WeepingLiberty

Of Blood and Magic

Amaris Marivaldi

_{Mentions: Smol Dennis @Achronum}

Amaris could not catch her laughter in time as she pictured a fork flying through the air at a faceless acquaintance. She could see how inconvenient it might be to have to literally tie objects down to prevent their escape, and even more to have one's personal thoughts broadcasted without knowledge or intent. She felt bad having assumed the worse.

“I promise I can control it now! I don’t just jump into people’s heads unless we need to.” He followed up, though for some reason he had swapped his subject from personal to plural. Perhaps the mysterious behind-the-scenes friend? Amaris might have guessed Queeny to be the other identity in question but that was mostly because it was the only other name he had mentioned.

“Well, I certainly hope Queeny didn’t take it too personally. Must have been quite the year having to chase down lost belongings. It’s no wonder you didn’t have time for much else.” She responded lightheartedly before her expression fell, a tinge of regret tainting her tone.

“As normal as the questions might have been though, they were still rude. I, of all people, should understand having my intentions judged because of the actions of others. That in mind, I appreciate you taking the time to explain it to me. It was very thoughtful.” A portion of her smile returned before she sat back in her seat, eyes scanning the rest of the environment out of habit. Cassandra had still not made an appearance, perhaps still held up by whomever she had selected to dance with. She considered checking in with the mage but was worried about overstepping her bounds, after all, she was already starting to make amends for her earlier blunder. Deciding to leave the mage be for the time being, Amaris turned her attention back to Dennis.

“Well, now that you have a small break from your studies you might as well enjoy yourself. Was there something in particular you were hoping to see during The Revel? I can’t imagine the ballroom was the peak of your excitement.” The countess teased.

Of Blood and Magic

Amaris Marivaldi

_{Mentions: Smol Dennis @Achronum}

The countess found herself the slightest bit disappointed that Dennis did not share her love for language yet somehow, she wasn’t all that surprised. Perhaps it was that she had always had unique outlooks on otherwise mundane subjects… any which way, she understood there was a difference in being interested in something and bearing the desire to delve deep into that same thing.

Her short-lived disappointment quickly turned to intrigue and again to concern as Dennis spoke his thoughts on the matter. Amaris had to admit that her fascination with magic left her rather blind to the potential dangers, a naivety she could afford as a non-user but less so as a person of her position. She had been so caught up in the adoration of the boy for taking on such a workload for such a complicated magic, that she hadn’t stopped to think about how little she actually knew about it. And from the way that Dennis spoke, his sheepish expression to pair, it sounded his uninvited presence in the minds of others had once been a problem.

“Well, I can’t exactly fault you for using a tool at your disposal, but you’ve got me curious now. Is that something that can just… happen? I can’t imagine there would be many who could tell you were ever there in the first place.” Amaris spoke before an expression of dawned realization overtook her morbid curiosity.

“Ah, please pardon my impertinence. I’m not trying to shame or judge you on the matter, so please don’t feel obligated to answer if my questions were out of line.” The countess diverted her eyes from the table, seemingly embarrassed with herself for forgetting herself in such a manner. Still, Amaris knew she couldn’t let her guard down anymore… at least not until she could confirm whether Dennis could share her thoughts or if he even would.

Of Blood and Magic

Amaris Marivaldi

_{Mentions: Smol Dennis @Achronum}

Amaris followed after Dennis, not quite matching his speed but always just a step or two behind him as they made their way through the crowd and toward the stairs. She gracefully swung herself into a seat as the mage finished draining his first glass of water, almost instantly seeming refreshed by it. It was always fascinating to her the powers water had over mortals, one could almost lightly compare it to the blood consumed by a vampire in some ways. Still, it was their differences that really captivated the countess’ ever active mind.

“I don’t know how people do this all the time. This whole event is a lot to deal with.” Dennis’ voice pulled Amaris from her thoughts back to the table with a gentle shrug of her shoulders. Events like these required a great deal of stamina, both mental and physical. Amaris was already somewhat used to these types of things. While never having to face the brunt of the political side of these events, she had still grown up around her fair share of extravagant parties. To her, the masquerade hosted by Ryner was far more relaxed in nature than any of the others she had attended in her youth, but it was understandable how draining it could be for the uninitiated.

“So uh…” The mage started, seeming to struggle for a moment to decide on his words. He seemed nervous, though to be fair it was likely he hadn’t counted on her agreeing to dance, let alone spend extra time with him. She waited patiently for him to collect his thoughts before he finally selected one he sounded particularly excited about.

“Oh! What language was that word you used from? Estrangeo? Eostranger? I’m butchering this aren’t I?” Amaris had to bite back her laughter, thrilled at his attempts but equally amused at his failings. It reminded her of when she first started to learn languages, how she would often mix up her words and speak in sentences comprising of several different made up hybrid conjugations.

“Estraneo. It’s Italian, though I get the feeling you might already have an idea of what the word means. Think of it as less of a butcher and more of a Freudian slip of sorts.” She offered kindly, her smile borderline reminiscent.

“I enjoy languages quite a bit actually, they’re kind of like riddles sometimes. But I find out of all the different ones I’ve tried to learn, Italian just feels… right. Reminds me a little bit of home somehow. Sorry, that must sound really strange to you… So how about you? Are you interested in languages as well, or perhaps the riddles they present instead?” Amaris leaned forward, her elbows on the table with her fingers linked to create a perch for her chin to rest on. With every passing comment, she found herself more and more intrigued by the mage. It wasn’t often that she got the opportunity to have such mundane discussions about pure interests, if she wasn’t careful she might end up scaring the boy off before she had gotten her fill of conversation.

Of Blood and Magic

Amaris Marivaldi

_{Mentions: Smol Dennis @Achronum}

A smile brightened Amaris' face as the mage hastily tried to reassure her, making a pretty valid point in the process. Unlike half of her peers, the countess was not bound to the same shackles of time as others were. Even if the curriculum was only meant to be so long, there were likely lingering perks to being an alumni of her royal highness' academy. The subjects she could spend her life studying, it was a nice reminder she wouldn't have to do it all at once.

She watched with curiosity as Dennis' face turned away, the blush in his ears growing in intensity as his lips moved silently. Amaris wasn't entirely sure what had caused the shift but thought it might be rude of her to ask. Of what little she did know about the image's chosen path of study it was possible that he was talking to someone outside of their immediate vicinity. Gauging by his reaction, she couldn't help but wonder who and what was said to cause such a reaction.

"So I’m getting a little overheated. Would you like to join me upstairs for a little bit? I, uh, really need some water.” Dennis invited sheepishly, quick to stumble over himself in case the question had been an imposition.

"But uh, you don’t have to! There is still lots to do and I don’t expect you to settle for chilling with me at a party." Truth be told Amaris was having a great deal of fun hanging out with Dennis, and if she stuck around maybe she might discover who the mage had been talking to. Despite her eagerness, however, she still found herself hesitating. She hadn't arrived alone and Cassandra had yet to return.

The countess shifted slightly so she could cast her gaze across the dancefloor once more in the hopes of spotting her partner. She was starting to worry as she hadn't until a glimmer among the dancers caught her eye. Amaris recognized the unique ensemble immediately and relaxed once again. If Cassandra was out having fun, who was she to stop her.

"I would love to continue, how did you phrase it… chilling? Let's go find you something to drink, shall we?" Her tone was light and bubbling with excitement as she motioned for Dennis to lead the way.

Of Blood and Magic

Amaris Marivaldi

_{Mentions: Smol Dennis @Achronum}

The countess stared at Dennis in awe, silent a moment too long after the boy had asked his follow up question. Here he was studying an incredibly complex arcane yet he was worried about the lack of practice he had acquired for dancing? The thought urged a genuine laugh that twisted about the pair as they moved about.

“My apologies, but I think you might have taken me by surprise a bit. Mental magic is not for the faint of heart and requires an immense amount of preparation and discipline. To be honest, I am far more impressed by that than I would be of anyone’s dancing skills.” She fell silent for another moment, contemplating her own answer to the question. What was she here to study?

She supposed that her original subject had already been put to rest… for the moment at least. But what was it she was going to do now? There was still much she could learn, too much she needed to learn, and very little of it being something she could carelessly share. Realizing she was taking too long to answer, Amaris sighed with resignation.

“To be honest, I’m here for the experience more than anything else. Nowhere else in the world is there a better collection of minds or knowledge, save for perhaps Her Majesty’s own court. I want to learn that which can only be learned here, but seeing as it’s only my first year it sounds like there will be plenty of opportunity for me to refine my interests.” The countess stepped a hair closer to Dennis as another pair threatened to bump her from behind, seemingly a little out of practice themselves.

“I guess that was a rather disappointing response following your own, perhaps I’ve spent too much time practicing dancing and not enough on academics.” Amaris chuckled again as she returned to her more relaxed posture.

Of Blood and Magic

Amaris Marivaldi

_{Mentions: Smol Dennis @Achronum}

Amaris allowed herself to be led out to the floor, stepping carefully so as not to bump any of the pairings taking their leave of the space. She took up her position and awaited patiently for the boy to get settled. After introducing himself, the countess thus learning his name to be ‘Dennis’, the mage started them off with much uncertainty.

It was an easy enough tempo to fall into, Amaris supporting him patiently through the steps while maintaining eyes on the pairs twirling about them. The last thing she wanted was for the dance to be cut short because some elitist scared her dance partner off for bumping into them. Once their momentum had been established, Amaris returned a kind smile and spoke.

“For tonight you may call me Ari, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Although, you should try not to sell yourself so short… everyone has to start somewhere you know. Like all things, this will come to you with time.” She did find herself wanting to know something after his comment, however.

“If you don’t mind my asking, what took up so much of your attention last year? Were you perhaps a student here already?” Amaris poked curiously. She wouldn’t press if he didn’t want to tell, but his vagueness had piqued her curiosity.

Of Blood and Magic

Amaris Marivaldi

_{Mentions: Shy Boi @Achronum}

“Quite the mask you have there.” A soft voice drew the countess’ attention away from their wandering search, Amaris pausing her motion to turn and face its source. What she found was a youthful lad dressed in purple, his mask and tuxedo dotted with swirling designs that drew the eye further and further in. It was a gorgeous shade, and one especially bold for someone whose voice was so soft.

Amaris could see the slight flush in his cheeks but she couldn’t bring herself to label his courage false. His motions were somewhat stiff as though he had little opportunity to practice such intricate etiquette, but still he was willing to go for it and that had to count for something. She did, however, find herself wondering if the mage had known ahead of time that his selection was far from human.

“May I uh, may I have the next dance, please?” He asked alongside his bow, the countess returning the kindest of smiles in response. While she had been on a mission to locate her own mage, who was she to deny a well deserved reward to such a sweet sounding boy?

“You have quite a wonderful ensemble yourself, estraneo*.” She spoke softly in the hopes that it would ease some of the boy’s nerves, but she was quite nervous herself. Somehow, she had not considered the possibility of others seeking her out for an opportunity to dance. It was a nice feeling.

“I would be delighted to share the next dance with you, thank you.” Her words were accompanied with a neutral, yet polite curtsy to match the boy’s bow.

*Terrible Google Translate is Terrible

I do not speak the Italians… my character speaks the ‘Italians’… the closest I can provide is the internet translates. Pls forgive. T^T

*estraneo - stranger

Of Blood and Magic

Amaris Marivaldi

_Mentions:

Cas and Ari WIP

There is nothing to see here just yet.

The ballroom had turned out even better than Amaris could ever have expected. It certainly wasn’t the most lavish she had seen to date, but it was absolutely perfect for the events taking place. Despite the campus not requiring costumes overall, the countess had encountered many impressive ensembles just on the walk over yet nothing quite compared to seeing them all gathered in one place.

Somewhat overwhelmed by her own excitement, Amaris had sent her partner off to familiarize herself with the space while she hung back on the outskirts of the dancefloor. It was highly likely that Cassandra’s friends would also be in attendance, or at least she hoped they would be, giving the mage an opportunity to seek them out and potentially spend some time with them. In the meantime, Amaris sat back and allowed her eyes to wander across the room.

Once Amaris had adjusted to all the costumes, she began noticing the smaller details that gave away certain personalities. At one point she caught sight of a pair of sullen eyes, framed by a black-trimmed white mask, scanning the area as if searching for something specific. His demeanour reminded her of an embraced classmate she had noticed among the first few days of school. She still didn’t know much about him, and had never found the opportunity to offer him study advice like she had wanted, but she had found it increasingly difficult to pick the boy out in the crowded lecture halls. This was the first time he had stood out in some time now causing a small smile to brighten her features.

The boy was eventually joined by a caped figure donning a minotaur themed mask. It was a flashy look but not at all a bad one. Amaris could just about feel the shift in energy from him as the small group began speaking to one another, the countess taking it as her cue to move her attention on to a different subject. Her eyes gravitated toward a shimmering gold moving about the dancefloor, the white hair giving away her identity almost immediately. The countess found herself captivated by the image for as long as the pair remained in view. Eventually the dance took them away from the countess leaving her to her thoughts once again.

Without a word, Amaris began wandering the space once again in the hopes of catching back up with her mage.

Of Blood and Magic

Amaris Marivaldi

_{Mentions: Eris @Hero and Cassandra @Gisk}

To say that Amaris was excited for the events to come was to speak the understatement of the century. Strewn about her room, and even parts of the common area, were masquerade masks of various designs. Lace, porcelain, full-faced, half-masks, simple, garish… there was just about every color imaginable tossed about for the countess to choose from. Even before the sun had fully set for the evening, Amaris had long been dancing between her options.

Every so often she would pause to run her fingers across the details before moving on to the next design, even holding a few up to her face before setting it right back down. The Revel was the shortest of the holidays but it was by far one of her favorites, though Chaend was always a close second. With a different theme every year, the events were always guaranteed to be fresh and interesting. More than that, though, it was the most fun. She had always seen The Revel as the most playful of the holidays, designed specifically to encourage people to let loose and indulge their wilder sides.

Amaris was a tad disappointed that only the ballroom events would be requiring costumes, but there had been no restrictions set to wearing them for the festival as a whole. She would just have to hope her classmates might be interested enough to participate to its fullest extent with her.

“There you are! You’re perfect.” The countess spoke, delicate fingers plucking a mask from the table as she skipped past it. Darting for her room, Amaris shut the door and began the transformation. Her early rising had already seen to meticulously washed and brushed hair, various ribbons and pins laid out across the vanity for her to choose from once she had decided on a style. She would never admit it to Eris, but the majority of the hair accessories were rather new. After her most recent run in with the actor, she had snuck out to the town to pick up a little of whatever she could think of. It was doubtful that any of it would meet his standards but she thought it was a good first step at least.

The dress Amaris had selected for the evening was the oldest style she had worn on campus yet. Very rarely did she pull from her ‘vintage’ collection, but it just felt right for the year’s masquerade theme. Keeping the festival crowds in mind, Amaris chose a corseted gown she wouldn’t have too much trouble moving around in. She had fallen in love with the silhouette and layered skirt, however, the countess had requested a slight alteration to the color scheme to better suit her status. The original piece featured blood red fabrics at key accent points on both the dress and its accompanying sleeves, however, the intensity of the red reminded her too much of the Noila jewels (not to mention the Astorio house colors). Neither feeling worthy in the first case, nor wishing association in the second, Amaris had opted for a shift to a purple dye.

The ensemble wasn’t exactly meant to be donned alone but after a few long moments of careful work, Amaris had laced herself into the garment. Once the sleeves were in place, the countess turned to inspect herself in the mirror. Turning out much better than she had hoped, Amaris spun around carefully to see the different angles. Everything about it was perfect in her eyes, the excitement growing even stronger, however, she couldn’t keep her attention from straying upward to her hair.

”Even if you choose not to have anything in it, having it half up and half down makes a world of a difference” Eris’ earlier words echoed through her mind as she ran her fingers delicately through the dark strands. She had intended to leave it down again, but the chastising was still rather fresh. Did wearing a mask count as doing something? Or was that a completely different accessory? Heaving a sigh, Amaris reached over to her vanity and nabbed a black ribbon to tie some of her hair back with. It couldn’t hurt to at least tie the front back so as not to interfere with the mask she had chosen.

There was a moment of hesitation as Amaris’ eyes passed over the crest she had laid out to wear as she normally would. She had considered leaving it at home, as masquerade was meant to bring about an air of mystery, but the thought of leaving it behind made her sad. Picking up the crest, she removed it from its usual chain and replaced it with the ribbon instead. A little readjusting and Amaris had successfully incorporated her pendant to her now tethered hair. It likely wasn’t what the actor had in mind, but she found it difficult to care too much longer about it. Perhaps her effort would at least score a point or two with the socialite.

She gently lifted her mask holding it in place for a few moments before she felt the weight of the porcelain shift away from her hands. Her selection was among the few that had been magically altered to remain still without additional tethers despite its unusual shape. The main part of the mask was already molded to fit her features naturally, however, the mask extended upward into a pair of horns that wouldn’t normally allow for a tether-free option. Embedded into the mask were several small tanzanite crystals expertly set into the outer edges of the woven lace design, carefully drawing the eye to the center where an oval cut emerald shone.

Feeling good about the look Amaris slipped into a pair of plain black heels to round out the ensemble. She thought there was little point in wearing decorated heels if there was little chance of seeing them around the hem of her dress.

“What do you think Getsuga? Does it look festive enough?” Amaris asked the king snake while turning to show the ensemble off. The reptile responded by stretching himself out, a sign the creature desired to be picked up.

“Alright, fine. You can come, but you need to let me know if you start to get too cold this time.” The countess scolded the creature as she scooped him out of his tank.

At last Amaris emerged from her room, eyes scanning the mess around her and deciding she would deal with it later. Hopefully Cassandra wouldn’t be too mad at her, I mean, she did have every intention of cleaning it up herself… eventually. It was at that moment that she realized she hadn’t seen the mage quite yet, having been entirely focused on her outfit for the evening.

“Cassandra dear! Are you around? Cassandra?”

Outfit References

Of Blood and Magic

Tension and Snacks

Amaris and Cassandra
~Following Cassandra's Adventures~

_{Interacting with: each other
A @Gisk and @WeepingLiberty collab}

Still perched at her vanity, Amaris cast the book aside with a groan of frustration. There had been little in the way of a response from the person she reached out to, often a sign the house was busy with other matters or perhaps that the subject matter was predicted and promptly ignored. Left to her own devices, the countess had tried several different methods to replicate the book’s instruction but had little luck in actually achieving a result.

She glanced down at her fingertips noting the many puncture wounds she had haphazardly inflicted upon herself. It was a stretch to say the least, but Amaris had hoped that there might have been a natural talent for the lost art that would reveal itself under the right circumstances. Up until this point, it had seemed that just bleeding all over the tome was enough to trigger the desired responses, however this time would not be so forgiving. There had to be some trick she was missing, a mispronounced word or a clearer intention for the paper to change colors.

Whatever it was that she was doing incorrectly, it was clear that she wasn’t going to be able to learn it completely on her own. There was no guarantee that she would have the opportunity to speak to the Lord any time soon but what other resources did she have?

The sound of a door opening and closing once more drew the countess’ attention, a light suddenly shining behind Amaris’ eyes. Swiftly finding the book a new home, Amaris rushed for the door excitedly, wondering how she had never thought of it before. Amaris had the perfect resource; her very own mage in training! There were bound to be similarities in concept that Amaris could learn by studying magic through the eyes of a mage. It was far from perfect but what other choice did she have for the moment?

Exiting the room, Amaris approached the common space at a much calmer pace than she had her bedroom door. Her smile faltered some as her partner came into view. Cassandra looked flustered about something, her hair somewhat disheveled in appearance… or at least more so than when she had departed for the morning.

“I was still up studying when you came in, I thought I would welcome you home… Is everything alright?” Her tone was mostly confused but still held a hint of concern. With all the houses in attendance, not to mention the events of the other night still fresh in her mind, Amaris couldn’t help but worry that someone might be targeting her new partner.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine."
Cassandra had meant to come in and go straight to her room, but that was far from proper when her partner had come to greet her. She instead veered her course to the sitting room, and took one of the big leather chairs that was facing Amaris. After a quick look down at her hands, she folded them together to hide the blackened right.
"Well… it's just, I was talking to some older students. We… saw some mage collars. It pi- made me mad."

With an internalized sigh of relief, Amaris turned from Cassandra as she spoke her mind about her outing. She had disappeared from sight for only a few brief moments, returning with a glass of cold water which she held out calmly to the mage. Her expression was a bit more relaxed knowing that there was no immediate threat to her partner but a small degree of concern remained.

“I see. It is rather unfortunate that a school as progressive as this would allow such practices to take place so openly within its walls. I’m sorry you had to witness that.” The countess was far from being a fan of such accessories but there was little to be done about the industry while it still held its current influence. It was one of the many things she sought to change as she grew into her role of nobility but there was little comfort to be offered by unloading political plans upon a disturbed mage. Instead, Amaris tried to offer a kind and reassuring gaze to Cassandra.

“The collars... were they fitted to a friend of yours?”

"No," and yet she went ashy in the face suddenly as she took the glass of water, placing it down on the side table without looking at it.

She had just set fire to a dorm because it was happening at all. What would she do if Lilie was wearing a collar the next time they met? Or Salem? Get herself killed in a dramatic gesture, no doubt. She didn't know them that well in all honesty, but she liked them.

"No, it was a stranger. Strangers. How can that be allowed?

Amaris was patient while Cassandra processed several emotions, expressing each one briefly before moving onto the next. She released the glass as the mage accepted the beverage, but found herself momentarily distracted by the faint scent of smoke that wafted by her. For a moment she pictured Cassandra sitting outside smoking a cigarette with the other students she had mentioned hanging with, but the smell wasn’t strong enough to support such a theory. There was something off about it but Amaris couldn’t quite figure out what it was.

Perking up as if she had just remembered she had been asked a question, Amaris pushed aside her wayward thoughts to respond.

“There is no excuse for it but it is one of those things that just… is. The accessories don’t often present an immediate danger to the physical health of a mage, so it’s not deemed abuse by the courts.” It wasn’t much of an explanation, she knew that, but Amaris wasn’t sure what else she could say. It didn’t matter how much she condemned the subject at hand, Cassandra still had to be prepared to continue to see such sights around her.

“I hope you know I would never seriously employ such a method with you. That is unless you find that is something you are into?” Amaris smiled lightly, attempting to lighten the mood if only by a small amount.

"I… What?" Cassandra had a sudden vision of Amaris with herself on a leash. Only they weren't in public. She flushed suddenly, radiating a wave of heat that Amaris could feel from where she stood. Cassandra picked up the glass of water and busied herself drinking it.

"Is it okay if we drop the subject?"

Amaris couldn’t help but laugh at Cassandra’s sudden outburst, the mage’s once ashen complexion returning to a healthy flush.

“I suppose we can drop it for- Oh Cassandra! What happened to your hand?” As Cassandra lifted the glass to her lips, Amaris caught sight of what looked like a nasty scrape on her hand. She found it strange, however, that at no point in time did she pick up on the scent of blood that should have accompanied such an injury.

"Nothing," she answered just a little too promptly. "It's just something my skin does. Look.

Cassandra put the glass down and lifted an index finger. A lighter-sized flame appeared, and she pressed it down on her forearm. When she brought her hand away it had left a black mark.

"It'll go away. Like a red mark when you get slapped. Does that happen to Vampires?"

Stepping closer, Amaris took up Cassandra’s hand in her own. Her grasp was gentle as she ran her fingertips gingerly over the soot colored mark. A part of her was worried that the discoloration was also painful, but having witnessed the mage hold literal flame to her skin with a straightened expression was enough to quell the panic. The detail that sat at the front of her attention was the scent of the flame. There was no material of note to burn, but the flame still carried a unique smell that matched the smoke she thought she had detected earlier in the conversation.

Knowing the new mark would soon disappear meant that the original mark had to be somewhat fresh. Cassandra was a bold girl, she had proven that much during the incident with Princess Nox, but Amaris didn’t know her well enough to say what her temper was like. Had seeing the collars really affected her to the point of spontaneous combustion? Or something worse?

“I guess we never did get a chance to discuss your affinity, did we? But why were you messing with fire in the first place, you weren’t threatened were you?”

Cassandra flared up in earnest, hiding her(pretty egregious) misdeeds forgotten.

"I'm not messing with fire. It's a part of me. Like… like blood is a part of you. You don't dabble in drinking blood or… or turning into a bat or whatever. How dare you?"

She stood up, mindless of Amaris's proximity, and put her hands on her hips. Cassandra stood a solid four inches shorter, but squared up like she was four taller. Amaris instinctively withdrew a step but straightened to her full posture, icy eyes responding sharply to the mage’s advance. The countess doubted the girl meant any physical harm so that wasn’t her concern, but rather the emotional chord her words struck was really what set the vampire off.

“How dare I what?” She spat cooly, maintaining her rigid glare.

“Do you honestly believe you can draw a comparison between the only substance I can consume to stay, for lack of a better term, alive and a force that if displayed without care will be labelled a weapon? The powers that be won’t care if it’s a part of you or not, they will come and they will take you like they took Minfilia.” The moment the words passed her lips Amaris took pause and dropped her gaze to the floor, her posture sinking considerably.

”Fire is a weapon? Are we pretending today,” she was speaking quietly now, matching some parts of Amaris’s posture, but refusing to look away, ”That no human has ever been killed by having their blood drained? Are you going to…”

Cassandra was going to say, ‘Are you going to threaten me with a disappearance every time I mouth off.’ But she knew perfectly well that that wasn’t what Amaris meant in bringing up the other night. Quite the opposite, she thought.

If I’m going to control my magic, I need to control my feelings first, isn’t that what I’ve been learning?

Her stance didn’t shrink down as Amaris’s had, but the tension left her body. She closed her eyes, and with some effort her face smoothed out too. Cassandra stood like this for a moment, and then began a well practiced apology ritual.

”I’m sorry, Countess,” she said, falling back on manners learned from childhood. She dropped to one knee with the thoughtless ease of someone who has had to do this often. Her head was bowed, and she took the briefest moment to brush her hair to the side, so that the back of her neck was exposed. ”I know that you say these things because you want to protect me. Please, forgive my impudence, and allow me to make amends.”

Amaris took a step forward with a mixed expression. This had all started because Amaris wanted to act like some sort of housewife welcoming their beloved home, and now her mage was bowed before her offering herself up as penance for a pointless disagreement. The countess had half a mind to decline the offer, but the dull ache she felt reminded her that she had yet to fully recover from her previous fast.

Rather than stepping around, the countess knelt before Cassandra and reached gingerly for the mage’s arm. She glanced at her palm for a moment, taking in the intensity of Cassandra’s emotions.

“Please at least try not to make me worry.” Amaris chastised half-heartedly before sinking her teeth into Cassandra’s wrist. She hadn’t been anticipating any particular flavor but upon tasting the first few drops of blood, the countess knew that it couldn’t have been any other way. While she bore strong preferences for sweeter drinks, Amaris had to admit Cassandra’s blood was surprisingly refreshing.

It filled her with a warmth somehow different from just the normal flush of consumption, an underlying spice that did not overpower but only enhanced. She found it to be exactly how she imagined the mortal drink known as cider to taste if she based it off of scent alone. Amaris couldn’t imagine a better flavor for so kind yet so passionate.

Cassandra allowed her arm to be picked up, and her eyes widened suddenly(hidden by her downcast head) when Amaris bit. While she drank, Cassandra straightened herself, so that she was sitting up on her knees, and the two were once more level with each other.

She had the smallest ember of anger in the deepest part of her heart, but it was almost drowned out by an intense guilt. She had caused trouble today, and she had snapped at her partner while trying to hide it. What’s more, the injustices she had fought today seemed to be the antithesis of Amaris. Cassandra was incredibly fortunate to have a partner who cared about her enough to worry.

These feelings seemed to wash out in waves as Amaris drank. Cassandra closed her eyes as her head began to swim. She swayed in place and had to brace herself, placing a hand on Amaris's shoulder.

"I'll try," she said in a weak slurring voice.

The countess had to keep from chuckling as she pulled gently away from her snack. She supposed the pair were rather lucky she only required something small to carry her through to a proper meal, giving the mage an opportunity of what to expect moving forward. Amaris couldn't help but wonder what it actually felt like to be fed from, considering the question before deciding it was best to ask another day. She quickly ran her tongue across the punctures to aid in their healing before running a thumb by the corners of her lips to catch any escaping drops.

"Let's get you to bed, it seems like you've had a long night." Twisting about carefully, Amaris positioned herself to scoop the mage up piggyback style, supporting her weight with a fair amount of ease. She knew Cassandra was likely able to walk on her own, albeit a bit shaky, but Amaris didn't want to chance it without first knowing how she reacted to blood loss.

Approaching the rooms, Amaris slowed to a halt and carefully set the mage down before her door. She turned and offered support to steady Cassandra's stance.

"I can accompany you the rest of the way if you wish, but I think this might be where I bid you pleasant dreams."

"Yes," she said dreamily. "I mean, no, I can manage. But thanks, you too."

As she turned to walk to her bed, she had the vagur worry that vampires maybe didn't dream. She didn't think that was true, though. They were strange in many ways but not, she thought, quite that alien to mortals.

Cassandra pulled her three blankets over herself, and curled the innermost into a comforting cocoon, and slept surprisingly well.