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Post by Ceyla Regenwald on Aug 5, 2016 8:50:54 GMT -6
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The Kingdom of Legion, usually ice cold and seemingly void of signs of warmth, was slowly slipping into Spring. Snow, that typically latched onto the city's surface, had already started to melt away. Grass, a number of plants - including beautiful flowers, peeked through their once white prisons and stretched up towards the sky. Like its citizens, Legion was much more than originally meets the eye. It was a beautiful place, one that paled its counterparts spanning across Remnant. People occupied the streets, businesses flourished - what was once a barren-looking place was now a booming economic hub.
In the center of the city stood the Legion Spire, the second tallest structure in all of Remnant after Atlas Tower. This served as the home of Legion's most elite, ranging from high-ranking military officials to figures in the Kingdom's government. It was also the place Ceyla called home, living in the upper floors, just below where the Chairman lived. Her home was tidied, the fruits of her labor, despite a crew of housekeepers prepared to do it at her beck and call. She knew, however, that taking advantage of that meant abandoning a few of the morals she had developed through her upbringing.
Running back and forth through the apartment, Ceyla was rushing to prepare herself for the day to come. Minutes ago, she had sent a message to Alburn through her Scroll - asking to spend the first warm day in months with him. She abandoned her usual elegant dresses for something a little easier to maintain out in the open. It was, by all means, a plain white dress - the only thing of particular note that stood out was the blue bow on the back and the decorated hem. Standing before her mirror, Ceyla was hard at work fashioning her hair into a braid. At her reflection, she smiled, hoping to make yet another good impression on the young police officer.
It had been a very different last couple of months. Ceyla had, by all means, completely transformed herself from the Fang agent that went by Coquel. She wondered if the families of the people she had killed in those days would see the change, too. Her smile twisted at the thought of confronting them for the first time, apologizing to them for what she had done - what she had been forced to do. Sighing as she finished her hair, Ceyla rose to her feet before wandering onto the balcony for some fresh air. It wasn't as nearly a breathtaking view as the one she had shared with Alburn on the roof of the police station, but it had its own beauty nevertheless.
Looking out towards the city, off onto the horizon and the ocean that spanned infinitely onward, she found peace again. If there was one thing she knew, it was that she didn't want to be in an odd mood once he arrived. There were a couple things planned for the day, particularly her visits to some of the families that had begun plaguing her thoughts, but after that everything was up in the air. She was hoping, to her surprise, for a chance to spend some time with Alburn - away from prying eyes and political obligations. She just wanted to be alone with him.
Perhaps, if it proved difficult, she'd just have to cause a ruckus in town. He was sure to be the one to respond. The thought of such a thing caused her to laugh, and with one final wanting gaze to the horizon, Ceyla made her way inside. There was still much to do, much to prepare. In regards to the latter, she had started on putting together a small lunch for them. Nothing too fancy, in fact they were pretty mediocre sandwiches. A small container of chips and an assortment of fruits complimented the meal for two. Grinning proudly at her work, Ceyla carefully stuffed the items into a small basket and slung the strap over her arm.
It was time to go.
Slipping on a pair of white dress shoes, Ceyla drew in a calming breath before walking out the door. Her journey to the bottom floor was uneventful at best, but she did have a few run ins with some of the Tower's more interesting characters - one of such was Lucile, who had been assigned as her assistant following her promotion. She was a good girl at heart, but Ceyla found the pitch of her voice a nuisance all its own - chiming in at the worst of times through the speakers of Ceyla's Scroll. As she stepped into the elevator, the girl followed, grinning as she observed the Prime Minister.
"Going on a date?"
Ceyla's face lit up, followed by a defiant shake of her head. "N-no!" She responded, grimacing uncomfortably. "I just wanted to make him something to eat for later. Who knows how long we'll be out and about for." Lucile's grin grew, and she reached up to poke Ceyla's reddened face. It was becoming increasingly obvious that Ceyla was growing to prefer Alburn's company over others. In fact, he had become her sole means of escape from the chaotic lifestyle of a politician. "You're blushing, dressed up all pretty, and you made him lunch!" Lucile chimed in a teasing tone. "This totes sounds like a date."
"Lucy, stop!" Ceyla pleaded, laughing as she swatted the smaller girl's hand away from her face. "If it's anything, it's me trying to figure out if I like him or not." Silence fell over the elevator, the two girls side-eyeing one another with deadpan expressions. Then, laughter, from them both. Lucile had found a special place in Ceyla's heart, something like the sister she never had. Likewise, the girl looked up to her, following her example as best she could. Being such a positive influence was certainly nice, and when she had nowhere else to turn, it was her reassurance that she was doing things right.
Finally at the bottom floor, Ceyla and Lucile shared a brief hug. "Good luck, Ceyla!" The girl said, remaining in the elevator. "Knowing you, you're gonna need it!" Ceyla's only response before the doors closed was to stick her tongue out before heading for the exit. The weather was much nicer at ground level, not subject to the cool breeze that persisted at the top of the Tower. Actually, the more Ceyla thought about it, the more she could feel the sun heating her skin. It was something like a warm hug, and it served to stir up her excitement for the next few months. One never fully knew the value of the sun - and the heat it provided - until they had it taken away. Legion was the only Kingdom in Remnant that lost the sun to the harsh winters.
As she made her way to a small bench, Ceyla pulled her Scroll from her small purse before sitting down. Now it was time to play the waiting game. |
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Post by Alburn Redgrave on Aug 5, 2016 23:41:57 GMT -6
 | TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME | |
Lazily, Alburn groaned at the annoying alarm clock being blasted next to his ear like an atomic bomb. The obnoxious beeping was slowly getting to him - even if he'd purchased it not too long ago. Without looking, and with his face still yet buried in the depths white pillow which had a coffee stain on the corner, the Officer attempted to reach his hand towards it in hopes of making it stop beeping to no avail. Another groan, more annoyed than angry at this point, he raised his hand, balled it into a fist and ferociously slammed it down on the clock like an angry hammer of god, silencing it, for now. A content sigh left the man's lips, though muffled by the pillow. Thankfully, he didn't have to show up for work today. He had a day off - and Alburn was determined to make sure that he'd get as much stress-free repose as possible. However, another sound which was buried underneath Alburn's bedsheets roused the lion from his seemingly eternal slumber. Once again, he groaned and reached his hand for the Scroll. Once he had his fingers around it, he brought it up and lerthargically forced himself to sit upright on his bed. Rarely did he ever get any mesesages on his Scroll - unless it was urgent, or it just had to do with police work, but as of late, he found himself checking more so than he did in the past. The reason, mostly, was because of Ceyla. She'd send him with surprise texts, no more than small talks here and there, and he'd reply with a same thing. Thanks to her, he found himself getting hang of this whole 'messaging system' that his Scroll had. "... Hm?" Alburn rubbed his eyes and squinted to read the text on his device. Apparently, Ceyla thought that it was a nice day, and thought that they ought to spend some time outside while she had a day off. That is if he had the time to do so. Given her position as the Prime Minister of Legion, it was rare - if any she'd ask for his company. The male scratched the back of his head, but it didn't take much of a contemplation to say 'yes' to her offer. In addition to this, he also sent her an emoticon of a minature cartoon lion cheering to go with it. A feature that he learned to do not too long ago, and admittedly, he was a little proud to be able to do that like those 'cool kids' back at the Police Station. Thus, like always, Alburn forced himself out of the comfort of his bed and drew back the curtains to let the golden light of the sun beaming down on the Legion to illuminate his apartment. It was spring, and the snow which had once covered the city with its white sheets had begun to melt and fade away. There were grass, flowers and animals slowly beginning to surface as well to greet brilliant Spring light which basked over their cold confinements - though a bit late compared to other Kingdoms, the Legion had a share of its own beauty as well. Then, the male eyed the large, ivory tower at the heart of the city. It stood tall, though it was nowhere near in terms of sheer height and magnificence of its older brother, but looking at the tower and then the city reminded him everyday just what he was doing. However, realizing that he didn't have much time, the Officer found himself hurriedly moving back and forth between several rooms of his apartment like a marathon runner, multitasking, holding multiple things in his hands. He never felt so rushed since his first days in the Vytal Academy. So many things to do at once, but Alburn certainly couldn't call himself a Hunter if he couldn't accomplish all of these things at once. While brushing his teeth, he managed to toss around a simple toast a frying pan without burning it while wearing his favorite trousers for the outing. Still, if he had the knowledge about this before hand, he would've been better prepared. Regardless, he couldn't find it in himself to dislike it. In fact, he found it in himself to increasingly liking to have Ceyla's company - for whatever reasons that may be (though he never tries to show it). After finishing drying his hair, stuffing a piece of bread down his throat, Alburn finished dressing in his sleeveless black shirt, matching pair of trousers and shoes to go along with it in front of the mirror. In addition, he made sure his hair wasn't a complete utter mess - something that he took care when meeting someone so important, like the Prime Minister of the Legion. Finally, after stuffing his wallet into his pants, Alburn was well on his way out the door, making his way towards the promised location that Ceyla had directed. It wasn't too far, in fact, he found it relatively easy to get there more on foot than in a vehicle considering the massive traffic that was built up in the streets like cancer. Continously multiplying, and only dying down by evening. In the distance, he saw a familiar figure in a casual one-piece white dress, with lush golden locks of hair tied back by a blue bow. Though simple in terms of appearance, she looked so good in it that it seriously might as well be considered a crime to do so. Unlike him, it seemed like she took it one step ahead and even brought a lunch with her, and here, Alburn was planning on buying. With one of his hands placed in his pocket, the male made his way towards Ceyla and plummetted himself down right next to her. "You're looking nicer than usual today," He pointed out, "So, tell me: What's the occasion?"
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Post by Ceyla Regenwald on Aug 6, 2016 1:13:45 GMT -6
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Ceyla's eyes focused intently on the screen of her Scroll, furrowing her brow as she tried her hand at the game she had found online. It was simple in design - using her finger, she'd pull back a small cartoonish character and launch them towards a group of others across a 2D plane. Simple, but addictive no less. It had actually taken her a few tries to finally get the hang of it, suffering in the first couple of levels with a measly one-star score. As she learned the motions, her score steadily improved, until she was ending each level with three stars - the highest available.
Grinning proudly as she breezed through the current level, she took a brief break to check for any new messages - from Alburn, or anyone else - and took a quick drink from the water bottle tucked into her purse. People wandered by, occasionally stopping to say hello to her. As much as Barnett had been the "people's champion," Ceyla was under the impression that he hadn't spent as much time out in public as some people believed. To be this close to the people, and even moreso to be approached by them at their own volition, was an experience in and of itself. She had no complaints, and no intention of ever ceasing the behavior.
In times like these, the people of Legion needed something to lift their spirits.
Setting the water bottle down at her feet, Ceyla's attention returned to her game once more. As she played, she found herself thinking about the day her and Alburn had first met - that night on the docks. It had been, easily, the more difficult battle on her list of many. Both of them walked away that night with scars - Alburn's on his face, and her's across the right side of her hips. Ceyla could recount exactly how painful it was, and how she had been reduced to tears while being treated in the Fang base's infirmary. Now, it was a memento - a reminder of the night she almost didn't get away.
A soft buzz from her Scroll indicated a new message had been received, and without paying attention to the game, Ceyla switched to the appropriate window to read the contents. It had been sent not long after her original message, so she must have missed it while rushing to prepare. Of course, it didn't help that she had been distracted by a game, either. An acceptance of her invitation, complimented by a small lion emoji. "What a dork." She said affectionately. Contemplating whether or not to reply, Ceyla opted to leave it be for the time being. It had been long enough that he was probably close, so she didn't want to distract him.
Eventually, she felt eyes on her. Not just any eyes, though - she could feel it was him. As Alburn walked up and took a seat next to her, Ceyla found herself contemplating every little thing about him. If she were to be honest, she considered Alburn to be relatively pleasing to the eye. He was certainly a good looking young man, a detail she had concluded the night of the Police Station's open house. It helped, so far as she perceived, that he was confident as well - at least in battle. All of these things lumped together acted upon her like gravity, tugging her closer to him as time passed. It was a strange feeling, one she hadn't felt before.
"You're looking nicer than usual today." He said, the compliment sending a rush of blood to her face. "So, tell me: What's the occasion?" Ceyla giggled nervously at first, but then turned in her seat to face him. "Well first, thank you for the compliment, Alburn." She replied with a kittenish smile. "You look pretty good, yourself." Rising from the bench, Ceyla grabbed the basket before reaching her hand out to him. "And the occasion is you, of course!" She said in earnest. "I thought it might be fun to hang out on a day like today. I even made lunch for later, in case we got hungry." She proudly waved the basket, being careful not to rattle the contents.
"I was thinking, maybe, we could go check out the river." She added, looking off in the direction they'd need to head. "I hear once the top layer of ice melts, it's absolutely gorgeous." Smiling down at him, Ceyla took the opportunity to observe Alburn's attire, all before wriggling her fingers like an excited child. She had so much anticipation for the day, so much bewilderment already building up from her short time outside. If all went well, it would be the first of many days where the world just stopped. It would just be him and her, making the best out of one another's company.
She once told him that, in another time and place, they could have been friends or something. Lately, they had found that time and place.
She wouldn't trade it for anything. |
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Post by Alburn Redgrave on Aug 6, 2016 19:54:21 GMT -6
| TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME | |
Perhaps her looking good in that white dress of hers was somewhat of an understatement. It was actually hard to imagine Ceyla not looking good in whatever outfit she put on. Whatever clothes she wore, Alburn had a feeling that she'd look absolutely gorgeous in them, but one day, if possible, he wanted to see her in that ivory dress that she'd put on at the open house event at the LPD headquarters again. The white brought out the color of her ruby eyes brilliantly, and they were something that most of his attention always gravitated towards when looking at her. Obviously, she was a beautiful-looking woman in nature, but something about her always tugged onto his emotions in ways that he'd never felt before. For the lack of better wording, he simply felt happy by being around her. No matter how many times he thought about it, Alburn couldn't help other than to think their relationship was but a strange one - though he certainly couldn't complain. Sure, every time the Officer looked at himself in the morning, he'd see that same scar that Ceyla - no, the 'Red-Eyed Maiden' have given him the night they first met. Since then, he was so obsessed with bringing her in, but... he was able to let go after spending some time talking things through with her. She was no longer the woman she used to be - and she was taking great steps and strides to show as such. He'd see her on the media and several newspapers, fighting to make changes to Legion in ways that he never thought it'd be possible. Then, the woman suddenly rose from the bench with her hand outstretched towards him, answering his question: "And the occasion is you, of course! I thought it might be fun to hang out on a day like today. I even made lunch for later, in case we got hungry." Ceyla then would wave her basket proudly, causing a small chuckle to escape from Alburn, so she really did go out of the way to prepare a lunch for them, after all. It was kind of... cute, really. He planned on buying it for her, but the need to do that was eliminated it seemed. To be honest, the Officer was kind of curious about her cooking. Who would've thought that someone like her, of all people could cook? Now there was something to look forward to today. "You really went above and beyond for this one, haven't you?" Alburn scratched the back of his head. The next time they met, he thought about cooking something up for her, but he couldn't exactly see himself as a good cook - if at all who could satisfy the tastes of the Prime Minister of the Legion. Considering her position, there was no doubt that she had an entire legion of five-star chefs at her disposal that could easily pale whatever dishes he could pull off in comparison. Perhaps he might as well hit his head on the books for that one. The Officer could say with confidence that he was good at a lot of things, but cooking - definitely wasn't one of them. As he stood up from the bench he was seated in, Ceyla pointed out the destination that they'd be heading off to for their outing: A river, not too far from their position. The moment she turned her attention towards the direction, Alburn immediately knew what she was talking about. He used to go there many times as a child with his father. It was one of those places that the Officer remembered fondly of, especially during the first months of the spring when the first layer of crystalline coat melted off. As she said, it was a gorgeous setting. Many people would go there during this specific time of the month, but it didn't matter. Not as long as he had her company. "Hey, slow down there," Alburn grabbed her hand in hopes of calming the woman down a little, "It's not like the river's going to go anywhere, okay?"Their journey towards the river was a rather uneventful one - though there were few people in particular who seemed to recognize the two. One of them in particular was a young faunus girl dressed in a hoodie and hoverboard. She'd lost her father a while ago during the devastation at the pier by none other than the 'Red-Eyed Maiden'. Alburn knew the pain of losing a father all too well to ignore it, and because of this, the Officer took an especially good care when interacting with her. However, their talks wasn't always smooth persay, considering the fact the tension between the two race, but she managed to open up to him and the girl was well on her way towards the road of recovery. "So, dating the Prime Minister, huh? Didn't take you for such a stud." A small frown grew on Alburn's features. As usual, she knew how to press his buttons. A little too well, in fact. "She's just someone that I know." But his denial only caused a burst of laughter to leave the tiny Faunus, causing her to adjust her oversized hat that tipped over her features. The girl would then turn her attention towards the blonde woman before hopping onto her hoverboard. "Geez, what sort of response is that?" The girl giggled continously, "Hey PM, he's a lot nicer than he looks. Don't mind the constant frowns." Before the Officer could possibly say anything, the faunus girl sped off and escaped, simply leaving the two to their own devices. Alburn simply sighed in annoyance and turned his attention back towards Ceyla behind him. "Don't mind her chatter. She's always like this." ▲ |
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Post by Ceyla Regenwald on Aug 6, 2016 23:22:34 GMT -6
❝
She grinned proudly as Alburn chuckled, the muscles in her cheeks causing her eyes to squint ever so slightly. "You really went above and beyond for this one, haven't you?" With a triumphant nod, Ceyla responded with a quiet giggle. “You bet I did!” She said happily. “I’m not one to half-ass things in the slightest, so - I think you’ll like it.” It was very common for Ceyla to cook for herself, sometimes with Lucy accompanying her on nights the girl didn’t work late. Though there were a large group of top-tier chefs ready to cater to the residents of Legion’s Spire, she had never really considered taking advantage of their willingness to serve. She believed in doing things herself, much like her father had taught her.
As Alburn rose to his feet, Ceyla felt her anticipation for the rest of the day skyrocket. She had been cooped up for a while, only occasionally getting a chance to get out - days that were typically spent trying to plan get-togethers with the young officer. She was prepared to grab him by the arm and lead him off towards the river, but it seemed Alburn had other thing in mind than a hasty trip across town. "Hey, slow down there.” He said, taking hold of her hand. "It's not like the river's going to go anywhere, okay?" Ceyla smiled, clearly embarrassed that the excitement had gone to her head. As she gripped onto his hand, she laughed nervously. “I suppose you’re right. I should really mellow out.” She said, her cheeks taking on a soft red hue.
The walk, for the most part, was quiet. She couldn’t say she was bored by how uneventful the walk was, as Ceyla instead found it rather relaxing. There were the occasional glances from strangers, people who recognized the young woman from news broadcasts across the capital, and those that recognized Alburn for his exploits with the LPD. Most people they encountered this way seemed like pleasant people, which made up for the few instances of the stuck-up types. No matter how hard she tried, Ceyla was pretty sure she’d never understand the people that came across as envious of their friendship. It was true that she was very picky about who she kept company with, and the idea that she would rather spent time with someone outside of her “class” was sure to run some folks the wrong way.
Up ahead, she noticed a Faunus girl with a hoverboard. Ceyla recognized her from the news story that aired after the raid on the pier - she had killed this girl’s father. Her blood ran cold at the familiar face, causing her to stop in her tracks. Alburn, knowing this girl, went ahead to speak to her. Ceyla’s heart pounded in her ears, her hands trembling as she struggled to form a cohesive thought. Should she say something to the girl? Perhaps apologize for ending the life of her father? For a moment, Ceyla felt as if she was about to break into tears, but her dive into the darker places in her psyche was cut short by the sound of the girl laughing. She hadn’t paid much attention to the conversation the two were having, preferring not to eavesdrop.
Before disappearing on her hoverboard, the Faunus girl tipped her hat to Ceyla, to which she responded with a smile and a wave. As soon as the girl was gone, however, her attention returned to Alburn - who appeared vexed from whatever their conversation pertained to. "Don't mind her chatter. She's always like this." Ceyla flashed a reassuring smile, laughing cheerfully in an effort to help him ease out of being annoyed. “It’s alright. I wasn’t really paying attention, to be honest.” She said, firmly grabbing onto his hand before intertwining their fingers. “Is there anything you’d like to do before we got to the river? A place you may wanna stop or something?” She added, gently tugging on his hand. “I don’t want to decide everything we do, you know. I want you to enjoy yourself, too.” |
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Post by Alburn Redgrave on Aug 7, 2016 4:21:56 GMT -6
| TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME | |
The vexed frown on his face disappeared when Ceyla spoke of not really paying attention towards the overall conversation between him and the Faunus girl who'd just left not too long ago. While Alburn certainly didn't mind, but the way she waved 'goodbye' seemed... a little forced? At least, that was how it looked like to him. The Officer wondered if it had to with one of her misdeeds she'd committed as the 'Red-Eyed Maiden'. Of all criminal cases that he'd encountered, the murderers rarely showed any remorse for their kills - especially the serial killers. The case of 'Red-Eyed Maiden' happened to be one of those most queer circumstances. She certainly might've said she was alright, covering it up with a facade of laughter to go along with it, but he knew that something much more was at work here for the woman. The woman was a good actor, but the Officer easily saw through her disguise. But, he didn't say anything about it. Instead, the male gave no more than a simple nod - to acknowledge that he believed in her that she was okay. Then Ceyla would intertwine her fingers with his, her firm grip around his told Alburn much: She felt insecure, and needed something - or someone to help anchor her down. Though he knew he was being a little presumptuous thinking that, but after spending so much time out in the field, encountering different kinds of people, his experience with others while working within the force told him a lot of things. “Is there anything you’d like to do before we got to the river? A place you may wanna stop or something?” She tugged at his hand almost as if she wanted to leave the area, which the Officer had no problems doing. “I don’t want to decide everything we do, you know. I want you to enjoy yourself, too.”
It was quite obvious that she wasn't feeling comfortable being here. Alburn firmly held onto the woman's hand reassuringly. "Let's go to the river you've talked about," If Ceyla was in turmoil, then he'd make sure to be the anchor to hold her down. Whenever she needed him, all she needed to do was call him. Alburn made such promises to her - and he was intent on keeping them. With that, he started to lead her towards the river that she wanted to go to so much, but in a brisk enough of a pace so that he'd be able to bob and weave between crowds of people and avoid them, if possible. Eventually, the two would slow down by the river that Ceyla had talked of so fondly. The sunlight beamed down upon the crystalline river, shimmering through the layers of ice that was just starting to melt. Even after all this time, the place was still yet remained free of corruption by the hands of industrialization and residence. Not to mention, the water was also surprisingly clear - enough for one to look down at the bottom to see the life that was starting to resurface from its long slumber. Alburn never thought he'd find himself at this place again. Many fond memories resurfaced within his mind as he walked underneath the shades of vine trees that stretched out endlessly before them. The Officer hoped that within their own little world that they isolated themselves in, she'd find some peace. 'I can't say it's my first time coming here - but no matter how much I look at it, I'm always reminded of those days with him...'His father also used to walk him here whenever he drove him from school. After a long, hard day, being isolated from the chaos what was known as civilization, Alburn found it always soothing to walk here on this path with just him - and his father. Alone, hand-in-hand. During those days, the boy never had to walk alone. Without warning, Alburn would then take a sudden step forward, and turn his body towards Ceyla with his dark eyes locked onto her own. Despite what she might've been thinking, he wasn't exactly trying to make her uncomfortable in any way - in fact, far from it. To make sure that he'd reaffirm this, the male placed his hand over on her lush golden locks of hair. He hadn't noticed before, but the Officer could faintly smell the fragrant shampoo she'd put on it as he gently stroked it. As he did so, the Officer attempted to form a cohesive thought as to what he wanted to say. "Ceyla," He spoke, "I don't know everything about you, yet, but... whatever is that you've gone through... just know that I'll be your anchor whenever you need me. I'm only one call away." ▲ |
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Post by Ceyla Regenwald on Aug 7, 2016 10:41:01 GMT -6
❝
The feeling of his hand taking her’s was more than comforting, forcing away the anxieties that had built up slowly since they left the tower. "Let's go to the river you've talked about," He said, to which Ceyla responded with a cheerful nod, gently tightening her grip on his hand as they continued their walk. She had never been so captivated by the springtime, bewildered by the immense beauty that had lied beneath Legion’s seemingly permanent snow. The sun was warm, accompanied by a cool breeze. To Ceyla, it couldn’t have been any more perfect. Not even the Monasteries of Cela, arguably among the most beautiful structures in all of Remnant, paled in comparison.
As the two weaved through the citizens flooding the walkways, Ceyla found herself contemplating the future of the Kingdom. With Barnett focusing so much of his attention on strengthening his claim to Rift’s throne, it would be up to her to see Legion meet the needs of its people and to promote a healthy relation with the other leaders of Remnant. It was by no means a small task. In fact, it was rather daunting. The thought of the excess in responsibility caused her stomach to twist uncomfortably, though she thought the impulse to wince to avoid worrying Alburn. If her guessing was correct, they would be arriving at the river soon. With a smile, Ceyla leaned against him as the sound of a running river eased its way into the area.
Her eyes carefully regarded all of the river’s many beautiful features. It was flawless, untainted by the hands of the people. This was likely a result of its typically frozen state, though the Chairman had gone to great lengths to ensure the river - and the parks that bloomed around it - remained protected. It was work she looked forward to continuing in the Chairman’s absence. As she set down the basket, Ceyla went to work kicking off her small white shoes, all while trying to keep her hold on Alburn’s hand. Her intent was probably very clear - she wanted to stick her feet in the river. That plan, however, was cut short when Alburn stepped ahead and turned towards her. She looked up at him, curious if anything.
The two locked eyes, much like the first night they “officially” met. Something felt very different about this moment, something that made it stand out among all the others, and with a lack of something to say she simply smiled. When his hand touched her hair, however, Ceyla seized up mentally. Her body burned, finding it hard to focus on anything other than the dark eyes that stared down at her. Deep down, she didn’t want what was happening to stop. As they stood there, everything else started to melt away. It was only Alburn and her, accompanied by the soft sound of the river flowing to its inevitable end. Her eyes closed as she allowed herself to be absorbed in the moment.
"Ceyla." His voice broke the silence. Her eyes opened, smiling as she brought her hand up and gently brushed her fingers against his face. "I don't know everything about you, yet, but... whatever is that you've gone through... just know that I'll be your anchor whenever you need me. I'm only one call away." Whatever bit of redness had eased its way to her face darkened, and she slowly pulled her hand from his face before timidly wrapping her arms around him. It was this kindness she felt she’d never get used to. Struggling to fight off tears, Ceyla rested her face against Alburn’s chest, letting out an enervated sigh. “Thank you…” She replied in a quiet tone, her voice wavering as a few tears rolled down her cheeks. Despite probably looking like a wreck, Ceyla was happy. Happier than she had ever been.
Looking back up to his dark eyes, Ceyla’s arms moved from being around his waist to being looped over his shoulders. With one hand, she caressed the nape of his neck, slowly brushing her fingers through his hair. “The same goes for you, too.” She said with a fondly. “I may not know everything there is to know about Alburn Redgrave, but I can tell that you’ve dealt with a lot of pain.” She regarded the scar on his face, then rested her head against his chest. “Physical and otherwise.” Ceyla didn’t know the pain of losing family, and it was something she would find a hard time fully understanding. That said, if he ever felt inclined to speak about his father, she’d be there - lending a willing ear.
Without warning, Ceyla used the leverage of her arms around Alburn’s shoulders to pull herself up to his face, planting a soft kiss on his cheek. As quickly as it had occurred, she retreated, holding onto both his hands with a cheerful grin. “I may not be able to promise many things, Alburn, but one thing I will promise you is this: I won’t be going anywhere.” She said softly. “No matter what happens, no matter where we are, no matter what time it is - no matter what, I’ll be here for you too. You need only ask.” |
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Post by Alburn Redgrave on Aug 8, 2016 0:00:29 GMT -6
 | TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME | |
Alburn didn't move a single inch from where he stood still as a statue would when Ceyla timidly wrapped her arms around him. Whatever the woman had gone through to stand where she stood now, the Officer couldn't exactly begin to imagine. It was true, he knew too little about her, the history of 'Red-Eyed Maiden', but in his mind, he had a feeling that he, and this woman were kindred in spirit. They were both lonely creatures who'd chosen solitude, and after all this time, the two of them were perhaps simply looking for someone to lean on, to be each other's anchor. "It's okay," He said with a small sigh leaving his lips, the male heard her wavering voice - shaky, almost as if trying to contain something deep within. It took great strength for one to force their tears back. The Officer realized this, and as he pulled his hand away from her hair, he patted it reassuringly against her back as if to tell her that it was okay to let go. It was okay to cry. At least in front of him. "It's okay to cry."Their eyes met once more. There were still a few specks of tears that were rolling down from her mesmeric crimson eyes which were still yet to dry off, so he used his free hand to wipe some away from her fair skin. "The same goes for you too," Ceyla suddenly pointed out to him as she brushed her soft fingers through his hair, “I may not know everything there is to know about Alburn Redgrave, but I can tell that you’ve dealt with a lot of pain. Physical and otherwise.” Her words sent a few pangs throughout his chest. Alburn never had anyone emphasize with him - let alone, ask anyone for it. Ever since his father's passing, he tried to appear strong the only way he knew how instead of looking like that weak child who still yet grieved for his death. 'I changed a lot, haven't I?' Alburn gently caressed the back of her head, '.. Who would've thought I would feel like this?' Then, without a single word of warning, Ceyla's face suddenly shot up to his. It was at this moment when he felt everything had just stopped. His brain simply ceased all function, and the world came to a sudden halt. All he felt was a soft warmth being placed on his cheek. Ceyla was so close to his body - so close that he could feel her breathing, the soft heaving of her chest, the soft locks of her golden hair tickling the tip of his nose. She smelled quite nice - like a flower. The seconds felt like minutes, the minutes turned into hours, and hours turned into years - at least, that's how it seemed to Alburn before she suddenly pulled away from him. Her warmth of her lips left his cheek - but he could almost swear that there was still something there. "... I... wait - what was that for?" He stammered, "That... was... kind of unexpected." Hell, Alburn found it surprising himself that he was somehow able to formulate a cohesive sentence, but something like this - was very new to him. He only saw these kinds of things in the movies, and he certainly didn't expect something like this would happen to him. The male felt the tip of his ears getting warm at the thought as he slowly rubbed the place that Ceyla had kissed. At this point, the Officer felt like he couldn't exactly look at her in the face properly anymore, causing him to slowly turn his face away. This was a total curveball coming from her. Not too while ago, he didn't exactly mind holding hands, but now - the male even found that to be impossible. “I may not be able to promise many things, Alburn, but one thing I will promise you is this: I won’t be going anywhere. No matter what happens, no matter where we are, no matter what time it is - no matter what, I’ll be here for you too. You need only ask.”The Officer scratched the back of his head. What a foul play, he began to think. How was he supposed to act in this sort of situation? Alburn pulled all the experiences that he'd accumulated as a Police Officer, but he found none of them as a sort of fitting response. For the first time in his life, he felt like a total dunce. "No comment at this time," He spoke, truly befitting of a police officer with - well, no comment. "But it's good that no one is around. People might misunderstand...." ▲ |
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Post by Ceyla Regenwald on Aug 8, 2016 15:25:10 GMT -6
❝
With a gentle squeeze of his hands, Ceyla grinned proudly as Alburn began to stammer. It served him right for all the times he had embarrassed her. "... I... wait - what was that for?" Her smirk grew as he tried to say something in response, fighting off the impulse to break into a fit of giggling. "That... was... kind of unexpected." The way the young man was acting was nothing short of cute, though Ceyla kept from commenting to spare him from any more embarrassment. The last thing she wanted was for him to get frustrated by her picking on him again. As he pulled one of his hands to his face, she used her now freed hand to hide her goofy grin.
Her face was starting to hurt.
This was something that had never happened before.
In a cruel twist of fate, Ceyla was now the one that was embarrassed. Her thoughts jumbled together, doing their best to piece together a good response to his question. Why had she done that, anyway? For the most part, it was a combination of a desire to do so that ignited long ago, as well as being in the heat of the moment. Alburn was the first person she had shared a day like this with and, much to her surprise, Ceyla found herself having more fun with him than she had since first arriving in Legion. In a bid to be honest to herself, she had to accept the simple fact that she was developing quite the crush on the police officer.
This was something she believed could have started long ago, only culminating in recent times as she learned more against the man she had spent so much time trying to escape. She always was drawn to people that exhibited great strength, and although Alburn was far from the physically strongest opponent she had ever fought, there was something about him that made him stand out. Where others showed arrogance or fear in the heat of battle, Alburn had stared Ceyla down courageously. It struck her then like a gentle spark - courage was what caused her to gravitate towards him. It was a rare trait that almost all men she had ever met, with the exception of her father, lacked.
Courage.
"No comment at this time.” Was his first response to her promise, and it was in truth the very response she expected. "But it's good that no one is around. People might misunderstand...." She smirked almost instantly at the thought of other people being around, wondering how differently he would have acted if that were the case. There was a part of her that wondered the same thing about herself - how would she be acting if other people were around. With muffled giggling, Ceyla turned her attention to the basket on the ground, retrieving a large blanket from within, then laying it out on the ground. After placing the red and white patterned fabric on the ground, Ceyla looked back to Alburn with grin.
“So, tell me.” She said, holding her arms behind her back. “What are you afraid of people misunderstanding?” Never had she anticipated the thought of someone seeing how they were acting, let alone for them to draw conclusions from it. Ceyla thought back to how he acted for a while at the open house, worrying about what people might think. Was it really something he worried about that much? Perhaps it was because of her that he was acting this way, her status resulting in some sort of apprehension. Slowly stepping towards him, Ceyla’s arms moved from behind her back to around his waist. Leaning back, she looked up at him, hoping he’d look back at her.
Letting out a quiet huff of air, she shook her head. “Who cares what someone else might think, anyway?” She said with a reassuring smile. “I certainly don’t, and no one back at the tower can tell me what to do. If I want to spend time with you, then I will. People can go ahead and think whatever they want.” Resting her head against his chest, Ceyla gave him a gentle hug as she tuned in to his heartbeat. With a playful giggle, she closed her eyes, nuzzling her face against his shirt. “The people that matter already know this is what I do with my spare time, anyway.” She added. “This is where I want to be, Alburn. You have no reason to worry about what other people might think.” |
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Post by Alburn Redgrave on Aug 8, 2016 23:55:08 GMT -6
 | TAKE ME TO VALHALLA WHERE MY BROTHERS WAIT FOR ME | |
The woman's muffled giggling certainly didn't help with the overall predicament that Alburn found had himself in. After looking around his surroundings to make sure there wasn't anyone in the area, the Officer let out a grunt, still yet finding himself quite embarrassed by the kiss she planted on his cheek not too long ago. God, what if other people saw them like this? No doubt the social media would flare up with all sorts of unwanted speculations and rumors. However, unlike him, Ceyla seemed nowhere near worried as he was - despite the fact that she was a Prime Minister of the Legion. He was envious of her, the way she could be so honest with herself and have the freedom to do what she simply wanted without worrying about tomorrow. After setting up a checker-patterned fabric on the ground, Ceyla walked up to him and asked him a question: "So tell me," She'd muse with a smile on her face, "What are you afraid of people misunderstanding?” Alburn tried to formulate a sentence, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. His stomach seemed to only twist in defiance when he tried, or it was perhaps he was malfunctioning. Somewhat frustrated, the male placed the palm of his hand over on his face, perhaps in hopes of hiding some of his own embarrassment. He couldn't help but think this was her way of paying back for the time he made her blush back at the Police Headquarters' Open House event. Unexpectedly, Ceyla stepped towards him and wrapped her arms around his waist with her alluring crimson eyes staring into his own, forcing him to remove his hand away from his face. She seemed so confident, so reassured that no one would care, but it was her smile that made his thoughts that were jumbled together so tranquil once again. “Who cares what someone else might think, anyway?” She'd ask him, “I certainly don’t, and no one back at the tower can tell me what to do. If I want to spend time with you, then I will. People can go ahead and think whatever they want.” A small huff left the male's lips as the woman buried her face into his shirt. Her free-spirited nature was something to be admired to say the least, and perhaps it was the most endearing trait that Alburn found out of the woman. A small smile broke on Alburn's face as he wrapped one of his arms around Ceyla, and used one of his free hands to stroke her hair. Like her, this is where he wanted to be. With her, alone on this river bank . If this was a dream, the young Officer swore to himself that he'd never wake up from it, and prayed for all the time in the world to just stop. Perhaps he noticed this himself a long time ago, he just never realized that it was there in the first place ever since they first 'officially' met. He was falling for her, and it was the damn best feeling in the world if he had to describe it. It was funny, how a cop could fall for a once wanted criminal. Not that he'd tell her that, of course. "What am I going to do with you?" Alburn muttered, "Making me feel like this...." With a gentle nudge, Alburn broke himself free away from Ceyla. Never in his life had he found himself smiling so much - laughing, let alone opening himself up to someone so much. He wanted to give her his thanks, but he knew that no matter how much gratitude he expressed it towards her, the male would never be able to pay it back. However, 'thanks' was all he ever had to offer. It made him feel tad bit bad that he hadn't really prepared anything for their outings. If anything, she was the one who made the plans for their get together's. He firmly made a promise to himself next time, he'd be the one to call her. "Thanks for today," The Officer paused a moment, "... Because of you, I'm really having the best time of my life, and tell you want: Next time, I'll prepare a little something for us." ▲ |
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