krozna ♔ just remember that you're still alive

[selfexile]

♫ Battle Scars - Paradise Fears

WHO || Failboat, Various Krozna peeps, family members of Failboat [closed]
WHAT || Reunions and preparation for Egypt
WHERE || Krozna, Russia
WHEN || Winter through Summar 2018
HOW || Actionspam or prose

Rescuing Rafael could have gone much worse... And then did, when Rafael, desperate to feel alive and free again, got himself into a car accident. He came out of it alright, but injured, and they headed back on a plane after a whirlwind wedding had happened the same night between Dean and Rose, which Elena and the fiendish version of Sam had dropped in on - as well as Bobby Singer. After the madness of that night, Jack sent word back to them that if they had any family that they wished to keep safe, they could bring them back to Krozna. Rafael and Isabella insisted on picking up Giorgio, Nellethiel, and their children, Giulia and Pietro. Alainn picked up quite a bit of family as well - her adoptive parents and siblings from Ireland.   They return to Krozna together, where everyone can get acquainted and recover from the ordeal of their close calls in New Orleans before pressing forward.   There would be months for them to train, and the pace of life in Krozna to settle in, far from the chaos of the rest of the world.  

The date is now quickly approaching for the upcoming meeting at the "Darkhouse" where they hope to acquire more leads about the dagger that was used by Blade in the ritual to kill his father, Malaak'a.  

This log covers all social things for Failboat between the first social log and the Darkhouse (months worth of time skip).  

Comments

[witchwoman]

[Of course it's better that their most potent enemies weren't there, but there was a part of Myri that was hoping that now that she had seen the group of them return, they'd bring triumphant news of how they had toppled one or both of them and this was all over.

A silly thing to wish for, but after everything they've been through, the universe might owe them a big win.]

I know Rafael was in terrible shape. Thankfully, he should be sleeping soundly by now. I'll have to check in with Isabella and Sam to see if I can help them as well. [Her gazes shifts down towards the floor as she shakes her head.] I should have gone with you. Of course a healer would have been useful in a place like that.

[littledhampir]

[ For Raf's sake, Rose chooses not to mention that the worst of his injuries came after the auction house. He hadn't looked great getting out of there but on the plane coming home? She wasn't entirely sure how it had happened but at the end of the day? He was still breathing and that was good enough for her.

Her face softens as Myri starts beating herself up, her hand capturing hers and giving it a squeeze. ]

We're always going to need you Myri but sometimes that means we need you to be there for us when we get back. [ She dips her head meeting her gaze and mustering up an encouraging smile. ] Besides, you were there. We had potions.

[witchwoman]

[Myri did smuggle out a bag of potions as they were leaving... So you're not wrong.]

Well, I'm just happy you're all back, safe and sound. It's funny- I was starting to think it was too quiet around here. I think the Stargods are playing something of a prank on me for daring to have such a thought. [A small smile tugs at her lips. She's not upset about all the added guests, but she is a tad worried about how the residents of this place will adapt to the ever growing chaos.]

I did notice one of them sticking closer to Dean and Sam. Their father?

[littledhampir]

[ Honestly Rose just assumes that Myri makes them all. She is the one who heals okay. ]

Uh - [ For a moment Rose isn't sure how to answer that. The truth, though accurate, also didn't seem right. ]

Bobby. [ A small smile curving her lips. ] He's close enough to one. They had a... very unexpected reunion.

[witchwoman]

[Myri tilts her head ever so slightly.]

Was he at the auction? [That would not be great tbh]

[littledhampir]

No... [ Her gaze falls away, lines furrowing her brow as the words she needs to say, sit like a rock in her gut.

Would there ever be a time when she could think about her wedding as something other than a moment of happiness that had been ruined? ]

He.... came to my - [ Her words stretched out awkwardly, in part because she's never actually said them before and as if to assure Myri that it's not a joke? Rose raises her hand to show her the claddagh ring that adorns her ring finger. ] - wedding.

[witchwoman]

[Myri blinks, mouth falling open as she takes a step back. Confusion and shock eclipse any other emotion she might have had a moment ago.]

Your..? [It only takes a few seconds for the information to process, as unexpected as it may be. A smile spreads quickly across her face.] That's wonderful! [She pauses and takes in Rose's expression and body language.] It... is wonderful, isn't it?

[littledhampir]

[ The step back throws her, causing Rose's breath to catch in her throat. The brunette staying perfectly still as she watches the reaction crawl across Myri's features.

That one word sees her summon up a tentative half-smile; a confirmation of the truth as well as the uneasiness that is attached to it. And then she breathes again, the shuddering sigh one of relief that her first response is one of happiness. ]

No it - [ Her smile grows stronger and in spite of everything? There is real joy in her eyes. The wedding might have turned into something out of a nightmare, but the marriage itself? That was something she had no doubts about. ]

It is. Promise.

[witchwoman]

[Myri's smile transforms into a full on grin once Rose confirms. There are so few pockets of joy that they have the ability to experience anymore. They've lost so much, left so much behind. Myri couldn't be happier for Rose to have been able to celebrate with and commit to someone who truly made her happy, even amidst all this.]

Now I have a whole new reason to regret not coming along. [She says with a laugh.] It's fitting for you two, though. Planning ahead isn't really your strong suit.

[littledhampir]

[ She can feel some of that dread that had been pooling in her gut, begin to drain away. Myri's reaction, the first one she'd gotten to experience was everything Rose needed it to be. No doubt or disappointment, just pure happiness and encouragement and the sorely needed reminder that not everything about it had been tainted. They'd still gotten married. ]

I really do wish you could have been there. [ Sincerity guiding those words. ] And it wasn't planned it just... Once we decided, we didn't wanna wait.

[ It took two years for Dean two say I love you. Two more for them to become engaged and only two hours for them to go from that to married. Seems about right. ]

We didn't even have rings. [ Raising her hand again as a flutter of laughter escapes. ] This is Alainn's.

[witchwoman]

[Myri reaches out and takes Rose's hand so she can take a closer look at the ring. Her own wedding band catches the moonlight as she turns Rose's hand over and her smile wavers for just the briefest of moments, thinking about her own wedding and the complications that followed. But she recovers quickly and gives Rose's hand a squeeze.]

It's perfect. It's like your family is always with you, even in this.

[littledhampir]

[ It's impossible for Rose not to notice the band on Myri's finger as she takes her hand, both its disappearance and subsequent return, not something that is lost on her. (Wis Nat 20). Neither is the faltering of the smile on her lips (Spot 35) and Rose's fingers curl around Myri's, squeezing gently. ]

Some of it. [ The significance of those words punctuated by the look in Rose's eyes as she meets Myri's gaze. ]

[witchwoman]

[Myri gives a small nod, acknowledging the weight of that small phrase without needing to draw much more attention to it.]

We should celebrate. Not tonight- give everyone a chance to settle in. I'll be busy tending to Rafael for at least a day or two, but... We spend so much time fighting, running, planning for our next move. I think we can spare one evening to share a meal- all of us- and raise a glass to two people who have found love amidst all this chaos.

[littledhampir]

[ Rose can feel tension run through her body at Myri's suggestion, shadows passing over her features as her hand squeeze's that of her friend. ]

Yeah. [ Her hesitation apparent as she exhales a shuddering breath. ] I don't know if we're really up for a celebration.

[witchwoman]

[While Myri was expecting some push back to the idea, there's something in Rose's voice that leads her to believe there's more to the dismissal (wisdom 25).]

What's wrong? [She shakes her head a bit, knowing that the question is sort of silly to even ask.] I mean, besides the obvious. Did something happen? Is Dean alright?

[littledhampir]

We're fine. [ Quick to reassure her. ] Dean's...

[ Only she can't say fine. She can't bring herself to allow the lie to slip past her lips. The light in her eyes becomes extinguished, leaving two dark orbs staring at a fixed point in space. ]

The wedding, it... It wasn't exactly everything we hoped it would be.

[witchwoman]

[Myri quickly shifts from a confused-worry to full blown concern as Rose's expression shifts, any sign of happiness slipped away into the shadows.]

What happened? Did Blade..? [Threaten them? Hurt them? She's not even sure if she's on the right track. She just knows that there's very few things that would cause this sort of reaction from Rose.]

[littledhampir]

No. [ The messed up part of all this? She almost would have preferred that. Blade. He wouldn't care what he ruined. He'd take pleasure in it but Elena? Elena was somebody who had supposedly loved her once. Who should have known how much damage she was going to do in showing up but even the remembrance of what they had once shared, hadn't been enough to stop her. ]

Elena. [ Her voice hard, tone icy, those dark orbs hardening with her anger as she inadvertently turns it on Myri by simply looking in her direction. ]

[witchwoman]

[Hearing Elena's name brings forth a swell of dread, but also a lump in Myri's throat that threatens to dissolve into tears of some mix of mourning, fear, and... relief. Elena is alive and there is some part of her that is happy for it. She had no reason to think that something would happen to her- it's only been a few weeks since they communicated, after all. But it is in her nature to care for people- even those that have hurt her deeply. She knows that Rose is first on the list of people she would never dare to say that to, though. The strength of Rose's anger presses against her empathy-fueled magic, a dull thudding her the back of her mind as she swallows hard to refocus.

There are times when Myri wishes she was more like Rose- that her instincts guided her to anger more easily than grief. But the size of this witchwoman's heart often means that her resolve isn't quite so strong when it comes to writing someone off. She's said her peace to Elena, said goodbye and attempted to close off the part of her heart that had cared for her since she was a Squire. But something in her isn't willing to let go.

Maybe it's been this place. Krozna is full of people who made choices they believed were true and right. Sveta had only the best intentions when she tried to bond herself to a great magic within the earth. She thought she was protecting something she held so dear. But now a child's blood stains her hands- the claws a permanent reminder of the beast she awoke and what she is capable of. Hearing that story and opening herself back up to compassion like Myri has only leaves room for more. Perhaps some part of her will always doubt what the right choice is.]

...What did she want?

[littledhampir]

You mean other than ruin my Wedding? [ The mask slipping into place, Rose shutting everything else down out of necessity, even as she can feel what she's beginning to recognize as magic pushing beneath her skin. Like it wants to come out, like it wants to light her up like a beacon of rage ]

To threaten my family.

[witchwoman]

Threaten how? Is she trying to find us? Do we need to move the girls to somewhere safer? [A threat can come in so many forms, but her concern for her daughter and niece holds priority over basically everything else.]

[littledhampir]

Myri... [ Her voice gentles as Myri's words act as a reminder for Rose of how little anyone else understands how things work. Even she has so much to learn about this. ]

She knows where we are. Dean's presence here is the only thing keeping her from being able to know everything we do and even then... she could be watching this conversation right now. I don't know how far his protection reaches. Whether the wards we have are strong enough. That's why we couldn't tell anyone what we knew.

[ How they do it exactly? She wasn't entirely sure but there wasn't a conversation she hadn't had without Dean's presence for years, because of that. ]

They have a lot more time on their hands than we do. She's not the same person you met all those years ago. She's a centuries year old Fiend now... maybe thousands... I don't know.

[ Math wasn't exactly her strong suit. ]

The threat was pretty specifically aimed at me, Sam and Dean but... [ But everything she knew told her that didn't necessarily make them the lone targets. ] When Hell wants something, they don't come at you directly. They use other people to get to you. There are rules, but nothing that stops them from corrupting those closest to you and getting them to do their dirty work.

[ She can feel the magic reaching out, causing her skin to feel too tight and Rose's gaze drops to her hand as she strains against it. She tries to imagine a cut in the invisible barrier, running along the palm of her hand that will allow it to rise to the surface.

Nothing happens at first but then it's almost like the skin of her hand seems to get brighter, clearer and then finally it becomes wrapped in a pure, white light that emanates an aura of good, glowing softly against the night sky. ]

I won't let anyone touch Shayla. Not ever. [ Not either of the children but Myri was the one standing before her stricken at the prospect. ] Through everything... every plan I had ensured that you and Shayla were safe. Please know that.

[witchwoman]

[Whatever thoughts or concerns that were running in her mind are stripped away as Rose's hand starts to glow. Myri's mouth drops open in shock. She doesn't seem frightened by it. She's seen her share of magic in her time with the Knights, but never something like this from Rose.]

Wha... [She's absolutely speechless, but the light does bring her comfort. And a sense of hope rises up in her again for the first time in awhile. After a moment, she finally finds her voice and manages a question.] How long have you been able to do that?

[littledhampir]

Like this? [ Rose still staring at her hand, appreciating it in a way she's not been able to before. ] Just now...

[ Lifting her gaze to Myri with a sheepish half-grin. ]

It first happened last night when Hell showed up. I've been lighting up like a Christmas Tree on and off for the last twenty-four hours. I don't... really know what I'm doing. [Or, how it's happening for that matter. ]

[witchwoman]

It's... [Myri reaches out with one hand, tentatively brushing her fingertips over Rose's palm to see if it feels different.]

It's beautiful. [She realizes that it's quite similar to the way she finds a person's thread of life in the darkness of the Void. That magical thrum of energy that she's become so familiar with- but now it's visible in the material world. And she's absolutely delighted by it.]