#ignatiius

The tray in her hands bore fewer things than it had the first time she had brought it out, but that was less the result of a waning generosity, and more the result of having learned from what was left when she collected it in the middle of the day.

There was a small handful of fresh cloudberries from her garden, because they wouldn’t grow naturally in this area, her best homemade granola and honey, and a delicacy she had come to suspect that the whatever-it-was-living-in-her-storage-shed liked—sugared violets and rose petals, which, unlike other things, were usually all gone when she came back. She had found out early that meat would not be touched. Loki was still unsure whether it was some form of draugr or vættr or maybe even fae that had taken up residence, but one thing seemed clear to her: if it was on her land then it was technically a part of her household, and being the hausahallr, she had a duty to feed it.

Loki hummed quietly as she came down the path and finally to the quaint little shed, then kneeled down and set the tray in front of the door before she herself sat, the morning dew dampening her clothes just a little. She reached for the door, but did not open it; three slow and precisely measured taps on the wood, and she said carefully, “I have breakfast, friend, if you’re not still sleeping. Would you like me to leave so you can eat?”

using the glow from his cell phone to light a path on the concrete ahead of him, ryan totes a hefty bag of trash around the building and he hears the noise before he sees the cause. it’s probably an animal of some sort- a raccoon maybe (please god, not a bear), or even a drifter or homeless person looking for food. it’s rare that he sees anyone on foot around here, especially at night, but it does happen.

so as not to alert the dumpster-diver to his presence, ryan cautiously steps around the corner and the sight stops him in his tracks. the figure is generally human-shaped but it is massive. when ryan stands by the dumpster, his height trumps it by maybe two inches, whereas this... person towers over it by a few feet. if they wanted to, they could pummel him without even trying that hard. but, summoning what courage he can, he decides not to let uncertainty get the better of him. besides, the guy with the record for tallest person in the world was almost nine feet. and this guy, despite his intimidating stature, is probably just hungry and perfectly harmless.

        IT HAS BEEN MONTHS NOW, since finding the castle filled with such warm & light & activity has been next to impossible -- & yet, even still, adrienne cannot find it within herself to say she prefers it. there is very little left, she’d found, of the princess who once found such frivolous joy in extravagant parties for the purpose of having those that would fawn over her at hand. true, she’d all but longed for such a life before -- but, now, such feelings are reserved for quiet nights within the library, with her wife and whichever book they’ve chosen to pour over for the evening.

still, the castle staff and all those in attendance seem to be enjoying themselves, and who is she to begrudge them their happiness?  a celebration to commemorate the ending of a particularly long and difficult winter had seemed very much in order, and truth be told, so long as there is a dance or two with belle and the presence of good company involved, adrienne cannot say that the decision to hold it was a poor one. even now, as she and her wife turn on the ballroom floor, she cannot help but smile to herself, her feet moving in steps she’d once thought long forgotten. it’s never far from her mind that once such happiness seemed so out of reach -- perhaps, she supposes, that is what made times such as these all the sweeter.

the final notes of madame de garderobe’s song die away just then, and with a final kiss pressed to belle’s hand, adrienne’s own comes to rest on her wife’s waist, guiding her towards the thrones situated at the end of the hall. entertainment is being announced, after all -- performers from a circus that had been passing through the kingdom. she has very little idea of what to expect from it all -- acrobats, perhaps, or a magician -- but, it had seemed a charming enough idea when lumiere had proposed it. after seeing that belle was comfortably situated, she settles down upon her own seat, a hand coming to rest of that of the woman beside her. the warm smile for her fades to somewhat skeptical curiosity as she turns her head to see something large being wheeled in from the entrance hall.

        chuck shurley takes a step     ,     NO     ,     a   few steps   back     ,     appearing more than just  STARTLED     .     his eyes are wide     &&     his mouth keeps opening and closing as he   tries   to look for   RIGHT WORDS     .     and he certainly can’t help but stare up at this     ...     walking mummy     ?     ❛     um     ,     are you going to try to   hurt me     ?     because if you are     ,     you should know there’s an   ARCHANGEL   on my shoulder     .     ❜

       “-- you don't have to be a ghost, here amongst the living.”  though, a grotesque looking monster doesn’t fit in quite well with society, does it?  repulsion curls low in their stomach, rests on their tongue, though it’s bitten back.  tegan has to have tact.  they can’t go around and insult.  still, it’s not a pleasant thing to take in.  there’s a swallow of their disgust, then a half-hearted, wary smile.

     “-----hold still! i’m almost done.” she sits behind him, gently braiding his hair; short stemmed flowers wait in a basket beside them, for her to weave into his braid once she finishes. euryale sits next to medusa, knitting a sweater. pink. one she says is his color. “do you want yellow flowers or blue flowers?”

slim figure is pressed TIGHT against the wall as she hears distant footsteps RING through the chamber, voices ECHOING off stone walls. maria does not CARE to be here, stuck away from the sun in this DISMAL prison. it occurs to her that, of course, it would be far worse to truly be kept her, LOCKED away and forgotten and left to ROT like so many that DISPLEASE the church. 

it’s enough to send a shiver crawling down her spine and she grits her teeth, nails DIGGING into the tender flesh of her palm in order to FOCUS. 

a few silent steps forward and she decides she’ll UNLOCK what all she can before she leaves because fuck the church. she isn’t certain she believes in hell but if there is one to be found, maria finds solace  in knowing TORQUEMADA and the others will burn for eternity like the innocent forced to the stake. yes, she decides with a FAINT hint of a grin, it cannot hurt to cause a little chaos AND aid those who have raised the ire of the templars.