Courtyard - Early Afternoon- Chill
Senka Rinaldi
Senka currently sat with Amalthea between her legs, combing her fingers through the verdant strands in an attempt to straighten them out. She began pulling the strands apart, shifting them so that part of Amalthea's hair was up, and the other half was down. Senka had long hair; she knew she had long hair, but Amalthea's hair length was just a different kind of long. Even if she pulled it back for missions, it had to be heavy on her head. This much hair was just ridiculous, but perhaps that was why Amalthea came to Senka to cut it. Senka had a feeling that there was something more to it than simply it being better for the battlefield. She wasn't going to question Amalthea's reasons, but she wanted to make sure Amalthea really wanted this.
“Amalthea," she spoke in a soft voice. Amber eyes focused on Senka, and she offered Amalthea a gentle smile. “Are you sure you want to cut it? You've had your hair this long for quite some time. Is this something you really want?" she asked. Amalthea regarded her with a quiet stare, and bit the bottom of her lip.
“I am," she replied hesitantly as she reached up to pull a free strand over her shoulder. “I... it feels like it's the only thing I have left I can control right now," she continued softly. Senka understood wanting to be able to do that; control was often out of all of their grasps, but this was something Amalthea wanted to control. Sighing softly, she nodded her head.
“Alright, Thea. There's no going back once I start. I want to make sure you are absolutely sure this is something you want to do," she stated, watching as Amalthea continued to play with the strand of hair in her finger. Flicking it back behind her, she nodded.
“I'm sure, Sen."
That was all the confirmation Senka needed, and she began working on Thea's hair. She went slowly at first, giving Amalthea time to change her mind. If she did, it would only be a couple of inches off the length. When Amalthea gave no inclination for her to stop, Senka began cutting a little more. When she had finished, Amalthea's hair was no longer down to her knees. Instead, it rested comfortably at the middle of her waist. It was still long, but not as long as it was, and it would be more manageable for Thea in the future. Senka didn't stop there, though. Once she was finished cutting it, she began braiding Amalthea's hair, twisting it so that when she was done, Amalthea had a single braid tied into a bun.
“Thank you, Senka! This... it feels," the light in Amalthea's voice was dim, but she seemed determined to smile. It was a melancholy thing, but a smile nonetheless.
“You're welcome, Thea. Should we go show the others your new style?" she asked, hoping for a favorable answer. Thea seemed to contemplate it for a moment before nodding her head.
“Okay," she spoke with a little more joviality to her tone, at least.
The first person they came across was Sorcha, who happed to be sitting in front of the hearth in the otherwise-empty Knights' Hall, cloak across her knees like a blanket. She seemed to be doing homework—the house leaders actually tended to get a bit more of it than the other students, as the position was awarded by entrance exam scores and those three were considered to be on something of a different track, so to speak.
She looked up when they entered, smiling warmly if not widely. “Sen! Thea! How are you? Come sit?" She patted the sofa cushion next to her.
Thea smiled softly in Sorcha's direction, and took a seat next to her. Senka took the other side, and offered a small smile as well. “Doing... better," Amalthea stated, glancing down to her hands and folding them together. “What about you? How is... how is practice going for the competition?" she asked. Senka heard the hesitation in her voice. After Remire, Amalthea and Vridel hadn't so much as practiced. Vridel was avoiding her, and Amalthea couldn't seem to force herself to seek him out. It was a rather sad predicament, but Senka knew that right now, they just needed some time.
“Yes, how is practice going? From what I've heard, you and Mercer have the best chances of winning it," Senka spoke, tilting her head at Sorcha to get a better read of her face.
Sorcha's smile immediately disappeared. “It's, uh, going. I guess." She lifted a hand, rubbing at the back of her neck, and glanced sideways at them almost ruefully, until her eyes widened with realization. “Oh, Thea! Your hair looks pretty! Did you—did you cut it? It looks like there's a bit less now."
That managed to bring out a brighter smile from Thea. “I did. Senka cut it for me, and... well, I thought it was time for something new and different," she explained. Senka nodded her head in agreement, deciding not to push the subject any further about the dance competition. Instead, she regarded her friend with a mild stare.
“If you'd like, I can do the same for you, Sorcha," she offered. Sorcha had beautiful hair, too, but it wasn't as long as Amalthea's had been. “But if you'd rather not, that is fine, too."
“Ah, hm." Sorcha did seem to be genuinely considering it. Her hair was a few inches longer than Thea's was now, but it was all but impossible to tell, because she always had it up in some way or other. “It's silly but... I've actually always kept it long kind of because... it was a really obvious way to tell that I'm a girl? I kind of like how it makes certain people mad." She smiled a little again, then shook her head.
“I know it's weird that I hate dresses and things but insist on this, but I guess I've always just thought—I don't know. Like I'm keeping this one thing, and they can't take it away from me, even if they took dresses and stories and all the other things I want to enjoy but can't." She sorted.
“I could probably use a trim, though, if you don't mind?"
There were other aspects to Sorcha that defined her as a woman, but Senka wasn't going to say anything about it. Instead, she chuckled softly, and shook her head. “Of course, Sorcha. I can even put layers into it to give it more flair, if you'd like. I do... have a favor to ask of you, though. Both of you," she began, glancing at Thea and Sorcha. Taking in a deep breath, she continued, “Cyril's birthday is this month. Jeralt told me it was at the end of this month, so we have plenty of time, but..." she wasn't quite sure how she wanted to put this. She wanted to do something nice for Cyril; something special that would leave him... well, she didn't know how she wanted him to feel. Happy, maybe? Appreciated?
“I was wondering if you would like to do something for him." Senka knew she wanted to do something special for him, but she also knew her friends would want to do the same. That's just how they were, now, in their strange little family. And it felt like a family, even with all of their current hardships.
Sorcha's eyes went wide for a moment, as if in surprise, but then she grinned. “Absolutely!" she said brightly. “After everything he's done for us, he definitely deserves a party." Her eyes narrowed keenly then, though, and she tilted her head right back at Senka.
“By the way, you never mentioned anything about how that trail ride went, or your dance practice. How is he?"
Senka smiled softly at Sorcha and huffed. “Our trail ride was peaceful; nothing exciting happened, I assure you," she replied, knowing that her friend was seeking something more than that. “As for the dance lessons, well..." she trailed off. Senka wouldn't deny that she actually looked forward to their lessons. The way they flowed during the waltz, and they moved during the tango, her body flush against his...
Her face felt hot, and she coughed into her hand, willing the thought away. “Cyril is an admirable dancer. You'll just have to wait until the ball to see his work. It's very beautiful," as were a lot of things about Cyril she was coming to notice. She could still feel the warmth on her cheeks, and she must have been visibly blushing because Amalthea started giggling lightly. It brought a smile to Senka's face.
“Is it really that good, Sen? You're blushing," Thea stated, causing Senka to huff.
“I'm not." It was a false denial; she knew she was blushing.
“Oh you're definitely blushing," Sorcha replied, grinning broadly and lifting her feet to prop them on the coffee table in front of her. Lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper even though they were the only ones in the room, she leaned in a little. “You have a crush on the Professor, don't you, Sen?"
“Of course I do. Like you have a crush on Mercer, and Thea has one on Vridel," Senka replied. She wasn't going to deny that; she wasn't like Sorcha who denied what she felt, but she understood why Sorcha did. “I'm almost certain a majority of the people in this place have had a crush, on Cyril. He's an attractive person; there's no denying that, and it's bound to happen, but..." she pursed her lips together as she trailed off.
It didn't feel like a simple crush. The way her heart always seemed to warm when he smiled at her, the way it felt just natural to smile at him, and how easy it was. There had to be something more to it than just a simple crush, but she couldn't put a name to what she felt. Amalthea cleared her throat, though, her eyes fixed on her hands.
“I don't... I don't think it's just a crush on Vi, anymore," Thea spoke, glancing up at Sorcha and Senka. “It's... I think, I think..." she seemed to be struggling with the words she wanted to say. “I think it's more than that; I think I might actually love him," she admitted slowly. Senka blinked. Love? Thea thought she loved Vridel? Thea shook her head, though, as if that weren't the right statement.
“I don't think... I know, but, I'm not supposed to, am I?" Senka pursed her lips at Amalthea.
“Why would you say that, Thea? Of course you are. You are allowed to love whomever you want," Senka stated as she shook her head. Amalthea could love whoever she wanted, but Senka? She couldn't. Once they graduated from the academy, and once she went back to Faerghus with Sorcha, no one would want her. She knew this to be a fact, and so she'd resigned herself to never being able to love someone like that. But... she wanted it. She wanted it more than anything in the world, to know what it was like to love someone and be loved. To be seen as Senka, and not as the former, disgraced, princess of a fallen kingdom.
“Vivi can be hard to love sometimes," Sorcha added quietly. “He thinks he's a terrible person, and he's impulsive, and probably the dumbest smart person I know, but you know..." She paused, reaching over to pat Amalthea's head slightly. “The first time I saw him ruffle your hair like that, I knew you'd already gotten through to him in a way no one else ever has, Thea." She smiled gently. “I'd know. He's my brother, after all."
“I don't think that's true at all. He seems really easy to love," Thea replied, however; something seemed to dawn on her as she stared wide-eyed at Sorcha. “You're siblings?! I... I didn't even know!" she stated, a flush coloring her cheeks an adorable red. Senka smiled and chuckled softly. Senka had only found out when she and Mercer were talking with Sorcha about going to Faerghus, so she supposed Thea's reaction was quite normal.
Sorcha laughed too. “Well, he's technically my stepbrother, but yes. His mother, Lady Patricia, married my father a long time ago. She was..." Sorcha pursed her lips, trying to find the right words for what Senka knew had been a very complicated relationship. “Well she was practically the ideal lady, I guess. Graceful, beautiful—Vivi really takes after her actually, especially his eyes. They have the same color and shape as Lady Patricia's did. We actually lived pretty close for a couple of years when we were kids."
“Oh," Thea stated, smiling a little more in Sorcha's direction. “What about you, Senka? I don't think you've ever mentioned any siblings or the sort? Do you have any?" it was an innocent question, Senka knew, but it didn't stop her heart from squeezing tightly. She didn't have anyone, now, but... she glanced at Sorcha and Thea.
Smiling, she answered, “Of course I do. You and Sorcha are my sisters." Amalthea looked vaguely confused before she snorted softly.
“That's not what I mean, Sen," she replied, but Senka smiled a little brightly. Amalthea laughed, and that was all that mattered right now.
“To answer your question, though, no. I don't have any siblings. I am an only child," she stated.
“They're overrated," Sorcha joked lightly. “You can always have Vivi if you want. Though I guess if he and Little Thea get married we'll all be weirdly in laws or something." She narrowed her eyes mischievously in Thea's direction. “What do you think, Thea? I think it's a good idea."
Senka grinned at Amalthea, watching as her face turned a bright red. “Hm, I agree. I believe Thea would make a beautiful bride for him, wouldn't you say, Sor? And Amalthea von Hresvelg does have a certain appeal to it, does it not?" Senka stated, her eyes sliding towards Sorcha. Sorcha laughed softly, catching Sen's eye and nodding. Thea was in for it now—she was too cute not to tease, especially when it seemed to be cheering her a bit.
“That's not fair! I don't... he'd... he wouldn't want to marry someone like me. I'm not... he's not... ugh, you guys are horrible," Thea replied as she buried her face in her hands. “And it's not like I haven't thought about it," she murmured so softly that Senka wasn't entirely sure she'd heard right. It caused her to laugh so much that it took her a few minutes to catch her breath.
“Oh have you?" Sorcha said with great interest, clearly suppressing more laughter. “What do you think about, Thea?" Setting aside her work, she turned to face them a little better, gently pinching one of Amalthea's cheeks and giving an affectionate tug. “The wedding? The night after?" Her tone turned sly on the last; she clearly expected this to fluster their friend even further.
To Senka's surprise, Amalthea nodded. She arched a brow in Thea's direction, her own smile taking on a sly expression. “Both... I, uh... both," Amalthea murmured softly. “I shouldn't but it's so hard not to think of those things when I'm with him, especially when he makes me feel the way I do. It's just... I don't know," she continued. Senka's smile softened a bit as she reached out to pull Amalthea into her side.
“It's alright, Thea. You don't have to know anything," She spoke softly, leaning down to rest her head on Amalthea's. She was a bit shorter, but Senka made it work. “You just keep being you, and he'll see how wonderful you are, too. You are, possibly, the only one who could change his heart that way. Wouldn't you agree, Sor?"
Sorcha happily joined the hug, until Thea was more or less sandwiched between them. “Absolutely, just you watch."
“O... okay. Thanks you guys. For being my best friends."
“Any time, Thea," Senka replied. She huffed slightly as she smiled.
“So... have you thought of any names for your children?"
“Amalthea," she spoke in a soft voice. Amber eyes focused on Senka, and she offered Amalthea a gentle smile. “Are you sure you want to cut it? You've had your hair this long for quite some time. Is this something you really want?" she asked. Amalthea regarded her with a quiet stare, and bit the bottom of her lip.
“I am," she replied hesitantly as she reached up to pull a free strand over her shoulder. “I... it feels like it's the only thing I have left I can control right now," she continued softly. Senka understood wanting to be able to do that; control was often out of all of their grasps, but this was something Amalthea wanted to control. Sighing softly, she nodded her head.
“Alright, Thea. There's no going back once I start. I want to make sure you are absolutely sure this is something you want to do," she stated, watching as Amalthea continued to play with the strand of hair in her finger. Flicking it back behind her, she nodded.
“I'm sure, Sen."
That was all the confirmation Senka needed, and she began working on Thea's hair. She went slowly at first, giving Amalthea time to change her mind. If she did, it would only be a couple of inches off the length. When Amalthea gave no inclination for her to stop, Senka began cutting a little more. When she had finished, Amalthea's hair was no longer down to her knees. Instead, it rested comfortably at the middle of her waist. It was still long, but not as long as it was, and it would be more manageable for Thea in the future. Senka didn't stop there, though. Once she was finished cutting it, she began braiding Amalthea's hair, twisting it so that when she was done, Amalthea had a single braid tied into a bun.
“Thank you, Senka! This... it feels," the light in Amalthea's voice was dim, but she seemed determined to smile. It was a melancholy thing, but a smile nonetheless.
“You're welcome, Thea. Should we go show the others your new style?" she asked, hoping for a favorable answer. Thea seemed to contemplate it for a moment before nodding her head.
“Okay," she spoke with a little more joviality to her tone, at least.
The first person they came across was Sorcha, who happed to be sitting in front of the hearth in the otherwise-empty Knights' Hall, cloak across her knees like a blanket. She seemed to be doing homework—the house leaders actually tended to get a bit more of it than the other students, as the position was awarded by entrance exam scores and those three were considered to be on something of a different track, so to speak.
She looked up when they entered, smiling warmly if not widely. “Sen! Thea! How are you? Come sit?" She patted the sofa cushion next to her.
Thea smiled softly in Sorcha's direction, and took a seat next to her. Senka took the other side, and offered a small smile as well. “Doing... better," Amalthea stated, glancing down to her hands and folding them together. “What about you? How is... how is practice going for the competition?" she asked. Senka heard the hesitation in her voice. After Remire, Amalthea and Vridel hadn't so much as practiced. Vridel was avoiding her, and Amalthea couldn't seem to force herself to seek him out. It was a rather sad predicament, but Senka knew that right now, they just needed some time.
“Yes, how is practice going? From what I've heard, you and Mercer have the best chances of winning it," Senka spoke, tilting her head at Sorcha to get a better read of her face.
Sorcha's smile immediately disappeared. “It's, uh, going. I guess." She lifted a hand, rubbing at the back of her neck, and glanced sideways at them almost ruefully, until her eyes widened with realization. “Oh, Thea! Your hair looks pretty! Did you—did you cut it? It looks like there's a bit less now."
That managed to bring out a brighter smile from Thea. “I did. Senka cut it for me, and... well, I thought it was time for something new and different," she explained. Senka nodded her head in agreement, deciding not to push the subject any further about the dance competition. Instead, she regarded her friend with a mild stare.
“If you'd like, I can do the same for you, Sorcha," she offered. Sorcha had beautiful hair, too, but it wasn't as long as Amalthea's had been. “But if you'd rather not, that is fine, too."
“Ah, hm." Sorcha did seem to be genuinely considering it. Her hair was a few inches longer than Thea's was now, but it was all but impossible to tell, because she always had it up in some way or other. “It's silly but... I've actually always kept it long kind of because... it was a really obvious way to tell that I'm a girl? I kind of like how it makes certain people mad." She smiled a little again, then shook her head.
“I know it's weird that I hate dresses and things but insist on this, but I guess I've always just thought—I don't know. Like I'm keeping this one thing, and they can't take it away from me, even if they took dresses and stories and all the other things I want to enjoy but can't." She sorted.
“I could probably use a trim, though, if you don't mind?"
There were other aspects to Sorcha that defined her as a woman, but Senka wasn't going to say anything about it. Instead, she chuckled softly, and shook her head. “Of course, Sorcha. I can even put layers into it to give it more flair, if you'd like. I do... have a favor to ask of you, though. Both of you," she began, glancing at Thea and Sorcha. Taking in a deep breath, she continued, “Cyril's birthday is this month. Jeralt told me it was at the end of this month, so we have plenty of time, but..." she wasn't quite sure how she wanted to put this. She wanted to do something nice for Cyril; something special that would leave him... well, she didn't know how she wanted him to feel. Happy, maybe? Appreciated?
“I was wondering if you would like to do something for him." Senka knew she wanted to do something special for him, but she also knew her friends would want to do the same. That's just how they were, now, in their strange little family. And it felt like a family, even with all of their current hardships.
Sorcha's eyes went wide for a moment, as if in surprise, but then she grinned. “Absolutely!" she said brightly. “After everything he's done for us, he definitely deserves a party." Her eyes narrowed keenly then, though, and she tilted her head right back at Senka.
“By the way, you never mentioned anything about how that trail ride went, or your dance practice. How is he?"
Senka smiled softly at Sorcha and huffed. “Our trail ride was peaceful; nothing exciting happened, I assure you," she replied, knowing that her friend was seeking something more than that. “As for the dance lessons, well..." she trailed off. Senka wouldn't deny that she actually looked forward to their lessons. The way they flowed during the waltz, and they moved during the tango, her body flush against his...
Her face felt hot, and she coughed into her hand, willing the thought away. “Cyril is an admirable dancer. You'll just have to wait until the ball to see his work. It's very beautiful," as were a lot of things about Cyril she was coming to notice. She could still feel the warmth on her cheeks, and she must have been visibly blushing because Amalthea started giggling lightly. It brought a smile to Senka's face.
“Is it really that good, Sen? You're blushing," Thea stated, causing Senka to huff.
“I'm not." It was a false denial; she knew she was blushing.
“Oh you're definitely blushing," Sorcha replied, grinning broadly and lifting her feet to prop them on the coffee table in front of her. Lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper even though they were the only ones in the room, she leaned in a little. “You have a crush on the Professor, don't you, Sen?"
“Of course I do. Like you have a crush on Mercer, and Thea has one on Vridel," Senka replied. She wasn't going to deny that; she wasn't like Sorcha who denied what she felt, but she understood why Sorcha did. “I'm almost certain a majority of the people in this place have had a crush, on Cyril. He's an attractive person; there's no denying that, and it's bound to happen, but..." she pursed her lips together as she trailed off.
It didn't feel like a simple crush. The way her heart always seemed to warm when he smiled at her, the way it felt just natural to smile at him, and how easy it was. There had to be something more to it than just a simple crush, but she couldn't put a name to what she felt. Amalthea cleared her throat, though, her eyes fixed on her hands.
“I don't... I don't think it's just a crush on Vi, anymore," Thea spoke, glancing up at Sorcha and Senka. “It's... I think, I think..." she seemed to be struggling with the words she wanted to say. “I think it's more than that; I think I might actually love him," she admitted slowly. Senka blinked. Love? Thea thought she loved Vridel? Thea shook her head, though, as if that weren't the right statement.
“I don't think... I know, but, I'm not supposed to, am I?" Senka pursed her lips at Amalthea.
“Why would you say that, Thea? Of course you are. You are allowed to love whomever you want," Senka stated as she shook her head. Amalthea could love whoever she wanted, but Senka? She couldn't. Once they graduated from the academy, and once she went back to Faerghus with Sorcha, no one would want her. She knew this to be a fact, and so she'd resigned herself to never being able to love someone like that. But... she wanted it. She wanted it more than anything in the world, to know what it was like to love someone and be loved. To be seen as Senka, and not as the former, disgraced, princess of a fallen kingdom.
“Vivi can be hard to love sometimes," Sorcha added quietly. “He thinks he's a terrible person, and he's impulsive, and probably the dumbest smart person I know, but you know..." She paused, reaching over to pat Amalthea's head slightly. “The first time I saw him ruffle your hair like that, I knew you'd already gotten through to him in a way no one else ever has, Thea." She smiled gently. “I'd know. He's my brother, after all."
“I don't think that's true at all. He seems really easy to love," Thea replied, however; something seemed to dawn on her as she stared wide-eyed at Sorcha. “You're siblings?! I... I didn't even know!" she stated, a flush coloring her cheeks an adorable red. Senka smiled and chuckled softly. Senka had only found out when she and Mercer were talking with Sorcha about going to Faerghus, so she supposed Thea's reaction was quite normal.
Sorcha laughed too. “Well, he's technically my stepbrother, but yes. His mother, Lady Patricia, married my father a long time ago. She was..." Sorcha pursed her lips, trying to find the right words for what Senka knew had been a very complicated relationship. “Well she was practically the ideal lady, I guess. Graceful, beautiful—Vivi really takes after her actually, especially his eyes. They have the same color and shape as Lady Patricia's did. We actually lived pretty close for a couple of years when we were kids."
“Oh," Thea stated, smiling a little more in Sorcha's direction. “What about you, Senka? I don't think you've ever mentioned any siblings or the sort? Do you have any?" it was an innocent question, Senka knew, but it didn't stop her heart from squeezing tightly. She didn't have anyone, now, but... she glanced at Sorcha and Thea.
Smiling, she answered, “Of course I do. You and Sorcha are my sisters." Amalthea looked vaguely confused before she snorted softly.
“That's not what I mean, Sen," she replied, but Senka smiled a little brightly. Amalthea laughed, and that was all that mattered right now.
“To answer your question, though, no. I don't have any siblings. I am an only child," she stated.
“They're overrated," Sorcha joked lightly. “You can always have Vivi if you want. Though I guess if he and Little Thea get married we'll all be weirdly in laws or something." She narrowed her eyes mischievously in Thea's direction. “What do you think, Thea? I think it's a good idea."
Senka grinned at Amalthea, watching as her face turned a bright red. “Hm, I agree. I believe Thea would make a beautiful bride for him, wouldn't you say, Sor? And Amalthea von Hresvelg does have a certain appeal to it, does it not?" Senka stated, her eyes sliding towards Sorcha. Sorcha laughed softly, catching Sen's eye and nodding. Thea was in for it now—she was too cute not to tease, especially when it seemed to be cheering her a bit.
“That's not fair! I don't... he'd... he wouldn't want to marry someone like me. I'm not... he's not... ugh, you guys are horrible," Thea replied as she buried her face in her hands. “And it's not like I haven't thought about it," she murmured so softly that Senka wasn't entirely sure she'd heard right. It caused her to laugh so much that it took her a few minutes to catch her breath.
“Oh have you?" Sorcha said with great interest, clearly suppressing more laughter. “What do you think about, Thea?" Setting aside her work, she turned to face them a little better, gently pinching one of Amalthea's cheeks and giving an affectionate tug. “The wedding? The night after?" Her tone turned sly on the last; she clearly expected this to fluster their friend even further.
To Senka's surprise, Amalthea nodded. She arched a brow in Thea's direction, her own smile taking on a sly expression. “Both... I, uh... both," Amalthea murmured softly. “I shouldn't but it's so hard not to think of those things when I'm with him, especially when he makes me feel the way I do. It's just... I don't know," she continued. Senka's smile softened a bit as she reached out to pull Amalthea into her side.
“It's alright, Thea. You don't have to know anything," She spoke softly, leaning down to rest her head on Amalthea's. She was a bit shorter, but Senka made it work. “You just keep being you, and he'll see how wonderful you are, too. You are, possibly, the only one who could change his heart that way. Wouldn't you agree, Sor?"
Sorcha happily joined the hug, until Thea was more or less sandwiched between them. “Absolutely, just you watch."
“O... okay. Thanks you guys. For being my best friends."
“Any time, Thea," Senka replied. She huffed slightly as she smiled.
“So... have you thought of any names for your children?"