A Rose Arose Alongside A Purple Dusk - OTA

[thinking_about_it]

Open/locked?:Open
Who: Cassidy, Grey, and whomever they encounter
What: Arrival!
Warnings: Given their series, pretty much anything has potential, but other than violence mentions these two are pretty safe.


Cassidy groaned and pushed herself up off the ground. Her head hurt. Had she passed out in the herb garden again? Tulips, Grey was going to go hissy cat on her for that. Except... she hadn't been draining anything into the land. It had still been locked under too much snow.

It was still cold here, but this wasn't the garden at the Queen's Residence at all. It was some sort of lawn. And there was a.... Wow. she stared at the large school, building. It was almost as large as the Hall, though not as intimidating. And not as Dark.

Hearing a groan, Cassidy looked behind herself, then gasped and dropped back to her knees. "Grey!" she called, reaching out a trembling hand to touch him carefully. When he just groaned again, she took a breath and snapped some steel into her spine. And her voice. Sitting back on her heels, she spoke in a firm and even voice. "Prince Jared Blaed, attend."

That did it. Like someone having a bucket of cold water thrown on him, he was at once awake and alert. Though with less sputtering and anger. He sat up, his green eyes locking on her hazel ones. "What's wrong?" he asked, the words almost a demand.

"That's what I'd like to know," she said, leaning back on her heels now that he was sitting up. She got to her feet and offered him a hand, which he took. Once they were both standing, she reached up to take off her hat, but at a glare from him, her hand dropped and she played with the end of her red braid instead.

They were an odd looking couple, based on where they came from. He had the look of Shalador and Dena Nehele - athletic, fit, golden skin, angular features, dark hair, green eyes. She, on the other hand inherited all her looks from her mother Derva, which meant that she was gawky, too tall, with pale skin, freckles that she hated, hazel eyes, and red hair that she was coming to hate less this past year.

But at the same time they looked perfect as a couple together. But that was because of how they stood, ready to face any trouble together. They even circled with their backs to each other as they looked around the new place.

"Is it concerning or a relief that I haven't spotted Vae?" she mumbled.

His temper sharpened and he reached back to give her hand a warning squeeze. "Company," he said, seeing someone notice them...

Comments

[queen_butterfly]

She shrugged. "Mal is likely at the school, helping everyone gather and make things to send to the people currently on the Isle. I thought I would return to sewing with them, once I'd finished gathering sun again... I don't suppose either of you are hungry?"

The way the last part, that little question, came out, it seemed she didn't consider it to be much of a topic shift.

[thinking_about_it]

"I'm sorry," Grey said, "I think you perhaps lost us a bit there..."

[queen_butterfly]

"Well... first things first," Mallia said, putting on a smile again, "So first would be taking care of immediate needs. Hence getting the two of you indoors where it's warmer. And asking if you're hungry. I can provide, if you are. It's no trouble at all."

[thinking_about_it]

"Thank you," Cassidy said. "We could always eat, of course. And the warmth would also be appreciated. But more, answers would make the food rest easier."

[queen_butterfly]

"Right... well, ah... this place is called Auradon. Most of those here were brought here from their own worlds, like I was, and I do believe the two of you, as well...."

Almost absently, she gestured, pulling a pair of crystal bowls out from nowhere obvious, full of those big black berries she was so fond of, and offered them over as she continued, plainly thinking nothing of it. "There's another place besides this one, called the Isle, which is rather less well-stocked than here... and we've a number of things to work on. Arranging for supplies to send to them is one. Food, warm clothing.... And making those for ourselves, as well. Clearing or finding a path through the mess of things surrounding us, to get to the farms, to see what can be done there...." She looked between them, curious. "I don't suppose either of you happen to also have magic of some sort or another which would be able to assist in making things such as those more... permanent?" She indicated the bowls. Well, Cassidy had expressed a desire to help. That would certainly be one way....

[thinking_about_it]

They took the bowls and there was a brief surge of magic from Cassie.

"Cassidy?" Grey asked, softly.

She gave a small head shake, listening to Mallia, even as she started talking to Grey mentally.

Cassidy considered what was asked. "Maybe..." she said, finally. "I'm sure Jaenelle could if she was here, but figuring it out might be a little more tricky for us. But you mentioned farms that we can't get to, what about gardens?"

"Cassie," Grey growled, warningly.

She put one of the berries in his mouth, clearly waiting for Mallia to answer while Grey glowered and chewed as quickly as he could to clear his mouth so he could snarl at her some more.

[queen_butterfly]

She did her best to look as though she didn't notice that the pair were already seemingly in a disagreement about something, and nodded. "We've some garden beds, but... it is becoming winter. There's a greenhouse we're using... we haven't much in it yet, but we've been discussing how to deal properly with that as well. One of the others here, whose magic is quite different from mine, has some ideas to try, to help it along...."

A slight pause, and she looked back to them. "Oh, I... don't mean to make it sound as though we're in danger of starving here. I make certain that that isn't an issue." A small gesture to the bowls of fruit they held, trying to offer a little smile again. "I normally do a grand spread in the dining hall in the mornings, until just a bit after noon. And if anyone would like anything at any other time as well, I shouldn't be too terribly difficult to find."

[thinking_about_it]

"We wouldn't want to deplete your stores any faster than is necessary," Cassie said. "We're used to living lean. But if there are any plant still to harvest, maybe we can help. And a greenhouse sounds like the perfect thing."

"Cassie," Grey said firmly, a bite of anger in his voice.

"I'll be careful," she assured him. "But these people clearly need our help."

"As do yours," he snarled.

"Which is why I will be careful," she said primly.

[queen_butterfly]

"I've been told that when you return, you go back to when you departed," Mallia said, trying again to offer a bit of a smile. "And don't worry about my stores, at any rate. I... don't suppose either of you would have requests? I do like figuring out new dishes and drinks...."

Ah, there were the doors to the school... their first goal was in sight. Now where were those pamphlets that Lea had made? ....Oh, those were at one of the other entries, weren't they. Well, a bit of a trip through the halls wouldn't be terrible, would it? It shouldn't take that long to get inside and make their way to them....

[thinking_about_it]

"It would help us to make requests if we know what is available," Cassidy said simply. "And it would help us in accepting such a kind offer if we can help in return. But I think the polite thing would be to make the offer directly to the Queen in charge first, if we would be trusted to be granted an audience?" She suspected this woman to be a Queen herself, but the psychic scent was very puzzling.

[queen_butterfly]

"Oh, there's no need for formalities," she said. "If I don't know what the dish is, I can often figure it out from a description. Trial and error, and all that... but let's also find the... the little bit of a book. Someone wrote up an explanation, such as it is; perhaps you can make better sense of it than I, or at least have better questions to ask the others, once you've been caught up properly?"

She gestured, pulling the doors open just before they reached them, and making them stay there. A little glance back to them as she went -- they were coming, right? this way! -- and she stepped into the hall, her own boots' sound soft on the hard floors, ready to lead to the other entrance where the stand was located.

And getting them phones was on the To Do list as well, wasn't it? Not that she remembered as much herself... she was constantly forgetting hers, unused to it as she was yet.

[thinking_about_it]

Which Cassidy took to mean that Mallia was the Queen. "We prefer to be less formal at home too," she said. "But I really don't want to put you out," she said, trying not to notice the way Grey's eyes sparkled at the word book.

[queen_butterfly]

"I think you misunderstand," Mallia said, sounding amused. "In my world, my home was built to host what guests traveled to visit; this is part of what I do. So I've taken over the food in the mornings; there's not much left in the pantry, so it's one less worry. ...And in truth, I probably ought to make a point of offering more in the evenings as well...."

Confusion and crossed wires? Here? Still, after clarifying things? However could that happen!

[thinking_about_it]

"We appreciate the hospitality, and do not wish to insult you," Cassidy said quickly but smoothly. "However we do not want to be an undue burden either."

[queen_butterfly]

So were they simply trying to be polite and genuinely passing up the offer, or did they have actual concerns about the cost to her? ...Either way, well....

"It would be a first, truly. So should you change your mind, do let me know."

[thinking_about_it]

"Thank you. What we would really like, if you can help us with, is how to get home so that we aren't a burden at all."

[queen_butterfly]

"And I understand that, but I have no say over it. Nor does anyone else here."

Don't think about who'd left somehow. Don't think about who'd left somehow.... Amazing, how quickly one's mood could be killed. At least she knew to hide it. "It is, indeed, something of an issue."

[thinking_about_it]

"Well, if there is a Dark Alter, maybe the priestess will be able to help," Cassidy said. "Or a messenger station. I have a friend in Kaleer who could help, I'm sure."

[queen_butterfly]

"A what? I'm afraid there almost certainly isn't; this isn't the world you're from, any more than it's the world I'm from."

[thinking_about_it]

"World...." Grey repeated. "Not realm?"

[queen_butterfly]

"Yes. World." So very matter-of-fact about it, shrugging. "Were we in my world, things would make far more sense." Said her.

[thinking_about_it]

"Well they certainly don't here and now," he muttered.

[queen_butterfly]

In a similar tone right back, "Would that I could disagree with you."

She went quiet again, but didn't let it last: "Things don't work here, as they do in my world... others' magic functions differently than what I've known my whole life. But mine works as I'm used to here, all the same. So perhaps that may at least be of some comfort to you, that should you see the impossible, rest assured that it's probably due to being of someone else's world, brought with them, or... something to that effect. It isn't you losing your grip on reality, it's them being from another."

[thinking_about_it]

"So not so much wondering if we're trapped in a Web," Cassidy mused, "as being in a realm full of Jaenelles."

Grey paled and looked a bit weak at that thought. "Mother night," he whispered.

"And may the darkness have mercy," she agreed, nodding. Then back to Mallia. "None of this helps us get home though, does it?"

[queen_butterfly]

"Likely not, but it does mean that between all of us, we've at least a few skills that are rather unique to their wielders. One of mine, for example, is that I can create things, within certain limits."

To illustrate, she lifted her hand, and a wisp of darkness solidified into a round wine glass that held a bit of something rather blackish, a liquid that swirled around prettily with a shine of silvery-purple, almost glowing in ways and angles that couldn't be credited to the light. It wasn't as obviously and dramatically brimming with energy as the bottle of water she'd tucked away as they met, but it was interesting to look at, all the same. See? Conjuration, just like with the bowls of fruit she'd given them a short while ago....

"Traveling between worlds, alas, is not among my skills. ...Ought I assume that it isn't among yours either?"