Open Horizon Catchall

[nadine_he_loves]

Who: Nadine and YOU! (One closed starter)
When: November
Where: Horizon/Nadine's Domain
What: Catch-all for the month
Warnings: Will add as needed



[Following Halloween night, Nadine's been spending a great deal of time in the Horizon. Her domain is familiar, comforting, safe. Or at least offers a very solid illusion of safety. Particularly the square. She's often sat on a bench outside the little church, watching the clouds or the fall of autumn leaves and just thinking.

She has a great deal to think about.

Since she was twelve years old, Nadine has known the path of her life. She'd known the rules, known what she had to do, and known where her future led. And she had, for the most part, followed the rules and did what she had to do. Yet here she was, alone - by a certain definition - in a strange world, with none of the things she's been promised.

There's anger left in the wake of Flagg. Anger and fear and a sense of loss she doesn't know how to navigate. Whatever joy there is in the idea of freedom, it's overpowered by all the rest. What would she even do here? What would any of them do? She isn't the only one who's had the rug pulled out from under her. How is she supposed to take care of Lloyd and Julie? And then there's Susan... She isn't even sure exactly how to take care of herself in this world.

And then there's those tantalizing thoughts that hover at the edge of her mind. The ones that do find joy in the prospect of freedom, and how close it truly is. She's already had a small taste of it. There's so much more to life than what she's experienced, the chance to just live is right here. If she's willing to take it.

Sometimes, to try and quiet the storm of thoughts in her head, she wanders to the edge of her domain to add a little something. A pond with geese here, a winding stream with a wooden bridge, a spray of wildflowers... it's just something to occupy her mind, to keep her busy...and maybe just catch the attention of anyone in a nearby domain. A part of her has no real desire to be alone.]

Comments

[nadine_he_loves]

I'm not generally a happy person.

[That's no deep, guarded secret. But she can understand Jaskier's puzzlement. He'd met her under very specific circumstances, and very unusual ones at that.

Which isn't fair to him.]

When you met me at the party...Julie had given me something. To make me feel happy and relaxed and really good. That's the same reason she introduced us, because she figured you could also make me happy and feel good, for a little while. And you did, don't take me acting differently than that night to mean I have regrets or anything. This is just the real me. And I figured we'd never see each other again, so I'd never have to deal with you meeting the real me. She's...not nearly as fun or likeable.

[Nadine knows herself. She knows what she is. Oh she can fool people into believing she's something else, quite well when she puts in the effort, but she doesn't feel like all that effort right now. And it's only fair. He's wasting his time being sweet to her. He's nice.

She's poison to nice people. She ruins them.

Just look at what had happened to Larry.]

[cointosser]

[His finger pauses where it messes about with the rim of his goblet. She is far from the first person to make such a fact so clear to him, yet it never fails to ring as dim as a broken bell, hearing it.]

Ah, yes. The herbs. [Look, it's enough to hear he did, even for a time, make her happy. Happiness can be fleeting.

Now he can't decide what story suits her most. Reflects this sadness most. There is the chance, of course, that no story is true, either. He wouldn't hold it against her if she played that sort of game.]

Well, I do so hate to crush your ambitions, but you are far from the worst company I've ever had. And besides. My usual company is neither fun nor likable, and I still like him quite fine.

[It's hard to tell someone in the right terms you needn't pretend happiness for me. He doesn't care either way. Geralt's about as far from the Sun that's emblazoned on Jaskier's clothing as this sphere is from his own. Neither fun nor likable. And still his best friend.] You know, I feel you put a bit too much effort in putting a warning sign on yourself. At least with me. I have a particular talent for ignoring them.

[nadine_he_loves]

Warning signs exist for a reason.

[But Jaskier's making it clear that he's not a man to be discouraged. What does he even want? Nadine can't imagine that the idea of her friendship is that enticing. Even so, she can recognize a prettily worded 'you aren't getting rid of me' when she hears one.]

I'm just...giving you what you need to make a fully informed decision.

[Sort of. At least the clear distinction between herself and the self she'd been when they'd met.]

I'm not going to tell you to go away, but I wouldn't blame you if you did.

[And he'd probably be better off for it.]

[cointosser]

Yes, and plenty of us ignore them for good reason, too.

[She's getting it. No, he isn't discouraged. If he was turned off by a bit of moroseness or, the gods forbid, a bit of depressing company, why, he'd practically have no friends at all at this point.

Perhaps she has her dark secrets, as all three stories would prove. And yet, at this rate, who doesn't? (Besides him, obviously, unless a few full decades of cucking boring butchers and noblemen serves as a dark secret.

Except he's happy to talk about it, so.)]

I shan't go anywhere. [He taps her goblet with a finger, waiting until it's lowered to fill it again. In true Horizon fashion, it's as if the bottle of wine has only barely been touched, still full as it was when they opened it.] Perhaps the warnings would've been heeded should I not have learned what a talented storyteller you are. [His smile is teasing, held over the brim of his cup before he drinks.] I would like to return for more, should you have them.

[Or else he's happy to tell some instead.]

[nadine_he_loves]

[Nadine is quick to have another few swallows of wine. No, he's not going to go away. There's nothing else she can do, reasonably speaking.]

I'm happy to tell you stories whenever you'd like.

[That she can do. She knows plenty of them, and a lot of them with much happier endings than the ones shared today. And maybe he'd be willing to share some from his world.]

But for now...I do have to go to work in the real world and I don't want to lose track of time and end up late.

[She finishes her goblet of wine and sets it aside, but before she stands, she leans in to give Jaskier a very quick kiss on the cheek. He'd gone to all this effort, and listened to her, and she doesn't want to send him off thinking there's any sour feelings between them.]

Thank you again for the wine.