line without a hook

There is nothing further to say, and so the woman does not say it. Silence is often an underused response, and instead she lets him collect his own thoughts. She is not his therapist, his friend, his lover. Whatever demons that coil in his mind, or that haunt his step through the streets of the Sanctuary, they are not ones that she will engage in combat. She can give her own bitter, sarcastic advice on the subject, but it isn't asked for. What she said hangs true: there is nowhere to go but forward. That is the best she can say to him.

"Unfortunately not. It was mere days after I arrived here, and she understood that I didn't want to be subjected to such a gathering so soon." It had taken time, after reuniting with all three of her remaining family, for Hotaru to gain back her strength of spirit. She had been weak and broken with memories, with loss, with grief. She had not wanted to show that kind of face or temperament at Rexanna's wedding. As much as she loathed having missed it, she had gladly participated in the prior moments, and spent the rest of the night giving the new couple a wide and amused berth. It had reminded her of her own lost lover, and the pain had been too raw. Rexanna, her sister, her soulmate, had known without Hotaru trying to get the words past the lump in her throat that day.

His empathy is not unexpected. It seems everyone here has lost someone. But she still gazes upon him, solemn and regal. "There are no condolences that can ease it, but you have my sympathies Loren. I'd not wish it on anyone else." Perhaps it's a little over the top, but her mind is full of her children's beautiful faces, their bright souls extinguished and lost so soon. Turning her doll-like face away from the man, she stares out into the snow and ice and holds her breath until the pain passes.

"Being hated by a god is a backhanded compliment, that they'd bother hating us at all," she comments dryly, recalling those days herself. Loren didn't seem inclined to humor, and Hotaru wasn't going to push. Though she could entertain with the best of them, she was also smart enough not to force someone into something like that without their consent. It didn't help with any of her normal motives anyway.

Darkness overcomes his tone as he speaks of his family, and the woman holds her arms around herself, delicately clasping her coat closer as her bi-colored eyes take in the man at her side. Intriguing, but something dark hounds him, and Hotaru does not always have the gentlest hand. "Sounds like a shitty fate," she comments bluntly instead, because well. It is. She's not going to baby him, not when he seems like he'd reject it anyway. "It's astounding the weight a family name can have. I'm sorry that shadow haunts you." Dusting snow off her coat idly, she lifts her fingers to blow warm air on them, and begins the song and dance of departure. "I'd offer an ear or shoulder for the future, but I'm not the best at comforting. If you're ever in need of a drinking partner however, or someone to curse the gods and fates with, I'm your woman." Whether he'd take her up on it? Well, that was up to him. It was the only consolation she could offer. Misery loved company after all.

the horror you have seen is not who you are

Love mends even the broken parts

Loren could certainly get not wanting to be overwhelmed by people after just arriving in a new world. In fact, he usually felt overwhelmed at parties even when he knew everyone, so Hotaru’s words made complete and total sense to him. ”Well, I’m sorry you missed it, though I understand why. It was a beautiful ceremony. I imagine you’ve already heard all about it.” That was especially true if she was living with Bastien and Rexanna. For a moment, he tried to picture that household: it must be vibrant, and full of color and life, which was ironic given they were both Ascended.

The thought inevitably prompted a comparison between that and his own home, and it was a sad one. Despite all the people living in the Manor, it felt empty and cold. And that meant, when Hotaru offered her condolences, he shrugged, trying not to let grief overtake him again. He’d already succumbed to it far too many times and he was done with crying for at least a little while. ”It’s in the past. Moving forward, remember?” But every time he tried to do that, he got rejected or smacked down. Maybe it was because he was the root of all his problems, rather than some external force. Perhaps it was finally time for a change.

Thankfully, the conversation shifted to the gods. While that was painful in a different way—though less so to Loren, now that he’d actually met one—he felt that she should have what little knowledge he possessed. ”Well. It’s a bit more complicated than that. An Abandoned managed to ascend to godhood long ago. The old gods didn’t like that, so they sealed her away, and cursed our kind.” At least, that was his interpretation of the situation, based off all the evidence he had. Whether or not there’d been an actual war, he couldn’t say.

But then it came back, as it inevitably seemed to do, to his family. ”I’m used to it.” He’d experienced his fill of shitty fates and shadows. ”Fair warning, my cousin Zariah tried to take over around here, and proved to be a tyrant. She disappeared, but everyone seems convinced she’s just biding her time. Which is why I'd give my family a wide berth if I was you.” Half the time, Loren thought they were right; the other half of the time, he thought they just wanted a convenient bogeywoman to avoid dealing with their own personal problems. ”I’m not looking for comfort, and I’m not much of a drinker, but thanks. And I prefer to do my cursing in private, on the off chance someone else might get hurt if a god ever does smite me." It was unlikely, but stranger things had happened to him. "If you need anything from me, I’ll probably be at the Launceleyn Manor. Rexanna knows where to find me.” It seemed that Hotaru was preparing to go, but the summoner still had to finish patrolling. Otherwise, he would’ve offered to walk her back.

loren

Coding base by Sky!

"I have, and I'm glad they get to achieve happiness in a time like this where everyone seems increasingly on edge." Oh, was that perhaps a bit of an eye-roll in her tone? Well. Hotaru understood the general nerves of impending threat, but the hurry and scurry of frantic hearts was annoying at best to the woman. It was a waste of energy, of time, when they knew each day counted and would likely be peaceful in comparison. Why bother with such wasteful notions and emotions? War and invasion had time and place, and she had found after years of coordinating the fall of empires, that it was better to be prepared and calm, rational and level, than to try and rush headlong into things with fear gripping your logic and dragging it down into the mires of mistakes.

A brow rises at the little history lesson, and Hotaru hums softly, a noise that doesn't get much farther than her throat as she considers what he has told her. "I appreciate the information. Nonetheless I'm sure it's blasphemy to say, but frankly if they have already cursed me just by arriving, then I couldn't care less what they think. We are not the history of others." Frankly ridiculous to curse them all for the actions of one person, but maybe to them it made sense. Maybe it kept them down somehow, more manageable, less threatening. Perhaps there was more to this curse than simply being unfavored.

"As a former ruler, tyranny is no fear of mine," she says calmly, far from being egotistical but wise and frank nonetheless. "And again, I'd not cast you in her shadow. You've been quite cordial to me so far." Whether he continued on that path was yet to be seen, but she would judge him on his own merit. She had lived in the shadow of others for too long in her youth to ever do the same to others. A weird streak of morality in her grey-edged world perhaps, but a sincere one.

"Perhaps I'll come visit you sometime, for more history lessons and some tea." Loren was interesting enough to visit again at least, if he'd bear her company again. Hotaru knows she's not everyone's preferred flavor. "Just to make sure you haven't been spontaneously struck down, of course," and here she smirks a tad, though with his previous reactions she doubts he'll take the bait of humor. Regardless, she dusts off the stubborn snow and readjusts her hair to better block the wind. "I won't keep you too much longer. Though it was a pleasure to meet you officially." Ah, she really needs to get rid of her old archaic speech in this land where she has no title or kingdom, but that's something to consider for next time.

the horror you have seen is not who you are

Love mends even the broken parts

It seemed that Hotaru wasn’t all that impressed with how frenzied everyone had become. However, between the blight and LongNight, Loren could understand their fears and anxieties. ”I agree. And it’s been a long year for everyone who’s been in Caido, and it shows no signs of stopping in the new one.” That wasn’t quite an admonishment. However, it was an acknowledgement that neither he nor she could possibly understand the pain those in this world had been through, even if they’d been through a harrowing experience themselves.

He listened to her commentary on the gods without judgment. ”Mostly they just ignore us.” Honestly, he wasn’t quite sure about her belief about them not being just one in a long line. Indeed, he was definitely a product of his upbringing, for good or for ill. However, he wasn’t going to comment on it. At her declaration that she’d been a leader, and wasn’t afraid of tyrants, he raised his eyebrows. ”A ruler, huh? So you and Rexanna were both queens.” Honestly, if there were that many people from this other world, the Lanceleyn needed to get someone to tell him about it. As for him and his family history, well, Hotaru would no doubt find out the truth about him sooner or later. ”Appearances can be deceiving.” His more than most.

At her request—because that’s what it was, a request no matter how she phrased it—he nodded. ”Of course. Well, you’re welcome to visit any time. However, I wouldn’t worry too much about me. I’m resilient. Like a cockroach. Even if they smite me, I’ll probably bounce back.” There was a ghost of his former humor lurking in his words, though it was quite faint. ”The pleasure was all mine.” With that, he inclined his head, and, assuming she had nothing pressing to add, he would turn to go check on the rest of the Roses.

loren

Coding base by Sky!

"They are hard and long every year. Not to invalidate individual struggles of course, but I'd prefer to simply keep moving forward." Maybe she had simply seen too much, lost too much, to feel much empathy for the Caido denizens now. Too many invasions, deaths, Godly plots, godly wars fought by mortal followers. There was always something new and foul around the corner. She'd stopped hesitating before stepping around them.

A soft hum is all she gives in response to his words that the Gods merely ignore them. It suits her just fine, personally. But she does laugh, soft and demure, at the mention of her and Rexanna both being queens. "Yes we were. And she was my finest commander for many years. It's funny how those with similar life journeys seem to converge." It had at least been something they had commiserated over in their years of friendship. The burdens of ruling.

She barely restrains herself from rolling her eyes at his dramatics. Of course they are deceiving. That's generally what Hotaru counts on these days, personally. But she smiles and inclined her head in turn, holding her tongue as she watches him go. He's an interesting fellow, and she certainly intends to keep true to that offer of tea.

the horror you have seen is not who you are