inside my quiet heart

[theidlemaiden]

Who: Hilda and various!
When: Throughout the month of January/February
Where: Cadens, the Horizon, Aquila
What: Catch all with open + future closed starters inside
Warnings: Mention/discussion of death

( open starters can be found below, closed starters will be marked accordingly or you can hit me with a wildcard!
for specific things feel free to reach out to me on discord or timescars. )

Comments

[theidlemaiden]

[ Claire's story sounds exactly like a story she's read before: a story about two begrudging people turned lovers. Hilda knows she shouldn't distill someone's real life into just a fairy tale, but it's hard for her not to get a little starry eyed. ]

Claire! [ The woman's name comes out as a genuine squeal and her tea is forgotten for a moment before she realizes belatedly that it no longer needs to steep. Hilda's hands are busy but her gaze with pouring her tea but her gaze is affixed firmly on the woman sitting across from her. ]

So then how did he win you back? Was there a grand romantic gesture? Some grand adventure?

[beautifullies]

[ Even knowing it wouldn't come to pass, this is how she'd wantd Brianna to react. It was a fantasy, she knows, but she likes sharing with someone who has enthusiasm about the story.

Claire leaves out the horrible details; the violation of Black Jack, the knife pressing sharply against her breast while he and Jamie verbally sparred. Instead of all that, she smiles softly and says: ]

I was kidnapped, taken by British soldiers who caught me before I could try to get back to Frank. Jamie rescued me, bluffing his way with an empty pistol into getting me back before we made our escape. Then we fought. He didn't know about me yet, that I was from the future.

[ It was the worst fight they'd had until months ago, when she'd found out he married Laoghaire in Claire's 20-year absence. ]

In any case, I realized he did truly love me. He had to leave me with his uncle soon after that. I was arrested not even a week later. He had to rescue me again and this time when we were alone, I told him about the time travel.

[ Letting out a breath, she laughs softly. ]

This is quite a long story, I don't mean to talk so much. Surely you have better things to do than listen to an old woman ramble.

[theidlemaiden]

[ Hilda is nothing short of attentive, a captive audience to Claire and Jamie's love story. Pouring and preparing tea hardly takes up too much brain space anyway and her expression of keen interest doesn't budge. ]

You aren't rambling, you're telling me a story! Your story with Jamie.

[ Hilda's genuineness shines through as she reaches across the table to give Claire's hand a brief squeeze. She loves love, had practically lived off it for a short period of time growing up. Books weren't Hilda's favourite thing unless they were on subjects she liked and tales of valiant heroes, and love certainly fell into that category.

Besides, a quiet voice reminds her, she might not be alive back home to experience any of that. ]

I'm sure he must have been shocked to hear about the time travel. We're having a hard enough time wrapping our head around all of this.

[beautifullies]

Thank you, Hilda. I don't get to tell this story with enthusiasm. In fact, I don't think I ever have.

[ It means something to Claire, that Hilda is listening and interested, and she smiles, squeezing Hilda's hand in return before continuing. ]

The most important part was that he believed me, and then he took me to the only place I could get back home, to Frank. He took me there to let me go.

[ God, they were so young, and he was so earnestly in love. It makes her heart ache even now. ]

I sat there, long after he'd gone, thinking. That was the night I realized I was terribly in love with him. So, I went back, and I asked him to take me home.

[ THe rest, as they say, is history. Claire takes a sip of her tea and hums. ]

He was only twenty-two, I was...significantly older. But he loved me, and I love him, that's all that mattered, then.

[theidlemaiden]

[ It doesn't escape Hilda how important this moment feels. She's glad that she can do this for Claire, be that person for Claire. The woman wears love so well and with grace that she can't help but be a little envious, hoping that some day she could experience an iota of that.

There's a tender smile on her face. ]

I hope you don't take this the wrong way but I didn't expect you to have such a romantic story. I think when you know you love someone, you just know.

[ People fumbled through their feelings all the time; she found it so admirable when someone just knew what and who they wanted. Of course it wasn't so simple as that sometimes because the other person had feelings too, but wouldn't it be nice if it were that easy? ]

I hope that you'll be reunited with him soon, Claire. It's so hard being apart from people you love.

[beautifullies]

[ This is where Claire falters, her smile fading as she looks down into her tea cup. ]

You're right, loving Jamie is like breathing. But it wasn't all romantic, Hilda. There was war, and imprisonment, and so much loss it nearly broke us.

[ Pausing, she struggles to say the next part aloud because she hasn't, not yet. If she says it, then it's real, and she can't stand for it to be real. ]

Before I arrived here, we were on a ship that got caught in a hurricane. The last thing I remember is a wall of water and the feel of the ship splintering beneath my feet. I got tangled in rope that was attached to one of the broken masts, so I was pulled under. And Jamie—

[ Closing her eyes for a second, Claire shakes her head, and her voice is a little wobbly when she looks at Hilda to speak again. ]

No ship, in an ocean, in the middle of a hurricane, with no land in sight. I believe I—I might be dead. Both of us, except I happened to wind up here.

[ It's why she was so shaken when Hilda mentioned Jamie could arrive, and she potentially wouldn't know it for a while. ]

[theidlemaiden]

[ The minute Clarie’s smile falters, Hilda wonders if she misstepped and said something wrong. But then her breath stills, catching in her throat at Claire’s admission.

Everyone had a story. She’d be silly to think that wasn’t the case. But sometimes it was just easier to forget the awful, even if it was an intricate fabric of who someone was. Immediately she reaches for Claire’s hand again to support her in some way if her words failed her. It’s followed by the realization why Claire had reacted so strongly when she told her that the Summoned were sent to one of three locations and wouldn’t be able to see each other in person unless it was in Nocwich. ]

I’m sorry, Claire. [ She wants to tell her that she’s sure that isn’t the case. That there’s a chance that she and Jamie are both okay — but her voice catches in her throat again because she recalls the things that Petra told her about her fate in Petra’s timeline. ] Your love sounds so strong. Those things temper love, right? And regardless of what happens at home, we’re here now.

[ She hesitates, but then presses on, hoping that somehow, telling Claire will bring the woman comfort in some way. ]

I apparently die in a friend’s timeline back home. [ Hilda, to her credit, tries to force some levity into her voice even though she knows it isn’t necessary and she shouldn’t, but she doesn’t know how to react any other way. ] So at least we might be in the same boat in the at respect.

[beautifullies]

[ Claire holds onto Hilda's hand, and though she's old enough to be her mother, she's so grateful for her friendship already. She manages a small smile. ]

You're right, we're here. I intend to at least make the most of it I can.

[ The smile she'd mustered begins to fall and she feels her heart sink to her stomach. ]

Oh, Hilda.

[ It's Claire's turn now to squeeze her hand, covering both of theirs with her free one. ]

Being here is the better place for both of us, then. If you ever need anything, you can always come to me. I'll help any way that I possibly can.

And fin!

[theidlemaiden]

Right, I mean, you get to finally start a farm! [ If you ignored that the fact that the continent was just about ready to break out into war, it seemed like a pretty good trade-off all things considered.

The levity is an attempt at her trying her best to ignore the cold sensation running down her spine after revealing the truth that had been swirling in her body since she had learned it. Claire’s warm and gentle strength is enough to stop her from walking too far down that path though and she gives Claire a smile that exudes warmth. ]

Thank you, Claire. The same goes for me, okay? I can’t do much, but I can at least provide an ear and company for tea. Speaking of — you have to tell me which one you like the best…