In this world, Magic is Everything. All people, all races, are granted with the power to perform mystical and magical feats via grimories, mystical tomes granted to each and every child on their 15th birthday. Those blessed by the mana can have their names written down in legend.
Shattered Grimoires is the work of the mind(s) of Ardere & Shattered Grimoire's staff. All characters and content are copyright their creators, and may not be replicated without their creators' permission. Black Clover is owned by Yuki Tabata and published by Viz Shonen Jump. All images belong to their original owners. The theme you are currently viewing was made by Eliza of ElizaCodes exclusively for Shattered Grimoires.
Suna could only shrug at the matters concerning the wild mana beasts. She also had no idea what to make of their strange behaviors, but at the moment, they were safe from harm. Still, it would be wise to search out on the matter, in case this kind of incident repeated itself. Perhaps she could find something about that in her books later on.
Thankfully, it seemed like Verena took her being an ex-witch well. At least, as far as she could observe. Suna tilted her head, and her eyes took on a more dreamy state, drifting back a little into her memories. "Sound and aura..." here her hands moved so her palms were facing upwards, and the elf made some of her blue mana dance and twirl in a graceful arc above her hand. "Both are intangible and abstract...why did Fate give me such strange magic?" She murmured, a rhetorical question to herself.
This was not the first time she has wondered about it. Back in the Outer Forest, she was shunned for her grimoire and her outward appearance. Her witch ‘sisters’ were terribly jealous and gossiped whenever she walked past. Even now she could recall their hateful eyes and hurtful words. Those who said words do not hurt were obviously deaf. Deaf and dumb. Unfortunately, Suna was neither, although she wished part of her was at the time.
However, ‘twas all in the past. She had simply stopped meeting and hanging around with those shallow witches, and withdrew to the comfort of practicing on her musical instruments. For that reason, she had concentrated primarily on fine tuning her sound element over aura, though now she realized that her aura is just as supple and moldable as sound. Both were flexible in nature, unlike other elements that may have natural restrictions. But at the end of it all, she could count herself blessed that she had received these elements, those that were not of the usual kinds.
Now she blinked and was returned to reality. "Ah, sorry," she apologized with a sheepish look on her face, "I get lost thinking about the past sometimes." Her fingers curled into her palm, and with a flick of her wrist, she waved away her magic, dispelling it into thin air.
"I have no idea how I was born...who my ‘parents’ were, if I have any...or how witches in general come about." Suna gave a little shrug. "But I think my case is a little different from others, as I’m more elf than witch. Most witches don’t have elven blood, so I suspect that I was perhaps brought into the Forest when I was a baby. If the Witches’ Forest have records, that would be news to me. But either way, I’m an outsider, both to the witch community and here in Clover Kingdom."
She took a sip of her tea. Saying that out loud was not as difficult as she thought it was going to be. Now, it felt more factual than emotional, and she was glad that she had come to terms with it well enough to share it in a calm and frank manner. From an early age, she had learned that emotions can cloud and complicate things, but as of late, certain people and certain relationships have crept their way into her affections. Was that a good or bad thing? She did not know.
When Verena thanked her for the tea, the hostess smiled and nodded. "Of course. Tea is the drink of nobilities and commoners alike." The elf-human still had no idea of the Reinsburg girl’s family heritage, but it was not like she cared if she was a nobility or not. Though she has not met that many nobles per se, she personally did not think they were any different from the mass majority of commoners, besides in social rank and wealth.
As for how the Witches’ Forest ran their system, Suna pursed her lips. After spending more and more time in Clover Kingdom, she had been drawn in fascination and longing to their society and system. No system was perfect, of course, and like Verena stated, both kingdoms struggle with similar problems—problems such as social and power rank. Though one thing she did note, was that Clover had the Magic Knights system, and in a way, it was a chance for any mage to rise up in ranks, no matter of his or her background. In the Forest, rank was determined by power and how much the Witch Queen favors you. Otherwise, one was as good as a nobody among the sisterhood.
Hearing Verena talk about golems was like seeing a different side of her. Suna should have expected that, given how enthusiastic the girl was about golems on their first meeting. "You should!" Azure eyes brightened up at the idea. "You should write a book about golems! You know so much already, and have different theories about them...I’m sure other golem users would be glad to glean from your knowledge!" She was leaning forward, nodding enthusiastically.
"I’m sure you can also bring a different light and perspective in your writing and thoughts, since you have the ability to sample and play with magic elements different from your natural one." The femme’s blue aura pulsed slightly as she got more and more excited about the girl’s goal. "If you get it published, let me know where I can buy a copy! It’ll be up on my shelf on display! Speaking of which," she glanced down at the teacup. "I still need to clean and organize my books. Do you want to take a look at them now or do you want a bite to eat first? It’s almost time for supper." Regardless of how Verena chose to answer, Suna would still go ahead and refill her cup with tea.
Post by Verena Reinsberg on Oct 12, 2020 1:21:24 GMT -5
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[attr="class","verenaver2scroll"] Verena couldn't help but wonder if she should have spoken up on the matter. She noticed that Suna seemed fixated on something. It likely was the fact she was reliving her time in the Witch's Forest when she explained what it was there. Should she apologize? Without realizing it, the brunette began to reach out a hand, though she seemed to catch onto this and set it aside. There was really nothing she could do, and she lacked the experience to offer any comfort to her friend. Even still, Verena truly admired Suna for having come out of this a stronger person. Or perhaps that was just her own impression, comparatively? She didn't know.[break][break]
The young woman wasn't sure what Suna was thinking, but she could tell that she was thinking about her magic--the fact she displayed her magic in such a manner after the conversation. The sun was just barely still in the sky, it's descending glow filling the room giving an ambient sort of lighting to the room. She recognized the confused expression wore after talking about it, that sort of mixed feeling. She understood those complicated feelings, even if she couldn't properly explain it, nor could she really give any sort of advice on the matter. Even still...[break][break]
As Verena desperately was trying to think of a way to cheer her friend up, it seemed as though the blue-haired woman managed to do it herself, coming to her senses with an apology. The brunette dismissively waved her hands about. "H-Hey, no need to apologize, uhm... I mean, I understand. I'm the same way," she admitted, inadvertently gripping her forearm.[break][break]
How could she not be? She lived with her past, it affected her everyday life. Even now, that curse still afflicted her body and it likely would until her passing. It was impossible to forget. Even still, she had no idea whom she hated more. Her father for doing this to her to begin with, her mother for doing nothing, or herself for not being able to do anything about it, to begin with. If she was stronger, she could have forced them to acknowledge her. If she was 'blessed', she wouldn't have had a four-leaf grimoire, to begin with. Her fortune was the greatest source of misfortune in her entire life, and to her, there was a reason why her grimoire's clover leaves were separated: to reflect that she would have no hope, love, faith, or luck.[break][break]
Verena raised a brow when Suna began to answer her questions. The elf had no reason to lie to her, but surely she realized how strange that sounded to an outsider. Even still, Verena wasn't going to question it, nor was she going to really comment on it. There was no reason to disbelieve Suna, after all. Even if she was lying, it just meant it was something comfortable sharing--though the brunette hoped that Suna would have been okay with saying that instead of lying if it was the case. Though, her disbelief was directed solely towards "how witches in general come about".[break][break]
The lack of elven witches was entirely believable to the noble-born woman. She hadn't seen very many in her travels, either, and Verena liked to think she knew the lay of the land and the towns quite well at this point. "Well, you've set up a home in Clover, haven't you?" she asked, taking a sip from her tea, making a pause to do so as she let that heavenly taste pour down.[break][break]
How delightful was it to enjoy a cup of tea with a friend. Verena didn't know if she'd ever been able to enjoy something like this at some point, but five years of constantly being alone only made her crave affection that much more. Perhaps she was desperate. She wasn't so quick to trust others before, no matter how generous they were. She wondered why she was so quickly taken by Suna. Why she trusted her so much. Perhaps she sensed that they were kindred spirits who knew what it was like to be alone from the beginning. No, that wasn't it... in any case, she was glad that she had someone who could understand her pain.[break][break]
But she would not share that pain.[break][break]
"So, it's incorrect to your a stranger to both, don't you think? You're a citizen of Clover now."[break][break]
Verena had put the cup back down to say this, in a matter of fact manner. To her, this wasn't solacing; it was just stating a fact, as natural as breathing.
Still, Suna's comment on tea left Verena with mixed feelings. Yes, it was true. Both drank tea; it was a very important part of Clover's identity. But the truth was, the tea in the noble realm was just simply better in every conceivable way. There were parts of her that secretly wanted to return there just to enjoy some tea. She missed it, at times. The difference was night and day, and there was no feasible way to expect a commoner's tea to compare to the elite's. Verena scratched her cheek as she thought about that. "It certainly is," she said with an awkward smile.[break][break]
Still, Suna's expression, gleaming with joy caught her off guard. She didn't expect her to get so passionate about this. Those pure blue eyes of hers shining like diamonds exposed to light... Verena wasn't used to seeing people get so worked up about someone else's dream. It was... nice? Was that the word? It felt like an understatement. "I-I'm still a long way off from being able to write it..." she admitted. "P-Plus, there would be some major roadblocks to have to work through before I could..."[break][break]
Verena felt a sense of relief when Suna realized the entire reason she had her come along. "Um... I'll get started now. It's in the back, right?" she asked, before quickly trying to down her tea.
Suna had come back out of her momentary reverie, and now heard Verena’s response. She was the same? She has yet to see the other girl fall into a contemplation state, but she supposed that bookworms like themselves had a tendency to do that. As for her upbringing, Suna knew what it felt to be an outsider—but now, whatever she lacked before she now had in full, and she wanted to share that with those around her.
Verena had stated that she now had a home in Clover, to which she nodded warmly. "Yes. Clover is my home now." Though the other girl did bring up a good point as to her being a stranger to both worlds. "I suppose so. Though being a citizen of Clover doesn’t mean I feel like a citizen...at least not yet." She swirled the tea around her cup in a thoughtful manner. "It would take some used to in calling myself a Cloverian, and even more time in thinking like one." Old habits die hard, after all.
"I-I'm still a long way off from being able to write it..."
Suna tilted her head to the side at this. As far as she knew, the girl was perfectly educated and knowledgeable in her area. If it was resources she was worried about, the elf got her covered. "I have plenty of ink and paper here, and I can always move this table and the chairs to the back room. During the daytime, the lighting in that room is perfect." Perhaps she was taking it a bit too far, but her enthusiasm could not be stopped. Not now.
"P-Plus, there would be some major roadblocks to have to work through before I could..."
"What’s holding you back?" The question was out of her mouth before she could think twice about it. Even as they got up to go to the back, Suna was practically dancing with excitement...and it was not even about her own music. "You can bring the tea over to the back, you don’t have to finish it all now." She turned to go grab something from the cupboard. "In fact, let me get a tray and bring the tea with us."
Once there, Suna made the lamps flicker up with her magic, bringing light to the room. To their right was a reclining couch, and to their left was the library. In the middle of the room was a large tree, of which the staircase snaked around, leading to her bedroom upstairs, right above the library. On the far end of the room was the restroom, and a back door that led to the backyard. Granted, her backyard at the moment was but a plot of overgrown grass and weeds, but she had a plan to mold it into something after one of her favorite classics, The Secret Garden.
She made her way towards the library and placed the tray down on one of the boxes. "Watch your step there... As you can see, there’s no decorations or anything just yet, but I’m thinking of bringing some plants in, to liven up this space." She waved a hand towards the other part of the room. "If you have any ideas of decor, let me know!"
But now she knelt down and opened one of the boxes. "So my books got a bit mixed up during the move, so you might see random titles together." She held up the first two books. "Ah, Intermediate Harp Techniques...and The Ultimate Guide to Folklore and Mythology. Perfect example!" She laughed. "But hmm...how do you think we should categorize?"
The elf stepped back a little to survey at the shelves on the wall. "There are two main sections of shelves here...I was thinking of maybe sorting by topic? Most of my books are either music-related or non-music anyways. Maybe by topic, and then alphabetically under each topic? Hmm, what do you suggest?"
Post by Verena Reinsberg on Oct 16, 2020 5:28:56 GMT -5
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[attr="class","verenaver2scroll"] There was a very good reason why Verena rarely found herself in a contemplative state, though it was not worth mentioning. She did in bursts, but tunnel visioning on the thought itself always ended poorly for her. Anytime she was about to wander off under that train of thought, she had to consciously remind herself to snap back into reality. An incredibly difficult task, for sure; after all, any time she tried moving about on her own, she was reminded of what had happened five years ago. It was just as simple as that.[break][break]
Suna mentioned that she didn't quite feel like a citizen of the kingdom. Perhaps due to her upbringing, she couldn't quite understand that, but there was a sentiment she could get behind; namely, not feeling welcome. Still, she hoped that that wasn't how the elven witch felt on the matter. It might have been better to not ask, just in case. Should she have? She wasn't sure. Verena at least hoped that her friend felt welcomed here.[break][break]
...Friend?[break][break]
Verena couldn't help but smile at the thought--seemingly unprompted, and out of nowhere. Yes, Suna was a friend, wasn't she? They were both avid book lovers who preferred the quiet, preferring to stay astray from large cities and large crowds. They had a similar upbringing--that is to say, one filled with less than happy memories. Both enjoyed tea. There was a lot in common, but there seemed to be, on some level, a degree of trust between the two that even Verena didn't think she was capable of ushering in.[break][break]
Yes, Verena had a friend now, didn't she? It only took her twenty years to pull that off. She might have been a commoner, but at this point in her life, that was far preferable to keeping the company of Nobles. It was far preferable to the company of her own family.[break][break]
That smile remained even as Suna enthusiastically started listing all the ways Verena could get started on writing--an innocent, truly content smile. It was as if the two girls hadn't just fought off mana beasts just moments ago. It would be a lie to say the thought wasn't on her mind, but there was always something comforting about being in a home--one's guard was naturally lowered, after all, due to the supposed security it brought.[break][break]
"...I apologize," she said at last when Suna inquired but was holding her back. "But I don't feel comfortable answering that--rather, I don't think I should. We should both just enjoy the time, right?"[break][break]
The roadblock was simple. It was the entirety of the Reinsbergs. Including herself. The fact of the matter was after the incident with her father, she ran away. This was likely a major blow to the family, as she was the heir. With Renfir imprisoned, there was likely a massive power struggle. Naturally, she wasn't invited as she had turned her back on the family. But that was okay; Verena had no interest in the political scheming, backstabbing, and intrigue that existed between the web of families that all tried perpetually one-upping another, in some form or another.[break][break]
It was of little doubt to her that anything she'd try to publish would be met with harsh difficulty due to interference. The Reinsbergs were probably among the pettiest and spiteful of the Noble families, especially the older ones. Any chance they could kick someone down if it meant building themself up, they'd do so. To her, that was no way to live one's life, but that was just the current sad state the family was in.[break][break]
Verena herself was a roadblock because of her own lack of confidence. "It will never be good enough" and "Why would anyone ever want to publish something from someone as insignificant as me?"-- these were just a fraction of the thoughts that constantly plagued her. Even then, she only had five elements to make golems out of, but two of them she hadn't quite gotten the hang of, with her own secondary element being something she lacked proper control of at the time, only capable of utilizing Restraining Magic with it. It was quite pathetic, really.[break][break]
Though Suna mentioned she could bring it with her, Verena had already finished her cup of tea. It was still hot, of course, so it hurt a bit. Even still, the girl did so. "I apologize, but I couldn't do that..." she said, following Suna into the back room.[break][break]
Even still, Suna had brought a tray and kettle with the two. Verena had been raised to not bring food or drink with her out of the dining area, or where ever it was she was being served, but she had seen other commoners do this before. She knew better than to speak up about it, too, so she held her tongue.[break][break]
The room itself was spacious enough, especially for a home previously left abandoned. Really, this was a steal of a home. Far enough to avoid being bothered, but close enough to where heading into town was a reasonable feat. It had its own area that could be used as a library too? Most commoners she'd seen would have only been able to dream about a house like this.[break][break]
Suna inquired about decorations, leaving Verena deep in thought. Her instinctive response was something akin to statues, but she knew better. That was not commoner money. Ultimately, she'd never really paid attention to how commoners decorated, even when she was given shelter. It wasn't that she didn't see the appeal--it just never was something she could grow accustomed to. But she couldn't ever vocalize that. She didn't want to offend anyone on that front, after all. Thus, her response was naught but a meager shake of the head, indicating her own cluelessness.[break][break]
"Categorizing by type, and then by the author makes the most sense to me," Verena responded.[break][break]
The two were bookworms, and that was the common approach for libraries. "You have a diverse range when it comes to books..." she mused. "I remember you mentioning that, but Richard Carlyle's 'Ultimate Guide to Folklore and Mythology' is definitely a favored book by a very niche audience. It's surprising but wonderful. I may not have been the target audience, but it was a fascinating read."[break][break]
Verena got down on her knees, sorting through one of the boxes. Several books on music and instruments, as well as sound magic to begin with. "....May I read one of these after we sort them?" she inquired.
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COMBAT SUMMARY
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[attr="class","verenaver2scroll2"] TL;DR idk it's like 4:30 i just typed a lot mang [break][break]
"I apologize, but I don't feel comfortable answering that--rather, I don't think I should. We should both just enjoy the time, right?"
Suna nodded, realizing that she had spoken out of turn. "True. Although you are always welcomed to use the resources I have if you ever decide otherwise." On further speculation, she would venture to guess that Verena’s elusiveness must be something to do with her past, most likely her family. Though it was her family name that was holding her back, the summoner mage could always write under a pen name. But then again, she must have other reasons, so with that last offer, Suna let the topic drop.
The hostess watched as her guest finished the refilled cup in one take. "Ah, no need to finish it in a hurry. You’ll burn yourself." Suna was blissfully unaware of all the boundaries and traditions she might have been breaking, according to noble standards and lifestyle habits. Even so, she brought the tray with the teapot and the teacups over to the back room, where the two girls were surrounded by various boxes.
It did not pass Suna’s observation when Verena only shook her head at giving her suggestions for decor. The elf saw it as a sign of humility, of not wanting to push her thoughts on someone else’s space. She would have pressed for her ideas, if not for the matter at hand.
At Verena’s suggestion, the elf nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense. Type, then alphabetically by the authors’ last names. Just like the big libraries." As she started to take some of the books out of the boxes, she saw a little puff of dust on some of the covers. During the move, she had boxed her precious volume collection first before anything else, and hence, they have been in storage for the lengthiest time. Her nose tickled. Her eyes closed and her mouth opened as her head leaned back for a sneeze...but it never came.
"Uh, ahem. Excuse me for a moment. Let me go get something to wipe this dust." She got up to her feet and grabbed a few old rags from the kitchen. As she came back, she heard the other female mage commenting about her variety of book topics. "Ah, yes," she admitted, a little sheepishly. "Over the years, I’ve gone through different phases of interests." She placed a rag near the other female, in case she wanted to use that on any of the books that have collected dust. Then she went over to where she left off and continued taking books out of their containers and sorting them into two main piles.
"Indeed, it was a very interesting read, even more so because any reader could tell that Richard Carlyle has done his research. I especially loved his thorough study on the spirits, as well as his theories of origins and how they came about in ages past. It was something I had no knowledge on, and I appreciated his thorough explanations. There was another author whom I’ve learned much from..." Here she shifted through the piles that she has taken out.
"Hmm...I can’t seem to find it now, but I’m sure it’ll show up later... Either way, it is Sheria Vouls’ The Complete A-to-Z Encyclopedia of Magic Elements and Their Uses. I bought the book because it had quite the list, and I specifically wanted to learn more about my own elements. It was written...a decade or so ago? It did not have much information on sound and pure aura back then, but I’m sure it has a revised and updated version now."
Suna continued to sort, and occasionally dust and wipe down the covers of some. Every single one that she pulled out, there was some sort of memory attached to it, whether it was how she got it, why she did, or when it was purchased or received. All these slivers of remembrance...it was like a trip down memory lane, and she was content. Best of all, she was able to share this precious time with a friend, a friend who could understand her joy of such things.
At Verena’s inquiry about the books related to sound magic, the elf brightened up. "Oh yes, of course you can read them! In fact, if you want to borrow any, feel free to pick one...or several." She waved a hand at the mess of books all over the floor. "I know I can trust you to take good care of them."
As they emptied out all her books onto the floor and into two big piles, then came the time consuming part. "If you don’t mind, I can do this music section. There are quite a few music books and music sheets that I will be categorizing in finer detail, such as based on the composer’s time period. The rest, well..." Suna tilted her head, her eyes half closed as she smiled. "it might be a little bit of a challenge, given the variety of topics, but I trust your judgement!"
Post by Verena Reinsberg on Oct 18, 2020 23:02:50 GMT -5
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[attr="class","verenaver2scroll"] Verena truthfully felt bad for declining to answer. She just wasn't sure if she could answer without revealing too much. She wasn't seeking sympathy, after all. Still, she also didn't want to keep it secret from Suna. Chances are, her new friend had long since picked up that Verena wasn't born a Commoner at least. Though, Verena would have hoped that she hadn't, all the same. Either way, whether Suna had or not, she at least hadn't asked questions. Really, it was something the Reinsberg was truly happy about. Even when she did pry, she respected Verena's own declination of an answer. Even still...[break][break]
"...When we first met, I never gave you my family name," Verena began to say with a somewhat uncertain sigh, before taking a deep breath. She could do this.[break][break]
"...Admittedly, I feel I should at least do that much when you're offering me a place to stay the night and telling me about your own upbringing. My full name is Verena Nicole Ruhm Reinsberg. It may not make us completely even, but it is a start, I hope. Please do forgive the late proper introduction on my behalf," she said.[break][break]
Every time the girl had spoken, there was a hushed timidness to it. As if speaking would get her in trouble. And though there was hesitation as she spoke, there was still a certain confidence in her words, even if it felt fabricated. As if this introduction was something she had rehearsed for years. Yet there was a certain grace and elegance to it, every word clear and precise. Her voice was far more audible, far more sweet, yet at the same time, it felt as distant as the space between heaven and earth.[break][break]
To Verena Nicole Reinsberg, there was nothing abnormal about it. She had introduced herself to others in this manner for over half of her life. This wasn't a giveaway of her former status, but rather it was just the only proper way to introduce oneself as far as she was concerned. In fact, it was so normal to her to introduce herself in this manner that she hadn't even considered the fact that it was basically a dead giveaway of her own status. Still, she already suspected that Suna had figured it out by this point, and even if she hadn't, that just made it even. Suna had grown up in the Witch's Forest. Verena, in the Noble Realm. In essence, Verena might have accidentally made herself slightly more 'even' than she had intended. Whether or not that was a good or bad thing was up in the air.[break][break]
Though Suna insisted it was okay, Verena was careful to not burn herself with how hot the tea was. The Reinsberg had finished the tea with surprising haste without spilling as much as a drop. It helped that she'd managed to drink quite a bit prior, but there was still a bit, and as a result, still lagged behind Suna. If Suna had made a comment about her nobility, Verena also said, "I wasn't allowed to eat or drink out of the living or dining areas. So it's uhm... uncomfortable for me to eat or drink out of such a space. It feels taboo."[break][break]
Of course, she only said that if Suna made a statement in some form that showed she caught onto Verena being a noble.[break][break]
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"It would also be helpful in identifying authors," Verena said, once the two were sorting books. "For example,-"
Verena took notice of the dust that had surrounded Suna from when she unboxed the first set of books and was ready to say "bless you". However, it seemed as though it was naught but a false alarm. Suna excused herself for a moment, all the while Verena got to work on organizing some books, taking a note at several as she did so; mostly in case she happened to come across anything that caught her eye.[break][break]
Suna returned, explaining her varied interest in books, before handing Verena a rag to dust off the books. The books she had didn't seem too bad, but she still wiped some of them off. Verena nodded attentively as Suna explained before she continued on with what she was saying. "Uhm... to what I was saying earlier. For example, if the author just happened to write in a way you happened to enjoy, or was very informed like Richard Carlyle, you might want to read more of their work. Early on, I used to ignore the author's names and just read. I wonder how many good books I've missed out on because of that..." she explained, her voice trailing off near the end.[break][break]
"Oh, I've read that, too!" Verena happily exclaimed on the topic of Sheria Vouls. "For a similar reason, actually. Unfortunately, it wasn't very helpful, having one of the smallest entries if I can remember... though, the book also referred to the 'element' as Summoner, which is where I got the term from."[break][break]
Suna had confirmed she was quite comfortable lending the brunette a few of her literary collections, displaying her own vote of confidence in Verena to take care of them, causing the Reinsberg to smile a bit. Having that vote of confidence would make even the most downtrodden of souls smile a little--even if they might not necessarily understand why someone might have this faith in them. Verena knew how much Suna loved books, and so it was a great deal of faith that she had placed in her--that was Verena's own impression, at least.[break][break]
Verena was perfectly comfortable leaving Suna to sort the music related topics. The rest of it was far more up her alley, anyways. Fiction of various genres, encyclopedias on magic, history, biographies on famous people in Clover--past and present were all just a few of the books she found. The nonfictional stuff she felt would be better placed in plain sight, where they'd stand out more, and so her time was spent organizing those first, then organizing the fictional books.[break][break]
It took her quite a while, as she moved at a much slower pace than Suna. It wasn't as if there was an unreasonable amount of books, but her friend from the forest was, after all, every bit the bookworm Verena herself was. Still, she worked as best as she could. Eventually, she came across a particular book that caught her attention.[break][break]
"Splintered Hearts".
[break] Eyeing the cover with curiosity, she checked the back of it, before flipping the cover, looking for some kind of summary. Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be any. "...Do you mind if I take a small reading break?" Verena inquired, something the young woman across from her agreed to.
Verena was a fast reader, but she seemed to have trouble processing some of the information. It wasn't that it was a difficult book, it just tackled romance, something she was quite unfamiliar with, having no experience in that area of life. Early on, it was as if she was having to re-read things multiple times over, just to try to process what was going on. Still, it was obvious from her expression she was enjoying the book.[break][break]
Then, without warning, she suddenly put a hand over her mouth as her cheeks turned bright red. Her entire body stiffened as if shocked, and almost dropped the book. Her eyes darted over to Suna, then to the book, and then to the floor. "Uhm...Suna?"[break][break]
A pause.[break][break]
"...What phase of your life were you in when you picked this up?"
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COMBAT SUMMARY
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[attr="class","verenaver2scroll2"] TL;DR Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum. [break][break]
"...When we first met, I never gave you my family name,"
"Oh?" Suna had put down the teacup she was holding. "Your family name?" Why was Verena bringing this up now? She focused her entire attention on the other girl, a little confused but still more than willing to hear her out.
"My full name is Verena Nicole Ruhm Reinsberg. It may not make us completely even, but it is a start, I hope. Please do forgive the late proper introduction on my behalf."
In all honesty, the elf was not expecting this type of information exchange. Even if she was giving Verena a place to stay for the night, she would have been free to keep quiet and not share anything about herself—but the other girl still chose to do so anyways. Such a prim and proper introduction, Suna could only attempt to match the air and formality as best as she could.
"Pleasure to meet and make your acquaintance, Verena Reinsberg. Suna Hoshi at your service...though Hoshi isn’t really a family name." Here she gave a little indifferent shrug. Unlike the noble girl, she had no real heritage to speak of, and the second name was merely that: a second name.
So, Reinsberg, is it? She was fairly certain that it belonged to a noble house...so that made Verena some noble’s daughter. The ex-witch did not particularly have a preconceived notion about nobility and ranks—as long as people possessed general decency and civil manners, she could care less of their social station. She did wonder a little, however, at what the Reinsberg family meant in the kingdom. What if they were some high ranking family that she should know of? On that thought, she was reminded to familiarize herself with the major noble families in Clover, lest she come across one in the near future and risk offending them due to her ignorance.
"And no, no," Suna waved her hands in front of her, shaking her head lightly. "We’re not counting any scores or keeping even. We’re friends, so no need to do that. I have your back, and as long as I can trust you to have mine, that’s all we need." Perhaps this was a thing among nobles, keeping scores? She would not blame the girl for thinking the way she did, as she really did appreciate the thoughtful gesture.
Then Verena had explained the reason for her discomfort, concerning Suna bringing the tea over to the back room. "I see... Is that a common mannerism among nobility?" But at that point, she had already brought the tray over to the library, so it would have made things more awkward and inconvenient if she brought it back to the kitchen. "Ah well, I’ll just sneak a sip of my tea when you’re not looking." She laughed. At least the elf was learning more about the type of manners and procedures of the upper class, and she would not make the girl drink more tea if she was not comfortable with it.
As the two girls got on to the book sorting, Verena had expressed her thoughts on authors and their other words. "That’s true." Suna nodded slowly. "I used to be interested in only the topics, and whether they suited my needs at the moment. I did not really look into the other books a good author has published...next time I’m at the local library, I should go see if Richard Carlyle has written anything else."
On the Sheria Vouls’ publication, the blue-haired mage gave a soft ‘mhm’ in response. "Oh, ‘Summoner’? That certainly fits your style well, with all your different types of golems. I do believe I’ve heard other terms, some more unpleasant than others... We are all like magicians in our crafts, but with enough practice and skill, we can make it a reality." She had glanced over at her friend from time to time, wondering how Verena was doing over there. For the most part, the other female seemed to work efficiently and quite quickly.
Once Suna had gotten her pile of music-related books, she started organizing them, starting with the bulkier volumes first. William IX of Aquitaine, Philippus de Caserta, Guillaume Dufay, Beatriz de Dia, Hildegard of Bingen...all those musical giants. Their compositions had pushed the boundaries of their time, whether that was according to their musical writing style, their intended audience, or the very nature of being a female that made them stand out.
"Do you mind if I take a small reading break?"
"Of course. Go ahead." Suna was still looking at the two books in her hand, so she did not see the title of the book which Verena held. If she did, she would have probably deterred her from reading it...or at least warned her ahead of time about its contents. But that did not happen, as she was too engrossed in skimming through a certain book. She could not help but get slightly distracted by every book she held up.
"Uhm...Suna?"
"Yes?" Suna asked, eyes still on the book she was currently holding.
"...What phase of your life were you in when you picked this up?"
"Hmm?" Only now did the blue-haired femme lift her head. "What are you readin—oh!" Upon catching sight of the title, the elf immediately flushed into a deep shade of crimson. Splintered Hearts. Out of all the fictions she had picked up, it was that one. Seeing how Verena was halfway through, there was no doubt she had stumbled across ‘that scene’ in the story. "Erm..." What had she asked her? "W-What phase?" Suna gave an embarrassed little laugh, and diverted her eyes. "Well...at first, I only skimmed the first few pages, and the bookstore was closing, so I just bought it without reading it through. So...yeah..."
Suna played about with her hands in a little nervous gesture. Wait, why was she so nervous? Was it because she was afraid that her newfound friend would now have a bad impression on her? Either way, Verena knew now, and there was no going back from there. "So, not really a ‘phase’ per se..." She did, however, restrain herself from saying that she had three other books that were of the same nature...though they were not ‘accidentally’ bought.
Seeing how red the other girl was, though, it sparked a bit of curiosity. Of course she did not seem to type to read these types of writings in her free time—her extensive knowledge of golems and general facts has proven that. Yet, this could not be the first time she was exposed to such things...right? "So,uh...what...what do you think about it?"
Post by Verena Reinsberg on Oct 23, 2020 19:45:09 GMT -5
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[attr="class","verenaver2scroll"] Suna had reintroduced herself as well, something Verena thought of as sweet, though she didn't voice the fact. Nor did she voice that she thought it wasn't necessary. Verena felt that she was hiding an important part of who she was from Suna since they had met, and thus she felt it appropriate to give her friend a more proper and accurate introduction. All the same, she offered her friend a sweet and sincere smile. "The same to you, Suna Hoshi... though, perhaps we should continue to stick with given names, as we have been doing?" she inquired, head tilted with a slightly awkward smile.[break][break]
Besides, wasn't it normal for friends to know the others' full name? It was, wasn't it? She couldn't bring herself to voice this due to how embarrassing it sounded in her head, however.[break][break]
Suna seemed to misunderstand her intent. That was fine. She could probably use this time to explain things now. "...It's uhm... less about 'making things' even as much as it is I was raised to hate owing debts of any sort. If someone does something kind for me, leaving it unpaid is unacceptable. You've been a great help and have shared much about yourself for what amounts to so little in return. I hope that one day those back home can emulate that type of behavior... so something as small as this was the least I felt I owed in kind."[break][break]
Suna inquired about the practice Verena mentioned--namely, about food and drink. "From what I remember, no. It uhm... really isn't. Other families didn't care as much about it, but mine was especially rigid on things like this. There were some exceptions, but largely it was not allowed. But I've lived away for long enough now that I have no problem if others do it. Think of it more as something that I am incapable of doing, rather than anything I hold against others, if that makes sense?" she said--though, her tone at the end hinting towards her uncertainty in explaining this matter.[break][break]
Verena wasn't going to hold it against Suna for drinking the tea. The Reinsbergs cared more about their image more than anything else due to how poor it was and doing everything in their power to appear more prim and proper than the other noble families was of the highest priority to them. It was certainly silly, she recalled. The lengths they went to. But at the end of the day, she couldn't fault her family for this in particular. They weren't even true nobility. To that end, there was likely always that added feeling of pressure. "We have to be more proper, more dignified, and more loyal than any other Noble Family". It was only natural this would be the life they lived, especially when their own image was already heavily tarnished.[break][break]
There were times over the past five years she had thought about going back. Returning, and taking the status of family head for herself, she was the heir. There was the Blake servant who looked more like a Reinsberg, too, but she was always separated from him before she could get the chance to talk to him, let alone get answers when she asked about him. Though at this point... she was probably more scared of him than not. What little she could remember of that servant was that he looked more like her father. She was pretty sure they were related in some form because of this, but she had no way of confirming or knowing for sure. And thus, that query was one that would likely never be answered.[break][break]
The brunette offered the elven born girl a nod. Words were a very powerful thing, she felt. They could shape an entire person's childhood, redefine their adulthood. A person's entire self-worth was shaped entirely by words. Talent and effort meant nothing if one couldn't acknowledge that talent. Perhaps to someone else, she was talented, but Verena felt this magic wasted on her, grateful for it as she might have been. She wondered if she could ever truly make it her own, but this wasn't an instance where she would have wondered about it. She was just happy to be here right now, and anything that would cause her displeasure simply had to be removed from her thoughts. She didn't want to be the sort of person who would bring down the mood, after all.[break][break]
"You've heard other terms to describe my magic?" Verena asked, eyes widened with that trademark curiosity that had defined her as far as Suna knew. "As far as I know, it's incredibly rare. I've only seen it mentioned only in a handful of books, nor have I come across any biographies or autobiographies about people who've used this magic. I don't care if it's good or bad."[break][break]
In an almost uncharacteristically childlike manner, Verena was getting incredibly excited. Though of course, it was on the topic of Summoner--her element. It was obvious that to her there was no good or bad information, only information, and she was constantly striving to learn more about it. After all, magic was an extension of a person's identity within Clover. Not knowing what your magic entailed was like not knowing a part of yourself--a key part, no less.[break][break]
Flash forward to the current time, and Verena listened to Suna's explanation of how she got that book. Verena was, of course, familiar with the science behind the scene in question. She had an excellent tutor up until she received her grimoire, and she definitely needed the knowledge due to her age. It was an embarrassing topic then, but now she looked at it from the perspective of basic biology. There was nothing to be ashamed of if it was for the sake of knowledge and understanding. And it was vital that she learned those things then.[break][break]
The difference between then and now was that what she learned was textbook material. Reading it in this manner... she knew Nobles and Commoners read this sort of thing, but a book like this would have certainly been banned in her home. At the very least, to be left out for just anyone to notice. There was a high chance her mother had at least one book like this given her reaction to a young Verena wanting to read a book with a similar cover. She couldn't remember the name of it anymore, but she remembered the cover was... suggestive at best.[break][break]
"I erm... see..." she began to say, cheeks still flushed red. "That makes sense, yes."[break][break]
Argh, this was so embarrassing. It was just fiction, and it was just normal. Everything about this scene made sense. The build up, the reason. It might have been wrong, but it made sense. Logically speaking, removing this from the book would have made even less sense. It made sense from a narrative point of view. Not to mention, it was done to further illustrate the depths of the main character's own lack of self-worth.[break][break]
...Still, the author was quite... vivid... with their word choice. It would be difficult to remove this from her head any time soon.[break][break]
"W-Well, uhm..." Verena awkwardly said, her cheeks still comparable to a fiery red. Why did she have to ask that? Was that a thing commoners did? It'd be rude not to answer, but at the same time, she couldn't just share something like that! That was private, wasn't it? But they were friends, right? And it's not like Suna was the type to share this across the kingdom. "...T-The author is certainly capable of painting a p-picture with words alone... I-I don't think I'd be against it, either... if it means having someone love me despite that... I know it'd be wrong and even cruel, but if it meant keeping someone I cared about closeby, then..."[break][break]
Verena let out a sigh after saying that much. She knew better. There were none who could love her. Why would they? She was living with a curse every day of her life. It was easier to just accept that reality and move on with her life.
Suna was slightly taken aback at the other girl’s eagerness, but on second thought, recognized that she was the same when it came to learning about her own elements. It was all information, and the more one knew, the more one could understand themselves. "Other terms, yes, though they are far and few in between. I also have never read an autobiography or even seen a small pamphlet describing your magic, but I suppose that is to be expected, considering it’s extremely rare through history." She nodded slowly as she tried to recollect some scraps of information from memory.
"Come to think of it, the other terms I’ve read about are not quite like your magic. Similar, but not exactly. One such term is conjurer, which I’m sure you already know, as it dabbles in more...spirit-like forces. Not quite like your golems, which has substance. As for the other one..." here she paused for a moment, "...is darker. I assume you have heard of wraith users?"
The elf had never actually met one in person, as they were also extremely rare, and usually not well-received by the general public. Their magic was, after all, necromancy. Though she did not know much of them, she shuddered to think of disturbing the dead. It just did not sit right with her—those who have passed on should be allowed to do so without any unnatural disturbances. Dark magic like that disrupted the order of nature..
"I admit that I don’t know much about them, but for them to reuse someone or something that has just died...I...I have a problem with that." She confessed. Usually, she was not type to give strong opinions on most days, but on this particular topic—this irked and disturbed her deeply. "Not allowing the dead to rest in peace even in death is...unnatural and inhumane. I think that reusing bodies is, at the most basic level, disrespectful." Then she realized that Verena may have a completely different take on it, and may have just offended the summoner. "Err, but that’s just my opinion. What do you think of them?"
As for a certain book in question, Suna cocked her head and awaited Verena’s response. Her earlier question concerning what the new reader thought of the book was merely of the storyline. Or had her question suggested something different entirely? If it did, she would have keeled over in embarrassment. Just to clarify any potential questions lingering in the air, she hurriedly injected. "Er, I was asking about the plot line, not about…that scene." But thankfully, it seemed like the other female answered accordingly.
"Yes, the author has quite the extensive vocabulary. When I first read it, I was taken in with the main protagonist. She had such a pitiful yet relatable personality, and the character developments were quite interesting. Well, that part was...interesting, too." Here her cheeks flushed as she recalled the moment her innocence was lost. It had been unexpected, and she had a similar reaction to Verena when she first read of that particular scene. The intimacy it described had awakened something in the woman—a deep longing to be loved and held by someone she trusted with her life.
"I-I don't think I'd be against it, either... if it means having someone love me despite that... I know it'd be wrong and even cruel, but if it meant keeping someone I cared about closeby, then..."
The elf was quick to pick up on that certain hint. 'Despite that'? However, seeing how uncomfortable the girl was at present, she decided not to press it. "Wrong? Cruel? For someone to love you?" She may not know all the details of what Verena was struggling with, but she would venture a guess that her friend struggled with admitting her worth. What kind of degrading words and treatments has she gone through experienced in the past?
However, she could understand the yearning. It was something that all individuals craved for, to be desired, to be cared for, to be encircled in an unconditional security of trust. Unless, of course, they were warped beyond emotions and feelings. Otherwise, she would imagine that all held, to some degree, that ideal of a relationship, whether in romantic or friendship. But then again, what did she know?
Suna placed down the book she was holding and went over to the other girl, and if Verena would allow it, she would pat the girl’s arm gently. "As a friend, I care about you." The pat would be brief, then she would step back. "I think you and your magic is really fascinating, and I’m sure that there are others who think the same...or they just don’t know what they’re missing out on. I think it’s just a matter of time before you find that special someone who cares for you," she waved a hand at the novel, "Someone even better than that main male figure in the story."
Post by Verena Reinsberg on Oct 27, 2020 18:15:49 GMT -5
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Verena slowly nodded. She admittedly wasn't happy that Suna had initially made the mistake of comparing her own magic to something as unsightly as Wraith magic users. The biggest difference was that her Golems were purely elemental in nature, rather than being from living, human beings. That difference to the brunette was huge. She created, not re-used, and she didn't want that to get mixed up. The only similarity was that the bodies operated similarly to golems in that the user was able to command them.[break][break]
Conjurer was a term she Verena had heard as well. It was pretty vague in what it defined. Of course, as someone who actually used these this magic--Summoner as it was known--she naturally had a better understanding of her magic compared to Suna, who'd only seen it a few times. But much like Suna, she hadn't ever met a Wraith magic user, either. A Necromancer.[break][break]
Suna shared her own thoughts on the magic, but seemed to think that doing so might have offended Verena. Perhaps because of the earlier train of thought where they thought the two magics were similar. If that was the case, it made sense she why she might have felt a little awkward about, even asking Verena for her own take on the matter at the end.[break][break]
"...If I'm to be honest, I loathe the fact that their Spells would even qualify as golems. It's dehumanizing. Golems are mindless constructs of mana, made to follow their casters' orders after all... Wraith magic is just reanimating something that was once alive. Even if you were to use it on an animal, it doesn't make it any less okay."[break][break]
A pause, as Verena thought about what to say next.[break][break]
"...Even still, my dream is to create a golem that is indistinguishable from real flesh and blood person. One with flesh, blood, and bone. One with a soul. When you think about it, my dream is taboo as well. So perhaps there's not too much difference between me as a person and that magic I so detest..."[break][break]
Verena became deathly silent after saying this. If not for the reading break that happened, this likely would have been a very awkward moment. It also seemed as though she didn't have much interest in continuing this conversation. She wasn't looking for solace, after all; to her, it simply was no different, for better or worse.[break][break]
"...Ah, the story itself." Verena mused out loud as she quickly averted her eyes, her blush only growing more intense. She clearly misinterpreted the question. She could only hope Suna didn't actually infer anything from her words. If she did, Verena would probably have preferred death as an alternative to this embarrassment. Even still...[break][break]
Verena had technically answered the question, hadn't she? So if she said anything more, Suna might actually infer other things. That was something she didn't want to risk happening. Argh, this was so frustrating though! She'd just have to force it out of her mind, and quickly. Thankfully, Suna seemed to be doing just that.[break][break]
Verena was admittedly surprised by Suna's reaction. She hadn't even realized that she had said something to set Suna off. But Suna did misinterpret something. Still, she didn't have it in her to interrupt her and so she let her finish. Suna seemed to be getting upset, but the Reinsberg couldn't quite understand why, either. To Verena, it made perfect sense that she wouldn't ever be loved. After all, who would want to wed one with a curse? Who would want to be involved with a Reinsberg of all people? Perhaps a Commoner, but she also couldn't marry one for the sake of the family. Ultimately, there was no right answer. No right thing to do. She was just alone, and she would be alone.[break][break]
Suna approached Verena and went to gently pat her arm. Verena thought she was okay with it; however, she couldn't help but instinctively flinch as it happened. Suna's words were spoken from the heart, Verena knew. There was a great deal of care as she spoke them. She knew that, but she couldn't quite understand them. She was, at least grateful that she thought her magic was amazing, and that others might feel the same. But she couldn't really believe the last part of what she said.[break][break]
After Suna finished, Verena felt it okay to speak now.[break][break]
"...Uhm... Thank you, Suna. I don't quite understand why you got upset, but I could tell you were genuine in your words. I should probably explain something though... I erm... I wouldn't be upset if someone only pretended to love me. That type of love would be cruel and wrong, but it's something I'd be more than happy with. I know you mean well... and I'm very happy that you think my magic is amazing. I'm happy that I have the ability to learn so many types of different magics to make golems out of. But..."[break][break]
"...My family is a joke amongst Nobility, and I couldn't marry out of nobility, either. Not because of anything my family told me, but because I'm the heir of the family. If I was to marry someone from the Common or Forsaken Realms, my family's image would never recover. Which means I have no choice but to settle for someone who would settle for me, if I was ever to do so to begin with..."
[break]
COMBAT SUMMARY
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[attr="class","verenaver2scroll2"] TL;DR chitchat with everyone's favorite espresso depresso [break][break]
Suna had listened attentively, albeit a tad nervously, when Verena shared her thoughts of necromancers and their dark magic. Thankfully, she had agreed with the sound mage that it was a type of magic that should not be practiced. That only fueled and confirmed her stand on this matter. If even a summoner mage agreed with her, then it must be right.
The other femme then went on to explain her ultimate goal for her magic, and to reflect that perhaps it was really no different then from the other type. On this, she sat there tongue-tied, as Verena did have a point, and she agreed with it. "So," the elf said slowly, thoughtfully, "what is your definition of a soul? Because that, in my opinion, is what creates or breaks a moral boundary."
Whether Verena chose to continue that topic was up to her, but Suna was not too keen on delving deeper either. "Err, you don’t have to answer that." She added quickly, retracting her earlier question. These types of sensitive topics could easily make or break a new friendship, depending on the answers. She was fairly certain that the two of them would be able to hold an insightful conversation with mutual respect and civility, but as for the afterwards...that would be another matter. Best not to go into that, not unless they were both ready and their friendship solid enough to withstand possible conflicting ideas.
It seemed like she had misunderstood the girl...again. Or was it the other way around? She supposed this is what happens when a layman tries to converse with a well-learned scholar. It was also a little embarrassing when she had been all emotional for a moment there, while Verena had only stood there quietly until her little outburst was over. Had she supposed everything wrong? Either way, at least the other now knew of her good intentions, though it may be misinformed and misguided. Perhaps it would be better for her to listen more and speak less. That was the rule of thumb she had not been following recently, and this interaction was reminding her of that.
But now, what was this? She would not mind if someone only pretended to love her? Suna was not a little dumbfounded, until Verena explained it to her. Though she was not familiar with the nobles and their families’ standings in Clover Kingdom, she could understand the part about not marrying out of nobility, in order to preserve the familial name and image. It was about the reputation, and it all made perfect sense.
Suna nodded in understanding as the girl explained her situation. She rather sympathized with the heiress, as duty would come before personal interests. "As expected. With great position comes great responsibility." There was nothing to be disputed on that end. It was only natural that the family line must continue, both in name and in blood. The only way to survive in society was to keep the line intact and pure, and most important of all, to keep it clear of any ill rumors or tainted names.
"At least you have a family and a name to uphold. It must be...er, interesting, to have some sort of standing in society, I imagine? And I’m sure there are some nice gentlemen in the noble circles. They’re not all like the snobby types that one finds in fiction, yes?" Little did the elf know that she would later be having a less than pleasant encounter with a noble that might change her originally positive outlook and perceptions. But now Suna was curious as to the noble lifestyle. Her interest has been piqued.
"What’s noble life like?" She inquired. Besides an elevated standard of everyday living in wealth and physical comfort, what else did they have that was different? Or in common? Verena had mentioned one such aspect as not bringing food out of the eating area, and not marrying outside of nobility if one was an heir. The blue-eyed maiden could only wonder.
By now, she had gone back to her pile of books and was working whilst she conversed with her learned companion. It helped to have her hands busy, as it made her feel more productive. Here and there she slipped in volumes between others, some she had to move entirely as she miscalculated the amount of shelf space needed on a particular section, while others she grouped up together to make room for the bigger sections. All these composers and their works, her dear friends. Some she would take out and play again on certain occasions and whims, while others may never pass through her fingers in performance again.
Depending on how much Verena shared about her past noble life, Suna would answer accordingly. At this point, she was nearing the end of her pile of books, and she glanced over to see how the other was faring on her side. If there were still books to be organized, she would hop on over to help. If not, she would stretch and yawn a little. "Many thanks for helping me out on organizing this mess! It’s such a great help, and now I can sleep with one less thing to worry about." Truly, now she could actually start getting the rest of her house in order.
"Oh, are you hungry? I just realized we didn’t even eat dinner yet." Suna laughed a little, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment. "I’m such a terrible hostess! What would you like to eat? I may have something light and quick I can prepare. Nothing fancy, I’m afraid, as I need to stock up on vegetables and meat this week. Or would you rather rest now? We have had quite the eventful day."
Post by Verena Reinsberg on Nov 4, 2020 4:45:22 GMT -5
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[attr="class","verenaver2scroll"] Suna seemed a little bit more at ease when the Reinsberg had condemned necromancy; Wraith magic. It was as if she thought her own opinion on the topic held any sort of weight despite the lack of difference in her own dream and the type of magic that they performed. She wasn't going to call Suna out on this, however. She did truly believe Wraith magic wrong, despite the self-aware hypocrisy that came with it.[break][break]
This caused Suna to inquire about what her definition of a soul was, and though Verena was tempted to answer, she felt it best to hold her tongue on the matter. Because to her, a soul what it meant to be human. Free will, a personality. It meant being able to think for oneself and act independently. Simply put, to be human. But she also wished for that golem to care for her, in the way a friend would. In that sense, it also meant she would need to adjust how much of it could truly be free.[break][break]
And for that, she was a truly terrible person.[break][break]
Even still, it wasn't as if she was doing it for any sort of malicious or cruel purposes. She was just so... alone. She was alone as she traveled through the forests, mountains, over rivers. She was alone when she slept and she was alone when she woke up. She was alone because she was afraid of being betrayed, and she was alone because she was afraid of losing that love and compassion. She couldn't risk losing that with Suna, too. And thus, the best answer was simply to remain silent.[break][break]
Verena was admittedly nervous about Suna's reaction to her explaining her situation. Would she think less of her for not being able to marry out of the family? She really didn't want to risk it. She also couldn't admit that if she ever returned to her family, she would not be able to show Suna the same kindness now if they were to ever meet when a Reinsberg was around. It hurt her. It was painful to know that. But she knew what her responsibility was in that sense, and there was still a part that ached to return home. To repair that broken family.[break][break]
It might have been arrogant of her in her own eyes, thinking she could do so. The family was a mess. And she was truthfully more happy avoiding them, to begin with. But she couldn't do so forever, and she knew all too well that they would never be able to agree on a family head. Erebus seemed to be doing well from what she remembered, but he had a serious health problem the last the heiress had heard from her. They wouldn't appoint him as the head. Other than him and obviously herself, there were none close to qualified.[break][break]
It was of immense relief when Suna was understanding of her situation, but she also misunderstood what nobility life really was like. Verena couldn't help but internally sigh. The beauty truthfully didn't want to talk about it, but it was honestly for the best that she explains it now.[break][break]
"...I told you, didn't I? I...I ran away. So I don't exactly have any standing in society less I was to return. Even if I did, my family is joked about. To Upper Nobility, we're no different than commoners masquerading as nobility. We haven't achieved a single notable thing, despite we've been a part of Clover since one of the earliest Kings. To garner favor, I found out that there was a Reinsberg who was even given to the Blakes upon birth."[break][break]
Verena took a moment to breathe. She needed to explain to this family before she could continue.[break][break]
"The Blakes are a Lesser Noble Family like mine, but have achieved much. The Golden Dawn Captain, for example, is the head of the Blake family in its entirety. But the Blakes are broken up into three separate factions, as they have different agendas. The Reinsberg was given to the Caldur side of the family. The Caldur have historically been known for some disturbing rumors, as well as their elitist views. I haven't seen this Reinsberg much when I was to visit the Caldur, so I don't remember him that well..."[break][break]
"This was just a bit before I was born, however. Throughout my traveling between the three regions of Clover, I've come to realizze that the individual matters usually more in the Common and Forsaken Regions. There's genuine love between family members. ...I haven't seen much of that in the Noble Realm. I was not Verena Nicole Ruhm Reinsberg. I was a Reinsberg. Everything I did was for the sake of the family. They're getting really desperate, and the constant mocking and sneering does little for my aunts and uncles well being. They feel as though it would be better to be subservient to the Caldur branch despite giving up one of our own already as a token, yet refuse to submit themselves..."[break][break]
"This is just my family. The Blakes are a mess. The Silva are elitist personified. I haven't met anyone else from other noble families, and I admit my meetings with the Silva have been few and far between. It was mostly for a few minutes when visiting the Blakes due to their connection. Anyways, I'm sorry for talking so much... it was hard to think of how to condense it..."[break][break]
"I can't speak for all of nobility, Suna, but it is honestly a disaster... and yet, that disaster is still a responsibility that I will eventually have to face one day."[break][break]
As Verena was explaining this, she had gotten back to work on sorting the books. Her explanations weren't all at once, but rather just when she was taking a breather due to her weak constitution. Eventually, however, she had just one book left. Splintered Hearts. It seemed like she wanted to read that more, but Suna mentioned dinner.[break][break]
"Ah... i-if it wouldn't be too much trouble. I'd offer to help, but..."[break][break]
The poor girl, even with the rest breaks she gave herself, still found herself sweating and panting. Stamina did not exist. Even something as mundane as this wore her out, and it was clear she was just exhausted. It was far from normal, however. She knew that. Her coat didn't exactly help either, but it was clear she didn't plan on taking it off any time soon, either.
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COMBAT SUMMARY
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[attr="class","verenaver2scroll2"] TL;DR verena explains nobility from her perspective and wants dinner. [break][break]
Thankfully, Verena had taken the way out and did not pursue the topic further. Suna was sure that it would have led to some uncomfortable topics, something that she felt they were not ready for yet. At least for now. Perhaps later when their friendship was more solid. But for the present, no answer was truly the best answer.
But now she listened with rapt attention as Verena explained about the lifestyle of nobility. The latter could very well have made things up and the elf would have believed her, since she hung onto each word like she was hearing them for the first time. After all, what kind of commoner did not think and dream at least once of living in wealth and grandeur, of rich foods and servants to wait upon your every command and wish?
However, the picture her friend painted was starkly different from what she was imagining. Instead of the luxury and comfortable lifestyle she expected, Verena talked about the difficulties surrounding her family. So lower nobility were just barely above the commoners? So like…families who became nobility not by royal lineage, but by accomplishments or achievements in trade or reputation or wealth? At least, that was what Suna gathered from what she heard, since the other girl was talking about all that her family was not.
It seemed like the Reinbergs had been down on their luck. An old family line, but with no accomplishments to back them up. At least so far. That was interesting, since Suna thought most nobles, high or low, would have struggles for power. But apparently, it depends on the family dispositions. but at least they still existed.
As for the Blakes family, Suna had heard vaguely about them. Besides the Golden Dawn captain, she did not know much about them at all. "Three factions?" She murmured in disbelief. "They must have a lot of conflicts." But at the same time, it made sense, as family dissensions and different goals would naturally lead to separations. She supposed it was also fair that the Reinbergs family had given one of their own to the Blakes, if it meant strengthening their own lineage connections. It was the same idea as arranged marriages between families that was mutually beneficial in the long run.
But from what she observed, Verena did not seem to view the trade favorably nor negatively—she merely stated it in a matter of fact manner, even when she mentioned the Caldur branch of the Blakes having a shady background. But it must feel strange, visiting another family and seeing one of your own family members living there. Not like Suna would not have any experience in that, but the very idea of it sounded so uncomfortable and troubling.
Her heart went out to the girl when she started sharing about the dark side of her family, and about the general disastrous state in the Noble Region. So they had their own sets of problems and troubles, though their concerns and worries probably encompassed much more than just earning enough yul for the daily necessities and storing up for an occasional luxury. All those family names she was throwing out—Suna would have to look them up at a later time.
"Anyways, I'm sorry for talking so much... it was hard to think of how to condense it..."
"No, no, you’re helping me understand more about your family and other noble families." The elf traced the spine of the last book, the one she had been holding for the past few minutes. "You know, you’re really responsible. You say that your family is a disaster, but you are still willing to fulfill your duties. I can only imagine what kind of burden being an heiress is...but I’m sure there must be privileges that come with that, right?" She would not have thought that the commoner’s freedom was something that many in the upper circles of society thought much of, much less longed for.
As the two females finished up their organizing, Suna noticed that Verena was left holding on to that particular romance novel...but she did not think much of it. "Thank you so much for the help!" She repeated her thanks, then waved a dismissive hand at Verena’s comment about helping. "You’re a guest at my house. All you need to do is to relax! Feel free to keep reading. The couch over there is much more comfortable than sitting on the floor. Here, let me make the lights a little brighter..." Here she added more mana into the lamps, willing them to glow brighter.
"There we go. I’ll come call you when dinner is ready!" With that, she left the girl to whatever she wanted to do, whether it was to continue reading the book she started or rest. Now the elf rummaged through her kitchen, looking to see what she had in the house. "Hmm...what do I have..." A few vegetables here and there, not enough to make a full dish out of them by themselves—but perfect for some soup.
She got to work, filling the pot with water and putting it to a boil. Then she washed the vegetables and chopped them up into bite-sized chunks. Potatoes, carrots, peas, celery, onions, tomatoes—if only she had some chicken legs and mushrooms to go with it, that would make it more bountiful and hearty. Unfortunately, she has yet to restock her pantry, and would need to do that in the morning.
There was also a loaf of bread that they could eat...she could liven that up, too. Cutting up a few slices, she set that to the side. Then she shredded up garlic until they were in tiny pieces, then warmed up a pan with oil. Once that was hot, she threw in the crushed garlic, and once the garlic flavor had been seeped into the oil, the bread slices went in and she pan fried them.
By now, the kitchen would be all warm and cozy, filled with flavorful and home-y smells. "Mmmm..." Suna nodded happily to herself. She hurried to set the bowls and utensils, then carefully brought the soup over and set it in the middle of the table. She garnished the garlic bread with a bit of chopped herbs, then stood back to admire her handiwork.
Post by Verena Reinsberg on Nov 10, 2020 18:59:47 GMT -5
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POW
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CON
005
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MANA SKIN senior
HEALTH senior
MANA REGEN 05 IC // 10 OOC
MANA POOL 100/100
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Verena was not used to talking so much, even if it was all at once. The Reinsberg seemed uncomfortable times, shifting around as if hoping to be interrupted, though knowing full well Suna wouldn't do so. To others, her voice might be described as sweet--even charming at times due to the refined manner in which she spoke, but to the brunette, her voice was a sore. It was better to remain quiet. The only reason she spoke as much as she did around Suna was due to her trust and belief the two were friends.[break][break]
Suna was very attentive when she listened, something Verena took as both a blessing and a curse. The last thing she wanted was for her friend to believe that the Noble Realm was a paradise; there were very much problems ad nauseum there. Familial squabbles, ego trips, manipulation--everything was to try to stay above the others. It was shameful in her eyes, but she couldn't hope to change that. She could only hope to change herself so she could force unity on her family. From that, improving the family's image could happen.[break][break]
The heiress was happy that it seemed Suna seemed to understand what she was trying to convey, though she didn't quite pick up that there was a bit of a miscommunication. But at the very least, perhaps her blue-haired friend seemed to grasp the larger picture. At least within Verena's own experience, there was very little good to come out of being a noble. Yes, one had status, but depending on what family you were born into, that status might not have meant anything.[break][break]
Suna also seemed to have some questions on the Blakes, and Verena answered what she could, but the heiress wasn't too concerned with the internal affairs of the Blakes. What she knew was effectively common knowledge. She knew enough to be able to discuss the Blakes general image and their position within the Kingdom, but their internal affairs and their own familial squabbles weren't known beyond she was to avoid the Valerian-Silva branch members when possible, just out of respect for the Caldur family.[break][break]
Verena had little to no opinion on one of her own being traded to the Blakes, though she had a feeling that she knew who it was, even if she never met them. The best way to show favor, after all, was by giving your firstborn child who would be the heir. She largely suspected for a while that that was her brother, especially given she wasn't allowed to talk to him. Still, she remembered always thinking of that one as something of a stranger rather than a Reinsberg, even if he was the true heir.[break][break]
...This very topic caused her mind to think about him, even if she couldn't remember his name or his face. How was he doing? Was he okay? Were they siblings? If so, did he know about her? Did he know about the family's fall because of Renfir? There was much she wanted to ask him, but ultimately she knew she'd be too afraid to speak to him. For all intents and purposes, her position as the heiress was ultimately owed to the fact he had been given up. That was the true heir to the Reinsberg family based on the sole fact he had been born before her.[break][break]
Suna seemed quite happy to have all this information thrown at her, though Verena was still feeling awkward about it. She wasn't used to speaking so much. The crimson-eyed beauty hoped she wouldn't have to again in the future, though she couldn't deny it was also quite nice being able to share all this information. Even if the topic was painful or uncomfortable, if it was something she was knowledgeable in, then she just couldn't resist sharing her knowledge--for better or worse.[break][break]
Eventually, they had finished their organization as well as the last of their conversation. The elven girl couldn't help but praise Verena for what she thought of as genuine responsibility. To Verena, it wasn't anything as grand as that. She wasn't going to say it wasn't a factor, as that would be a lie. In truth, it bothered her immensely about the state her family was in. She ran away because she was scared--traumatized, even, by what the family had become. What it didn't just allow, but what it encouraged.[break][break]
However, sharing that information to Suna, who clearly didn't know, wasn't something Verena could bring herself to do. So all she could do was offer a weak smile like she had in the past. One that was clearly pained, but unwilling to share more on the topic. "Thank you, Suna," she said. "I'm just glad I could help. I'm uhm... I apologize for not having many positive things to say about my life then though."[break][break]
Suna did not know, and how could she? There were no advantages to being the heiress; not after what happened five years ago. She was blamed for the state of the family. When she eventually would take her rightful place, she'd make sure to put them all in their place. Not out of revenge or even anger, but to reprimand them for putting their faith solely in one person and blindly following them. It was the same issue that led to them trusting the Caldur despite the rumors surrounding them.[break][break]
Suna was kind enough to lighten up the area so she could read before leaving to go make dinner. Verena did hope that the woman didn't think less of her for wanting to read this. This was purely out of literary interest and relation to the woman. That was it, yes. Definitely. Though she couldn't deny that scene stirred something in her. Something she hadn't ever put to thought. Surely, however, whatever that something was it wasn't as absurd as what someone else might say... that was too much for her to want to believe true...[break][break]
Verena was also a bit tired and overheated from wearing her coat despite working as hard as she did. It was important to her, and though it was cold outside, it was a bit more insulated in here. Despite her own insecurities about her body, she also knew that she was often subject to lecherous stares. So a good book to block out her face and a coat that hid all of her features was important in avoiding that while she traveled through towns and cities within Clover.[break][break]
However, she needed to cool down, and most importantly she wanted to relax. Thus, she removed her coat, unbuttoning it and then lifting it over her head, before neatly folding it up and placing it on the cushion beside her on the couch. Underneath her coat, she sported her full-body blue jumpsuit with the vertical stripes that fitted to her body perfectly. This reason was why she wasn't so comfortable going out without her coat, as it left many people being able to assess her ... assets with little difficulty. But if it was just Suna and her, and there was no expectation of other guests, then it would be okay. It wasn't as if Suna was some sort of delinquent.[break][break]
Over the jumpsuit was an exotic black dress with crimson trim that matched her eyes, split up like stitching patterns. Near the bottom, that same crimson could be seen in full, like crimson clouds. This sleeveless dress exposed part of her chest, navel, as well as parts of her legs, and without the jumpsuit, it would end up showing more than Verena was comfortable showing. In fact, the sole reason she wore this outfit in this combination was purely out of comfort, something that was important to her given her primary means of transportation.[break][break]
Once that was taken care of, Verena began reading the book once more. This author was remarkable in capturing the mental state of the character. Verena truly felt connected to her, even in those moments. She would have never been able to imagine those scenes without this book. To her that wasn't even something she had the luxury of thinking about. She was just a runaway who lacked any power as it was. Even if she was to try to reclaim her rightful place as she told Suna, without a powerful backer that would be impossible. Ultimately she knew what she was saying was all talk.[break][break]
This book at least allowed her imagination to run wild and fill her head with all sorts of things she had long since ruled off as nothing more than just wishful thinking. She was enjoying this book quite a bit. Admittedly more than she thought she would be able to after coming across that first scene. However, she wouldn't be able to get too far into it; after all:[break][break]
"Dinner's ready!" Suna called from the kitchen.[break][break]
Ah... it was just getting good, too. Wait. What? Verena's cheeks flushed at that realization. At what point did she enjoy it that much? Was that bad? Good? She wasn't even sure anymore. In any case, she scurried up from her seat in the backroom, her cheeks flushed a bright red. Surely she couldn't be that type of woman...[break][break]
Verena guided herself to where the wafting aroma of a home cooked meal came from, taking a look at the kitchen and where Suna had set the tables at. The brunette seemed quite content. "It looks very good, Suna," she said.[break][break]
Suna's hard work at least paid off visually and the aroma. Four years ago she probably wouldn't have been able to eat this but she got adjusted to a variety of meals very quickly. She had to, after all. Her crimson eyes focused on the food but the inner workings of her mind were still trying to assess that book.[break][break]
Verena took a seat at the table. "Do you pray before you eat, or?" she inquired. "I don't want to get started if you have any sort of thanks you give before a meal..."
Regardless of whether Verena was comfortable talking in general or not, Suna felt honored that she was willing to talk so much about her past and family history. Even though it was not in minute detail, just the very idea of bringing it up and explaining it a little warranted the elf’s gratefulness. It was as if sharing one’s vulnerable areas made the friendship stronger. Of course, there would always be secrets between them—but then again, who didn’t?
"Thank you, Suna, I'm just glad I could help. I'm uhm... I apologize for not having many positive things to say about my life then though."
Suna shook her head in response. "Not many people’s lives are sunshine and roses." She tilted her head slightly, as if a thought had occurred to her. "You remind me of a flower...like a rose, calmly growing amidst the thorns around you. There was also a quote I read somewhere...mmm... 'Do not watch the petals fall from the rose with sadness. Know that, like life, things sometimes must fade before they can bloom again.' Something like that..." She would have said more, but sometimes it was better to leave a thought unexplained for personal exploration.
Either way, that conversation had left her much more aware and thoughtful, considering all the things that her friend had gone through. Compared to Verena, she probably did not have that difficult of a life...nor of the life to come. It was her very commonness that enabled her the freedom she so enjoyed. She had no ties, no loyalty to anyone besides the people she chose to align herself to. Regardless, this had seemed like a good place to let the topic ease off, as their stomachs—or at least Suna’s—would divert their attention to more physical matters.
She had left the back room to take care of dinner. It was not every day the sound mage had a visitor, much less the opportunity to cook something for her guest. As she was used to cooking for herself, it did not take her long to put hot food on the table. She hummed happily underneath her breath as she did, snatches of a random melody that came and went as she willed. With the dishes and tableware in place, she was ready to eat!
As she called out that dinner was ready, the elf was a little taken aback at the sight of a coat-less Verena. The other girl really was beautiful, both in shape and form. There must be a reason why the femme would want to keep her coat on, and Suna respected her for that. But after seeing her without the coat, the elf would venture to guess that it was purely out of modesty, and to keep away any unwanted attention. If that was true, oh, the stories she could share about her personal aggravating experiences with lecherous men who could not control their eyes...nor their hands.
However, Suna did not comment on any of that, lest her guest feel uncomfortable with her drawing attention to it. All she noticed was that there seemed to be a slight tinge of red on the other female’s cheeks. "Is it too hot in here?" She asked. The kitchen was much warmer than the other room, after all. The elf opened the kitchen window, letting some of the cool night breeze blow in. Little did she know that Verena was probably thinking of very different things, and was suffering from a different type of hot.
"Sit down, sit down!" She motioned towards one of the chairs in invitation, then pulled a seat out for herself and plopped down rather unceremoniously. "Please, make yourself at home. You’re always welcomed here."
"Do you pray before you eat, or? I don't want to get started if you have any sort of thanks you give before a meal..."
"Mmm, not really." She beamed at the other girl. "If you like it, that’s thanks enough. But enough talk, let’s eat! Soup isn’t good when it’s cold." With that, she ladled the soup into the two bowls, first one being Verena’s, then her own. "Itadakimasu!" And dug in. All the various vegetables and potatoes in the soup—plain and simple, but so heartwarming. Its warmth filled her, from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Every now and then she would look up to see how her guest was faring, and whether Verena was all right with her cooking or not.
"Here," she pushed the plate of pan-fried garlic bread towards the other side of the table. "Help yourself. I can always make more later." Then, a thought struck her. "Ah!" Her eyes widened slightly in alarm. "I forgot to ask! Are you allergic to anything? Should have asked you about that earlier..." She gave a sheepish laugh. "By the way, I don’t think I’ve ever asked, but is there a particular dish you like? Or dessert?"
Verena couldn't help but wonder if she should have spoken up on the matter. She noticed that Suna seemed fixated on something. It likely was the fact she was reliving her time in the Witch's Forest when she explained what it was there. Should she apologize? Without realizing it, the brunette began to reach out a hand, though she seemed to catch onto this and set it aside. There was really nothing she could do, and she lacked the experience to offer any comfort to her friend. Even still, Verena truly admired Suna for having come out of this a stronger person. Or perhaps that was just her own impression, comparatively? She didn't know.[break][break]
