abraxaslogs | Open Log - Thorne Castle

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Open Log - Thorne Castle

Who: Nadine and OPEN
Where: Thorne Castle
When: June 12th and 13th
What: Meeting roommates, getting acclimated, exploring
Warnings: N/A, will add if needed

Exploring

There's little to do but poke around wherever they're allowed to poke around. And, while at it, slip out a few sweets from the dining hall to share with the less fortunate. Nadine made a promise, after all.

But there's plenty to see, in this area they're kept to. The library and the study hall are of the most interest, the books and practicing mages likely the most promising option for learning anything worthwhile. Their hosts are being very specific with what they say and what they don't, offering just enough information to avoid accusations of keeping everyone entirely in the dark. But still not sharing all they know, it's obvious there's much more going on than any newcomer is privy to.

That's alright. It's not ideal but it's alright. Nadine has her purpose to put herself towards, and she does. She can be found flipping through book after book in the library and muttering under her breath or quietly watching magic lessons in the study hall, eyes narrowed and lips pursed as she follows as best she can.

And of course, she makes sure to linger in the dining hall, idling by the offerings of food and perusing them seemingly casually. When she thinks she isn't being watched, she'll slip a small morsel of dessert or chocolate treat into her tunic sleeve.

Room 2

The idea of shared quarters is not one that Nadine is thrilled about. She'd already met one earlier, and somehow, through some blessed - or cursed - twist of fate, it's a friendly face. Sort of. She'd never met Lloyd before but she knows who he is, and any right hand of her husband's...he's on her side, is the point. Someone she can, to some extent trust. And who'll look out for her.

But there are two beds who's occupants she's yet to meet, and she's too pragmatic to imagine they'll be left empty. Especially now, the day winding down. It's been a hectic and long one, and Nadine's feeling it in her bones. She settles on her own bed, curtains open, and hands folded in her lap to contemplate her next move and wait for whoever she's stuck sharing her personal space with.

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[Susan licks her fingers clean - looking rather furtive about it, like Aunt Cord might jump out at any minute to scold her for her greed - before putting her hand out to take the ties. Four! She'd have been happy with one, or - honestly - with a piece of string or twine to serve instead, anything to hold her hair back while she doesn't have a comb or mirror, but four ties is a real bounty.]

Thankee, sai. [It's embarrassing to realise how close she feels to tears. Stupid. There's naught here to cry over - and still, there's that lump in her throat.]

[She smiles, tries to play the throatiness in her voice off as laughter.] Mayhap now I can look a little less like I've been dragged through a hedge backwards? Maria'd be horrified, to see me now.

[There's no judgement from Nadine. She knows they aren't getting much variety down here, even if they're being fed arguably balanced meals.]

You're welcome. And honestly, you don't look that bad. I've seen a lot worse. I've...looked a lot worse, I think. But it helps to feel...civilized.

[Like a person. All those small things that humans do everyday are important, in their way. The routine of it, the familiarity of it...it's almost like religion, in a way, the daily aspects of humanity. ]

I think I might've looked worse once or twice, and all. But still, it'll be good to feel like myself a touch more.

[She fixes the ties around her wrist for the moment, and leans against the bars, letting her hands drape through. She can still feel that tightness in her throat, but it's a little less urgent, and if her eyes aren't entirely dry, they aren't actually wet, either.]

Ye're sure it won't bring trouble, down the line? Promise me ye won't let aught as small as this cost ye.

I really don't think anyone's going to be that mad about me giving you hair ties and a piece of cake. I feel like if they cared, they'd search people coming down here.

[Nadine shrugs, not really bothered by the idea of consequences. What were they going to do, lock her up? It isn't that their 'hosts' are cruel or anything, they seemed more or less accommodating to their welcomed guests, at least. And honestly aren't treating the prisoners poorly. She can't imagine her little gifts of food will cause much of a fuss or consequences.]

And if someone isn't happy about it...I'm the honored guest here. I have a little weight to throw around.

[Susan's brows beetle together, and she shakes her head.]

I wouldn't rely on it, if I were 'ee. Seems to me it'd be easy to overplay your hand.

[Ye're talkin' yerself out of a kindness, so ye are. Aunt Cord's voice, tart and disapproving, in the back of her mind - but possibly, in this case, actually right. Susan sighs, running a hand back through her hair.]

Say sorry. I'm frettin', is all. I'm just...

[Unable to get Olive out of her mind. Or Sheemie. Or Maria. But mostly Olive, and how she had slid sideways from the saddle, that antique gun falling from her hand.]

It's queer. This whole thing. I don't know what to make of it, and I don't want 'ee getting in any kind of trouble over me.

No, there's a lot I don't trust around here. But look...If I get in trouble, it's not going to be because of you. I can promise you that.

[Not that Nadine has any plans to do anything likely to cause problems, but...she can envision scenarios in which she would, and none of them involve Susan.]

I've been in tough spots before, I'll be fine. I know how to play this game, it was...pretty much my whole childhood.

Aye. I remember you said summat about that.

[Her voice is a little softer, sympathetic. She's had a lot of hurt in her life, there's no way around that, but if there's one thing she's grateful for - especially here - it's that she didn't have any great pain in her childhood.]

[(That, by some measures, her childhood isn't actually over... that's something that's lost on her)]

[She clears her throat, shaking her hair back.]

Let's talk of summat cheerier. Tell me what's been happenin', up there?

I'd tell 'ee my own stories, but it's boring as aught down here.

Not that much, honestly. I've been learning a little magic, we have access to the castle's library and study hall. We have to share space up there, too, though. Four of us to a room. And I guess Thorne is really enlightened when it comes to gender equality, because I get to room with three men, two of whom I don't know.

[And technically she doesn't know Lloyd either. She knows who he is, though, and their shared connection is one that inclines her to trust them. And he does seem like a nice guy - a little puppyish and rough around the edges, but nice.]

But they seem okay - I think one of them's pretty young. The other one's just...I don't know, nobody's at their best right now. I don't blame anybody for being grumpy.

[Susan scrunches up her face.]

You're kinder than I am, then.

[She glances back at the bunks of her own cellmates - only one female - and leans in a little, lowering her voice.]

Doesn't it frighten 'ee a little, rooming with strange men? I mean, not to suggest ye can't take care of yourself, only...

[Only it frightens her. She hasn't slept much since coming here, and not just because of the nightmares.]

A little. One of them I really wouldn't want to meet alone in an alley at night. But one of them isn't a stranger, he's close with my husband and I can take care of myself just fine, but I still feel better knowing he's sticking close to me. It's stupid, but...sometimes men behave better when there's another man who'd take issue. And my husband would probably literally kill anyone who tried to touch me against my will.

[Or at all. Though Nadine's relatively certain neither of her mostly unknown roommates are much of a threat. She smiles a little, leaning in close to the bars.]

And I'll let you in on a little secret. Men? A lot of them are just overgrown kids and respond to the same body language and tones of voice. Honestly I've felt more threatened by a literal child than most grown men.

[Susan laughs at that, wrinkling her nose.]

I see ye've met my cellmates. ["Overgrown kids" seems just about a perfect fit for both Eddie and Jaime. Unfortunately, it's that overgrown part that can cause trouble. As Jaime's made clear, he's a hell of a lot bigger and stronger than she is.]

Is it comfortable? The rooms they've given 'ee?

They're not bad. They're pretty much just rooms with four beds in them, but the beds have privacy curtains at least.

[A pause, as Nadine considers continuing. But Susan's brought the topic up, and is in at least a similar situation. Stuck in a room with strange men.]

But I still sometimes ask my friend to sleep in bed with me, just in case. I know I'm just being paranoid, but...

[She had urged Susan to violently repel anyone who tried anything already, her heightened sense of self-preservation as a woman alone isn't any secret here.]

And sometimes it's just nice having someone right there.

[Susan nods understanding. She's not often been comforted by sharing a bed - hasn't had much chance to be, really, not since her da died and the only person she's lived with is Aunt Cord, who even at her best isn't a comforting presence - but she can understand it anyway. There's been times the last couple of nights where she's wished with all her heart for someone to be there with her, where she's actually been jealous of Cersei and Jaime (while at the same time trying her utmost not to think about what's going on there). It's understandable. It's human.]

Aye. I ken it very well.

I'm glad there's someone to do that for 'ee. Must be lonely, otherwise. [With her husband down here, she means.]

Yeah....

[Nadine glances down the row of cells, features pulled down in a tired sort of sadness.]

Yeah, it's tough. We'd just gotten married before this, Thorne literally ripped us away from our wedding night. We're supposed to be starting our life together, not kept apart like this. It's not fair.

[Not that life often is, but damn it all, Nadine has already paid for her life with Flagg. She deserves what she's bought. After everything she's done, to have it be rendered meaningless and for nothing...

No. She can't accept that.]

Sorry, I didn't mean to dump that on you, I'm just frustrated.

[Susan shakes her head at once, sharply and vehemently, her brows beetling together.]

Don't be daft, sai. Ye've been kind enough to me, there's naught should stop 'ee from dumping whatever it is ye need to. I can listen. I'd be a friend to 'ee, as ye've been one to me.

[She reaches through the bars, meaning to take Nadine's hand, offering what comfort she can.]

And anyroad, it's not fair. Not one bedamned scrap of it. And ye shouldn't have to pretend it's fair when it ain't. That shit rips you up inside.

[There's a slightly unsettling adultness to her voice when she says it, a hint that she knows all too well what she's talking about. Which, of course, she does; of course, she's thinking of that last kiss before parting, that hope that had blossomed in her of the future she'd bought when she gave away her soul. That future, that child, that's never going to be.]

[She'd rip the world apart to get revenge for what was taken. And Nadine... Nadine hasn't had it taken all the way away yet.]

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Open Log - Thorne Castle

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