larosacantaire

[larosacantaire]

Dorothea nodded in agreement, unable to help herself feeling just a little bit more serious. Although, that may just have been a side effect of being around Edelgard, there always seemed to be such a sense of importance behind her words, and now with this flower, it certainly was no different.

For a moment, Dorothea wondered what those gardens looked like, certainly she’d seen beautiful gardens and parks as she travelled with the opera company, but… Well. Perhaps there’d be a time where she’d have a garden of her own, although certainly with someone doing the work of keeping it alive for her.

“Ah! So we agree.” Dorothea looked around for one of the Monastery workers, “Some water could definitely help.” Calling on one of the workers, she managed to get the pair a watering can, walking over to the plant itself, “From what I do know, it’s better to water closer to the soil rather than all over the plant itself, so the roots can absorb as much of it as possible.”

She started there, pouring a good amount of water into the soil, before putting the watering can down, her expression just a little proud. “Okay. So we’ve given it some water, but what about food. I know plants don’t eat, so to speak, but… Maybe the soil isn’t great? What about some fertiliser?”

Flower Girls

#ic #t: flower girls #hresvelged

[larosacantaire]

Dorothea made a mental checklist as the shakes and nods of their head continued. Knight of Seiros, and considering the hour, and the gesture, probably one on patrol. Dorothea’s expression softened as she realised this was just another Knight, hopefully keeping all of them safe. What she also thought, however, was that they wouldn’t necessarily approve of her running around the Monastery like this.

She quickly recognised their gestures to be sign language, something that she had only picked up the basics from during her tutoring. Dorothea frowned, “I’m sorry,” she began, “I don’t really understand. I think I picked up student?” She allowed a small smile, “I am a student. But I have a feeling that isn’t what you were asking.”

“In any case, it’s nice to meet you Denning!” She continues once their name has been established, turning her attention to the gardens, “Are you offering to accompany me? It’d certainly feel better knowing there’s a Knight of Seiros around if anything happens…” She pondered for a moment, before turning back to them, a brow raised, “Or is this perhaps because you yourself have a secret longing to know the truth about this ghost?” She let out a soft laugh

“Shall we have a look then?” She asked, already beginning to walk towards the gardens, “It’s more fun to do things in pairs. Maybe if we hide ourselves in the dark the ghost will come out?”

Spectral Skin Care

#ic #t: spectral skin care #beholdenning

[larosacantaire]

October Activity Check

Status: Passed

Total Skill Points Aquired: 5 → 6

Monthly Activity Skill Points Earned: 1

Invested SP: +1 to Authority E+ → Authority D

#toa activity

[larosacantaire]

The laugh the songstress let out was one that would've sounded uncharacteristically cold to many familiar with Dorothea's lighter attitude, but it was hard to hide the contempt she felt for particular aspects of their society. "Indeed we have not." Dorothea agreed, knowing all too well that her chosen path was entirely because of their broken social hierarchy.

"Do you think, then, the wilting of this flower is to do with that?" Dorothea mused after a brief pause, "Surely the lovers in the story wouldn't be happy to know that our situation now is the same as it was when they were torn apart?" She hummed for a moment, it made sense to her, at least, that perhaps there was something more supernatural involved here.

"In any case, I'd like to know if there's a way we can revive it. I'm not the best with gardening, but are the people in charge watering it enough?" She gave Edelgard a playful grin, her comment not entirely serious, "Do you have a secret green thumb I don't know about, were you secretly tending a garden back in the palace?" The playfulness had returned to Dorothea's laugh, as she imagined a young Edelgard tending to a bed of roses.

"I do know a little magic, but I'm not sure fire would be the best option here."

Flower Girls

#hresvelged #ic #t: flower girls

[larosacantaire]

The greenhouse has been absolutely frantic these past few days. Students who aren't preoccupied with running back and forth, juggling fertiliser and various implements in their arms, are saying an incredibly rare plant, the Lady-of-Mourning, is blooming. It's a sorrowful plant, named for a famous folk tale featuring a pair of ill-fated lovers. Once upon a time, there were two lovers from very different classes. One, hailing from a noble family, with a notable crest, the other, a woman from the local village. Despite their differences, they were able to snatch shared moments together when they could. That was, until the noblewoman was engaged to a politically advantageous match, crushing all hope of their union forever. In her fury, she began destroying everything in her path with a strength fuelled by grief and separation. She became a monster. One her lover had to kill after she almost destroyed her home village. In the battle, they annihilated each other. Falling together in a fatal embrace, they were united by death. Depressing stuff. Normally, when the flower blooms (once every two hundred years) it ensures their story is remembered. That lovers won't be separated ever again. But this year, the flower seems to be wilting before it can blossom. Will you be able to save the plant and ensure true love can flourish forevermore? [Grants Faith +1]

@hresvelged

The story of the Lady-Of-Mourning was a tale most familiar to Dorothea, and one she had mixed feelings about. The beauty of love, enshrined in a flower that only blooms every 200 years, was hard for Dorothea not to enjoy, but the story itself was also an indictment of the flaws of their society, a society in which lives can be torn apart simply because of crests, wealth, and power. A society which Dorothea knew only too well.

When Dorothea heard the rumours that the plant was starting to wilt she felt a need to go and see it for herself. She knew next to nothing about gardening, but perhaps there was something she could do, and even if she couldn’t… Well. Perhaps the flower was wilting for a reason.

Arriving at the greenhouse Dorothea spotted a familiar figure, one she wouldn’t have expected to be there. “Edie?” She called, “You’ve come to see the flower too, huh? I wouldn’t have thought folktales of love and death were your sort of thing.” She looked past Edelgard, at the flower itself, “It doesn’t look great, does it?”

Flower Girls

#hresvelged #t: flower girls #t: skill gain

[larosacantaire]

"Hey Dorothea, guess what! That merchant had some new stuff just in time for your birthday!"

This time, his purchase is held in a thin, rectangular box rather than squeezed in the palm of his hand. In his enthusiasm, Caspar lifts the top of the box off himself before handing it over to his classmate. Inside are a pair of long, slender pins, the heads decorated to appear like small red roses.

"They're hatpins," he explains, miming the shape of a hat atop his own unadorned head. "The lady told me it can keep 'em in place on windy days and stuff."

"I also think they could be a good weapon if a guy acts too weird on a date or somethin'." One of his hands curls around an imaginary pin now, jabbing forward with a sharp motion. "Yah! ...Y'know, as a last resort, of course."

“You remembered!” Dorothea cooed, she wasn’t particularly someone who cared to celebrate getting older. The passing of time brought nothing but worry for her, but, well. It warmed her heart to receive a gift that actually felt like it came from care, and not just a snotty old man who liked her voice.

Dorothea looked on, an amused expression on her face, as Caspar opened her present for her, the amusement turning to something softer as she saw what it was. “First the clip, now these? I never expected you to have such a keen eye for accessories, Caspar. Thank you. I love them.” She tapped on the brim of her hat, “With the changing of the seasons I feel like these are going to come in handy.”

Dorothea let out a laugh at Caspar’s antics, making her own playful jab back at him, “I’ll keep that in mind. I’m sure I could always just call on you if things went too wrong, right?”

Finally taking the box from him, picking one up to examine it more closely. “Roses are my favourite flower, you know. You’ll have to introduce me to this merchant sometime, although, I’m not going to say no if you want to keep buying me things.~”

#berglietz #ic #// thanks caspar Dorothea is very happy

[larosacantaire]

September Activity Check

Status: Passed

Total Skill Points Aquired: 4 → 5

Monthly Activity Skill Points Earned: 1

Invested SP: +1 to Sword E+ → Sword D

#toa activity

[larosacantaire]

@beholdenning

While not a ghost in body, it is difficult to describe a morph's essence in layman's terms; One may, in fact, come across the assumption of a ghost, there, with what souls were siphoned for their quintessence for one to come into being. Pale skin, ebon hair, eyes of glowing ichor — It's not difficult to assume for a mortal. Due to this — Or perhaps, despite this — Denning sees little extraordinary in the rumours of a spectre wandering the monastery halls. It is merely an additional threat to ware oneself against, if fickle to track down. The increase in foolhardy students and faculty both seeking out the ghost on their own merely complicates matters; So the knight patrols, vigilant as always. Not always, though; Too many fellows concerned about 'adequate sleep', when this frame needs little rest and no slumber. Shifts change and adjust as the others see fit, and Denning can but obey. Still, patrol is so engrained that the morph roams at night, regardless. It is in simple whites and blacks that the girl encounters it, neither the uniform of a Knight nor the bridal gown of the rumoured ghost. It disregards her wandering, merely noting the student's peripheral presence in the event something must be done, but she calls out in a voice clear and bright. ... Another self-proclaimed "ghost hunter", then. Hm. Golden eyes move before the head follows. Slowly, it cocks, then Denning raises a hand in turn. It tries a 'hello', but the sound fizzles out with an odd rattle, a hand reaching to massage a pale throat. Blink, Blink. Sigh, raspy and rough. A shake of the head. An indicating gesture in return. Are you?

A step forward, and a pause. Briefly, Dorothea wondered if she was looking at something spectral, certainly she hadn’t seen eyes that colour before, but even so, the creature before her did not match the description of the fabled ghost lady - their clothes were all wrong for a start.

She had the slightest feeling of unease as she closed the gap between them, any unfamiliar figure at this time of night could pose a threat, yet Dorothea supposed, if they were an enemy she’d probably figure it out quickly enough to get away. And if it was a ghost, well… Ghosts can’t hurt you, right?

Her brow furrowed as she watched their movement, the sounds which emanated from him seemed almost… Unwell? Whatever the case, they either needed a good cough, or some tea with honey.

“You’re not looking for the ghost?” She confirmed, “Then what are you doing out here so late?” Her weight shifted from one leg to the other as she took in more of their appearance, if she were to guess, they looked older than her, “You’re not a teacher, or at least not one I’ve ever seen before, I’m pretty certain you aren’t a student here, but are you at all affiliated with the Church?”

Dorothea stopped talking for a moment, thinking again about the lack of even a hello she’d heard, “Ah, excuse me,” she rubbed the back of her neck, “Can you talk? I think all my questions have been yes or no, so you can answer with nods and such, if that’s easier. Oh. I’m Dorothea, by the way.”

Spectral Skin Care

#t: spectral skin care #beholdenning #// Dorothea is half thinking Denning is a ghost #// but mostly thinking if he IS one he’ll know exactly where the bride ghost is

[larosacantaire]

Rumors have started to float around Garreg Mach's halls about a ghastly young woman haunting the monastery. Many claim to have seen a young woman in wedding white with a haunting expression on her face, though it seems nobody can agree on exactly where she was seen. The only natural choice to be made here is to go and investigate these sightings and figure out whether the woman is real or merely a figment of the student body's imagination. [Grants Reason +1]

{ open starter }

The moon shone in the clear sky over the academy, night had long fallen and Dorothea found herself on a mission of sorts, a mission to discover the truth. Everyone had heard of the rumours of a ghost haunting the monastery, and the former songstress was no exception, except, Dorothea had her own theory.

The first area Dorothea was going to search wasn’t too far from the sauna, after all, if her theories added up, it seemed like the perfect place for a young woman to put on a clay face mask. It wouldn’t surprise her if some nobleman had come up with the rumour, too shocked at seeing a woman not all made up, instead deciding what he’d seen was something paranormal. But magic existed, so anything was possible. 

As she approached the grounds by the sauna, she spotted a figure. Stopping, there was an ever so slight fear bubbling up inside of her. What if it was a ghost. But she persevered, moving closer, as she approached she realised the figure she was looking was definitely not a ghost, so she made her move.

“Hello there!~” Dorothea called, “Are you out ghost hunting too? I can’t think of any other reason to be out of your dormitory at this time.”

Spectral Skin Care

#ic #t: spectral skin care #toa open #t: skill gain

[larosacantaire]

A troublemaker has emerged amidst Garreg Mach, declaring themselves the Angel of Love! They are the master of the hit and run, shooting comically cutesy arrows at unsuspecting people, trying to orchestrate budding romances with their masterful aim! Some say their love shots are the real deal, while others complain that they're a menace to public safety. Whatever your opinion, their infamy grows evermore now that they've opened up requests! Write in the person you want shot and the person you want them to fall in love with, and if you get a calling card from Angel, then your request is accepted. Just how long will this go on? [Grants Bow +1]

“Have you heard? The Angel of Love struck again!”

The so called ‘Angel of Love’, again. They seemed to be the only thing on everyone’s minds, and frankly, Dorothea wasn’t sure how she felt about it. Deep in thought, she wandered through the monastery grounds.

On the one hand, it was all rather romantic, the touch of an arrow starting a potential relationship, and yet… It was one thing for that to happen in stories, but in real life? Dorothea wasn’t sure. Nor was she sure why she held a small sheet of paper in her hands, blank, of course. Or even what she was supposed to do with it.

“Oh, ah! Professor, excuse me!” In her daydreams, Dorothea had barely noticed the teacher directly in her path, “I was away with the fae, all this talk of the Angel of Love…” she paused, raising a hand as if she were defending herself, “It’s not me, professor. I’ve hardly even touched the training bows!” Her gaze darted to the blank paper in her hand, moving to put it in her pocket, “But say, professor, what do you think of this Angel of Love business?”

{ starter for @amitieos }

Wings of Love

#amitieos #t: wings of love #t: skill gain #// i said tomorrow but then this happened #// I hope it’s okay!

[larosacantaire]

"Dorothea. I was hoping I'd find you. There is something I must ask. Will you spare me a moment? You are more knowledgeable on this than I." Edelgard presents a wrinkled, Adrestian sealed envelope between gloved hands. Without uttering another word, she flips open a folded piece of paper. Gracefully does she turn it around to face the songstress. While a musical score presents itself in their midst, it is not without flaws— Water soaked it once was, finding the sheet's ink blotched in primary spots. Although not completely illegible, it is difficult for the princess herself to discern the music's complete contents.

She never did get the chance to frequent Enbarr's operas— If only time had not been so deceiving.

Edelgard's serious gaze keeps itself steady on Dorothea, eyes telling a story none will know. "I received this recently, but it appears to have traveled here carelessly. Honestly.. This is hardly the first time I've gotten packaging like this. It's increasingly frustrating, but that's besides the point." She pauses, placing a finger towards the blotched ink right at its center: "I was hoping you might be familiar with this song. Or, at the very least, can decipher what might have been there."

“You know I will spare as many moments as I can for you, Edie.” Lilted Dorothea, her attention quickly turning to Edelgard’s letter. Her first thought had been it was to do with a proposal of sorts, after all, but as she took the letter, the score, into her hands, she couldn’t help but feel a brief pang of longing to be back on the stage. 

Quickly, Dorothea shook off those thoughts, looking back up at Edelgard, “Sometimes I wonder if the people delivering packages just leave them out in the rain!” She replied, “And when it’s a piece of music like this…” She shook her head, her gaze returning to the score in front of her, “It would be a shame for another piece of music to be lost because of people’s lack of care. But let me see if I can figure this one out for you.”

Brow furrowed, Dorothea was the picture of concentration as she scanned the sheet, quietly humming the notes that she could make out, before a look of realisation crossed her face, “Aha! I do know this!” She brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear, “I haven’t heard it in a long time but, you know Edie, the lyrics remind me a little of you. It’s the story of a brave young woman, one who isn’t afraid to fight for what she believes is right.” Dorothea’s eyes met Edelgard, smiling softly, “Give me a couple of days, I’ll confirm the missing lyrics, and if you’d like, perhaps I’ll even sing it for you.”

#hresvelged #ic #// dorothea serenading beautiful women is canon

[larosacantaire]

"Hey, Dorothea!" Caspar chirps, jogging across the courtyard to catch up with her. The light in his eyes signal that he has a story to tell—one that he wastes no time in sharing the instant he reaches her side. "So one of the buttons fell off the vest for my other uniform. Probably when I was tussling with this guy who tried to steal from—wait, I'll tell you that part later. Point is, I was buying a new one to replace it, and the merchant handed me a hair pin. Told me it was some kind of giveaway. I was like 'uh, this isn't really my style', but she just smiled told me to give it to a girl."

"Then I bumped into another girl from class, and I tried to give it to her." He scrunches up his face. "She almost took it, but when I told her I was glad I wasn't gonna have to throw it away, she got all mad and threw it back at me!"

He sweeps his arms out in wide, helpless gestures, both his hands balled into fists. The performance is finished with a long exhale, his breath filling his cheeks and then leaving in one big puff of air.

"What I'm saying is—d'you want this?" Caspar opens one fist to reveal a silver hair clip rested against his palm, the metal fashioned into the shape of a flower on one side. "I really would feel bad about just tossing it out."

“Caspar!” Dorothea turned to face him, “Hello.” She had been on her way to the dining hall, after a rather dry tea date, but her thoughts couldn’t dwell on that once Caspar’s story began. 

An amused expression was clear on Dorothea’s face as she listened to the twists and turns of yet another chaotic story, just resisting rolling her eyes at how he first tried to get rid of the clip.

“Okay, first of all, remember to breathe.” Dorothea laughed, gesturing for him to calm down, “It’s no wonder she didn’t want it. Most girls don’t like being told the only reason they’re getting a gift is because the alternative is it goes in the trash.” She shook her head, although the fondness she held for her classmate was evident. 

“It’s a lovely clip,” she continued, taking it from his hand and looking at it more closely, “but I’m not sure how I feel about being the second choice to have this…” Her gaze returned to Caspar, a teasing glint in her eye, “Nevertheless. I suppose I will accept it, either way. After all, you’d probably take someone’s eye out in one of your oh, so heroic fights, if you were to wear it. Thank you, Caspar.” The smile on her face becoming all the more sincere.

“We do need to talk about how many buttons you lose from fighting. You’re probably keeping that lady in business all by yourself.” She winked, “So tell me, what happened this time?”

#berglietz #ic #// i loved every second of this #// im not saying dorothea will treasure this hair clip for years to come but im not saying she WONT