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Post by Wayland on Aug 17, 2021 18:49:48 GMT -8
Ramona’s home is a small two-story rental in Summerlin that her Court helped her get into. It’s air conditioned, keeping the temperature down to a pleasant warm despite the heat radiating from the oven. The air is filled with the scent of unctuous meat roasting, freshly baked bread, olive oil and aromatics, something tangy and sharp. Ray Charles is a pleasant background cadence as he reminds his audience that night time is the right time to be with the one you love. Every once in a while Ramona sings along for a few lines. The house interior is a shoes-off zone, and the Ogre is comfortably barefoot as she pads around the kitchen space. It’s divided from the dining area only by a transition from linoleum to carpet, and the presence of a small, circular table in the latter of carved cherry wood and it’s matching chairs. There’s enough space for herself and her guest in the kitchen, if they don’t mind bumping now and then. Something Wayland does not mind at all. As promised, she’s taken her guest step-by-step through the recipes she’s prepared today, enlisting the Fairest’s help to make the cooking a cooperative effort. But they’ve almost arrived at the end of their labor, with little else to do now but wait for the lamb to cook through in the oven. So the Ogre has Ivory set the table, while she brings over the fruits of their work. There’s a white bean soup with olive oil and celery and garlic and lemon. A salad of green sprouts and grated carrots and sunflower seeds. Two different dressings to try; tofu-basil that’s creamy and smooth and clean, and a flax seed oil and balsamic, warm and aromatic and subtle. A coarse, rough hummus, sweet and tangy, served alongside black bread and home-made coleslaw, with a build-your-own intention. Ramona pauses to remove her apron before leaving the kitchen, looking relaxed in a pair of simple shorts and a Nirvana t-shirt. Her hair is pulled back into a small, tight bun, to prevent any errant strands from dropping into their cooking. |
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Ivory
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Pres 4 (Regal) - SL 1 (Noble) Fairest Hunterheart
Posts: 588 
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Post by Ivory on Aug 23, 2021 12:55:10 GMT -8
Ivory arrived remarkably casual to the cook out, the task of cooking and casual setting prompting her not dress to the nines. Thus, she arrived in a pair of well-worn black cargo pants, a cropped white tank top and a pair of sneakers, taking them off at the door to respect the Ogre's rules. Hair was pulled back into a ponytail as the work began, the Pale Dragon following along and helping where she could. Despite her successful attempt at jambalaya, Ivory was still relatively new to the kitchen, but happy to help.
The occasional bump or brush against Wayland is met with understanding, given the space. Ivory even grants the Maker a teasing smile now and then, but remains focused on the task at hand.
Once the cooking is nearly done, Ivory leaves to set the table per her host kicking her out of the kitchen. In doing so, she retrieves her own contribution, placing a small ice bucket off to the side with two bottles of Nigl Reisling from Austria. The wine itself was well-rated, but not overly expensive, given that both bottles were only a couple years old having been bottled in 2019. As Ramona began to ferry out the dinner, the dragon herself opened one of the bottles, pouring each of them a glass, granting Wayland an opening to make her plate before the dragon made her own.
Ivory's plate was relatively light, but she had a little bit of everything.
"This looks delicious, thank you," Ivory said, grateful for the gesture and recognizing the effort Wayland had gone through for the evening.
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Post by Wayland on Aug 24, 2021 14:09:56 GMT -8
The Ogre gives Ivory a quizzical but not displeased look, mirth in the quirk of her lips, when she’s thanked. She’d invited Ivory over after all, and was even the one to suggest she’d teach the Fairest a few recipes. “I’m glad you came,” she answers, as she takes a seat adjacent to her guest.
“Dig in,” she encourages, as she deposits a heap of salad on her plate with a serving spoon and fork. She doesn’t usually bother with being so particular in her utensils, but Ivory’s visit was an excuse to break out a little-used silverware set. Even as she retrieves food for herself, she’s keeping an eye on Ivory, curious as to which dishes will work for her.
Narrow bars of sunlight stream into the house, bouncing off the carpet and walls to create a soft ambiance broken up by the harsh, bright sunspots.
“How’ve you been?”
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Ivory
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Pres 4 (Regal) - SL 1 (Noble) Fairest Hunterheart
Posts: 588
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Post by Ivory on Aug 30, 2021 8:02:46 GMT -8
Ivory returns the smile in kind as the Ogre speaks.
"I'm glad I did too," she comments.
At the prompt, Ivory gladly began partaking in the meal, beginning with a smear of hummus on black bread. Her plate had a little of everything, alongside a small bowl of the soup. Ivory seemed curious to try it all.
Following the question, Ivory's pale scaled hand moved to her lips as she ceased chewing and swallowed.
"I am well," she offers, "Though life is proving complicated and I think the time is coming to simplify things."
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Post by Wayland on Sept 1, 2021 11:40:58 GMT -8
Complicated. Wayland’s lips quirk at Ivory’s use of that word to describe life right now. It fits, if being a bit of an understatement. She takes some small, tactile pleasure in pinching a chunk of bread off of one of her large slices, and dipping it in her bowl of soup. She makes a small noise as she tries the combination, evidently finding it delicious, and reaching for the wine to take a sip and clear her mouth before answering.
“Oh yeah? Simplify how?” She asks with benign curiosity.
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Ivory
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Pres 4 (Regal) - SL 1 (Noble) Fairest Hunterheart
Posts: 588
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Post by Ivory on Sept 2, 2021 17:09:29 GMT -8
Ivory takes a long drink at the question.
"Simplify ties," she says, "I've got... a complicated relationship with an Avowed I have yet to resolve. Certain other things about our way of life also concern me in matters related to my son."
Wayland was given honest answers. The Maker seemed well-regarded by Kai, after all.
"Then there's the matter of Mr. Hartman," she continues, "but I expect that will be resolved before I need to step in."
There was a slight look of guilt on Ivory's face as she mused over something else she had lingering in her mind.
"However, until these resolutions take place, I need to be honest... I don't think it's prudent of me to bring in someone else," she admitted, "I'm enjoying tonight, Wayland. I just want to make my boundaries clear from the beginning. This can't really go further than friendship... and a little fun. Not right now. Is that okay?"
Ivory cringed a little bit. The topic was a heavy on and, clearly, not one she particularly liked to discuss. The pair didn't know each other that well, but the interest both possessed in the other was plain. She needed the Maker to know there would be a limit to how far Ivory was willing to go.
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Post by Wayland on Sept 3, 2021 9:01:17 GMT -8
The Ogre watches Ivory with an interested expression as the Dragon sketches a rough outline of some of the ‘complications’ in her life. She’s neither surprised nor offended at the details left out, the two of them are just getting to know each other, they’re not there yet. The mention of Hartman makes her think back to Beltane. It made sense to her, in her gut, to try to stop the sudden outbreak of violence. She doesn’t like the lingering questions she has about whether that violence might have been justified. It shouldn’t be. And it would be damn hard to justify that kind of violence in the crowd they were in.
The expression on the Fairest’s face makes Ramona brace herself a little. But when Ivory makes her boundaries plain, she’s met only with a small smile and a slow dip of the Ogre’s chin. “I appreciate your honesty,” she says after a moment. There’s another brief pause, before she adds, “Your boundaries are always okay.” That’s something she wishes her younger self had been told, so she’s remembered the phrase. She’s not too disappointed that Ivory’s taken romance off the table.
A beat goes by as she lets go of possible futures, a sense of untwisting in her chest as she realigns her expectations, and her smile grows just slightly broader as she settles into this new emotional landscape. She tips her glass towards Ivory, as if proposing a small, private toast between them, “I’m happy to have a new friend.” The dragon had said the word before she had. Sometimes it’s not clear if you’re friends or just acquaintances, and not everybody shares the same definition of what friend means. Still, it’s nice to have at least a little clarity.
Waiting until Ivory clinks her glass against her own, Wayland takes a sip of wine to refresh herself. “Hartman’s a strange guy,” she says after a moment, giving them both an out from that more intimate subject, and calling back to what Ivory mentioned earlier. “I don’t know him that well, or what’s going on with him. Or Riley, for that matter.” Though she’s done work for both of them, ongoing work in Archie’s case. “But I feel for them, with Linden gone,” she brings a forkful of salad to her mouth before she lingers too much on the sorrow of that subject.
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Ivory
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Pres 4 (Regal) - SL 1 (Noble) Fairest Hunterheart
Posts: 588
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Post by Ivory on Sept 9, 2021 19:19:14 GMT -8
Ivory's smile softened at Wayland's understanding, golden eyes looking to the Maker with a sense of warmth, perhaps even some admiration. Would Ivory had done the same? Part of her doubts it. At the Ogre's affirmations, the Pale Dragon nods her thanks, but says nothing, believing her gratitude to be clear enough without words.
"As am I," she offers at the toast raising her glass to clink against Wayland's begore drawing it back and taking a drink.
However, the dismissal of Hartman's recent behavior does not elicit deference. Instead, the smile lessens a little. Ivory understood the Ogre may not share the same viewpoint, but she needed to make her position clear if they were to remain friends and, perhaps, more down the road once life settled down.
"I'm sorry, Wayland, but Hartman's actions go beyond the strange and excusable," she offered, "He attempted to enslave one of us via oath. I do not need to tell you who that emulates. More than that he has yet to apologize."
A pause reigned for some moments as Ivory let her viewpoint sink in.
"I can't forgive that. I won't. Not after all Agrippa did to strive past the fate Hartman had written for them," she said, "The loss of Linden does not excuse him from judgement in that regard. Their loss was a tragedy for the Freehold as a whole, but it does not absolve him."
Ivory made no mention of Riley. The Moth was not within her current concerns. Riley had their own shit to deal with given their status as an Oathbreaker. Hartman, in contrast, had no excuse to withhold from his responsibilities in the eyes of the Dragon.
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Post by Wayland on Sept 18, 2021 13:39:41 GMT -8
“Whoa,” the Ogre says softly, both hands, empty, coming up palms outward towards either side of her face, half 'slow-down' gesture, and half 'don't-shoot' gesture. “This is the first I’m hearing of like… any of this,” she explains gently but firmly, feeling a little defensive in the face of Ivory’s obvious strong feelings on this subject. “I mean, that guy Loki said some things, but I was pretty distracted by-,” him beating the shit out of a guy who was just sitting there talking, didn’t even fight back, and in front of a few hundred witnesses, with no provocation she had observed, “-... the violence.
“I wasn’t really inclined to take anyone at their word just then,” much less someone who erupted into bloody violence in the middle of a party. “I meant what I said; I don’t know what’s going on with him.” She’s trying to keep her voice quiet, trying not to become more defensive or agitated, to stay calm. Her hands lower back to the table, where she sets them palms down to either side of her plate.
“But if you do, maybe you could tell me? Sounds like you definitely have more of the story than I do.”
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Ivory
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Pres 4 (Regal) - SL 1 (Noble) Fairest Hunterheart
Posts: 588
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Post by Ivory on Sept 19, 2021 15:33:37 GMT -8
Ivory nodded, her expression remaining even as she kept herself reigned in. She was angry with Hartman, not Wayland.
"That 'guy' is a noble in your court, Wayland," Ivory expressed, "I may not know him well, but Kai's decision to remain apart from the display showed me she trusted his judgement. Given my understanding of Kai, I have no reason to suspect Loki would lie."
Do you?
"What happened to Archie was brutish and unrefined," Ivory said, "but given my own knowledge of what he has done, I can confidently say that he has earned every blow. And I only know about his shameful methods in regards to Agrippa. Add in the accusations to what Archie did to Mitchell Carr and Sweeney and I think we can agree Hartman got off easy... All Loki demanded was for Archie to apologize and he couldn't even do that."
Frustration spread across Ivory's features. Insofar as she was aware, Hartman had still been distant, hiding behind his service to Chugunkin to avoid the consequences of his actions. Even if he had done so for either Sweeney or Carr, the fact remained that the same courtesy had not been given to Agrippa.
"I see," she said as Wayland spoke of herself being in the dark, "Hartman attempted to oathbound Agrippa to his service for six months if they failed to finish a book by the beginning of summer. Agrippa was running out of time and came to me. I assisted them in circumventing that fate."
She let the admission of her direct involvement rest in silence for a moment.
"I am confident they succeeded and, though they are gone, I still believe Hartman needs to be held accountable to apologize to the Freehold for his actions," Ivory said, "Including Agrippa in his motley's memorial to Linden is not enough when you consider Agrippa disappeared in the same tragedy that took Linden's life. No apology has been given and he has not shown any capacity that he has changed publicly. Others seem content to forgive and forget given the trials his motley has faced. I am less inclined to do so out of respect to Agrippa's legacy."
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Post by Wayland on Oct 2, 2021 12:41:47 GMT -8
Ivory's first words in reply smack to Wayland of judgement. Her eyes narrow, watching irritation fill Ivory's features, unable to tell how much of it is directed at her or directed elsewhere. Her shoulders stiffens as she listens to what sounds at first like a justification of Beltane's sudden violence, and a disjoined explanation that still seems to be leaving out a lot. They relax slightly as the Dragon goes on, finally explaining Archie's offense explicitly; a bad oath that would have enslaved it's bearer if broken.
The Ogre brings one of her silver hands up to her face, palming over first one eye, and then draping the fingers across the other in obvious dismay and grief, a gusty sigh leaving her lips. "Okay yeah. That's... real bad," she acknowledges, voice low with contrition and grim comprehension.
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Ivory
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Pres 4 (Regal) - SL 1 (Noble) Fairest Hunterheart
Posts: 588
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Post by Ivory on Oct 2, 2021 18:11:06 GMT -8
Ivory's expression softened, golden eyes looking to the Maker before her with a sense of sympathy. The Pale Dragon doubted that the truth was easy for Wayland to hear, but with the conversation turning to the Chatelaine, she had to be honest. As far as Ivory was concerned, he was bad news.
"I'm... not unsympathetic," Ivory offered, "Archie and I have never truly had a good relationship. It was rocky from the start, but I know he's helped others."
Even if I wonder about his intent.
"Perhaps your relationship is more friendly and maybe you feel I need to soften my criticism of him, but... I can't," she continued, "Agrippa was more than a fellow vassal of the Knight of Rains. They were a friend even before I began to make the rounds and lift myself up. I doubt I could claim we were close, but I don't think that mattered to them. Agrippa gave what they could to anyone they met and they deserved more respect than they were given. It's as simple as that."
Angry as she was, Ivory wasn't entirely motivated by some personal vendetta. Archie hadn't attacked her personally, after all. The two had settled in avoiding one another when possible and each had little to offer the other. Her pursuit was linked with the legacy of a friend. In a very real sense, Ivory was concerned with the justice of it all.
"I'm sorry," she said, eventually breaking a small length of silence, "I shouldn't have made this about him. It just... fucking hurts. Agrippa is gone, probably dead insofar as we are aware, and was never granted the justice they deserved for no other reason than because Archie has been allowed to escape criticism."
"I do not doubt his grief, Wayland, but Linden was not the only soul we lost that day, nor were they the only soul Archie had an obligation to. Agrippa fought hard to escape that fate Archie had forged for him and I am confident they may have, but so far their legacy has been marred by the lack of consequence," Ivory concluded, "I'm just waiting to see if Hartman honors Agrippa by releasing their book and making amends to the Freehold to address his faults, but his inaction doesn't exactly stir optimism... We can talk about something else? Or... I can go."
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Post by Wayland on Oct 7, 2021 11:12:38 GMT -8
This is a lot. This is, truthfully, making Wayland feel a lot better about not engaging more with the Freehold until now. It took years to put her life back together, her mortal life anyway. To start over, to take a look at her own issues. If she had to do all that on top of dealing with this kind of drama? She might have fallen apart. Though it also feels like she’s shirked her responsibilities until now. If she wants to be a member of this community, she’s got to start acting like it. Now that she’s able to, at least. It’s like they always say on airplanes; secure your own oxygen mask first before assisting others. “I think…” she begins in response to Ivory’s offer to leave, then stops herself. ‘I think you could probably use at least one uncomplicated lunch with a friend once in a while.’ She thinks it, but doesn’t say it. Instead, “... that it would be a shame if you left without trying the lamb.” She gives the dragon a small smile, and rises to return to the kitchen. As the door is pulled open, the house is filled with the savory, mouth-watering scent of roasting meat and herbs. Tracey Chapman’s voice comes from the speakers as she asks for just one reason to stay. And two friends settle more comfortably into each other’s company over a nice, home-cooked meal and a few glasses of wine. |
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