chimera by curse, not birth

He stiffened at her words. Though he had been miserable at times ( separated from his girls ), the space had been good for him ( even if he wouldn’t admit it aloud ). For once, he’d been forced to truly rely on himself. “I didn’t know.” He admitted honestly. “I know neither of you took kindly to my decision, but I needed time to be selfish and alone.” Azriel hadn’t even been certain if they would speak to him again ( and he had prepared himself to beg, should it have come to that ). “You’re right. There is… more out there. But I found myself looking for you both when I wanted to share a feeling or thought.” And every time, he found a piece of himself empty when they weren’t there. “I needed the time, but I won’t settle without you both…. and even if you never needed my protection, that doesn’t mean I won’t provide it.” 

Head dipping into a nod, he released a soft huff of air. “Everywhere is green, colorful. Lots of fields. Flowers. Niyah would have liked it.” Casting her a glance, he hesitated. “I do.”

“It was a joke.” Kymaera said, rolling her eyes at his tense stature. She scoffed openly at his words. “That is not true. I always believed that you should go. I only said that I would not be going with you. It is okay for us to be apart. Niyah may not agree, but I have always seen it as such.” Then again, Kymaera had always held on the loosest. Her childhood had been so different, her role so different that she could not care as they did- not to the same extent. While Azriel and Niyah were decidedly the most important people in her life, that was compared to no one else even being in her perspective. “You should settle wherever is best for you, no matter where we are, but this is a conversation for another time. We are all here for the foreseeable future.” She shrugged in feigned indifference. Her nose turned up. “Flowers everywhere?” He was right, though. That would be something their companion liked. She loved colors and light whereas Azriel obviously preferred black, and Kymaera often leaned toward clean white and gold. Her nose turned ever skyward at his answer. “I do not trust these people, Azriel. The more I watch of them, the more I understand how little they care for anyone but themselves or what they can claim.”

“I’ve never been a fighter.” She murmured, the memory of her mothers bakery momentarily coming to the forefront of her mind before it was quickly shoved away. “For I know what I would do to keep those I care for safe and the idea terrifies me.” Ceryse wasn’t sure she would recognize herself, not after the lengths for which she would go ( even if those she cared for consisted of a number small enough to count on one hand ). “If anyone could convince you to be a lover, it would be those in Dorne. We are far more free here. Dornish lack the mindset of a singular lover.” Perhaps that was why she’d gotten along so well with the wildlings —   they did not conform like the rest of Westeros. “I was planning to go to Sun and Stars. Or perhaps the market… I had yet to decide. Would my Fighter have a preference?” 

“That is because a Queen has those who fight for her. Kymaera would fight for you.” A cheeky grin and batting eyes met the Asshai native at the end of the statement. It was the belief of many that being bale to go far past what is deemed acceptable was somehow a bad thing. Kymaera was not of this belief. “You should never be afraid of your own power. Others should be afraid to have you release it.” The fighter nearly laughed at her words. “Kymaera was never shared this mindset to begin with- there is no one person that could satisfy her appetite.” The Volentene shrugged. “It is your decision.” 

Kymaera undoubtedly meant it to come across as arrogant —  to get him to roll his eyes and rebuttal something smart back at her for being so full of herself… but he had missed her confidence. Missed their banter in the time they’d spent apart ( though if he were ever to admit to such feelings the woman would never let him live it down ). “If I took a better position at the Tyrell court it would be harder to leave. We’ve always held flexible roles. Easily moved in and out of. We may have spent time apart, but I won’t —  can’t —   settle anywhere unless you and Niyah are beside me.” Only then would a place be considered home, and while Highgarden had held some semblance of peace to it, something had always been missing. “Aside from Niyah, the whores are prettier. And the entire city smells nicer. It’s… green.” He muttered. “The Tyrell Queen is pregnant. Twins. The King is the ever watchful blade at anyones side.”

Without a second thought, Kymaera snapped back. “Would it? It was not too hard for you to leave us.” She laughed. Kymaera didn’t hold any ill will against Azriel for leaving. She’d told him to go. Azriel would always be one of the most important people in her life, but they didn’t have to spend their entire lives next to each other. Sometimes, she thought she was the only one who recognized that. “That is still stupid. Do you think that I would not come to visit you if we did not live together?” Her head tilted to one side in question. “You can survive without us, Azriel. This has been proven now. You deserve to live whatever life would make you happiest. There are more things for you than fighting every day and trying to protect us.” Her eyes held a knowing look. He wanted more than that too, even if he didn’t know it. “Kymaera has never needed this protection anyway.” She shrugged. “It is green?” A strange detail. No where they’d ever lived had been very green. “You still respect these nobles?”

the clegane had watched the fighter carefully. she certainly was making a name for herself, first, the tournament then being named a personal guard of a member of the king’s council. all seemed so sudden for someone who was previously nameless. none the less he smiled as the other approached. “joining me for a drink, are you?”

@thekymaera​

Kymaera turned her head to the side to observe the little blonde Lord that had approached her. He looked as breakable as a twig. “Kymaera is drinking.” She said with a little venom in her tone. “As are you, but in this case, since you approached- you join Kymaera to drink.” She paused, looking at him expectantly. “Why are you joining Kymaera to drink?”

“I pray not as interesting as our last gathering.” She commented, though at this point, Ceryse held little hope for it not being as dramatic. It seemed the moment the nobility gathered together something would happen ( and now it was just a matter of time ). “Is there anything in particular you are looking to find? I fear this is my first journey to Sunspear, but the people and the shadows are quite telling.”

“Oh?” Kymaera quirked her brow up and let a smirk slide across her mouth. “Kymaera disagrees. It should be much more interesting than last time. Chaos and fighting go hand in hand, and Kymaera is a fighter.” Her eyes turned somewhat feral. “Though she can be convinced to be a lover for some.” She shrugged at the question. “Kymaera is interested in anything the shadows have to tell her, and her destination is wherever you are going.”

Though he’d never asked for information regarding the companions left behind in the Capital, it seemed that his Queen had known of the strain it had placed on him and had readily provided bits and pieces every now and again. He’d known little about becoming a Knight until his friend had been deemed as such ( and only then did he bother ask someone what it entailed ). “You’re going to have such a long list of titles one day that I’m just going to keep calling you Kymaera to make things easy for myself.” He muttered, a small smile tugging at his lips. “I’ve been offered a title, and more coin. I wanted to wait until I saw you both again.” He may have made his decision once, but if this Summit went poorly ( if war was truly to be the outcome ), he refused to be on opposite sides of his two girls. 

She grinned as sharp as a knife. “Kymaera will always be the most important title, Azriel. This is not easily forgotten.” There had been no doubt that her companion was capable of moving up the ranks anywhere that he chose to commit to, but the question always remained- how committed could he remain to anywhere? Anyone? “Why? We are still the same as you last saw us. The least you could do was earn more coin.” It was an easy pattern to fall back into. Kymaera had spent the better part of her life teasing Azriel. “Go on. Tell me about all the flowers. I am sure that I have fruitful information for you as well.”

♛   TASK: 014.    ‘ THE ROAD GOES EVER ON ‘

Kymaera’s days went on mostly as they had before all the nobles littered the streets of her city. She often found herself missing Azriel’s presence in her life and found her solace with Niyah. 

The main difference was that Kymaera now had a day job in guarding and protecting the Tully Princess. While the pit fighter did her best to stay out of politics, she could not help but to overhear the family tensions of her employer. She wondered if it would make her job more difficult.

Every now and again, she would check in on the lemon girl that Azriel had deemed so important. Kymaera knew that her companion would not be happy with what was seen, but she did not care enough to step in and stop it if the girl was not in immediate danger.

@thekymaera​

Dress dripping from her dip within the pools, Ceryse wandered barefoot through the Watergardens ( a soft hum leaving her lips as she slowly sipped away at a fine wine from the Arbor ). Dark orbs were quietly observing those she passed, but it was only when someone stepped into her path that she truly paid attention. “My fighter!” She greeted as her lips split into a smile, her head dipping into a nod. “Oh how glad I am we have met once more. I’d begun to worry you would not be here to enjoy the pleasures of Dorne.”

Kymaera had been well into the wine for some time now. Many of the people around her complained of the heat, but it did not phase her. This Dornish sun was no worse than Meereen or Volantis when the sun was at it’s peak and shone through the high black walls. In an attempt to escape all the annoying whiners, Kymaera began to explore the streets and buildings as she saw fit. Who was going to stop a knight? A familiar voice drew her attention. A lazy smile crossed her face and Kymaera nodded her head to the lady. “Queen of Darkness.” She replied in greeting. “I try not to miss anything interesting which this entire affair promises to be.”

@thekymaera​

With the Tyrell Queen unable to attend the evening festivities ( and already surrounded by enough guards and ass kissers he wanted to suffocate ), the guard had been dismissed under the assumption he would keep an eye on the evenings affairs and report back in the morning. He’d stepped into the Watergardens and found his gaze immediately seeking the companies he’d dearly missed. Gliding to stand over the shoulder of the pit fight, he huffed —   the only real announcement of his presence. “Ser? Never really thought you’d need a title.”

Kymaera tensed as someone touched her. She turned to pull a knife on the individual before she remembered that the only person who’d ever successfully managed to sneak up on her. A smirk turned the corners of her mouth skyward. “I don’t need anything.” She retorted quickly. “But I like it. I think I’ll keep it. Ser Kymaera sounds perfect, don’t you think?” He did not look happy, but otherwise, he did not appear to be grievously wounded. “They have not given you such a title yet? You must not be doing as good a job as I am.”

[ kymaera & ceryse in x-men ]

ceryse | | CODENAME : chiaroscuro | | ability : shadow manipulation and form

kymaera | | CODENAME : chimera | | ability : form shifting