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Tweak says, "The real McCoy"

High Lord of Night's Court; Rhysand (nights_highlord) wrote in spinningcompass,
@ 2017-05-30 17:58:00

Entry tags:

!closed, lucy, ~rhysand

Who: Lucy & Rhysand
When: Afternoon
Where: The woods near the Rhysand's townhome
What: Arrival (?). Meeting.
Rating: PG
Closed

The tall High Fae meandered down a path leading through the flower filled gardens around his house out toward the woods. He had his hands in his pockets, a comfortable pace in his step, and his gaze turned up toward the summery sky. Despite the heat he wore his typical black attire, though this was a fitted shirt with silver threads and short sleeves rather than his long jacket. He hummed, taking a glance back at the house before he disappeared into the cooler shade of the forest.

I'm going for a stroll, Rhysand said down the mating bond to Katherine. I'll bring you back a present. He sent the image of a cheeky grin along with his words before he continued to focus on picking his way through the wood. A crackle in the distance, maybe fifty feet North of him, gave him pause.

It was either one of those monsters everyone was so worried about, a spider like that Katherine had faced, or someone else among the trees. He was hopeful it was the latter.

"Hello?" the lord called lazily as he stood in place. "Is someone there?"

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lucyfightsback
2017-05-30 10:27 pm UTC (link)

Lucy was dressed in ill-fitting clothes, kept on a by a 'belt' made out of paracord. It doubled as a survival tool. She'd been on her own, foraging for berries, bugs, anything safe enough for her and the others to eat. The woods around had changed suddenly, looking more full and lush than they had a moment ago. The sound of a voice confirmed that this wasn't all in her mind. The man was up to something.

She put her hand on her dagger and walked towards the voice, until she saw the person behind it. He looked like her father. Jut like her father, from what she remembered of him. It could be the man himself in disguise, some other kind of trap or a poor newbie face-twin dragged to this place to torment her.

"Who the hell are you?" She asked with a scowl on her face.

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nights_highlord
2017-05-30 11:04 pm UTC (link)

Violet eyes looked the young woman over as his ear perked at her tone. Well, certainly not friendly and certainly not anyone he had yet met. Though something about her rang eerily familiar within him he could not place her face or voice as one he'd come into contact with yet. Not that he couldn't have missed someone. He didn't exactly get around the town.

"I'm Rhysand. I live nearby." He paused to point back the way he had come, out through the woods and toward the open land. "Are you hurt? You don't look well. We have food, clothes, and shelter if you need it."

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lucyfightsback
2017-05-30 11:53 pm UTC (link)

A chuckle slipped from Lucy's lips as her hand tightened on the dagger. The man must have been getting truly desperate, trying to make her believe in ghosts and other fantasies. This was no where near as clever as his other games.

"My father's been dead for years. And no one offers food, clothing and shelter that easily to a stranger." Very few of them had such luxuries to spare. A few might help out a new arrival, but not without testing them in some way first. "Who or what are you? Really?"

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nights_highlord
2017-05-31 12:00 am UTC (link)

The High Fae cleared his throat even as he withdrew his hand and ran it over his jaw while thinking. "You must have me confused with someone else," he said smoothly with a good-natured smile, as if this sort of thing happened all of the time. "I have no children, for one." Rhysand's arms then crossed loosely, comfortably, over his broad chest.

"I am who I said I am. I am Rhysand; High Lord of the Night Court--for whatever its worth, since such things don't exist here. Maybe High Lord of the Townhome." And he smirked at himself as if he were witty.

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lucyfightsback
2017-05-31 12:21 am UTC (link)

Lucy's frown deepened when this man, this thing, continued to use her late father's name and now adding in her dad's title. She had never seen that world, the doors stop working long ago. It gave her a sense that those places were sacrosanct, completely separate from the man and his nightmare island. They were the stuff of fairy tales, having been too young when her parents died to have been told anything bad about them.

"Rhysand; High Lord of the Night Court is dead and buried next to Katherine." It had been long ago that people were still buried instead of being burned on pyres. "Don't use his name again. You don't deserve to say his name."

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nights_highlord
2017-05-31 12:36 am UTC (link)

Dead and buried next to Katherine.

Dead and buried.

Next to Katherine.

Katherine...

If Rhysand had fangs he would have bared them. Instead, he snarled with what semblance of grace he had to remain after such a jab. "You should watch yourself, girl," he said in a tone as cold as the snow capped mountains of the territory around his depraved court.

"I think it's time to tell me who you are."

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lucyfightsback
2017-05-31 02:36 am UTC (link)

"I've watched enough!" Katherine snapped. All she did was watch out for herself and the others. It was her life now. "Watched my family, my friends, suffer and die because of him. Watched him make any chance we get at a life disappear."

She stepped closer. "Who am I? Who am I?" He refused to give her a honest answer, and now he dared question her. "I'm Lucy, daughter of Rhysand and Katherine and I am not falling for your tricks. Now, either tell me who you are and what you want, or I'll know you work for him!"

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nights_highlord
2017-05-31 03:24 am UTC (link)

He refused to feel threatened by some little girl throwing a tantrum. Without context it was still clear enough that something awful had taken place here and he frowned. That frown turned to shock as she continued and his heart lurched almost out of his chest. Stomach drop, lungs winded, full on shocking blow.

"You must have me confused with another," Rhysand finally said in a quiet chill. "Maybe from another time or place. I've been told that happens...Katherine and I are mated, but we have no child here." Not yet. The man then took a few steps closer as the talons of his mind powers brushed against her thoughts. Proof of his words passed by in images. There was no child. They were young in their life of love. Wild adventures through doors. Lazy nights under stars.

Yet finally he looked her over appraisingly and questioned. "We have a daughter?" And his heart swelled with joy.

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lucyfightsback
2017-05-31 07:49 pm UTC (link)

Lucy shook her head. If there was confusion this man was to blame, trying to give her false hope that she could see her family again. When the man played with time and moved people around, it was only to make things worse. Not better. She closed her eyes in a futile attempt to block out the pictures. A glimpse of happier times would lead to more suffering down the road. "Stop it." She ordered and took a step back, opening her eyes and clenching her dagger as tightly as she could.

"They have a daughter. Had. They have nothing now." There was no room in her mind for anything beyond death, no believing in tales of an afterlife, or stories about people being brought back from a point before their death.

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nights_highlord
2017-05-31 07:55 pm UTC (link)

Rhysand remained still as he relinquished his mind hold. He stood quiet and considered the situation, weighing his options and his words cautiously before he spoke. He took one step closer, then another, as he did so.

"Maybe so," he agreed with a nod. "In another time. We do not have children here." His hand waved to the side as if to motion behind him toward the world.

"Regardless of that; you look in need of assistance. At least allow me to give you water and a set of clothes before you go on your way. It's the least I could offer...as apology for my tone." Because that pit in his stomach did not want to give up on the idea that had quite suddenly been planted in his head.

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lucyfightsback
2017-05-31 09:14 pm UTC (link)

There was that word we again. Lucy still refused to believe that this man could be any version of her father. He had however stumbled upon something vita to her, enough to capture her attention well. Water. Presumably clean, drinkable water. It was a rare thing; there was no easy walking into an apartment and turning on a tap, especially for her. The man loved to find way to deny her water and remind her of what she'd been through at then young age of twelve. It was a wonder she'd been able to stay as strong as she did. She credited her ancestry for that as well as her and her friend's survival knowledge.

"You have water?"

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nights_highlord
2017-05-31 11:05 pm UTC (link)

A smile slipped across Rhysand's face as he nodded before turning in a fluid glide and starting out of the wood. "Of course," he said with a nod and simply head off without another word.

The thought crossed his mind to make it appear, hand it over, and be on his way...but he was not yet ready to end this curious encounter. The thought also crossed his mind to summon Katherine--but he wanted to see where this went. This girl seemed intent on labeling him as a fake and yet with the upcoming brawl across the island he was rather keen to call her the fake, as well. So before sounding the alarms he figured he best sort it out.

It was only at the break of the forest to the field where his beautiful cottage sat around 100 feet before them, surrounded by lush greenery and gardens overflowing like something in a fairy tale did he speak again.

"Do you have a name? We've established who I am--or, perhaps, who I'm not depending on your opinion. We haven't established who you are--or, perhaps, who you're not." He gave her a kind, playful smile over his shoulder.

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lucyfightsback
2017-05-31 11:27 pm UTC (link)

Lucy blinked at the 'of course'. As if it was normal to have such a basic tool for survival at hand. Someone working for the man wouldn't make such a claim. It would out him as a fraud instantly. Unless that was what he wanted her to think. The situation was going from angering her to confusing the hell out of her. She followed, purposely staying behind him to see if he would allow his back turned to her for long. To see if he trusted her not to stab him.

When the gardens and home came into view, she stopped and stared. It was the stuff out of childhood memories and fairy tale stories. Nothing that had felt real in a long time. "Lucy." She replied when his words registered in her mind. "My name's Lucy."

She walked closer to the gardens, expecting it to vanish at any moment like a mirage and put her dagger back in her pocket. Crouching down, she inhaled the scent of the flowers and reached out, touching one of the petals with a feather light touch. The gardens, the house, all of it seemed like a dream. A bright and beautiful dream, a complete contrast to her life. "How?" She whispered, wondering if of it could possibly be real.