EXT - Windgrace Manor Orangery; day
Dinah (dollihead) was in her happy place. Fresh from the 'work room', the scent of incense hung on her still, and faint pink lines criss-crossed her skin. there was a cup of cooling dandelion tea on the fur rug beside her, and she was reading. nothing work related, this time, nothing even suspicious... today, she was just reading mythologies of various different cultures. Recovering, and on the come down from *whatever* she had ingested in there to make her eyes so glassy.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) had shoved aside the bookshelf for Di earlier as needed and afterward come back with a gift for his sister in hand. He'd lurked, just staring at her for some time before he'd stalk in, declaring, with Wyatt's words, taking place of any he had:
"A face that should content me wondrous well
Should not be fair but lovely to behold,
With gladsome cheer all grief for to expel;
With sober looks so would I that it should
Speak without words such words as none can tell;
Her tress also should be of crisped gold;
With wit; and thus might chance I might be tied,
And knit again the knot that should not slide."
He'd grin at his good job reciting the one he'd mulled over and generally with his usual hunger and amusement on a good day with his sister.
Delilah Harper-Windgrace (jess.hamelin) made her way up the path towards the house, kicking off her shoes and letting out a sigh as her bare feet touched grass. Pulling off her glasses completed the shift to relative-comfort, and she was just aiming to enter the house when she overheard what sounded like poetry from the direction of the greenhouse. Smirking, she changed direction and made her way towards the sounds of the twins, hopping lightly off the end of the porch. She'd been back from her sabbatical, but hadn't actually seen her sibling-cousins yet, so why not now? "Do ma ears deceive, or is Dori finally back ta spoutin' random poetry again...hullo fam'ly, how ye doin'? Ah miss anythin' interestin'?"
Dinah (dollihead) looked up at the sound of her brothers' poetry adn she smiled warmly, rolling over onto her back like a sunning cat. She giggled, smiling and reaching towards him.
"have you been reading again? your voice is pretty with poetry, dorian" she sighed wistfully. She tilted her head towards the sound of Delilah, but she giggled. "you did" she agreed, but she made a thoughtful noise.
"nothing terribly interesting, i'd wager.. though I might be wrong.." she agreed, reaching for her tea cup. her movements were a little slow and sluggish, the pink scar lines fading even further as they spoke.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) would lay down the branches of Rose of Sharon by his sister then take up a seat by her side as Lilah approached. Just in time to stop him petting Dinah's hair. He'd look over to the red-headed half-kin, grin lingering and chuckle out the gust of warmth that his twin's reaction had granted him. Then he'd remark, "I do not know. That our house girl has some foe abroad, I suppose, trying to, what was it--buy her? The pale haired girl, Vedis."
Delilah Harper-Windgrace (jess.hamelin)'s keen eyes shifted briefly to the pink marks on Di's arm, but she'd long since stopped trying to gain an insight on what the siblings did in the ritual room, they could keep their magic stuff. Instead, she offered a small shrug, saying, "Ah dinnae think much woud happen, not after only a week..." Crossing her arms, she leaned against the greenhouse door. "Ah wis talkin' with Vedis when Ah returned yes'erday...glad ye hired her, by th' by...but what's this 'boot someone tryin' ta buy 'er? She just bloody arrived, who else knows 'boot her..." she gave a brief shake of the head. "An' is Mr. Moodypants still in his room? Ah swear, it's like Amsterdam all over again..."
Dinah (dollihead) saw Dori sit beside her, gathering the flowers to her chest. remaining on her back, she laid them on her chest like a body in state, but she reached out for her brother to wriggle just enough into his lap towards his petting.
She made a soft noise in her throat and she shrugged her shoulders. "She's a grown woman. most of that is on her" she mused "if someone wants to try and pay better than we do, good luck to them" she snorted, plucking one of the roses and reaching up to tuck it into dorian's hair, nodding her agreement to Delilahs' words.
"barely seen him since he exploded Gunner" she murmured, her words soft and a little dreaminess to them. "...still mad"
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd) slid up behind Lilah and full on goosed her ass. "Nothing like Amsterdam, honest." He slid by here into the little glass box leaning his head down. "I was told to ...uh, stop harassing the help." He eyed Lilah carefully as he passed her, "...and to clean up any messes." Hello ...Dorian, Dinah." He pushed his tongue into his cheek sa Dinah spoke and frowned a little. He just turned his back and sent to investigate some of the plants. "Gonna stay mad forever eh?" He said over his shoulder at her. He looked better, healthier. not like he was gonna murder anyone.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) would not discourage his sister from decorating him with flowers nor reaching out to him on any day, so at the merest urging his hand was pulling her hair aside just for the sake of making contact. It was plain to him that his sister was a little on the dazed side, but she'd put herself in the chillout tent. He'd just keep quiet though he'd given his brother an upward nod of greeting; the joys of family.
Delilah Harper-Windgrace (jess.hamelin) yelped slightly as Stan goosed her, and she cursed softly. It never failed, Drystan remained one of the few people who could sneak up on her...she was fairly certain he did it on purpose. Giving him a light punch on the arm as he passed, she held up a be-clawed finger, hoping to pause the conversation. "Back up...Stan /blew up/ Gunner? Shite...shame that, he wisnae a total eediot...only mostly..." But with a brief pause, she shrugged, the matter seemingly passed as she moved into the interior of the greenhouse. "Guess we need a new runner...we coud promote tha' one diver, Tetsuo...th' tall, wiry kid...lad's got a decent head on his shoulders...been loyal sae far..."
Dinah (dollihead) lifted her head at the sound of the last windgrace coming and she smiled. Mad as she was, she was still fond of him, and any rage that he might have got was tempered by the drugs from her work room and the blood loss.
"I had to pick bits of spleen out of the orrery, stan" she complained quietly "and it wasn't even *my* spleen, nor my mess. the mechanism didn't stop the cycle of the planets just because guts got in the workings" she lifted a hand out towards him. "But i'm glad to see you looking better, my lovely."
She reached out to plant another rose in dorians' curls, and she smiled again. "Tetsuo.. do i know that boy? i'm not sure i know that boy. if he steals, it IS coming close to *time*"
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd) knelt down next to his singular plant that he kept in the glass enclosure, where it seemed to flourish, Madame Green Goodness. He rubbed his finger on her leaves and frowned a little. "He deserved what he got, just not...where. I didnt exactly have ...any.. control. Im glad i didn't blow up the house. The house didnt piss me off so...one point for the house." He spoke over his shoulder some. "I'm sorry it was such a mess. I wish you'd let me help more." He could after all use a mop and several rags and cleanser all at once, do the work of several people...but nope. He wasn't allowed. "We'll get another runner, new people arrive on the island daily, and yes. we can take care of anyone that may need that. it is nearing that time.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) went ahead and planted himself by Dinah, and nodded fervently when Lilah asked about Gunner. He was not piling onto his big brother, on that count. Everyone had their things. Besides all of this chatter sort of gave him time to figure out when to drop his news. He'd only add, aver and expound, "We got it done. You were in no shape, Drystan, truly. You looked like a tuberculosis patient. I like Tetsuo. I think he's a child or a little sister or someone who he sees to. I suppose he'd like the pay rise. See if we can do something for the little girl too, Lilah?"
His twin's dreamy voice and attentions, even those proffered to the big brother occupied with his plant were met with a dopey boyish grin. "Is it time, already? Blimey."
Delilah Harper-Windgrace (jess.hamelin) smirked, "There's no' been any thieves since Akira, Ah've been keepin' on top of that. Nae way Ah put up with that twice. Nae, from what Ah've seen, Tetso's worth investin' in. That's ma personal recommendation..." She nodded towards Dorian as he mentioned the sister, "Ah'll get on it..." Pausing, the little Scot moved over to drop into a nearby wicker chair. "If ye need someone ta disappear fer yer...whatever...take Kuno. Decent worker, nice 'nough man, but fack does he make rocks look like great thinkers..." Taking a moment to look over her claws, as if the things needed a manicure, "Just, ye ken, if someone's gotta vanish..."
Dinah (dollihead) shrugged her shoulder. "I'm not begrudging you for doing it. Though you needed the rest, dear heart. you desperately needed the rest" she wriggled up so she could lie herself into Dorian's lap, resting her cheek on his thigh, her arms folded beneath her.
"i'll take the little girl. it's been years since i've had a ladies maid. if nothing else, we can pay her to play with the dogs" she nodded up towards dorian and she smiled. "mmn. the stars said so to me today. Next month, the stars will be right, so we will be ready"
She closed her eyes, reaching her hand out to drag a finger through the fur she rested on as she considered Delilahs' words.
"i'll ask. we need it to be someone healthy enough to last long enough... but I will make the anchor. Soon. Delilah, will you be joining us?"
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) agreed with Di, to no one's great surprise; afterall she was in his lap and getting her hair stroked, tucked behind an ear, the back of his hand caressing her shoulder and bicep, with great painstaking attention when he grumbled, "I think taking her on as a lady's maid would be a capital idea. She will learn loads from you, Dinah darling." He'd take his attention off of his twin to look Delilah's way upon her being invited to the rite that was so sacred to the family.
Delilah Harper-Windgrace (jess.hamelin) lay her head back against the seatrest, nodding in time with Di as she talked about taking the girl under her wing. "Ah ken where th' pair's livin'. Ah'll swing by in the next day or twa, make the offer ta th' pair. Hoshi's th' girl, if Ah 'member what Tetsuo wis sayin'." As she spoke, Lilah was idly kicking her feet out, one and then the other, the energy of spending the last week running in the woods still barely below the surface. At Dinah's question, however, she paused still, sitting forward, a rare expression of surprise on her face. After a moment of sitting, mouth slightly ajar, she stammered, "Ah....Ah dinnae ken...Ah've...ye've nae..." her words died in her throat, and her eyes drifted to the boys, one and then the other, the unflappable wolf woman decidedly flapped. Swallowing back her shock, she finally looked back to Dinah. "Um...aye...Ah'll jine...thou Ah confess, Ah dinnae whit all it is ye dae..."
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd) looked over his shoulder fully first at Dinah, then Delilah, then back again. His jaw hung open a little. Dinah had drilled it into his head no one was to see her in her, truest form. It was for us three, and she'd never really took to Lilah enought o just up and invite her to the ritual. He stood up and gapped. "All the times i had to tell her no, its family business, all the times she wwas left out, and now? Why now? Not that I mind, I ...I'm just..." He looked wide eyed at Delilah. He couldnt even talk about it to her, and she was his best friend outside of the the other two in this glass house. "DInah?' He just ended with that fully confused and in shock.
Dinah (dollihead) was being petted, slowly drifting in a drowsy sort of sleepiness. she took a drink from her cup to finish it, curling herself close into Dorian's lap. She seemed unaware of the surprise she'd caused, eyes half-lidded, the vicious self-mutilation marks gone from her skin entirely now.
"well. when you come.... you will be with dorian. protecting." she murmured. "you will need to watch for the hounds.Drystan will have the bell.. and I will have the needles. I..mn. i will have a band made for you. you will need a strap...to keep you safe. they watch from the angles, you know. bring a blade..." she trailed off, falling asleep entirely for a few heartbeats, only opening her eyes again when Drystan said her name.
"the island is strange. there is something here. A *rider*. the man in the bookshop was ridden and it made him butcher the boy. I saw it. and the book lies, it's a trick, hidden inside popularist trash. I took it from the crime scene" she yawned, her words a mumble. "if one of us were ridden... if *I* were ridden.. more needed"
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) did not leap to alarm at his sister's remarks. It was neither the first nor the last time seeing her loopy on magic, most likely. He'd keep cosseting her, fondling her ends of her hair and gently brushing the side of her head with flowers yet in his hair, even when she dozed. Maybe especially, because he was quiet then. He'd keep his eyes on Dinah as he asked Lilah, quietly in an almost lullabye voice, trying to keep the calm quiet of the day intact, "The hounds would be trouble not just for us, should they slip through. It'll be a good thing to have help this time." He was not going to make a fuss past a big old grin about how happy he was that everyone was getting along just now. He'd pondered what Dinah had said enough to comment, "Your voice is fit for talking to stars, you know?" It was the only material thing he could think to say while being more perplexed than usual by the person he knew best.
Delilah Harper-Windgrace (jess.hamelin)'s eyes remained on Dinah as she...explained (?)...what would be happening, insofar as she could in her current state, and why Lilah were now invited. And Lilah understood just about none of it. She almost asked what the /fuck/ Dinah was going on about, but for once she didn't want to push her luck as far as talking back to the younger twin. Instead, her eyes fell on Stan, trusting that her friend would explain things for the less mystically inclined when he got over his own shock. So, instead, she just pursed her lips, offered a nod, and said, "Aye...Ah s'pose Ah'd be happy ta ravage any mystical beasties whit woud be stupid 'nough ta try an' get in ma family's way...bring 'em on..."
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd) was still sort of staring, listening to the whimsical description of the hell they had to go through. "Ah, ...yeah. We could use your help. I'm, ...I have, ..like, a job while it happening, and so does she..." He waved at the barely lucid one, realizing now how out of it she was and she must have been playing with blades. "Basically you're protection. ANd you're fuckin wonderful at that. The rest...I'll ...have to try and explain. Somehow." He heaved out a huge breath and felt like the world was getting smaller, or maybehe was just too big to be in such a tiny glass place as this. "Look, uh..I'm glad you're okay Dinah, ...and that you're willing to let Lilah in proper like, as she's been with us a long while now and is more than trustworthy. THank you." And he meant that, he spoke it to her with his mind and his emotions, he flooded the room with gratitude and good vibes. He figured they all deserved that. "I'm gonna ...im gonna go. I need to get some parchment and things and till we have a runner, I'm running myself. Serves me right." He smiled and leaned hsi head down, looking at Delilah as he passed out the door, giving her wide eyes, and then a smile. He could FEEL her excited questions brimming. THat time would come soon.
Dinah (dollihead) made a soft noise of agreement to Dorians words. "...i have the spare eyes. the powder... i will need to make double this time." she murmured. "..ibn ghazi.." she added in her daze. "the hounds of the tindalos...live inside the angles of time. time is... circles. people live inside the circle. but when most people are circles, we are...bubbles" she waved her hand in a vague, bleary loop. "they are called hounds, but...they do not look like hounds. beware their tongues. they will stick you, suck your blood...tear your limbs" she trailed off again and she snuggled dorian's thigh, drifting asleep for a moment. when Drystan left, filling the room with his emotions, she smiled and mumbled a soft "...bye stan" she sat up just a little. "...mmmn, delilah... you are,,okay with blood yes?"
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) kept quiet, though he waved at his brother, and his big boyish grin went to toothsome at the warmth and happiness abounding in the room like sunshine. He'd shift so he was half laying with Di, but holding her in his arms so she could recline on his chest, shameless, and leonine in the way he yawned at the same time. Delilah got a quirk of his brows, as if to invite her questions over what Dinah said, which accompanied a quiet chesty chuckle.
Delilah Harper-Windgrace (jess.hamelin) leaned fowards, fingers clasped, doing her damnedest to try to follow along with Dinah's explanations, but it was as if she were speaking a language Delilah had never encountered. She was thankful for Stan's offer to explain and mouthed a 'thank ye' to him as he exited the greenhouse to head out on his errands. Turning back, she caught the look from Dorian, that openness seemingly inviting questions, but she wasn't even sure what to ask about. Until Dinah asked about blood...finally a question she could answer. "Aye...blood is somethin' Ah'm very used ta...Ah've never had a problem with it...just tell me where ta gae and who ta eviscerate, and Ah'll dae it."
Dinah (dollihead) made a soft noise and she snuggled close to dori as he shifted, crawling up closer to his chest. She made a noise in her throat again and she nodded, agreeing. "when it happens. when the stars are right. the threads of fate will need..re-tying. they fray. I need to cut and sew and stitch threads that are not beheld normally. and the hounds might come, because they will hear and see it. drawn to blood" she closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around dorian's arm. "...bowl of blood. body for the anchor. anchor as bait and... stable" she smiled wearily "Dori, everything is spinning. was I in there long today? it feels like days"
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) had his own questions, but he'd save them, chew on them. Instead he'd wink at Lilah's perfect answer, his way of congratulating her on becoming even more Windgrace than she was. He'd answer his cuddlesome sister, craning to press a kiss to her temple first, then purl, "Not so long, really. You must have worked yourself too hard. Have you eaten anything, darling? Shall I carry you inside?" Maintaining a sure set of arms around her, he tried to impress upon her from the outside that nothing was, in fact, spinning.
Delilah Harper-Windgrace (jess.hamelin) kept her eyes on a pair a moment longer, still fairly perplexed as to the nature of this ritual she'd be taking part in, but finally, it seemed like Dinah legitimately needed rest, and recovery, and as much as their relationship had improved, it didn't take a mystic genius to know that her twin was her best anchor in this world. She offered a small smirk in response to his wink before pushing herself to her feet. "Think Ah'll pop on down ta th' pub, but Ah'll run inta th' house first, have Keiko put th' kettle on. Ye shoud eat an' rest Di..." Offering the twins a small fingerwave, she moved to leave them in privacy.
Dinah (dollihead) nodded, closing her eyes at Dorians' kiss and she smiled. "...not eaten since working. I..want to stay out here a little longer.. but maybe I could just sleep." she wrapped her arms around his, grounding herself to him. she lifted her hand and gave a weary wave towards delilah. "...will needles work on you, i wonder, needles... we will need more needles. goodbye~" she trailed off, pressing a sleepy kiss to dorian's arm. "yours will still fit, yes?"
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes): "Good hunting, Lilah, and thank you. You have weeks to ask more questions yet!"
With the wolf-cousin gone, and the big brother, he'd finally be able to turn all of his attention only on Di. He'd argue with her, something only made easier out of care for her wellbeing, something murmured close to her ear, "Sleep is fine indeed and no doubt we too could sleep here like deer in a meadow, but you will have to eat at some point sooner rather than late. And I believe they will still fit. I have not changed much, well-- until very lately." He knew he should get her a sandwich or something, but the temptation was strong to just fully lay and entangle.
Dinah (dollihead) whined in her throat and she sighed, snuggling close to him. "..i will" she murmured sulkily, pulling back from him a little to roll onto her back, careful not to crush her flowers. She used the chair to help herself stand, wobbling a little on her feet. "I suppose we ought to eat though, shouldn't we? I want some of those clams that Keiko makes. the sake ones" she reached her hand out for his, a smile on her face.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) had a very strong urge to not let her do it on her own, but he watched her move like a creature just learning to use its feet rather than someone strong and sure as she ordinarily was. This he did with consternation on his face, as she was not looking at him, and that worry melted away instantly as she turned to him once more. He'd spring up, slide a strong arm around behind her like a particular dance move, taking her hand with the other arm, the one he reached in front of himself, tucking her close, and be set to go at her merest whim. The key to being a good dancer was in both broadcasting intentions and anticipating one's partner. When that partner was Dinah, well, he was sure he knew the steps. He'd remark, "Is there anything I can do to help you in this work you've got going? Wait, do not answer that. We can talk about that when you've had your clams. And I have had some too. That sounds a proper treat. Perhaps a couple of those little Japanese oranges, too. Come along, love."
Dinah (dollihead) took his hand and laced her fingers with his, curling herself close to him in a close embrace. She pressed a kiss to his neck, letting him bear her weight.
"..I will need to make my anchor again. the ritual with the spiders and the rope and the crystal..." she trailed off, her voice dreamy "then... the same as last time. we wait for the moon. i will need... needles for Delilah" she smiled as he guided her, all but carrying her unsteady weight. "...little oranges would be good." she agreed in a happy murmur.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) would ordinarily preen upon being kissed. Maybe even do some flourishy spin, but his sister was not feeling well and he'd duty beyond expressing his joy just now. "You really did get deep into it today. I shall try remind you later of all these things you said. I am sure I shall remember half of it. We can have a race to see who peels their orange faster. Winner gets another kiss." It was the most natural thing in the world for him, being so close to her, even unto carrying her. It was so rare that he was able to actually help. The sooner he got food in her though, she sooner would not sound like some of Paris.
Part of him stayed laying with her back there, though, in a memory sure to be cherished.