happy birthday to you

WESSEX after all is said and done you're just a carnivore let you in and drink my blood you're nothing but a monster Keeping her cards close to her chest was a choice she made a long time ago, more out of necessity and her particular line of work than because she wanted to be alone. But again, there was her line of work; while it put food on the table and kept her sister safe, it made her more enemies than friends. It made people afraid and hateful and truly, it was only Magrethe’s charm and influence that kept them from running her into the barrier, Wessex often thought. What would she have been in another life? Who would she be, what face, what power, what form? Her old beliefs say there is only an afterlife, no resurrection, no opportunity to do life all over again, and yet here Rexanna stands, here are the Outlanders, and they say they’ve done a thousand things she’ll never get to experience. Lived lives. Born children. Served other Gods. What if Mort is selfish and wrong? What if…? She exhales through her lips at the news of Rex’s memories (thoroughly unaware that she, too, had been there, but will never remember, and they will likely never remember her either). “What kind of life? What was so different?” she asks, curious what these different Rexanna’s might be like, what a mother and a Thief (she said it so importantly) might bring to the table. Better yet, are those versions still in this version as well? There are more questions which spring unbidden to her lips, but she keeps them in check for now. Instead, she spreads her hands and gestures to the dark, empty ruins before them. “Well, what would you like to know?” Because what she’s asking isn’t about Wessex herself; that will have to be requested specifically. Caido, however - or the small amount she knows about - is much more easily accessible.

REXANNA

i was born with a knife in one hand

Her head tilts as she contemplates Wessex’s question. “A life among the mountains, living under the aurora.” She begins, nostalgic for a place she hasn’t been in this body, with these experiences. “I arrived the same time I arrived here, I think. But I lived a great deal of years there. Worked for my country the best way I knew how to… And then I fell in love with the King from another land.” Her eyes skate over to Wessex then as she wrinkles her nose.

“I had a thing for power I guess.” She snorts before she leans back against the rock getting comfortable, an arm raised to rest behind her head. “Still do.” She jests, gesturing to herself with her other hand and her new Ascended status before offering a fanged grin. “But I was like an informant there. Gain information for the crown, steal people or things when required. I did a similar thing for Zariah, though it was mostly relations.” She explains, a small roll of her shoulders.

But she turns her questions to Wessex then with a slightly raised brow, her head shifting to look toward the world around them and the ruins before them. “I know very little about Caido all things considered. Even less so about our Goddess.” She pauses, contemplating. “And I’ve rarely talked to any Naturals of it all. I’m wondering what it was like for you? To live among the barrier and have to deal with people popping in all the time trying to change things.” Her eyes drift back toward Wessex with a raised brow.

and a wound in the other

Coding base by Sky!

WESSEX after all is said and done you're just a carnivore let you in and drink my blood you're nothing but a monster The mountains! Wessex has a secret yearning to see mountains, go within, tunnel through and make a life in the darkness or - “Were there dragons in the mountains?” she asks suddenly, eyes flashing like a child eager for a fairytale. And like a child, she interrupts a bit. And also goes off on what appears to be a tangent, but is actually quite relevant if one knew what she’d read about the Fae. To her credit, the Wraith is quiet for the rest of Rex’s story, smiling at the quip about power and the reveal about her less than wholesome job, only to let it fade away at the question. She sighs and looks away, running a hand through her hair - which shines white, white, white, in the moonlight. With a look back to the Outlander, her gaze isn’t unkind, per se, but it isn’t kind either. Without even speaking, she finds that Rex has hit an ever present nerve. “I would have tried to kill all the Outlanders if I had been stronger. But I was only a newborn Ascended, and it was soon obvious that you were stronger and better armed, more powerful than we were. That feeling of… inadequacy, of wondering why the Gods, even Gods who forsake me, would favor utter strangers? It cut to the core.” Her lips press back into a thin line as she looks out in the darkness, looking at the world they are able to inhabit. How different she is now, almost a year later. “What I hate the most is that there’s still this idea that the Outlanders know better than us how things could and should be done. As if we haven’t tried to make our lives better. But when the crops fail because the weather is shit, and you’ve overhunted the deer, and there’s a genuine worry if you’ll have enough food for Deepfrost, let alone LongNight -” Her head shakes back and forth slowly and she scoffs with the next phrase. “There was no energy left to improve. There was only survival.” The Outlanders have faced their own challenges, she’ll never deny it. But their attitudes fucking rub her the wrong way, leaving her itching for a good old fashioned punch in the face.. “Few of you seem to realize that you come off as entitled, judgemental dicks.” Looking to Rex to see how she takes all of that, Wessex offers no apology for her harsh words. Just a frank, open face.

REXANNA

i was born with a knife in one hand

She asks if there were dragons in the mountains, and Rexanna has to pause to contemplate it briefly before she frowns. “No.” She hums. “But people did have companions who were dragons, much like Ronin has here.” She informs her friend with a light nod, recalling the chilly dragon before her attention slips back to Wessex for a question she’s uncertain if she wants to know the answer of, but asks anyway.

Might as well get it out of the way while it’s there.

And the answer she begins to get, she so deeply understands. But she remains silent, letting the Ascended Queen speak. She follows the gaze to the pit below, the ruins around them, and she feels just how deeply it might have been for someone like Wessex. But she continues on, speaking of the remaining feeling, and her sapphire gaze slips back toward the blonde. If there’s one thing Rexanna understands, it’s survival. “Absolutely.” She agrees in response, a bit solemnly.

“And then you have so many of us falling from the sky and through portals, adding to the tension already there – where you didn’t have enough food to feed everyone on Longnight let alone so many more mouths to feed.” She contemplates, settling into the rock. But she mentions that they come off that way, and even though Wessex’s words are frank and honest, Rexanna can’t help the chime of laughter that slips from her lips.

“Oh, we absolutely do.” She recalls Rory calling her out at the attempt of breaching the Spire – of watching Ronin fall, of the near war that erupted from it. “Maybe it’s the political person in me, but I find it helpful to get outside ideas on things as well – though I agree, we took it quite a bit too far a few too many times.” She gives her friend a small smile in addition. “I hope I don’t make those mistakes, but I can’t make any promises.” Her shoulders rise and fall in a shrug before she looks out over the cliff edge again. “But I’ll watch your back if you watch mine.”

and a wound in the other

Coding base by Sky!

WESSEX after all is said and done you're just a carnivore let you in and drink my blood you're nothing but a monster Well darn; she’s a little disappointed that there weren’t dragons in the mountains, if only because she has this fantastical vision of a world where in every mountain range, there are great beasts that are more powerful and awe-inspiring than the like of which they’ve never seen. “We would have found a way to feed everyone. We always do.” Either through unfortunate death or illness, sacrifice or everyone cutting back. And as she’s thinking about certain spare evenings when she knew her mother went on half portions while they were teenagers, or later as an adult, when she played the good samaritan and left extra meat on doorsteps. Sorry I’m a violent dick for hire. Here, have some rabbit as a consolation for your broken arm. “Of course it is. We can get stuck in ruts, but we also know what works, when all else fails. With LongNight coming…” she sighs and leans back against the rock slab. “We can’t have a repeat of last year.” She wants them to listen. But there’s also a wonderful opportunity to find a solution to a massive problem. So when Rex offers to watch her back, Wessex turns to look at her with a soft smile - perhaps the softest look of appreciation the dark woman has ever seen on her - and nods in agreement. “I think you’ll bear the brunt of that. I’m going to need you - for Queen and Ascended stuff. The blight -” she knows nothing of the information to come yet, but already there are whispers and looks and Wessex isn’t stupid. “I have a feeling it’s going to get worse before it gets better.” Because that's what happens in Caido. Either that or it doesn't get any better.

REXANNA

i was born with a knife in one hand

She nods when Wessex mentions that they would have found a way. She knows they would have, they’re hardened people that have learned how to survive – and learning to survive involved figuring out the impossible. The point was that they shouldn’t have had to, and Rexanna intends to try and keep it that way. That they don’t need to sacrifice themselves for the rest of the Outlanders who could be a bit less than friendly and receptive to such things. But she remains silent, nodding along.

Instead, she finds agreement in what happened over Longnight. She had remained inside, had watched as Ronin was let in against the orders of everyone, the time that Vanya had died and Aoife was born. And what a terrible scene that had already been. Only a short few days later was she the one opening up the doors against the orders to let Jigano and Rory in. She chews on the inside of her lip briefly while she contemplates. “No, we cannot.” She agrees. She had no idea what to expect last year, having asked Amalia what the snow moss was and how to soundproof her house.

At least now she knew.

Her head tilts toward her Queen when Wessex gives her quite the soft gaze at her comment, and she gives a light smile in response. She finds that where Wessex is all hard edges, the woman has quite the beautiful gentle smile to her. But she doesn’t say it, instead she nods along silently. “Anything I can do, you let me know.” She vows, a slightly wider fanged smile. She has no problems associating herself with Wessex and this reign. It’s only Zariah she had problems with, and her association felt far more forced than willing.

This she could do.

She’s heard the rumors too, flying along the winds and in the Settlement late at night. It has her worried, but it also has her preparing. She imagines Wessex has already begun. Turning her head back out toward the edge of the drop, she smiles a bit sadly. “I’m sure it will.”

and a wound in the other

Coding base by Sky!

WESSEX after all is said and done you're just a carnivore let you in and drink my blood you're nothing but a monster Please, Rex, don’t go telling anyone Wessex has a nice smile. It will ruin the reputation she’s tried so hard to cultivate. Wessex falls quiet for awhile, Rex’s easy agreement an ear worm in her brain. Is there anything her sister could do for her? In the coming weeks there would be plenty, but right now, it’s all simmering quietly below the surface. There’s nothing to do right now except play defensively, the warrior thinks. And yet… she’s always prided herself on being able to think widely, see all possible options and possibilities. There’s an Outlander she trusts right in front of her. An opportunity to learn, having already purged the feelings that often make her close her ears. With a glance back to the brunette, Wessex licks her lips, not that her lips or mouth are ever dry any more. “Well - there is something. Two things, actually. First, and know it isn’t an insult,” her look turns sly and cheeky, “but you do know you outshine Bastien like the sun outshines a torch, right?” She’s sure she’s been asked that half a dozen times, but like, Wessex just wants to understand something that she’ll never feel. It’s easy to see why Bastien adores Rex. In another life, Wessex might have tried to make a move. But not here. Not now. Not ever. “Why do you love him?”

REXANNA

i was born with a knife in one hand

Of course, in addition to helping Wessex with whatever it was she needed, Rexanna aimed to make sure that she could tie up her own loose ends. Within the Ascendeds and outside of it, making sure to show everyone that had fucked with her once before that they wouldn’t get a second chance at it – looking at you Lucas – before she was able to take on everything else. And of course, a wedding to plan. Her thoughts for a moment drifting back toward that event, something akin to happiness settling within her at it, until Wessex poises an interesting question.

Her head turns toward Wessex with a raised brow, aiming to make sure she doesn’t take it as an insult, before Wessex continues, causes a bark of a laugh to leave the Penumbra. “Mmm, I’ve heard it once or twice. From everyone and the man himself.” She replies with a hum of amusement lingering in her voice, before it almost gets serious, and her head tilts as she tries to list out the many reasons she loves him.

And she turns her head away from the Wraith to look out over the edge again, soaking up the moonlight as she smiles softly to herself. “He’s everything opposite of what I had. He treats me like a queen, lets me be my own person without suffocating me, supports me when I need it.” She lists the easy ones out first before she looks back to Wessex, a small nostalgic look that borders on seriousness crossing her face. “Last Longnight, I was in the Rathskeller, and he had been there behind the bar. It was right after Ronin came in after Vanya died, with a small Aoife in his arms, and I started to panic.” She pauses, running a hand along her dark hair before it rests on her neck. “He gave me a pretty strong drink to soothe my nerves, and held me that night all the way through it.”

There’s a small admittance there, no hints to anything else. He hadn’t wanted it, despite how she’d tried, and for Rexanna that was something huge. Her voice grows a bit softer, almost ashamed as she lets her eyes lift toward the moon once more. “When I was on the run in Halyven, I slept with a lot of guards and hunters to get away. It was my go-to when I felt cornered.” She admits, slyly looking over to Wessex with a light shrug. “He helped me learn that I should put myself first before everyone else, and that is huge for me.”

and a wound in the other

Coding base by Sky!

WESSEX after all is said and done you're just a carnivore let you in and drink my blood you're nothing but a monster The Wraith listens and for a moment, it’s like she’s back with Magrethe, the two of them talking about men in their beds before falling asleep. Wessex would be asked about her sexual conquests and Magrethe would be asked about love, about the feelings her sister didn’t seem to experiences. Here she is again, fifteen years later and the circumstances haven’t changed that much, have they? She still hasn’t been in love. ‘In lust’ a hundred times, let herself be consumed with Edrei. But love, other than platonic and familial love, has always eluded her. “Sounds like all good things, especially that you can put yourself first. Not many women can do that,” she says with a small smile. There’s a reason why there aren’t many Ascended women: because it means you can’t have kids, and if you do have kids, you’ll watch them grow old and die while you won’t change at all. It’s an inherently selfish move, Wessex thinks, allowing them to live for themselves because they theoretically have all the time in the world. What should they do with it if not better themselves? She is very glad that Rexanna is happy and if we’re being totally honest, just a little jealous. Not about Bastien, of course, but that someone loves her as wholly and selflessly as he does. “You deserve it.” And she does - they all think so, it’s obvious.

REXANNA

i was born with a knife in one hand

It was such a nice feeling to be able to sit there and chat under the moonlight, to not have to talk about the current events, and rather just… Trivial things, that might mean more to some than to others. Like talking about the day, or future plans, things not yet set in stone. She’d never really had a sister before, not in this true form of hers. And gods, what a feeling it was.

She tilts her head back to the Queen with a smile, a nod in agreement. “There’s too many men that like to stick their noses in our business.” She agrees quietly, a hum of bubbly laughter leaving her throat. “I’d like to tear their tongues out.” She says thoughtfully, an almost wicked smirk crossing her face before it’s gone as she regards the next statement from Wessex.

Did she deserve it? This time last year she would have laughed, would have said no absolutely not. She didn’t deserve to be happy, when she had let thousands die as she ran. But now? Now she had forsaken it all, had stopped taking the blame personally. Besides, what could she do about it now? She can’t go back in time and fix things, so why dwell on it?

“Thank you.” She says softly, truthfully. She’s happy, the happiest she’s ever been. She feels the best she’s ever been. She doesn’t see where anything could go downhill from here. And she’s counting on that feeling to keep her afloat, her new family to keep her afloat.

and a wound in the other

Coding base by Sky!

WESSEX after all is said and done you're just a carnivore let you in and drink my blood you're nothing but a monster Wessex makes a strangled noise of frustration, clenching her hands together at the mention of nosy men. If there’s a hardcore feminist in Caido, it’s probably her, though patriarchy doesn’t seem to have a stranglehold on the Hallowed Grounds. Or the Greatwood. All their power players are female, and as much as Wessex may clash with the Fae, she’d rather deal with a powerful woman than a powerful man. “Most men can fuck right off,” she declares imperiously, well aware that yes, not all men and all that jazz. But Ronin’s a pretentious ass, Loren has to be coddled and his fragile sense of self protected. Sam has no backbone. Bastien was a dick with that ‘disappearing’ thing. That new guy from the Spire didn’t believe she was Queen. Peter is as sniveling at Sam is. Adam is useless drunk. And Lucas, the one guy she would rather have on her side, can’t be trusted to look out for anyone but herself. Oh, and half her former lovers think she’s a raging bitch for acting like a man and putting herself first. So. Raging frustrations. There’s no wonder she liked fucking Edy; Wessex got all the dick and none of the fragile male ego and emotional labor that seemed to perpetually come with it. “Tongues. Balls. Fingernails.” a wicked little chuckle indicates she could go on and on, but then they’d probably just end up listing all the body parts. Anyway, moving on. No need to dwell on her sappy revelation that the woman beside her is far better than she’ll ever be. “Of course. Now, for the second thing…” Rex will probably be surprised by it. And hopefully delighted.

REXANNA

i was born with a knife in one hand

She hums in agreement to the Ascended Queen, but while her agreements are slightly different she doesn’t air them. Wessex exudes the strong female person that Rexanna adores and loves the drive of, and she can see where she might get annoyed with men that had far too much baggage and troubles to do what they’re supposed to. While Rexanna, herself, is in reality a very motherly type of woman. The type to take them under her wing, to protect and show that they can do what they want to, but all they have to do is try.

Perhaps that makes them a great duo to have to face the world.

Yet, she chuckles with Wessex at the ending comment, the wicked laugh leaving her until the Wraith’s question captures her attention. Sapphire eyes slip from the edge of the ledge they sit upon, and she stretches out slightly under the moonlight to look over at her with a dark raised brow. “The second thing?” She asks quietly, wondering what it could be – what it would be.

She finds it might be nice to have a purpose again, even if she doesn’t know what it is just yet.

and a wound in the other

Coding base by Sky!

WESSEX after all is said and done you're just a carnivore let you in and drink my blood you're nothing but a monster The second thing? Oh. Right. Wessex laughs at herself, because it’s such a her thing to ask of another woman. For all that she has the body parts of a lady, she has very little fashion or decorating sense. It’s all utilitarian. Practical. Useful. Why keep stuff around that you’ll just have to clean again and again and again? Or that someone could steal? Which is a very real problem when your locks on the doors aren’t deadbolted. It’s easier to just hide in the woods, have nothing and have a reputation for vicious revenge. “Would you decorate my house? That place I’m working on. It isn’t just for me, and we need a meeting place, somewhere everyone can go if they need to find -” She stops herself. There’s no need to explain why she’s making a government building. That should be fairly evident. “I’m sure you get the picture.” And why Wessex is asking, of course.

REXANNA

i was born with a knife in one hand

“Ooooh.” She says intrigued at the idea of what Wessex proposes. Her head tilts back toward the Ascended Queen with a brilliant grin. “I do love decorating.” She admits with a snort. If asking for someone else to decorate her home was Wessex’s thing, being the decorator was certainly Rex’s. She begins to think up all she can do for the home, all the touches here and there that could make it more homey, more welcoming, and there’s a part within her that grows excited at the prospect.

She stretches out again and settles in as she makes some mental notes. “Do you have any thoughts on what you might like? Colors? Themes?” She ponders thoughtfully, thinking of the foyer and the staircase upon entering it. Thinking of what kind of bright colors might make it more comforting, what kind of rugs and what not might make the appearance softer compared to the bladed edges of Wessex. They may clash compared to Wessex’s usual style, but it’s the thought that matters, the feeling it gives.

and a wound in the other

Coding base by Sky!