#shaemoor

74th to the 77th Days of the Phoenix

June 13th To June 16th

It was silent in the Shaemoor Cemetery, which wasn’t uncommon. The sun was high in the sky, shining down on the varying monuments to the souls laid to rest within the wrought iron confines of the cemetery. Following the path that wound among the graves, she stopped at one made from marble, one which bore the LaCoria family crest.

Kneeling before it, her pale fingers gently traced over the name carved into the fine stone, Karina LaCoria. Managing a weak smile, her voice was soft, “Hey Karina, it’s been a while since I visited and I’m really sorry. Gods, there’s so much that’s been going on. I’ve finally met someone amazing, her name is Minthe and she’s a Sylvari and she’s everything I’ve been looking for all these years. I just wish you were around to meet her, I know you’d love her too.”

Kissing the gravestone, she stood up and continued along the path to the upper level. As Renita had pointed out so many times in the past, most people didn’t feel comfortable among the dead, making graveyards ideal places to meet. Her meeting today was with her friend Cameron Agnor whom she had asked to watch over Renita in her stead, and he had already arrived.

His dark red hair hung down to his shoulders, and he wore a long leather coat, adorned with the fangs of Rock Dogs that he had slain in Harathi, and nearly as deep red as his hair. On his right arm was a large leather braces that had a small section of a Centaur spine worked into it, the bones sharpened and hardened to the point that they were as dangerous as the curved blade that hung on his side.

“Hello Cameron,” her voice carried easily across the open area, the only obstacle in the area being a small fountain.

“Alexandria,” his tone was unusually serious as he pushed off the wall and strode into the opening as well. With such a stern expression on his face, he looked a great deal like his late father; a weathered, no-nonsense Seraph Lieutenant that had died in Harathi two years prior.

“What’s wrong?”

“Next time you ask me to do you a favor, I expect you to give me all the details.”

“What are you talking about?” Clenching her fist, she felt waves of fear and anger washing over her for no reason other than she felt like she was being attacked. “I told you that she was a friend that I wanted to make sure was safe, especially from that fuckwit Cecil.”

“Yes. But you forgot to explain that your obsession over her was causing her pain, making her feel like she couldn’t move on with her life because if she tried it would only hurt you. You made it sound like she was some helpless little noble girl. When in truth she drew a knife on me for no other reason than I questioned her ability to defend herself. You didn’t tell me that she thinks everyone is afraid of her for some stupid reason that, in my opinion, is completely ridiculous.”

“I didn’t think you wanted a full fucking evaluation,” snapped Alexandria the fear having vanished replaced by only more anger. “Yeah, I know I’ve hurt her and I’m working on it. But I didn’t really think that was any of your damned business!”

“It is when you’re asking me to stalk someone Alex.” Crossing the gap between them in three steps, his glare could have melted wax. “I’m not going to play this stupid game. This isn’t like Dylane, this is someone you claim to be your friend, and frankly you’re doing a piss poor job of being even that.”

Without warning, her open hand stuck his face, breaking his gaze from her face. Shaking she raised the same hand, ready to backhand him if the feeling overcame her. “What the hell do you know? You don’t know her!”

“I’ve had a chance to talk with her. I know how lonely she feels because she thinks that yet another friend of hers has to keep their distance.” Rubbing his face he looks once more at her. “You need to get your shit together; you need to get over her. Because she needs her friends, not stalkers, not people halfway across the world, and not people who are trying to bed her every five seconds.”

With tears in her eyes she conjured a fiery blade and swung it at him which he easily deflected with his own blade before backing away. “I am her friend! I care about her more than anyone! It’s not my fault that I fell in love with her too!”

“But it is your choice to get over it Alex.” Grunting he stepped back as she parried three angrier blows. “Is it really fair that you get to be happy with Minthe while Miss Cartwright has to stay alone in this city, surrounded by most of humanity and feeling more alone than if she were a slave to the Centaurs?”

“It’s not my fault she’s afraid of people!” Crying out she swung her fiery blade wildly, each blow knocked away by the larger man. In desperation, she lunged forward leveling her blade and hurling a fireball. Sidestepping the flaming projectile, he was unable to avoid the blade which cut through the side of his coat, filling the air with the smell of burning flesh, blood, and leather.

“Actually, it is.” Growling in pain, he brought the back of his forearm down on hers, sending her to the ground. The conjured weapon dissipated the moment it struck the ground, and she rolled away in fear of another attack. “You need to stop being so childish, you need to stop being so selfish! You have someone that you claim to love, and it’s time to let Miss Cartwright go. She needs her friend back Alex.”

Laughing hysterically, Alexandria gripped her arm where he had struck it, carefully bringing herself to her feet. “I get it. This has nothing to do with Renita, you just want her for yourself. You can’t stand the fact that Risea up and left without a word, and you’re willing to take advantage of the first poor little noble girl who needs a big strong hero to save her.”

“That’s enough Alex!” Anger overcame him as well and he cast his sword to the side, prepared to strike Alexandria with a closed fist. One step away from her, he realized his mistake as the stones under his feet shattered upwards, cutting through leather and tearing at his skin with jagged edges. Staggering back, he took a deep breath to regain his composure and to check for further magical traps. “If this is how you’re going to behave Lady LaCoria, then I will protect Renita from only two things: Cecil, and you.”

“Fuck you Cameron!” With a raised hand, Cameron watched for signs of a fireball, and was completely unprepared as she struck him with a blast of wind strong enough to knock him off his feet and back against the mausoleum. “I don’t need you to tell me what I need to do… I know what I have to do. It’s not my fault you think it’s so damned easy.”

"You there. You're coming on an adventure."