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

myri | ota

[witchwoman]

[Did you want to talk to Myri? Well, she's terrible company right now. She mostly stays within line of sight of the bathroom door just in case Finnick miraculously snaps out of it. Otherwise, she's just doing her best deadeyed seal impression.]

[slay]

[ With her stuff packed and all (god, she hopes all) the bad news out of the way, Buffy makes her way to Myri's side, settling down beside her on the couch. She doesn't speak right away, but rather slips an arm around Myri to rub her opposite shoulder consolingly. ]

[witchwoman]

[There are several long beats where it's almost as though Myri doesn't realize that Buffy's there at all. But eventually she does speak.]

Is he leaving?

[Rafael, she means. She's trying to sound concerned, but it's just all a flat, even tone.]

[slay]

He's probably at the airport by now.

[ She says it with some reluctance, obviously not keen to dig into her personal life when Myri's is in the state it's in. ]

Tell you what, next time I fall for a guy, ultra-famous pop superstar is totally off the table. [ Said with an attempt at levity that's as forced as the belief she could actually fall for somebody else. ]

[witchwoman]

I don't know if falling in love with a knight has done me much better.

[Her voice cracks at the end. Myri just shakes her head and tries to fight back fresh tears.]

[slay]

I'm sorry.

[ Buffy launches in quickly. ]

That was a stupid thing to say. God, I'm sorry. [ But she doesn't dwell in self pity for long, reaching out to touch the underneath of Myri's chin, trying to encourage the witchwoman to meet her eyes. ] Look. I don't care what it takes. We are going to fix this and get Finnick back. If I have to drag the Mind Master back bloody by her hair and make her fix it personally, I'll do it. Don't give up hope. [ The moment they do is the moment he's really lost, and Buffy just won't accept that. ]

[bigbad]

[Once Spike's back from escorting Nadia, he seeks out Myri, seating himself on the couch next to her. He looks over at her, expression conflicted.]

Tell me honestly, love. Do you want me to stay? Cause I hate leaving you like this.

[witchwoman]

[She looks at him, her eyes red from recent tears, even if there are none just now.]

I want a lot of things right now, Spike. I'm not really getting my way on any of them. But I know that it's important that she have one of us with her. There was a time when I would have volunteered just as quickly as you have.

[bigbad]

[He swallows and turns towards her, looking to meet her eyes. He hates seeing her in pain, hates even more how powerless he is to make it better.] It's important you have people with you too, you know. [Spike knows he's not the only one who can support her. Everyone loves Myri. Everyone's going to flock to her side. But Spike still feels like he should be there for her.]

[witchwoman]

[She looks around at the group, knowing that each of them care for her deeply, but also knowing just how much they each have going on in their own lives. The last thing she wants is to see that interrupted just to have someone sit and hold her hand, to take turns with her when they have a bit of time.]

I'll be fine, Spike. What you're doing is much more important.

[bigbad]

[Spike watches her, trying to see if she's lying to make him feel better about leaving her (sense motive 21). He evidently decides that no, she's not, as he wraps an arm around her and pulls her into a tight hug.]

I want to hear from you every bloody day. And if I'm still gone when the baby comes you let me know and I'll get on a plane. If you need me at all let me know. All right?

[nothingsodivine]

[after talking to Buffy, Des approaches Myri from behind her chair, leaning over her with his arms folded and trying his best to give her a sweet, yet sympathetic smile. Look, he's trying to be precious. It's hard.] Hey, Little Bit.

[witchwoman]

[She attempts a smile in return. It falls flat.]

Hello.

[nothingsodivine]

[His expression falls flat too and he crosses around to the side to perch on the armrest and lay a hand on her head.] I hate that this happened to you two. Neither of you deserved that after everything.

[whereas most people sound sad or deeply sympathetic, Des seems so much angrier about it, like he's holding the universe accountable for Myri's pain.]

[witchwoman]

[Shes not really sure what to say. No one deserves this. Instead, she just nods and lets her eyes fall shut briefly.]

[nothingsodivine]

[a silence falls over them, uncomfortable and weighted by a lot of things not being said. when it occurs to him that he cannot impart this information to myri via osmosis, he speaks up again.]

I'm going back to Manhattan for awhile, but I wanted you to know the door's open if you ever need to get away from the castle for awhile.

[doubletake]

[She doesn't say anything when she comes by, she just has a seat next to her and leans her head on her shoulder.

Even if they sit here in silence, she just wants to be here for awhile.]

[witchwoman]

[Slowly, Myri leans her head onto Elena's, letting out a shaky breath. She doesn't know what to say.]

[doubletake]

[Elena doesn't know what to say, either. She's at a total loss here, and there's literally nothing she can do to make it better.

All she can do is just...be here. She just hopes that that helps, even if only a little bit.]

[witchwoman]

You did very well. Last night.

[She can just revert to when Elena was her squire. Talking about the business parts of things is easier.]

[doubletake]

Not well enough.

[Her voice is quiet. She wasn't lying to Vi earlier, she doesn't blame herself, but that didn't mean she didn't wish she could have done more.]

[rationalizes]

[ after awhile, gar quietly makes her way out of her room, looking around, and spotting myri. she makes a quiet beeline for her, dragging one hand through her hair before taking a hesitant seat next to her. ] ... We... talked to Wynn.

[witchwoman]

[Myri shifts her gaze only enough to acknowledge Gar's presence.]

And?

[rationalizes]

He's making arrangements with Tia Ellison. Maybe she can at least uncover what's happened, so steps can be taken.

[witchwoman]

Good. That's... that's good. I'm sure if anyone can make sense of it, she would be the one.