Alucard \\ Adrian F. Ţepeş (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
cryptsleeper) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
abraxaslogs2023-07-05 08:04 pm
cryptsleeper) wrote in abraxaslogs2023-07-05 08:04 pm
Entry tags:
[closed]
Who: Alucard and Hilda
When: First half of July
Where: Old Public Hall, after hours
What: Discussing home spheres
Warnings: See thread markers
>[Old Public Hall will always have a sense of home for Alucard. It was the second major project he threw himself into when he came to the Free Cities, and it took well over a year of his life. The need to have a project helped center him, and the progress on the building was something the dhampir could settle against. It was easier to be human shaped with a project, with a need to finish something, and somehow everything else fell into place around the Hall.
It is why he's so comfortable now, comfortable in one of the chairs that occupies what is now Hilda's office. It feels homier somehow. Lived in, in a way he could never make it feel himself. There's a creative energy in it that is markedly different than the architect's need, all precision and properness. Now it's about keeping things running, but also about creating, and enabling others to do the same.
He lets out a little huff, eyes going over to Hilda's. How long have they been talking nonsense this evening?]
--Ah, I still owe you an explanation about the nervousness remark I made back in the Feywilds, don't I?
When: First half of July
Where: Old Public Hall, after hours
What: Discussing home spheres
Warnings: See thread markers
>[Old Public Hall will always have a sense of home for Alucard. It was the second major project he threw himself into when he came to the Free Cities, and it took well over a year of his life. The need to have a project helped center him, and the progress on the building was something the dhampir could settle against. It was easier to be human shaped with a project, with a need to finish something, and somehow everything else fell into place around the Hall.
It is why he's so comfortable now, comfortable in one of the chairs that occupies what is now Hilda's office. It feels homier somehow. Lived in, in a way he could never make it feel himself. There's a creative energy in it that is markedly different than the architect's need, all precision and properness. Now it's about keeping things running, but also about creating, and enabling others to do the same.
He lets out a little huff, eyes going over to Hilda's. How long have they been talking nonsense this evening?]
--Ah, I still owe you an explanation about the nervousness remark I made back in the Feywilds, don't I?
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There's a breathy laugh from her at the mention of Jaskier. That one should have been a bit of a given so that one is on her.]
Okay fine, I admit that you got me there. But just being friends with Jaskier doesn't mean that someone has a flair for the dramatics. He's friends with Geralt too. [ Her eyes shine with amusement. ] But maybe that's just a side of him I haven't seen.
[ The last thing Hilda had expected in reply to her joke is a name, let alone his real name. The same bewildered look from before appears on her face again - but this time isn't quite as dramatic of a reaction as its predecessor. ]
Adrian. [ Her features soften into something fond as her fingers quietly intertwine with his. ] I know you may have chosen Alucard but, Adrian suits you.
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No, I think Geralt is just Geralt. He does have his funny moments though. They're just drier than the desert.
[They're going to just sit like this for a while, it seems. That's actually fine so far as the dhampir is concerned. He's in a space that he trusts and with someone he trusts. What more can one ask for at this point?]
Thank you. A few people know it, including Jaskier, so consider it a small secret.
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Humour is humour I suppose.
[ She says it affectionately enough. Despite not knowing the man very well (aside from clarifying that he is not, in fact, a werewolf), she gets the impression that he cares deeply for those closest to him. Having dry humour can easily be forgiven.
So long as Alucard doesn't show any signs of discomfort or pulls away, she'll continue to take the allowance that she's given. The mention of a secret sparks a childlike delight in her eyes. ]
Your secret is safe with me. [ And then - ] Unfortunately, I don't have any other secret names to share with you so...I'll just have to think of something else to share in return. Unless you want to take the opportunity to just ask me something you've been hoping to know?
[ There's an openness to her expression, one that she hopes reminds him about what she said during their time in the maze together. That she is, for the most part, an open book, happy to share whatever details of her life he might be curious about, if any.]
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Most people don't have hidden names in the first place. [He knows it is weird. So be it.
To Hilda's offer, there is a pause. He doesn't want to intrude, but he also doesn't want to ignore Hilda's offer all together either]
I was going to ask about the corset you're working on, but that seems against the spirit of things. [They can talk about that any time.] Where did you learn to fight?
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How do you know that though? Maybe people just haven't told you that they have secret names. [ The eyebrow wiggling can only go on for so long and she's dissolving into giggles soon after. ] And besides, when you think about it, secret names means mystery and intrigue!
[ The question about the corset immediately perks her up - but then he throws her for a loop. Enthusiasm turns to surprise. Thankfully she recovers gracefully. ]
You mean the Academy of Skull Splitting?
[ There's wry amusement in her expression as she nods to the silly little statement Jaskier had made about her. ]
I grew up learning how to, I guess. The Goneril's have always looked over the border between Fodlan - where I'm from - and Almyra, so my brother and I had to learn. [ 'Had' to is almost emphasized because it's clear that she hadn't wanted to. ] It didn't really make any sense to me, personally. I'm not going to be the head of the family or anything like Holst is but anyway - I was sent to the Officer's Academy when I was eighteen to learn more about warfare like Petra, Claude, and Sylvain. That's how we all know each other.
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He tries not to grin too much at the immediate response. Unfortunately, the opening is too good.]
Oh, it's a whole academy? Impressive.
[He means that part.]
Probably some of it was a sense of safety and being able to look after yourself. Am I correct in assuming that your sphere has entire universities for war and commanding armies?
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Adrian!
[ Now that she knows it, she fully intends on using it whenever they're in private together. An unimpressed look fixes onto her face, but it quickly dissolves, a clear sign that she doesn't actually mind the joke about the Academy. ...They did in fact learn about how to split skulls in a round about way. ]
There are always plenty of people around to take care of me. I never felt like I was in any danger.
[ From the way she says it so easily, it's clear that she's used this line of reasoning before in the past when something similar has been said. She gives a quick shake of her head. ]
The Academy was the only one. The Church of Seiros created it and runs it out of Garreg Mach Monetary; it was mostly for noble families to send their children to, but if a commoner is able to find a sponsor or the money to go, it's not unusual for them to end up there. Most of them have aspirations to become knights of noble households so they can provide for themselves and their families.
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Felt versus the reality of a situation are different.
[Alucard knows the feeling. His parents would never let anything happen to him. That did not mean he wasn't in danger from other vampires or from monster hunters. But this is about Hilda, not him, so he shuts up. Bites back a reaction at the mention of a church, because that's not his sphere. Not a religion he knows. Shut up, Adrian.]
I see. Is conflict really that frequent by your time?
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Personally, she had never put too much weight into her belief of the Goddess and truthfully, she only cared enough when it served her. She would never be as devout as some of her friends, but thinking about them only brings a pang of homesickness that she doesn't want to dwell too long on.
She hums initially to his question. ]
If you define conflict as a threat of invasion, maybe. I grew up on the border of Fodlan and my family has always been tasked with taking care of Fodlan's Throat. [ It feels easier to illustrate it than speak to it so that's what she does. Reaching for her notebook, Hilda flips it to a blank page filled with other senseless doodles that are Alucard might recognize as runes. Beneath her pencil blooms the craggy, unforgiving mountains that had been the backdrop of her childhood. A European-esque castle is then drawn to the left of the mountains and a desert palace to the right. ] The other side of the mountain is a country called Almyra. We were the guards, I guess. Or are. There's another group of peoples that live to the north of Fodlan in a place called Sreng, but I don't know too much about them.
[ That was very much Sylvain's neck of the woods. Literally. House Gautier had always been too geographically far for Hilda to pay much mind to their similar struggles and challenges, but Holst had known all about them. He had to when he was the head of their house. ]
And if you define conflict as war then...no. [ There's something wry to her voice then. ] That's relatively new. In fact, we were still at the Academy when it started. [ There's a pause as she absently doodles trees around Goneril. When she does speak her voice remains remarkably light, not unlike someone resigned to the reality that they've lived for the last five years. ] I was brought here in the middle of one.
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His eyes watch Hilda's drawings, quietly committing the map to memory. When he's spoken of Wallachia before he's never really bothered. No point, no one would need to understand. But Hilda's home seems to hinge on border based on her explanations.]
That's an unfortunate set of circumstances to be pulled away from. Did you have expectations of becoming involved in that before arriving here?
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Of course not. But does anyone expect it?
[ But if they're talking about even before the war crystallized into something real... ]
Even if something like war hadn't happened, it wasn't expected that I'd have to do anything. Thanks to Holst my family didn't really expect anything from me so I was mostly allowed to what I like. [ There's a brief pause. ] Except I never could get out of training. My brother was insistent on that.
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....Why does that wyvern have one beefy arm?. Alucard's eyes move from the paper to Hilda, wondering if they should back away from this topic. He wants to give Hilda the opportunity to do so, at the very least.]]For whatever it's worth, I think that knowing how to take care of oneself in any situation is a great strength. [The expectation thing gives the dhampir pause though.] If it wasn't expected that you'd have to do anything were.....were there any plans at all so far as your future went?
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How else would he burninate the countryside and terrorize peasants and kings alike?With the wyvern complete she moves onto drawing pine trees on the Almyra side of the map. ]
You and everyone else I know.
[ But to be fair, she would say the same to someone else who isn't her. That doesn't stop her from giving a dramatic little sigh like it's the most laborious thing anyone has ever told her. ]
Nope. Well, maybe get married. I am the youngest and only daughter after all.
[ Much like how she had been talking about the war, she talks about the expectations for her future - or lack thereof - with a tone that implies she's come to terms with it. ]
Not that they're rushing me into anything in the middle of a war or anything. My parents just want me to be happy and so does Holst. And frankly, no responsibilities works better for me. Being the head of house is way too much work and then I'd have no free time to do anything I actually want to do. I'm just lucky Holst is amazing at everything otherwise I might have had to take over.
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And how does she make such good consummate Vs?!]I learned to cook because my diet was a mystery to both my parents. I speak from experience.
[Hilda that's the least dramatic dramatic sigh he's heard in a fortnight.]
That marriage wasn't entirely required is a lucky thing you know. Most people in my era didn't have that luxury.
[But enough about that. Not rushing and having the time to actually do whatever one wants is a blessing. Alucard's known that for a while now, but this is only a reinforcement.]
I'm glad you were able to have that growing up. And...that you decided that running this place was something you'd want to do. [To make it a little easier, his eyes go over to the corset.] What is that you're working on?
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Talent. And a strong beefy arm.If she's been entered into a competition for Most Dramatic Sigh, then consider that just a warm up.
The comment about being able to cook does catch her attention but she simply notes it for later. She loved knowing friends that were capable cooks in the kitchen because it usually meant a free meal or two for her.
She holds her tongue; it is lucky. But she doesn't know how long she'll be able to dodge it. Even she isn't delusional to her position in Fodlan; the handful of offers for marriage were because of her titles and who her brother was after all. Thankfully Holst had turned them all down, none of the suitors balking at the thought of having to best the great Holst Goneril in battle for the chance for those offers to even be considered.
Some of the tension in her shoulders relaxes and she brightens considerably when the topic changes. She'd much rather talk about her new project than what she may or may not do if she ever returned home and survived the war. ]
I thought you'd never ask! [ The sketchbook is put aside and forgotten as she pulls over the corset so he can take a closer look. ] I've been working with resin because I thought - if I can make jewelry and bookmarks out of it, why not work with it as a medium for a corset? It doesn't do anything fancy; really it's just meant to look pretty, but I think it'll look amazing under the stage lights.
[ And be incredibly warm - but she won't be the actor wearing it. ]
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Hilda, he'd be an amazing housewife if it wasn't for the previously described trauma
Alucard notes the shift in tension from Hilda. That's enough about home for now. They know where they stand with each other a little bit more now, and it's good to know that Hilda's never had the sort of expectations that so many in her position might have had. That speaks kindly of her own family, and he probably doesn't need to state the obvious.
He leans over to look at the corset, running a hand over the resin.]
Does it offer any flexibility at all? If it's meant for the stage, I would worry it might limit movement.
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It's okay small dinner parties now and then will suffice.His question brings about some sheepishness to her expression. ]
I'm still experimenting with it since I don't usually work with fabric. The underside is all fabric and boning - the resin is another layer I've worked on top of it. This the closest I've gotten to something that doesn't sit too heavily on the actor's body while still allowing some mobility but it's still got a long way to go.
[ The construction of it had been a bit of a nightmare and several of the older corsets in the wardrobe department will never be forgotten. ]
It's really meant to be more decorative than comfortable. And they won't wear it for very long. The scene is at the very end for the grand reveal.
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speaking of, shall we wrap this and i can write a starter for dinner party?]Ah, the resin is just the paint atop the canvas, so to speak. [He thinks he understands it now.]
Have you checked to see how it looks from further away in the audience?
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Perfect!!]Exactly! And only several old corsets were harmed in the making.
[ The head of the costume department had only been slightly miffed when she had said that the ones they had given her were unwearable and therefore couldn't be returned. Thankfully, Hilda's ability to bat her eyelashes at most situations in order to diffuse them still worked on them. Getting her hands on some new corsets also certainly helped matters.
Just like before, some level of relief flickers into her features when her idea seems to land. She's comfortable with pitching her ideas to Alucard - more so now that they're friends - but there's still a lingering voice that doubts her ideas are good enough or ever would be good enough. ]
Not yet. I've kind of been keeping it a secret from everyone until it's done.
[ And there were still several things that she wanted to add to it, like the string of crystals and beads she had been working on earlier. ]
If you aren't busy, why don't we go test it out now?
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I'll get that done later tonight when I am not a cat sofa]I'm not busy, but since you're the one on construction, I suspect I'll be the one wearing it? Or should I simply hold it aloft?
[There's no judgement in the question. Just confirmation, as Alucard is aware he's a bit wide in the chest and there's no reason to harm an innocent experimental garment in the process.]
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The corset is snatched up in her hands fairly quickly in order to hold it out in front of him. ]
Well, if you're offering, I think that would be the best way to test it, don't you? It's not like the actor wearing it is going to be holding it. I should see that it holds up around an actual body. [ She offers him a little wink. ] That and I think you'd look great in it.
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He pauses only just to consider the size of the garment against himself. And...]
You may wish to only tie it loosely. I'm probably wider than the intended wearer.
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Hilda's pleased expression is barely concealed at this point as she ushers him up from his chair and towards the dressing screen in the corner of the office. Tucked out of view is also a small little dressing trunk filled to the brim with Hilda's clothing. He may or may not get the impression that the homey, lived-in feeling of the space is more than just her clutter and workshop. She might be sleeping here from time to time too - but he really shouldn't read into it too much. ]
Don't worry we'll just shimmy you into it to get an idea. We need to test it but not like that. Once you're in we can head down!
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[Alucard lets himself be pushed around at least, glad he went with a slightly higher cut shirt today than usual.
There's nothing said about the state of Hilda's office. He's slept in this room enough times that he knows he cannot judge, and frankly, he can't blame her. It is quiet here, and easy to make a little nest.
Either way, he's in Hilda's hands for this next part.
make them tiddies look amazing hilda]no subject
Are you really explaining to me how to put someone in a corset?
[ It probably goes without saying that she's very skilled at getting in and out of them, and probably has just as much experience helping people into them.
The cut of the shirt is a little bit disappointing but she'll make do. As she begins the work of unlacing it, she gives him a reassuring and understanding smile. It doesn't have nearly as much mischievous cheekiness that she might otherwise use particularly after everything he had just told her. ]
You can keep your shirt on if you want. I haven't quite worked down the filigree around the edges so it might poke a little if you take it off.
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i think call it here?