( log 01. 🔮 open / locked. )

[thricefold]

Who: Zita and you.
When: Through February 12 and the rest of the month of February.
Where: The Queen's Residence and around the city.
What: Activities.
Warnings: None at the moment.

[ it'll be a busy time for zita. promises to keep. meetings to attend. people to meet, whether it's the first time or the third time this month. looking back, she's surprised by all the things she's going to do, but she strengthens her resolve to see all her things through.

if there's one thing she's proud of, it's her ability to keep her word.

that said... she does wonder what the days ahead will have in store for her as she begins to prepare for the day. will she make new friends? learn new things? reaffirm some thoughts she's had since her arrival? what will be in store for her and others in this brave new world they're in?

there's only one way to find out. ]

[ ooc; an all-month log! in the comments are top-levels that pertain to the events that will occur for zita during the month. i will note which are open and which are locked to specific players.

if you would like a your own locked top-level or want to plot something, feel free to hit up my hmd or my plurk over at prognostic! ]

Comments

[kesi]

[Though she took no offense, he couldn't help but feel that he still said the wrong thing. He would take her word for it either way and simply listen to her and keep following close behind, ignoring the sense of failure as nagging as it was.]

It isn't expected to be easy. Skill to fight with competence and prevail does not come overnight, thus do we train. And... ["If we don't..." He pauses the same way, in speech and step, throwing his initial word choice aside.] ... with time, improve. Ah, but I'm quite used to such routines as Prince Allairavar's morning drills.

[It was his life for a long while, but rather than elaborate on that, something else Zita said caught his interest.] Carnival?

[thricefold]

Yes. A carnival.

[ she smiles a little bit more now, feeling more at ease now that she's talking about something she's both familiar and comfortable with.

because for all she adores the chance on talking about the nuance of magic, having a chance to speak of the place she's called true home is another thing all together. ] The Midnight Carnival. It's a travelling circus that is filled with folks like myself- Touched by magic but in hiding since our world isn't ready.

I consider them my family. It's why I'm here, since I hope to do something that'll benefit them all. I may not be the most competent fighter, nor will I be able to call myself that for a long time, but I'm willing to try for them.

[ after a few seconds, she blinks a bit and suddenly looks sheepish. ] I'm sorry- That must have been an... intense thing to hear.

[kesi]

[The fondness Zita spoke of her home with made Takame's nerves calm considerably. He'd seen festivals held from afar in his home, full of lively folk, this circus sounded somewhat similar.

Though he's thrown off by her needing to hide, being from a land in which many are more than capable of using the art of magic. But he also understood somewhat with the history of the war-mongering land he fought for in his early years being forced to adapt due to their inability to use it. He felt himself already begin to get exhausted ruminating on that duality.

But there was something he respected about Zita being frail yet willing to try. To her concern about what she said, he simple shook his head lightly.]

Not at all. To have such a desire to learn for their sake is admirable. You've nothing to apologize for.

[thricefold]

[ she looks surprised but touched at his words, a soft twinkle in her eye now. ] It means a lot to hear that because… Given the events and all-

I hope I can do my best to help you and others. If you’ll give it your all when facing combat, I’ll give it my all to support you.

Ah! [ she narrows her eyes a bit when she returns her gaze to the path, noticing something up ahead. could it be...? oh yes! it is: ] The jeweller's place. We're here.

[ the nondescript building looked cozy enough. small compared to other businesses they passed so perhaps only an individual worked here by themselves or a group learned to work within confined quarters. one had to hope it's the latter given the events at the old bazaar...

but the coziness of the building could not take away from the fact the windows were dark and the door closed shut to them, all signs that no one is around. it causes zita to frown and to begin going through her cloak. it takes only a minute to pull out a folded sheet of paper from a hidden pocket of hers, opening it to read through it.

she mutters to herself while she speaks, loud enough to be overheard: ]

This is the agreed time we'd meet. The lights should be on and the door ajar. [ ... ] I wonder if they forgot.

[kesi]

Support has... turned the tide of many a battle. [He spoke from experience, though particularly of healers. Like the Warrior of Light. If not for them he would have met a far earlier grave. Strength was important, still the most important. But his sister would be livid if she heard that from him and he had little doubt it would upset Zita.

When they arrived at the jewelers to see no one there, his grip tightened immediately around the hilt of his blade. No intent to draw it yet, simply a knee jerk reaction he had when things felt off to both him and his escorts.]

Hm. Did something happen do you think?

[thricefold]

.... I don't want to believe that. [ but, at the same time, zita has to admit that this is a seriously possibility to consider.

the jeweller had promised to message her in advance if they had to cancel their engagement. she checks her far caster now to see if she had missed anything during the walk and- no. no new messages that she had missed. it only makes the churning in her stomach get worse.

putting the far caster away, zita sighs and lowers her voice when she speaks to her companion again. just in case. one can never be too careful in who could be listening to her or takame's conversation. ]

I should knock on the door. See if someone will respond to it or not.

[ she pauses, looking to takame before looking back at the door. ]

Perhaps it's best you stay back? I forgot to tell them that someone else was taking over my friend's escorting. [ it also wouldn't hurt to have the element of surprise, some part of her mind adds, sounding far too much like jun. ]

[kesi]

[Takame didn't want to believe it either, but he was usually one to expect the worst, a scenario that would lead to a scrape. In the past it often did for him, they've long since become easy to deal with.

But he conceded to her request with a nod, taking a step backwards, hand still not releasing the grip on his weapon still slightly hidden. The Au Ra would not be far behind, as he promised after they left. Just in case things did go south.]

[thricefold]

[ she tells herself that she should be happy that takame agreed to her request so quickly. she did ask for it and, honestly, it is important to make it seem like she doesn't think anything is wrong. if something is wrong.

she hope something isn't wrong.

...

taking a deep breath, zita approaches the door and loudly knocks on it a few times. she needs to wait a few minutes before the door opens. and the only the door opens. no lights were turned on. no one called out to ask who it is. only the almost soundless swing of the door opening, made known by zita's sound of surprise. ]

Hello- I'm sorry for bothering you like this, Miss Caye, but did something happen to cancel our meeting? I saw that your shop seems to be closed and I'm-

[ before zita can say anything else, the jeweller is shove to the side by someone dressed in dark clothes with a scarf covering their mouth. they make a grab for zita, trying to drag her inside before she can create a fuss with her presence.

too late for that. without wasting a beat, zita screams to let it be known that this is going down south very fast. ]

[kesi]

[In the bad turn of events, it may have felt like ages passed. But Takame was inside the very instant he heard Zita. With no regard for what the dark-clothed person's reason was or what could have happened, he charged straight for them like a freight train, grabbing them by the throat and slamming them hard against the nearest wall. All Takame saw in this person was a threat.

From the pathetic gasps they let out, it was clear just how tight of a hold Takame had on them. He only needed his dominant hand to restrain them while his right slowly drew his blade out. As if he needed to give more warning.

His teeth were barred, gaze drilling into this assailant as if he were a harbinger of death. And he would be one had it not been for a past request, and the priority of his escort's well-being.]

Are you alright, Zita?

[thricefold]

I’m fine! I’m fine, I promise.

[ zita rubs her forearm, already feeling the bruise develop on her skin. she can focus on healing it later. right now—

she looks over to where takame has the robber pinned to the wall.. the robber is, no doubt, a man, judging by his build and voice as he please for mercy. zita feels her body tense up when she sees takame pull his weapon out. ]

Please— No violence. We already have the upper hand here. Let me— Let me check on Miss Caye.

[ she heads to where the woman — miss caye — had been thrown to the floor. zita checks her for wounds, quietly inquiring about what had happened. caye is quick to tell her story:

he was robbing me, the woman gasps, tears glittering in her dark eyes. though the room is dark, there’s no hiding the way she rubs her neck and the way her voice croaks from pain. he forced his way in when he pretended to be a customer. stole my earnings. he was strangling me to make sure no one knew and i was so scared—

the jeweller bursts into tears, sobbing against zita. she looks painfully younger compared to takame and zita, more so as she cries and curls up next to the much older woman. ]

[kesi]

[He is relieved when Zita says she's alright, but his grip on the robber's neck doesn't get any more loose. He still assaulted not one, but two innocent women. That would not stand with Takame. It was only because Zita pleaded to him that the violence stop that Takame didn't run the assailant through. Instead, he put his weapon away, finally loosening his grip just enough that the robber wouldn't die from strangulation. Though if what the Jeweler said was any indication, it would have been very ironic for him wouldn't it?

When he heard how scared the Jeweler was, saw how young she looked, likely not much younger than his sister of twenty and two summers, all he wanted was to continue to choke this man out. But that would only gain more fear, and would go against what his escort wanted. Still keeping him pinned to the wall, Takame's expression softened as he looked back to the two women.]

You're safe now. He is in no position to hurt you anymore.

[thricefold]

[ the young woman nods, barely able to say anything as she lets it all out through her tears while she continues to seek comfort from zita. judging by the harsh marks on her neck, it'll be awhile before she can gather the strength (and courage) to speak up again.

meanwhile zita looks around to get a better understanding of her surroundings, just in case, and she sees some rope on the floor. ah, she realises with some distaste and discomfort roiling in her upset stomach, that must have been used to either tie her up or to possibly... ]

Here- [ with a huff of effort, zita - after she carefully sets the jeweller to rest on one side of her body, allowing an arm to be free to reach and grab the rope - tosses the bundle to takame's way. she can only hope it lands close enough to him. ] Use that to tie him up.

One of us should get a guard here so they can help us, if possible. [ there's an urge to handle this by themselves, like how she used to do so back in the carnival with the others if one of them was wronged. but this isn't the midnight carnival. this is a city and it has laws - laws she agreed to follow and will follow if she can. ]