Celia Gorgon

In which Celia makes an important decision

The one where Celia calls her mom for the first time in 2 years

Saddle Up ~~ [Tomlia] 

Tom could tell that Celia was nervous, but he was impressed how well she was handling it that regardless. He’d only met her a few times, of course, but she was the shy type. The kind that seemed to be a bit more like water than the ship cutting through it. Tom may be quiet, but he rose to a challenge, when the cause was worthy. He didn’t hesitate. It got him into trouble but it also served him well.

So, he admired that despite her shortcomings, Celia was more than willing to get up on Joey and give it a try. 

Once they were up, he gave her a few more pointers about where to keep her feet, how to steer, and how to speed up and slow down. Then, they started off together, angling towards the forest that had just been mentioned.

“Yes, usually. I go with my friend Phil, a lot. His horse is Samson, that first one you saw me with. Sometimes, if I want to let the horse run free, I’ll take them down to the South of Swynlake and let ‘em stretch there legs that way. But, it’s great to have so many different paths. Even my island didn’t have so much.

How are you enjoying it then?” he asked, turning in his saddle a little to see her.

“Ahhh. I’ve always wondered where riders might want to go.” Celia had figured the forest was one of the main places, but she did think there might be some drawbacks or extra caution one might need to take to go in. The forest wasn’t called Enchantra for nothing after all. 

But maybe Celia was just overly cautious, as per usual. But it was nice, if a little strange to sit so high off the ground. Joey walked very comfortably, and it brought a small smile to her face. Perhaps new experiences like this were important. It was fascinating! 

The Silence Of The Girls | Celle and Artemis

Artemis had never taken someone’s magic like this. She had been trained to only do so when ordered. It was that fear instilled within her that allowed her to control her powers. Always the fear of hurting someone. Of taking too much. Of taking something that did not want to be taken. The Tribunal saw her for what she was: terrifying, powerful. She knew these things of herself.

And she wanted to not be those things. It was why she had offered Belle her help, back when Belle was pregnant with the darling child that sat quietly now, watching intently. Artemis did not want people to suffer. She was under no illusion that all magic was a gift. Sometimes, sometimes, magic was only a curse. Perhaps, under the right circumstances, one could use it to protect, to dole out justice, as Artemis so often did, but just as often–

It only hurt.

“No, it won’t hurt. And I suppose, if you cannot already feel it thrumming in your veins, then you will not feel it when it leaves.” Celia’s hands touched Artemis’ and she felt the magic pulsing. A little shiver ran up her spine and then, Artemis breathed out. “It is already done. Go in peace, sister.” 

It was strange.

One moment Celia was cursed...and the next it was gone. Or so Artemis said. She could feel her face warm, or was it just her eyes? The hint of tears at the possibility of finally being free. Of finally just being herself again.

Her heartbeat picked up speed, the fear and nervous energy building up despite her best efforts. Celia made herself look at her savior. If Artemis was wrong she would know in a moment. She would know and she’d look out for her and apologize the moment Artemis returned to normal. She looked and she looked, and her anxiety waited and waited to see if anything would happen. To see if Artemis was truthful.

Nothing had changed. No one was turned to stone. It was just Celia and Artemis holding hands. Celia found herself giving up and just letting the tears go. It was a good cry, something that had built up over the years she had been experiencing this, had closed herself off to others because she knew she was dangerous. 

Saddle Up ~~ [Tomlia]

Science stuff?

Oh, right. Celia was a science teacher at the secondary. Which Tom had probably forgotten about on purpose until just now because it made him feel…inadequate. Or stupid, really. He didn’t know much about science at all. Just the basics. E=MC2 and all that. (Though, he couldn’t tell you what E=MC2 actually meant.) 

Still, he thought it was cool. Even if it made him self-conscious.

And his eyebrows raised in surprised delight at the facts that she spouted about horses. “Woah, I didn’t know that!” Tom crowed. And while he did know that horses lived in herds, he’d never really thought much about it, since several mindless animals did that too. 

“I’m glad I invited you too. And animals are definitely better than people. We should probably hop on if we want to catch our ride time, yeah?” He opened the stall and grabbed Joey by the reins gently, before handing them off to Celia. 

“Just stand still, put one hand there under his nose, and hold the reins across your body on the other side. Just like that, yeah. I’m gonna grab my horse for the day.” John forgo Samson, not wanting him to make an asshole out of himself. Instead, the stable had set him up on a spirited mare named Karli.

“Alright, let’s go. To walk ‘im forward, just give him a little tug. Or cluck to him. Then, he’ll just follow you out.” Tom demonstrated with Karli. 

Celia found herself sitting on a horse. 

That was something she wouldn’t have imagined for herself when she’d left India. It was strange, though she found herself lightly petting joey’s neck with one hand, the other carefully gripping the reins the way Tom said. There was no way she’d disregard any instruction when it came to riding on a 80 stone or heavier animal.

“Right.” Well Celia wasn’t too sure she was confident in whatever clucking really was, so she settled for lightly tugging at the reins to guide Joey toward Tom and Karli. It was fascinating really, to see how far off the ground she sat. Really Celia would probably enjoy studying the shift in perspective more than anything else. But now wasn’t the time to think about different interesting studies she could make. She was going to enjoy her ride with Tom.

The Silence Of The Girls | Celle and Artemis

Belle was not surprised at the reaction. She had shared a similar one with Celia when she had first learned of Artemis’ powers. There had been suspicion and worry, a little bit of fear, also awe. Mostly, it was just curiosity. Belle had read about those who were immune to certain (and in extremely rare cases: all) magic, but not someone who could take away magic the way Artemis claimed.

It was amazing and horrifying, but in this particular instance: it was a miracle.

Belle saw the same hope for Celia she had once grasped, if only briefly, for herself and Opal when she had been pregnant. When Artemis had appeared like a fairy godmother with the solution in the tips of her fingers. Even though they had not had need of her in the end, it was that encounter that made Belle trust Artemis now, even around her infant daughter–who could have magic, whose magic could be taken away by this gentle, intimidating person. 

“No,” Artemis said with a shake of her head. “I wouldn’t ask for payment for something like this, sister.” She smiled lightly. “I want to help. If this is what would soothe your pain, I will do so gladly.”

Artemis placed her hands on the table, her palms facing up the same warm color of the wood, waiting for Celia to grasp them back. 

Celia was a little overwhelmed. The prospect of her curse being gone in a matter of moments was big. It had felt like such a long time since she’d had the curse. Or time had moved rather differently to her since she’d gotten it. In any case, here she was and she was about to be rid of the thing that kept her from truly being able to live. It was overwhelming.

She forced herself to take a breath and let it out again. This would be fine. This would be more than fine if they were right and the magic worked. Celia took another moment to steady herself before she was reaching out, gently taking the hands that Artemis offered to her. 

Saddle Up ~~ [Tomlia]

Tom dropped his hand away as soon as he could tell that Joey was going to behave himself around the lady. Which he wasn’t surprised about. Since coming to town, Tom often wandered down to the stables and had lent a hand mucking stalls or preparing horses for trail rides. So, he’d gotten to know some of the barn’s herd quite well. 

He reached up and pat at Joey’s neck soundly as the horse lipped gently at Celia’s hand, looking for treats. 

Tom watched Celia (though, he kept one eye on Joey too). He loved when he saw people around horses like this. Their eyes soft and full of wonder, realizing just how incredible the animals were. ‘Course, he didn’t see it ofen, considering everyone where he was from had grown up with his family’s stable and the races that the Order put together once a year.

“They can. Depends on the horse really. Joey here is pretty sound, but he can get spooked if somethin’ surprises him. Just like anyone.” Tom pat his neck again. “Mostly, you just gotta watch their body language and pay attention to your surroundings. And the calmer you are, the calmer they are. They’re incredibly emotionally intelligent,” Tom explained. 

"I did hear something about horses being intelligent,” Celia said after a quiet moment, a small smile spreading across her face the longer she stood in the animal’s presence. “Of course I also know the more scientific stuff...facts I just kind of keep in my head you know.” Celia had always been a woman of science, so it was easier to remember details about animals if it had to do with biology or that sort of thing.

She glanced at Tom and her smile only grew. “You know like the fact that they can see nearly 360 degrees at one time. That’s so fascinating. Or that they’re social animals...herd animals. I think there’s something really interesting about the ones that stick with groups.” But maybe Celia was coming off a little more nerdy than she needed to be. 

The Silence Of The Girls | Celle and Artemis

“Please, sit,” Belle gestured towards the kitchen table to Celia who was hovering in the middle of the floor. She busied herself with preparing the tea for a moment. It was a soothing activity that cleared her head. Not that it really needed it. Belle was confident in this solution.

Not to mention, happy to be focusing on something that wasn’t her imploding marriage or now-doomed pregnancy. 

Helping someone else was much better than all that.

“Artemis?” Belle prompted the nymph as she came back over with the tea, setting the tray down on the kitchen table so everyone could make their own cuppa. She settled in herself, running a hand over Opal’s head to get her to stop being fussy.

“I must ask that what I share with you does not leave this room, for it could be very dangerous for me if some knew of my magic,” Artemis started slowly, looking first at Belle, then Celia, waiting for her to nod.

“I can remove magic from a person, with just a touch. And no, it does not hurt. Nor will it cause any side affects. I have–done this plenty of times before.” 

Celia found herself sitting before she could let herself fret more about how appropriate it was or whether she should be making herself comfortable. This clearly would be a longer conversation, if they were going to work out solutions to the curse Celia had had for years now.

She was quick to give her word to Artemis, if only because Celia also knew a good deal about dangerous magic and keeping that secret. She could only imagine the chaos if people knew that someone could just take their magic away with a touch. It was an intimidating notion. It also meant that Artemis could make it so that Celia was no longer a danger to others. And that was all she had ever wanted.

Celia Prom Outfit 2020!

I will not ask you where you came from I will not ask you and neither would you

Pièce de Résistance! || Telia

Tito couldn’t help but smirk at that. Out of anyone, he was most aware that his name was longer than most. Perk of very Latin parents. Not that he cared. Tito was more fitting, suited him better than his whole name. All he heard when he said that or someone else called him that were his parents screaming at him. Not a good association or thing to think about with his current situation. He truly needed to focus on Celia.

“A cosmo? Fancy,” he grinned as he leaned on the bar and called a bartender over. He ordered her drink easily enough and then turned back to her with a grin. “So what’s a girl like you doin’ in a place like this?”

Celia snorted. She didn’t think a cosmo was all that fancy, but at least it wasn’t as awkward as she thought it would be. “Well, if I could stomach the taste of beer I’d settle for simpler but...well.” She shrugged her shoulders. She’d never been a fan of that.