#;headcanons

"he called my master an english sow"

what  does  your muse  smell  like ?    ⸻   For Clorinde, it most definitely depends on her agenda for the day. A hunter wants to conceal every part of their being; something like a strong fragrance would easily alert prey to her presence far before they’d hear or see her— the days that she spends patrolling outside of the Court, she doesn’t wear anything and tends to come back with the smell of earthiness and fresh rain.

For days spent at the Palais, she does sometimes indulge in Emilie’s perfumes. She holds a preference for subtle floral scents, not wanting anything that’s overpowering; she’s already sensitive and alert to so many things around her, she’d rather not make her nose burn. Those who recommend scents to her she’ll usually try out of gratitude for their thoughts. 

After duels or after training, the smell of ozone and gunpowder clings to her clothing. In the event that any blood is on her person after a duel, Clorinde will respectfully excuse herself immediately and clean it as is. Duels are hard enough to watch; the aftermath doesn’t need to be visible to the public. 

what  do  your  muse’s  hands  feel  like ?    ⸻   In the past, Petronilla kept Clorinde on a strict training schedule. There were days when she would swing her sword until blisters on her palms opened and bled, and days where she’d feel tears welling up in her eyes when she wanted to stop. But as always, Petronilla would remind her:

Will you stop fighting and let someone close to you die simply because you’re tired? What if it was Navia?

All of her complaints silenced in a single moment. A regimen that stays even into adulthood, though the numerous callouses have long since helped with protecting her roughened skin. Gloves help a bit, but there’s things that will never fade— including a scar across her right palm when she received her first shortsword at age 5. A valuable lesson learned that weapons are not toys. 

what  does  your  muse  usually  eat  in  a  day ?    ⸻   Clorinde loads quite a bit of protein in her day, both for muscle growth and muscle repair— but she also leans on healthy carbohydrates to give her energy throughout her rigorous days. She makes sure to constantly keep herself hydrated, and she’s very particular about her diet for the most part; like anyone else, on special occasions, she splurges. And, well, when Navia brings her signature macarons… she’ll never say no. She doesn’t enjoy drinking at all, citing that it can be dangerous since it impairs both physical and mental traits. A Duelist(and Hunter) must be prepared for anything at a moment’s notice.

Clorinde does prefer to eat the meat that she hunts herself, out of a desire to honor every part of her prey but also because she finds a fresh kill to be better tasting than anything merchant bought. Duck is a favorite of hers. Not a big fan of fish, but will eat it if there’s no other options. 

does  your  muse  have  a  good  singing  voice ?    ⸻    She’s never tried, nor has she ever thought about it. If anything, she prefers listening to others like Lady Furina, Navia, or any of her other friends that sing. Whether it’s good or bad, she finds it endearing, and will likely smile softly throughout the duration. 

does  your  muse  have  any  bad  habits  or  nervous  tics ? ⸻ With her training as a Duelist, Clorinde has exceptional bearing even when under duress. As a result, I don’t think she shows outward nerves or habits in the public eye, but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. With her friends, I think she tends to avert her gaze if she’s flustered or unsure of what to say; we see it in her SQ with Navia talking about the duel with Callas. 

When nightmares surface, there’s plenty of times where she feels the need to scrape invisible blood off of her hands. In the past, it was a problem that created painful wounds— now, she’s able to squash the habit and calm herself down in healthier ways.

Fiddling with her pistol and taking it apart before putting it back together is a nervous tic of hers, but rarely seen by public eyes. Sometimes, the night before a high-profile duel— not because she’s worried about losing, but because she knows someone’s loved ones will be mourning her opponent tomorrow. 

what  does  your  muse  usually  look  like / wear ?    ⸻ Clorinde is a creature of habit, an she generally seems very regal in the way that she dresses. Button-up shirts, ironed out slacks or professional skirts depending on the occasion, heeled boots or flats. Sometimes small accessories, like a brooch or a scarf, but she rarely wears anything ostentatious. She’s not much of a jewelry person, minus the pendant of a wooden dagger she keeps underneath her clothing— her sign of being a Marechaussee Hunter. 

is  your  muse  affectionate? how  much ? how so ? ⸻  it’s taken a while for Clorinde to become more comfortable and proficient in showing her appreciation for another. Many people believe that she’s cold and a bit calloused, but it couldn’t be further from the truth— her friends mean everything to her, and she’ll drop everything in a heartbeat if they call on her. She’s an acts of service girl, not always vocal about her affections, but it’s obvious when she really cherishes someone. Little gifts with no letters attached, silently tucking someone in if they’re asleep, simple gestures like preparing a lunch for someone to take. The people that know her will recognize her attempts. In a romantic sense, I think she does become more physically affectionate over time.

what  position  does  your  muse  sleep  in  ? ⸻ for a long time after Petronilla originally left, Clorinde slept curled up in a ball clinging to the pillow that her Master left behind. It’s the only way she could feel less alone and more secure, but she always kept her guard up out of habit. Her back was never turned to the door, always against something solid to prevent her from being ambushed. In her older years, she sleeps much more relaxed, but still retains some habits. If sharing a bed with someone she truly trusts, she’ll scoot a bit closer to them in her sleep— she always has her pistol under her pillow, just in case. 

⟡ ROBIN vs. THINGS ABOUT HER THAT DON'T FIT MODERN BEAUTY STANDARDS but are beautiful and very important to me.

SCARS; so many scars. She usually covers up any visible ones that aren't hidden under her clothes with a light dusting of makeup if she has it to avoid being recognized or standing out. But god. So many.

BODY FAT; With most of her body a layer of fat covers sturdy muscle, but unless she's flexing or doing something strenuous she looks very round and soft. Her arms look the most toned but her belly does that thing where it sticks out a little (like if she's wearing a skirt). She's also absolutely got love handles and rolls at the crook of her waist and hips. TL;DR: The only thing about her that can be called lithe is her fingers.

HEIGHT; She's a big woman at 6"2-6"5 and as many beauty standards include women being small and dainty, this also applies to the previous and next bullet.

BIG ASS FEET; They are proportional to the rest of her, so she's got some big ole' feet at I'd say size 11 1/2" to 12 US in women's.

BODY HAIR; Out of personal preference, she shaves/waxes her legs and under arms because she likes the soft feeling after. She also keeps her pubic hair trimmed, though never bald. But this is only if she's got the means to since, you know, she's often on the run and body hair isn't the number one priority versus her life lmao. Regardless, she'll always have soft, wispy treasure trail of dark hair down from her navel because that's very important to me.

SHARP TEETH; Abuse TW// filed down against her will as a child, they remain sharpened and visible when she's not careful about the way she speaks. Not very dainty or demure but very important!!!! She does that thing that cats do when they yawn with the big ole' chompers flashing.

BROAD SHOULDERS; Wide and strong shoulders that continue onto equally strong biceps. Packs quite a punch.

musing on a couple flavors for TADC verses for Angel here.

one is a fairly standard "new resident" concept, but instead of seeming like more "nobodies" like most of the other cast, Angel was a pretty popular stage performer/actor who went missing when he ended up in the Circus. so it's a big deal in the real world when he poofs without a trace.

How Vox Loves

I think Vox loves heavily; his love and devotion have consequences, and his love hurts. If you love him, you will come out of it different.

His love offers security, devotion, loyalty to a fault, as long as he doesn't fear you'll leave him. As long as you let him consume you whole, you will be safe, and you'll never have to worry about him leaving you.

His love consumes you whole; it'll burn everything that you are and everything that you will be. He doesn't expect to be loved back with that much ferocity, but he expects you to stay. Through all of it—even if it hurts—especially if it hurts.

Vox will try to tear you down, not reshape you. You can resist—he will still love you—he'd prefer if you resist him destroying you, he just needs you to stay.

You are promised someone loyal who loves you, but you will be burned and drowned. He doesn't know how to love gently, and he's never needed to.

It doesn't mean he can't be gentle; he will be.

Thera's birthday is June 6th ;)