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[Cantarella has given the wishing well quite a wide berth since their arrival, save for her midweek visit to see the source of Lobelia's haunting song. Truly that puppet is no Lorelei.
In the wake of the past three days' events, she doesn't know if there are any answers here, but somehow, perhaps out of a desire not to walk through the stairwell she just found strewn with blood, she ends up here.]
It's you, [she greets gently,] the traveler. Will you take some company? Now's not the time to be alone.
[How is Siffin looking?]
In the wake of the past three days' events, she doesn't know if there are any answers here, but somehow, perhaps out of a desire not to walk through the stairwell she just found strewn with blood, she ends up here.]
It's you, [she greets gently,] the traveler. Will you take some company? Now's not the time to be alone.
[How is Siffin looking?]
[ Siffrin had simply been staring down at the well, staring at his own reflection as if it were a stranger.
but it's Cantarella's voice that snaps them out of their daze, as they whip their head up to face her with a smile. ]
Hey! You can join if you want. I'm not doing much.
but it's Cantarella's voice that snaps them out of their daze, as they whip their head up to face her with a smile. ]
Hey! You can join if you want. I'm not doing much.
[Horrifying, thanks, and not really the kind of sight that's particularly reassuring to see when walking up to the ominous hole of water in the earth.]
Have you been able to rest at all?
[She starts with that, the rather angled maneuvering of someone who already knows that trying to ask "are you okay?" is going to be met with a flippant dismissal. She hasn't forgotten that Siffrin was one of the people who walked out here and made a series of grizzly discoveries.]
Have you been able to rest at all?
[She starts with that, the rather angled maneuvering of someone who already knows that trying to ask "are you okay?" is going to be met with a flippant dismissal. She hasn't forgotten that Siffrin was one of the people who walked out here and made a series of grizzly discoveries.]
Yes? Though honestly, I'm kind of a night owl in the first place, so I'm always falling asleep late.
[ he's nodding very quickly! ]
Oh, but how are you? It was, uh... a lot that happened today, huh?
[ he's nodding very quickly! ]
Oh, but how are you? It was, uh... a lot that happened today, huh?
I'm rather resilient, so there's no need to worry about me. [Physically, she's fine, though there's a twinge of concern on her face.]
I don't like to see so much death or for it to feel so pointless.
[They don't even know, and never will, the full story of what happened between Beryl and Giyuu, and Giyuu was...erased. Taken by something and clearly overcome by whatever caused him to cough.]
Our position feels much more tenuous than it did before.
I don't like to see so much death or for it to feel so pointless.
[They don't even know, and never will, the full story of what happened between Beryl and Giyuu, and Giyuu was...erased. Taken by something and clearly overcome by whatever caused him to cough.]
Our position feels much more tenuous than it did before.
[ it's hard not to worry about her. about everyone else. especially when something like that happened... how can one assure the safety of anyone else? ]
I don't understand why something like that would happen. Was it because he killed Beryl?
[ would killing him have been a mercy? ]
I don't understand why something like that would happen. Was it because he killed Beryl?
[ would killing him have been a mercy? ]
If that's the case, do you think it's a punishment he endured because we didn't repay him in kind?
[Cantarella's expression doesn't seem convinced, if only because...the timing seems so strange.]
It was only for a moment, but he began coughing blood before the darkness overtook him, and yet I can't remember him seeming unwell at all before that moment. Before we can understand why I'd like to know...what could even manifest so quickly?
[Cantarella's expression doesn't seem convinced, if only because...the timing seems so strange.]
It was only for a moment, but he began coughing blood before the darkness overtook him, and yet I can't remember him seeming unwell at all before that moment. Before we can understand why I'd like to know...what could even manifest so quickly?
I... don't know. Maybe it was stress or something? He was badly injured.
[ siffrin wrings their hands, taking a look at the well as if expecting it to give them the answer. ]
Unless you believe the whole thing about this being haunted?
[ siffrin wrings their hands, taking a look at the well as if expecting it to give them the answer. ]
Unless you believe the whole thing about this being haunted?
[Cantarella, on the other hand, does not seem to see anything in the well that she wants to behold. She barely glances in its direction, though her gaze does trend towards the ground at that question.]
Ghosts and demons and such things don't exist in such a form where I come from...not the way that stories tell it, anyway. I think we're being toyed with, but I couldn't say with or by what.
Ghosts and demons and such things don't exist in such a form where I come from...not the way that stories tell it, anyway. I think we're being toyed with, but I couldn't say with or by what.
[ Siffrin nods in agreement. even the King, in all his horror, is at his core, just a human. a human enhanced by wish craft, sure, but a human in the end.
Siffrin bites their lip, and looks away from the well. ]
Maybe… they got their fill after Giyuu? It won’t happen a second time, right?
[ or is that just foolishly hopeful thinking? ]
Siffrin bites their lip, and looks away from the well. ]
Maybe… they got their fill after Giyuu? It won’t happen a second time, right?
[ or is that just foolishly hopeful thinking? ]
I sincerely hope it won't. If we can keep our wits about us, we can yet come together. You would think that by finding the one responsible for a regrettable death, we'd answer more questions than we asked.
[It's sobering, and though she's still putting forward that tender, gentle wave of a voice, there's frustration in it. She's calm, not comfortable, in this situation.]
Hansa said he was familiar with Beryl's place of origin... But I'm afraid I never heard the same about Giyuu. When we're free of this place, we may not even be able to send word to his home.
[It's sobering, and though she's still putting forward that tender, gentle wave of a voice, there's frustration in it. She's calm, not comfortable, in this situation.]
Hansa said he was familiar with Beryl's place of origin... But I'm afraid I never heard the same about Giyuu. When we're free of this place, we may not even be able to send word to his home.
Ah.
[ her comment is... sobering for Siffrin. even though he and Giyuu didn't talk much, he had proven himself as a passionate person who wanted to do good. there must be people out there that would mourn him, and now...
...they close their eye shut, and draw in a deep breath. ]
Maybe we can make something for him. Here.
[ even if there's nothing left of him. ]
[ her comment is... sobering for Siffrin. even though he and Giyuu didn't talk much, he had proven himself as a passionate person who wanted to do good. there must be people out there that would mourn him, and now...
...they close their eye shut, and draw in a deep breath. ]
Maybe we can make something for him. Here.
[ even if there's nothing left of him. ]
Is that what you'd like? Some things here seem impervious to change, but perhaps we can find a place that will yield to our own influence.
[They have few spaces like that available to them, but she crosses her arms across her waist in thought.]
In remembrance of two who were here, so they aren't completely erased.
[They have few spaces like that available to them, but she crosses her arms across her waist in thought.]
In remembrance of two who were here, so they aren't completely erased.
...
[ ... they nod. ]
If we can find a place like that. Yeah. Let's do something for them. Anything.
[ so that the memory of them doesn't disappear through Siffrin's fingers like everything else. ]
[ ... they nod. ]
If we can find a place like that. Yeah. Let's do something for them. Anything.
[ so that the memory of them doesn't disappear through Siffrin's fingers like everything else. ]
It's...
[ not that big of a deal? as if anyone would believe that. ]
I'm not that fragile, you know? [ they smile, in an attempt to reassure her. ] But okay, where do you wanna go?
[ not that big of a deal? as if anyone would believe that. ]
I'm not that fragile, you know? [ they smile, in an attempt to reassure her. ] But okay, where do you wanna go?
I never said you were. [Lest he get the wrong idea.] I simply don't have any taste for undue suffering. That includes self-imposed.
[Sometimes, one needs to be alone with their own thoughts and can live there quite comfortably. Other times, that's like sitting on an open flame.]
Many of the buildings seem to return to a state of chaos when we leave and return...Should we walk down to the field or that little park outside our rooms?
[Sometimes, one needs to be alone with their own thoughts and can live there quite comfortably. Other times, that's like sitting on an open flame.]
Many of the buildings seem to return to a state of chaos when we leave and return...Should we walk down to the field or that little park outside our rooms?
[ Siffrin thinks for a moment, as if considering the options.
(In reality it doesn’t matter, you’re just happy to be around someone who’s ok being around you.)
They nod. ]
We can go to the park. There’s a place to sit down there.
(In reality it doesn’t matter, you’re just happy to be around someone who’s ok being around you.)
They nod. ]
We can go to the park. There’s a place to sit down there.
[ Even a while after the announcements, Siffrin finds themselves wandering through the area aimlessly.
Eventually their wandering brings them to the pool. It’s empty.
…
He takes off his hat, cloak, boots, socks, gloves, eyepatch, and empties his pockets of anything that’s inside.
They look around to make sure that no one is watching… and they run off the edge and into the pool. They take in the sensation of the impact and the rush of the water fill their senses as they sink to the bottom. Once they’re at the floor of the pool, they open their good eye to stare at the surface until his lungs start complaining about the lack of oxygen.
When they push themselves up, however, they realize that maybe they weren’t as alone as they thought. ]
Oh, uh, hi?
Eventually their wandering brings them to the pool. It’s empty.
…
He takes off his hat, cloak, boots, socks, gloves, eyepatch, and empties his pockets of anything that’s inside.
They look around to make sure that no one is watching… and they run off the edge and into the pool. They take in the sensation of the impact and the rush of the water fill their senses as they sink to the bottom. Once they’re at the floor of the pool, they open their good eye to stare at the surface until his lungs start complaining about the lack of oxygen.
When they push themselves up, however, they realize that maybe they weren’t as alone as they thought. ]
Oh, uh, hi?
[ Siffrin floats in the water, looking up at her. His ears flicker in interest. ]
Oh… I guess, yeah.
Oh… I guess, yeah.
[It's a big change from a cat not really swimming.
Their positions have reversed now from what they were earlier this week. Cantarella has a seat by the edge of the pool.]
I thought I noticed you taking your leave from the library, but I wasn't able to follow. Such a harsh awakening was painful to endure.
Their positions have reversed now from what they were earlier this week. Cantarella has a seat by the edge of the pool.]
I thought I noticed you taking your leave from the library, but I wasn't able to follow. Such a harsh awakening was painful to endure.
[ Oh…
They swim towards the edge near where she is, leaning against the edge of the pool with their elbows. ]
I’m sorry… I should have helped you, but…
[ They failed there too. ]
They swim towards the edge near where she is, leaning against the edge of the pool with their elbows. ]
I’m sorry… I should have helped you, but…
[ They failed there too. ]
[ He sighs. ]
I didn't really know them, no.
[ They didn't know them at all. He should have tried harder to know them. If there was something he could have done... ]
I didn't really know them, no.
[ They didn't know them at all. He should have tried harder to know them. If there was something he could have done... ]
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