fclieadeuxx

She decided to just tell her the truth about what had gotten her in trouble. Was it wise to tell an actual judge this? Maybe not. But she was already free and had gotten rid of the charges, so what was the worst that could happen? And she might be a little smug about it. "I got caught while taking a watch without paying. If I intended to pay or not, well, I told your colleague, Mr Orwell, that I did, and he believed me. Let's just leave it at that." Sadie said this in an easy tone, like it was no big deal, while winking at her.

"Jessica. You do look like a Jessica. It suits you." She bumped into her playfully while they walked to the karaoke bar. "I would love it if you could show me some of the beautiful parts of the city. I was actually born here, but my mom and I moved to Glasgow when I was fifteen. After Lauren, my ex, broke my heart, I needed a new start, somewhere else. So, London was the obvious choice - a place to reconnect with my childhood, while also starting fresh."

She looked at Jessica, taking her in. "What has you needing a few drinks and a distraction? If you want to talk about it, of course. No pressure. I can see that your wedding ring hasn't been off your finger for long. The indent is still there." Sadie might look like she was just being playful, but she does pay attention to details, which is what made her such a good thief. It was what enabled her to know how to manipulate people when needed. It had been the reason she had her fair share of jobs she wouldn't have gotten otherwise. It was what had gotten her the one she had now as a realtor.

Success, her smile grew wider at the others' words. She presented her arm to the other to take. "I don't mind at all. Lead the way, Miss Judge." Sadie said, not knowing the woman's name just yet. She did wonder for a moment what made her say yes so easily, but in the end, it didn't matter much, because she could tell the other needed to just let go, and Sadie wouldn't mind being the one helping her do that at all. Since Lauren had broken up with her, she moved from Glasgow to London. She didn't know if they had pressed any charges against her there, but she wasn't going back to find out anyway.

"I don't know that many people here, just moved to London." She said easily, as a way to start a conversation. She didn't mention she had been in court for a shoplifting demaenor, which she had actually done, but talked herself out of. So she had to lie low for a while, it seemed. Luckily, she would start a new job on Monday. "My name is Sadie, by the way." Sadie looked at her again with her bright blue eyes.

𝙒𝙀  𝙁𝙄𝙂𝙃𝙏  ,   𝙒𝙀     𝙁  𝘼  𝙇  𝙇     -    𝘿𝙐𝙏𝙔  𝘾𝘼𝙇𝙇𝙎,  𝙄𝙏  𝘾𝘼𝙇𝙇𝙎     |     𝙎𝘼𝙔  𝙒𝙀     𝘾  𝙃  𝙊  𝙊  𝙎  𝙀     𝘽𝙐𝙏  𝙄𝙏'𝙎  𝙉 𝙊  𝘾𝙃𝙊𝙄𝘾𝙀  𝘼𝙏  𝘼𝙇𝙇     |     𝙈𝙀𝙍𝘾𝙔,  𝙋𝙀𝘼𝘾𝙀   &   𝙅𝙐𝙎𝙏𝙄𝘾𝙀  𝘾𝙃𝙀𝙍𝙄𝙎𝙃  &  𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙏𝙀𝘾𝙏  𝙐𝙎     |    𝘽𝘼𝙏𝙏𝙇𝙀  𝘽𝙊𝙍𝙉  𝙏𝙃𝙀𝙔  𝙎𝙀𝙉𝘿  𝙐𝙎  ,  𝘾𝙊𝙑𝙀𝙍𝙀𝘿  𝙄𝙉  𝙊𝙐𝙍  𝙉𝙊𝘽𝙇𝙀     𝘽  𝙇  𝙊  𝙊  𝘿   .

To be so close, to smell the familiar scent that made a school of fish go crazy in the pit of her stomach. Siuan had come to learn restrain in her years in the tower. Had learned to mask her feelings in a way that they threaten to pull her under water. It was the only time she had come to be afraid of drowning. The inability to express herself truthfully for the sake of the mission. Fingers twitch, eyes scanned the brunette's beautiful features where she notes the exhaustion. The primal need of tucking themselves into a small corner and watch Moiraine rest had clawed at her heart but she knows better than to allow herself that luxury, not yet.

Features remained unreadable as she waited for the other to begin speaking, only for Siuan to fail on keeping herself neutral at the mention of Amadicia. Frown etched itself onto her features, and she unwillingly takes a step towards Moiraine. Noting the movement the amyrlin seat shook her dome, coming back into her facade as the leader of this tower. "How did you end up in such dangerous place?"

People in Amadicia weren't exactly fond of the Aes sedia, /especially/ the children of the light. The fact that her journey had taken Moiraine into the den of Piranhas was something to be worried about; but then again, she'll always worry for the blue ajah, it is tattooed in her very soul. "What are you suggesting?" She questioned, eyes narrowing briefly before sighing. Siuan wouldn't have qualms on lending her help to the cause. To leave the tower for some adventuring of her own had been a desire she'd held onto all this time but alas, circumstances had prevented the Amyrlin to leave these hollowed walls.

Lanfear would ensure that when the time came to get rid of Moiraine, she would do so without using her power. She wanted to end her life violently. For now, she still had use for the other and wanted to work together with her. So now the forsaken would have fun with the brunette. Would rile her up, play with her, before pouncing when it was least expected.

She let a hand go up towards Moiraine's face, a finger tracing her jaw while she looked into those blue eyes. "And why do you challenge me? Hmm?" She questioned rhetorically, while she looked at how she would react. "Eventually, we will be on different sides, but it doesn't mean we can't have some fun while we are still civil." Well, somewhat, at least.

❝   because   i   know   i   can,   ❞   moiraine   said,   the   first   oath   permitting   the   words   to   pass   her   lips   —   &   they   did,   edged   with   certainty,   even   if   her   next   breath   came   thinner,   edged   with   unease,   her   lungs   tightened,   with   a   blend   of   fear   &   anticipation.   moiraine   reached,   fingers   closing   around   lanfear’s   wrist   tightly   as   those   touches   were   still   perilously   tender,   still   threatening   to   draw   her   in.   she   balanced   on   a   razor’s   edge   —   one   wrong   move   &   she   would   plummet   into   the   abyss.   but   she   had   sworn   —   if   she   was   to   fall,   then   lanfear   would   follow   her   down.   still,   the   aes   sedai   leaned   closer,   narrowing   the   space   until   lanfear’s   breath   warmed   her   skin,   &   her   perfume   wrapped   around   moiraine’s   senses.   ❝   now,   what   might   that   be?   ❞

Lanfear tilted her head and looked at Moiraine. She took everything about her in, adding everything to her memory, a memory to be used the next time they met. Knowing someone's baseline was helpful so she could sense whenever something was off with the other immediately. She had a gift for noticing how someone felt. Or was it just that she saw the person she was with? All of them, the light and the dark parts.

"No one and nothing ever gives you what you want Moiraine." She leaned forward, getting into the other's personal space more. Her gaze returned the stare, waiting for the other to break it first. "If you want something, you have to take it." She had learned that the hard way. She had never gotten what she wanted, not the recognition she deserved, or the person she loved above all. She wasn't even the dark one's favorite, even though she had been the one to release him (even though it had been by accident).

her   breath   caught   in   her   throat   the   moment   lanfear   leaned   in,   as   though   the   very   air   between   them   thickened   into   something   that   refused   to   be   drawn.   it   was   all   the   worse   for   not   being   the   first   time   the   forsaken   had   invaded   her   space   —   yet   it   never   dulled   her   reaction.   the   other's   words,   no   less   than   her   nearness,   threatened   to   shatter   moiraine’s   defences   —   to   unravel   her   composure   beneath   that   relentless   gaze.   still,   moiraine   did   not   so   much   as   blink.   if   anything,   a   flicker   of   curiosity   lit   her   gaze.   it   was   easy   for   most   to   believe   the   world   painted   in   black   &   white.   small-minded   folk,   rarely   seeing   past   the   tips   of   their   own   noses,   casting   judgement   on   myths   &   legends   that   may   have   held   little   to   no   truth.    ❝   is   that   what   you   did?   ❞   moiraine   found   herself   asking.   it   was   difficult   to   tell   what   made   her   head   swim   —   the   oppressive   heat   within   the   sweat   tent,   or   the   ghost   of   breath   brushing   her   skin,   as   moiraine   refused   to   flinch.    ❝   did   it   bring   you   all   that   you   truly   desire?   ❞   she   pressed,   daring   further.   nearly   all   her   life,   she   had   submitted   to   the   path   the   wheel   laid   before   her.   there   were   things   she   had   run   from,   had   managed   to   escape   —   but   some   truths   lived   in   the   bones,   &   some   paths   were   simply   not   meant   for   you...   &   what   was   it   that   lanfear   truly   desired?   a   question   that   lingered   in   her   mind   far   more   than   it   ought...

❝ I  am  fine . ❞  Words  he  didn’t  know  whether  were  meant  for  Moiraine  or  himself .  He’d  crossed  the  line ,  he  knew  that  well .  Just  like he  knew  he’d  been   recently  losing  control  more  and  more  frequently.  It  was  dangerous .  One  wrong  outburst  and  innocents  could  lose  their  lives .  He  was  trying,  though ; he  was  trying  to  simmer  down  the  anger  with  how  unjust  everything  was,  he  was  trying  to  fight  off  the  fear  for  his  fate,  he  was  trying.  And  yet,  somehow,  this  feeling  of  inadequateness  was  still  haunting  him  like  a  shadow .  ❝ It  won’t  happen  again . ❞  A  promise  he  didn’t  know  if  he  could  really  keep .

the   aes   sedai   wished   she   could   take   his   promise   at   face   value.   wished   she   could   trust   that   he   was   strong   enough   to   withstand   &   master   the   raw   force   within   him   —   power   meant   to   grow   in   ways   they   might   never   comprehend   until   it   happens...     &   even   as   the   weaves   faded,   saidar   lingered   around   her   a   moment   more   —   the   rush   of   it   a   balm   against   the   strain   of   shielding   rand.   it   wrapped   her   in   warmth,   sweet   &   fleeting,   like   a   final   embrace   before   parting.   she   understood   ;   the   yearning   to   hold   onto   it,   to   have   one's   senses   heightened,   the   world   sharper,   more   alive,   more   beautiful.   to   forget   the   darkness,   if   only   for   a   moment...