TRP: Asenka and Gwydion (Nevermore)

**Mink:** at 5:47 PM

[Setting: The Tower]

Moonlight flooded the room through the sole tower window.It hadn't been there at first, but
Gwydion preferred the light of the sun and moon to the harsh flicker of flames.This night he was grateful for the
opening, using it to read by. He flipped the torn page of the book resting on
his thighs.

He was nestled down into his bed with his back against the
headboard.His hair felt about his
face and shoulders in loose waves, hardly obscuring the silver sleep robe he
wore that night.It was times like
these that he often felt the most at peace.

He turned another page.

**Coyote:** at 5:52
PM

Outside, a crow called to another crow. It lit on the
windowsill, watched Gwydion for a moment, then flapped away again.

From somewhere nearby, there was faint sound of creak of
footsteps... and quiet, absentminded humming. An old elven lullaby. The voice
was light and sweet, almost melodic.

The humming sounded close.

**Mink:** at 5:54 PM

Gwydion turned another page, listening to the humming that
drifted up to him.He looked towards
the top of the stairs as he waited for the person to show.

**Coyote:** at 5:59
PM

Nothing came from the stairs. The door remained closed.

While he was looking towards the stairs, a lilting voice
spoke from beside him. "Hello, Gwydion."

Asenka sat on the windowsill, suddenly, as if she had been
there all along. Her presence felt cold. Her sky-blue dressed was soaked in
blood at the middle, and there was blood on her lips. She regarded Gwydion
quietly.

**Mink:** at 6:48 PM

The book pages crumpled beneath Gwydion's grip, his heart
skipping wildly within in his chest before he let out a soft, steadying breath.

"Good evening, Asenka," he said as he closed the
book.He set it aside and stood up
in order to offer a hand to her. "Come on in, my love.How have you been?"

**Coyote:** at 6:58
PM

The world was wild. She was out for the first time in well
over seventeen years. There was color, and people, and talking, and so much
life around her. It was overwhelming-- and glorious.

"Good," she said. Her eyes were a little wider
than they should have been. She took his hand delicately and stepped down into
the room. She had been invited. She could come in to the castle, now. That was
easier than she had thought. Her eyes roamed around the room. "I followed
you. I heard your magic nearby when I was in the forest. Singing to me quietly.
I didn't mean to intrude. Thank you for inviting me in."

**Mink:** at 7:02 PM

Her touch was as cold as at it had been that the day in the
house, but he didn't shy from it as helped her off of the windowsill and into
the interior of the room.

"There was nothing to intrude upon." He smiled as
he let her hand go."You're
welcome, my dear."It felt as
if something had been breached, but he found himself unable to think of what.But something was off. "Do you
need a change of clothes?

**Coyote:** at 7:13
PM

"No. No, I don't think so. But thank you." She
looked around, skimming the place. It felt old, and she could smell blood, the
tang of recently-dead spirits. Perhaps a few days old. The previous owners of
keep, no doubt. "Why a castle? However did this happen?"(edited)

**Mink:** at 7:16 PM

"What about a drink?" Gwydion had a small bottle
of wine that he kept in the room. "The castle?I don't know why they chose it.No one will tell me."

**Coyote:** at 7:23
PM

Asenka had always been poised, cunning, and graceful, but
her eyes were distant. Then they sharpened again, and she focused on Gwydion
and the bottle. She took it, smiling gratefully, but didn't drink. "Thank
you." She sat on the bed, cross-legged. "Then why are you here? What
ties you to them, and to my sweet baby brother?"

**Mink:** at 7:25 PM

Gwydion leaned back against the small table besides the bed,
holding a glass of wine he had poured himself. "I have business with one
of their family members." He could have lied to Asenka, but he had the
undesirable feeling that she could do many things in retaliation.

**Coyote:** at 7:30
PM

"Oh? Who? Maybe I can help."

**Mink:** at 7:32 PM

He took a sip of his wine, watching Asenka even as his heart
fluttered; he had to be careful, but one always had to be careful with the
dead.

Except there were only two possible answers.

"Tricksy Smirnova." He could feel himself sinking
once more, falling into something he couldn't grasp.

**Coyote:** at 7:35
PM

Asenka laughed. "Ah, sorry. I don't know who that is.
I've been a bit've a hermit for the past seventeen years." She tilted her
head, pausing, frowning. She blinked at him. "Are you alright? I can come
back later if you aren't in the mood for conversation."

**Mink:** at 7:38 PM

"I am always in the mood for conversation, especially with
you." He smiled with a soft smile. "I just wasn't expecting any
company at this time."

Gwydion sipped his wine and set the glass down before
walking to the bed. "I apologize for being poor company." He sat down
near Asenka. "Have you enjoyed your time out of the house?"

**Coyote:** at 7:42
PM

"Oh, yes. It's been amazing." She loosely wrapped
her long arms around her legs. "You are charming, with your flattery. I
think you're full of shit, but it's nice." She sounded amused. "At
least you didn't run away screaming. I knew you'd be more likely to actually
talk to me and help me. Shall we just talk? It can just be idle conversation. I
have questions, but they can wait. I shall admit-- I mostly just wanted
company."

Every word was full of shit. She wondered if Gwydion would
be able to tell.

**Mink:** at 7:51 PM

"I spend my life around the dead, Asenka.I would be a miserable necromancer if
I went running whenever they showed up.You
are certainly the most beautiful, however." Gwydion shifted on the bed
enough so he could rest partway against the wall.Asenka could be lying, and he didn't believe she was telling the
whole truth, but he could go with it for now. "Is there anything you want
to talk about?"

**Coyote:** at 7:53
PM

"Oh. Just catching up on things." She waved her
hand.

Her jaw clenched so tight her teeth hurt, a stabbing pain.
She was not used to that. She felt semi-corporeal now; sometimes things hurt,
sometimes they didn't, depending on how tightly she held onto the Material
Plane.

Why did he kill me why did he kill me why did he kill me.

**Mink:** at 7:55 PM

"You, my love, are full of it." Gwydion reached
over to relieve Asenka of the drink she had yet to take a sip from. "Don't
clench your jaw that tight."

**Coyote:** at 7:59
PM

Asenka laughed, a sharp and startled sound. "I mean,
yes," she said, looking away. She held onto the drink. She wished she
could drink it. She wondered if she could. "Listen, I just want news from
Alabaster. I am... curious. I assume my death was investigated. Did they find
out why Mishka killed me?"

She kept her tone smooth, light, and cordial, as though he'd
startled her into being honest and letting her guard down. It was the truth;
she did want to know. But the casual act was just that: an act.

"Tell me," she said.

**Mink:** at 8:08 PM

"Your death was all they could talk about."
Gwydion dropped his hand and drummed his fingers on a thigh. "But, no,
they never found out why he killed you." At least not before he had left.
"People still talk about it, and you."

**Coyote:** at 8:18
PM

"Hm." She tried tasting the drink. The wine did
warm her, somehow. Curious. It did not taste like anything, however. Curious,
curious.

She wanted to make Mishka pay. She wasn't sure how yet,
though. Needed more information about what was going on here. The half-orc.
That one. Mishka spent a lot of time with that one. And he spent a lot of time
looking at that half-elf, the dark-haired shifty-eyed one. And the pink
tiefling. That one. Mishka spent a lot of time with her in his newly-claimed
study. Asenka had lied; she had been here for several days, following Gwydion
to the castle once he'd been captured.

"Hm. Well. I think we should be allies. Is there
anything I can help you with?"

**Mink:** at 8:23 PM

Gwydion watched as Asenka took a sip of the drink, studying
her as she undoubtedly studied him.Oh,
she likely saw many things he couldn't, but he could still learn from others.

His fingers ceased drumming at her question.There were several things he wanted.One he had a line on and that would
take care two of his needs, but there could always be changes and something
could always come up.

"What is it you want me to help you with?" He
avoided answering the question himself; that could come up later.

**Coyote:** at 8:32
PM

"Oh," Asenka said. "I haven't decided
yet." She toyed with the bottle, looking away. "Sometimes it's not
about specific plans. It's just about... gathering pieces."

**Mink:** at 8:35 PM

Gwydion laughed softly, hardly audible. "Then we make
for a strange sort of alliance." Oh, what a world. "Do you need help
with any of those pieces?"

**Coyote:** at 8:38
PM

"I might. Probably." Her eyes were flat and
calculating. "I don't know yet. I just want information, whatever things
you can give me. The half-orc. That one is his lover, I presume?" Hahaha.
Adver-lese. Mother had been right. That would please her.

**Mink:** at 8:40 PM

"I would assume." The two spent a fair bit of time
together, more than he thought was usual.

**Coyote:** at 8:41
PM

"The pink one. What is that. What is that one,"
Asenka said. "Fucking tieflings." She loved tieflings.

**Mink:** at 8:42 PM

"She's a friend."

December 14, 2018

**Coyote:** at 9:35
AM

Asenka looked at him curiously. “Why do you not want to tell
me? I can leave that one be, if you like.”

The half-orc, though. And the half-elf. She could fuck with
them.

**Mink:** at 9:40 AM

"She's just a friend and, thank you, I would appreciate
that." Sugar had been open, even with the steel running through her body,
and she had continued to vouch for him.

He worried his tongue as he continued to watch Asenka.
"Do you need something done involving Mishka's friends?"

**Coyote:** at 9:55
AM

“No. Not yet. I’m thinking, still. I’ll let you know if I
come up with anything. For now— I think I will just watch.”

**Mink:** at 9:57 AM

Gwydion smiled softly; he would have to be on the look out.
"Before you leave, I do have one question."

**Coyote:** at 9:58
AM

She had started to stand already, but she paused. “Oh? Do
tell.”

**Mink:** at 10:00 AM

"What are you?"

**Coyote:** at 10:14
AM

Asenka paused. She paused for a very long moment,
considering him.

She hummed to herself. “I do not know. I’m sensitive to
sunlight— it burns me. I’ve discovered other problems, too... Garlic smells
foul to my senses. And I can’t cross lines of salt. You’re a necromancer—
perhaps you know what this is?”

**Mink:** at 10:19 AM

Oh, that was interesting. "That makes you something
special, my love." That was, if she was telling the truth. He smiled.
"If you ever need a place to hide away, my tower is always
open."(edited)

**Coyote:** at 10:26
AM

“Thank you.” She smiled gratefully. “Ah— thanks you for
talking to me. I’ve just missed home so fucking much, you know? And thank you
for the wine, darling. If you need anything— I can watch people for you.
Perhaps share information, who knows.” She went to go. “I’ve been listening to
people talk. They have such fascinating lives.”

**Mink:** at 10:28 AM

Gwydion stood up and smiled softly. "Anytime,
Asenka." He held out his hand. "Now, which way do you want to
leave?"

**Coyote:** at 10:32
AM

Asenka laughed. “Oh, though the door. What am I, a heathen?”

She took his hand, though, and kissed it. She could feel the
life beneath his skin, heartbeat moving a little too fast, his eyes watching
her a little too carefully. He was nervous. She liked that.

**Mink:** at 10:35 AM

"Oh, were you not the one who was sitting on my
windowsill like a lost little bird?" Gwydion smiled and he led Asenka to
the door, the feel of her lips still tingling in his skin.He didn't feel that crawling sensation he had with Tricksy, but
that wariness was still there.

He brought her knuckles to his lips in the softest of kisses
before he opened the door. "Until later, my love."

**Coyote:** at 10:40
AM

“Ah, you don’t need to open the door. Watch.” With an amused
smile, she shifted her form a bit. She melded out of the Material Plane and
into the Ethereal Plane.

The Material Plane and Ethereal Plane stood right beside
each other. Ghosts and other incorporeal creatures existed on the Ethereal
Plane: they were visible to normal human beings, but could not touch things.

Asenka could shift between them. She could make herself
solid on the Ethereal Plane and incorporeal on the Material Plane, or vice
versa.

She shifted to the Ethereal Plane, leaving herself visible
but insubstantial. She rested her hand on the door. It passed through. “See?”
she said, amused.

**Mink:** at 10:42 AM

"Oh, goodness.\* Very interesting indeed. "You are
full of surprises." He smiled. "Is there anything else you can
do?"

**Coyote:** at 10:50
AM

“Mm. Oh yes. There are other things I can do,” she said,
eyes lingering on him a moment. “Perhaps I’ll show you later. Perhaps not.
We’ll see, yes? Yes.”

She drew away. She looked back over her shoulder at him,
smiling, and then vanished down the stairs.

**Mink:** at 11:23 AM

[End]

**Mink:** at 11:47 AM

Title: Nevermore (?) Summary: Asenka and Gwydion have a
late-night talk starting with Gwydion inviting her into the castle.