Thread: Penance [Arberus x Selini x Temara]

RE Penance Yeah, the fight, Rayner said, It ended. Nobody won. Since then you've been either out cold or in some sorta trance the whole time. He raised an eyebrow at her complete lack of recognition of what happened. Did she not even remember the times he HAD managed to stir her, the children's visit, and so forth? It seemed that way, and things only went from strange to stranger in that regard he supposed. What was he supposed to make of all of this now? At least now, attention beginning to turn back his way as she adjusted, warming up and showing him some affection and concern, it was hard to be quite so angry. Not that it was impossible to be certain, but... relief and that warmth just made it hard to fuss with it right now. He'd have other opportunities. He let Selini up as the girl seemed outright strangely excited by Celeste's request, as if she'd gotten here and now realized she wanted nothing more than to leave the room right away... in her strange, polite way. He waited until she left the room to answer the rest. I'm not sure what you were so worked up about, but at this point, I think you have to keep doing it. This time you actually went over the edge- and that's where it starts. 's the part where hiding from it stops being an option. Once you've looked it in the eyes, it's a part of you. But at the same time... now you know what you're up against. And now she could fight back. He'd hoped she'd already been through this before, so she wouldn't have had to do it again. But now... best to look forward instead of back. If her mind worked even a smidgen like his own, it had been a downward spiral to that, and now they'd be at the part where Celeste had the opportunity to take control of herself and whatever demons she had hidden away inside of her... or lose everything over to them. He didn't have any doubt which way it'd go if she set her feet down and fought. It'd never get easy. But he had no doubts. Of course, after that, Rayner was surprised to see the other woman return... and with the cup in hand, not in a regretful or frightened way, but almost reverent to the damn thing. Or maybe to him and Celeste. And spoke. Also reverent and formal, practically swearing herself over to them and- Huh. While one part of his brain got stuck for a moment on as you please he mostly glanced over to Celeste, and raised an eyebrow to accompany a silent question. He knew enough about this kind of thing to fill an ant's head, but he'd seen some of the things in the mansion and the way his wife acted at times. He didn't know if she was supposed to be some kind of legitimate servant or slave type somewhere, or just brainwashed into it, despite her competing in the tournament. It wasn't the kind of thing he'd ever seen in his time, and he didn't really care to delve and try to remember if the Knight ever had- he had little scraps of those memories still stuck in head in places, hidden away, but none of the most distinct ones ever focused on any serving hands, and Rayner was half convinced that trying to think about those things too much would draw unwanted attention his way. So instead he let his expression ask Cel if she was a real deal, right up until his brain went to turning those words over again- And his eyes turned back to Selini, narrowing not suspiciously, but in concentration, looking her over as if trying to scrutinize if there might have been some kind of monster hidden away under her skin. One far, far too familiar for a person with eyes tinted slightly to red- even if not the proper, unquestionably blood-red tone of his own- to have without him asking questions. Dark rites had meant nothing to him on hearing the first time around except more mumbo-jumbo, but when he recalled her taking that knife to herself... Some things made a bit too much sense.