| Old Endings and New Beginnings |
| Summary: | A very emotionally exhausted Imogen goes out for a cry and runs into an old aquaintance. What once were strangers soon become new friends, and together perhaps they can both find themselves starting anew together. |
| Date: | 07/20/2018 |
| Related: | none |
| NPCs: | Rachel Moon and Violet Blue |
| Players: |
 
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| Four Corners - Docks |
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There isn't a ship afloat that hasn't been through the logbooks of the dock-master of the Free City of Four Corners… at least, if you listen to the dock-master. Ships of every description, from private yachts and slender fishing knars to big-bellied merchant cogs and bristling naval brigantines. Dockworkers and sailors with tattoos and tattered breeches, errand-boys running underfoot and over crate, fishermen fixing nets, wealthy merchants attended by slaves and bookkeepers and travelers, sightseers and more, all of them here where the ships are loaded and unloaded beneath the wheeling gulls. Businesses catering to the sailors and men who work her crowd the dock front, with restaurants, taverns, whorehouses, bonesaws, pitch-vats, money-changers, bounty-offices and shipwrights all fighting for space. This too is where the fishing boats unload their daily catches. There is a fishmarket right on one of the more rickety quays where one can find bright silver tuna, swordfish, cod, bass, anglerfish, grouper, ussels, abalone, huge prawns and tiny shrimp and anchovies, squid, enormous mottled lobsters, crabs, spiky urchins eel, salmon, even monster tuna. Waterbirds of various types are here as well, such as tern, cormorant, swan and heron. |
| Friday the 20th of Juillet, 1874 IE |
Sea air. When she woke up the other day and told the servants she felt as if she had been in some sort of trance, sea air was what they reccomended. She knew they were neither magical experts nor doctors, so she just smiled and agreed. So here she was, at the docks, curled up in a hidden little corner and fighting back tears. Because what else could she do but cry like a child? For a week or so she was under magical influence and nobody noticed!
Not her husband, who now was probably trying to divorce her, not her liege who had actively threatened to send her back to galenthia, no one knew and no one cared, she should reach out and tell them all, but who would believe such a convenient story, better to just hide and cry.
The beach is a beautiful place—almost unbelievably so. The sun, the bright summer blue above, the endless waves of water leading off to…to where? Susanna had to wonder as she chased her littlest sister along the shore, eventually catching her and spinning her around in a fit of giggles. The sister was indeed a little one, somewhere above eight years old, with dark braids so long it was actually funny to see them whirl around as long as her arms could reach. She wore a yellow dress and nothing on her feet, bright as the sky.
"Tell me somethin' Violet," Susanna asked the little girl loudly so she could hear her over the ocean tumble and laughter. "How far do ya think the water goes? Where does it end at?"
The girl considered for a moment before pointing her finger out at the horizon and saying with swooping motions, "I think it goes right on a very long time, 'til it wraps round an' goes up so high it becomes the sky up there! Only it's so so so very high up ya can na see the waves no more."
Susanna laughs. "The Sky and the Sea are the same?" She's grinning.
"Mmmm. Sort of! Maybe it gets sorta different the farther it goes. Like how the city is diff'rent fra the country."
"Huh! I never thought it like tha' before. Maybe we gotta find yer other sister an' ask her wha' she thinks?"
"Yeah! Rachel's good at figurin' things."
"I like the way you figure things." Then Susanna tickled Violet until they were both laughing, Violet eventually falling to the sand in efforts to escape.
Imogen looks up a bit when she hears the pair walking and talking, and there's a tightness in her gut at the scene. It seemed only a week ago she and dovi were still fine, but if magic could break their relationship, were they really ever close at all? She watched for a few moments but then just got up and brushed the sand off, attempting to escape the scene unnoticed.
"I'm gonna catch ya, Violet! I got longer legs, ya canna run fra me! Oh, woah, wait a mo', darlin'—"
In an effort to prevent Violet from crashing straight into Imogen, Susanna rushes forward, scoops up her sister, loses her balance on the slippery sand, and starts to fall back into water.
Well that's one way to get the girls attention, she hadn't really registered the child about to crash into her, but the older woman scooping her up to avoid the impending crash, and then almost falling into the water? Yeah, that got her attention. Going into buisiness mode the girl puts her childhood spidermonkey days to the test running after them and grabbing the pair securely, but her attempt to jump back is more of a fall back, still, no one is wet or hurt!
"Congrats ladies, you're safe and dry," she murmurs bemusedly
Little Violet is still giggling in the sand when they are saved, and it's infectious—at least for Susanna. "Thank you, madam!" she says and stands up to give a curtsy while Violet simply shouts out, "Yes, thank you!" (A small distance off, there is a slender, blonde teenager in a forest-green dress sitting in the sand that stares after the lot of them.)
"Oh, wow!" Violet shouts as soon as she sees Imogen properly. "Ya hair, it's so bright! It's red! Susanna, look!!" Susanna grins, looking a little amazed herself. "I see it! You have beautiful hair, madam!" She compliments as she helps Violet stand up.
Imogen chuckles softly and gets to her feet, brushing the bits of sand that cling to her pants and shirt, she's noble but never been very typical for her class, let alone her rank. "Thanks, most of my family has hair like this though, it's not super unique," she admits with a small grin, the joyful mirth of the two managing to lift her spirits enough she can at least fake being in a good mood, for politenesses sake.
"You're Susanna Summers i believe, i met you once with….my husband," she offers in a quiet sort of way, talking about dovi right now /is/ a bit of a sore subject, but it kinda just spilled out when she saw the girl.
Violet gasps. "Oh yes! I know you!" she shouts again. "Susanna, you beat her husband in an arm wrestle, remember?"
"Oh, really? Was he the one?" Susanna looks up to Imogen an immediately curtsies again. "Your Excellency. I'm honored you remembered my name."
"Suse! Suse!" Violet pats Susanna's arm repeatedly. "Don'cha think she looks like a Guardian? Ha' we died?"
Susanna chuffs good-naturedly and tugs one of Violet's braids. "Don' ya even joke," she mutters with a smile.
Imogen laughs softly and grins, thinking of dovi hurts, but thinking of him getting his ass kicked by a common girl? Oh that is /much/ easier to think about! "No no, there's no need for the bowing and scraping. I am just dovi's wife, before that…my father was a glorified mayor, so please don't feel the need to be so formal, you can call me imogen if it's just us," she offers with a conspiratorial wink.
Though she reaches over and ruffles the younger girls hair when she speaks up, as she crouches down she pulls a crown coin out of her pocket. "I'm not a guardian, but here's my gift to you, use it to make your life a little more fun eh?" she offers playfully.
"Wha's a 'mayor'?" Violet asks, looking up at Susanna. She thinks. "It's…sorta like a king, bu' only of a village or a town. They're a leader." Violet grins with recognition. "Like Papa!" Susanna makes a face like this isn't quite what their father was at all, but she gives a hesitant nod. "Sorta…"
"We're the same, then!" Violet exclaims, beaming at Imogen, though the panicky look on Susanna's face says that this is most *definitely* not the case.
"Oh, tha's very kind, good lady, bu' I do na need no crown!" the girl proclaims. "We're rich now, we are. I got a new dress, see?" Violet holds up the simple skirt of her sweet yellow dress and does a twirl. "We're gettin' a home ta rent here an' I eat peaches near erry day!"
Susanna smiles at Violet with all the affection in the world and bends down to kiss her head. "Why don' ya go get Rachel so ya two can introduce yaselves properly ta th' countess?" she whispers. "Okay!" Violet scampers off through the sand toward the blonde girl.
Imogen giggles softly and nods as the girl declines her offer, she doesn't seem the least put out by it, amused, but not put out as she rises and watches the girl go to get her sister. "Don't worry, I have brothers about her age, that young children don't understand the uances of nobility, heck, at twenty and married to a viscount, I /still/ don't get it," she jests in response to the rather panicked look on susannas face.
Susanna is visibly grateful for Imogen's understanding as her shoulders deflate and her smile becomes less strained. "Thank you, Viscountess… I am still learnin' the intricacies o' nobility maself, I'll admit. I'm studyin' ta become a courtesan an' I dinna realize jus' how complicated it was!" She allows a little chuckle. Violet is practically pulling Rachel up from the sand. "Bu' you are an older sister as well, then… How many brothers an' sisters do ya got? I mean, do you have?" Susanna tries to take on a bit of a more 'proper' accent with her correction.
Imogen smiles sympathetically at her obvious struggling with the intricacies of social interaction, she's got a good sympathizer for that. "Have you considered going to work in a noble household? The work may not be glamorous, but it's a good place to learn how to work with the nobility…just maybe don't mention to the lady of the house you'll one day be a courtesan?" she offers cheekily before she hears the question about her siblings. "One older sibling, the house heir, and two younger twin brothers,"
"I…haven't, honestly," Susanna says. "I would na have assumed a noble household would want me livin' in it. Er. I was tole I could possibly become a courtesan since I can play music fairly well." She shrugs a little. "Bu' sure seems a solid job ta me! All tha' matters ta me really is havin' a safe an' steady job. Fa ma sisters. Oh—twins!" she exclaims enthusiastically. "A sign o' very good luck, ent they? Always gotta cherish a set o' twins."
Violet has finally managed to get Rachel to approach their new friend and together they do a well-practiced curtsy. "I'm Violet Blue!" says Violet enthusiastically, and one can now see the gap where her two front teeth should be and the bright purple eyes she was named for. The last sister, looking very shy and rather gaunt up close, admits her name quietly as "Rachel Moon." Susanna smiles proudly. "Very good, both o' ya! Don' even gotta remind ya no more."
Imogen chuckles softly and smiles with a weak nod. "If I was reconciled with my husband i'd offer to bring you to hellsmouth, despite the qutanux the town itself is safe, and dovi and I are very down to earth for nobility. But, well, I may not be countess for much longer," she confides awkwardly, there's a tightness to her throat as she speaks the reality, but soon the kids are here to save her!
"A pleasure to meet you both," she offers warmly, if a bit distractedly.
Susanna frowns sympathetically as Imogen speaks, not entirely certain what to say and still afraid of saying something out of turn. Nevertheless, Violet chimes, "Wha's 'reconciled' mean?"
"It means havin' an agreement," says Rachel. "Bein' diff'rent a' first, bu' findin' a way ta be a' peace." She blushes a little as Imogen looks at her and her own eyes move downward. "Na reconciled wi' ya husband?" Violet frowns thoughtfully. "Is it 'cos yer at Hell's Mouth? I would na be at peace, neither." Susanna puts a hand on Violet's shoulder. "Violet…"
Imogen chuckles softly and sighs, well, she has to at least try and explain now, there's no way she's witty enough to fool three girls. "Do you girls believe in magical creatures, things like vampires and grue's?" she asks with a small smile as she gets out a blanket from her nearby bag and spreads it on the beach, inviting the girls to sit with her.
"Of course," Violet says immediately, while Rachel and Susanna look at her with a sort of cautious horror. Something in Imogen's manner seems to invite more talk of this sort of thing, however, and Susanna clarifies, "The Archbishop who led the last war was a vampire, yes?" The three of them sit on the blanket as a cool, relieving breeze ruffles under their sweat-damp hair.
Imogen laughs softly and smiles with a weak sort of nod. "Indeed he was, so you believe in vampires, well that's good. You see, shortly after I married Viscount d'Korbina, a vampire paid us a visit. Dovi lost an eye that night, and while I suffered no physical damage, the monster cast magic on me, for days, maybe a week…I wasn't myself, I only became truly lucid this morning, and i've acted horribly in the state i was in, to those i owe nothing but love and respect to. Alas, it would be far too convenient in their eyes for me to go to them with this info, and so I am estranged from my husband," she explains quietly.
Susanna is pale, Rachel looks slightly sick, and Violet's eyes are wider than ever. "A vampire?" Violet whispers. Rachel looks up at Susanna for reassurance. "As powerful as the one at Mathis?" Susanna blinks a few times and takes Imogen's hand. "I am so sorry ta hear this happened to you, Your Excellency. It must have been terrifying." She looks Imogen straight in the eye, and there's a glimmer of true fear there. "An' so sorry ta hear wha' this has done ta ya marriage, as well. I can…" She stops herself, hesitates, and says, "I do hope things become better soon."
(A few things got lost here, but suffice it to say that when Imogen revealed that the vampire was indeed that same Teleko she saw how deeply that scared Susanna and offered her and her sisters protection on her estate. Susanna insists on working for her keep, feeling more right about it that way and suspecting she won't be tolerated there for long without serving some purpose.)
Imogen laughs softly and grins. 'Only if you want to, but I can have guest rooms and tutors arranged for you there, yes," she responds before looking over at susanna and smirking. "don't worry, you can't be any less useful than me," she teases"
Susanna smiles a little and nods in good humor. "Wha's a tutor?" Violet asks. "'Tis like a teacher," says Rachel. Violet becomes excited. "Ooh! Wha' we gonna learn about?" Susanna is still at a loss, disbelieving at how quickly her life is changing because of a simple conversation. "Ya promisin' us so much an' I ent even started workin' fa ya, yet…" Susanna says, in awe and uncertainty. "When do we leave fa Cheval?"
Imogen chuckles softly and smiles at the poor childs lack of knowledge of, what was for her, a basic human right! "A tutor is a teacher who is going to come and teach you in the house," she explains further to the both of them before she looks up at susanna. "This isn't what you can do for me, you feel unsafe here with teleko still alive, i'm offering you my protection as a landed knight of d'korbina, you don't feel right just coming with me for free, so i'm happy to give you wrok, as you are perfectly of age, but even if you were horrible at your jon, you are still under my protection….and admittedly i just wanna spoil the kids," she offers with a grin.
Susanna has been very grave and serious all this time, but with that last little mention, Susanna breaks into laughter. "Spoil them! I know what you mean. I would give them all the earth if I could! Hahaha! And you are a knight, too… Viscountess d'Korbina, please have me as a servant of your household, keep my family safe, and I will be loyal to you for all my days! I will do my best to protect you and yours as you have promised to protect me and mine." Susanna's speech has slipped into a more 'proper' accent as she begins to speak with more elevated and poetic language. It seems she probably is the bard she says she is. Violet is grinning, Rachel still looks as if she's wondering whether or not this is a dream.
Imogen laughs softly and wraps an arm around susanna, she notices the change in her accent, but not wanting to make a big deal of it, doesn't show approval or disapproval, wanting the girl to speak however she's happiest. "Now, if four corners is good for anything it's shopping, don't buy anything perishable like food, but any toy, or dress, or whatever you see in the marketplace is fair game," she tells the younger kids with a grin.
"I need a day or two to get things set up, i can get us airship if you like which is quicker, but some people, like dovi, have bad reactions to it. Otherwise we go home by ship and by carriage," she explains, figuring this is a subject best left for the eldest of the siblings.
"An airship ride is very expensive, too, as I understand it," Susanna replies. "…Is ya husband comin' here ta Four Corners?" (Rachel looks down at her coin with excitement.)
Imogen chuckles softly and smiles. "It is expensive, but, and not to discredit you, only so much as to ensure it's used soley by the nobility and royalty of the west, for us…it's not that much," she admits awkwardly, in a way that implies she's not comfortable with that fact. "And no, my husband isn't coming to four corners, i have to go see my midwife…i've reached the end of my first trimester of pregnancy, and after the vampire attack, i just gotta make sure everythings going to be okay y'know?" she offers with a small blush as she looks down at her stomach. "But trust me, if my husband was coming to four corners, we'd be leaving like, tonight. Toleko's influence made me say some very unkind ad unfair things….i doubt i can ever truly forgive myself for them, or even face dovi again," she admits
Violet is staring at Imogen's belly now, apparently realizing what must be there for the first time. Susanna, meanwhile, nods understandingly. "I…I maself ha' said some unkind and unfair things 'cos of…'cos of anger, regret, pain. Intoxicatin' pain, tha' kind tha' makes the world seem strange an' unreal. I dunno wha' Teleko did ta ya, but…I think, perhaps, unhappy memories can make monsters of us. An' th' real us is still there, somewhere, bu' we ent in control. An' folks ent gonna understand it. I mean, I don' understand it, really. Except…sayin' sorry is all ya can do, I s'pose. Bu' I wouldn't jus' give up. Ya got ya baby ta consider…right?" She glances down at Imogen's belly and asks, "Do things feel normal wi' th' baby since Teleko attacked?"
Imogen giggles a bit at violet and reaches over to grasp violets hands and place them against her stomach, if the child waits a little bit, she'll feel a heartbeat, faint but it's most assuredly not the heartbeat of the countess. "You've been through hell, as have I, the difference is that…i don't want to apologise because I was never aware I was doing them. The night of Teleko's attack I fell asleep in dovi's arms, and i only felt as though I awoke this morning, with memories of actions I never would have done," she explains as she looks back up to Susanna. "Perhaps in time I will swollow my pride and apologize, but for now, I am too upset at the thought of taking responsibility for actions i was not concious of doing," she explains softly with a watery smile.
"Oh, I remember now when mama was like this," Violet says, smiling brightly with her rough little hand over Imogen's belly. The gap in her smile shows two brown adult teeth that never grew in far enough and her nails are small, broken, and yellow. "Wi' th' baby inside an' all. I wonder, can I hear it?" She puts her ear against Imogen's stomach.
Susanna strokes the hair along Violet's head and nods. "Right. I understand." She looks up at Imogen. "Do na worry, Yer Excellency. I'm sure ya husband will understand too once ya tell him all tha' happened. An' he'll ha' more peace o' mind knowin' it weren't you who spoke ta him harshly." She and Rachel share a moment's glance with each other.
Imogen rubs her eyes and smiles a bit more relaxed at that. "I know, he saw me being attacked by teleko, i'm sure he must suspect a connection, but i need time and for things to just settle before i'm prepared for that discussion," she admits with a chuckle absently taking the girls broken nails and making a note to have a maid get those taken care of. With Violet's head on her stomach she can now probably hear the soft thumping of the babies heartbeat, but it's a bit early for her to feel any kicking.
"For now though we have much more plesant things to focus on, both of you have a crown to spend on whatever you want, including your sister if she can handle spending money," she teeases as she looks up at susanna offering a third crown coin with a smirk. "I know how much single ones of these can mean to you, i used to live rather poorly for a noble, but you're under my protection and so long as that is the case, you get to live as if you were my siblings or children," she states in a gentle, but matter of fact manner.
"Susanna," Rachel says suddenly, looking at her older sister with bright intent. Susanna nods back to Rachel, smiling. "An easel." Rachel nods vigorously, barely suppressing a smile. "I think we'll have to start at the shop that sells art equipment, if that's alright wi' you, Yer Excellence," she says.