video ♛ heart with a gaping hole

[scinlae]

[ it has been a while since morgana has appeared on the network and when she does, she does so suddenly. the feed clicks on to reveal her as she steps back from the tablet, there is more of a coldness to her face, edges gained only by time. pale skin is stained with blossoms of red, scraps and cut still unattended (she had a bloody cave dropped on her head not too long ago, thanks merlin), fain traces of dust collected in her hair. ]

And I thought my loathing for this place could grow no more.

[ as striking as morgana herself the large white form behind her begs more attention. the creature croons softly, head lowering and wings folding in tight. ]

Her name is Aithusa. [ even morgana's tone is colder now. there is a pain to it, joy and pain. aithusa her dear ally and friend, brought here to this dreadful rock with no sky to stretch her wings and fly. yet part of her is happy to have the dragon here, at her side. ] And she is under my protection. [ aithusa's head raises and the dragon pads forward a single step. morgana exhales, her hands balled into fists that none can see. they shake. ] She is not to be harmed. This is the first and only warning any of you will receive.

Heed my words or you shall regret it, unimaginable suffering will follow if you do not. [ it is a threat, plain and simple. lacking in subtlety, but she could care less, she will have herself understood now and understood plainly.

and just as quickly as morgana and aithusa appeared, the feed cuts. ]

Comments

[scinlae]

Yes. [ why do you think she made this announcement, cesare? even if she tried to hide aithusa eventually she would be found. this base is not large enough for the hidden to remain so for long. ]

[cesar]

Once she is settled, will you see to your wounds?

[scinlae]

[ more frowning. ] Perhaps. [ huff huff, stubborn forever. ] I shall even come see you. [ so he doesn't keep bothering her about it. ]

[cesar]

To what would I owe the honor?

[scinlae]

A desire.

[cesar]

Ah, the highest honor.

[ He can almost forget his earlier fretting. ]

[scinlae]

Put out some wine.

[cesar]

[ Bossy, he likes. ]

I will put out my best.

action.

[scinlae]

[ true to her word, almost an hour later, morgana appears at his door. she knocks, a curtsey she hardly deigns to give these days, and waits a hand reaching up to the cut on her forehead. all her wounds are clean, tended to, by the hands of a small child now gone to find another.

aithusa she keeps safe, hidden for the moment, content in the knowledge nothing will happen to her while morgana is not at her side. she will sleep until the high priestess returns. ]

action.

[cesar]

[ Cesare remembered to put out the bottle of wine, which is becoming a rarer luxury as time goes on, but what joy is there in life without the occasional splurging? None would ever accuse him of being stingy with his guests.

But then he used the hour waiting to read, his major pastime these days, this time on the terrible thing called computes. The knock scatters his thoughts and he searches his memory for anyone he might be expecting before he remembers the lady friend. A pleasant almost-surprise. He hops down from his top bunk and strides over to quickly open the door with a smile. ]

You clean up nicely, Lady Morgana.

[scinlae]

[ she levels him with a sharp look, arms crossing. of course she did, if she had not he would have likely given her grief for it. ]

I trust you are pleased. [ she is a great deal cleaner, yes, but she remains just a little too thin and harsh. if her day (three years) away has sharpened her to be as deadly as a knife.

briefly she looks him over, searching the clutter of her mind for memories of him. cesare borgia has not changed in her mind, though she is certainly not surprised, it has only been a day for them but for her it has been longer. he is still handsome. ]

[cesar]

Very.

[ He probably would. But then he has always known she would. Why else did he spare her so much attention otherwise?

Stepping away from the door, he gestures for her to come in to his humble abode, albeit decorated with finer things than most; his mother's dresses and the maps of the world he salvaged from Exsilium. The place looks more like a study than a bedroom. ]

Was your craving for wine so great?

[scinlae]

[ she seems to give the room little attention, but in truth maps out the position of everything in her mind; notes what is useful and what is not. ways to escape, details that may or may not become relevant later.

a hum is the only answer he gets at first, until she turns and looks over her shoulder at him. ]

Three years without can make even the best man's craving great.

[ and perhaps she wanted to see a face that does not set her blood afire with rage. she had treated him kindly and he her, he had no hand in the threads that had been unraveled. ]

But what makes you so certain a craving for wine has brought me here?

[cesar]

[ The door would be the only escape still, though she might notice a gun laid on a side table with dented bullets about it. His sword he keeps near his pillow. He gestures for her to sit on his mother's bed on the lower bunk before he goes to open that bottle of wine. ]

You did not seem so interested in parsing through old maps.

[ He smirks and gestures to the scattered pages about the room. ]

[scinlae]

[ the gun holds her interest for a moment, then she files it away for later before taking the offered seat. yes the door is the only exit, though she could create her own if she truly wished. lucky she does not, she came her willingly because she wished to be in his company.

her eyes flick to the maps, head tilting slightly. ]

I have more interest in maps than you might think. [ in fact she reaches for the nearest within her grasp, ghosting the parchment briefly before straightening. ] But no, it is not the maps either.

[cesar]

[ Cesare pours out two generous portions for them, if it's any indication for how long he wishes for her to stay, and brings it over, offering the one in his right hand to her. ]

Is this a guessing game?

[ He's smirking as he takes a seat across from her. ]

[scinlae]

[ she takes it more graciously than she would from any other, watching him move as she sips her wine shortly. the taste is greatly welcomed, three years with little to drink and eat, than the months of her freedom gave her little in the way of enjoying the simple pleasures of wine and enjoyable company. ]

Perhaps if you make it so. [ a shrug. ] Though I thought the reason to be obvious.

[cesar]

[ The wine is nothing to brag about. Young and sour, closer to vinegar than any of the finer drinks he is more accustomed to. He swirls his glass and fails at hiding his smile, seeing little need to keep from staring. ]

That may be. To think I have never taken such pride in my skill with words.

[scinlae]

[ better than the last drinks she partook in, at the very least. added with his company? the distraction she has so sorely needed upon returning to this base upon the moon. distraction from all the things that the floor beneath them and walls stir up.

she should thank him if she was still the sort to give thanks. ]

You should, you speak with a skill many within the base lack. Your words do not bore me.

[cesar]

[ Cesare leans forward, resting against his arms on his knees. Her presence is thanks enough if he has anything to say about it. ]

But are you here to practice the art of conversation, Lady Morgana?

[scinlae]

No. [ she brings her drink in front of her mouth, unsuccessfully hiding her curving lips. ]

[cesar]

But you are not about to tell me the reason, either.

[scinlae]

You must guess.

[cesar]

Guess a lady's secret thoughts? I would never dare.

[scinlae]

Then you shall never know my reason for being here.