hcmlocksiren

[hcmlocksiren]

WE BELONG TOGETHER. indeed, they did. like two sides of the same coin, two pieces of the same rock, two fated pairs tied together with the scarlet ribbon of destiny. pleased by her husbands words, by the nickname her calls her, a radiant smile flutters upon her lips. it was perfection to be so connected, so in tune with each other. "it's good you still know where your priorities lie." she softly teased, flicking her nose against his own. drawing back for a moment, she listened as he spoke, lightly humming. they were celestial - the very nebulae that had made the dark sky of the universe come alive with ruby, blue & pale starlight.

in a way, they were starlight.

blinding to those unfaithful souls around them. if there was something she had detested with her whole being, it was unfaithfulness. everything else, she could come to terms with - but, those that were loyal to none, true to none? oh, how she would punish those. like the sirens from ancient tales, wrecking sailors at sea - they sung to them of heart's truest desire & if that desire was treacherous, unfaithful... they'd find their salty end. fortunately for both of them, her husband had always been safe from such a bitter fate. he was nothing if not faithful. perhaps even more so to her than the very god he had taken an oath to follow & obey. it was a victory, a triumph.

true love.

"as for me there is only you. so it has been eons ago, so it forever shall. you & I, through every & all lifetimes, until the cycle is complete we ought never to succumb to the forgetfulness of reincarnation again. what a world that shall be. void of every disturbance set to annoy us." xueyu softly spoke, her tone low & almost otherworldly - perhaps even prophetic, one would say.

much like any other sensible ( & by sensible she meant only a bit feral for her beloved ) woman, xueyu responded to his warning with a sweet smile, a slightly mocking smile - if not even challenging - tugging upon the corners of her lips. "is that a threat, dearest?" her voice had been as saccharine as the grin gracing her lips. "or perhaps a promise? I do hope you know I have an almost demonic stamina." she did not tire easily - especially not when she was on a mission to prove a point to her most beloved.

& what a delicious point it would be - no losers, only winners, in their sensual little game. she smirks as he carries her to their shared bed, giddiness at the promise of what's coming already coursing through her veins, leaving a breath of magma instead of air in her lungs, exchanging with her life's blood. she responds to his kiss with her own, a guttural purr leaving the pit of her throat as his hips press against her - her very insides writhing with desire as he purred out I love you. "I love you." xueyu returns in the same breath. & she did - more than anything in the entire existence.

his commanding tone, the fingers unbuttoning the shirt leave her obeying - her own fingers trailing up her skin to rid herself of the laces of her dress, her underwear, until she is seated bare before him, dark eyes drinking in her husband's features.

ethereal.

DOES HIS WIFE KNOW that he is the watchful dark, made of the same components, sewn through with slivers of nebulae? if he is that tapestry of endless velvet, she is the starlight that punctures it. pure & divine in her making, a supernatural force, bringing depth to an otherwise endless void. the vizard he shows to the world crumbles when he's alone with her, when the resonance of her undoes all that he's built, and he's always relieved to feel the weight fall away and leave his formless soul. looking into her eyes, he does not see the reflection of a man, but the great, yawning deep, and he knows he is truly, fearfully seen.

leaning his forehead against her own, he chuckles at the absurd thought — leading his followers off the cliff. while he would never wish them harm, there is a freedom in the notion of ascending high above this plane, of leaving them behind, forever doomed to the limits of their comprehension. he will never save them all, let alone one. he knows if they leap, their faith will not save them. but elijah knows he will sprout wings.

❝ you have all of me in these moments and all the others, a'yu. even if it doesn't feel like it. ❞ fingers accustomed to brittle pages gather in the ends of her hair, winding through the silken tresses. if these moments could expand out over the whole of time, elijah knows neither of them could stay. not for lack of wanting to, but because the universe pulls them in infinite directions, drawing from them like wells of power. ❝ no matter where this path we're on leads, we will always find one another when the wind stills and the world goes quiet. just remember that. we belong together. ❞ a truth he knows like he knows the evolution of the seasons. just as the sun and moon belong to one another, as the heavens and the earth project the other in an infinite loop.

❝ as above, so below. as within, so without. i am yours, and you are mine. ❞ a mantra he's spoken since the infancy of their relationship. ❝ you call it sense, but i call it acceptance of an objective truth. ❞ he's smiling, amused when he gets to play with her in this way — with words, with depth. as if their love is an ancient force like the one that drives the rivers and keeps the sun burning from within. ❝ for me, there is only you. ❞

and even lost in the complex labyrinth of themselves, it's just that simple.

❝ careful, ❞ he warns, playfully. ❝ or i'll have you up 'til dawn. ❞ her weight is but a whisper in his arms, and she winds herself around him artfully; how is it that two corporeal forms are so complementary? lost in her eyes, he walks them to their shared bed — and as soon as they reach its edge, he falls with her, claiming her lips in a bruising kiss. his hips grind down between her thighs, the pleasure of it drawing a groan from some distant hollow inside of him that only she can fill. ❝ i love you, ❞ he breathes against her lips. a hand trailing up her naked thigh pushes her knee towards her chest, opening her up to him. despite the layer of clothing between them, his body is still on fire, and the experience of her taste, her warmth, her scent sends waves of crippling rapture lapping over him, welling at the center of him.

sitting up on his heels, he marvels at her. hands trembling slightly with need when he tackles the buttons of his own shirt. ❝ i want to see you, xueyu. ❞ a gentle command.

[hcmlocksiren]

IT WAS ALWAYS ADVISABLE TO GIVE IN TO TEMPTATION. why else would it be there? how lovely was a thing that tempted, a desire so searing hot - the most honest sentiment in the known & unknown universe. to be desired & to be tempted was the same thing. her lips curve up in a soft smile, an unspoken victory over the mirage of a pristine, perfect priest her husband had taken up to portray. she had much preferred the sharp edges in his pale eyes, the things unspoken that remain a buried mystery, waiting to be unearthed. he was a good priest - better than any before him ever was or any after his shall ever be - but it was one thing to be good & to be a fool - & her husband was no fool.

amused by his words, xueyu purred, "perhaps we should chuck them off the nearest cliff - if they ever become too demanding. however, for now, I am pleased with what crumbs of you I get in the watchful hours of the dark." she chuckled, a deep, guttural sound leaving the pit of her throat. she could help, once it comes to it - she could sing them all away, like the sirens of the legends that had plagued the sailors who trespassed on their territory. she, too, would do so - after all, they were trespassing on her territory. his words leave her with a pleased purr, head tilting back to observe her husband. "divinity had brought us together, yes." she agreed- but whose divinity was it? the thread of life, of fate? perhaps. perhaps they were tied together in scarlet ribbons. it was poetic - it was definite. unescapable like the passage of time. but, soulmates such as them... they did have eternity together. "we were both lucky, you & I. part luck, part providence & part our good sense to recognizing it." she chuckled.

xueyu listened to him speak, her nails combing through the dark strands of his silken hair. indeed, they were a perfect match - their thoughts in absolute unison. she was more than pleased to hear it, & she hummed, tracing her fingers about the shape & curves of his visage. "I don't doubt you've done it to perfection, my love." she hummed, leaning forward to trace her lips across his.

then his fingers graze her & dark thoughts, sinful thoughts seep back into her mind - the pool of hunger & heat coiling deep within her, sending warm shivers down her thighs, her entire being. all sense of decent self ebbs away, locks itself in unison with her legs around his waist, her own arms coiling like twin serpents around his neck, fingers dug deep into his scalp. "smart choice." she purrs against his ear, teeth barely grazing the lobe. "I love that deadly focus of yours. it'd be a shame to dim it down."

THE FIRE in its hearth dies down low, leaving crackling embers as a percussive accompaniment to the low tones of their voices. the amber light seems to dance along with the dissonant and compelling pitch of her laugh. the sound resonating in his bones, a nail dragging languidly up his spine. elijah leans his head back to take in the vision of her perched on his lap, and he knows she is of some ethereal ilk, her veins laden with a dark & glimmering ichor. to drink it would poison most men, but he is of another breed, too. one she must see in these quiet moments together when the hunger in him sprawls out like a luxurious sphinx stretching its limbs, claws and teeth glinting white with intent. his want for her is the most honest part of him; it is where he knows he is seen, felt, heard, accepted.

when xueyu leans close and mewls in his ear on susurrus tones, he slowly draws up the hem of her skirts, reaching beneath to palm the bare meat of her inner thigh. a place he's claimed time & time again. despite his brandishing touch, her skin remains like warm silk. fingertips brush the threads of her undergarments, teasing, promising. ❝ if damning them all meant more of this, more of you, i could be tempted. ❞ a dark admission in his muddy, irish lilt, distilled by the sensual tension mounting between them. ❝ i could lead them off a cliff, one by one, and feel nothing, if i knew it meant an eternity wrapped up in you. ❞

whatever draws them together is a taut, explosive string, and eli never questions where it might lead him — down crooked paths, up black rivers, through abyssal voids. perhaps that is true faith.

❝ god is chaos, ❞ he echoes in agreement. ❝ and beauty, ❞ he amends, just slightly. tilting his head, he traces her lower lip with the pad of his thumb, watching the petal-like flesh tug under the pressure. ❝ he is all things, but you, ❞ he trails off, eyes distant as he studies the fire's dim light rippling in the surface of her onyx gaze. ❝ you are beyond that spectrum, xueyu, outside of even god's understanding. and somehow i managed to capture your heart. mm, no, i can't call that luck. that's not even providence. it's true divinity. ❞

as she lands a perfectly-placed kiss upon his throat, his fingers slip up through the dark coils at the nape of her neck — an encouraging weight is applied along with a grunt of approval. for a moment, he forgets the world, forgets himself, and then he's reminded. she drags him up from under the surface of her ocean to look once more at the reality of netherbridge. ❝ i'm a few steps ahead of you already, ❞ he confesses, but there's no pride in it. moreso an admission that his worry exceeds what he's shared with her thus far. ❝ i've done the purification ritual three times this week. ablutions, salt, smudging, crystals, meditation, prayer. if there's anything reasonable in my power to assuage the restless spirits without drawing too much attention, i assure it, it's been done. ❞ he exhales, and the tension in his chest disperses — thanks only to the beautiful woman in his arms.

the hand between her thighs draws ever closer to the apex where, finally, knuckles drag over her shielded sex with strategic pressure. he leans forward to kiss the corner of her lips, the curve of her jaw, the bend of her neck — where he nips skin. ❝ not yet, ❞ he murmurs. ❝ i'm going to need my focus. ❞ looping an arm beneath her legs, the other securely around her waist, he stands, ready to carry her to their chambers. ❝ for the next hour, i'm all yours. ❞

[hcmlocksiren]

HE WAS A WISE MAN. it didn't take much for her to see it, though she did wonder if he was so idle because he was certain the young couple will eventually pop out of somewhere. if they didn't want to be found, they won't be - it was one of the truths of the humankind, the ability to just disappear when they wished to. did animals do the same? or did they leave a trail behind wherever they went? of course, a cat's nose & that of a human was nowhere near alike - may the humans were terrible at hiding from everyone but each other.

ah, another digression.

"it is the wisest option, yes." she agreed - but only to an extent. she'd never let daisy join a random search party alone, but then again, her daughter was a petite girl. a man in his, what, late twenties, early thirties was certainly safe from others. "I do believe we'll have news soon. it doesn't take too much over an hour to make the trek to the estates, the most common places, & back. they'll undoubtedly be back before the deadline."

┏ •◦இ•◦ ┓with a nod, nathaniel was thankful for the drink. if he was going to make it through this search party nonsense, he needed something strong. what was the point of searching for a couple that disappeared so suddenly? nathaniel was quite sure that if someone was all of a sudden missing like that, they didn't want to be found. so why should he try and find them? taking a sip of his drink, he sighed, happily, thoroughly enjoying the quiet, with everyone else out on the search for the happy couple.

"i suppose so, and now their disappearance will be all we discuss. it is of my belief that those who do not wish to be found, will not," he responded, shrugging his shoulders, continuing to drink. while he knew that he wouldn't last long in here without others asking where he was, he knew it was safe. having asked his son to join the search party, nathaniel hoped that he was, hoped that he was doing just as he asked. after all, all his intention was to make sure his heir was well taken care of and sought after. "i'd rather be away from the action, and have left my son to look instead. it is of his best interest to mingle with the town and that he finds a suitable partner as my heir."

[hcmlocksiren]

location & time: outside of the holy sanctum , right before the search.

with: open to all !

XUEYU HAD A RATHER ILL FEELING ABOUT THE CURRENT SITUATION. she couldn't exactly say why or what, but... she was feeling antsy. uncomfortable. itchy. as if a thousand little needles were pricking at her skin, making her anxious & fidgety. daisy was, luckily, with her nanny, so xueyu had one less person to worry over - her gaze instinctively going over to where here husband have been until recently. but, a sea of people clouded her vision -

never mind, she will talk to him soon enough. she couldn't really say what it was that had troubled her so about the situation, but as she was getting ready to follow the crowley family in search of victor, xueyu found herself hesitating at the door of the sanctum. she wishes to join the party, but something is still keeping her at bay. her frown deepens when a familiar voice pierces through her thoughts.

"what did you say? an ill omen? perhaps. it is certainly... an uneasy feeling all around, wouldn't you agree?"

[hcmlocksiren]

A CUP OF TEA WAS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA. xueyu signalled the barmaid to take lady poppy's order, a fruity mix of dried herbs, dried strawberries, vanilla & dried rose petals. it was just the thing to soothe a racing mind. sipping lightly on her tissane, the witch listened to her speak, without judging or commenting, until the young lady had finished. she could certainly understand how she had felt - her own sibling had undoubtedly felt the same when she'd ran off & married elijah.

but, this was an advantageous marriage - a wedding of the decades.

"well, that is truly unforgivable. I remember my siblings took my wedding day as a personal offence. they behaved as if they'll never see me again - & yet they still find the time to pester me on the daily. I'm sure he did not do it out of cruelty or distance. perhaps he simply wishes you to kick back & enjoy it. besides - " she paused, offering the younger lady a soft, friendly smile, "it's not like he's moving anywhere. if anything, I think it is the lady blackwood that will be moving in with you."

☆ﾟ*·ﾟIT WASN'T LIKE poppy to head into the inn for a drink, but she wasn't sure what she thought of this marriage. she didn't know if it was the best idea, which sounded weird to her. after all, it was her brother, but that was just it. he already spent so little time with her that now, she was honestly just a little bit butt hurt about the entire idea. if he married her, then he was only going to disappear even more, and that wasn't something she really liked the idea of at all.

looking up at the woman, she nodded, knowing that a cup of tea might help ease her nerves. at this point, poppy would take just about anything to keep her calm. what if she said something incredibly insensitive and rude? "a cup of tea might be a good idea. do you have something a little fruity? i tend to like those the best." the closer and closer the wedding got, the more poppy was stressed out. and she hated it, so much.

shrugging her shoulders, she looked down at her sleeves, picking at them. "i don't know. it'll only bring him farther from me, and that's not really a good thing, you know? he barely cares now, so why should i care about his?" poppy asked, narrowing her eyes a little bit. "he didn't even ask my opinion and he knows i like flowers and arranging them, but no, it doesn't matter." she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest, leaning back in her seat.

[hcmlocksiren]

XUEYU CHUCKLED ONCE MORE. indeed, elijah was fearsome - but, in all the proper ways. this world was more than it seemed & so one ought to be fearsome to survive it. she, too, had been both fearsome & fearless. she rose her glass of tissane in acceptance of the lord's toast & took a sip of the greenish liquid, now quite cool. "no, that truly is wisdom speaking from you, lord marius. he was most fortunate it stumbling upon my path." she softly snickered, amused by the flashback of their meeting - & the rest that had followed.

when her companion spoke of the faith & god, the witch found herself nodding along.

"I agree. as we are not inherently good or evil, neither is the sentient nebula. fate is nothing but a string of choices we make, while absolving ourselves of the bad ones. it is all yuanfen. all that lives is tied together with a fate, unknown. most live their lives never discovering it. I found mine, & I am perpetually grateful for it - for meeting him had been a providence of sorts." whose providence had it been, she couldn't say for sure. a singular god or a plethora of the pagan ones? perhaps both, perhaps neither - perhaps it was just her good fortune amassed from the past lives.

who can say for certain.

"he is on the more spiritual side, yes. we are evenly matched in that matter." xueyu sported a soft smile as she finished her own glass of drink, before signalling for another - this time a glass of something stronger. a single malt, as served best in the typhon. the waiter had arrived to take their glasses & replace them with a fresh drink, & she patiently waited for the young lord to respond.

interesting.

she thought so, as well. "mn. indeed. something of the hellish sort is brimming beneath our feet, but I doubt it is healing sulphuric fumes." she added, taking a sip of the drink. "I suspect there will be something around the wedding. I wouldn't be surprised if it suddenly rained."

MARIUS CONSIDERS the dark gleam in her eye as she speaks of her husband, his wisdom, and he can only raise his glass in faux salute of the man's accomplishments. ❝ he must be a fearsome man to behold if he won your affections. you're too self-possessed a woman to marry a man not your equal, in some capacity, and i'd be doing you a discredit if i assumed otherwise. to father harris and his wise acquisition of the enigmatic mrs. harris! if he manages nothing else in his time here on earth, he's richer than most men by that measure alone. ❞

there is envy of the two, that they have managed to find such an elusive and complex connection on the foundation of their spirituality — even if they do not hold the same beliefs, accepting one another's differences from that place of understanding makes for a truly rare match. marius knows that swimming in the deep means he will meet fewer like-minded individuals; there won't be many potential mates daring to challenge his wild beliefs, temper his raging passion, or even just meet him on a similar plane. as a new lord, it's only a sea of silk dresses and fluttering fans as far as the eye can see.

what could it mean to be intimate with someone who dug as deeply as he did? someone unafraid of pushing the boundaries and unraveling the world, stitch by stitch? the thought is tantalizing, but so is the concept of flight. he is just as likely to sprout wings as he is to meet his perfect equal in netherbridge. the thought sours his mood, and he frowns slightly.

an amused snort. ❝ what's hilarious is our clunky, unsophisticated approach to the concept of god as good. if there is one almighty power, one absolute source, it is all things — including evil, treachery, deceit. if we were all as enlightened as we think we are, we would stop trying to understand it all with our primitive perspectives, stop trying to emulate the concept of a righteous person, and just live. as grotesque or hedonistic a picture as that paints, it's an honest one. a reflection of our own natures — a reflection of god's. for what are we each if not a facet of the divine whole? ❞ he finished off his brandy and raised his empty glass to summon another.

❝ so, you're telling me father harris aligns with the more spiritual side of faith rather than.. all the fire and brimstone? refreshing. knowing the priest of this town has an intuitive woman at his ear would give most pause, but not me. i'm glad to hear it. ❞

quiet for a moment, marius ponders her question, watching their waiter replace his empty glass with a refreshed one. when he answers, he doesn't concern himself with whether or not anyone is listening as that is simply not in his character — his volume remains the same, his conviction unwavering. ❝ with everything i've learned about this town since my arrival, all my research... something tells me this wedding and all the miasma surrounding it is just the tip of the iceberg. the straw that broke the camel's back, if you will. there's something about this place — the land, the history. it's like a hellmouth right beneath us, waiting to yawn open and guzzle us down. ❞

[hcmlocksiren]

THE CHUCKLE THAT LEFT HER LIPS HAD BEEN CLOSE TO BLASPHEMOUS. the witch, comfortably seated in her husband's lap, his hand burning hot upon her thigh. she would quite enjoy the lack of his flock - she'd quite enjoy having more of him around. not for their daughter's sake - she had loved their daughter to death & beyond, but sharing elijah even with her had sometimes been odious to her. his laughter alone could make her see stars - make her appreciate the fleeting mortal life of humanity. her own lips responded with a pull, but the tone of her voice was soft, low - a lover's whisper. "perhaps that is not a bad idea. the less sheep in your herd, the more you can tackle on the gigantic task of handling me." it was a delicious thought - but, all of the thoughts that centered around her husband had been delicious.

she wondered, too.

"gods know no logic - they are guided by a destiny that only ever spins on the wheel of cruelty, irony & peppered with a little bit of luck & love. though, I daresay I have been fortunate enough in latter - my wheel of fortune had been gracious to me when we met." xueyu replied, then leaned into the light kiss he pressed onto her lips. she would have loved to deepen it, but he moved away too swiftly, leaving her with a displeased click of the tongue. never mind that now.

she'll have her way with him later.

the very thought brought a smirk to her lips, but she masked her unholy thoughts with a retort. "you could win over a tower of bricks, my love. I did not doubt they'd love you for a minute." in her opinion, they loved him a little too much - fortunately, she had snatched him before any of the other eligible ladies could even dream of it. still, dissatisfied by the shortness of their kiss, xueyu leaned forwards to press a soft peck at his throat, right below his adam's apple.

the topic shifted, like the sands in the desert, rolled over on a warm, suffocating wind. that is how the situation felt - how the upcoming wedding had felt. she softly frowned, but lightly nodded at his words. exorcism. perhaps it shouldn't go that far, since they did not know what the energy around them all is, but... a cleansing ritual, for sure. at least upon the sanctum, where the holy rite will be held. "I'm sure it's nothing. we're overthinking it. mere jitters. but, perhaps you should put something else in the incense burner. mere frankincense will not be enough to cleanse the stagnant energy, no matter how weak it may be." even a trace of it is too much.

a good night's rest - it was what they all needed.

still, she couldn't fight back a soft chuckle. "& you shall have it, but perhaps not immediately. daisy is fast asleep - we so seldom get such a peaceful moment as we have now. it would be a shame to waste it on... sleeping. at least not for another moment or so. shall I brew you valerian tea, then?" she asked with a smile, nuzzling against him.

THE BREATH that carries her chuckle is a suggestion, like soundless wind rippling reeds, and elijah will knowingly follow it to his own end, into oblivion — hence, the name he’s assigned her. at first, the title represented her sensual command of his senses; when she beckoned, he followed, answering in every way a man could respond. with his heart, his mind, his body. his soul. that meaning is now eclipsed by the ethereal reality of her presence. yes, she could dash ships on the rocky shores with her beauty and essence, but there was something else written into her make-up. a gilded, telestic energy he could only attempt to understand. she had power, quiet and lethal like a dagger, or purposeful and healing like an athame. overall, and perhaps more of note, she had a depth that challenged the deepest oceans. elijah had succumbed to it, submitted himself to her pull, trusting that she would not drown him but grant him breath where other men would suffocate.

xueyu allows him to trespass those dark leagues, and he knows it is a privilege that he may.

he leans his head back, laughing at the humorous prospect of damning his congregation for their lack of self-awareness. the dark edge of her complements his own, and he relishes when she brandishes it. he repays her with a gentle touch — his hand sipping up the slant of her thigh. ❝ if i doled out judgement like god, there would be no one left to bicker over whether i should or not, ❞ he answers, bemused. ❝ it takes a higher conscious to abstain from my knee-jerk reaction to do just that. ❞ it was not so long ago, when he had abandoned faith for the alleys of galway, that he was a reactionary monster. to this day, there remains a trail of the dead and destitute that follows him because of it — no matter how much higher he’s crawled up the pendulum to avoid the vertigo of its merciless swing. ❝ god works out our deeds in life and in death. if we could see the absolute of everything, like him, there would only be acceptance of a masterwork. ❞ a sigh. ❝ we’ll see if this logic withstands whilst my patience is stretched to its limit. ❞ 

she does not know how dangerously close he teeters on the edge of madness, on the cusp of giving in to his human wiles. how easy it would be to use his place as netherbridge’s priest to tear down those around him, to build a mountain of their misdeeds and rule over them, to spread pious wings that shadowed their hamlet. that flicker of black flame lives in him, but discipline, faith, and his family alone have kept it in check.

the road to being a better man was never meant to be easy. that’s what the work has taught him. 

fingers card through his hair, and her honeyed words lull him into a peaceful stupor only she can manage. ❝ mm, they seemed to resent my irish brogue upon arrival. the echo of jacobite rebellion has never dulled for the english. i suppose i’ve won them over, though. ❞ an impish smirk splays across his lips as he guides her chin forward, kissing her. she tastes of jasmine, and he inhales as if she is a fount of life. 

of course, his words darken the room. it’s as if he’s summoned the entity of betrayal and old wounds to stand in the shadowy corners and simmer in black pitch. but it is a relief to know his wife feels it, too, for her cognition of all the babbling rivers of energy flowing around them, whether noxious or divine, is one of her greatest talents. it’s validating, comforting that he is not losing his edge — for how easy it is for him to fall into the trap of his own delusions. a truth about him he is afraid she will come to know, given enough time. worst of all is the thought that she’s already aware. ❝ it requires exorcising — but without understanding the origin of it, i feel helpless. no general ritual can slake the thirst of a nameless monster. i don’t think anyone in this town realizes that this ceremony is a ritual in and of itself. and to move forward with it — without cleaning the wounds left by the last — is to exhume whatever darkness they've tried to bury with time and fabled tales. ❞ 

elijah leans into the calming stroke of her pale fingers through his hair, his own hands settling at the dip of her lower back, gripping. thumbs tracing. ❝ of course. thank you, love. a good night’s rest will do wonders for me. ❞

[hcmlocksiren]

XUEYU CHUCKLED AT THE YOUNG LORD'S WORDS. she was much like that, too - she still is. you can take the girl out of the obvious occult studies, but you can't take the occult from the girl, not by a long shot. elijah never really told her if he knew she practiced the old religion, but she figured he had known & let it slide - which spoke volumes about him. "I will not hold it against you. I, too, am much alike. though my high praise might be biased, the very notion that he had won my heart despite it all, should be enough to tell you of his wisdom." she softly snickered, amusement gleaming in her eyes.

it really was wise of him.

"everyone serves a purpose, if you would believe in such things. aren't reincarnations just a perpetual abuse of that? we are born & reborn to serve a purpose meted out by a sentient nebula calling itself god. is it not hilarious?" the witch retorted. but - there is was. apparently, she was not as secretive as she had thought she was. or perhaps the lord marius was more perceptive than the rest. one would certainly think so, since he had such an aptitude for the spiritual.

well he wasn't wrong.

xueyu lightly smiled, then shrugged. "perhaps I might - though perhaps it is all simply womanly intuition. though, many of us had forgotten it - with the church & it's... not so tolerant practice. lucky for me, my husband is more of a nurturer of such a talent than a destroyer." perhaps she was loyal & biased - but, elijah had never given her reason to doubt, fear or mistrust him. she never would, no matter what. he had earned her trust years ago.

but, lord marius was right when he said she had felt it amiss. she had felt something deeply disturbing, something that had sparked fear in her heart & bones. she wondered if the lord had felt something similar. xueyu found herself inclined to ask, after all they were having a lovely conversation.

"what do you think of it? what does your intuition say? you are a fresh set of eyes - my discomfort may be bias, but your thoughts could ring more true. if you are inclined to converse about it, I'd quite like to hear what you have to say."

THE LORD'S EYEBROW'S RAISE as mrs. harris shares insight on her husband's boundless depth, and for a moment, marius cannot decide if he's intrigued by the prospect or disappointed in the priest's wife for a show of biased loyalty. only the truth of elijah harris' intelligence will assuage him; no one's assertions will do, even those of a woman he admires and respects. ❝ it depends on the contents of the scripture. the bible seems a text one masters in order to establish moral superiority, to justify self-righteousness. ❞ he considers the surface of his brandy, rotating the glass to see its viscosity. ❝ not being a student of religion, i can't say there is any inherent worth in reading the verses, in understanding them — especially having encountered those that wield their faith like sword and shield. perhaps i will meet your husband and be surprised by his boundless depth. until then, i shall uphold my scrutiny. respectfully, of course. ❞

❝ the bleating sheep do serve their purpose, ❞ he counters, a lazy smirk pinned to his lips. ❝ shepherds of society would have no cause without them. ❞ this included her priestly husband and, ironically, himself — as a new lord. ❝ it is interesting to wonder what great men and women might accomplish if they didn't need to stand sentinel and ward off the wolves in order to preserve the flock. ❞ society demanded everyone attend their station or the gyre quickly stopped churning. a mind like his own had to wonder why they needed the gyre in the first place. was it so he could sit here and consider the topic while others plowed fields and polished the china of which he ate his mutton? repugnant and probably true.

marius laughed genuinely. ❝ that would make us rather predictable. only living vicariously through the tragedies of others. perhaps the rest of netherbridge is guilty of that, but not you. trust your instincts on this one, because if any of us can see through the veil, i believe it's you, mrs. harris. ❞

those of netherbridge with unthinkably little mind power are conjuring up the worst scenarios possible for their own amusement — or ignoring the sharp singe of dread in the air for the same. those like xeuyu ( and perhaps himself ) who are attuned to the dissonant harmonies in the air or deep in the earth know the true gravitas of darkness descending. it is not some grim idea from a fairy tale — it is a real weight. as real as anything marius has ever felt.

[hcmlocksiren]

ZHANG XUEYU wasn't the type of woman to judge a book by it's cover ( or to mete out judgement in itself. it wasn't her duty, nor did it interest her ) - if she were to judge lord of ashford, she wasn't certain how she'd judge him. he was an enigma - whether or not it was a good thing, or a very foul one, she couldn't say. she did, however, signal the barmaid to bring the gentlemen his alcoholic drink. in all truth, she too had craved something stronger than tissane, but she opted for cigarettes instead of hard booze - the night was still young, her husband was at work & she'll see if she'll be in the mood to spike up her tissane with something stronger later in the evening.

she softly chuckled. "I would ask anyone who joined me. is it not the talk of all town? the nuptials between the two esteemed & beloved families of netherbridge. after not having a wedding in decades, of course the folk would be excited. such festivities are what binds us all together - noble & common." she did not fail to notice that the last wedding the netherbrige had attended to... was the one of the lord before her.

as was the failed one, not too long before it.

"I supposed the youths wish to flaunt their happiness. besides, it does give my husband extra work." & not to mention a hefty income. "then, what does bring you out here in this hour, if idle chatter does not interest you?" she asked with a smile on her face. she quite wondered what he has to say.

┏ •◦இ•◦ ┓people and social interactions weren't his skill set. in fact, nathaniel preferred to approach people of his own accord rather than be forced to because of some ridiculous social event. a wedding was even worse, because it required a certain kind of decorum that nathaniel just didn't have or want. but he also knew that as a lord of the ashford estate that he needed to show his face and at least appear to be somewhat interested.

hiding out in the inn while the preparations were under way, nathaniel knew that it was a bit safer inside. there weren't people running around like crazy. besides, this was where he found the best gossip, the kind that would only make his day better. "only if you can add liquor to it," he responded, looking up at her. who even drank tea anymore? nathaniel couldn't remember the last time he had tea.

scoffing, he leaned back up against the wall, having picked a spot that would allow him the best view, as well as one as far away from people as possible. "you're really asking me what i think? aren't i the worst person for that kind of question? weddings are ridiculous events, useless, and incredibly pointless. why must we celebrate another union?"

[hcmlocksiren]

AS THEY should. no knowledge came about lightly - the menace of today's society was that the nobles often paid handsomely for their degrees, while having none of the knowledge required to truly practice it. the lord in front of her had been a refreshing exclusion of the, unfortunately quite common, occurrence. she softly snickered at the words. "ah, what is life without a good challenge, I wonder? empty & shallow. humans are either beings of exceptional depth or those of exceptional shallows. I like to consider myself fortunate in having been surrounded by the former. my own husband is a bottomless pool of intellect - more than one may consider a priest ought to be. though, mastering such a scripture should be a feat in itself, shouldn't it?" she spoke with amusement in her voice - she could never do what elijah had done - she could never sit through the theology class without rolling her eyes to another dimension.

& perhaps open up a portal or two.

"if only more of the professors shared both your vigour & your views on teaching, perhaps we wouldn't have so many bleating sheep in our midst." xueyu chuckled, taking a sip of the tissane. the soothing quality of the herbal tea had done wonders for her nerves. the healer had listened to young lord peak of the chauncey family - the remaining pale haired member of it - & the irreversible damage the town of netherbridge had cast upon the young lord.

she hums in agreement, nodding lightly.

"spirits of such heartbreaks will never rest until truth comes to light. I have not met the runaway bride - nor her poor groom, but... there is something unseen & undoubtedly foul afoot here. it feels like it. like... anger & rage - justified or not, perhaps that will be seen, soon." she paused, but then her lips quirked into a smile ;

"or, perhaps, we all wish for more excitement that a mere wedding can provide us."

THE KINSHIP is understood by the new lord on several, important levels. marius sees the woman before her not as just an extension of her husband, the town priest, but as another sort of alchemist. her practices are rooted in the natural/spirit realm, and his only siphons energy from that channel — taking the true essence of something and transmuting it into something else. breaking the code. that was the task of an alchemist. mrs. xueyu understands balance while marius endeavors to exploit that understanding and step above the natural order. it requires arrogance, and perhaps it is a fool's errand, but she sees him. and that's a rare thing for marius, as transient as he is.

and there is ample respect in him for her: an unnamed hedgewitch, of sorts. odd that she should marry a priest and not a man like himself. it seems to marius a shallow existence for a woman teeming with depth. that said, marius knows little of the priest and only attends sermons on special occasions. his need for a divine figure has never registered — only a need to claw at that which calls to him. and the good lord has never called, nor has any other universal voice.

there is no zoroaster in netherbridge or even in the firmament encasing them.

❝ given their current assignment, i imagine they're all scraping and clawing for air at the foot of my challenge, ❞ he supposes. ❝ i expect the most from them and that requires ...unforgiving expectations. struggle. conquering self-doubt. i give them just enough to stay afloat, and they bloom miraculously. ❞ known for his brutal classes, he has fewer students but more standouts and less drop-outs than other professors. ❝ call me cruel, if you wish. ❞ he smirks, lifting the fresh glass of brandy to his lips. ❝ but it is because i care. ❞

while she doesn't outright dim at his mention of the past, failed marriage, he can tell there is a ripple of something in her that reflects his own apprehension, his own disturbing read of the unfurling events. his eyebrows lift in surprise when she mentions the priest himself is restless on the eve of the coming ceremony.

❝ occam's razor, ❞ he begrudgingly agrees. ❝ it seems the obvious answer, the sugary one that goes down easy. but my trust in theories without evidence is not so easily bought. you see, i find the vengeance against the chauncey family in the aftermath — a young boy, for that matter — it was too harsh. deflective, even. there's something darker to that story, and i think that's why we feel such restlessness now. unanswered questions are like spirits or - or energies. and another wedding is just what's needed to stir them awake. ❞

[hcmlocksiren]

THE NAME he has given her leaves her with a soft smile blooming upon her lips. none has ever called her such a name but him - & she would not allow anyone else to do so. sirens were the creatures of deep abyss, legendary & mythical, but wise even if their more alarming natures often took hold of them. they were called demons, but they were the souls of nature - & nature was never demonic in itself. xueyu smiled to her husband, the softest of chuckles leaving her lips at his complaining.

a demanding flock, indeed.

"the nobles do take the lives of others for granted, but perhaps you could threaten them eternal damnation. I am sure god would not protest. he knows the nature of humankind, he knows how foolish & self-serving they - we - are. the nobility plays by their own rules, but they should not. a human heartbeat is all the same - we are all but skeletons with a life's breath in our lungs. death does not care of differences - so, why should life?" she retorted & made herself comfortable in his lap.

a soft chuckle rasped out of her.

"say what you wish, but you'd make an excellent bard. you have a soothing voice." she spoke, waving her fingers through his dark locks, combing through the hair as she had been accustomed to do nightly. she would do so daily as well, but they were both busy with their chores & errands. but, her relaxation at his chuckle soon turned back to tension as he spoke again. it was comforting to know he felt it, too - though she never once doubted he wouldn't.

they were more than well matched in that matter.

she understood what he meant. after all, she had sensed it too - sensed the tension in the air, sensed the uncertainty. there was something so dangerous lurking behind the whole ordeal ; she had almost wanted to ask him to stay behind & have someone else hold the rite of matrimony. it felt wrong - misplaced... no. it felt uncanny.

"you are not going mad, my love. I feel it, too. the utter... wrongness of it, if I can call it such. something lurking behind us, watching our steps. waiting." baiting its time. her fingers continue to comb through her husband's hair & she adds with a soft smile ;

"perhaps it is just nerves. this is the first wedding netherbridge had in three decades, if town gossip is correct. it's only natural you'll be on edge - as would I." her hand slips to his cheek, thumb tracing the small scar. "I will take sleeping tonic tonight, perhaps you could take it, too. it'll ease your mind & refresh your sleep."

WRITING SERMONS requires elijah's undivided attention, so most evenings are spent bent over his desk — tomes splayed open on every surface, championed and defeated by his hungry consumption. candles burning desperately to their last. all awash in the light of a pale moon. that gossamer, blue light plays with the shadows dancing across his endless pages, each canvas riddled with the purposeful spill of ink and soul. like a warrior's trail of blood across a snowy battlefield.

there is a sweet spot in the throes of his focused possession — when the cigarette smoke lingers heavy around him, when the hour is deathly quiet and pregnant with the promise of epiphany. when god's grace unlocks that safety deposit box inside of him and the truth comes like a devastating flood, unencumbered by ego or self-criticism. but tonight, it doesn't come. tonight, elijah is caught in that tension before the melody resolves, and the friction is driving him mad.

the only thing that could stand between himself and god's word is a devil, and yet it has no name.

to his relief, xueyu comes to break that tension, to chase it away with her milk-white skin and dark, otherworldly eyes, and the timbre of her voice — dangerous and beautiful, like a flower's poison. it has always reminded him of the disembodied song he'd heard as a boy near a fearsome loch. and so he calls her, ❝ my siren. ❞ the words come on an exhale as her hands slip over his shoulders, and he relaxes into her touch as if she were a basin of holy water.

elijah reaches to take one of her hands, kissing the meat of her palm and guiding her as she comes to settle on the arm of his weathered wingback. ❝ they are a tiresome flock, ❞ he mutters, his voice low, his accent thick when tired. ❝ the lot of them. ❞ he means the family more than the couple, themselves. ❝ i've been too lenient, hopin' the wedding might invigorate the town, draw attention to the church, but they forget that i'm a spiritual leader. not an errand boy or a bard. ❞ when she grins, he pulls her into his lap, arms weaving around her middle. ❝ i'll see to it we have more time together once it's done. ❞ the severity of his tone carries, even as he speaks into the bend of her neck. there is a soft chuckle. ❝ so tied up in themselves, they forget our role in this. but i should learn from your patience. this will all be over in a few days. ❞ and yet .. ❝ in my mind, i can't imagine it — ❞ he confesses, eyes going a bit distant as he stares into the fire in the hearth. ❝ the wedding, ❞ he clarifies. ❝ it's as if it will never come to pass. that there is no end. ❞ eli sighs as he leans his head back, looking into his wife's beautiful face and tucking a strand of raven behind her ear. ❝ tell me i'm losing my mind. ❞

the stress drives him to craving a drink, and no one deserves that side of him, let alone his family.

[hcmlocksiren]

location & time: the harris estate, late evening.

with: @dandelionsphinx

WITH DAISY safely tucked into bed, xueyu's daily life of running a medicinal practice & running after her daughter had been concluded - & that meant she was more than ready to kick back & enjoy some well earned rest in her husband's company. the preparations for the upcoming wedding of the decade had been in full swing & she'd seen less of her beloved during the day - the nights, however, had turned watchful. the coming days were... odd, to say the least.

misplaced.

something felt out of place & line, out of direct line of sight but she could swear it lingered in the peripheral - loitered right behind their backs. a saccharine smile, one promising great things, only to turn out deadly & deceitful. some would say devil's work, but even the devil was more honest. this felt like horror & terror wrapped in a shroud & buried but an inch beneath their feet - the soil damp, the deadman's hand all but sticking out, ready to take the unwitting souls strolling about in the darkness of the night.

it felt heavy - & the air smelled of it.

finding elijah in his usual spot, yuer's darker premonitions turned lighter - evaporating with the moon's rising light. the healer of netherbridge smiled to her husband, the corners of her lips curling upwards as she reached his seat. "there you are" she softly spoke, her hands snaking around the headrest to rest upon his shoulders.

"I've seen less of you during the day. is the couple too demanding of their needs?" she softly pouted & circled around to the sit atop the armrest. "how was your day? as... entertained I am about the upcoming festivity - lord knows the netherbridge could use a fun distraction - I am also eager for it to end. you'll have less work when the wedding ends, won't you?" she asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"it's simply odious I have to spend days advising the ladies exactly how tight their corsets should be without fainting & not spending them with you & daisy instead. odious."

[hcmlocksiren]

FINGERS delicately curl around the pale porcelain of the cup, the minty green liquid within it a perfect contrast. the priest's wife, a witch in everything but name ( who is to say the prosecutions of such practices are truly uprooted in today's society? the last her husband needs is more distractions ). but, the society of netherbridge likes her for her balms, tonics & herbal mixtures - even if they learned of her occult background, they would probably praise her for it - their monotheistic religion practiced the occult after all ; with their sacred rites of many stages one's life can hold, what is true difference between it & the worship of many-a-deities?

only in the number of saints.

xueyu smiles to the lord of perth, a newcomer of sorts, & immediate kinship forms. her family had been in netherbridge for centuries, yet as lesser nobles, they barely fit in with the créme de la creme of their closed, tightknit society. only by marrying a priest did more door swing open to her & her siblings. "a merry trouble to have." she retorts with a softest of chuckles. "are your students up to the task you've set upon them?" she asked, honest in her curiosity of the other's profession. a healer & a professor had but a few things in common when it came to their practices - altruism being the greatest of connections.

ah, the forgotten fiasco.

ghosts of a past that should not have been forgotten had threatened to resurrect in the coming days. she, too, had felt the stirring within the shadows - as if this particular set of nuptials should not be happening. who is to say what things await them in the night of the wedding? it is but days away now. instead, xueyu lightly hums & nods at the lord's words. "mn. I am inclined to agree. my husband is set to officiate it, but even he feels restless. while we were not.. present at the past nuptials, we've both heard of it. it is a dreadful thing, that's happened. I am told the young lady had never returned to netherbridge? they say she eloped with another." she did not know if she believed in the rumors, but if everyone had said the same... & ostracized the family for it, then it must be true?

perhaps.

"there is something uncertain about the whole ordeal, I will admit to that much." the witch healer nodded to herself. something that seems to boil beneath the surface, bubbles like a kettle that's about to spill it's water to the floor. "it could be nothing, I agree. but... it may also be something. most likely it is nothing foul at play, but still. I sense restlessness in the air."

THE TYPHON INN is not a usual daytime haunt for the lord of perth — in truth, he has rarely seen it flush with the orange light of the setting sun. usually, he attends in the darker hours among his accord, swathed in the veil of secrecy, ranked as witches under a crescent moon & around a sizzling hearth fire. sharing stories of strange adventures in western deserts, reading aloud the prose of eastern gurus, and comparing research into the occult. however, today, after hours spent stooped over endless, porous pages of his students feeble exertions, he longs for a distraction.

a walk through the streets of netherbridge drew him right into the arms of the well-kept inn. & curiosity drew him to mrs. harris and the empty seat across from her.

❝ good evening, mrs. harris. ❞ there's a sliver of a smile on his lips as he takes the opportunity she's proffered and joins her. ❝ hours yet before i give in, ❞ he declines. ❝ i should need something stronger than the gentle tea in your cup if i'm going to make it through the stack of work awaiting me in my office. ❞

marius sets his tome upon the table before him, then leans back — a creature luxuriating and confident wherever he lands himself. ❝ nothing would fuel me better than a glass of brandy, ❞ he tells her — and the waiter in passing who swoops delicately by their table.

❝ it does, indeed, fly. but what do i think, ❞ he repeats, his eyes drifting about the room idly before settling on the poised healer across from him. the truth is: he's been unsettled, his awareness sharp and unrelenting, as if something in the realm beyond is harvesting energies, feeding while the masses are ripe. but that's not something you utter to a priest's wife at tea. he's more gentle in his response. ❝ the branches of the wicked tree that bloomed in the wake of netherbridge's last failed nuptials cast a long shadow. i can't help but feel like it is a testing of the fates to try again, even so many decades later. ❞ he tilts his head, dark eyes glinting while he wonders how his words might be received. thrilled at the chance for a real discussion. ❝ but i'm sure it will be painless, and our faith will be rewarded. ❞

a lie. ❝ i would hear your thoughts, mrs. harris. perhaps they will soothe me as a cup of tea couldn't. ❞

[hcmlocksiren]

location & time: typhon inn. unspecified evening.

with: open to everyone!

ZHANG xueyu was seated in one of the inn's more prestigious seats - as the local priest's wife, her seats were second only to the ruler of their land. & since no one reckoned the queen will come to tea, the seat naturally went to the esteemed mrs. harris. xueyu nursed a cup of tissane, perfect for the evening as it had soothing qualities. her husband was at work ( if one can call priestly duties working, but alas. she cared little of the nuances of it ) & daisy with her nurse, so the healer of netherbridge could take a well-deserved breather.

& it was well deserved.

the seat opposite of hers was not left vacant for too long & she smiled at the familiar face before her. "good evening." xueyu greeted, refilling her cup from the teapot that the innkeeper was good enough to leave on her table. "may I interest you in a cup of tea? just the kind to have us all sleep well, in the coming days. I reckon it will get sleepless as the day of the wedding approaches." she chuckled, briefly remembering her own union with her husband. a simple ceremony, held in both of their customs. nothing too flashy or extravagant, befitting the priest & his wife.

but, this... oh this will be grand.

not the ceremony per se, as it was church, but the three-day long fete that followed it. "what do you say of the wedding? it seems it was only yesterday when the families had started to plan for it & now the day of their union is all but upon us. time truly flies, doesn't it?"

[hcmlocksiren]

THE WITCH.

name : zhang xueyu.

nickname(s) : a'yu, yuer.

gender : cis-female.

orientation : straight.

date of birth : october 31st.

birthplace : netherbridge.

occupation : the healer. wife of the priest

mbti : INTJ.

moral alignment : lawful good.

animal : fox.

greek god : hera & aesculapius. pythia of delphi.

zodiac : scorpio.

intelligence : high.

skills : making herbal tonics, balms & remedies. ( warding & protective talismans ).

likes : her family, helping the town of netherbrige, drinking tea with friends & she siblings, her husband's soothing presence.

dislikes : unforeseen situations, rotted out fruits, false smiles, clowns.

BIOGRAPHY.

HEMLOCK.

You’ve always been different. Something long dormant in your family’s blood had awakened with you and much to your family’s delight your talents were subtle to the eye, but potent for the soul. You still don’t know what kind of magic you have in your veins, but you thank the stars and old gods for the gifts you have been given. Apt in all kinds of healing, you’re been referred to as the maiden of golden hands throughout the town, but you know those golden hands are more than just modest knowledge of herbs and concoctions. You imbue all your healing balms and potions with just a little bit of subtle magic - a prayer spoken here, or a visualisation of healing there, and your healing charms and talismans are ready to go. Fate has a sense of humour, its joke reaching its peak when you married a priest of the same faith that had turned an evil eye towards the people with your talents.  You know he suspects that your talents are not quite of this world. Yet he doesn’t look to you with fear in his eyes but with something close to approval. You feel something stirring in your town and you have a sense of impending dread taking hold of the very bones in your body. You cling to your husband in the small hours of the night, but it’s not you who need protecting – it is him. 

SIREN.

You know your power, the thing that sings in the core of your being. You know you are the most potent when you speak, or sing, to all living things around you. But, you can sing to the dead, too and maybe if you used your song upon them, the spirits would not be so unquiet. 

[hcmlocksiren]

ni ni x tencent video all star night 2023

[hcmlocksiren]

NI NI 倪妮 in Georges Hobeika 2025 Spring/Summer Haute Couture | 1st China TV Drama Production Industry Conference Ceremony

Ni Ni: more photos here China TV Drama Production Industry Conference: more photos here