a sterile promontory [introduction]

[mooninherhair]

Comments

[kamloops_rose]

Delilah is not Huron, but Shuswap, or rather Secwepemc, and from the other side of the continent, but still, she is Native, and her hide skirts will probably tell you that

[mooninherhair]

Alice looks over at the strange woman, still trying to walk through the snow as daintily as possible--silly, really, but habits die hard, she supposes.

"Am I alright?" she asks back in a small voice with a soft British accent, feeling stupid already for parroting back the question to the woman--who looks Native, but certainly not like any she's met.

She gulps. Maybe this is a bizarre version of some sort of the afterlife.

"I suppose I'm fine," she says finally, trying to sound firm.

[kamloops_rose]

With the snow shoes, Delilah is a little bit higher than Alice - in war terms, you'd say she has the high ground, though it's not what she's thinking of at this point.

"You'll be ill," she says. "Here."

She has spare shoes in her back basket, and they're plopped onto the ground.

"I don't have mocassins, but at least you can walk faster like this."

If Alice lets her, Delilah will fasten the leather straps around her ankles.

[mooninherhair]

Alice nods, a bit dumbly, and lets Delilah put the shoes on her feet.

"...Thank you," she mumbles.

And then, she asks:

"Why is it winter here?"

[ninja_niko]

Here is someone else who is grieving. Roma also cut their hair, and it's a young man with messily cropped blond hair who might be found pacing the patio.

He's been through the wreckage, over and over again, before the place rose again. Cal couldn't have been there. He spoke to as many of those involved in search and rescue as he could, without even so much as a lead.

And now the place is up again. He doesn't want to stay in it - not without Jaenelle to guard it - look at what happened, it toppled like a house of cards. But he's got a kid on his hands, along with a redhead, and they need to be safe.

Cal would want him to look after them.

But where the hell is he? And his pacing mirrors his circular reasoning.

There has to be a way.

[mooninherhair]

Alice has made her way to the patio, just generally exploring the place, when she sees the young man looking nervous and pacing around.

She stands just to the side, not wanting to interrupt--a little nervous herself. She'll watch him with wide, curious eyes.

"It's cold here," she says, after a little while, trying to make conversation. Somehow.

[ninja_niko]

That startles Niko out of his, well, circle.

"Yeah, it is," he replies.

He looks at the girl, blinks.

"Don't think we've met before."

[mooninherhair]

"We haven't. I'm new," she says, attempting a tiny smile. "I was exploring."

[weristdas_graal]

She might find him in the kitchen, a blond young man in medieval garb, as if he walked out of a book of tales of King Arthur's knights, currently rummaging in the cold box, taking out a loaf of bread and a jug of wine. He's a bit tentative, since he'll turn the loaf of bread over, rap the bottom of it gently and sniff at it first.

Then he'll look up, smiling at the girl. "The Lord be with you, my lady," he says, friendly.

[mooninherhair]

She walks into the kitchen, still exploring, and smiles at him when he greets her. He seems nice enough, she thinks.

"Thank you," Alice says softly.

[weristdas_graal]

"Are you newly come to the Mansion? I have not seen your face before in this place," he says. "I am Sir Parsifal, Knight of the Grail and master of the chapel on the grounds of this manor."

[mooninherhair]

"I am new, yes," she replies. "And I am Alice Munro. And I am finding this to be a strange place, I must admit."

[scalpedsociety]

Aramat's wary of the mansion since it came back, she stayed in Hisoka's shack for the first days that she came back to the mansion. But she's committing to keeping her herself busy at all costs. Even if she suffers from memories of hell and dreams of a figure with dark, empty eyes. She'll spot Alice soon enough around the kitchen.

"Hello? May I help you?"

She's a pretty girl, but she doesn't feel like creepin' today.

[mooninherhair]

"Just exploring," she says. "I'm not used to this...sort of place."

This luxury, she thinks.

[scalpedsociety]

"That can be understood, my dear."

Her clothes look recognizable in a way, but her accent sounds like something else entirely. It's familiar, but not.

"I am Aramat Drawdes. And you?"

[mooninherhair]

"Alice Munro," she says softly. "It's...nice here."

[danielshadow]

Shadow is resting by the fireplace, laying on a pair of loose pants that will fit a Daniel and a blanket. For now he's just soaking up the warmth and likely napping a bit, but he's always happy to meet new people.

The big black puppy is friendly, honest.

[mooninherhair]

Alice may be back by the fireplace, to warm herself again, and when she sees the puppy, she smiles.

"May I pet you?" she asks, feeling a little silly for talking to a dog.

[danielshadow]

Shadow's ears come up and his tail starts to wag. She looks friendly and nice and he certainly likes friendly and nice people.

The big puppy will stand and walk towards her if she's too far for petting.

[mooninherhair]

She reaches to pet the puppy, perhaps rubbing behind his ears.

"You're a good doggy, yes," she says appreciatively.