CHAPTER FOUR ♔ does it run in your blood to betray the ones you love

[coldheritage]

♬ The Truth - Nonpoint

WHO || Failboat, Rafael, Isabella, Nadia  [Closed]
WHAT || After an exciting Grammy night, the Knights meet up with Nadia to hear what she has to say
WHERE || Staples Center, LA -->  Warehouse
WHEN || Feb 8th, 2015  [back dated]
HOW || Actionspam

[  The Knights' mission to stop the signal and prevent Draken's cult from spreading whatever subliminal message  was lurking beneath Keijen Blade's performance was a success.  It didn't come without its bumps in the road, however:  Alexander Anderson showed up, and the Knights ran afoul of the Mind Master.    Buffy nearly died fighting Anderson, but in the end, he was defeated, beheaded, and hopefully put to death forever.   Finnick, though, found himself thrust into a mental illusion that convinced him he might still be in the Hunger Games, and left him uncertain about whether any of his life here was real.  

Another surprise came in the form of an announcement by Nadia Reichenov, an artist working with Crombe and company, that she was changing her band name and taking things in a 'new direction'.   This direction was perhaps revealed when after her performance, she approached the Knights in Rafael's dressing room - and handed them the necklace that connects her to the Nightmare God Malaak'a, saying she was willing to tell them everything.  ]

Comments

[nepotism]

Someone's gotta keep watch anyway. [ fred takes the food gratefully and flops back on the couch, digging in ]

[slay]

[ Buffy sits forward to take the containers, stacking them on her lap and holding them steady with both hands. She seems to collect herself before looking over to Alainn, a weary but grateful smile on her lips. ]

Thank you.

[ And she seems to be saying that for more than just the food. The heaviness of her moment with Myri is broken, and she uses that as the onus to push to her feet. She steps away from the couch and turns back towards them. ] Try to at least get a little sleep? [ Flicking her eyes between each, she directs the comment to all of them in turn, then slips out the door of the hotel room and into the hall. ]

[littledhampir]

[Rose doesn't need to be asked twice, not when food is involved and Buffy's appearance helps her to feel guilt free about leaving Myri long enough to load up a plate or two.]

You know I do... [Prepare to be out-eaten by a twenty - never mind. Fred is dating Kat. Kat could probably give Rose a run for her money.

While Buffy and Myri talk, Rose loads up not one but two plates, Myri getting one whether hungry or not that gets laid on the coffee table as Rose returns and pulls both feet up, sitting cross legged on the couch, still in formal-wear with her plate in her lap. As you do.]

And if you're not going to sleep - [Because she understands that at least. If it were Dean in that bathroom, Rose wouldn't be able to.] You should at least try and eat something.

[witchwoman]

[She nods and takes the plate but doesn't move to eat any of it yet. She just stares at the food. She's not hungry but she isn't just caring for herself right now. She has a child to think of, so she picks at a few bites, forcing them down. With Buffy gone, it's harder to keep herself together. It's not that the others aren't a comfort. But Buffy had been with her from the very start of this mission, arguably her oldest friend here. And despite how very different they were in terms of skills, they shared so many similarities.

Quietly, a few tears slip down Myri's cheeks. She brushes them away quickly, as if she can outrun a complete breakdown if she's quick enough.]

[littledhampir]

[Rose feels an ache in her chest as the emotion that starts to overwhelm Myri makes the food turn to ash in her mouth, Rose having to force herself to swallow as lines crease her forehead, pushing the food around on her plate as she struggles for words or whether she should just say nothing at all.]

She's powerful... the Mind Master. [Rose cringing inwardly at how not comforting that sounded.] We've, seen what she can do... [With Elena for one.] But just the mention of you? It made him fight it and you made him snap out of her control.

[Rose watches Myri for a long, painful moment, thinking about how it really wasn't that long ago that they held hands at her wedding and talked about how happy she was. She would have given almost anything to let her have that moment again.]

He's still in there Myri... He just, needs your help finding his way back.

[witchwoman]

[She whispers something, barely audible, as if she's testing the words to decide if she wants to actually say them. Glancing to Rose, she repeats it, only loud enough to be heard, her voice shaking from the effort.]

She told me this is just the start. What if the next step is so much worse? What if trying to undo it only causes him more pain?

[She has no idea what to do. Her presence sure doesn't seem like it's helping him now, considering he flinched away when she touched him and told her to leave him alone barely five minutes into a conversation. She wants him to come back to her, but has no idea if what she's doing is helping or hurting, honestly.]

[littledhampir]

Then you'll face it. [Though her words sound simple, there's nothing in her tone to suggest she believes it's going to be easy. She's not so naive as to think that in a day or two, everything will be back to normal. If being with the Knights had taught her anything, it's that even happiness comes with a price.]

But you won't have to do it alone.

[witchwoman]

[She knows that it's meant to be a comfort. And a part of her appreciates it, but it's hard to take any solace in the words. She just nods and picks at her food again, her gaze drifting back to the door every few seconds.]

[littledhampir]

[Rose watches Myri in silence for a long moment, resisting the urge to fill it with words (WS 23). If she really thought there was anything she could say to make this better, she'd let them rush out but as Myris gaze drifts back to the door that conceals Finnick, Rose lets her gaze drop away, as if trying to allow Myri a moment to worry without feeling like she was in a fish bowl, Rose reaching for her plate and trying to force another mouthful of food down.]