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Aeinsa Zahaarina Salifa
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Race: Galdor
: "For Gods' sake, just call me Rina."
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Thu Jun 20, 2019 2:20 pm

Brunnhold Library Brunnhold
on the 5th of Intas, 2719 Breakfast
Rina frowned at Niamh's panic at the redhead's slip of the tongue. When she spoke, her voice was full of worry. "Honey, it isn't in my nature to spread secrets. But what in the hell has that little shit done to you to make you so scared? I've seen him in the cafeteria causing trouble, but that kind of fear…" she paused for a moment, examining the girl closely. "He's exponentially worse at home, isn't he?" she said, her voice just above a whisper. She then waved her hand, dismissing the question for now. "This isn't the time for that discussion, is it? You're safe with me, at least."

The half-Mugrobi girl felt for the older girl, though she herself had been lucky enough to grow up in a loving family. But she knew a lot of other people weren't so lucky. Galdori families weren't known for being loving in the way her family was and a few of her closest friends had been taken under her wing simply because their families were horrid. She couldn't change their families, but at least she could make her friends feel cherished and loved, the way her family made her feel.

She knew she couldn't save the world, but if she could help the people she cared about just a little bit, that would be a good start.

Rina shook her head when Niamh looked ashamed. "No need to be ashamed, Niamh. Nobody could have stopped what happened," she said with a shrug. "They can't really even help me now. I'm not a Living conversationalist, but all the doctors my family has taken me to said that the nerves are too compressed, the bone is too close to them. They could try to do surgery, but I'm just not willing to take a risk that could end up with me being paralyzed, y'know? It's just not worth it when I generally enjoy life, even with the pain. I have a nice house and good servants and friends who like me for who I am. Father, Mother, and ja make sure I'm taken care of. This," she said, patting her wheelchair. "Doesn't define who I am, even if people think it does."

She watched as Niamh fell silent, lost in thought. She let the girl have her silence, knowing that whatever was on her mind would come out if it was meant to. She meant it when she said she didn't spread secrets. She also didn't dig if she got the slightest sense that it would be a bad idea. During the few years after her accident, when she was being poked and prodded by countless doctors, she had learned to value her privacy. And, in the past six months, she had learned to value it even more.

Rina laughed at Niamh's comment about her academic fascinations, but it wasn't a mean, nasty laugh. "I think everyone has their… thing. You know, that thing that they can get lost in, as if their soul would die without it. The thing that brings life to them. I'm glad you know what yours is."

Rina ran her hand through her hair and gave Estella a quiet smile over her coffee mug after she had taken a long drink. It was a smile that many would think was strange for a Galdor woman to give to the passive she employed, a smile that said there was much more than kindness beneath it.

Niamh wasn't the only one who had secrets. But Rina wouldn't let this one out. She couldn't. Even her parents would be scandalized. And she didn't even want to think about what the impact would be at school if her secret got out.

Estella sat down and bit back a groan at Niamh's comment about the importance of coffee to Mugrobi people, as though she knew that the girl had opened a door that might be difficult to close. She reached up with a finely-fingered hand and rubbed her forehead. "Oh, Lady. You asked the question you never ask Mugrobi people," she teased Niamh.

Rina laughed and stuck her tongue out at Estella playfully. "I'll keep it brief."

"Please do," Estella chuckled.

Rina turned her focus back to Niamh. "Coffee is… it's a religious thing for us, really. Legend says that Hulali gave us the coffee bean as our first spice to bring to the world. I mean, let's be real, it was salt that made my fathers' nation a spice powerhouse. But who drinks salt?" Rina laughed. "It's coffee that binds us. Every time we drink coffee, we're giving thanks to Hulali for the wealth he gives us. We even have a formal ceremony that people do as a religious rite or even for something as every day as a business deal. A Mugrobi store that doesn’t have fresh coffee for the customers isn't one that's going to stay open very long. Even grocery stores have coffee to offer, though their cups are usually sipping cups."

"I'll be honest, though… The flavor can be too strong for me," the disabled girl said, tipping her cup slightly to show that the coffee in it was a dark tan color, not too far off from her skin ton. "Don't tell my fathers, but I prefer a touch of cream in my coffee," she said with a mischievous grin.

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Maximus
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Mon Jun 24, 2019 5:29 pm

Intas 5, 2719 | Breakfast
Brunnhold Library
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Niamh squirmed visibly, hazel eyes skittering away from Rina and unable to alight on anything for more than a moment. She shouldn't have mentioned her youngest brother, shouldn't have let slip about his terror of passives. Worse still, she shouldn't have displayed her fear. It wasn't that Oísin was particularly... bad, not really. In truth, when he was alone without his friends around, he was more of a coward than he'd like people to know. However, anything that threatened his manhood tended to make him particularly irate. His manhood was so fragile, something he tried oh so carefully to cultivate and strengthen while his father and others did so much to threaten it. If something like that got out, not only would it be traced back to Niamh but it would also spread like wildfire. If such a thing got back to Toibin Madden, it wouldn't matter if it had been his daughter who had said it, it was Oísin who'd suffer. He was the heir, he was the one who had all the hopes pinned on him and yet so consistently managed to be a failure. Her brother never seemed to disappoint the Madden patriarch and it was something he felt keenly, all the more so because his sister was so often the comparison. It was why he was so vicious towards her, spread such nasty, horrible things. It would be all too easy to ask Rina to spread it and watch her brother's world come crashing down because of every bit of heartache he'd caused her; it would be a petty form of revenge.

Oísin might be a prick but he was still her brother and no matter how ridiculous it was given the circumstances, she still loved him. In truth, in that moment she wasn't sure if she was more scared of Oísin or for him.

"He's... usually quieter at home but he hates me more when we're there. Well, not hate, he doesn't hate me, it's just..." the young woman sighed, gaze finally settling in her lap. "It's complicated, Rina. He isn't... what he seems. At all. But no, it isn't the time and I... I really don't want to talk about Oísin right now."

Her voice caught on his name, hot tears unexpectedly flooding the young woman's gaze. She couldn't think of him without thinking of what he'd said just a few days before at Clock's Eve all too fresh in his memory. Words that had been cruel and painful, driving her to drink too much and make rather stupid decisions. Words that had hurt but had been all too true, hurting most because of their truth. No, she definitely didn't want to think about that and her father and her prospective fiancé and Harper.

There was an uncomfortable little shiver in her field. No, no, she definitely didn't want to think about any of that. The final form girl looked up with wet, overly bright eyes, making an effort to focus on her newly made acquaintance, even if the topic of conversation wasn't much more cheery than the one before.

"I'm sorry, Rina but... yes, I thought that was likely. That if they tried anything they could make it worse, I mean. Just... if they haven't done anything by this point, the prospects..." the redhead shook her head with a sigh. "It's good that you have a positive outlook but surely the pain is... unbearable at times? Although I suppose that support helps, it must be nice to have a network like that. To have lots of... friends."

She lapsed into silence again, field grey-shift with the near smothering weight of fog as a morose feeling clung to it. Niamh was all too aware how small her world was these days, how few people seemed to be in it with her and how very few she had in her circle that she felt actually cared about her. The eldest Madden didn't have any close friends, had never really had them, and those that had counted as friends enough had evaporated. It was very much her own fault, the young woman being so concerned with her infatuation with Harper and his research and then her brother had returned to her life and the girl had settled for avoidance rather than lying as her secrets accumulated. How strange it must be to have a circle of friends, a close and supportive family rather than the loneliness and the emptiness that surrounded her, the frigid, tense air that permeated her own household.

Sweet Lady, even her passive was nice to her, that smile that passed between them seeming to be laden with some genuine connection that went beyond servant and mistress, carer and patient. Everyone liked Rina, she really was lucky, wasn't she?

Estella's teasing remark earned a quirked eyebrow and a flush to the freckled cheeks. Had she said the wrong thing? Was she liable to send Rina off on some tangent from which she was unlikely to emerge? Well, she'd wanted to ensure that the girl talked and it wasn't entirely necessary that the Living Conversationalist talked again, was it? She'd have to go to class soon any way but perhaps Rina could keep talking until then, prevent any awkwardness from seeping in. However, she hadn't anticipated that coffee would be important, not quite to that level and she found herself staring at the half-Mugrobi, wide-eyed. She was sure that if she looked Estella's way, she was liable to catch an I-told-you-so look.

"Well then... yes, quite important. I wasn't aware that it was a matter of worship, especially as it's gradually gaining more popularity here. Oh, it certainly isn't overtaking tea but... is it odd for you? To have Anaxi or whatever just... drink it? As if it's no big deal? As if there's no significance to it?" she questioned softly, head tilting to the side, hazel eyes alight with curiosity and yet the young woman wondered if she was saying the right thing.

"I'm sorry to say that I don't like it at all. I hear it's an acquired taste but it's clocking strong. I suppose it's a good thing that I'm not Mugrobi," she joked, laughing lightly, a little worried that she'd be left laughing at all. Red strands were pushed back self-consciously, the smile on her face shy, hesitant, her field calmer now.

"What's it like having three parents, two fathers? I can't really ask if it's strange to you because... it's normal to you, isn't it? Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying that it's weird!" Niamh hastened to clarify, fingers running through her hair, ruffling the straight strands so that some stuck out at odd angles. She was left with a small, fuzzy halo. "I just meant... what's it like? I suppose you must feel the differences sometimes? Or find that some things don't work well... while others do."

She flushed anew. "Sweet Lady, that's so invasive of me, isn't it? Circle preserve me, you must think I'm as bad as those first formers with all my questions!"
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Aeinsa Zahaarina Salifa
Posts: 27
Joined: Fri Mar 08, 2019 8:53 pm
Topics: 7
Race: Galdor
: "For Gods' sake, just call me Rina."
Character Sheet: Character Sheet
Plot Notes: Plot notes, incl. thread history
Writer: Rachel/jadeowl
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Sat Jul 13, 2019 10:42 am

Brunnhold Library Brunnhold, Anaxas
on the 5th of Intas, 2719 Breakfast
Rina smiled at Niamh. "I've heard that sibling relationships can be complicated. I'm an only child; Mother isn't really interested in, ah…" the caramel-skinned girl paused a moment, trying to figure out how to word what she wanted to say politely. It's not like it was considered polite to discuss a parent's disinterest in what most people thought was the most important part of a marriage. But her mother had always been frank why Rina was an only child.

For the first time, Rina's confidence wavered and, when she spoke, her words came out in a nervous rush. "Well, Mother loves Father, in her way, but she never really wanted to have children. She's a good mother, mind you. She's always made sure I know I'm loved, and she's never been cruel. But…" Rina finished weakly and shrugged, blushing. She looked relieved when Niamh said she didn't want to talk about Oísin, grabbing at the opportunity to move on to less awkward topics.

Rina shrugged a bit when Niamh mentioned the pain she dealt with. "I won't lie and say it doesn't get overwhelming at times. But what else can I do besides deal with it? I'm not the type to give up on life because it gets difficult. I have too many parties to throw and too many outfits to design to give up," the vivacious girl grinned. "If it's bad, I go home after classes and let myself cry and throw tantrums. Then I move on because that's what I have to do."

"The support does help, though the administration here has been… less than helpful at times. They thought that it'd be more appropriate for someone 'with my problems' should be schooled at home, as if I'm some creature that should be hidden away from polite company," Rina said with a disgusted scoff. "My parents had to threaten to sue to get them to ensure I could attend school here. Even though they finally accommodated me, it still feels like pulling teeth sometimes to get people to accept that I'm just as capable as any one of the students here, even in my chair. I even manage to top quite a few students in the dueling league," Rina said with a cheeky grin.

Rina felt the melancholy shift in Niamh's field. "Well, you're more than welcome to sit with me at lunch. Oh!" she said excitedly as an idea came to her. "Maybe you can come to my next little soiree! My house isn't too big, but I like meeting up with a handful of friends during the week and just relaxing. A proper tea, in the Anaxi way," she grinned.

Rina gave a little dismissive wave, clearly not offended by Niamh's opinion on coffee. "I've learned to accept cultural differences. My father and ja both refuse to conform to Anaxi social standards. They're Mugrobi, through and through, and they don't let anyone – even our servants – forget it," she laughed. "I'm not the type of person who's going to judge someone for their opinion of coffee. I mean, I'm not a huge fan of Anaxi tea, so I figure it balances out. But I will admit that I like a cup of Hoxian tea before bed. Their jasmine-scented tea is divine."

Rina gave a cheerful laugh at Niamh's question about her fathers. "It's okay. I'm used to people being intrigued. At least you're not throwing slurs around," she said with a friendly smile. "It's nice to have three parents. From a lot of my friends' stories, I gather that a lot of Anaxi children are often passed off to nannies and tutors as soon as possible, and their parents become distant. Mother's a professor here and Father is an ambassador, so I could have easily ended up in the same situation. But ja met Father when I was two and was, according to him, as instantly smitten by me as he was by my father," the disabled girl said with a roll of her eyes. Clearly, the teenager thought that her ja's obvious affection was a bit much, like a lot of other teenagers in her position would.

"Ja's always been there for me. He took a sabbatical from his business to take care of me once he and Father got married and, even once he went back to his textiles business, he decided to stay here in Anaxas. I don't know what I would have done without him after my accident. Mother and Father love me and would have cared for me as best as they could have, but their jobs keep them extremely busy. Ja had the time to give me the emotional support that I really needed to piece my new life together. I'd be a very, very different person without him."
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Maximus
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Sun Jul 21, 2019 4:15 pm

Intas 5, 2719 | Breakfast
Brunnhold Library
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The redhead smiled, shallow as it failed to meet her eyes. Sibling relationships could certainly be called complicated. That was... certainly a word. Both of her brothers could certainly be termed as such, Fionn especially although she wouldn't want to do without either of them - even Oísin. That didn't mean that they were extremely uncomfortable and less than enjoyable to discuss. She didn't like talking about Oísin with Rina but he was easier to talk about and considerably less risky to mention. Fionn though... However, it wasn't her own relationships that was the focus here but Rina's.

Colour flooded her freckled cheeks, a quick shake of the head to show that she didn't want the younger girl to continue - that she didn't have to do so. Niamh could see how this was going to go, could grasp what the mixed blood was trying to convey and she didn't like it. No woman should feel as if she had to have children and yet it was definitely viewed as a necessary duty. Not even that, it was seen as something that a woman was meant to want as if it was a matter of nature and not to want it... It would be considered unnatural. How strange that one could talk so normally about having three parents, about having dads that were together and yet talking about a woman who didn't want to bear more than one child was a topic of shame and awkwardness. Yet the Living Conversationalist knew that it wasn't unusual.

She had heard comments, spotted little changes in expression sometimes when talking to other women. The topic of having a family would come up and there would be some who would say something like "Imagine having children" that tug down at the corner of the mouth - disgust. But then they'd laugh it off, act as if the thought had never disgusted them, that it wasn't off-putting to them. She'd heard some talk about children and then talked about the god send of nannies. If they had to have them - and that seemed to be a requirement for womanhood, as was marriage - then there was always the sense that they could pawn them off on someone else so they wouldn't have to raise them. And in truth, it could be done. Ten years and then your child was in Brunnhold and basically didn't have anything to do with you for another ten. It could be done, her mother had done a fairly good job of it. You just had to make an appearance every once in awhile and make the right noises and show the right amount of interest. She'd encountered those who didn't want to have to actually bear children, which... she could understand - she'd done anatomy, it sounded a bit gross - but she also knew those who really just didn't seem enthused by the idea of having children whether they carried them or adopted them.

Rina's mother certainly wasn't unique but the older student was suddenly tongue-tied, unable to voice any assurances or cut her off before the other tried to explain any of it aloud. Thankfully, it was only a few moments of awkwardness, during which time the youth was fairly sure that her face almost caught fire. Unfortunately, it did mean that those things had been aired, and she'd rather have saved both of them that uncomfortable moment. Frankly, things didn't improve from Niamh's perspective. Being told by someone that they let their feelings out in an explosive fashion on a bad day wasn't exactly socially acceptable. If you bawled your eyes out in private or threw tantrums then that was your own business, wasn't it? It was meant to remain your own private business, you didn't go telling people about it! There were all manner of things that were supposed to remain quite firmly behind closed doors. It wasn't meant to be commented on so indifferently, as if it was inconsequential.

The blush which had just begun to cool at the onset of safer topics had a resurgence.

"Yes, well... I'm sure that you don't have to explain- You obviously cope well with your situation, you're quite the social butterfly and a-a-a rising star," Niamh commented, the eldest Madden smiling a little shyly. It wasn't that she'd spent particular attention to Rina, she was just difficult to fail to notice her. However, it sounded as if she'd given the other particular attention, which certainly wasn't the case. And while she was embarrassed and awkward and anxious and largely concerned with things that she wouldn't tell the young fashionista about, the comment about creatures to be hidden away, prompted something more passionate from the Living Conversationalist.

There was a brief flare in her field, something fiery and triumphant, even as her face remained strangely innocent. "Yes, we do like to hide away people that we think are broken although they don't necessarily have to be out of sight to be out of mind," she commented, hazel eyes slightly narrowed as she levelled a meaningful look at the other galdor before flicking her gaze to Estella. Passives had a disability as far as Niamh was concerned, something that they couldn't help and which she didn't think they should be punished for. Was it fair for her to draw parallels, to make the wheelchair-bound girl consider their similarities?

"There's no reason why a person who lacks certain abilities or has certain physical disadvantages shouldn't be able to do many things at the same level or better than those who don't have those shortcomings," she added, biting her lip and thinking about her brother and abilities that had manifested despite his lack of nurturing and things that were beginning to emerge now that he was being given certain opportunities. The fact that he couldn't do magic probably wouldn't affect much of what he could do; he had plenty of natural ability if only he could be allowed to cultivate it. If only other passives were allowed to cultivate it. Although perhaps like Rina, it would be too difficult to help them. Melancholy whispered through the monic aura surrounding her for some moments as she dwelt on that fact.

Melancholy and anxiety were liable to become her default emotions if she wasn't careful.

Still, she managed to conjure up some genuine warmth and a smile at the other's friendliness. The idea of being included was lovely although she couldn't see herself fitting into the hub of activity and socialisation that surrounded the ninth former. Still, it was a kind offer and well-meant, even if the redhead couldn't see herself fitting in.

"I appreciate the invitation, Rina. I may take you up on it sometime although I'm usually happy to spend my lunch in study or contemplation. Sometimes, I have lunch in the lab actually, help the professors out," Niamh admitted, a blush taking over again. Gods, Rina must think that blushing was a constant feature of her face. She shrugged. "I know, I must seem like quite the swot. You wouldn't be entirely wrong but it's not like I'm trying to impress anyone."

Oh no, you definitely haven't done anything in the hopes of winning a certain person's approval and admiration, she thought, dry and darkly teasing.

She laughed, attempting to hide her own awkwardness. It was lucky that the topic of beverages came up. It was truly innocuous, something that she could talk about and even make a small, almost guilty, admittance that wouldn't actually be in any way harmful.

"I don't... actually like tea. I will drink it sometimes to be social or... well, it can be a bit stimulating depending on the kind you take so it can be much needed if I'm tired but... I prefer a nice, fresh juice. If I can have it chilled, that's even better. I worked out that I could add slivers of ice from the chill box at home but that dilutes things so I worked out that I could freeze or chill berries and pop them in. They don't melt but they keep things cold," she beamed, quite happy with her discovery and almost looking to Rina for compliments for her cleverness, like a child seeking approval from a parent.

Fingers played with her hair, teasing strands and curling them around the digits, nodding as she listened to the other talking about parenting. She tried not to think about what the girl had said earlier about her mother's lack of maternal instinct. But she was right about the distance, she could agree with that. It interested her though that it was a man who had turned out to have the greater love and interest in children. It was intriguing to hear that he had a soft spot for little ones; she was fairly sure that Fionn did as well so maybe it wasn't that strange after all.

"Your ja sounds like he was a really good... dad? He certainly sounds like he was there for you. It actually sounds like having a third parent has its advantages. It meant that you had someone who could be there for you and that's important. Maybe it'd be better if more people had-"

The bell signalling the end of breakfast boomed through the school. They'd have a few minutes to get to class, thankfully or they'd be officially late. Maybe people were willing to make concessions for Rina, especially as she could probably say that pain had delayed her. Niamh didn't have that excuse and she was known for being punctual.

"Oh tocks!" the young woman blurted out, hopping to her feet and almost toppling her chair in the process. She caught it with one hand to steady it, grimacing almost apologetic.

"I have to pack up my stuff and run, I'm so sorry. I really have to go but... I'll see you again sometime and maybe... maybe we could do... something. Together. Like um... I don't know, something," she stuttered out, unsure what sort of things friends did and utterly unable to think in the moment. She gave a little shrug and darted back to the table where she'd been reading before Rina came in, shoving her belongings into her bag, ready to sling it over her shoulder and dash to class unless the mixed blood decided to delay her.
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