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the-siren-saga · 2 years

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Interview with Falstaff

The following is a transcript of an interview conducted by Anatole Solal. The subject of the interview requested to be identified only as Falstaff. She is a young adult female Dekn, with short, ash blonde hair and violet-tinted eyes. Her temperament during this interview was at times irritable, at times highly cheerful, often forgetful of important details, and generally intent on making the interviewer's life miserable. The interviewer has attempted [Scribbled note in margins: Failed step one.] to preserve some impartiality, given his own personal biases concerning both the interviewee and the topics discussed herein.

[Transcription begins.]

FALSTAFF: Is this the part where you ask me what I saw come out of the door?

INTERVIEWER: Unfortunately, yes. I know the Imperial Guard have already asked for your statement, but if you wouldn't mind telling the story just one more time…

FALSTAFF: I don't know if I'm supposed to do that.

INTERVIEWER: Everything you tell me stays between us, okay? I know you're a little rattled from what you've seen today, but I promise, you're safe in this room.

FALSTAFF: [Sigh.] Fine. So me and a bunch of my siblings in faith–

INTERVIEWER: Your what?

FALSTAFF: We went to check on the door. It's important to our God and Ruler that we do that. So we do it about once every few days.

[Interviewer's note: Either she didn't notice my questioning, or she was pretending not to. My money, personally, is on the latter.]

INTERVIEWER: To clarify, by "the door," you mean the large golden one outside of Taveril'domaine.

FALSTAFF: The very same.

INTERVIEWER: And this time it opened.

FALSTAFF: Yep.

INTERVIEWER: Has it ever opened before?

FALSTAFF: Nope.

INTERVIEWER: I want to confirm the story you told the Guard. What came out of the door?

FALSTAFF: Oh, it was… it was horrible, I can't even describe it! It was this ugly, pale little person-shaped thing with pulsing, glowing white veins and translucent skin. Its eyes were shut tight… or maybe it didn't have any, just hollow places where eyes should have been... and it kept making these ear-splitting screams. It moved so unnaturally, like a puppet or something.

[Interviewer's note: I was shocked by how vehement her response was. It seems that the trauma of witnessing the creature's escape broke through her brainwashing a bit. I decided to push further.]

INTERVIEWER: ...Alright. Alright. And, I'm sorry for making you rehash all of this, but what did the creature do?

FALSTAFF: Well, it had these… these weird sigils on its hands, right, and it… it was firing these bursts of energy at anything it thought was a threat to it. If you were hit, it dehydrated you completely. And it… oh, oh no, it killed Belmonte, I can't–

INTERVIEWER: Who is Belmonte, Falstaff?

FALSTAFF: [Seems to suddenly, abruptly change her mood and become far more cheerful than she was a moment earlier.] I don't know anyone who goes by Belmonte. I don't think there's ever been an initiate in the Society who's gone by that name.

INTERVIEWER: You… you just mentioned someone who went by that name.

FALSTAFF: [Giggles.] Did I? Silly me.

INTERVIEWER: Yes, the one who died– the one killed by the thing from the door?

FALSTAFF: Oh, well, then, it must have been a non-believer. None of us can die unless our Master wills it so.

INTERVIEWER: I'm… I'm sorry, come again?

FALSTAFF: Isn't that nice? To have eternal life so long as He looks upon you and finds you worthy?

INTERVIEWER: Nice isn't the word I'd use for what you believe, Falstaff.

[Interviewer's note: At this point, she lowered her head and adopted a very dejected attitude. Truth be told, I felt bad for making her upset. It's just… interviewing these people makes my skin crawl and I hate it.]

FALSTAFF: ...Oh. That's too bad, then.

INTERVIEWER: So, I wanted to ask you what you do in the Society.

FALSTAFF: You know, Belmonte could be your name if you initiated. It's a nice name. I think it suits you.

INTERVIEWER: Please, can we try to stay on topic?

FALSTAFF: I do a little of this and that. Mostly, I… well, I guess I just try to be worthy of His love.

[Interviewer's note: What in the name of the Hethe have I signed up for.]

INTERVIEWER: This and that?

FALSTAFF: Some of it's a secret. I'm so happy He trusts me that much.

INTERVIEWER: I see.

[Interviewer's note: I am getting absolutely nothing from this besides a growing sense of unease.]

FALSTAFF: Are there any more questions, or can I go now? I have stuff to do.

INTERVIEWER: One more question, I wanted to bring it back to the door… Did Marchosias Aversen know what would come out of that door, when he declared it a symbol of his power? Because it seems gravely irresponsible, for someone with such a large following to–

FALSTAFF: He… [She trails off, a distant look in her eyes.]

INTERVIEWER: Are you alright, miss?

FALSTAFF: ...He didn't know, did He. He didn't have control, but that's impossible, our Master plans for all, knows all, I– I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I need to… [She looked like she was about to cry. It's at this point that I may have made things worse.]

INTERVIEWER: Falstaff, do you need a hug?

[Interviewer's note: Yeah, that was kind of unprofessional and not something I should have said, but she was so upset and in need of comfort. I know that underneath everything Marchosias did to her, she's still a person who deserves compassion, and I'm not going to let my opinions of Purple Rose prevent me from seeing that.]

FALSTAFF: Would that be okay?

INTERVIEWER: If you think it would help.

[Interviewer's note: At this point, she threw her arms around me, murmuring about how deeply forbidden it was for her to accept this kind of comfort. Someone please save this poor woman.]

FALSTAFF: This is bad, this is impure, I need to get it out of me–

INTERVIEWER: You're alright. I promise, everything is alright, you're safe with me. I can help you get out if that's what you want.

FALSTAFF: No, I can't leave His Heart, I need to go back to the High Cathedral, I need to let someone know about these… these evil thoughts that keep coming into my mind, thoughts that are all your fault, get away from me! I don't want to answer any more of your questions!

[Interviewer's note: Everything happened pretty quickly after that. She pushed me away from her– she's stronger than she looks, and it left me seeing stars for a bit. When I came to my senses, I could hear her running down the hall.]

INTERVIEWER: No, please, come back, I promise I can–

[Transcription ends.]

#arkn legacy #the siren's saga

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musesandmagick · 5 years

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Shanna and Lauri Take a Field Trip

Once again written in collaboration with @the-siren-saga

It wasn’t a fun trip with a friend. Or, at least, that’s what Laurien had to repeatedly remind herself. But Shanna was so lovely and it was so nice to be outside the Temple that it was a struggle to keep that in mind -- if anything, it was just nice to explore. She had always wanted to see new places and meet new people. Really… this was a dream come true.

“So,” she hummed with an excited little bounce and a grin, “where should we go? Do you know the area?”

Shanna blushed a little. Honestly, she hadn't been to Taveril'domaine since she was a child, so she, herself, was a bit bewildered. "We're supposed to stay within the entertainment district," she said, seemingly deep in thought. "But this is where all the best shops and restaurants are. Might even be able to catch a concert."

“A concert!” Lauri beamed at that. “I haven’t seen a concert in so long, I’ve been so focused on studying and making sure my brother stays out of trouble…” In fact, she gave a lot of her time to her brother. A little sliver of doubt settled in her chest as she thought about that, but she quickly shook it off in favour of focusing on Shanna. She deserved to just have fun and not think about her family for a while, right?

"Yeah! This part of town has live shows all the time, I bet we could catch one." Shanna found herself excited, genuinely excited about something, for the first time… The first time since my mother died, she suddenly realized. I haven't been this excited about something since my mother died. The thought stirred the vaguest hint of a question in her heart. How long had it been since she had experienced something as simple as this? Two friends, having a day to themselves to explore such a beautiful city, without pressure or expectations?

Something inside of her was beginning to wake up, and Laurien was the cause.

"Then let's do that!" Laurien watched the motions pass through Shanna's eyes with a pinch of sympathy in her chest. She didn't need to have been through the things Shanna had to know that doubt; the sudden squeeze of uncertainty whenever she smiled a little too wide or found herself looking forward to something her family hadn't approved of first. For a moment, she felt almost guilty for being part of the cause of that doubt. The moments of ignorance and bliss that she'd experienced since being among the Purple Rose had been lovely, whether or not she was aware of the cause. What right did she have to take that away?

Something inside of her was closing its eyes, and she didn't want to accept Shanna as part of the cause. So she didn't.

"I don't know about you, but I'm starving," Shanna answered. "Food first, concert in the park later. Do you like spicy food? I hope so, otherwise you won't fare very well as an Arkn in the middle of Taveril'domaine. But if you do… you haven't lived until you've tried our curry. Just saying." She steered Laurien towards a restaurant with a patio seating area. "Our Master told me to tell you that money is no object here, so feel free to order what you like."

Money is no object. Just when Lauri thought she couldn’t get more excited about this whole thing, those words left Shanna’s mouth. Her eyes glittered as she took in their surroundings, head already spinning with the magnitude of choices she now knew were available to her. Laurien’s choices while out and about were usually influenced more by what she could afford than what she actually wanted. “Surprise me,” she hummed, offering Shanna a grin, “You know the food better than me, and honestly we’ll probably be here all day if I have to pick for myself~”

Shanna pulled out a chair for Laurien once they were brought to their table, and then sat down herself. "Are you excited for tomorrow?" she asked, attempting to make small talk once they'd ordered their food.

Was she? Yes. She was. For now, at least, the prospect of spending more time with her new friends and away from the stress of home was more exciting than anything she could think of. "I am," she admitted, "I was afraid of where I might fit in, and of not fitting in, but I feel more free than ever."

You're just backing yourself into a gilded cage, Shanna wanted to say. Go, run away, find your brother again, find anyone. "I'm honored that Elucidis has chosen me to be by your side as you're reborn. It's thrilling."

“I’m glad I’ll have you there,” Lauri hummed, “there’s nobody I’d feel more at home with.” Besides Laen? No. No, even Laen couldn’t make her feel like this. Or… no. She wasn’t sure. Now that she thought about it, Laen was distant even in memory. It was nice to be alone in her thoughts for once.

A near-imperceptible switch was flipped inside of Shanna as she briefly scanned Laurien's mind. This is wrong and I need to say something I need to let her know so she doesn't meet the same fate...

"You shouldn't be," Shanna said abruptly. She suddenly seemed very scared, and very small. "You should run. I know Moirah sent you, please, just… go back to her and tell her he's keeping me in Ariadne. It's not worth it to put yourself in–"

Shanna went absolutely silent and still, and seemed very engrossed in the cobblestones of the patio. Then she looked up, eyes glowing neon purple. Supplanted by a will that was not her own.

"Oh, you silly little girl," the voice that both was and was not Shanna Averil taunted. "Trying to break my Acolyte's faith in me, are we? Very, very bad decision– she won't be able to survive apart from me. Those who belong to the Heart of the Purple Rose can't simply be severed from it."

No. No, no no this wasn’t supposed to happen. Laurien could scarcely respond for a moment, breath locked in her throat as she stared into those eyes. This was bad. This was really, truly, terribly bad. If he knew this much already, how long before he broke down the whole operation? She should definitely, definitely tell Moirah about this. Definitely.

“Y-you won’t stop me,” she said despite herself, sounding just as certain as she felt -- that is to say, not at all. “I’ll save her from you. No matter what.”

"Save her from me?" the voice asked, still mocking and playful as ever. "Aren't you listening to a word I'm saying, Laurien? My claim on her will always be there, no matter how far she runs." And just like that, it was over. "Whew! I blacked out for a minute. What happened?"

“M-- Elucidis-.. He-..” Laurien’s voice was as thin as her face was pale, a thousand lines of panic striking through her chest at once.

“Sister! Are you alright, what’s going on, what-”

Shit. Laurien fell silent, scowling as she rebuilt a shaky excuse for a barrier against Laen, then cleared her throat; attempting to offer the same friendly smile as before, “I-it’s nothing. He just-.. Spoke to me for a moment.” It was a thin excuse for a half-truth and she knew it, but that was where she settled.

"Our God-Emperor rarely ever speaks to worshippers directly through me," Shanna said, a clear sense of… joy in her voice, which was odd, considering the fear that had gripped her only a moment earlier. "That's wonderful! I truly am making progress in my training– I can't wait to tell Malistrade. Then again, he might get jealous."

Why are you happy about that? He stole your body. He can steal your body. You should be running from a power like that. Laurien kept her mouth shut even as a dozen protests jumped to her mind. Instead, she offered a weak laugh. “I feel special, I won’t lie,” she lied.

Noticing Laurien's discomfort, Shanna changed the subject. "I, um, think we'll have a little bit of time before the concert, if you want to get something nice to wear."

That sounded like a plan. Laurien wasn’t so hungry anymore. “I’d like that! I don’t think I have anything befitting of a concert…”

Shanna wasn't so hungry anymore either. "Come on, then!" she giggled, playfully tugging on Laurien's arm as she got up from her seat.

The rest of the day went by without incident. The shopping trip was a welcome distraction from the terror of seeing Shanna's body and mind being hacked, and the concert– an intimate open-air performance by some obscure Dekn band that Shanna had never even heard of– was a fun and relaxing way for the two to bond over their mutual love of music. By the end of it, both women had nearly forgotten what had happened to make them leave the sidewalk café in the first place.

That night, Shanna and Laurien entered the temple again, still buzzing from the simple joy of a day spent together without obligations or responsibilities. A day spent without control… for the most part.

An almost intoxicatingly good feeling seemed to thicken in the air as they entered. Marchosias Aversen, tall and handsome, saw them enter with a grin.

“It’s so good to see you both,” he purred, as if he hadn't just possessed Shanna a moment earlier.

The euphoria that his presence usually brought Shanna was colored with a prickle of fear. "An honor and a pleasure, my God-Emperor," she replied, as if she hadn't just come down from having been possessed.

Marchosias reached out to gently stroke Shanna's hair. "As it should be, Acolyte, as it should be."

The exchange should have been chilling. Laurien knew that, somewhere deep in that still-panicked part of her mind. But somehow she could scarcely bring herself to see it as anything more than normal-- no, endearing.

Focus, focus, focus. This is what you were warned about. Lauri remained silent for now, head bowed just a little even as she checked over the wards against her brother, fixing and mending and reinforcing despite noting how stunningly sturdy they already seemed to be.

The calm he lulled them into was quickly pierced by the entrance of one of the worshippers.

A small girl, draped in a rather revealing silk robe with a thick collar locked around her neck– that even had a leash attached to it– ran in. She literally threw herself at Marchosias’ feet, wailing as if she had been stabbed.

“My Depraved Majesty, my God-Emperor, my Master Eternal.. I-I’ve committed a-a terrible crime! The Isolator has come to harm because of my inaction! L-Lys hurt him and I said nothing!”

Tears streamed down her face as she clutched his leg. “I deserve nothing but the worst pain for this! Defile me, d-debase me and lock me in a cage!” Through her tears, she continued to cry out increasingly more extreme and painful punishments that began to take on a decidedly kinky bent.

Shanna took Laurien's hand. ‘I promise it's not normally like this here,’ she telepathically told Lauri. That statement was, of course, true– most of the time, it was worse.

It was strange to hear a voice in her head that wasn't Laen's -- but Lauri was grateful for it, finally able to tear her mind away from imagining all the terrible things the young worshipper was begging for. ‘He… He wouldn't really do all of that to her, would he?’ she sent back after a moment, having to focus a little to remember how to do that with someone she wasn't constantly in mental contact with.

‘Tea is a weird case,’ Shanna replied rather than answer the question directly. ‘She's one of those who needed a deeper form of initiation to fully belong to our God-Emperor, and she never really moved past that.’

At that moment, Tea tearfully pulled her collar to the side as much as possible, exposing an enormous bite-mark scar on her neck. “Please, just one.. Just one for my horrible sin..”

Shanna hoped with all her heart that Marchosias wouldn't do it. There was a new prospective standing right there, after all, usually new members weren't permitted to see this side of him until far later.

It was then, though, that he snapped. Lifting Tea by the collar and pulling her towards him, ready to sink his fangs into her–

And stopping, as abruptly as he began. "There, now, my delicate flower, don't cry," he purred, gathering her close and kissing her forehead as he held her. "I knew of the heretic Lysandra's unfaithfulness, and I will see to it that she faces an appropriate consequence. As for you, you did the right thing by coming to me at all. You'll get your reward later."

Clearly not accustomed to this kind of gentleness from her God-Emperor, but appreciative of it all the same, the small Dekn sank into his embrace. "Th– thank you, a thousand times thank you, your gentle grace is more than one such as me deserves… I-I'm at your mercy, my Master Eternal…"

Marchosias chuckled in a way that seemed, to all others in the room, to be affectionate. "I know you are," he said softly. As the hysterical disciple's ramblings devolved into whispered prayers of thanks and adoration, he turned his attention to Shanna and Laurien.

The bite mark had Lauri reeling. Where did it come from-- surely it wasn't all from Marchosias? The clenching fear and doubt settled back into her chest, a stark reminder of why she was here…

Only to be washed away by the God-Emperor's gentle touch and words. There was that new kind of doubt again; the one that told her perhaps those outside had it all wrong. She'd never known another's presence to be so soothing, even if she knew it was, in part, the power Moirah had warned her about.

As he turned his attention to Shanna and herself, her head dipped automatically. Something about his gaze was too much for her to look upon, even if her second instinct was to lose herself in it.

"Shanna, dear, go report to my Consort for a lesson on ceremonial conduct. I want you to brush up before tomorrow." With Shanna out of the room, he then fixed his gaze entirely on Laurien, tilting her head up to look into his hypnotic violet eyes. "I wish to speak to you alone, Laurien Adaire."

Laurien froze as Shanna was sent away, watching her go with panic in her chest. A panic that was-.. Settled. As soon as she looked into those eyes. The fear was still there, bubbling below the surface, but the pounding in her chest grew welcome; the panic more like trusting, nervous anticipation. She said nothing as Marchosias spoke, stunned into silence.

Marchosias smiled, and it was a smile so luminous that the purple neon lit chamber seemed to grow brighter. "Ah, that's what I like to see. Already so set at ease by my presence… yes, I think you'll do well here. I think that we should go somewhere a bit more private for this."

He took her by the hand, his grip gentle and soft in contrast to the rough way he'd previously handled the worshipper she saw a moment ago, and led her into a secluded chamber. "Now, Laurien, I want you to do something for me. I want you to tell me exactly what you think you saw when you came in, in your own words."

“I-I saw-..” Laurien felt like a child again, scolded by her mother. As deeply as some part of her didn’t want to, she felt like she’d stumbled on something terribly intimate, that she should never have seen. “One of your worshippers. She was upset about-.. S-something to do with a traitor, and her own inaction…” In truth, she’d barely been paying attention to what the girl was saying to begin with, and it was mostly forgotten in favour of her shock at the thought of her punishments. “A-and you forgave her.”

She paused, then, letting that sentence hang for a moment, and something shifted in her chest as she thought over the events again. She looked up, still avoiding his eyes, but favouring the centre of his forehead. “Where did that mark come from? On her shoulder? Did you do that to her?”

He took both of Laurien's hands, pulling her closer to him and holding uninterrupted eye contact with her even as she attempted to avoid his gaze. The look in his eyes was so soothing, as to dispel any fear she had of him. "If I had, would it make a difference, especially in light of the gentleness and kindness that I show to you, and to all of those who belong to me?" His aura was so overpowering, yet so gentle and graceful. He could tell someone that the sky was falling and they'd probably believe him. "Different worshippers need to be reached in different ways, dear Laurien. I speak the language that I need to speak, to lead the lost back to my embrace."

Well. When he put it that way, it… didn’t seem so uncalled for. Rather than the fear she knew she should still feel, there was a relief in her chest; and a pity for the poor girl-- Tea, wasn't it? “She-.. she needed to be hurt, just to accept you?” Laurien breathed, “That’s terrible… will she be alright?”

"Of course she will," Marchosias soothed, pulling Laurien into an embrace that seemed equal parts gentle and possessive. "I'd never harm her, or anyone who has true faith in me. Everyone is safe within the Heart of the Purple Rose."

This was wrong. She should be fighting, she should be frightened. She wanted to fight, she wanted her brother; she reached out for him--

And there was silence.

Closing her eyes, she relaxed into her God-Emperor’s embrace, and nodded gently at his words, letting out a tiny, content breath. And it was good.

#drabble #laurien #v:arkn #arknverse #arkn legacy #arkn x

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