𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐤𝐚 "ate 12 sandwiches & napped" 𝐬𝐮𝐢 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
aquaveiled) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
abraxaslogs2021-07-08 04:56 pm
aquaveiled) wrote in abraxaslogs2021-07-08 04:56 pm
prison blues & plot cues [OPEN]
WHO: Himeka & you!
WHAT: Some info sharing from her time in Hayle
WHEN: July 10th, pre-Event #2
WHERE: Dungeons
[ ooc; I default to brackets but I am happy to write in prose! Whatever you feel comfortable with.
Prisoners and welcomed are all encouraged! I put together two different scenarios that may cater to either more easily, but feel free to hit up what makes the most sense. ]
i. cell number one
[ Normally looking at least a little optimistic, Himeka leans against the bars to the cell, forehead pressed between them as her eyes dart back and forth down the hall. She had been returned to her cell after her days in Solitary not more than an hour prior. It felt good to be out, as much as one can consider "out" equating to "behind bars". But for someone who blossoms in the presence of others, being shut off had been a difficult time indeed. The light in her eyes has dimmed and she looks as if sleep has been elusive.
As glad as she is to see one of her younger cellmates hale and whole as one can be given the circumstances, she is missing someone she considers a dear friend. Estinien had also been sentenced to solitary confinement, so it only made sense that he would be released as well. Right?
Whether they walk towards cell one with a purpose--perhaps they had heard of the few prisoners who made an escape between the snow-covered mountains of northern Thorne, only to be recaptured days later--or by pure chance, Himeka immediately perks up at the sight of another. She straightens in place, tail swishing back and forth behind her with a surprising amount of mobility. ]
Hello! Excuse me!
[ She sticks an arm out, waving to try and catch their attention. ]
You haven't seen a man nearly twice my height with light hair and a sour expression nearby, have you? Mayhaps in another cell?
ii. dungeon common areas
[ Time allowed outside of their cells for a little bit of recreation is fleeting. She finds herself anxiously looking forward to the appointed hour more than she has before--not just to stretch her legs, but to search.
Though she does not waste the opportunity to grab something to eat for their sole meal of the day, Himeka makes unusual rounds about the dining hall. Eating sparingly during her discussions, she moves from one table to another, taking a set uninvited with familiar and unfamiliar faces. ]
I hope you don't mind--there was an open seat.
xx. wildcard
[ ooc; If you still want some plot clues or just want to chat and don't find an option that works, feel free to hit me up on the discord server or at![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
doggystyle and we can work something customized out. ]
WHAT: Some info sharing from her time in Hayle
WHEN: July 10th, pre-Event #2
WHERE: Dungeons
[ ooc; I default to brackets but I am happy to write in prose! Whatever you feel comfortable with.
Prisoners and welcomed are all encouraged! I put together two different scenarios that may cater to either more easily, but feel free to hit up what makes the most sense. ]
i. cell number one
[ Normally looking at least a little optimistic, Himeka leans against the bars to the cell, forehead pressed between them as her eyes dart back and forth down the hall. She had been returned to her cell after her days in Solitary not more than an hour prior. It felt good to be out, as much as one can consider "out" equating to "behind bars". But for someone who blossoms in the presence of others, being shut off had been a difficult time indeed. The light in her eyes has dimmed and she looks as if sleep has been elusive.
As glad as she is to see one of her younger cellmates hale and whole as one can be given the circumstances, she is missing someone she considers a dear friend. Estinien had also been sentenced to solitary confinement, so it only made sense that he would be released as well. Right?
Whether they walk towards cell one with a purpose--perhaps they had heard of the few prisoners who made an escape between the snow-covered mountains of northern Thorne, only to be recaptured days later--or by pure chance, Himeka immediately perks up at the sight of another. She straightens in place, tail swishing back and forth behind her with a surprising amount of mobility. ]
Hello! Excuse me!
[ She sticks an arm out, waving to try and catch their attention. ]
You haven't seen a man nearly twice my height with light hair and a sour expression nearby, have you? Mayhaps in another cell?
ii. dungeon common areas
[ Time allowed outside of their cells for a little bit of recreation is fleeting. She finds herself anxiously looking forward to the appointed hour more than she has before--not just to stretch her legs, but to search.
Though she does not waste the opportunity to grab something to eat for their sole meal of the day, Himeka makes unusual rounds about the dining hall. Eating sparingly during her discussions, she moves from one table to another, taking a set uninvited with familiar and unfamiliar faces. ]
I hope you don't mind--there was an open seat.
xx. wildcard
[ ooc; If you still want some plot clues or just want to chat and don't find an option that works, feel free to hit me up on the discord server or at
no subject
He tips his head, listening. It does surprise him, a little, that a prisoner would trust one such as him with the news -- he may be only honored guest, but it certainly alludes him some power -- but at this moment, he isn't looking a gift horse in the mouth. An escape route through the mountains. Something, he imagines, Geralt must have looked for. (So why hadn't the fool done the same?)
Then again, they'd gotten caught again, so... had he seen that possibility?]
Hayle? Gods, that's quite a ways. Still Thorne territory, of course, but... [A town Jaskier himself had begun thinking of a pitstop on the way out of here.] I can't say for sure, as it's only a guess, but the cell for solitary is occupied now, where it previously wasn't. [He only knows because he sticks his nose into everything, and while the guards are shockingly lax, there was certainly no sneaking about near that cell.] One of your fellows could be there. Otherwise, I haven't seen a man of your description, besides Geralt, of course.
no subject
She nods in confirmation. ]
Under the leadership of Ambrose's sister, apparently.
[ If that was known to others, Himeka hadn't been paying proper attention. Not entirely surprising since she doesn't tend to concern herself too much with those sorts of details until she's thrust in the middle of it and meets said head of state in person. A convenient and strangely reliable method, all things considered.
But her eyes hold some hope when Jaskier says that there is still someone in solitary. ]
That must be him! Or...perhaps Eponine. I would've assumed they weren't far behind me.
[ In being released, that is. ]
Huh? [ Wait a second. ] ...Gerolt is a short bald man. Though I guess he's normally very sour-looking when he's asked to do anything.
[ When in reality she should be the one looking upset, what with all that running about gathering random materials and fighting the same monsters over and over again. ]
no subject
[It hadn't been in the materials he'd been reading, but it could mean anything. Were they allied? They must be, if the prisoners had been found and dragged back here. So... not a safe place to hole up in during an escape.
It won't help them any further, but it's worth telling Geralt about.]
I only heard of one, so I would assume whichever of you is most dangerous. [Several prisoners, even. She distracts him out of his thoughts with the image of Geralt being bald which is, frankly, hilarious. If only he wasn't learning so much in this moment -- this was a rare chance!
He still laughs, though.] Geralt [Which sounds no difference with his emphasis, really,] is my friend and is here, and is very much not bald. I understand where our, er, mutual confusion came from. But that aside -- [He waves a hand, now the confusion has been solved,] may I ask how you were discovered? Is she in league with Ambrose, I assume?
no subject
Still, she worries her lip at the thought. Eponine is a child, surely she has been returned to her cell? Though she would have imagined to hear the girl shouting, mayhaps she had reached her limit as well. But Estinien... ]
Oh...Geralt?
[ Yeah, they...really don't sound all that different. Maybe that's a name that's more common than she realized. Some Hyur names are very strange.
Himeka sighs. ]
Despite the fact we were hiding ourselves fairly well-- [ At least in Himeka's mind, who notably wanted to waltz up to the tavern and offer fetch quests for food and supplies. ] --some mages in the guard discovered us. It turns out that it's not just the sigil on our clothes that mark us, but some other sort of magical brand.
[ Consequently going "undercover" is very difficult when you are a walking magical beacon. ]
She is, though I'm not sure if it's by choice or by the fact that Hayle is just within the Kingdom of Thorne.
[ It's not something she would have really questioned before. Himeka rests her forehead on one of the bars. ]
She wasn't really trying to hide her dislike of her brother's practices. She even gave us a real meal and spoke with us a bit before we were taken back.
no subject
That... that was going to make things much harder for himself and Geralt. Fuck.
Jaskier nods, listening quietly. He isn't sure why this prisoner thought to trust him with this, but he's honestly quite thankful for it. It's the sort of information that would behoove them to know when they make their eventual escape. Or attempt so.
The poor woman. She is already taking this harder than he's seen from the other prisoners. Though it must not be easy; it's even trickling through Geralt's hard exterior, so much so that he knows others must see it. Being here for so long --]
I can't promise you a real meal, but... is there something I can get for you? [He puts a hand on the bar, near hers.] I feel I owe you at least a little recompense for the story. [It's startling to realize how easily it could have been Geralt's story, too. Though it still itches why he didn't attempt it, escape. Did he know about the sigils?] And I'll look for your friend when I can.
no subject
At least until someone with better wherewithal and self-preservation reminds her not to.
And it does feel like a failure--a big one at that. The longer she is back in her cell and the others are in solitary, the heavier that guilt weighs on her. At least now there is an onze of hope. Possibly. She'll take it.
At the offer of some sort of favor, Himeka lifts her head back up a little and her eyes regain a bit of life. ]
Really?
[ Her tail swishes once behind her with renewed interest. She is used to walking up to complete strangers and offering favors, so why not? ]
If you can find Estinien, that would be more than enough.
[ He's a colleague and a Scion, yes, but he's also a friend. A very dear friend. ]
Though I'll take your name as well if you're offering.
no subject
[He already knows one of them, so it shouldn't be too difficult. The difficulty comes in whether they'll allow him to peek in on the solitary cell out of pure curiousity, "honoured" or not.]
Ah, of course. How rude of me. Jaskier, you may call me Jaskier. And remember it -- it shan't be hard to find me once we get you out. [He gestures in a circle with his hand, which is to say all of you -- the prisoners.
And certainly not if they could find some way to escape together.] I'd be remiss if I didn't ask the same.
no subject
My name is Himeka, and I will amend my statement...I would gladly take anything edible off your hands.
[ The sway of her tail accelerates for a few beats.
And, of course, she will likewise happily take the optimism offered--once they get out. All of them.
She lowers her voice again. ]
Before or after a successful exit.
no subject
Ah, no. Fuck it. And fuck Ambrose in particular.]
Lovely to meet you, lackluster circumstances as they are. [Before or after. He can do both, actually.] I did give my last black market apple to my friend down here, but allow me to return with a bit of something for you. I don't suppose you have a preference for, er, meat, do you? What with all the...
[He gestures towards his ears and mouth. The dragon bits. Smuggling a bit of chicken may be a tad harder (and messier) than an apple.]
no subject
I've had worse.
[ Which...well, this is definitely the only time she's really been incarcerated and it's been a longer run than she'd like to admit, but, you know. She's alive? That's something to be happy about.
His appraisals of her preferences, however, bring pause. She cocks her head to the side one way, then the other as her furrows her brows together. She touches her own lips and then her horns, not...seeing wat the connection is here. But it does beg the question--
--does she have a preference for any specific type of food? Truthfully, she's happy to eat almost anything set in front of her. ]
I'll try anything at least once.
[ Maybe three or four times just to make sure. ]
I haven't had any meat I've disagreed with, if that's what you're asking? --Oh, actually, that's a lie. A friend of mine made a dodo omelet once and it was awful. Unfortunately for her, "love" isn't really a secret ingredient.
no subject
Oooh, he's so tempted to ask what, in fact, has been worse than this. Of course there's all sorts of thing, but the words hold such a promise of stories.]
I am not sure what a dodo is, but I'm very familiar with bad eggs. Worry not. I will bring nothing foul. Or fowl.
[Hah. He gives Himeka a slight bow at his waist.] I'll return soon enough.
[And so he does. Jaskier has made a habit of becoming a thief in the night... when it came to taking food from the guest banquets to retire to his room, citing songwriting or studying as his preference. He wraps it in cloth and steadily returns to Himeka's cell, an orange and a bit of cheese shoved in a bread roll that he holds out between the bars.]
Here you are, my dear. Ignore any, ah, lint on the sides. One's doublets are not really meant for this sort of thing.
no subject
Of course her thoughts go back to Estinien... he must still be in solitary. That is what makes the most sense. Jaskier said he would check.
And clearly she has reason to believe in him. When he actually returns, she's gone back to leaning against the cell, eyes never straying from the corridor lest she catch any sign of her friend. But as soon as she sees him, she perks up immediately, tail swishing happily behind her. ]
You're back!
[ Oh--oops. Himeka covers her mouth. A little too loud...
Still, she happily takes the parcel, quickly looking this way and that to make sure there are no guards within earshot or line of sight to notice. Then she sets it in her lap and unwraps it like a present--for that is exactly what it is--and her stomach grumbles loudly almost on cue. ]
No, no, this is perfect! Thank you, Jaskier. Lint and all. It just adds texture, you know.
[ She immediately shoves the whole piece of cheese into her mouth, but tucks the orange away into the top of her tunic. ]
I'll make sure that my friend has something to eat when he returns too.
[ When he returns. ]
no subject
Of course! I did promise. [Or he as good as did. He watches her tail flailing back and forth with interest and, dare he say it, it's becoming captivating already. It certainly reflects her mood, doesn't it? Borch, he thinks, would have been much more comely with a tail.
Then again, that would have ruined the point of his little ruse, wouldn't it?
Somehow, the horrid way she eats cheese only further endears her to him in this moment. Texture. Gods, bless her. She must be starving.]
Yes, of course. Estinien. I didn't see him, but the guards around that cell are, ah... less than friendly. [For good reason, he imagines, after how close they were.] I'm sure he'll return. And if my black market for the dungeons keeps running so smoothly, I would hope to have more than an orange to offer him next time.
no subject
She is rather used to getting to eat or snack whenever she wants. It's become something routine that before she embarks on an adventure or knows that she's about to encounter some great enemy that she hork down something--at least a salad or whole leg of chicken or something. Not to mention the portions they receive once a day in the mess hall.
Really, for as much as she's suffering, she worries for her friends more. Relena is yet young and Estinien is twice her size and needs twice the amount to keep going. Both the bread and orange she will save for them.
Still, an answer to his whereabouts in any form is good. ]
Then you're right--there wouldn't be a need for guards if no one was in there.
[ And the only noises she'd heard were really from Estinien and Epinone so...it has to be them. It has to.
Himeka does continue to find some humor in this despite herself. He seems to make it easy. ]
We would be in your debt. You must have a rousing customer base already! No one else that has come to watch and gawk has offered food.
no subject
Be assured I have no plans on stopping it now. [It's the least he could do. And it wasn't even much effort.] I find that extremely rude of them. At the very least, you can count on me, Lady Dragon.
[He gives a bow, standing. It's past time, he thinks, to return to his room. Not that he doesn't love the present company, but --] I promise I'll return tomorrow, or some other date. [He brushes dust from his knees.] I've been moving under their eyes, and I hope to keep it that way. [So far, so good.] It was lovely to meet you, Himeka. I'm sure it shan't be long before I return.
no subject
But it's good news. And by the twelve she will take it. ]
Thank you, Jaskier. Though I hope the next is in better circumstances.
[ And if it isn't...well, she can at least look forward to some cheese.
Himeka watches him go before she stands, ready to squirrel away the bread and orange she's saving for her friends, but pauses. ]
Wait..."Lady Dragon"?
[ Huh.
Well that's an old hat. ]