in an alchemist’s house, sipping tea and smiling subtly. to a lot of mages, this would be treason, but there was a reason why freya had never been part of a school, why she had always kept to herself. that way, no one could complain about what she did.

»madam alderidge.« a pause, used to place the dainty teacup on its matching saucer. »thank you for seeing me today.«

When a message reached her, asking for a meeting she was highly curious. And this was certainly nothing she could have imagined. But it was not an unpleasant surprise to see the young mage sitting at her table in the light flooded kitchen and sipping the herbal tee Cecilia had offered. With a touch of displeasure she thought back to the last mage she had sheltered from a bad storm here. The woman had unnecessarily rejected her tea. 

This young well mannered woman here, however, had earned her good will. She had come with a request, and if it was nothing too unreasonable she would probably lend a hand. And whatever a mage could request from her might provide her with an interesting task to fulfill. Retirement could sometimes be dull, and there were just phases where there was nothing to do. Especially when it was winter and there was nothing much to do in her garden, except waiting for spring. 

“ Oh, it’s fine. I have time. Besides, your message got me curious. What is it that i can help you with? “

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carnationhearted.

❛ oh, i wouldn’t want to cause any inconveniences, ❜ eleanor said, trying to turn the  herbal  tea down as politely as she could. the reason why she had survived as long as she had was that she had always been careful — and accepting tea from an alchemist was not exactly the definition of cautious in her book. ❛ and i’m sitting close enough to the fire to warm up … naturally. but thank you for the offer. ❜

It always miffed Cecilia when her hospitality was rejected. Needless to say, she did not take too well to it. Naturally the mage also had her reasons. But that did not change the fact that Cecilia was still offended by the insinuation that she was about to poison her guests. “ Oh no. You would not inconvenience me at all. I strive to be a good hostess. But if you’re adamant about it, please do take some biscuits. “

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carnationhearted.

❛ i can see how this particular climate would be — ideal for certain plants, ❜ eleanor replied after a moment, though she hoped that the alchemist was not filling her garden with the very plants the mage instantly thought about: various poisonous herbs, other plants that could be used for malicious intents. intents eleanor, a healer, could not appreciate. ❛ it’s a pretty home you made for yourself here, madam. ❜

“ Thank you. I’m proud of it. Especially my garden. I put much work into growing it the way it is now. “ A brief thought went to the various roses and wild flowers, some of which would be quite dangerous in the wrong hands. Cecilia on the other hand grew them for their elegant blossoms and sweet smell. Nothing too dangerous. “ I’ll make you some herbal tee. You could use something to warm you up “