#but she cannot help but be so damn sus of everything zefjkhsejkfhf

[bujorulgalben]

[ the package that arrives at anica’s comes with a kit of sorts: a jar of pickled garlic, a packet of incense, - frankincense, of course - a bundle of dry wormwood, tied together neatly with a white ribbon, and a bereginya. what the doll lacks in terms of face detailing, she makes up for with its elaborate outfit: the scarf wrapped around her head has a golden floral pattern against a purple background, matching her sarafan. all that color and vibrance makes for a striking contrast when paired with the plain white linen chemise that goes under the dress. it’s a protection kit - a spiritual bulletproof vest. certainly, it comes with instructions, which are secured by an envelope:

Anica,

I put a lot of thought into the timing here; I hope with all my heart that this package reaches you in time for Christmas. I’m simply returning the courtesy you’ve shown me. You were so zealous it came in nearly two weeks too early!

These are for keeping your house protected throughout the year. You should hang the wormwood by your door. The doll is an amulet of sorts - she is supposed to ward off evil and general misfortune. My mother used to say keeping them where we sleep works best.

With all of these up, you might have trouble reentering your home. Sometimes, we ourselves are the evil presence in our lives.

(instead of a signature, there’s a drawing of a little witch stirring a large pot with a mischievous smile on her lips. the pointy hat she wears might be a little too big for her head. an equally mischievous looking fluffy white cat sits at her feet). ]

@vekvolkodav​

[ /anica has an audience when she sets herself down on the chaise to pick apart the package. a cloud of white fur tries to stand between her and her focus on the jar which is held to the light; slowly rotated in her careful inspection. it was one more suited for a security check, and not a recipient of christmas presents!

the final verifying checks came from the smells - the cracking open of the jar, the careful nails breaking seals on the incense packet, the fact that her cat wasn’t repulsed every time she shoved her nose in her own checks - and only then did anica allow a small smile to peep out. nothing smelt foul, which warranted a small sigh of relief for anica. apparently, she really was anticipating a stink bomb somewhere in this package!

no, she is allowed to refocus on the doll and admire her ensemble. eyebrows rise with surprise at the careful choice of gold flowers on purple; no. this wasn’t a voodoo doll, either. it even carries a subtle scent of wormwood to it, thanks to transit! finally, when anica reached the instructions, she begins the small shaking of her head. tutting and rolling her eyes. a smirk springs up with how dmitriy signs off, and anica flashes the paper at her cat: ]

Look at that, Iuli baby! There is you! Hehe, look at very cute you are. We should get you a matching hat, hm?

[ /iulia said nothing. she is uninterested in the instructions, the bereginya, and is instead hypnotised by the sway of the ribbon as anica sways the wormwood back and forth, absent-mindedly. she continues to read: ]

"Sometimes, we ourselves are the evil presence"... pft! Indeed! Is this not what they call, oh, what is it. Is the pot calling the kettle black? We could ask if this is a present or Dimitru ridding himself of... cursed artefacts."

[ /iulia said nothing. anica had to restrain her from reaching paws into the package, hunting for the wormwood her owner stuffs back into the box, while taking her time to admire the drawing. the thought to cut the drawing out for her journal passed her by, as does the idea to buy herself such a comically large hat, before thinking of how she'd hide it; lest she fuels the fire.

for now, anica takes the wormwood, pickled garlic and incense to put away... and has to scramble in giving chase of iulia; who has pranced off with the bereginya carefully held in her mouth. ]