Masquerade - These Masks We Wear

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Oooh." Riva rubbed her hands together while she sat down, looking over the feast for two. As always, it looked and smelled miles better than the cold scraps sent that were sent down to her old room in the subbasement. Freshly baked bread, buttered vegetables, peeled grapes and sliced apples, steaming meat, and chocolate moose dessert. Was it really any wonder she enjoyed these dinners so much? She piled food onto her plate, only just now realizing how hungry she was. 
--------
Nicolae had blood on his arms. 

He'd left a plate of eggs, toast, and fruit out with instructions for it to be given to Alienor. Hopefully the cook would have the sense to obey those instructions; he'd hate for the food to go to waste. Especially since he wouldn't be eating. He didn't deserve food. Especially not homemade toast and jam with seasoned, scrambled eggs. Stars, it had smelled so good... 

Presently, he sat in his room, curled up in a ball in the corner, sobbing. He did that a lot recently, it seemed. The cutting, however, was new. Self-punishment was not a foreign concept to Nicolae, but he'd never before gone so far as to draw blood. Which made sense; it hurt. It hurt bad. And yet, not bad enough. He deserved to be sitting here in his room like the friendless fool he was, crying his eyes out like a child. Oh, how he utterly loathed himself. Every mistake he'd ever made seemed to weigh on his soul like iron shackles and he found that despite how much pain he was in (both physically and mentally) he didn't want this misery to end. This was his lot in life, this awful state. Who was he kidding about killing himself? Death was too good for the likes of him. And the fact was he could never do it, he was a stars-cursed coward and he always had been. 

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

17 hours ago, Zephrun's Imperium said:

"Oooh." Riva rubbed her hands together while she sat down, looking over the feast for two. As always, it looked and smelled miles better than the cold scraps sent that were sent down to her old room in the subbasement. Freshly baked bread, buttered vegetables, peeled grapes and sliced apples, steaming meat, and chocolate moose dessert. Was it really any wonder she enjoyed these dinners so much? She piled food onto her plate, only just now realizing how hungry she was.  

Caden raised an eyebrow as he sat in his own chair, "you can't eat all that."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Yea' I ca'!" came Riva's muffled reply. She'd begun stuffing food in her face immediately and had to wipe some juice from the corner of her mouth with her arm.

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden watched the woman with concern as she ate more than he thought she should, given her size. He sighed, then took his own plate and began eating.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Riva chugged her water, only setting the glass down when it was empty. "Stars, how is even your water good?" Her next few bites were smaller now that taste had graced her lips, but she still ate with vigor. The last few nights she'd been enjoying company and conversation more than food, but presently, the chance to truly savor the wonderful food she'd been offered was too good to pass up. It was, perhaps, the moment she confirmed that being married to the brute was better than staying in that cold cell she called a home. 

[xinoehp512 he/him]

The branches of the tree rustled gently in the soft wind. Its shadow rested on the cracked walkway leading up to the door. The walkway was empty.

And then it wasn't.

A hooded figure approached the door and rapped once.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Maverick looked up from his book. "Looks like we have a visitor, Forge." He gently picked up his cat and walked to the door, opening it with a charming smile. "Hello?"

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

42 minutes ago, Zephrun's Imperium said:

Riva chugged her water, only setting the glass down when it was empty. "Stars, how is even your water good?" Her next few bites were smaller now that taste had graced her lips, but she still ate with vigor. The last few nights she'd been enjoying company and conversation more than food, but presently, the chance to truly savor the wonderful food she'd been offered was too good to pass up. It was, perhaps, the moment she confirmed that being married to the brute was better than staying in that cold cell she called a home. 

"Clean water keeps the men from getting sick," Caden stated as he used a large knife to cut off a chunk of meat. 

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Oh, it's not a matter of clean water; I purified all my water myself. Never know who might try to poison you. And of course, I need supplements in my water supply for my bone condition." 

[xinoehp512 he/him]

3 hours ago, Zephrun's Imperium said:

Maverick looked up from his book. "Looks like we have a visitor, Forge." He gently picked up his cat and walked to the door, opening it with a charming smile. "Hello?"

A black cloaked figure with bone-white eyes looked back.

"Greetings," it said.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Maverick went pale and though he put his hand on the door to close it, he couldn't bring himself to. "Uh..." This can't be real. "What are you?"

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

4 hours ago, Zephrun's Imperium said:

"Oh, it's not a matter of clean water; I purified all my water myself. Never know who might try to poison you. And of course, I need supplements in my water supply for my bone condition." 

Caden huffed as he raised his own cup to take a sip, "I prefer the juice of fruit."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"Oh?" she chuckled. "I didn't take you for a lover of sugar. Perhaps I shall get you chocolates for our anniversary."

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden coughed in the middle of sipping his drink, "we're supposed t get each other gifts for anniversaries?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

“From what I’d heard, yes,” said Riva. “And you’ve kicked that off with the flowers apparently. Maybe I should get you something…. It is our honeymoon after all.”

Edited July 20, 2021 by Zephrun's Imperium

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"Don't get me anything," Caden asserted. "There's nothing you could give me that I want."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"You sure? No potion to take you somewhere blissful? No heartfelt cross-stitch? No... back rub? With oil. A few hours long."

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

He cleared his throat, "nope, nothing."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"A night of pleasure even?" She paused. "I've heard it's enjoyable, though I have no experience with something like that."

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"I hope you understand," Caden said as he looked up towards Riva, "I have no interest in such activities."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

A bubbly chuckle emanated from Riva's throat. "We'll break you yet, Caden Praetorium."

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

"I doubt that," Caden said as he stabbed a chunk of meat.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"And I doubted I could tolerate you, General Praetorium, yet here we are." She ate another bite, scraping her teeth on the fork prongs while she grinned at him. "You're not as tough as you want to appear."

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

Caden growled, "I am tougher than I appear."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

She growled back playfully. "Are not. You gave me flowers."