PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Marion
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Post by marianna elizabeth lestrange on Jan 16, 2023 20:25:35 GMT -5
you die, i thrive, and so it goes,
A month of sitting in a cage hadn’t been as dour as Marianna had originally anticipated. The end of the world was raging outside the walls of the safe house she was being kept in. She was unaware of what the outside looked like; her cousins had been the most descriptive but were under oath to keep things to themselves. Arc had delivered clothes under her insistence. She had grown tired of the shapeless long gowns that the Order had stuck her in. Though her feet were left bare, her numerous pairs of heeled shoes deemed dangerous, she felt a touch more like herself in the more fitted black dress that had finally been delivered to her. She had managed to pull back some of the curls from her face, but without the aid of her magic, they were left in their more unruly state. It was a month of waiting and endless questioning; some she answered and many she did not. It was always on her terms, since that was really all she had.
Finally, her one request had been headed. Aurelius was alive, as far as she had been told, but she had yet to see it for herself. They were being kept in separate houses, as far as they could manage with the state of things she had gathered. It was why she was finally allowed to exit her four walls. Piper had arrived and unlocked the door, and she hesitated before stepping out into the hall to join her.
“Don’t make me regret this.”
“I keep my word if you keep yours; he’s alive and you get everything.”
As the two apparated out of the safe house, Marianna had the distinct feeling that she had been lied to. If he had died, how long had it been without her knowing? There was already an ever-growing knot in her stomach at the fate of her daughter; to be told her lover was alive after being brutalized was one thing, to see it with her own eyes would ease her worries. She did intend to keep to her terms. When this was done, she’d tell Piper alone all she needed to know. Marianna didn’t know how exactly she had managed to hold of Death, but the Order would want to know it could be done.
Their arrival in the meeting space caused a stir. There were other Order representatives waiting for them, all of which snapped out of their dejected daze as they appeared. As she settled into the chair waiting for her, they descended, shielding her view as Piper disappeared and the door opened behind her. The chains secured around her wrists were heavy, made heavier by the strength that seemed to have been sapped from her body in captivity. They held her to the chair, giving her enough movement to reach for the table in front of her, but she’d be restrained and restricted otherwise. She had only heard of her mother’s trial, but she couldn’t imagine wearing irons like this without the nagging oppression of their weight taking a toll. Still, she attempted to ignore it as Aurelius came into view. The Order members had retreated, with only Piper daring to linger close.
He was alive, but certainly not in as fine a state as Piper had assured her. She knew the damage Death’s army had dealt would be severe, but not irreversible after this much time. His face was still the one she loved, free of blood and most of its bruises, and covered now with a slowly growing beard. She reached for his hand; the chains wrapped around her wrists preventing her from accomplishing much else. He was alive; she could breathe.
“At least I know they were telling the truth.”
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Owner of The Coffin House Necromancy Shop, Self-Employed Hit Man, Parselmouth
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Meg
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Post by aurelius silvestro raymon on Jan 27, 2023 11:32:31 GMT -5
❝ | When Aurelius had been taken from his cell by a handful of Order members, he was certain that he was being led towards execution.No one had given him that impression, nor did they seem the type to have the backbone to truly carry something so barbaric through. Piper Steele was many things, but she'd long since crossed murderer off of her list - even if the man in question deserved it.He came quietly, without struggle or question, merely resigning himself to whatever fate he had in store. He'd almost accepted death at that point - Merlin knew he'd needed to when the embodiment of it had nearly offed him at an attempt to rile Marianna up. He had merely been a pawn, a weapon to be brandished against her.He hoped that it hadn't worked.Aurelius was escorted through the safehouse, carefully guarded on all sides - though he did make note of several closed doors and hallways that curved away from his line of sight. He would be foolish to make a break for it - but it was information he stored away nonetheless. Finally, he was allowed into a room, with Marianna sitting unharmed in chains at the center. The Order members backed off, some leaving the room entirely, and Aurelius was permitted to step forward to greet her. Even with the irons around their wrists, they were able to easily join hands."At least I know they were telling the truth.""Are you all right?" Aurelius asked, settling into a seat beside her. His expression was soft, more caring than likely Piper or any of the Order members thought he was capable of. He hadn't realized it, but he'd been holding his breath, and he let it out in one fluid sigh of relief."How long have you been here?" |
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Marion
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Post by marianna elizabeth lestrange on Feb 3, 2023 11:06:15 GMT -5
you die, i thrive, and so it goes, He was alive.
The former Dark Lady had long been able to live with the consequences of her actions; people lived and died whether she was involved or not. There were those that would hurt to lose, agonizing and painful: her aunt, her cousins, her girl. His would break her. His death would have been solely because of her, a move by Death just to punish her. It was never going to be enough. Death would find some other way to get to her, especially now that she had managed to hold the entity off long enough for them both to escape. She proven exactly what she had been saying all along: she was valuable. It would find her again.
"Are you all right?"
The feel of his palm in hers was normal, that easy fit that the two of them had always had. She tested her hold on him, squeezing his calloused palm to ground herself in this moment. It was a gift neither of them deserved; they didn’t deserve to be alive, and they had done nothing to earn this. The irons around his wrists clattered as he settled into the seat next to her. She leaned closer, her green eyes moving over the contours of his still healing face. He let out a shaky breath of his own. She squeezed his hand again, running her thumb over the side of his. He was warm, she could feel the life in him that had been so fleeting the last time she’d been able to hold him.
“I’m fine,” she assured. “All this time I wasn't sure if I'd lost you.”
She’d sat in a cage before; the most irritating part was the nothingness. All the time stretched before her with nothing to fill it. It wasn’t the worst cage she’d been trapped in either. She had her game of chess, even when there were no opponents, and books to fill the void.
"How long have you been here?"
He didn’t remember much, then. She had expected that; he had been barely conscious, for better or worse. He’d surely remember the party in the greatest detail, even flashes of her bargaining with Death for his life. Her eyes pulled away from their fingers, moving about the watching faces. There were still wards in place, she’d never be able to slip into his mind and hold their conversation in private. Everything between them would have to play out in the open now. “I came with you, and they’ve been keeping us apart. Their safety and all that nonsense,” she said. She shot a pointed look across the room at Piper before Marianna leaned close, as close as their situation could allow. They were both alive. The details didn’t matter.
“I had enough power to keep it off you. It’s hunting now; it won’t end.”
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Owner of The Coffin House Necromancy Shop, Self-Employed Hit Man, Parselmouth
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Meg
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Post by aurelius silvestro raymon on Feb 7, 2023 10:50:52 GMT -5
❝ | Aurelius had once been a man that had thought nothing could stop him - and Marianna Lestrange had been his perfect counterpart. They had joined together in their mutual arrogance, and that had fueled their contempt for the world around them. It had been what had gotten them by for so long in the world, what had encouraged them to mold it to their liking. Powerful people were made all the more strong when they surrounded themselves with those that were their equal.And now, all of that had come crashing down around them.Aurelius supposed that the last year or so of his life was a humbling experience, a sign from the powers that be that he needed to slow down. He'd lost the trust of his children, had lost his wife to his own actions - a woman that he had loved despite all his wrongdoings.And he'd nearly lost Marianna too.Her hands were soft and gentle as they held his, thumbs lightly rubbing against him in a comforting gesture."I'm fine. All this time I wasn't sure if I'd lost you.""I'm a lot tougher than that," Aurelius replied, a weak smile flickering across his features."I came with you, and they’ve been keeping us apart. Their safety and all that nonsense."Aurelius' gaze followed Marianna's up to where a rather defeated-looking Piper sat. The small sliver of his former self that existed in his body took a great deal of pleasure from seeing her suffer, but there was no malice in his eyes when he glanced at her. She'd saved them both for the time being - as selfish and cocky as he was, Aurelius knew how to be grateful."I had enough power to keep it off you. It’s hunting now; it won’t end.”"It was never going to end in your favor - you know that now, don't you?" Aurelius asked quietly. He had warned her to be careful time and time again, and she hadn't listened... but, now wasn't the time for "I told you so.""I'm glad you're alive," he told her earnestly. "That's all that matters now." |
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Marion
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Post by marianna elizabeth lestrange on Feb 13, 2023 12:22:57 GMT -5
you die, i thrive, and so it goes, “I’m a lot tougher than that.”
The simple statement made her smile, for what was surely the first time in the past month. Of course he was, she wouldn’t choose him otherwise. The fleeting thought that he was dead and that she had failed and lost him had still shaken her to her core. She had seen Piper now in her grief, and she knew she would never take it with as much care and thought; she’d tear the world apart instead. It was what her mother had done, when the Dark Lord had been lost she’d done anything to get him back; she’d spent a decade in Azkaban for it. The same had been in reverse, when her mother had fallen the Dark Lord had come apart, howling and slaughtering those who remained in his wake. Was that all that was meant to be? Yet he was here, their fingers tangled together despite the chains keeping them from moving much more, and her mind was more at ease.
Death’s army did still have her baby, but Bella was somewhat safe with Eleanor. Despite how much she despised her ex-lover's vampire wife, she knew she would attempt to care for the girl until Marianna made it back to her.
“It was never going to end in your favor – you know that now, don’t you?”
That resounding truth had been hazy in her mind prior to this final battle. She’d always known deep down those she trusted would lead her into danger and hurt and she followed blindly. It was easy to accept that they could hurt her then, that there was danger still outside these walls. What she’d never known was that despite all the tools and training she’d been given, the hours of torment for betterment, she’d been set up.
They’d known she was going to fail.
“I should have always known; whose success did they ever care about besides their own?”
She could have carved out her own life. It wouldn’t have all come crashing down around her like this one had. Maybe they would have had an entirely different life together; none of it mattered now. This was what was left, and she wasn’t dead. There were pieces still to pick back up and keep going.
They couldn’t take her down that easily.
“I’m glad you’re alive. That’s all that matters now.”
“Neither one of us is that easy to kill.” She met his eyes, leaning just close enough despite their clattering chains to brush her lips against his. “If It comes for me, promise me you’ll go. They’ll hurt you to get to me.”
It wasn’t a command. She wasn’t even asking; Marianna was pleading.
“They already have her; I can’t lose you too.”
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Owner of The Coffin House Necromancy Shop, Self-Employed Hit Man, Parselmouth
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Meg
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Post by aurelius silvestro raymon on Feb 15, 2023 10:36:37 GMT -5
❝ | Aurelius' relationship with Marianna had always been complicated, there was no denying that. Both had attached to each other in their youth because of the power that could be gleaned from one another... though, throughout the years, genuine love had flooded into the mix. They could have been married if the timing had been right, could have had children. It hadn't mean to be, though Aurelius knew that the thought had crossed both of their minds.In the end, their relationship was a perfect paradox - they were content to use the other for their own selfish purposes, but had spent time cultivating genuine care and respect for one another too. Aurelius had planned to leave her side if things had gone south more quickly than they had, though a part of him would have always remained loyal. Though he wasn't sure if the same could be said for his lover... he could assume that the answer was yes.And yet, here they both were, Marianna his savior, and he was content with it."I should have always known; whose success did they ever care about besides their own?"Even in that acknowledgment, Marianna was still placing the blame on others. Aurelius supposed he couldn't blame her - her arrogance, although wounded, would never wane."Neither one of us is that easy to kill. If It comes for me, promise me you’ll go. They’ll hurt you to get to me.”Marianna leaned in, lips lightly touching his, and Aurelius accepted the kiss tenderly.“They already have her; I can’t lose you too.”"If I can leave, I'll do as you ask... but, I'm tired, my raven. I don't know that I want to spend the rest of my numbered days fleeing. I would much rather embrace it - it seems the end is here no matter what we do," Aurelius replied. |
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Marion
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Post by marianna elizabeth lestrange on Feb 28, 2023 18:24:51 GMT -5
you die, i thrive, and so it goes, "If I can leave, I'll do as you ask... but, I'm tired, my raven.”
Marianna’s life was full of inconsistencies; the thread that was constant was him. He had been in her life longer than any other person that was not her blood. She’d let him in, held him closer than any of them, and had let herself fall in love with him. This was hardly the way she had thought it all would go. A much younger Marianna had thought he’d finally leave his wife for her, that they could be normal and raise a family together. He was, despite the current outcomes, a loving father. Neither one of them were good people or parents, but she had never doubted once that he loved his children or that he would have loved hers. Yet, they had never let things go that far, had never dared to bring a child like theirs into the world. Maybe that was better; what kind of world had they really created for them?
His quiet admittance of defeat was the first time she felt that constant waver. Her own actions had caused this, and though he hadn’t pulled away from her completely, she was suddenly afraid. Saving his life had surely earned her a reprieve from her previous transgressions, but what would happen now? If they didn’t make it out alive together, then she would have nothing. She’d be like Piper, cold and empty, and somehow much worse.
She’d die without him.
“I don't know that I want to spend the rest of my numbered days fleeing. I would much rather embrace it - it seems the end is here no matter what we do.”
Her eyes lifted, sweeping over his healed face as she drank in his features like it was the first time. There was shock, mixed with an awe that hadn’t lit her face in his presence in a long while. He hadn’t given up, not entirely, but to even consider it seemed so unlike him. It was a whole new world that was raging outside them, and she was suddenly snapped into the reality that they had to be new people. They were suddenly weak, without power, and had just been hit with the situation of their mortality.
“It really is the end of days,” she said quietly, a hint of a smile there as she squeezed his hand again. He was there now. He wouldn’t run forever, he’d fight and die with as much honor and glory as he could retain, but she’d die to save him and keep her heart from crumbling away. Maybe she’d be dead by then; she hoped that would be the case.
The tears suddenly burned her eyes, months of rage and distress bubbling up in a single phrase of apology. She couldn’t apologize to her daughter, but she could to him.
“And I’m sorry for that. I should have listened; we’d be happy.” |
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