ἡ Κρεσσιδά εὔχεται τὴν ΄Εκάτην. (magikos) wrote in st_margarets, @ 2015-09-10 22:28:00 |
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Entry tags: | character: cressida hallowfen, character: daniela vazquez, location: beyond the academy and camden |
Log: Consequences of Action
WHO: Cressida Hallowfen and Daniela Vazquez
WHEN: Sometime last week
WHERE: Buenos Aires, Argentina
NPCs: Mention of Daniela's parents
St. Margaret's sent out the staff member best suited to speak to the family of their potential students. Sometimes the staff member was sent out to rescue the student. This was the former though and Cressida endured two long flights before she landed in the capital of Argentina: Buenos Aires. From there it was a taxi drive to the Vazquez home, which sat in one of the nicest parts of the town in a gated community. It was turning into spring time in South America, so while it was no longer freezing cold, it was still a little cooler than the summer up in Maine. When she spoke to the family, she already knew they were Catholic. She also discovered that they were in the middle of a divorce, as the parents seemed especially distant and argued a bit in Spanish a few times before they remembered they had company. The pitch was simple. St. Margaret's was a prestigious boarding school in America that could offer Daniela a first-class education and help her through her difficult time. She provided them with the usual materials that explained some things but left out the big secret. Best not to tell the parents that they were considering sending a daughter to the school to learn more magic. It protected the school from hunters and protected Daniela from being disowned. They'd lost enough, hadn't they? It was put into motion and they agreed to send her there. Daniela would be packing her bags but before they left, Cressida needed to see what this girl had done. So the two of them made their way to the cemetery. "Your mother said you have a talent for music," Cressida said, making some small conversation as they walked. Daniela had kept quiet throughout the talk that her parents had had with Cressida. Her parents had contributed enough to the conversation that Daniela found herself speechless... at least until they had started arguing about her safety. At that point, Daniela had retorted in a rapid volley of Spanish that had left them both gaping. It had just been a brief moment ago but Daniela had felt guilty the moment her rant was over. She should not have told them how much she hated living at home and seeing them fight like that. She should not have pointed out how their guilt over Victoria's death made her life feel like hell. Or how their over-protectiveness made her feel as though she were drowning. The visit to the cemetery had been a welcome reprieve from seeing the hurt in their eyes. "Yes. I like writing songs." Daniela replied and tried to focus on Cressida. She pointed towards the large gated lot across the street. The cemetery always looked foggy and grey at a distance but most people didn't seem to notice. Daniela watched the slow but ever-moving fog, knowing from experience that they were spirits of the dead. "St. Margaret's believes in cultivating that sort of talent," Cressida said, observing the young woman out of the corner of her eye. There came the point and where Daniela saw the slow fog there, Cressida saw a cemetery. Quiet. Peaceful. A place where the dead were meant to rest. But she also felt it there. Something was off and she knew if she used a spell, she would see what was wrong. Even some humans might feel off about it too. "How long have they been there?" Cressida asked, looking at the cemetery and then back to Daniela, "And how many do you think are there?" Daniela pursed her lips and shrugged. "I try to...send them back, but more come." As they moved closer, the fog shifted uneasily and Daniela had to look away for a moment. There were faces now, the bolder spirits moving as close to the gates as possible to gap and shout at her. Normally, she wore her headphones and drowned out the constant buzz of chatter and mutters of the dead. "I think the oldest." Pause. "Longest is a year. I do not know how many. Many." A year? That's how long she'd been trying to resurrect her sister? Cressida knew that Daniela was the sister of the vampire at St. Margaret's but such things would be handled in time. It made sense as to why Victoria was in Ladon house if her own sister had been so devoted to her that she tried to bring her back from the dead. That sort of desperation was worrying . . . "What resources did you use?" she asked then, wanting to know so she could find those people and shut them down in some manner. The dead were not a game and in the hands of a young witch desperate to bring her sister back, it could lead to a lot of trouble. "And have they ever left the cemetery?" Daniela did not know what Cressida was thinking but she could guess. It wasn't a pleasant revelation in any case. Daniela exhaled and did her best to drown out the constant ruminations of the cemetery spirits. Some of them were beginning to show signs of agitation. "I...used my blood. And these pictures. No, symbols, that a lady showed me. It is in my notebook." Daniela answered, trying to think of a better explanation. She had not talked about any of this in English before. Daniela tried to look more confident, or not as much like a naughty student outside the principal's office. "I don't think so. They cannot leave their...bodies...not far from their bodies I mean." A lady showed her. That was enough for Cressida to start with. Someone likely thinking they had an idea of what they were doing and in reality they had only an inclination. These symbols instead unlocked the innate magical talent in Daniela. And what a way to start. Some children tried love spells and Daniela went straight for the big stuff. "And so they will remain for now," Cressida said, "until you find a way to put them back where they belong. Magic has consequences, as you can see, and we must clean up our own messes." She paused and then asked, "Are there any that concern you in specific?" Guilt lay heavily on Daniela and she could only nod. Any defiance or rebelliousness in her had escaped in her lengthy outburst before. "No. They don't do anything but swim around." Daniela replied with a shake of her head. "I can show you the symbols." she added, eager to leave the cemetery and return, yet equally reluctant to face her parents again. Thankfully, Sofia had been out. That would have been worse. Daniela hated being the grounded, dependable big sister that Sofia needed. The role did not suit her at all and while she tried, Daniela had only failed time and time again to be Victoria's replacement. "Very well," Cressida said, "Let's start back toward the house. I'll want to see those symbols and see what I can do to find out their origin. Necromancy is not a strength of mine. I know a few who study it but it's a difficult sort of magic to control. Blood is a great catalyst but with unpredictable results." Motioning for Daniela to start walking back to the Vazquez home, she continued, "At St. Margaret's, you won't necessarily be studying more of that magic. You'll learn the basics for now. Magic is diverse. There are many talents and some have specific gifts that guide them to a school of magic. But the fundamentals are the same." Pausing for a half moment, she clarified, "I cannot stress the importance that what you learn of magic is not something that should be spoken of so casually unless you are ready to deal with those consequences as well. Magic has met resistance from a number of places, and I know your upbringing does not approve of it." Daniela listened in silence and nodded when she felt the need. She would still continue to study necromancy. She would still try to get Victoria back but she knew very little about magic, and learning about the basics would help her better understand the notes she had. Daniela did not know what other types of magic there was, beyond the results from her internet searches and some vague examples that were briefly referred to during her initial meeting with the witch. ...was she a witch? Daniela thought, did she attend St. Margaret's as well? "I understand. My parents would crucify me if they know." Her laugh was strained and bitter. Cressida frowned but then reached out to put her hand on Daniela's shoulder, stopping their walk, "I would say there are many like you at St. Margaret's, and truthfully, there are, but they are no replacement for your family. Perhaps there will be a day where they will understand. Hate is too strong of an emotion to hold for so long." She grew up in a family that raised her to know that magic was something to be proud of. It was part of her identity. For other witches it wasn't quite so simple. Daniela had a difficult path ahead. "For now, we'll focus on helping you learn enough to put the dead to rest," she said and then motioned for them to walk again, "And to understand more of what you are." Cressida meant well but her words did not make Daniela feel better. Her angry outburst still lay heavily on her and the stacking guilt over the tormented spirits in the cemetery that they had just witnessed was a constant emotional burden. She felt exhausted and fake whenever she had to try to pretend everything was normal and put on a smile. It was easier in texts and on Facebook. Cressida was the first person that Daniela could freely talk to about all this. It felt liberating but it also felt as though there was no denying what she was or what she had been doing anymore. She was a witch, one who practiced the darkest of the craft. There was quiet and for now that might be the best thing. When they would return to the house, Daniela would begin her packing and then they would prepare to go. The semester would start soon and hopefully Daniela would make some sort of reconciliation with her parents before she left. It was best not to leave on such a note. Cressida didn't understand much Spanish, but she wasn't blind to the tension in the room when Daniela had spoken to her parents. This, in the end, was good, and Cressida was grateful that she could be a part of St. Margaret's and bringing students like Daniela to the school. It was a good school and there, she hoped, Daniela would find her talent. To accomplish all of this from just practicing was impressive enough. It would be interesting to see what happened with Daniela and where she decided to take her magic. |