the peal of bells

the bastion

i don't want the world to see me,
because I don't think they'd understand

Unmoved by his husband's affections, Remi is too busy tossing his magical shield out over those around him such that it's with a latent nod that he manages to respond, glancing over his shoulder as Ronin departs. I will take my ring off if there is anything I need to alert you to that I cannot say. Whatever knowledge Dahlia and the rest of the Family might have access to, the Taliesin's heartbeats were likely not one of them.

Feathering his jaw slightly as he turned his attention back to Maea, Remi exhaled stiffly. Of course, he wasn't surprised that danger had accepted an invitation to the ball regardless of whether or not one had been sent, but gods the Temple in particular held bad memories for the Bastion. "How did she even know what was happening? Wasn't your meeting before the Ball even began?"

when everything's meant to be broken,
i just want you to know who I am

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Maea

My heroes had the heart to lose their lives out on the limb

Unaware of the quiet words exchanged across a bond she had no part in, Maea just focused on breathing. She'd never been in a situation like this before. Didn't know what to do, except keep her back straight and her face as calm as possible, and answer any questions thrown her way.

Maybe if she'd stuck to that earlier, things would have turned out very different. But she suppressed the thought.

"I don't know. It was, and the invitations were personal, sent directly to the leaders. Maybe - maybe a letter got intercepted? Or she can read read minds. Or..." she hesitated, hating the very idea, "someone told her about it." It was unpleasant to think of, but in truth letters were an imperfect method of communication. All it took was for one person - a leader, a secretary, someone cleaning a room - to catch a glance of a note left unattended, and the secret was up.

Damn, but if that wasn't half the reason she wanted the leaders to meet and talk in person - and it had backfired royally.

And I remember thinking — I want to be like them

the bastion

i don't want the world to see me,
because I don't think they'd understand

Ruffling a hand through his curls before wincing as he recalled just how long it had taken Ronin to ensure they all perfectly sat just so, Remi exhaled gently as he nodded. "Cian had a notebook that told him things. Even if Dahlia cannot read minds, there is no reason to think she does not have access to something like that." Though he might be one of the few in attendance who didn't think so, the Bastion placed no blame at all on Maea for the Reaper's sudden arrival.

Giving his head a little shake, Remi nodded his head over one shoulder in an effort to direct Maea off of the dance floor with him. "And how do you know that she left?" Within reason, of course. If Dahlia had the ability to simply turn herself invisible he supposed that there would be no way of knowing, but based on what the lore seeker had said, something made her think that that the Reaper had in fact left.

when everything's meant to be broken,
i just want you to know who I am

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Maea

My heroes had the heart to lose their lives out on the limb

Following Remi off to the side where they wouldn't be in the way of the dancers, Maea watched for Ronin in the great hall, wondering if he would find anything untoward. It gave her an excuse not to look at Remi; it was difficult enough to get the words out even without seeing his reaction.

"Because... after I opened my mouth when I probably shouldn't have, I left the room. To not make things worse. And when I went back, she was not there and the others were leaving."

Shame burned in her at the admission - that she'd left her guests alone with an enemy in the room - and her cheeks felt hot. No doubt they were scarlet, as always utterly useless in hiding her emotions. It had been the right thing, though, she told herself. Just as it had been the right thing to speak up. It had to be. The alternative... was not one she could stomach.

And I remember thinking — I want to be like them

the bastion

i don't want the world to see me,
because I don't think they'd understand

Without any sort of context to place Maea's explanation into, Remi could only nod with vague understanding, ascribing little blame to the ancient. Glancing around the room and spying Hadama, Flora, Deimos and Evie, Sunjata and Hotaru, Danta...surely they would not all still be at the Ball if they truly feared for their lives. "Okay." Exhaling, some of the tension bleeding out of his shoulders, Remi lowered his gaze back to Maea.

The scarlet on her pale cheeks was shockingly bright, and, assuming it was born from fear, had the Bastion softening. Reaching out an arm to slide it around the smaller woman's shoulders, Remi smiled down at her reassuringly. "So long as everyone is safe, it is fine. Besides, Dalia would be foolish to try something with so many of us around now, no matter how strong she is." That Dahlia could best Remi on his own was one thing, but the Reaper had yet tried herself against all of them, and given that they were, in fact, all here, he felt confident that likely she had left as Maea had said.

"Besides, would it really be a party in the Grounds if at least one threat did not try and ruin things?"

when everything's meant to be broken,
i just want you to know who I am

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Maea

My heroes had the heart to lose their lives out on the limb

Her shoulders were taught as rock beneath his arm. The tension slowly eased however, as she found comfort in his reassurance. She probably ought to tell him everything in greater detail, but he was right, everyone really was safe now. That's what mattered. She'd made a mistake but no one had died, or gotten hurt -

Drawing a deep breath she let it out and finally looked up, trying for a smile that didn't come off too miserable. "Sometimes I do wonder if this region really was cursed," she replied. "With all the things that keep happening... But that's why we gotta keep trying, right? Just leaving it to rot without changing things can't solve anything." Maybe it was wishful thinking on her part, that it could be changed. A token of the protectiveness she after all did feel towards her home, her cage, her love-hate affair with a landscape that had seen so much struggle, suffering and death.

Reaching up to tuck a few stray strands of hair back into the braids, she gazed between Remi and the dancefloor. Feeling a bit shy, but also much less anxious than a moment ago, she straightened her back a bit. "Uh, Remi... would - Would you dance with me?" It probably wasn't the best timing, but it seemed better than just standing around, waiting for Ronin to return.

And I remember thinking — I want to be like them

the bastion

i don't want the world to see me,
because I don't think they'd understand

"Honestly." The Bastion agrees, not quite sure if he was on the right side of the line between being Maea's friend and acting a touch too paternal, but deciding that so long as he wasn't falling into old patterns of behaviour, it was probably alright either way. "Then again, it all probably just seems like a bigger deal when something goes wrong when we are all together like this." Indeed, the same would have happened at his Tournament, had Doria made himself known rather than sticking to the shadows as he had.

Feeling the loreseeker straighten beneath his arm, Remi glanced down at her with his eyebrows softly raised. The smile on his lips was such that it had the dimples on his cheeks deepening, and it was with a half-bow that he removed his arm from Maea's shoulder to instead reach for her hand. "I would love to."

~FIN

when everything's meant to be broken,
i just want you to know who I am

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!