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Post by Chelsea Dagger on Aug 3, 2015 12:20:20 GMT -6
"Only if I'm lucky," Chelsea responded with a dry laugh. "Most nights are actually quiet bordering on dull. The weekends, however, can get a little bit crazy." That was a bit of an understatement, but it was true nonetheless. The weekdays could have maybe ten people total in the tavern, unlike the over fifty packed into the building. Granted, she did make much more money on those nights, but sometimes she wasn't sure if the money was worth it.
She tilted her head back as the breeze moved through, letting it blow her hair around a bit. It almost felt like a breeze back from the plains, even though it wasn't quite as good. Still, she loved being able to just let a breeze flow over her face and move her hair about. As the breeze died down, she opened her eyes and looked back up at Tiz. She almost laughed again as the man was using his collar to block some of the wind. She almost teased him about it, but let it go this time. Still aimlessly walking, Chelsea took another left turn and found herself in front of a small park. She had forgotten this was here, but was presently surprised.
Making her way into the park, she found a patch of grass with a wide open view of the sky. She decided to lay down and stare up at the stars. There were fewer of them here than on the plains, but she still enjoyed looking at them. Chelsea closed her eyes and for a few seconds, felt she was on the plains again.
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Post by Tiz on Aug 3, 2015 14:52:03 GMT -6
"Lucky, yeah? I don't know Chelsea," Tiz said playfully, following closely at her side as she walked, making turns here and there. He kept his hands stuffed in his pockets for warmth, quickly realizing that, obviously, a sleeveless, lightweight coat was going to do him no good in what he found to be relatively chilly weather. He wasn't cold, but he was certainly not comfortable and warm. He could use something heavier, certainly. "I don't know that I'd call that luck. Maybe... it's the other thing." He teased, his tone still as light as ever. All he was good at was being lighthearted.
"Back when I was first in Lycia, we lived in Caelin," he began, glancing around at the other buildings around them. Most people looked to be heading off to bed, but he couldn't be sure. The lights were thinning one by one, and before long, they wouldn't have much else besides street lamps to illuminate their path. "and I worked part-time at a restaurant, as a host and a busboy. It was nothing like taverns, I'm sure, but we had some fun people who loved to come by on weekends... These guys were so bad," he joked, offering a hearty laugh. "They would always ask for another host. A hostess. They hated me, I guess because I wasn't the girl they were used to, but I guess she probably was thankful. She never told me, but I know the owner used to say that they were... pretty hands-y guys, haha," He tailed her still as she found a park, one he hadn't realized was even it in the area. It was a nice, quaint little place, and it looked perfect for taking a rest. This seemed familiar, though...
"Anyways, I'm sure you deal with that more often than you're willing to admit. I'm sorry that's the case." His voice was kind and genuine; he didn't really know how else he could help aside from offering some weak condolences. As Chelsea laid back on the grass, Tiz sat and leaned back on his arms, resting himself halfway towards the ground. It was too cold, he felt, for him to lie down completely on the grass, but he watched as Chelsea happily did so. He raised an eyebrow and smiled at her as she took in the air.
"This seems familiar," he joked, referring to the last time they'd met. "Guess it'll never be like back home." His eyes drifted up to the skies.
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Post by Chelsea Dagger on Aug 3, 2015 23:58:52 GMT -6
Chelsea gave a tired groan and a dry laugh. "Oh, trust me. I'm well aware of how hands-y people like that can get. I've had my fair few of them. I can tell you for certain that she was thankful for it." She knew that she was always thankful that whenever someone got hands-y, Rob was close by to grab them and toss them out for her. Or, on a few occasions, she took care of them herself. It was actually one of those times during which she took her punch to the face. But that was a memory she didn't exactly care for.
As Tiz talked about what she had dealt with, something stirred in Chelsea. Not just everything that had happened during her time at the tavern, but things that had happened even before that. Mixed in with all the various things she had less than positive memories she had of nights in the tavern was long buried thoughts of her old life. Val. Karina. Rayl. Kelvin... She closed her eyes, trying to push the tears back down. This wasn't the time for this. If she had to do this, it would be alone in her room where no one could see her. Not here, in public, with a guy she barely knew. Despite her efforts, she felt a few tears roll down her cheek. She hoped that Tiz was focused enough on the sky that he hadn't noticed. Keeping her voice as steady as she could, she responded, "Nothing ever will. But this is close enough for now."
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Post by Tiz on Aug 4, 2015 9:09:47 GMT -6
Tiz gave a hearty laugh, starting to roll over to rest on his side. Cold though he was, he was getting uncomfortable, and the idea of lying on the grass became more and more appealing. "Oh yeah, I can only imagine. I'm sure you get it all the time--" He blushed immediately, realizing the implications of what he was saying, and looked back up to avoid Chelsea's gaze. He had made that mistake before, and he hadn't learned. He hope she didn't take offense, and he immediately wished he had picked different words. "--Uh, um, those guys seemed pretty bad." He bit his lip, trying to forget that he'd just stumbled over his words. "Maybe she was. I don't see her anymore. Actually, the restaurant might've closed down..." He pressed a finger to his lip, trying to remember what he could. He hadn't lived more than a couple years in Caelin at the most, so he was finding it hard to recall much detail about it. He did miss being young and having few responsibilities, though.
He smiled, humming sweetly and slowly as she referenced their home country as well. He was sure that nothing would ever be as good-- it was the same thought he'd had the first time he met this woman, on the plains, when they'd done essentially the same thing. Finally getting over himself, he let his body crash down onto the green earth and gave a happy sigh. "Yeah, nothing like it." The Lycian skies were fine, but with the buildings and the orange flame-lit lanterns that littered the streets, it just wasn't as good. Plus, anyone could see the mountains at the border, and those only further blotted the sky so the stars couldn't be seen as well. Such was life in a big city, he thought.
As Tiz turned back to Chelsea, his heart immediately sank. He watched a few stray tears roll down her face and wondered what in the world was wrong. He scooted a little closer, his voice soft and gentle. "Chelsea... Chelsea, what's wrong?"
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Post by Chelsea Dagger on Aug 4, 2015 19:35:59 GMT -6
Chelsea swore at herself internally for letting herself tear up like that. She had no idea what has caused it. She had been keeping everything pushed down for so long, had she finally just broken? Or had it been something that Tiz had said that struck a cord keep down within her that started it all? Either way, this wasn't something she could let happen, not now. For over a year she had been able to keep her composure and act like everything was fine. But everything wasn't fine and she knew it. Granted, Alison probably knew something wasn't quite right as well, since she was one of the few Chelsea had confided everything in, but she hadn't said anything as of yet.
She thought about Tiz. He seemed like a nice enough person. He didn't seem like someone who would betray her secret and sell out her location, but at the same time that's the approach someone nefarious might try to take. Admittedly, there weren't many redheaded Sacaens in the world, and if someone was looking for the former fiancee of one of the main rebellion leaders, coming across one would be a great place to start. For all she knew, Tiz had come across her brfore and been scouring taverns across Santaruz ever since. Even his whole story about being banned from here could be a lie. When he asked her what was wrong, his voice seemed to genuine it only broke her more. It made her want to believe that he had no alternative motives, but she could never be certain for sure. She tried and failed to push back more tears. "I can't, Tiz... I just..." Her voice broke. "I can't..."
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Post by Tiz on Aug 5, 2015 7:52:04 GMT -6
As he watched the woman continue to break down, Tiz thought about reaching an arm out to comfort her. He leaned in and outstretched his arm, about to place it on her back, watching the sobs come quietly, wracking her body as they did. She cried more, claiming she couldn't do something. What she couldn't do, Tiz wasn't sure. But he was sure that something serious, something bad, had been plaguing this woman for some time now. It must've been pretty serious, considering her almost immediate breakdown on what seemed to be a peaceful night. With his hand halfway stretched out between the two of them, Tiz thought a moment, then brought his hand back, neglecting to rest it on her back. He knew what she was going through. Or at least, he thought he might.
He sighed, smiling weakly out of sympathy, and looked back and away from her, up towards the stars. He studied them again-- dimmer than he was used to, perhaps reflective of how he felt about his ability to help Chelsea. Whatever was going on with her, he certainly couldn't mend it. Everyone had their demons: he had his, and she clearly had hers. What hers were, he didn't know, but they certainly weren't any of his business... He knew that, and as he looked back down at the ground, he resolved to stay out of matters that didn't concern him. He'd done enough prying and picking in his time-- this girl clearly needed some privacy, some time alone to deal with her inner conflict.
"I get it." He said calmly, quietly. "You've got them too." He looked over at her wet eyes, trying to use the visual connection to bond with her in some way, to pick up some of the burden she had on herself, but he found he couldn't. She was too much a mystery. "You've got your demons, too. Demons you've been trying to hide for a while, huh? Yeah, I get it." His voice was light and playful, but with a tinge of seriousness therein. He stood, getting to his feet, and brushed himself off. He didn't feel as cold anymore.
"We've all got secrets in our closets, Chelsea." He shoved his hands in his pockets, looking around. Fewer and fewer people were around, and this park was all but empty. "Some are worse than others. I won't ask what's going on, because I don't think it's my business." He looked back down at her, and wanted so badly to hug her and try anything to make her feel less weighed down. But he felt he was useless. He reached behind his neck and rested his hand there, sighing deeply, trying to choose his words carefully, so as not to make the situation any harder to handle. "Listen... Whatever you're dealing with, it's not my business. And if you need me, I'll be here-- somewhere--" He looked back down at her with a smile. "Whoever you are... Whatever you are... Whatever mysteries have raveled themselves in you, none of them are so bad you can't talk to me about 'em. Hell, I know I'm..." He swallowed, laughing a bit. "I know I'm not your confidant, but... I mean, we're Sacaeans. Your blood runs in my veins, as mine does in yours. There's something special there."
He turned, deciding it might be best that he walk away, but he didn't start moving yet.
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Post by Chelsea Dagger on Aug 5, 2015 13:21:20 GMT -6
Chelsea listened to Tiz's words and believed what he was saying. Whatever nervousness had been there previously was gone. Maybe she was being naive, maybe it had something to do with him invoking their shared heritage, but she trusted him for some reason now. She just had some feeling in her gut that if she revealed her secret to Tiz, he would keep it. They were Sacaens, and Sacaens don't lie. Unless Tiz had become very corrupt yet didn't show any sign of that, she could trust him. She shakily got to her feet as he turned his back and seemingly went to leave. "Tiz... wait."
She reached up and wiped away the tears still on her face. She looked around the park again, making sure no was else was close by, and seeing it empty felt ok to go on. She took a deep breath and did her best to keep her voice as level as she could. "I'm technically in hiding. I'm no one important, but I used to be with someone who is. I was engaged to a man who ended up becoming one of the leaders of the rebellion in Bern. I wanted nothing to do with the rebellion, but he was very passionate about it. So we ended it." She gave a half hearted shrug, holding back tears once again, but this time successfully. "But, as he's still there fighting and he has enemies. We agreed that I should disappear for a bit, in case some of those enemies tried to find and use me to get to him. I don't know if I'll ever see him again, or if I want to after he picked the rebellion over me. But I'll always have feelings for him, and I worry if he's still alive or not. I'll stay in hiding as long as I have to but..." She voice wavered a little. "It's hard. It's really hard..."
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Post by Tiz on Aug 5, 2015 14:33:25 GMT -6
"Oh?"
Hands still in his pockets, he turned to face the girl, who by every ounce of her will seemed to be able to stand on her feet to face him. He didn't approach her at first, but looked her over as she became vulnerable in front of him. He watched her eyes as she spoke, watched her hands waver, studied the way her body struggled to release the words that she was telling him... And what a story it was. Tiz was shocked that she was so willing to divulge this information, but after thinking on it a moment, he didn't feel so surprised. After all, while he hadn't told her why, he had revealed that he was technically a criminal for a short stint of time, ridiculous though it may have seemed to him. She was so weighed down with the hurt she'd encountered in her life... Tiz's eyes narrowed as he studied this human being that was so terribly affected by her past. It hurt him to think that her spirit wasn't light, that it was weary and tired and in need of rest.
He sighed, walking back towards the girl as she finished, struggling to avoid crying. He removed his left hand from his pocket and placed it lightly on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. He smiled weakly at the girl, and spoke. "Sounds like a scary romance novel." He joked. He was really good at joking, and really bad, most times, at being serious. "I'm sorry, Chelsea. I'm sorry. I can't begin to imagine what this must feel like for you, and I can't pretend to empathize with you... All I have is my sympathy. Listen, I uh... Hope this doesn't come out the wrong way, but I hope you're not sitting around pining for him, waiting for him to return and wrap the fairy tale up with a happy ending." The Sacaean man sighed again, looking away. He lowered his hand back into his pocket, scanning the buildings in the distance. "Unfortunately, war isn't so kind. It's vicious and brutal, and everyone therein is a victim. Even if he lives, there are no survivors. War... changes people." He hated being so heavy... It was totally unlike him.
"Your spirit will stay heavy the longer you hold on. Not that you shouldn't patiently wait for him, and allow your heart to feel something-- or anything-- for him, but I mean..." He turned away from her a moment. "The longer you spend your energy living with this weight, the more it's gonna eat at your soul." He turned back and poked a single finger where her heart would be. "And if that happens, you'll become a shell. By that point, you won't even be happy to have him back. You need to lighten your load a little. You've got lots on your plate, and it's, well... it's not good for you." He laughed nervously, as if he didn't know what to say.
"But who am I to know, I guess? I'm not you. I shouldn't tell you what to do or how to live." He sighed, puffed air into one of his cheeks, let it out, then continued. "Staying in hiding is hard. Feeling attached to someone fighting for a cause you don't believe in is harder. And letting yourself deteriorate in mind and spirit? That's the hardest." He smiled again, lowering his finger and his hand down to his side. "Don't exhaust yourself. Okay?"
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Post by Chelsea Dagger on Aug 6, 2015 21:20:15 GMT -6
Chelsea shook her head, her orange hair partially sticking to her face. "I'm not. I'm not an idiot. I understand that there's a better chance that he dies before I ever see him again. I know that he's not gonna burst into the tavern some day and sweep me back off my feet. And even if he does, he probably won't be the same man anymore. I've moved on." It was hard to admit, but it was true. She had been on several dates since she started at the tavern. She knew there was no point in just waiting around. They had both agreed to move on. For all she knew, he had another girlfriend by this point. So why shouldn't she?
She gave a sniff and went on, getting more and more back to her normal self as she talked. "But I will keep his secret, our secret. I won't let myself be used against him by his enemies. It may wear me down. It may break me. But I'll always get back up. I'll always keep fighting. It's been harder than anything else I've had to do in my life, but I will do it. Because I have to. Maybe someday, if I'm lucky, I won't have to anymore. Or maybe I'll find someone else to share the burden with. But until then, I won't give up. I'll never give up." By this point she had shrugged off the weight that had built up on her shoulders, standing up straight and staring at Tiz with a renewed fire in her eyes. She had pushed passed her low point and came out the other side. She would fall again someday, back to such a low point again. It was a cycle. But then she'd just push through once again. And become stronger because of it.
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Post by Tiz on Aug 7, 2015 21:42:26 GMT -6
"Hmm. Right." Tiz mused, turning back to face her as he shoved his hands into his pockets. She seemed renewed in some way, as if her resilience and diligence had taken rest and were now back; it seemed almost as if his words had done something, or at the very least, kindled some flame inside of her that was already going, with or without him intervening. He smiled at her, pleased that she was easy to talk to and that she was motivated to do the right things in the right direction. That was good, and it was more than could be said for many people he'd met in his time. "You're a solid woman, Chelsea. And a lucky one. I'm, uh... sorry you've been dealt such a shitty hand, haha." His smile grew a bit, and he walked towards her again.
Tiz sighed, scratching the back of his neck again. He wasn't sure were the seriousness was coming from, but he was happy that she was so determined. And her mindset was right-- he only hoped that she could carry through with it, to really live out the type of life she was describing. To be able to let herself wear down over time and still try over and over to secure for herself a life that was better than the one she currently lived. After all, Tiz measured that the quality of life was determined by the drive to make it better, and to make it better for others in the process.
He suddenly laughed. "You know, I don't think it'll break you. Something tells me you'll be just fine. And hey, maybe another knight in shining armor will ride up on a brilliant steed and sweep you away to a cause worth fighting for. Who knows." He winked at her, then turned to start walking away, hands still buried lazily in his pockets. "Just don't fight the breath out of yourself. You wear yourself down too much, you won't want to get back up. Don't exhaust that lovely, fiery spirit of yours." He raised a hand up to wave goodbye, but didn't turn to look at her.
"Seeya around, Chelsea."
[end thread]
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