Two Ladies Go to a Wedding

by **Cordelia Beaumont** 28th February 2019, 7:41 pm

“I’d be happy to lead, if that’s what you’d like,” Kessicia responded without waiting a beat, smiling genuinely at the woman. She could see the slight amusement in the Voidwalker’s eyes, showing that the rather bold offer hadn’t been immediately turned down. It helped that the succubus wasn’t pouring innuendos or insinuations between her words; speaking authentically and honestly with her partner for the day. It seemed Serilda wasn’t the kind that was against a little mixed mingling, which spoke volumes to how comfortable the rest of the evening would certainly go. As she enhanced Serilda’s abilities, she got a flash of the woman’s leg when she reached in and pulled out her small blade, cocking her head to admire the toned limb.

As the group of seven men came running in, their mission to crash the wedding and cause all kinds of chaos, they found themselves blocked by the two women. Their stares were shared between the two of them, though she could feel them linger on her a bit longer due to her magic. She gave them a small wave as the six ruffian friends looked to their leader, the ex-boyfriend. He ordered them to keep them busy while he went on ahead but it was only a moment later that they were all stuck in their spots, their hands reaching for their necks. Kessicia cocked a brow as she glanced over at Serilda, her magic apparently already taking effect. She watched as the Voidwalker darted into the fray, instantly taking down three of the thugs in a single, lightning-flash strike. Three of the others attempted to spray her with their elemental magic but they were quickly swallowed down by the woman before they, too, were flattened onto the ground.

All that was left was the ex-boyfriend and watching his friends apparently filled him with a great rage. He growled and began to pump himself up, preparing a spell to launch at the Rune Knight. But before he could even begin thinking about it, he was backhanded and instantly knocked to the ground. Kessicia was impressed, to say the least. She blinked slowly as she looked between the three parties knocked out before her, easily handled by the Rune Knight before her. She continued to watch as Serilda summoned a local lacrimobile for the Knights to come and address the group, most likely to haul them off to jail. She smirked as she looked up at the white-haired beauty, waggling her eyebrows a bit. “You certainly have~ Talk about impressive,” she said as she jerked her hand and sent her dagger back into her pocket realm. She placed a hand on her hip and took a moment to look Serilda up and down before she chuckled. “Well, I suppose with all the time you’ve saved us, we can go and witness those two proclaim their loves.” She turned and held out her arm, offering to ‘escort’ Serilda into the church, in an almost cheeky fashion.

A few hours later, the wedding banquet was in full swing. The ceremony had been a beautiful and uninterrupted one. The bride and groom had said their vows and the applause that had echoed throughout the church upon their declaration of wedlock seemed to come from the entire city. The large garden area in the center of Rose Garden had been cordoned off for the reception, with almost the entirety of the city invited to take part. A full orchestra had offered to play the reception free of charge – so long as their families could attend. There were people everywhere and the air was alive with excitement and relief.

Kessicia found herself seated at one of the tables near the large dance floor, leaning back against the chair and watching the few couples that had gone to the flattened-out grass patch already. The music had just really begun and many of the guests were still finishing up their dinners. The bar had been open before the arrival of the bride and groom then closed after the food was served, once more open now that the festivities were heading towards more active and jovial areas. Kessicia sat there with a small, honest smile as she watched several men and women laughing, talking, joking and thoroughly enjoying their time among one another. There had been a few that had stopped to look at her, more so that had asked her for a dance or two later on but in overall, her latent succubi abilities seemed to be overpowered by the celebration. Honestly, she wouldn’t have had it any other way.

by **Serilda Sinclair** 3rd March 2019, 3:47 pm

Serilda Sinclair

Serilda Sinclair: Ice Queen; - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lineage : Scion of the Void King
Position : Goddess of Conviction
Faction : The Rune Knights
Posts : 1460
Guild : Guildless
Cosmic Coins : 155
Dungeon Tokens : 0
Experience : 12,421,054

Character Sheet
First Skill: Voidwalking
Second Skill: Sword of Wrath
Third Skill: Cruorthurgy

Post n°2

Re: Two Ladies Go to a Wedding

by Serilda Sinclair 3rd March 2019, 3:47 pm

"Character counts most when duty calls."

It didn’t take long for things to wrap up. The Knights came and hurried to apprehend everyone, each of them on their best behavior and constantly replying to Serilda with “Yes ma’am” or “Yes, my lady”. They moved like their asses were on fire, and in nearly no time at all they had the exboyfriend and his cronies cuffed and shoved into the back of a barred and locked lacrimobile. A few of them stared at Serilda, as the novelty of seeing a well known noble who was also their new marshall in such revealing and flattering attire was too irresistible to pass up. However, Serilda didn’t really seem to notice that any of them were staring at her, and to be honest most of their gazes lingered longer on Kessicia. Once or twice Serilda had to catch a Knights eye when they stared at her partner a little too long. A single expectant, raised eyebrow was all it took for them to quickly hustle back to work with red faces.

After they’d left and the topic was broached about returning to the festivities, Kessicia complimented Serilda’s work with a waggle of her brows. “I would hardly call beating that lot impressive,” she told the other woman humbly, “But thank you all the same.” There was a brief moment of pause when Kessicia suggested they go watch the end of the ceremony together, and offered Serilda her arm. The noblewoman was used to such gestures, of course -- it was common practice amongst nobility. She just wasn’t quite use to them from a woman. Ultimately she decided the offer was harmless enough as the other woman seemed to be doing it more out of a place of silliness than anything else, and gave her a small smile.

“I think that’s a fine idea,” the Voidwalker said pleasantly, accepting the proffered limb gracefully. The two women were almost exactly the same height, even in heels, so it wasn’t at all awkward to let the other woman take the lead in such a fashion. They watched the rest of the ceremony from a polite place in the back of the church. It was a bit of a bittersweet experience for Serilda, as most weddings had been since Hugo’s death. This was the first one she’d attended since learning the truth about her late husband, which made the ceremony a little more bitter for her than it normally would have been. She hid it all under a mask of discipline, of course, and smiled at all the appropriate places but it was still a sore spot that she had to actively work to ignore so it wouldn’t dampen her evening.

There was a surprising number of people at the reception given that the couple wasn’t nobility of any kind, just very popular in the town it seemed. There was a live orchestra that was exceptionally talented, and the food was exquisite. The newly wedded pair had spared no expense for their nuptials and the celebration of it. Serilda had taken advantage of the open bar to get a glass of champagne. Normally she’d go for wine but after getting blitzed on the stuff fairly recently she’d yet to have the stomach to drink more of the stuff again.

The two women were sat at a table near the dance floor together. They chatted idly while things got underway, but got interrupted several times by random patrons from the reception. It wouldn’t take very long at all for Kessicia to figure out that Serilda was a bit of a well known person around Fiore at this point, on a number of different fronts. She only recognized a couple of the people that came to approach them, but almost all of them knew exactly who she was. She was congratulated several times for her recent placement with the Knights, many of the civilians going out of their way to refer to her as “Marshall”. Others still address her as “Lady Serilda”. The Voidwalker was as polite and kind as she could be, never letting the attention fluff up any kind of ego within her.

Besides, while many of them approached to speak with her it did not go unnoticed by the noblewoman that almost all of their eyes lingered on Kessicia. In fact, a lot of people were acting that way. She often caught others from across the way peeking glances at her partner, who was certainly very pretty but it was still a bit odd. Both women were asked for dancing several times, though Kessicia got the majority of the offers. They weren’t really given much reprieve to relax by themselves until the bridal party finally arrived after all their photos and the food was being served.

“So what brings you here from Desierto?” Serilda asked once they were settled with their plates. “Do you live in Fiore now, or just visiting?” She was honestly curious about the younger woman’s background and learning a bit more about her.

Words: 850/850

_____________________________________________________________________________________

by **Cordelia Beaumont** 3rd March 2019, 7:13 pm

They’d been granted a seat at one of the tables that included the baker of the cake and other non-related people. It wasn’t a bad placement per se; they were still able to get to the dance floor and bar pretty easily and plenty of the people were more than friendly. Honestly it was nice to just chat with people for a change, rather than them drooling over her. There were definitely more than a few that noticed her looks and were drawn to her via her magic but for the most part, no one was going out of their way to be over the top about it. For a woman that had enjoyed the center of attention not even that long ago, Kessicia was content with simply being here among the crowd. It made her feel like she was part of them, on the same level as them. In a way, she desired that more than anything else.

It was interesting to watch Serilda Sinclair here. She was quite well known and not just because of her status as a Rune Knight, though she quickly learned that Serilda was actually the Field Marshall of the order. Not just a member but the one in charge of it – no wonder Kessicia had felt an attraction to her. She was quite the figure within the noble circles as well, as many of the people came by to chat with her about her family and business there. Such lofty titles such as ‘Marshall’ and ‘Lady’ were adorned before her name and the Voidwalker took it in stride, having been practiced in this for years surely. Not once did Kessicia ever feel like it was out of presumption or arrogance – but the woman clearly took pride in what she had earned and been born into. No reason not to be.

As the food was finally served, many of the prospects for dancing were settling down to the feast. Kessicia was about to pick up her fork when Serilda spoke up and asked about what had brought her here. She paused, her finger lying on the flat side of the fork for a brief moment as she processed the question. A small, but sad smile was on her face as she finally looked up, her golden gaze meeting the icy blues of the Voidwalker. “In a way, I escaped here,” she explained softly, picking up the fork finally. “Until a few months ago, I was a slave. I have been so for many years, since I was a mere child. One night, about two months ago, a succubus attacked the plantation I was working on. She wished to feed on the souls of everyone there and, as far as I know, she did. But when she got to me, something happened that… sort of combined our souls together. I survived and, with my former masters slain around me, I took the time to escape – fully, this time. There were plenty of other times I had managed to get away but I was always caught or taken by another slaver.” She sighed softly as she dug her fork gently into her food, twirling the utensil around. “I guess you could say that I live in Fiore now then?” she cracked a small joke, smiling up at the Voidwalker.

by **Serilda Sinclair** 7th March 2019, 4:33 pm

Serilda Sinclair

Serilda Sinclair: Ice Queen; - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lineage : Scion of the Void King
Position : Goddess of Conviction
Faction : The Rune Knights
Posts : 1460
Guild : Guildless
Cosmic Coins : 155
Dungeon Tokens : 0
Experience : 12,421,054

Character Sheet
First Skill: Voidwalking
Second Skill: Sword of Wrath
Third Skill: Cruorthurgy

Post n°4

Re: Two Ladies Go to a Wedding

by Serilda Sinclair 7th March 2019, 4:33 pm

"Character counts most when duty calls."

It quickly became apparent that what seemed like a friendly and innocent enough question actually touched on something rather personal. Kessicia hesitated for a moment, seeming to decide what she wanted to say before divulging that she was an escaped slave. Several times over, in fact. In addition to that she had lost practically everyone she’d know to a succubus attack, and somehow when the creature had tried to devour the woman’s soul something had gone wrong. Instead of Kessicia dying, the succubus had merged with her soul.

“Gods, Kessicia, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up something so sensitive…” Serilda wasn’t at all put off by the story, nor did her view of the woman seem to change with the knowledge that she was -- at least in part -- a succubus. Rather, she seemed genuinely upset with herself for touching on a subject so heartbreaking, even if unintentionally.

It did strike her as a bit strange, though. Of course succubi and incubi were rather notorious in legend for such behaviors, but Serilda’s view of such being had been a bit skewed lately due to her interactions with the demon lord that ruled over them. Ruzatz was so nice that it was weird to think any other demons under his employ would go against what he would want, and Serilda was certain the mass murder and consumption of humans was not something he wanted.

She bit her lower lip a little before speaking up a little softly. “Listen, this is… probably going to sound a little weird to hear. It’s weird for me to say, but… I know a man by the name of Ruzatz. Maybe you’ve heard of him already. I guess you can say we’re friends. He’s actually a full fledged demon, and he is what’s known as the Prime Sin of Lust. I don’t fully understand it, but I guess he’s like… one of the seven most powerful demons in existence. He is in charge of overseeing other demons that fall under his domain, such as succubi. He’s a very kind man that cares both about his demons and about humans. You should visit him sometime. At the very least, he may be able to help you get some answers and figure out what happened.”

What a day when she was calling one of the leaders of hell her friend! Still, it was obvious that Kessicia had lived a rough life full of confusion and abuse. Serilda knew no matter what that Ruzatz, and probably Agatha, would do their best to take care of the woman and help her get her feet on the ground. “I’m sorry about what happened to you. I can’t imagine what that must have been like for you to endure, but I do hope that Fiore has been treating you better. We certainly don’t condone slavery here, which seems to be quite prevalent in Desierto. I actually journeyed there myself several months ago to bust up a slave operation as part of a job with my former guild, Sabertooth.”

Serilda shook her head a little, thinking back to that trip. It had been her first encounter with a demon, and had clearly set a trend for her of running into many more. “Some days I wish I had the authority to march the Knights into those kind of areas and put those kind of people out of business. Unfortunately, my authority only goes so far as Fiore’s borders and without permission from the Magic Council I can’t address such issues in foreign countries. People should never be treated like property,” she said a bit sadly.

Words: 618/1468

_____________________________________________________________________________________

by **Cordelia Beaumont** 7th March 2019, 5:45 pm

As Kessicia had imagined, Serilda was surprised by the story. Most people wound up being a bit… floored by the harsh reality that had been her past. As the Voidwalker went to apologize for even asking, the succubus reached over and laid a gentle hand on Serilda’s forearm, a warm and kind gesture. “If I had any shame or pain in my past, I wouldn’t have answered it truthfully. I subscribe to the practice of open honesty among my peers, so no one gets the wrong impression. Though we are technically finished with our job, you’re still my partner and date for the night so I’d rather be upfront about you than deceive you,” Kessicia explained simply, giving the woman a soft but still rather bright smile. “Thank you though, for your consideration. It is appreciated.” How very odd that trying to flirt and seduce this woman had become something more… wholesome. Her love for Pandora had apparently made her far more genuine, more… down to earth with her words and focus. Perhaps it was time as well, tempering her heightened abilities brought on by the mergence with the succubus.

It wasn’t so much that she wasn’t still putting on charm, nor not intending of seeing how far she could get with Serilda. But it seemed she was far more… understanding if it came to nothing. She squeezed Serilda’s arm gently before returning to her food. It was only a moment later that the Voidwalker spoke up once more, beginning an explanation that she disclaimed with being weird. The succubus rose an single eyebrow as she listened to the story of a man named Ruzatz, a name she certainly did not know, and how he was a demon that went by the title of the Prime Sin of Lust. He apparently was very powerful and had control over demonkind that fell under his range of expertise, which included succubi. Yet despite his more…demonic upbringings, Serilda claimed he was kind that cared for humanity and demonkind almost alike. Now that was interesting – she would have never expected the Marshall of the Rune Knights to have such a friend. Her smile weaseled a little to tease the Voidwalker. “Friends with the Prime Sin of Lust? Sounds like a fruitful friendship,” she said with a small giggle as she plopped a broccoli head into her mouth. “I’d very much like to meet this Ruzatz. Though based on your words, I doubt the succubus that joined with me would have been considered with very high regard. Nonetheless, it would be nice to meet someone who could help me learn a bit more about myself.”

Serilda moved back to apologizing for Kessicia’s history, hoping that her time in Fiore was going far smoother. What was interesting is that the Voidwalker mentioned she had been in Desierto recently to break up a slave operation, only a few months ago. Though she didn’t show it outwardly, the gears in her head started turning. Something about that tidbit of knowledge had flicked some curious and noticeably memory within her. She continued to listen to Serilda as she explained how she would much enjoy marching her soldiers to Desierto and breaking up the slave trade once and for all. “I imagine the slaves would appreciate that. But the war that would come from it would be far costlier. Trust me, they appreciate your concern,” she said, once more reaching out to touch the woman’s forearm to express her gratitude. “But look at me, being the rude date and not asking about you. Please, tell me more about yourself. Like about this job you took part in months ago – I would enjoy hearing about your exploits.”

by **Serilda Sinclair** 7th March 2019, 8:29 pm

Serilda Sinclair

Serilda Sinclair: Ice Queen; - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lineage : Scion of the Void King
Position : Goddess of Conviction
Faction : The Rune Knights
Posts : 1460
Guild : Guildless
Cosmic Coins : 155
Dungeon Tokens : 0
Experience : 12,421,054

Character Sheet
First Skill: Voidwalking
Second Skill: Sword of Wrath
Third Skill: Cruorthurgy

Post n°6

Re: Two Ladies Go to a Wedding

by Serilda Sinclair 7th March 2019, 8:29 pm

"Character counts most when duty calls."

The other woman assured her everything was fine, that she had done nothing wrong in asking a simple question. Kessicia made it clear that she was not ashamed of her history, painful as it was, and that if she had been she would not have answered honestly. Serilda still felt like a moron, but allowed herself to be soothed by the apparent succubus’s words. She certainly appreciated and understood the rather strong and stubborn mindset regarding her past, and it was something that Serilda could greatly respect. The noble woman returned the squeeze on her arm with a small smile and a nod, before they both went back to eating and talking.

The purple haired woman listened with interest as Serilda explained about her odd friend. Honestly, she should have expected Kessicia’s first reaction. Instead, when the demoness playfully insinuated that Serilda probably quite enjoyed the potential benefits of such a friendship, the god slayer choked on her glass of champagne. She coughed as quietly and discreetly as possible in an attempt to clear the airway before she was able to protest. “No no, it’s not like that,” the woman blustered quietly, her collected demeanor absolutely demolished by the single insinuation. Serilda’s face was beet red. She fumbled over her words, her tongue practically tied in knots as she tried desperately to convey that she was not really the type of woman that slept around.

By the time she managed to calm back down, the conversation had been thankfully steered away toward other, less lewd things. Serilda had nothing against sex at all, nor with people that slept around, but it definitely wasn’t her thing and she was clearly mortified to talk about such intimate matters in a public setting.

Kessicia seemed to appreciate her wish to eradicate as much of slavery as humanly possible, but Serilda agreed that an attempt to do so would certainly start a number of wars that would likely breed far more casualties than slavery itself. “Sad, but true,” she lamented.

Her companion for the night asked about her own background then, with a special interest in hearing about the slave ring she and Mythal had busted a few months back. “Well, as I’m sure you’ve probably picked up by now I come from nobility. My parents own a duchy in Clover Town along with a series of mines that yields precious gems. I’m the oldest of my siblings, which makes me the heir to my father’s title. I’m also the Field Marshal of the Rune Knights, which is a fairly recent development. Up until a couple weeks ago I was a wizard with Sabertooth.”

Serilda missed her former guild. They had treated her well there, and she had a lot of happy memories with them, but the Knights had needed her more. Ultimately, the Knights was where she wanted to wind up anyway… though she wished it had happened through less volatile means.

“As for the thing in Desierto,” she started, thinking back for a moment. “I was sent there by Sabertooth, and partnered with a man I was acquainted with from another guild -- though we weren’t exactly friends at the time. Didn’t really know each other very well. Anyway… There were reports of a lot of people going missing out of a town and they were asking for help from any willing wizards to track down the lost individuals. There wasn’t a lot of information to go off of, though everyone suspected slavery. Eventually, after speaking to all the families of the missing persons we deduced that they were probably being kept somewhere in the desert. So we packed up some supplies and ventured into a… ravine of sorts. Holed up in a cave for a few days and waited to see what we could find.”

“We were lucky that it paid off. Eventually they showed up, being led on a long line of chain by the ugliest man I’ve ever seen in my life.” Serilda shuddered at the mere memory of Bladdi. “Detestable excuse for a human being. He was planning on sacrificing all of them to summon this demon that he worshipped, thinking that the demon would thank him with good looks.”

She shook her head softly. “The survivors managed to run away and make it to the nearest town. My partner and I were able to beat the guy but being arrested wasn’t acceptable for him in the end. Coward wound up killing himself and using his own blood and life force to summon his demon master, which of course turned into a whole other fight for us. We were lucky we even survived, to be perfectly honest with you. Both of us were a lot less powerful back then. We learned a lot from that fight.”

Words: 823/2291

_____________________________________________________________________________________

by **Cordelia Beaumont** 9th March 2019, 11:52 am

Kessicia nearly burst into a laughing fit as Serilda quickly backpedaled, choking on her champagne and trying to deflect the insinuation that she had slept with this Ruzatz. “My word, you are quite easy to tease,” the succubus said through her chuckles, gathering up some napkins and handing them to the Voidwalker, to aid in wiping the sprayed champagne on her face. Apparently the thought of getting with the apparent Prime Sin of Lust was just a bit much for the Field Marshal, even if it was played in jest. Though people that had slept with someone usually acted fairly similar. She couldn’t help but wonder which one was more true in Serilda’s sense.

As she turned the focus more on Serilda, far more interested in learning about the white-haired beauty, the Voidwalker was quick to fill in the gaps with knowledge. Much like she had gathered – and as Serilda admitted to – she was a noble, the heir to a duchy based out of Clover Town. She was also the Field Marshal of the Rune Knights, though that title was still fairly new and required some getting used to. Based on how she handled herself outside the cathedral, it seemed that her ‘getting acclimated’ was more in her own mind than in actual practice. The conversation turned to the topic put forth by Kessicia, as Serilda began the story of her job in Desierto. She listened with a keen ear, only taking occasional sips from her glass of champagne as she absorbed the tale in full detail.

But as the story reached the pinnacle of its dramatic effect – the reveal of the ugly slaver – her own thoughts filled in with the other woman’s words. Differing perspectives of the same story played evenly in her mind as she remembered all those months ago, when she had been one of those slaves attached to those chains. The ugly wizard who led them along had made all sorts of horrid and terrible promises to the enslaved, assuring them that their lives would be used for the sake of reviving some old and ancient force. It hadn’t been the first time that Kessicia had been on the cliff of death but it certainly had been the most guaranteed. Only the intrusion of the shadow man and apparently Serilda had halted that. She could see the Voidwalker now, with her hair tied and in far more appropriate dress. Perhaps that’s why she hadn’t recognized her at first.

She took great pleasure in hearing that the ugly wizard was dead, feeling absolutely no remorse over her happiness. She only regretted that he hadn’t been taken against his own accord but beggars couldn’t be choosers. She smiled as Serilda wrapped up her story, only then realizing that a single tear had found its way to her eye and had streaked down her cheek. She wiped it away and laughed it off as she put her drink down. “My, it seems your story of such a wondrous deed had a profound effect on me,” she said in reference to the tear. “A noble wizard comes to the rescue of slaves. It’s a story a lot of us used to tell one another in the pitch black of night, in hushed whispers so our masters wouldn’t hear us. It was mere fantasy but I am… deeply moved to hear you helped make several dreams come true that day. Thank you, Serilda… not only for the story but for your deeds.”

She let the moment last for several beats longer, meeting the woman’s gaze and smiling genuinely. She glanced to the side, as she noticed more people had graced the dance floor as a slower, more somber song came on from the orchestra. “And now, I think, it is time to work off some of this food and drink,” she said as she rose to her feet, grinning. She held out her hand to the Voidwalker. “If my date would be so kind as to join me?”

by **Serilda Sinclair** 9th March 2019, 8:25 pm

Serilda Sinclair

Serilda Sinclair: Ice Queen; - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lineage : Scion of the Void King
Position : Goddess of Conviction
Faction : The Rune Knights
Posts : 1460
Guild : Guildless
Cosmic Coins : 155
Dungeon Tokens : 0
Experience : 12,421,054

Character Sheet
First Skill: Voidwalking
Second Skill: Sword of Wrath
Third Skill: Cruorthurgy

Post n°8

Re: Two Ladies Go to a Wedding

by Serilda Sinclair 9th March 2019, 8:25 pm

"Character counts most when duty calls."

Thankfully, Serilda wasn’t the type to get angry over such harmless teases that she knew where made in jest. She wasn’t above being embarrassed from time to time, but Kessicia was absolutely right: It was very easy to tease the noble woman in regard to sexual encounters. Her face was rosier than the flowers in the centerpiece on the table, and she gracefully accepted the napkins that Kessicia offered to her, using them to gently dab the drips off her face.

By the time that the Voidwalker had finished her tale about the job in Desierto, she was surprised to see the other woman wiping a tear from her face. This time it was Serilda’s turn to offer a napkin with a concerned expression on her face. Kessicia explained where the emotion was coming from, which seemed reasonable enough. It was a story that likely hit pretty close to home for the former slave, though Serilda truly no idea exactly how close to home it was. The woman made no indication that she had been one of those very self same slaves, and while Serilda remembered the names and faces of those she’d been given pictures for during the investigation there were several that had been freed that day that she hadn’t been given information on. By the time the fight had so abruptly started, she didn’t exactly have enough time to really look at the slaves that were there. All she had been able to do was get them on their way while she and Mythal fought Bladdi, and by the time the two of them got back to town the former slaves had already been unshackled by the citizens and freed to go their own ways.

Thus, she had no reason to suspect that the woman before her was one of the ones she and her partner had freed that day. “It was my pleasure,” Serilda told the woman sincerely in response to her thanks, assuring her that she was just happy to have been able to help the people there that day. There was a moment of tenderness before Kessicia had gathered herself enough to look over at the dance floor, where several people had paired off for a slower dance. It seemed that had caught the other woman’s interest and she stood to her feet, offering Serilda her hand and requesting to cash in on the dance that the Voidwalker had promised.

Serilda smiled politely and took the offered limb, rising to her own feet as well. “Absolutely,” she told the woman in a friendly tone, letting herself be lead to the dance floor. They danced for a little bit along with everyone else. It was a little strange to be doing this with a woman, but not so strange as to put her off of the idea entirely. Kessicia was certainly an attractive woman, which wasn’t really something that Serilda often stopped to think about in regard to other females. Though to be fair, she also didn’t really stop to think about such things with most men either. It hadn’t even dawned on her that Mythal was attractive until they had been half out of their clothes the first time with him on top of her, so it was safe to say that Serilda was really a bit oblivious about certain things at times.

“So what do you do, now, in Fiore?” she asked, hoping that learning more about the woman since her escape would have some happier stories to share. “Have you joined a guild at all? With your ability to boost the abilities of others, I’m sure there are quite a few that would offer you a membership.”

Words: 631/2922

_____________________________________________________________________________________

by **Cordelia Beaumont** 10th March 2019, 7:15 pm

To absolutely no surprise, Serilda was more than welcoming to dance with Kessicia, taking her hand and joining her on her feet. The succubus smiled as she led her to the dance floor, taking up the position as the lead while the Voidwalker took the natural position of the follower. Admittedly, Kessicia had never truly danced before. She had witnessed many a master and guests take to the floor, moving with such elegant and smooth strokes of their feet and legs. She’d managed to observe it enough times that she could still remember the images of them moving about, their forms twirling and moving in tandem to the beat of the music. Such memories wouldn’t cause the woman to memorize the steps but it so happened that the succubus’ soul that she had taken in had been a master of the craft. Kessicia led with the courtesy and gait of a professional, turning appropriately and helping her date to keep time with her.

After the slow dance came a quicker one and the two were forced to pick up the pace and change tempos. She laughed and giggled with Serilda as they moved about the dance floor, engaging with other couples and passing them along when the dance required them to. After a few songs, it slowed down once more and they were able to simply sway with one another, which was around the time that Serilda spoke up and asked about her present life. The succubus smiled and chuckled. ”Simply… living,” she said with a shrug. ”There has been one interested party that asked if I would be willing to join his guild but I’m…” she paused for a moment. Serilda was the leader of the Rune Knights and Indra’s idea for a guild was, for a lack of a better term, not as courteous to the rules of modern day life. In fact, it was probably safer to say that he was aiming to create a guild that lay outside the laws of Fiore. She smiled again. ”I’m not quite suited for his ideals. If I’m being honest, I don’t really know what to do. I’ve never had freedom before and for the first few weeks, I was exhilarated. I wanted to do everything, see everything, meet everyone… I eventually met a woman that… tapered my more wild nature and helped give me some solid grounding,” she admitted with a chuckle as she spun Serilda gently and then pulled her back.

”But I’m a bit of a nomad at the moment. Going from place to place, gaining employment where I can. Freedom is… a bit of a double edged sword, after being a slave for so long. On the one hand, I have all the potential in the world but… at the same time, I’m so used to having a direction pointed out to me. It’s kind of like my internal compass is all askew. All I know is I have the beautiful Field Marshal of the Rune Knights as my date tonight and I’m satisfied with that,” she said with yet another giggle, flashing a grin at the woman as the song came to a close.

”Phew. I need a breather. Care to take a walk with me? I need some fresh air away from the crowd.” Counting that Serilda agreed, Kessicia would walk through the attendees and past he outer layer of tables and chairs, dipping around a hedge and into a small hedge maze. She took a deep inhale as the cool air prickled her skin, smiling up at the night sky as she went with Serilda. ”I thought it would be warmer here,” she admitted. ”Desierto has blistering days but the nights are as frigid as the arctic. I always envisioned Fiore as a more tropical place but it isn’t quite, is it?” Granted, it was the end of winter and the icy grip of it still hung onto the air for dear life. Soon spring would be rolling in and warmer airs would replace the chill.

”So tell me, Serilda, Field Marshall,” she said teasingly. ”Now that you’ve reached such a noble and respectable position, what’re your plans?”

by **Serilda Sinclair** 20th March 2019, 6:33 pm

Serilda Sinclair

Serilda Sinclair: Ice Queen; - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lineage : Scion of the Void King
Position : Goddess of Conviction
Faction : The Rune Knights
Posts : 1460
Guild : Guildless
Cosmic Coins : 155
Dungeon Tokens : 0
Experience : 12,421,054

Character Sheet
First Skill: Voidwalking
Second Skill: Sword of Wrath
Third Skill: Cruorthurgy

Post n°10

Re: Two Ladies Go to a Wedding

by Serilda Sinclair 20th March 2019, 6:33 pm

"Character counts most when duty calls."

They danced for a while, a mixture of slower and faster paced dances depending on the music being played. Serilda honestly had a good time, and was somehow unsurprised to learn that Kessicia was actually quite good at leading. It was strange to think that she was dancing with someone who was basically a succubus -- a notion the noblewoman would have balked at even just a couple weeks ago, yet here she was. As the tempo slowed down and they were given a chance to breathe, Serilda asked her question and listened to the answer.

It seemed Kessicia had been offered a place in a guild by someone else she knew, but it didn’t really seem like the right place for her. It also seemed she’d met a woman that had had a profound effect on her lifestyle, and Serilda smiled a bit as she was spun. “She sounds like a lovely individual,” the woman commented with only a mild teasing to her tone. While she was usually a bit dense with people putting moves on her, observing when someone clearly had affection for someone else was a bit easier.

The woman was a wanderer in the meantime, it seemed, as she tried to figure out where she wanted to go with her life now that she was free and had a place she was accepted and not oppressed. Kessicia confessed that it was a bit hard to adjust to the freedom when she had spent her whole life being given direction, which was a sentiment Serilda could empathize with. The noblewoman laughed a little along with her as the succubus commented that her main focus at the moment was just enjoying her time with Serilda tonight. In truth, the noblewoman wasn’t really taking the statements as anything more than simply being friendly, so she wasn’t put off by the words, nor did any flags raise in her mind. She simply replied with a cheeky grin, “And yet, I’m not the one catching everyone’s eyes tonight. If anything, I’ve gotten a few looks of jealousy.”

As if bringing everyone else up was a cue, Kessicia decided she needed a little space from all the hubbub of the party. “Sure,” the Voidwalker replied easily enough, seeing no issue with a small walk. They found their way into a small maze of hedge bushes and Serilda admired the view around them while the other woman spoke up about the climate of the country. “No, it’s not quite tropical here. We do get snow and rain; a little bit of everything, really. I don’t notice the cooler weather too much as both of my magics grant me some mild immunities to it.”

After a minute, the woman asked her about her own goals, giving a little tease about her titles. Serilda chuckled, but shook her head lightly. “Honestly? I’m not certain. The position was sort of… Well, I don’t want to say thrust on me because that’s not entirely true. My main goal was always to join the Rune Knights after I’d spent enough time in my former guild to learn how to use my magic properly. But I was expecting to start as a recruit like everyone else, maybe a sergeant at most. I’m sure you probably heard of the attack on Era recently. A dark guild staged a multi-front attack in order to attempt to spring some of their allies loose from prison, and in doing so they slaughtered many Rune Knights, including those in charge.”

Her face took on a more somber expression as she recalled the memories of the attack. The former Field Marshall had been killed before her own eyes, and she’d been unable to stop it. “I was there that day with my partner. Us and many other able civilians pitched in to help the Knights put down the assault, but not before they killed a lot of people. When everything was done, the magic council offered the two of us positions in charge of the Knights. Being a noble who’s had extensive work with the Knights in the past made me an ideal figure to take over, I guess. There wasn’t really much choice. They needed someone, and I was both able and willing so I accepted. It was the goal I wanted someday, I’ll admit, but… not like that, you know?”

She’d never wanted her goal to come at the cost of the lives of so many others. Serilda had wanted to time it with the late marshall’s retirement which likely would have been still another decade or two down the line. Shrugging a bit, the woman added, “Now that I’ve reached it a bit earlier than I expected, I’m still trying to figure out what to aim for from here. For now, being alive is enough.”

Words: 823/3745

_____________________________________________________________________________________

by **Cordelia Beaumont** 22nd March 2019, 8:50 pm

Pandora was a lovely woman – one of the brightest sparks Kessicia had ever experienced in her life. Even thinking about her brought a warmth and smile to the succubus’ lips and she nodded along when Serilda took the opportunity to tease her a bit over it. “She is far too good for me,” she continued the thought idly and sighed. She couldn’t wait to her love again – it had already been far too long. But that didn’t distract her from the fact that she had yet another beautiful woman in her arms, even if she deflected by stating that most of the looks had been towards the succubus. Kessicia chuckled. “I think it’s safe to say we’ve both gotten some looks of jealousy.”

Once they had parted from the rest of the group, Serilda told her in detail about the weather, explaining that the cold never really bothered her anyway because her magic made her resistant to it. “You would think that would work the same for me,” she said with a laugh as she made gestures to both her bare arms. “Ever since my change, my blood and flesh has been a lot hotter than usual. But that only serves to heat other people up it seems – I still get to feel the full exposure of the weather. But I shouldn’t complain so much – truthfully, feeling a full range of different types of weather will do me good. Despite being raised in the sands, I’m not much of a fan of it,” she said with a grin.

As the conversation continued, so did their walk. As Serilda sought to answer her question, they followed the path of the hedges slowly towards its center. The succubus listened with great interest as the Voidwalker revealed that she didn’t really have much in terms of plans moving forward. She had aimed to become a Rune Knight and had done so but at a far more ranking position than she anticipated. Kessicia nodded, agreeing that she had heard of the attack on Era. Serilda continued to talk about it, outlining the horrible details that came with such an attack. Her and her partner had taken part in the defense of the city and they were rewarded with positions within the Rune Knights – quite the lofty gift for their efforts. But it had come so quickly and at a high cost for the Voidwalker and she was clearly still sorting herself out with it.

Kessicia smiled. “I have no doubt you’ll figure it out sooner than later. In the meantime, I agree – being alive is quite the gift sometimes,” she said with a sigh as they rounded a corner and headed into the center portion of the maze. A small garden awaited them, with a fanciful fountain resting in the center. Water sprang forth from it and cascaded down two levels before merging with the bottom most pool. The succubus giggled and walked over to it, dipping her hand into the cool water. “I know one thing,” she said as she moved her hand around the water. “I like Fiore and I’d like to stay here. Desierto… I’d be okay if I never saw it again.” Her voice got a bit quieter as her mind trailed back through memories of her time there. “Too much… badness. Not necessarily evil I guess but they aren’t really good people. Most parents sell their children after they’re old enough to work, to make some quick jewel to help them survive. Most of them are sent off to work with the local gangs; hustling tourists, robbing caravans, capturing people…”

“It’s a hard place to live in.”

by **Serilda Sinclair** 30th March 2019, 7:32 pm

Serilda Sinclair

Serilda Sinclair: Ice Queen; - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lineage : Scion of the Void King
Position : Goddess of Conviction
Faction : The Rune Knights
Posts : 1460
Guild : Guildless
Cosmic Coins : 155
Dungeon Tokens : 0
Experience : 12,421,054

Character Sheet
First Skill: Voidwalking
Second Skill: Sword of Wrath
Third Skill: Cruorthurgy

Post n°12

Re: Two Ladies Go to a Wedding

by Serilda Sinclair 30th March 2019, 7:32 pm

"Character counts most when duty calls."

“Yes, I can’t say I was much a fan of the sands either. I had to spend almost a full week out in a cave in one of the ravines, and I was more than ready to leave the country after that.”

Serilda smirked a bit, totally agreeing with Kessicia that the climate of Desierto was far from ideal. A lot of people preferred the constantly hot, dry weather, but clearly both ladies were greater fans of actual weather and cooler seasons. “You’ll get used to it over time, I think. I’ve met a fair few foreigners that have moved to Fiore from other countries, and many of them have expressed that it took them a season or two to get adapt to the climate change.”

The conversation turned for a bit to the Rune Knights and Serilda’s recent acquisition of the military force. Kess listened politely to the noblewoman’s answer to her question, concluding with her at the end that yes, sometimes being alive was more than enough. The succubus admitted her desire to never return to her home land if she could avoid it, describing some of the many atrocities that took place regularly there.

There was a bit of a pause after Kessicia described how parents would sell their own children there to make enough money to survive. Though she kept herself mostly composed, Serilda felt like she would be sick to her stomach. Her face lost a bit of color -- impressive, considering she was already a bit on the pale side to begin with -- and she looked away, shaking her head sadly. “I can’t even imagine,” the woman whispered. “If I was able to have children, I’d never let anything in the world take them from me, let alone give them up voluntarily. I can’t even imagine how heartless someone would have to be to sell their own child. Or how desperate…”

In her heart, she truly couldn’t believe that any parent would do something so horrifying without difficulty. Anyone who did was a monster, true scum of the earth that did not deserve to live; did not deserve to be a parent. Children were not a means of currency! For a woman that had wanted nothing but a few children to call her own, who had failed to produce them… well, it was a very disheartening thing to hear.

Granted, it was probably a good thing that she’d never been able to get pregnant, all things considered.

She sighed and finally took a seat on the edge of the fountain. “Fiore’s slave trade problems aren’t nearly as vast as Desierto’s, which I’m grateful for, but we do have plenty of other internal problems. We have so many dark mages that we can’t even keep track of their guilds, and they’re strong enough to launch assaults on the Rune Knights, the Magic Council, and the cities simultaneously…” Her voice was wrought with both irritation and suspicion regarding that. Having dark guilds and keeping track of them was one thing, but having a guild that large and that powerful, and not being aware of them? It seemed odd to her. Serilda felt there was more going on that she hadn’t put together yet, but she was still going through the former marshall’s files and getting herself acquainted with her new role and those within the Council that it exposed her to.

“But there are a lot of good people here, too. A lot of honest people, people that want to help others thrive and are willing to put their own lives on the line to protect this country and its citizens. People that want to maintain order without it costing freedom. I think you’ll continue to like it here.” Serilda smiled up at the other woman. “I think you’ll feel as though you could have a place to call home here.”

Words: 671/4416

_____________________________________________________________________________________

by **Cordelia Beaumont** 12th June 2019, 4:14 pm

Kessicia wasn’t sure if Serilda had meant to reveal her inability to have children so brazenly, almost as if it was an offhand comment. The Voidwalker seemed a bit more guarded than to just simply let that information loose without prompting – and she doubted she would do that even then, unless it was a trusted source. But the succubus woman simply let it go by without comment, so as not to draw any needless attention to it. If it was something Serilda chose to circle back and bring up once more, than so be it. But given how personal it was, she felt it best to respect the Marshal and let it fly off into the breeze.

Instead, she reached out slowly and gave the Voidwalker’s hand a squeeze. “People did what they thought they had to do to survive. I will say that there were certainly plenty of parents that sold themselves off to protect their children, rather than to sacrifice them to the labor. Rare, spotty moments but there were a handful of good ones. Enough that… Looking back on it now, I can see the rare beauty far easier in contrast to the ugly. Maybe I always saw it and took it secretly to heart, at least enough to keep me going each and every day. Plenty of slaves took the easy ways out and while I did think about it several times, I never even attempted. At first, I thought it was cowardice. But maybe it was… hope, trying to stay alive in my poor, beleaguered heart.”

She let that hang a moment before she chuckled and reached up to brush away the single tear that clung to her eye. She shook off the moisture as she spoke. “I am sorry to hear about the amount of dark wizards roaming about. I’ve heard a lot of stories of them appearing here and there far more than I ever did in Desierto. I admire you, for your ability to see all that and want to stand up and stop them. It’s noble, truly – unlike I’ve ever seen before.” She paused at that as she collected her thoughts. Finally she turned to face the Voidwalker completely. “I have a confession to make, Serilda. A confession that comes from a realization that hit me quite hard a little bit ago. You told me the story of your traipsing through the desert and hunting a very ugly man.”

She took a moment to inhale slowly. “It seems destiny has a funny way of showing its face to us. I was one of the slaves within that link of chains and dismay. Hearing your story reminded me and I can see it as easily as I see your face now. You were the one that first granted me freedom, if only temporarily. You and that dark haired man. I, admittedly, look quite different now than I did then due to my evolution but I remember it as clear as day.” She squeezed the woman’s hand once more as she began to laugh. “I never would have thought that my savior would be my date to a wedding. It’s absolutely ridiculous, while being all together amazing. Now I can thank you properly.” And with that, she leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on Serilda’s lips.

She let it set for a moment longer before she pulled back, smiling. “Oh my, I’m sorry. I got a little caught up in the moment there. Please forgive me.”

by **Serilda Sinclair** 18th August 2019, 2:47 pm

Serilda Sinclair

Serilda Sinclair: Ice Queen; - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lineage : Scion of the Void King
Position : Goddess of Conviction
Faction : The Rune Knights
Posts : 1460
Guild : Guildless
Cosmic Coins : 155
Dungeon Tokens : 0
Experience : 12,421,054

Character Sheet
First Skill: Voidwalking
Second Skill: Sword of Wrath
Third Skill: Cruorthurgy

Post n°14

Re: Two Ladies Go to a Wedding

by Serilda Sinclair 18th August 2019, 2:47 pm

Conviction never shames nor condemns us.
It calls us back to who we truly are.

It was a nice moment. Serilda felt like she was making a friend here, which wasn’t something that she did a lot of. Outside of Mythal and a couple people that he’d introduced her to, she really didn’t have a lot of friends. It wasn’t something she’d ever prioritized or made time to do, having always been too busy learning how to be an heiress, and then a wizard, and now a military commander. She was always just exceptionally busy, so this was a surprising but welcome moment of bonding.

And it was only about to get heavier. Kessicia wiped a tear from her face and started to thank Serilda, complimenting her for being the type of person that she was raised to be. The noblewoman was about to insist that the praise wasn’t necessary, but before she could even speak the succubus claimed needing to make a confession. Serilda’s brows furrowed slightly in confusion, but she let the woman talk without interruption.

What she had to say floored her.

Kessicia had been one of the slaves that Mythal and Serilda had saved that day. Visible shock completely took over the Voidwalker’s expression, her jaw dropping a bit. At first she wasn’t sure because surely she would have recognized Kessicia. Serilda had a memory for faces, and hers wasn’t familiar before today, but the woman explained that becoming a succubus had changed her physical appearance. She didn’t know much about demons, certainly not enough to know if that was standard or not, but it seemed reasonable to her. The noblewoman was completely and utterly speechless, at a complete loss of what to say.

She was so off her guard that she didn’t realize what was happening before Kessicia’s lips were on hers. It was now the second time in her life that she’d been unexpectedly kissed by a woman out of thanks, though thankfully Mythal wasn’t around this time to rib her about it. Serilda was totally frozen though, panicking on the inside. Like before, she simply didn’t know how to react without offending the woman.

Thankfully, though it lingered briefly Kessicia did not attempt to hold the gesture for any prolonged period of time. When the dark skinned woman pulled back and apologized for letting her emotions get the best of her, she would be able to see that Serilda’s face had turned red as a tomato. “It’s… it’s fine, you’re fine.” Embarrassingly, her voice cracked a little, betraying exactly how flustered the act had made her.

She cleared her throat and tried to get her discomfort and confusion under control. As usual, things like this were about the only situations that Serilda was horribly and woefully inept at confronting with any semblence of dignity or courage, so rather than acknowledge it she quickly tried to just move on and let the moment pass. Talking about it would just make it more awkward, right? Right.

“I don’t know what to say,” she admitted. “Of all the things you could have told me, that… probably would be the last thing I’d have expected to hear. I’m sorry that we weren’t there to keep more bad things from happening to you… but I’m glad you managed to get yourself out and to make the best out of what happened. And that you’re here now.”

Serilda was still heavily blushing, but she was doing her best to keep the conversation flowing as normally as possible. It was strange. As a wizard, a noble, and a soldier, she had saved a number of lives before. She’d been thanked countless times for her efforts to protect others, and had taken all that praise in humble stride, but for some reason this particular one was resonating a bit deeper. Maybe it was because the event in question had been her first true run in with a demon, or the first time she had been part of tearing apart of slave ring, but she was feeling a lot more emotional about this particular survivor than she had with others in the past.

Squashing her embarrassment down and refusing to let it control her, Serilda reached over and pulled Kessicia into a tight hug. Words were falling flat, so the time for action was at hand and she figured an embrace would speak more toward her gratitude over the moment than her mouth ever could. A part of her also sensed that perhaps Kessicia herself needed that connection as part of her own journey of moving past the things that had happened to her, though truth be told she already seemed to have that well under hand.

Still, it was there for what it was worth and Serilda even found herself shedding a couple light tears of her own. By the time she pulled back, she couldn’t really do anything but just laugh. A soft expression of mirth toward the coincidence and irony of the two of them running into one another, as well as the joy it had been getting to meet her and share that connection. She wiped her face with her fingers and shook her head. “What a small world…”

“His name is Mythal, by the way. The one that I was working with that day? Mythal Ragnos. He’s one of my generals, actually. I think he’ll be just as floored as I am by this. He’d probably want to meet you, but he’s worse than I am about being thanked so you’d probably have to endure this stumbling awkwardness all over again.”

She smirked at Kessicia, a tiny expression of teasing. “But between you and me, his awkwardness is a lot more entertaining than mine.”

WORDS: 960/5376 | @Kessicia

Serilda Sinclair

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Fairy Tail RP

Two Ladies Go to a Wedding