#non eri

“––Hey, Ruth?”

“....if you don’t mind, could you... could you tell me what Isabel was like?” She frowns a bit, “...I know you told me some things about her when we first met, but...would it be okay...to tell me more about her?”

In place of a once caring, gentle soul is the heart of a woman who feels nothing but thrill when she hears the populace's pitiful pleas and watches their desperate displays of hostility towards her. It's what sustains her now that her darling boy has passed on. Ever since that day Therese von Ludowing has done all she can to defy the Lord in Heaven who dare forsake her child. She could have accepted her own damnation; she had already done so, in fact! But for the world that would give such pain and suffering to the innocent - her innocent - well...

                         Now that she understands the rotten nature of GOD'S IMAGE                                                    she's really just helping along the inevitable, isn't she?

"...And that concludes my report."

"Very well. You are dismissed." The wave of her hand suggests that on the matter of the latest citizen's rebellion, she simply couldn't care any less. But for the one that stands faithfully aside her throne, it might be clear that the wheels of devastation are already turning in her mind. Rising gracefully and beckoning her dearest partner, the queen exits the audience hall, (used more as a display of power than to welcome important guests) in favor of a smaller, more personable study not far down the dimly lit hall.

With a territorial map already spread across the large wooden desk, there is no need for pause. In a grand sweeping gesture, Therese adjusts her lovely gown in order to take a pensive posture over the paper. Scrawled across the drawings of mountains and rivers and towns are her own marks from previous strategic planning. After minutes of passing silence where she studies these past victories, she scoffs. "These idealistic fools shall never cease to amaze. When will they learn that pitch forks will only get you so far? They will not make it past the river at this time of year.

"Oh well. The Third Division should be enough to crush their forces. Those damned cockroaches will drown in their own flames, even if I must see to it myself." She relocates to the high-backed chair as she muses out loud, chin propping against her fist and gaze fixed on grounds that angry farmers currently occupied. The idea of visiting the battlefield once more is quite an exciting one and, for the first time, she looks up to directly speak to the source of her brilliant curse. Only, her thought pauses and Therese allows herself to indulge in a rare moment of curiosity.

"What is it? It appears as if you have something to say."

whew, long set today.  thank goodness for the brief intermission.  with a languid sigh, red steps out back, stretching her back until she can hear a satisfied crack.  good!  everything’s in working order.  as it should be.  next, her arms.  and a one and a two - oh!  her elbow collides with something like a shoulder.  at least, it felt like a shoulder?  ... or was it a nose?  she hopes it wasn’t a nose.  briefly startled, she turns, about to break into apology only to notice she’s consequently knocked the cigarette the man was smoking out of his hand.  what a mess!

“are you alright?” she asks, placing a hand upon the man’s shoulder.  for just the briefest of moments, she’s distracted by the heavy, dark eyes - something about them is distinctly familiar, but his is a face that is lost in the darkness between her and the spotlight.