My Momma Didn't Raise... [November Open]

[somebodychildofanyone]

Who: River la Croix and YOU + 1 Closed
What: Obligatory forge prompt, gay gardening, coping
When: Early November (before the event)
Where: Places. Locations even. Possibly: spaces
Warnings: Discussion of the carnival quite possibly, and anything you bring in with you



And With The Other, Buy Hyacinths [Closed to Annabel]

The land for the flower garden still hasn't quite been cleared, but it doesn't need to be cleared to build the flower boxes, including some smaller ones for under windows. River's going to add some to her own home as well.

Flowers would be good to have, after a long day before fire and steel.

Though the wood and many other supplies had to be bought, River made a point of forging as much of the tools as she could herself. Even the nails, and gods in Arcadia, how she fucking hates making nails. It felt...right. River's leaning back to get a better look at what she's doing when one of the local crows swoops down and deposits an acorn in her lap.

Sorry Annabel, River will be back after these messages: extended laughter.

100% Asbestos Free [Infernal Arms And Armor]

Hey Vox is there gonna be a forge prompt every month YOU BET YOUR ASS THERE WILL BE. This month brings two new additions to the sign, though, hanging by short chains beneath the original INFERNAL ARMS AND ARMOR sign.

NOW OFFERING ENCHANTING SERVICES - INQUIRE WITHIN

&

NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOCAL DEMONS

I Could Use A Distraction [Oak & Iron, Social Visits]

River's sunk more than she has been to date into her grocery budget this month, and a lot of that upgrade is, I'll be real, liquor - more to have it if she wants it later than to tear through it now. Wanna invite her to a social function or like, out to dinner? She'll go. Looking to drop by? She'll host a guest. Or catch her at the Oak & Iron of an evening, shuffling an odd-looking deck of cards with a thoughtful expression and making a single glass of whiskey last more than an hour before even thinking about ordering another one.

Someone get her out of her own head, yeah?

Wildcard

Come at me I'm fucking jacked bro

Comments

[hyliasblessing]

"Jean is attempting to do some public good. Teaching residents how to defend themselves and others in times of crisis, as well as helping everyone get more organized. So yes, a levy, though not in any official capacity."

[somebodychildofanyone]

"Right. Spears, long knives, whittle some half-staves and clubs...yeah, I got this." River pulls some paper over and starts writing. "It'll run you but I'm sure you figured that out already, O wise one."

River hears the sarcasm she was trying to avoid moments after it's already left her mouth. Fuck. Damnit. FUCK -

[hyliasblessing]

Zelda opens her mouth.

Then she closes it again.

Then she opens it again and speaks. "You know, I think maybe it would be best if I asked Mr. Fields to help me with this instead. I thankfully am wise enough to know when I am not welcome. Have a splendid afternoon."

She turns on her heel to leave.

[somebodychildofanyone]

"Don't, don't -" River sighs, eyes closing, ears drooping. "That was fuckin' petty of me, I'm sorry. You didn't do shit to me lately, 'm just having a bit of a time." Beat. "...The thought occurs to me that it's with a different one of your friends but that's still not your fault. I'm sorry."

[hyliasblessing]

She heel-turns back. "I didn't--- I haven't done anything to harm you, River. The discussion at the Gala was out of concern, because I genuinely wanted you and Annabel Lee to work things out and to try and make her perspective clearer to you. I am very sorry that it was awkward and frustrating and it was not my intention to hurt your feelings, but this is a small town and I am well aware that you have been telling people that I 'chewed you out.' At least now that much is true."

She huffs, running a hand through her hair. That was... pent up. For a while.

"I accept your apology and I am very sorry you're having a difficult day. But I don't intend to do business with someone who makes fun of me."

[somebodychildofanyone]

"I make fun of everyone, it's kinda my thing." No really, ask her CR, River is an endless font of mockery and mirth. "And - look, we worked out our - gods fucking -"

River pinches the bridge of her nose. Breathes in. Breathes out.

Her ears are bright fucking red.

"You want the red fuckin' truth, Zelda, you make me feel jealous. One of these days Annabel's gonna fully internalize that she can love whoever she wants here and she's gonna pick someone like you that's more like her so here I am snapping like a distempered fuckin' dog. And I shouldn't! But here we are."

[hyliasblessing]

Zelda now looks twice as offended.

"Are you accusing me of trying to steal your partner?! What sort of person do you take me for? Annabel Lee is my friend, I was trying to help her repair her relationship with you, not destroy it! What gives you the right to make your insecurities my fault?"

[somebodychildofanyone]

"Nothing! And I'm not accusing you of anything! I'm accusing Annabel of having good fucking taste!"

There's.

A pause.

As River hears what she herself just said, processes the implication that she just called Zelda an attractive partner, and then visibly decides, no, I'm standing by that one, which leaves her standing almost stock still kinda staring into the conversational space after that one.

[hyliasblessing]

Zelda just stares at her.

What the fuck is happening right now.

[somebodychildofanyone]

"I don't know if you noticed but I'm kinda a fuckin' idiot," River murmurs at last. "Shipping out to serve under arms instead of building an adult life will do that to a girl, and I'm only this aware about it for reasons that will only sound increasingly insane the more I explain them. But. I'd like to get along better, alright? You're her friend, you're important to her, I shouldn't be your enemy just because I'm not a real grown-up."

[hyliasblessing]

Zelda lets out a sigh. "I can't say I'm particularly well-adjusted either, just... eloquent enough to pretend. Spending one's teen years as a failed chosen one and then immediately spending a century frozen in unending combat with an apocalypse demon as soon as one turns eighteen will, consequently, also do that. I just--- I want to be peaceful. That's it. Can we do that?"

[somebodychildofanyone]

"...I retract my earlier assessment, we've got insane stories to trade later," River decides. She offers a calloused hand out to shake. "Peace it is. And maybe some tea sometime, yeah? Legitimately if you know anything about gardening, even just from like, having gardeners in your estate, you've got a leg up on me and I could use the advice."

You've noticed the garden Annabel and River have been preparing, right?

[hyliasblessing]

Zelda crosses her arms--- not in anger, just in observation---- and clicks her tongue. It is in this moment that she truly realizes the problem with River.

She is a soldier and a blacksmith who heard the word "Princess" and believed that this one title told her everything she needed to know about Zelda as a person.

It's not completely unfair, she supposes--- she did spend her youth living as a stereotypical scion of royalty to the naked eye. Courtly etiquette, palace life, attentive staff. But this always came with the understanding that Zelda, even from a young age, was to be dedicating herself completely to a life of constant, diligent study and solemn prayer. The consequence for not doing so was death, not only for herself, but for everyone she knew and thousands of people she didn't. And then it was an entire century of metaphysical battle. Only just recently did she gain the ability to choose what her life looked like, and while her people would have gladly elevated their princess back to the stone castle that served as her childhood home, she chose something else.

"I've kept a garden myself, actually. Before I came here, I had the blessing of living in a farming village for two years and I learned quite a bit from my neighbors. I know the most about tending pumpkins, carrots, wheat, and rice." At this point, she does uncross her arms and shake River's hand.