#caemthe

When he heard that the Ghost Hounds' base was affected during a TD outbreak, he didn't have to think it twice before discussing the matter with administration and then sending two vehicles full of food rations and medics to the location to tend to the injured. He obviously went as well. The Ghost Hounds had been a great aid to the Midnight Rangers, especially with the more frequent TD attacks. If not for them, perhaps there would be more families going to Knell Square to pay their respects. So, even though the mercenary group affiliation to Jinzhou is a temporary one, it's near impossible to not see them as part of the city, just like all other citizens. "You'll have to forgive me for the delay, I came as soon as I was informed of the situation," was the first thing the general said upon arriving. He looked around, glad that the crisis was under control now, but there still was much that needed to be done. "You look close to overclocking, please take a seat, so I can treat you."

THE SITUATION AT THE base was now firmly under control, although the groans of pain from the wounded still lingered all the same. TD outbreaks came out of nowhere, and despite how he and his people were well used to situations like this considering these were a norm where they came from, one could never completely prepare for them when they did transpire. ❝Status report,❞ he spoke to one of his medics, gaze cold and tone just as frigid, nevertheless the older man was not the least bit deterred by this. Rather, they made to pull bloodied gloves from their hands, tossing them in a nearby wastebin before speaking.

     ❝There were a few casualties, but the death count is rather low.❞

     ❝How many?❞

     ❝Ten.❞

     Ten was still too many in his opinion, even if ten was indeed a low number from a logistical standpoint. Still, how unfortunate it all was. He said nothing, eyes narrowing slightly as he gazed upon the agonized breathing of one of his Ghost Hounds. The medicine they were given hadn’t settled yet, granted that he knew eventually they would either pass out from the pain or because those pills were quickly working through their system. There weren’t enough medics to tend to everyone’s hurts, but no doubt word had reached the Jinzhou about the situation. For all he knew, they were already on their way here. Turning away, he had just stepped out of the medical ward when the approach of vehicles caught his full attention. He need but offer a single glance at them to know where they were from. Though he shouldn’t be surprised to see that assistance had arrived, at the same time, he couldn’t help but feel this all the same.

     Mercenaries were disposable bodies. This was a cold truth they all knew. If any of  them died out there on a battlefield, they’d just be another corpse for the vultures. As such, aid like this was…peculiar to him. Why waste resources on outsiders that were merely hired hands? That was a question he would have asked himself had he still been new to how things worked around here. However, after staying within Jinzhou for as long as he had, he had come to learn that the people were just…like…this.

     It made no sense, really.

     Jiyan, even more so.

ferdiad vc: Is that so? :^)

-- " need help looking for something specific, buttercup ? "

@caemthe / one - liner.

/ OKAY SO- I will be answering this very broadly because I'm not familiar with w.uwa nor her character, and the little I know, it's because of you + the wiki, which i ended up reading to answer this in some shape or form. There's also the fact that there's a lot more depth you've given to her character that I would have to be much closer to in order to give some semblance of an answer, but ANYWAYS!!;; i'll mostly follow what I got from the bare wiki;

At first glance, I'll admit she seemed like a violent type of person, that's what I thought of when I first saw her outside of your portrayal, and I don't doubt there might be some shape of it, albeit to me, it seems more like an 'enhanced intensity' or a 'burning passion' rather than aggression, at least, not in the way Dante condemns it, so the 7th circle (which consists of the violent ones; towards themselves, towards others, against god and against nature) was quickly discarded after reading through her wiki.

The next sin I considered was pride, and although i feel like she -could- have experienced this at some point because of her life's circumstances (always being on top, the fame, only getting to realize how her partners felt once the dust was setled, although this isn't really her fault but more so other's personal wounds) this pride still feels more like it could be an eventual unconscious arrogance rather than out of malice; which is the most important thing. It really doesn't give an ill intention, so this one is also discarded (not to mention that the most important thing here is that pride isn't an actual circle in hell / in D.ante's inferno, it's a terrace in purgatory, so she wouldn't be in hell)

he's quiet , watching the kodama assemble twigs and branches for a bonfire , a small tradition the forest held once the summer weather began to give way to autumn . he's always a bit nostalgic this time of year ; the scar upon his face aching , the rustle of the wind between the cypress branches asking him if he remembered .

he did , he'd never really forget such events , could he ? hand idly rubs at his scar , unaware of @caemthe's approach until a head of blue hair suddenly appears before him . kazuha blinks , offering his spouse a tender smile , and a jubilant wag of his tail. ❛ hello , beloved . did you rest well ? ❜

[ conall ] Head tilted slightly to the side as he held and tilted the pharaoh's chin up. Faux crimson analyzed golden eyes and impeccable features with an unreadable expression for a few seconds before simply stating: "Let me do your makeup." It has been a while since he last got the chance to do so.

OZYMANDIAS BLINKED, A BIT taken aback as he peered up into those false crimsons with a slight rise of his brow. Sometimes he wished that Conall would at least give some kind of verbal warning for what he intended on doing rather than just doing things. At least that would give him some kind of preparation for whatever it was that he had in mind…although…he supposed even if he had been given that, he still would have probably found himself both surprised, and perplexed. ❝Was there something you needed?❞ Not that anything that they needed involved gripping his chin and staring intently into at his face like this. It wasn’t until a couple of seconds had passed that Conall finally spoke what was on his mind, the words so unexpected that even Ozymandias needed a couple of seconds himself. ❝W-Wha…?❞

     Was that all?

Continued // @caemthe

Nunnally smiled, uncertain what else she could do while listening to her guard and guide. What else could she say? She didn’t quite like how Captain Ningwei had addressed his general, and a brief tightening of her brows might have told him that calling Jiyan an idiot was not exactly welcome. But he corrected himself immediately, so she had no real chance to stand up for the man she had grown to care about so deeply. What a pity, indeed! She would have liked it.

She knew they stood no chance. Jiyan and her. Who was she to even imagine that she could win his heart? He was everything: young, brave, already recognized. The General of the Midnight Rangers. Nunnally had seen him in the capital city: how people listened to him, how his advice was valued, how important he was to the survival of his nation. Yes, he was someone special. One in millions.

…and he had the kindest smile she had ever seen. And his eyes. He had the most beautiful eyes. The way he looked at her; as if he…

But of course it was i m p o s s i b l e. Why would someone like him ever acknowledge someone like her? Because what was she, really? A spoiled daughter of a powerful man, well-versed in the lavish life -- but what could she actually do? Being a good hostess was all she had ever been raised for. Did he even need someone like her around him? And even if he did, what could she truly offer?

She would only be a burden. Someone to worry about. Someone who would make his duty even more difficult. And that was all assuming her father would accept Jiyan (which he would not). Because despite everything the young general was… well, he was not exactly what her father would imagine for his daughter’s husband.

And yet, even knowing all that – understanding and acknowledging the impossibility of her naïve, foolish dreams – whenever Nunnally was with Jiyan, it all seemed unimportant. As if they could face everything together. Overcome every difficulty. Because they --

No!; of course not. Jiyan did not love her. He could not, and he would not. But then why did Nunnally feel as if he did every time he was close? Every time he touched her; like in that lake, or when they were dancing… And if that feeling was real, then why, whenever he was gone, did doubt creep back so fiercely? That alone proved how unfitted she was for someone like him. For someone so bold, so powerful, so courageous.

It was wrong to hope. But it felt even worse not to.

“Hm…” – Nunnally murmured, suddenly realizing how rude she had been, failing to acknowledge the general’s friend. How ill-mannered! How clearly unfitted match for Jiyan! Why did her thoughts always circle back to that? Wondering whether Jiyan could truly care about a girl like her.

And suppose he could?

It was so hard to believe that everything that had happened between them that summer had not truly happened. Perhaps it did only because Jiyan didn’t know the real her. Would he still like her if he did? He would not. How could he? What would he think when he discovered she could not stand up to her father? That all her life she had tried to fulfil his wishes; even when she knew they were wrong, even when she knew it meant losing a piece of herself?

No. It was no good. Nunnally knew that the girl he had seen during those days together was not who she was anymore. Perhaps that young woman had only been the memory of someone she used to be. The final moments before the “old Nunnally” was to disappear, leaving only the noble lady her father wished her to become. And when the general would finally see the real her – the woman she was forced to become – what would he think?

His golden eyes would darken. And what would she see in them then? Not the usual kindness. Not that silent promise. Not hope. And not…love she sees despite everything? If not that then… what?

No! It was better to remain only a memory to him. Hopefully a cherished one, but still a memory. Nunnally shouldn’t dream anymore. She could not. She should simply accept what she was. Marry the man her father chose and --

But she did not want that either. She could not. She would not. Not after meeting Jiyan. So, what was left for her? She couldn’t become his lover, nor could she stay the flawless daughter her father expected. Nunnally didn’t know who she was anymore, and she didn’t know who she ought to become.

“I wish that were true… I wish I really were bold.” – she finally replied absent-mindedly to Captain Ningwei, acknowledging his praise.

And yet she missed Jiyan so much. Despite they were impossible.

---

He is here. He is coming to her.

And she is terribly unprepared. Nunnally has imagined their meeting differently. Panic rises within her. She doesn’t know what to do. She never imagined he would see her like this; here, almost in the middle of the military camp. Unprepared.

She has hoped… But what has she hoped for? Nunnally clutches the small plant in her hands; the mistletoe that has seemed like such a charming idea when she left the capital city. Now it feels like nothing more than a sad proof of her childishness. So, what is she supposed to do now?

Nunnally mutters disjointed words, building them into ridiculous sentences that barely make sense (to her). If only she could turn around and run; run as fast and as far as she could until she had no breath left and could collapse on the frozen ground and simply be forgotten.

Oh, I am sorry to embarrass you like this. To imagine things. To come here when I am not needed. Nor wanted…

But is that really true? Because when Nunnally looks into Jiyan’s golden eyes she suddenly sees that he does not think so at all. He is surprised, yes!, but glad? And even the silly plant, the ridiculous excuse, suddenly seems like something meant only to bring them together. And perhaps it does. Or perhaps it doesn’t matter. They would have ended up in each other’s arms anyway. And they kiss. As much as it should not be happening, it does. And strangely, it does not embarrass her the way she once imagined it would.

Oh…

It is the kiss that makes her strong. The kiss that makes her bold. The kiss that makes her understand she cannot lose whatever fragile thing exists between them. Nunnally must try. Nunnally must fight. Her life will never be the same again, because she simply cannot; cannot return to her old ways of pleasing the man she calls father.

…But she must.

She cannot put the general in danger. How could she? But Nunnally has no more time for such thoughts.

“Don’t… please…”

She smiles as she presses her fingers gently against his lips, and then her own lips steal the rest of whatever he meant to say. She does not need to hear it. Somehow she already knows. Instead, she kisses him again; this time without the excuse of the green plant against the white landscape.

Simply because she wants to.

Let others look. It does not matter. Because Nunnally loves. And she is loved. The simple truth she has tried to deny for so long suddenly rings clear and pure in the most unexpected place. Yet perhaps this raw, open landscape is exactly where such a truth belongs. Nunnally is bold. She knows it now. And more than that: she believes it.

Jiyan lifts her into his arms. She came for this. Nothing else matters. Only this moment. Only them.