An Interrupted Coffee Break (Medeia)

-Talonia, Solemn Park, 7:06 P.M.-

Wearing a new outfit of short-sleeved black t-shirt and a long gray skirt with pockets that was not pleated along with brown boots, Lucia was walking through Solemn Park with a to-go cup of coffee clutched in her right hand. She had gotten it from a local coffee shop imaginatively named Talonia Coffee, but the beverages were a lot better than the name. Lucia had purchased a cup of dark coffee that was probably strong enough to burn a hole in metal if left on there too long, but she liked strong coffee and had liked it ever since she was eight years old.

Now that she had a cup of her favorite drink in hand Lucia was walking through Solemn Park after spending a day in the city she once called home. Back when she was a Guildless mage the blonde had lived in a hotel here and had been looking for a new place to live until she heard of the Legal Guild named Luminous Rose. She joined Luminous Rose and the rest was history... now she had a steady place to live and had the financial security that came from being part of a guild.

Lucia let the evening wind blow through her hair as she walked through the lightly populated park. During her time as a Guildless mage she had never visited the park and as a result was taking her time exploring a place that was new to her. She did not understand why the area was named "Solemn Park" when it was a calm and relaxing area in which everyone present seemed to be at peace, but there might be some backstory behind the name that she was unaware of. The blonde shrugged it off and kept going.

Lucia needed to go home to Luminous Rose Guild Hall and look for some work to do tomorrow, but she did not see any harm in staying in the park a little while longer. She was a fairly strong mage and was not afraid of the dark. If she lingered a little too long or had serious reservations about traveling to Hosenka at night she could just spend the night at a hotel here and head back to the guild hall first thing in the morning.

After making her plans Lucia kept walking at a leisurely pace while taking a sip of her coffee. As soon as her coffee was gone she would either set out for Hosenka or search for a hotel to stay in for the night. Her to-go cup was approximately three-fourths full, so she still had a good bit of time left before she had to leave the park.

Lucia's Outfit:

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[Lucia's Word Count: 452]

There was another mage lurking around her as well, one who had made a habit of visiting the park whenever she could. Talonia had always been a happy hunting ground for Medeia, having come across both Anastasia and Nita there, with the mage coming to the conclusion that it was a magnet for beautiful mages. That was what she hoped for anyway and as the Warlord sat in one of the large trees, her form that of a cat for the moment, her eyes would never leave the ground below her, waiting for a possible opportunity to come her way. It had been a while since she had last visited and the rumours that the place had been haunted had faded away. They had been started by her, of course, wishing to attract targets but when she thought about it more, they may have been just as likely to scare them off. So, she had stayed away for some time to let them fade.

The evening had been a disappointing one up to that point and there was a frown on the features of the feline as she watched. There had not been an awful lot going on and Medeia mused about maybe simply calling it a night and heading home. Yes, there had been some lovely joggers that had run beneath her a few times but they had been nothing more than your standard run of the mill humans, with no magical signature. The angel was simply not interested in typical humans any longer, having encountered so many captivating mages during the past few years instead and Medeia longed for her next encounter. Leona had been the last and while it had been a somewhat frustrating meeting at times, the witch had eventually come to feel a sense of fondness for the Wizard Saint and certainly had plans to involve herself in the blonde’s affairs again soon. Unfortunately, the chances of such an entertaining night seemed to have dropped to zero for tonight at least and it was only when Medeia stretched and prepared to leave that her attention was caught.

There was a blonde woman beneath her tree now, walking along while carrying a drink of some kind. The smell of it was strong enough to wake the dead and Medeia assumed that it must have been coffee, a drink that she did not like for that very reason. How anyone could drink such a substance was a mystery to her and with her sensitive sense of smell, it was even worse. Yet, that was not enough to draw her eyes away from the beautiful blonde and the frown on her features shifted to a smile. The woman was strong in the magical arts, judging from her aura and Medeia pondered about how best to proceed. She did not wish to have another incident like she did with Leona and so perhaps a gentler method would be best.

With all that in mind, the cat would wait until the mage had walked far enough away, before she would jump from the tree and return to a human form, dressed in her Desertian outfit, which would make her stand out quite a bit. Revealing was putting it mildly in some areas but there was a reason for it.

Following the blonde for a few seconds, she would then speak to her, her tone friendly and light. “Fond of late night walks?”

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(1024 TWC)

Lucia was still in the park and the mood was still a pleasant one. There were fewer people in the park than there had been when she first arrived, but that was because they had likely went home. She was not alarmed by the slowly decreasing number of park visitors and kept walking while taking sips from her to-go cup of coffee. The cup was roughly at the halfway point, but the blonde still had plenty of coffee to go before she either started on the road to Hosenka or went to a local hotel for the night.

Lucia could not remember the last time she had had a leisurely stroll at night. Whenever she went somewhere at night it was usually a place like Sombras Manor or Silent Cemetery and she had to fight ghosts or zombies. Tonight she was walking in the relative safety of Talonia and there were no threats of either a mundane or supernatural nature. Lucia was glad for the break from the constant travel to those dangerous places and that was why she had stayed in Solemn Park longer than she probably should have considering how far she had to travel to get home, but she would be leaving soon enough.

Lucia was walking along without a care in the world when suddenly she heard a female voice coming from behind her. The blonde was visibly startled by the unexpected voice and turned to face it, keeping her cup of coffee from spilling in the process. When she spotted who had spoken to her the blonde's face turned red.

A dark-haired and attractive young woman wearing an outfit Lucia would not dare put on even if it were part of a Halloween costume had Lucia's undivided attention. The blonde's long skirt looked like it had more fabric than the entirety of the stranger's outfit, but that was not the most important thing. Lucia felt like she should know this person from somewhere.

The Luminous Rose mage made eye contact with the young woman and took another sip of coffee  as she studied the latter's face. After several seconds the blonde was still drawing a blank, but she could not shake the feeling that she should recognize the person standing before her. Deciding to answer the question before she looked like she was deliberately ignoring the young woman, Lucia lowered the cup and spoke.

"Yes, you could say that." Lucia calmly answered the question the stranger had asked. She was not lying. From time to time Lucia liked to walk at night, especially with a hot to-go cup of coffee in hand. She was a strong enough mage that she did not have to worry about most threats she might encounter on an evening stroll and she doubted that she would run into any trouble within the boundaries of Talonia.

[Post Word Count: 476]
[Lucia's Word Count: 928]
[Total Word Count: 1,500]

Purple coloured eyes would never drift away from the woman for long and Medeia smiled inwardly at the reaction to her clothing. It actually spoke quite a bit about the blonde mage before her and the cogs inside the witch’s head were already turning. Profiling was something that the Warlord had always been something that she considered herself to be good at and the lovely lady before her seemed to be fairly readable. If she blushed just because of Medeia’s clothing than just what else would cause that reaction? Perhaps she was the shy and innocent type? If so, then the dark haired woman would find out and the angel had always had a fondness for such types. There was something so sweet about them that caused her heart to melt just a little.

There was no recognition from the woman either, giving Medeia the idea that perhaps she was not familiar with her appearance. That was both a plus and a minus in her opinion although by the time that their time together was done, they certainly would be well acquainted. The Warlord had already made up her mind about what she wanted to happen here and once that decision had been reached, it would take an awful lot to change it. She wished to get to know this woman, in her own rather eccentric way and nothing was going to stop her from doing so.

As she approached the woman, listening to the answer to her question, the angel would start to detect something unusual from the blonde. It was something in her magical aura that drew the Warlord in, a familiar draw that Medeia knew all too well. Holiness. That was what it was and the dark mage wondered if there was more to this girl than met the eye. Was she more than just a mage? Possibly a creature similar to herself?  There was a possibility that could be the case and it aroused Medeia’s curiosity even further.

“Something we have in common then. I find myself going out on them quite often too. So calm and relaxing.” Her eyes may have been honed in on the blonde’s but it was not an intimidating look. Just one of mild interest.

Pausing in front of her, Medeia would deliberately show off her outfit just a little to try and get another blush out of the blonde, testing to see if the first time had just been a fluke. “I come here often but I have never seen you before. What is your name?” She asked with genuine enthusiasm, curious to know just whose life she was about to insert herself into.

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Lucia observed the dark-haired young woman close the distance and stop a short distance away, then move as if she were giving the blonde a better look at her outfit. Lucia blushed as she could not help but to observe how little the outfit covered thanks to the latter being close enough for detail to be seen. If her late mother Elizabeth had caught her wearing anything like that she would have been slapped into next week if she were lucky. If she were unlucky she would have been slapped into the next year.

Recovering from the embarrassment of realizing that she had just looked at another young woman's appearance just a bit too long to be polite, Lucia had to take a sip of coffee to calm down enough to think straight. As she thought she recalled that she had been asked her name. Lucia lowered the coffee cup and looked the other young woman in the eyes in another effort to determine if she should know the dark-haired stranger from somewhere. After almost a minute the blonde was still drawing a blank, so she would not dwell on that and risk being rude by staring when she had committed a more serious faux pas just moments earlier.

Lucia had never had that sort of reaction to another young woman's attire before. The blonde had been flustered when the witch who ran the Brewing Up Trouble stand at the Halloween event in Hosenka had walked up to her and gently kissed her on the right cheek after the Luminous Rose mage's transformation into a pale-haired and pale-skinned version of herself, but that was due to physical contact. Normally Lucia did not react to the clothing choices of others, but something about the dark-haired young woman standing before her had made her blush. Maybe it was the distinct and otherworldly beauty of their appearance... Lucia had not seen anyone else with the combination of eye color, hair color, and height the young woman had.

"My name's Lucia. Lucia Winchester." Lucia calmly introduced herself, trying to get her mind off of her earlier mistake so that she did not ruin the conversation by making another embarrassing mistake. The blonde then took another sip of coffee and waited for a response. It felt like the person in front of her was familiar, but the blonde just could not put a name to a face to save her life.

Was the dark-haired young woman a musician, a fashion model, an actress, or some other famous person she should know?

[Post Word Count: 426]
[Lucia's Word Count: 1,354]
[Total Word Count: 2,370]

There was definitely a shyness to the woman and Medeia could not help but smile again. It had been quite some time since she had last come across such an innocent flower and the dark haired woman found it incredibly charming. She had no idea why it was the case but it had always been that way. Sakura, Anastasia, Kyra, all innocent souls who had been able to blush their way into Medeia’s heart. Perhaps Lucia would end up joining the group in time although that was up in the air. The Warlord had come to accept the fact that not every encounter went exactly the way she wanted it and maybe there was an inner steel to this lovely lady that was just bubbling underneath the surface. She had thought that Leona was simply a hard as nails kind of girl but beneath was a far more awkward and naive girl, struggling to come to terms with who she was and struggling with the pressure that she put on herself. The witch was surprised more often than expected these days.

For some reason, the coffee drinking girl kept looking at her, as though she was trying to figure out who Medeia was. It was a rather rare event nowadays, given her constantly being mentioned in that delightful magazine, not to mention her various duels with mages across the land. The days of her stalking around as an unknown mage were over, forcing her to have to take on other personas in order to do such things. She could have done that with Lucia but for some reason, Medeia believed that honesty was the best policy here. Lying had not helped an awful lot with her last captive and the angel was always attempting to improve her mental skills.

“A pleasure to meet you, Lucia, I will not forget it.” There was certainly no lie there. She never forgot a face, especially one as delightful as the blonde before her.

“My name is Medeia, one of the Guildmasters of Errings Rising, as well as a Warlord of Fiore.” She added after a few moments, amused by Lucia’s lack of knowledge, a chuckle escaping her lips. “Have no fear. I do not take offence if you have not heard of me before.”

At that point, her eyes would briefly leave the woman’s face, looking over the beautiful woman’s form without even trying to hide the fact. “Tell me, my dear, are you a member of one of Fiore’s guilds or do you prefer to work alone?” Her various encounters had allowed her to make bonds with mages in many guilds and she could not help but ponder just where Lucia called home.

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Lucia heard the other young woman introduce herself as "Medeia" and also learned that the latter held high rank in a guild named "Errings Rising." Now the blonde had a name to put to the face of the beautiful young woman standing before her, but the name still did not ring a bell. Lucia probably needed to pay more attention to the news, but the truth of the matter was that she did not watch television or use social media. That was not because she was trying to rebel against modern society by eschewing modern media or because she was a technophobe. Lucia was simply too busy working on behalf of Luminous Rose to have much time for keeping up with the news.

Another problem she had was that being dead for four years prior to being resurrected had put her way behind the times, but Medeia did not need to know that.

"This is the first time I've heard of you or the guild you're part of. Sorry about that." Lucia replied to Medeia's introduction with an admission of ignorance that was genuine. Lucia was not mocking the other mage by feigning ignorance of who she was... the blonde honestly had no idea who she was dealing with. All she knew about Medeia so far was that she was beautiful and that she had no problem wearing revealing outfits in public.

Lucia noticed Medeia look her over and almost immediately blushed because she was not used to anyone really paying attention to her body, especially not another young woman. Her face turned red and since she was at a loss for words she quickly drank a bit of coffee to buy herself a moment or two to calm down. Lucia had little right to complain about what just happened considering how she had looked Medeia over not too long ago, but she was still flustered by the attention she had received.

Once Lucia was calm again she recalled Medeia's question and made eye contact with the latter before answering it.

"I'm a member of Luminous Rose." Lucia calmly told Medeia which guild she was part of. The blonde did not see any problem with telling the other mage that information since Medeia had told Lucia which guild she was in first. Now Lucia waited to see where the conversation went next.

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[Lucia's Word Count: 1,746]
[Total Word Count: 3,213]

So she was ignorant when it came to such things. A fact that Medeia had every intention of exploiting as much as possible. There were advantages to that and the witch mused that perhaps she could avoid the unfortunate circumstances that had played out when she had met other more powerful mages. So often such meetings had ended in violence, something that the angel did not honestly desire and it always put a damper on what was to follow. Her guests would always be so suspicious and distrusting after seeing her power, which naturally made getting to them far more difficult. Perhaps that was why she was fonder of more innocent souls, women who rather than tried to fight, actually chose to accept what she offered and went with her willingly. When she thought about it, such meetings had always ended up being far more comfortable for both herself and her captive, with both gaining something from the exchange.

The answer to her question caused Medeia to smile wildly, her lavender eyes twinkling with delight. “I have friends in your guild and I must admit that I consider it to be a favourite of mine Whenever I come across a mage of Luminous Rose, I know that I am in for a fun time. There must be three or four current members other than yourself that I have met before.” Of course, she did not go into details just yet as to what those encounters had resulted in but the fact was that the Warlord was almost obsessed with that particular guild and her ever increasing intrigue in the blonde woman before her only blossomed further with the knowledge she was a member too. “I must say that you are as beautiful as each and every one of them. It seems to be something that you all have in common.”

Noticing the continued blushing of the woman before her, Medeia would chuckle. “Forgive me if I am being a little forward. I do not mean to make you feel uncomfortable, I just struggle to keep my opinions to myself when I am talking to such a lovely lady.”

She was about to pose another question but briefly pondered whether there was any point in asking. Surely a woman such as Lucia would have a significant other already, given how sweet she was. Medeia did not desire another situation as she had with her previous captive, where Leona’s own relationship status had been a source of interference and awkwardness.

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"You're friends with some of the other members of Luminous Rose?" Lucia asked in genuine surprise. She had never known that, but then again she did not know very much about her guildmates either. Lucia had met Nita, the Faulkner trio, and perhaps Lyra, but she could not remember if she had met Lyra for certain. What was certain was that the blonde blushed when offered a compliment on her beauty.

"I-I wouldn't say that I look as amazing as you think I do, but thanks." Lucia downplayed the compliment a little, her eyes turning towards the ground for a few moments so that she did not look like she was appraising Medeia's looks yet again. She did not invest very much in beauty products and she did not go out of her way to find and purchase fashionable clothing, so she did not look nearly as good as she could have had she invested more in makeup and clothing. Lucia also did not care about looking good for anyone, which was why she tended to dress plainly and use just enough makeup to get by when she used it.

The blonde could not remember the last time she had really went out of her way to dress up and look good. She could not remember the exact amount of time that had passed since that occasion, but it had to be when she was back in Bellum and her family was still alive. Lucia did not dwell on the past all that much because she had been given the incredibly rare gift of a second chance at life and was focused on taking advantage of it.

Lucia could not help but to wonder why Medeia was offering so many compliments to her. She guessed that the dark-haired young woman was drawn to other women. Lucia was not sure where she stood because she had never really had the chance to meet potential partners. Her mother was very strict when it came to who her children dated and Lucia had never gotten a chance to date because she was too busy trying to take care of her younger sisters. In between her sister Melody abusing them, her brother Lucius abusing them, and her mother terrorizing them during one of her numerous bouts of intoxication, the blonde had had her hands full trying to care for them despite not being trained or equipped to be a substitute mother.

"I-it's fine, really. I'm just not u-used to the attention." Lucia accepted Medeia's apology. It was obvious that the blonde was embarrassed by the other mage's attention. Lucia was not used to receiving compliments about her appearance, so she was unable to hide when she was flustered.

[Post Word Count: 454]
[Lucia's Word Count: 2,200]
[Total Word Count: 4,085]

“Mmm. Nita, Sakura, Illya, Suzhen. I have met them before although I am not sure if they are all still members of Luminous Rose. It has been some time since I have spoken to some of them and mages do seem to come and go quite a lot these days.” Sadly that was not just a problem with legal guilds as Medeia had lost many allies due to them suddenly disappearing without a trace. It sometimes made her wonder whether she should be a little more stringent when it came to keeping an eye on them. The Warlord may have had an unusual relationship with the fairer sex but it still hurt when one of her girls disappeared on her. There were many that she missed and dearly wished that she could have in her arms again.

“There is no need to sell yourself short, my dear, you are simply radiant.” The angel would then go on to say, once more admiring the woman before her. It would be quite clear that Medeia liked the blonde woman before her and the adorable stutter was only drawing her in more. For a woman so strong with magic, she was awfully bashful, a combination that the dark mage found rather unique. She was certainly different to both Nita and Leona, who oozed with a confidence that Lucia seemed to still be trying to find. Medeia hoped that she would find it in time and if she needed a little help in finding it then the Warlord mused that perhaps she could help in her own way.

She was glad that Lucia was willing to accept her apology and rather surprised at her admission that she was not used to such things. The Warlord was rarely stunned these days but she was for a moment then. “What? You mean to tell me that you do not have other admirers? I am genuinely surprised by that. I would have thought that you would have plenty of suitors who wanted to get to know you. Your guild is well known for having the most beautiful mages, after all.” The name was rather apt in the angel’s opinion and Lucia certainly fit in well.

Taking a step forward so that she was rather close, Medeia chuckled and added after a moment. “You are adorable when you blush. I have met a lot of lovely mages in my time but you might just be the most precious.” It was of course a compliment but behind it, there was something else. Medeia knew herself and there was no chance that she was going to allow such a sweet woman to escape her clutches. She wanted to know every detail about this woman. Her past, her goals, what that strange and yet familiar tinge to her magical aura was. The last of those reminded her so strongly of her own past, a feeling that she could not shake off. It was enthralling and yet unnerved her slightly too. Just who was this girl?

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"Out of all of those names I've heard of Nita and Sakura. I've met Nita but not Sakura." Lucia confessed. She definitely knew about Nita but did not know anything about Sakura other than the name and her membership in Luminous Rose. Perhaps Lucia should try and meet her one day when she had the time.

"R-radiant?" Lucia asked nervously, her face still a little red from the earlier compliments. She was probably making herself look like an ingenue by her behavior and in a way she was one. Despite being in her thirties she had never had the chance to date anyone because of her mother's strictness and the necessity of taking care of her younger siblings. Lucia was not used to anyone paying her compliments on her appearance, which was plain compared to the dark-haired young woman standing before her, who had an otherwordly beauty and the confidence to wear clothing Lucia would not be caught dead in.

When the topic of admirers was brought up the blonde's face turned red. Again.

"I-I don't have any a-admirers. I h-haven't had the chance to date anyone. Honest." Lucia confessed to Medeia as her face burned from embarrassment and she struggled to keep eye contact. She had turned the heads of young men and women alike and had been kissed on the cheek a couple of times, but the blonde had never been in a relationship because of her responsibility to her younger siblings, who could not count on their mother to care for them. Even after that responsibility had been lifted due to the poisoned wine claiming the lives of almost all of them and she was free to pursue her second chance at life Lucia had not made an effort to find a significant other. One reason she had not looked for a date was because she was not sure how to go about finding one.

"Y-you really think I'm a-adorable? And... and precious? R-really?" Lucia asked Medeia a genuine question. She was not sure what Medeia was getting at when she had made those claims about the blonde, but she hoped she would find out soon. The attention the other mage was giving Lucia was making her flustered... she had never expected another young woman to say such things about her. She wanted to ask Medeia if the latter had a partner to try and give herself some breathing room, but she was too embarrassed to ask such a personal question.

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[Lucia's Word Count: 2,614]
[Total Word Count: 5,003]

“Nita and I have quite the complicated relationship and I doubt that she would speak of it in the same way as I do.” Medeia replied with a chuckle. They were rivals in a way although perhaps frenemies was a more apt description. The dark haired witch adored her fellow slayer and while they had fought on occasion, there had been more tender moments too. A complex set of affairs but the Warlord was glad that she had come across the beautiful mage, in almost the exact same spot that Lucia and the dark mage were talking in now. Talonia did seem to be a magnet for drawing in lovely mages, a place that Medeia had pretty much claimed as her own.

“Yes, radiant, there is almost a holy look to you and I find it rather captivating.” It was simply meant as yet another compliment but as she said it, Medeia cottoned on to where the sensation that she was experiencing had come from. There was a holy vibe to the woman and the witch pondered as to just whether Lucia was actually angelic or whether it was simply a form of magic that she wielded. Whatever the answer, the dark mage was determined to find it and if she had not already planned to take the woman with her when she left, she certainly had now. A woman with such powers, if put against her, could cause issues in the future.

“Mmm. Well, you certainly have one now but I still struggle to understand how someone such as you has never at least had a girlfriend. Has your life been so difficult that you have never had the freedom to pursue such things?” It was partly simply a repeat of what Lucia had said but it was a question too. What had the beautiful blonde been through in order to prevent her from branching out? The stories of those she met always fascinated the mage and she was curious as to Lucia’s past.

“I would not say such things if I did not mean them.” The angel replied with a smile. “You are beautiful and I cannot take my eyes away from you. Breathtaking would not do you justice, my dear. A delicate flower who I feel incredibly lucky to have seen blossom in person.” Her tone was as sweet as honey and while there was no real sign of anything other than genuine affection in her expression, underneath, there was a tingling of lust that was starting to stir within.

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"I've only met Nita a few times and we're not really that close." Lucia told Medeia that although she had met Nita a few times before she knew little about her guildmate. She knew that the other Luminous Rose mage was of high rank in the guild and had an uncanny habit of appearing unexpectedly, but other than that Nita was a mystery to her. Perhaps she was a mystery to Nita as well.

"I have a l-look that's h-holy? Me? Really?" Lucia asked in clipped sentences, her embarrassment deepening at the compliment. She had no idea what the other mage meant by that statement. Lucia wielded Holy magic, but she did not consider herself anything special, just a mage who preferred healing and helping others to fighting. Most of the enemies she fought tended to be supernatural entities and whether by fate or coincidence her primary magic was well-suited to fighting that type of enemy. Lucia had turned countless zombies to dust with her spells long before they could get within range of her and she did not even need to use Seraph's Fury to score a quick kill because her magic was that powerful against the undead.

Lucia raised her coffee cup to her lips and drank what was left of the beverage, then turned away and tossed the empty cup at the opening of a nearby trash can. The cup went into the hole in the top without even touching the sides. Now that that was done she turned to face Medeia again and pieced together what she had just been told.

"Are you serious? I-I have a-an admirer now? W-what does that m-mean? Are you talking about... about..." Lucia asked a question before sputtering out at the end, her hands covering her face the entire time. She was not entirely sure if she got the meaning of the other mage's statement, but she had a vague suspicion. She was too embarrassed to ask for further confirmation, so she focused on the question she had been asked.

"My life w-wasn't very hard, b-but I had a lot of responsibilities. At h-home. I had to do a-a lot of things I wasn't ready to d-do. Like run a... a household." Lucia sputtered out a hint that her home life interfered with her ability to go out and date anyone.

"And I-I've never had a g-girlfriend. My mother wouldn't allow... allow it. Not at all. She said that I was to only date... date men. Never another girl." Lucia sputtered another fact about her past before Medeia's next statement made her lose the modicum of composure she managed to regain after finishing her drink.

"I. I don't know what to... to say to that. I've never. Never had anyone say those. Things about me." Lucia eventually replied to Medeia's assertion that the latter had meant everything she had said. The blonde's eyes were on the ground and her hands were trying to cover her beet-red face. The palms of her hands were beginning to burn and she was not sure how much longer she could cope with the stream of compliments before her palms were scorched from the heat radiating from her face.

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[Lucia's Word Count: 3,148]
[Total Word Count: 5,960]

Rather than continue with her compliments, Medeia would give the woman a few moments to calm down. It was obvious that she was not used to being treated in such a way, a fact that saddened the angel up to a point. To have to spend her early years running a household sounded rather harsh instead of making the most of her what should have been more free years was a great shame. What was worse was the revelation that Lucia had been instructed only to date men, something that reminded Medeia of Leona’s situation. The witch despised that attitude and it was one that she had unfortunately experienced in her own life as well

Easing up a little, she would try to gently pry Lucia’s hands away from her face so that she could look her in the eyes. “It sounds like a rather rough life to me. To have been forced to grow up at such a young age cannot have been easy and from the sounds of it, your household was not a small one that was easy to manage. Your parents should not have forced all of that upon you. They took the best years of your life, whether they were aware of it or not.” There was no mockery in her tone, sounding perfectly genuine and considerate. In truth, the Warlord sympathised with her situation.

The dark mage sighed then, before referring to something else. “I have come across many people who still believe that a couple should be strictly between a man and a woman. It is all nonsense to me and I am willing to confess to you that I have no interest in men at all. My own family was stuck in that state of mind too. Believe me, love between two women is equally as pure as it is between a man and woman. I have never dated a man and I never will, the thought actually sickens me a little.”

It was only then that she returned to compliments although for Lucia’s sake, she kept them short and sweet. “You have no need to be bashful about accepting compliments, my dear. I know that I have been laying them on too much and again I apologise for that. I mean what I say though and I hope you will believe me. There is something angelic about you and it reminds me of…myself.”

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Lucia's face stayed red as Medeia approached her, but for some reason she allowed the other young woman to lower her hands away from her face.

"It wasn't easy." Lucia started off, her voice calmer and easier to understand than it had been because she was not stuttering at the moment.

"It wasn't easy running the household, but someone had to do it. My father was busy at work and when he wasn't at work he was really fond of wine. My mother was a stay-at-home mother, but... well, the less said about her the better." Lucia gave a bit more information about what passed for her childhood. She knew the old adage "never speak ill of the dead" and tried to obey it, but her parents were not the best and she knew it. Her father never physically abused her or any of her siblings, but he indirectly enabled her mother's neglect of any Winchester not named Melody or Lucius. To Elizabeth those two could do no wrong, but all of the other Winchester children were in for a rough time, especially the hapless Diana.

Lucia listened to the other mage's statement about romance and blushed again, though not as intensely as she had earlier.

"My mother had the old-fashioned mindset that a woman dating another woman was improper. When I asked her why she told me that she was interested in another young woman when she was a teenager. It didn't end well for her because one day her parents found out and gave her a beating that gave her a lot of bruises and a black eye that lasted for several days." Lucia explained why her mother had been so adamantly opposed to Lucia or any other female Winchester dating another woman. Elizabeth had told her that story back when she could control her drinking, which was around the time Lucia was sixteen. The Luminous Rose mage had a feeling that the beating received from her parents had driven her mother to drink alcohol to cope... she had gotten other hints that her mother's childhood was a rough one with a lot of abuse and neglect, but Elizabeth had not seen fit to tell Lucia anything else about her childhood and that was probably for the best.

"I don't mind the compliments, really. I know I'm wearing this point out, but I've never had anyone tell me such things before and I don't know how to feel about them." Lucia confessed to Medeia that while compliments were new she appreciated them. Her curiosity was engaged when Medeia made two unusual claims. The blonde mage's facial expression showed that curiosity.

"What do you mean by those claims, Medeia?" Lucia politely asked Medeia to explain what she had meant by the claims the dark-haired young woman had just made.

[Post Word Count: 470]
[Lucia's Word Count: 3,618]
[Total Word Count: 6,832]

From what she was hearing, there was apparently bad blood between Lucia and her mother, a fact that caused Medeia to sigh. How often was it that the unhappiness of those she met stemmed from their negligent parents? It was the same for her in a way although in her case, it was her father who was the one who had caused her pain, so much so that it had turned her against the entire male gender. She came from a man’s world, so to speak and it had taken an incredible amount of force from her in order to change that. She had but in doing so had annihilated the entire male side of her family. It was retribution for what they had done to her, as well as her maid, who had been forced to take part in indignities that the Warlord would not speak of. “I understand how painful it is to have parents who do not care. Mine were no better.”

To hear about Lucia’s mother having to go through a painful experience due to her own orientation was surprising but it did not alter her view on her that much. “It is unfortunate that she was forced to suffer just because she was interested in her own gender but that is no reason to stop you. I hope that if it is a woman who captures your heart then you will not be afraid to follow your feelings.” She hoped that Lucia’s mother was not as stubborn as Leona’s was, who from all intents and purposes was like a mule in that regard.

When Lucia asked about Medeia’s last point, the Warlord pondered whether to come clean or not but saw no reason as to hide anything. Lying had not aided her all that much in gaining the confidence of her last captive so perhaps honesty would work better. “I suppose you could say that I am an angel rather than a human and I feel that same radiance coming from you. Maybe it is your magic or something else but I can detect that there is something holy about you. It called to me from the moment I saw you.” Whatever it was, it certainly drew Medeia to the blonde woman and she was immensely curious as to discover what the answer to this mystery was. She honestly doubted that Lucia was a threat to her because of it but she was slightly wary nonetheless.

(411 Words)
(7243 TWC)

"The experience of effectively being on my own because of my parents not being available taught me how to stand on my own, but it was a rough learning experience. I can't deny that." Lucia tried to put a silver lining on the experience, but doing so was a serious stretch and Medeia might be able to pick up on that. She had not been taught many of the skills she would need to care for her siblings such as cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, and basic first aid. Fortunately for her Melody and Lucius were old enough to not need much help, but unfortunately for her they tended to terrorize their younger siblings and make things more difficult than they had to be. Lucia never understood what compelled her sister and brother to abuse their siblings like they had... many times she had had to pick up one of her sisters off of the floor after an "accident" that was actually Lucius or Melody shoving them onto the floor for whatever reason.

When it came to pursuing someone she was interested in even if they were of the same gender Lucia's face briefly turned red.

"I... I don't know where I stand right now, Medeia. This is the first time I've ever really had to think about the subject. Before I met you it was in the back of my mind." Lucia confessed to Medeia that she had never really thought about romance. It was more than what she was told in the past that was keeping her from pursuing a potential partner. Her work as part of Luminous Rose also played a role in her not giving the subject much consideration... she had taken a liking to the lifestyle of a guild mage and wanted to keep it going for as long as she could. Lucia liked the work and she liked the money, but she also liked being part of a guild with people she could get along with.

When told she was speaking to an angel Lucia was visibly surprised.

"You're... you're an angel?" Lucia inquired. She was not trying to make light of the other mage's claim. The blonde was simply surprised by that admission because she believed she had been talking to an ordinary mage, not a mythical being.

"And you're picking up the same kind of energy from me?" Lucia asked another question of the dark-haired young woman. Lucia was not feigning ignorance. This was a rare occasion where someone had picked up on her Holy magic and made it known that they knew what they were sensing.

[Post Word Count: 434]
[Lucia's Word Count: 4,052]
[Total Word Count: 7,677]

Considering what she had been through, it was rather inspiring that Lucia was able to put a positive spin on her unfortunate upbringing. There were many who would crumble or become bitter having suffered through such an experience and Medeia had come across more than her fair share of mages who had been turned because of such things. That did not seem to be a problem for Lucia though and Medeia mused that beneath the woman’s seemingly innocent persona, there was an iron will within. She was certainly tough in the magic department and Medeia did not need to fight her to discover that.

“I am certain that one day you will come across something that you adore.” The Warlord replied to Lucia’s remark about romance. “I have found that it tends to turn up when you least suspect it but try not to let your mother’s outdated views affect you too much. The people of Fiore are pretty open when it comes to same gender relationships and very few seem to share her views on the subject. A good thing too, otherwise I would have to do something about it.” Medeia spoke in jest but there was a hint of truth in her words. Homophobia was not something that she tolerated.

In response to the blonde woman’s comment about Medeia’s angelic background, the witch smiled and answered. “It is not the easiest process to explain but it started as kind of a Takeover situation but over time, I reached an understanding with the angel and we became one. It is not something that normally happens but I was determined to truly master my abilities and in doing so, I became an angel myself. I am not even a Takeover mage any more, I have gone beyond it. There are no mages in Fiore who have mastered the magic to the same extent as me.” Boasting was not her intention, it was just the simple truth as never had she come across anyone who could match her when it came to that specific form of magic.

Nodding her head, she would then continue. “Mmm. I can sense something holy about you, as I have already said. It is as if there is an angelic aura around you, one that I can sense. If I was to guess, I would say that you either use holy magic or you are a similar being to me. The latter might lead to difficulties though as my fellow angels do not like me and the feeling is mutual.”

(424 Words)
(8101 TWC)

"I might find someone one day, but I'm not in any big hurry. I've still got some time and I don't need to settle for the first person I find." Lucia commented on the subject of romance. She was not in any big hurry to look for a romantic partner because she had other things to do with her time. Besides, part of her was not ready to give up the single life just yet.

Lucia had heard Medeia's remarks on the old-fashioned views of her mother and how relaxed views on same-sex relationships were in Fiore. She also heard Medeia make a statement that could be construed as a threat and it hinted that the dark-haired mage had no reservations about "educating" people who touted the superiority of old-fashioned views or otherwise spoke out against same-sex relationships. The Luminous Rose mage, not wanting to open either can of worms, decided to focus instead on the subject of Medeia's magic. The other mage said that her magic was of the Takeover type and gave Lucia a brief rundown on how over time she had become something else entirely.

Next came a confirmation that Medeia really did sense the Holy properties of Lucia's magic and a remark that the former had a quarrel with other angels to the point that there was mutual animosity between them. Lucia had a suspicion that the statement was an implied threat... if the blonde really was an angel there was a high likelihood of a clash between the two mages that would involve more than words. The Luminous Rose mage, while wary of what had been said, was not intimidated because she had survived a tough battle with a necromancer in Silent Cemetery plus trips into Sombras Manor and Haunted Castle.

"Despite what some people might think I'm no angel. I just use Holy magic. Other than the magic there's not really anything special about me. I put my pants on one leg at a time like anyone else." Lucia explained that she was not an angel and stated that the Holy feeling was a result of her magic. She also stated that other than possessing that type of magic there was nothing special about her. No special destiny, no special origin, nothing to set her above the ordinary person. If some people were asked they might claim Lucia had an unusual ability to show up in the right place at the right time to help others in a time of great need, but it was not like a divine hand guided her towards those individuals. The blonde mage did not see why Medeia was so fascinated with her, but she did not say that and let the dark-haired mage continue to talk.

[Post Word Count: 458]
[Lucia's Word Count: 4,510]
[Total Word Count: 8,559]

“You run a household pretty much single handedly, wield Holy magic and have a magical aura that most other mages would die for? I would not say that you are just a normal person, Lucia, anything but. It must have taken a lot of inner strength to get where you are today.” Medeia replied with a smile, complimenting the blonde woman once again. There was clearly more to the mage before her than met the eye and the Warlord would not be satisfied until she figured out just what that was. “It is rather rare that I meet someone who is as potent with magic as you and I confess that the last time I encountered such admirable Holy power was when I fought the Archbishop of Bellum during the war. She is a powerful user of magic as well. Not quite strong enough to overpower me though.” The reason she said that was two fold, one to compliment Lucia and the other to try and figure out her opinions on the current conflict, thinking that it might help figure her out a little more.

The Luminous’s Rose mage had mentioned her family before and Medeia was rather keen to try and gain more information about that particular topic. It was not enough that she learned about Lucia and the knowledge thirsty witch was always keen to delve deeper. She suspected that there was an unpleasant story there, going by what Lucia had already said and Medeia could not help but ponder if perhaps there was someone else that she could maybe get her hands on. After meeting Leona, the dark haired woman had discovered a certain fondness for spreading her influence throughout the family tree of those she captured. She was uncertain why but it just gave her encounters a little extra spice.

“You must have a large family if it is so difficult to run.” She commented casually, before asking a question. “Did you have brothers and sisters to keep an eye on or something while growing up?” The query sounded reasonable enough but Medeia was keenly hoping to discover enough for her to perhaps go on a little search of her own in future. She liked this woman and that, unfortunately for Lucia, put a target on those she cared for too. Would Medeia hurt them? Not if she could help it but sometimes things went awry.

(400 Words)
(8959 TWC)

"It wasn't easy to get to the point I'm at. It took quite a bit of determination and a lot of work." Lucia admitted in the closest she had gotten to accepting a compliment without trying to downplay it. She had had to work hard to get this powerful, but she had not done it to get the might to boss around weaker mages. She had done it to be more useful to Luminous Rose and to better fight any threats she might encounter while working for the guild. While her Holy magic was especially powerful against the supernatural, it could work against humans too, albeit without the added power it had against ghosts, zombies, and the like.

When Lucia heard Medeia confess to getting into a fight against the Archbishop of Bellum the blonde felt the conversation take a turn for the ominous, but she did not visibly panic.

"You fought the Archbishop of Bellum?" Lucia asked the other mage in a serious tone. She knew that the ongoing war was a reason for the fight, but she wondered if there was something beyond duty that gave Medeia a reason to clash with the Archbishop such as a personal grudge against Bellum. Lucia was a native of that country, but she did not see Bellum nor its leadership as infallible.

Hearing the topic of her family being brought up, particularly the inquiry about the composition of her family, made Lucia wary. She did not like how specific it was and had reason to wonder why she had been asked that. Hiding her wariness for the time being because she had no reason to become aggressive, Lucia answered the question.

"I have a family, yes. And I was the oldest child, so the responsibility of helping out fell to me." Lucia gave Medeia that much. She deliberately did not give specifics such as the names of her siblings or how many brothers and sisters she had. Lucia also did not tell Medeia that almost all of them were dead because the status of the Winchester family was none of the latter's business. All the dark-haired young woman needed to know was that the blonde had a family and that she was the oldest sibling in it.

[Post Word Count: 376]
[Lucia's Word Count: 4,886]
[Total Word Count: 9,335]

“Fought her, defeated her, almost killed her.” The witch replied in a casual tone. “She sought me out during the early stages of the battle, seemingly unhappy about the amount of troops that I had slain. As I said, she put up a good fight and managed to land a few blows on me, a rarity these days but in the end, I hit her with my most powerful spell, which even her powerful defences could not fully stop. A lot of soldiers were wiped out by that spell and if not for her, the battle might have ended right then and there. The decision to finish her was not mine though and the leader of the Pergrande forces ended up doing the honours. A shame, as I had my own plans for her.”

Pausing for a moment to let her words sink in, she would then add. “I am not a fan of Bellum and their blind worshipping of Arcanos is the reason why. I have little fondness for nations who cling to religion, especially ones which revolve around a god. If I had my way, I would have them worshipping me instead. A holy being who they could actually see in the flesh.” She chuckled at that point, speaking so cheerfully about such things that it might have seemed rather ominous.

Lucia was being awfully tight lipped about her family but Medeia was not known for giving up. “I see. So you had to take care of your younger siblings while your mother neglected them. Such an unfortunate story but one that is not new to me. I suppose I could say the same about my own although it was my father who was the problem. He was always far more friendly and open with the boys rather than myself and my sisters. It came back to bite him in the end, as such things always do. Was that the same for you? Was it a case of the boys being preferred?”

There was a look in her eyes now, containing just a hint of desire that always appeared when she was preparing to make a move. Honestly, Medeia did not desire a fight and wished to simply whisk the woman away without one but she was uncertain if such a scenario was possible. Lucia did not seem to be as aggressive as Leona and there was an innocence that did indeed remind her of some of her other friends. She had managed to convince them through trickery and persuasion rather than force but she was unsure about the lovely rose before her.

(435 Words)
(9770 TWC)

When she heard that the Archbishop was no longer among the living Lucia's face could not hide her surprise.

"The Archbishop's dead?" Lucia asked in genuine surprise. She had no idea that that powerful figure was dead and also had no idea that Medeia was one of the chief architects of their demise. Her ignorance of those facts was another case of her not keeping up with current events, but she did not have much time to lament her ignorance or resolve to change her ways because the other mage revealed that they had a personal grudge against Bellum. Lucia was not sure if that grudge extended to all residents of Bellum regardless of whether or not they were active participants in the war, but she could not think to ask that because when she heard Medeia's goal she was even more surprised by that, if only because of the sheer hubris of such a goal.

Instead of using her Holy powers for good Medeia wanted to become an object of worship.

"Um, well. That's certainly... ambitious." Lucia commented as politely as she could when she finally found the words to respond to the other mage's goal.

"Me, my goal's not nearly as ambitious as yours. I want to use my power to help others, preferably by healing them. I'll fight if I have to, but fighting's not my first solution to every problem." Lucia laid out what her goal was in case Medeia thought the blonde was harboring similar ambitions and wanted to eliminate the competition. She also revealed that she preferred being a healer to being a fighter, but that did not mean that she was a pacifist. If it became necessary the blonde would fight someone, but she did not enjoy conflict. Medeia was free to take that as a threat if she wanted, but it was the truth and Lucia would not back down from her stance.

"You could say that boys were the favored gender, but make no mistake. They didn't rule the household. My mother did." Lucia told Medeia a little bit more about her family while avoiding specifics. The blonde had told the truth... from a certain point of view. Males were preferred because her mother desperately wanted more sons. As a result of being one of only two male offspring Lucius was the favored son and he got his way in a lot of things, but in the end Elizabeth was the ruler of the Winchester household. Not even he was exempt from her laws when she was sober enough to make a decree.

[Post Word Count: 432]
[Lucia's Word Count: 5,318]
[Total Word Count: 10,202]

“I think she was an Archbishop or perhaps a Cardinal. They have so many titles that it is difficult for me to remember who is what. All I know is that she was leading the defence of Bellum and fell trying to protect it. I confess that I had some respect for her after our fight and I might just have let her live but the Admiral in charge of Pergrande is an efficient woman and wanted the Cardinal dead. If it were me, I would have probably taken her back with me…as I do with all those that I take an interest in.” Not only was that the honest truth but also a warning of what might just happen to Lucia as well. There was a concreteness to the angel’s words, as though it was fated to happen although she did not say it directly.

“A Warlord without ambition is not one at all.” She then went on to say. “It takes a great deal of work for the Council to grant a mage such a lofty title and I had to work for years. Honestly, it was not one I was expecting but I admit that I enjoy the title. Lust is such a lovely sin to be known as, after all.” The dark haired woman was amused by Lucia’s polite way of speaking and so her reply was equally soft.

Her eyebrows would raise as the Luminous Rose member spoke of her own objectives. “A noble goal and it seems that we share the idea of not wanting to use violence as our first method of handling a situation. It is admirable to want to heal those in need and I hope that you succeed but as you said, there are times where words alone will not suffice. Some opponents will not be willing to take no for an answer when you try to find an alternative.”

In answer to Lucia’s remark about her family, Medeia would chuckle with amusement. “It seems that I am coming across quite a few ladies with authoritarian mothers lately. I hope that your sisters were not treated too poorly though as nothing annoys me more than mistreated girls.” Her words were not merely idle ones and Medeia could feel a tingling of anger inside her body at the thought, hoping that Lucia was able to handle the household effectively enough to prevent that.

(402 Words)
(10604 TWC)

Lucia was speechless when she heard that the high-ranking individual had died while fighting in defense of Bellum. She did not care for some of Bellum's ways, but she did not want to see her home country destroyed nor did she want to see its people hurt. She especially did not want to see the Winchester family home destroyed along with the family crypt containing the bodies of her parents and siblings. Lucia tried to conceal her distress the best she could, but if Medeia were paying attention she might see traces of it on the blonde's face. She also deliberately avoided commenting on what Medeia had intended for the high-ranking individual because the blonde honestly did not know what to say to that.

"L-l-lust?" Lucia stuttered a question when she heard the Warlord's full title. The blonde still did not fully understand what the other mage was getting at when she revealed it, but her face gradually reddened as she thought about the title and its potential implications. Medeia had to have a lot of confidence to go by such a moniker, but Lucia did not dare say that aloud.

"With some threats violence is the only way. I've dealt with plenty of zombies and ghosts because there's no negotiating with them. I hope that I never have to raise my hand against another human, but I will if there's no other choice. In my opinion pacifism is the quickest way to an early grave." Lucia elaborated a bit on her stance, one that the other mage seemed to share despite her somewhat threatening title. Medeia might interpret that statement as a veiled threat, but what Lucia said was how she truly felt on the matter. Losing her own life earlier than usual had shown the Luminous Rose mage the value of human life and that lesson was part of why she preferred a peaceful solution to problems if a solution that both parties could agree on could be found. However, she was not naive enough to believe that violence was always avoidable. Sometimes it was an unfortunate necessity.

"Having to run a household where sons were preferred could get rough at times." Lucia calmly replied to the statement while alluding to Lucius' atrocious behavior towards her and her younger sisters, especially Diana. Medeia did not need to know the exact details of how the Winchester household had been managed because it was none of her business. The persistent questioning about the Winchester family was starting to make Lucia a little curious about why that subject was being visited so often, but she had nothing solid enough to make her clam up entirely, so she would keep doling out information in small doses.

[Post Word Count: 454]
[Lucia's Word Count: 5,772]
[Total Word Count: 11,058]