ALL THINGS END.

there are many things he has learned to love, many things he will continue to resent, many things he will never find answers for. he has accepted it, no matter how much his heart carries that anguish even after the passing of years. no forgiveness will ease the burden, it weights as it should. his footsteps will disappear into the bleached earth but only when his own promises have been fulfilled.

it was never a choice at all. he would rather know grief than be deprived of the joy of ever having.

but his attention to returns to marie, leaning closer when her thumb reaches his jaw. he closes his eyes momentarily, offering his cheek to brush back before deciding it is not enough. he will let her forget for much longer what happened in this place, but it does not mean he will contain his own longing.

there's a quiet sigh as she reluctantly pulls back from the closeness, letting the back of her hand caress his cheek. " In the moment, I probably did. You know how she– I was. " amusement is visible as she plucks the hat off her had to place it upon his own, taking an extra second to tug at the rim to block his line of sight. (and if a silent spell is used to make it difficult for him to fix it, that's only for her to know.) laughter follows suit as she turns to continue on, needing not to look back to make sure he follows. for as much as she feigns to forget that night, the memory of using a hat in such a similair way is something too good to not repeat.

the thought of his disbelief is enough to make her laugh harder, knowing he'll find some way to get back at her for that and she can't help but to look over her shoulder just to see the look on his face for a brief moment before looking back out at the horizon.

" You know, this beach never gets muddy. " she half expects to see dirt clinging to the hem of her dress like a permanent stain or the sky to darken into that never-ending storm of grey. but the colors remain warm, the water never darkens from that almost fantastical blue, the edge of her dress is weighted only by water and she can still see the sky. before, there had been a certain loneliness attached to the water and the sand for her, one she never put into words. some things are better left unsaid and it wasn't her wish to upset anyone by bringing attention to it.

for every right she had to complain, there was never any desire to. what had happened, happened and that's all there ever was to it.

nor was he alone in this particular thought, at least so he assumes given the fact he has only noticed her presence upon following the trail of a beautiful, sapphire butterfly that disappears into the fading darkness of the forest. undoubtedly a stranger, he can tell with ease she is not exactly human, though she doesn't seem like a reaper, either.

❝ Not many come here at this hour. ❞ for now, he decides to address her, wondering the reason for her venturing into this place during the hours of twilight.

just as she thought– not a familiar face spotted in this ward. her many excursions into the villages gave her enough knowledge of who was who and he was a new one.

" Most hardly leave the villages. It's safer that way for them, though some refuse to listen." but it's necessary, this olga understands, whether to gather those precious flowers or stones for that beloeved festival. she offers her protection when she can, but olga marie understands that's not always enough to stop a stubborn fool. "Once their go to sleep, you'll be hard-pressed finding anyone out."

It seems the ward assigned to her provided many places of interest. But, the most comforting she has found so far, had to be this church.

It is quiet, not a soul in sight, as the Fallen Angel softly steps up to the empty organ. Her fingers ghost over the keys before she settles down at the seat.

yet it's obvious she wasn't alone.

after much much debate, i've decided i will throw olga at the event but in a smaller capacity simply because of the fact that a lot of what she omits telling/hides from others has layers to it (like an onion) and it's something that does require some plotting beforehand!

normally, she didn't mind it– if it was someone she knew. most of the time she couldn't feel anyone playing with it in the first place, given the sheer length and volume of her hair. honestly it was a hassle at times, the constant need of using magecraft just to ensure it didn't drag on the ground behind her anywhere she went. if some freak blizzard were to happen and she got stuck somewhere, her hair alone would be enough to keep her warm like a blanket.

but this was a stranger. a stranger who seemed to be counting each strand. eyebrows furrow in confusion as her usual peace seemed to be done and over with. she should snatch her hair back and demand where he got the audacity to be so intrusive, but it's been a long day and quite frankly, she had no the strength for some ridiculous arguement.

" Woooaaaahhh. . .

Now check that fit out! I like it! Are you uh-- "

Go ahead Enjin, stick the landing.

" -- You on your way to a costume party or something? "

Nailed it. Enjin realizes that a comment like that might come across as rude, so he lifts his head a little higher from where he was slouched, and shoots her a smile.

once is fine, two times is just a coincidence, but a third!? as far as olga marie was concerned, this was perfectly normal attire for a mage! especially a lord of the clocktower, though such terms won't make sense to anyone but a select few. still, the unbeast sighs in mild annoyance but it quickly melts to exasperation at best when she sees the stranger meant no harm.

" Is it ignorant to assume that people have not tried to contact the powers above who brought all of us here? Every day since I came to this place, I see captive strangers making a life for themselves in what is, quite frankly, a well-decorated prison. It leads me to believe that any desire to leave has been quashed by outside forces-- or by the hand that plucked us from home, " Zodyl speculates.

she herself had no misconceptions. this place was like a carefully crafted cage, but it's a lie to say she hasn't come to enjoy her life here. yet the inquiry does give her pause. perhaps if he had asked the her of a year ago, the answer would differ.

Send one of the following to ask the mun… (please specify muse for multis)