india ♔ cut the bonds with the moon and let the dogs gather

[sirsolace]

♬ The Moon - Swell Season

WHO || Faye, Andie, Scout, Solace, Riddick, Nessa [closed]
WHAT || The Knights try to find their way into the Temple to see the
WHERE || Khajjiar, India, near the Temple of the Moon
WHEN || Sometime last week, afternoon
HOW || Actionspam

The Knights have spent the last week or so gathering supplies and intelligence in the town close to the mountains where the elven sisters have sequestered themselves inside their temple.   And what they've heard has been disturbing:  tales of the fanaticism of the sisters' followers seems to run contrary to everything Solace has to tell them about the usual clergy of Sehanine Moonbow.  These people are dogmatic to the point of violence, and the temple has been sealed against entrance by anyone at all as the sisters seek to complete their 'ritual', which is meant to seal the Veil from the Shadow World and prevent anymore incursions of Shadowkind, monsters, or objects.  

Finally, the Knights take the long journey up the mountainside to approach for themselves.  The road up is dotted with wagons and tents, and when the temple finally rises up out of the fog above, silver and gleaming, it's clear that even reaching the doors could prove difficult.  The steps are obscured by the massive amount of tents and people moving about.  There are probably hundreds barring the way, camped together so tightly that moving between them seems an invitation to trouble, given the supposed lynchings that have occurred when others dared to try and break in.

Solace halts the group at the edge of the crowd, with one hand held out slightly to the side.  He frowns as he looks over the faces of those gathered, none of whom look exactly friendly... or even hopeful.

Comments

[wildmind]

[ nessa steps up to the plate, asking them in a gentle voice: ]

What are your names?

[ the sister who had been clutching the knife initially sniffs and says: "Aenith." and then gestures to the other. "And Methenith." ]

[asap]

[Andie gives a little wave.] I'm Andie. Hi. [She grins at Aenith.] Our names totally almost sound alike. [Sort of...]

[reallywicked]

Faye. [She offers with a half hearted wave.]

So... who put you guys up to this?

[wildmind]

[ "Aenith had a dream," Methenith says, nodding towards her sister, who ignored Andie's remark, more or less. "Sehanine is the Lady of Dreams... it's how she imparts messages to her followers." ]

[asap]

Maybe it was fake. [Or maybe Sehanine is just a really nasty goddess.]

[reallywicked]

So every dream you have is some divine instruction manual? Aren't there other gods or whatever who can hijack your dreams, too?

[wildmind]

[ aenith's eyes flash, and she looks insulted.

"We prayed for this! We said we would pay any price, and she responded. You think I would kill my sister if I doubted the message to be real?" ]

[reallywicked]

Well... I'm mostly wondering why you'd kill your sister at all, no matter what sort of magical goddess dreams you were having. Blood of the faithful isn't exactly a price that the good guys ask for.

[wildmind]

[ "You know nothing of what a goddess would demand. Who are you to condemn me for what I would be willing to do?" ]

[asap]

[...Andie's glad she took the knife away. She puts a hand on Faye's arm, hoping the other girl will get the hint and shut up.]

No! No condemning. You're both clearly very faithful and, uh, I'm just glad you're both okay now. [Diplomacy 13]

[wildmind]

[ Methenith looks slightly torn, fiddling nervously with the hem of her dress.

"But," she says quietly, "if we don't proceed with the ritual, thousands will continue to have their memories, their lives, their families ripped from them. That can't be okay. That can't continue forever." She seems on the verge of tears. ]

[asap]

It's not... so bad? [Andie flits forward, looking anxiously at the sisters.] Look, my great-great somethings came here a long time ago. And I know it's not the same as over in the other world, but it's really been okay. And plenty of people build awesome lives! [A beat.] And you two can too.

[wildmind]

[ "That doesn't make it right! If you were ripped out of your life here, had your identity erased, if your family lost you and you didn't even remember them... you wouldn't stop that system, if you could find a way?" ]

[reallywicked]

How do you know we even have a family to go back to? How do you know it's not better here?

[She didn't know either, but the reality of the option was certainly there. Faye knew how lucky she was to have joined up with the Knights. She couldn't imagine that she was better off in any other world. Especially since she didn't remember anyone to miss.]

What gives you the right to make that decision for everyone?

[wildmind]

[ "Divinity gives us the right. And you can't take that from us." Abruptly, she's up again, the knife in her hand, and she moves to grab her sister and yank her roughly towards herself, dark intent in her eyes. Nessa acts rapidly, raising a hand and making a quick motion at the girl's head. For a moment, she freezes in place, eyes glazed over, and Nessa shouts a thought into Andie's brain. ]

Get the knife.

[asap]

[Andie makes a startled noise, straightens, then dashes forward to take that second knife that magically appeared out of nowhere! She's quick with her hands, as with everything else, and she manages to wrest the knife from the girl's hand with no trouble at all (sleight of hand 30 which seems like a success).]

[wildmind]

[ shut up, i rule at keeping track of shit. the knife is gone before she can even blink and when she makes a motion to cut her sister's throat... her hand is empty.

methenith's widen and there's an awkward beat before she lets out her breath, and turns her gaze slowly back towards her sister, looking horrified.

"You..."

aenith releases her and scrambles away, looking defensive.

"We agreed to this. You agreed to this. Don't try to claim any different now! You believe in this just as much as I do!"

nessa's voice breaks through the accusation, eerily calm. ]

No. She believes more than you do. [ aenith shoots her a sharp glance. ] Tell her. Tell her the truth.

[reallywicked]

Damn... [Faye mutters, seeing Andie grab that knife. Even she has to admit that the girl's speed and skillz are impressive. Her attention is grabbed quickly once Nessa starts to speak.]

Uh... sorry, what?

[wildmind]

[ aenith goes pale. "How do you--"



methenith stares at her, vulnerable and bewildered.

"Aenith... what is she talking about?"

nessa fixes the girls with an implacable stare. ] I know what's in your heart. In your thoughts. I know what was planted there.

Tell. Her.

[

aenith's mouth works a few times and then she says, in a trembling voice: "I did have a dream. But it wasn't from Sehanine. It wasn't about any ceremony." tears brim up in her eyes, which she can't raise to meet her sister's wondering gaze. "I had a dream of being free of the vow we took, to live centuries in devotion to nothing but the gods. The vow you talked me into in the first place, and held me to with bonds of guilt for all these years." ]

[asap]

[...wow. Andie frowns at the two of them.] ....there has to be a better escape than death.

[wildmind]

[ nessa speaks quietly, her words solemn and condemning. ]

Aenith never planned to die.

[ a terrible moment of realization strikes methenith.



"You... you wanted to kill me so you could be free?"

aenith stares between them all, desperation in her face as she strains against tears, rocking back and forth.



"You don't understand what it's been like. How impossible it's been to measure up to what she wants from me, what she's capable of!" She looks between them all, as if seeking someone to back her up, to support her. "I'll never be her. I can't live my life this way. I... I can't.. " ]

[reallywicked]

[Faye doesn't even try to hide how disgusted she looks.]

You ever heard of walking away? Or was killing your sister always Plan A?

You won't hear me argue that sometimes people have to get hurt to get what you want, but family is different. They deserve better.

[wildmind]

[ aenith doesn't answer and nessa steps forward, very slowly, her voice low and soothing, almost hypnotic ]

Sometimes the chains we forge for ourselves are stronger than any real ones. It was easier to let your sister die for something she thought was right and good, to lay down her life happily for her cause, than to have the face disappointing her, living with her judgment for the rest of your days."

[ a hard look of realization comes into aenith's eyes and she spits the words.



"You're a witch. That's what you are. A dirty witch."

Nessa seems unperturbed by the accusation, stopping in front of her.

methenith turns tearful eyes to her sister, shaking her head violently.



"I would have never judged you, sister. Your life is your own. I thought you wanted this. I thought... "

nessa holds up a hand. ]

What you thought doesn't matter now. The only way to move beyond this is to let go of all that has festered within and all the mistaken conclusions drawn.

Aenith, you need to leave. And never return.

[asap]

[This...really, really sucks. Andie's expression is conflicted as she watches the sister. Though she enjoys being a knight and is happy with her decision, she's wondered sometimes what her own family would say if she decided to quit. And even though she'd never, ever take it as far as Aenith did, she can sort of understand. She wouldn't want to face her father if she'd decided she wanted a different life either.

But she's pretty sure the guilt of killing someone you love would be way, way worse. She can't imagine resorting to that.

She swallows and glances over at Aenith, then away. She doesn't have anything to add. Sympathy's way not something she can offer, but more condemnation won't help either. So she just looks over at Nessa and says nothing.]

[reallywicked]

[Nessa's tone actually shocks Faye. Not that she minds the take-charge attitude or the fact that the psycho sister is being kicked out...

She cautiously steps up towards Methenith. She's not good at being comforting, but she'll try her best.]

You okay?

[Yes, that was her best.]