sarahbarah 4971 Popular Post Share Posted October 18, 2021 THE WOMAN IN BLOOM [!] A depiction of Her Ladyship, Doctor Amicia de Astrea of Elysium, strolling through the Elysian gardens. “Roses do not bloom hurriedly; for beauty, like any masterpiece, takes time to blossom.” ― Matshona Dhliwayo Spoiler A graying woman laid in her chambers under the watchful gaze of her two dearest friends, nimble fingertips that had once sutured skin back together idly tracing the blue fabric of the robes she donned. A raspy cough escaped her, then, as those fingertips made contact with the jewelled bracelet that her husband had expertly forged for her all those years ago. A smile tugged at the corner of her cracked lips, her weary blue gaze falling to that very trinket. With each laboured breath she took came a memory. Pitter-patter, pitter-patter came the steps of the young girl’s feet as she clutched onto her father’s hand for dear life. Tiny thumbs wrap around fingers as the carefree girl plods through the golden fields of Elysium that teem with new life. “Mimi,” her father would beckon her. Along they went, bootprints tracking through the grassy stalks, through the riverbanks and beyond. Pitter-patters become stomps through icy snow. The girl stands at the gates of Haense now, flanked by two blonde cousins. Treehouses, pillow forts, and courtly gossip encompass the minds of the young de Astrea trio. Smiles, laughs, and secrets are exchanged, along with an occasional snarky glance made at some pompous Haeseni boy. Glances of contempt shift into ones of mild adoration as she grows from girl to lady. Two dark-haired boys come about, both vying for the young lady’s attention, though it ends in the first of many heartbreaks she’d experience. Why did something so pure, so innocent, end in so much pain? “It’s part o’ growin’ up,” her father tells her. She was not entirely fond of growing up, she decided. Alas, she continues to grow and bloom - though one particular dark-haired boy remains ever-present, no matter how much that young lady did grow. She could never quite outgrow him. Gazes of green and blue often made contact, speaking thousands of words not yet expressed. The occasional hushed utterance of regret was spoken, though. Youthful fingertips would once again find themselves interlocked a moment longer, despite the boy’s promise made to another. Misty eyes accompanied by fruitless promises within the sanctuary of the gardens of Elysium were common-place between the two. With tearful goodbyes came new bridges to cross after a precious one had just been burned. Blood stains the young lady’s hands which were splayed across a dying ranger’s chest. With all she had lost, she regained through healing. Sutures upon sutures, bandages upon bandages, the young lady works tirelessly to save the lives of those around her. It is her duty to her family - to Elysium. Stumbling through the Elysium gates then comes a flaxen-haired boy, weary-eyed and dreary. The two found solace in their shared heartbreak and failure, bonding over it. Bonding became love and love became an eventual courtship. Their love blossomed within the Elysium gardens just as the vibrant blooms did each year, and with new love came new family. Pitter-patter came the steps of the woman down the aisle to her beloved, her beaming expression unfaltering as she latched herself onto her father much like she had all those years ago. Pitter-patter came the steps of her beloved sister and brother-in-law, of her children, too. She was overcome with such a joy she had yet to feel ‘til the dawning of this new era, an era filled with such love and warmth. Much like the comforting warmth of Elysium, the tightly-knit bond of her family upholds her. Smiles, laughs, and secrets are all exchanged once again. Pitter-patter came the weakening heartbeat of an ailing woman. Yet again, her laboured breaths found themselves hitching in her throat. Amicia still clung to life, though - eager to remember one last moment, one last beautifully cherished memory, sorrowful or joyous alike. Tilting her head to the two women at her flank, she softly rasped, “You’ve all bloomed.” Her eyes misted at the mere notion of it all - how beautiful her life was, how far each and every person in it had come, though she could hold on no longer. The woman went limp, the light leaving those characteristically bright hues of hers. Still, her smile never fell. Even in death, she would revel at the beauty of the life she lived. She had bloomed. [!] Upon the news of the Lady’s death, letters to the friends and family of the departed were promptly delivered. Christopher de Astrea Spoiler To my husband, Christopher If you are receiving this, it means that Godan has finally taken me back into His arms. Words cannot describe how much I have loved you and how much I still do. I will miss you. I leave Anya and Acadia in your loving care. I promise to watch you all from the Seven Skies. Please do not mourn me too much, my love - I am quite sure that we will meet again. Take care for now. Your wife, Ami Anya and Acadia de Astrea Spoiler To my beautiful and beloved daughters, I will miss you both terribly. I still remember the day that you ran around the gardens, the splitting image of your father and your uncle. You both looked so happy - it was such a lovely day, wasn’t it? I leave to you my engagement ring, wedding band, a bracelet made by your father for me, and my mother’s locket. You’ll find that the locket plays a little tune when it’s opened. I hope you enjoy it, my loves. I will be watching you from the Seven Skies always. With eternal love, Mama Eugeo and Aylin de Astrea Spoiler To my dearest uncle Eugeo and cousin Aylin, This illness has finally taken me, I am afraid. That aside . . I know Elysium will continue to flourish under your rule after all the work you’ve put in. Thank you for uplifting me and supporting me in all of my endeavours. I owe you two everything. Merci - I love you both. Please make sure Anya, Acadia, and Chris are well taken care of. Amicia Iduna and Elias O’Rourke Spoiler To my lovely in-laws, I am sorry I didn’t tell you about my ailment sooner - I suppose I hated seeming so weak at the time. Please send my love to your children, my beautiful nieces and nephews. Please watch over my daughters, Anya and Acadia. Make sure Chris is alright. I will miss you all terribly. Thank you for the laughs and drinks shared over the years. I will see you all again someday. Ami Lotte Spoiler Dearest Lotte, I am so proud of how far you have come. You are truly one of my greatest sources of pride in this world. I leave the clinic in your and Emerald’s capable hands. Thank you, once again, for taking care of the clinic when I could not be around to do so. Please watch over my daughters, and make sure Chris takes care of himself. I pray that we can meet again some day, my friend. Your dear friend, Ami Em Spoiler My lovely Em, As I’ve told you before, I’m quite proud of you. Some of my fondest memories include our long talks in the clinic and the life-saving work we did together. Along with Lotte, I leave the clinic to you. Take good care of it like I know you will. Thank you for being such a wonderful friend to me in all the years I’ve known you. Make sure my daughters are alright, if you would. Your dear friend, Ami Adalia Ruthern Spoiler To my cousin, Adalia I know we haven’t spoken in quite some time, though I regret to inform you that I’ve fallen quite ill. I also know we did not see eye to eye on most things, though that doesn’t change the fact that I love you. You are my family. I hope we will meet again some day. Your cousin, Amicia Robert Ludovar Spoiler To His Lordship, Robert Ludovar, Baron of Otistadt, I’m terribly sorry - about all of the drama. Looking back on it now, it seems so frivolous, though I can faintly recall that we truced. I thank Godan for that. I wish that we could have stayed close friends. Perhaps we may, one day, be friends in the Seven Skies. I will miss you ‘til then. Take care and be well, Robbie. Your friend, Ami [OOC NOTE] Hey everyone! Sad to see Amicia go, but I think I’ve fulfilled all of my goals for this character and was content to end her story here. (Irl duties were limiting my ability to play her as well, sadly!) Despite that, thank you all for the wonderful rp! It was one of my most memorable characters, and it was truly a blast to play her. I love you all <3 35 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marslol 662 Share Posted October 18, 2021 Lotte Dolorem sat in the quiet of her home, alone at the kitchen table. They held a handkerchief in one hand, and a tear-stained letter in the other. Blurry mismatched eyes struggled to read the writing amidst the suffocating silence in the room. ___________________________________________________________________ As she closed her eyes once more in an attempt to collect herself, the woman would almost be pulled back to the night at the square - the guilt and pain tearing Lotte's heart in two as Amicia hacked and coughed into a blood-soaked rag. The woman who was so full of love, and life, turned into nothing but a husk of her former self despite the weary smile she tried to wear. Even wanting to give Amicia one last final goodbye in the gardens before going home, Lotte had not anticipated losing her mentor so soon. "Ami... Ami..." The panic in Lotte's rising voice had choked in Amicia's final moments, held at the side of the bed with Emerald as she took laboured breaths. In this moment, she felt this almost innate sort of desperation and sorrow, like a little girl losing her mother. They had began to pray as they squeezed onto Amicia's weak hand - to someone, to anyone, to not take their Ami away. Not like this, for the love of anything, please don't make me miss you more than I already do. Lotte's own words echoed into her mind, as the woman turned to the side to look at both grieving women. "You've bloomed." Amicia would beam onto Emerald and Lotte like the ray of sunshine she was before heaving her last breath and going limp, smiling as she went in this moment of peace, watched over by the two friends. The look of love and pride upon her face would be one emblazoned into Lotte's mind to the ends of time. ___________________________________________________________________ Only the soft rain hitting against the window would be enough to bring Lotte back to the present, seeing that her dress and face had been stained with tears. Staring into the void, it felt like their heart had been torn straight from their chest - leaving a hollow hole that was unable to be filled. Is this what true grief feels like? The woman had had her fair share of dances with Death, from their patients, her cousin-in-law, and more recently her husband - they hurt every single time, like a stab into the chest, but this. This felt like someone had twisted and driven that knife even further. Turning to the soft drizzle outside, she'd let their own tears pour down her cheek with the soft quivering utterance: "Mon amour.. que vais-je faire maintenant sans toi..?" Spoiler ooc note: tysm for rping with me, sarah!! you made amicia such a fun and lovable character and i cannot wait to see what your other characters bring to the table! PLUS I NEED A POTENTIAL MOTHER-IN-LAW TO BOTHER 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
beetle 2414 Share Posted October 18, 2021 Emerald Ferinn Guenevere shakily held up the letter, almost tuning out her husband's voice when he read it out loud (@wowsirss). Their teary eyes stared at the stone walls of her home, still not being to process anything. The more she stared into the void, the more Amicia's words echoed in their mind. "You've bloomed," whispered the dying de Astrea to Em and Lotte. They remembered the expression on her face - full of pride, love, and satisfaction despite not looking the part. It was something Emerald would never forget. She held themselves up by holding onto Lotte's arm as Lotte held onto Amicia's hand, almost as if she was guiding her to the Seven Skies. In the end, all Em could say with a shaky breath was, "... You helped us bloom ... thank you." The memory was taking up most of Emerald's attention to even bother noticing her husband returning to work. She sat there, unable to move. Frozen in time. Staring at the words as the memory continued to replay in their mind. "Tell them I said hi," Em whispered to the void before breaking down into tears once more. Spoiler ooc note: tysm for the memories sarah <3 you made me feel welcomed in old elysium when i first started out in may. thank you for being there when i needed help. i'll never ever forget that, mwah! p.s. i can't wait to the annoy the hell out of you with my kid persona, just you wait <3 Spoiler for the funnies: 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suicidium 1295 Share Posted October 18, 2021 Eugeo de Astrea is irrevocably inconsolable. Missing his beloved niece greatly. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Javert 5395 Share Posted October 18, 2021 Somewhere in the afterlife, a certain Hali Kvitravn watched Amicia arrive with a grin on his face. "Heh, now Oi can bully yeh again ey?" The Kvitravn laughed for just a moment, then released a solemn sigh. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
esotericas 1470 Share Posted October 18, 2021 Aruan Ferinn read Amicia's letter to his wife over her shoulder, his face slowly falling as he realized what it meant. He didn't cry, not yet, but he let out a soft, shaky sigh that spoke of future tears. "I'm going to miss her," He says to Emerald, and then stands up to return to his work. Anya de Astrea had barely noticed her mother's illness, her cheerful temperament and deep dislike of serious conversations leading her to easily believe the hushed stories of 'lots of work to do' and 'just needs to sleep.' When she returned home one evening to find her mother dead, Anya couldn't bear to even look at her body. It was something truly wrong, she thought. Mama laid out in bed like this, not drinking tea in the gardens or fixing people in the clinic. Not with her or Acadia or papa. At this thought - She will never see mama and papa together again, not with their sweet little whispers to eachother, not holding hands, - she did go up to her mother's body. Anya picked up Amicia's hand, her gaze falling on her blue dress. Anya and Acadia had always been a pair with their parents. Anya on Christopher's shoulders, Acadia walking next to them, hand clutched in Amicia's. Anya wondered why she had been the one Amicia put in blue. "I suppose there's no way of knowing now," Anya whispered to herself, and then broke into a bout of tears. She curled over Amicia, intending to give her one last hug, but instead just sunk down onto the floor, the edge of the blanket clutched in her hands. 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Itz_Cookie 1680 Share Posted October 18, 2021 (edited) Iduna Anne had decided many months ago to remain in her county until her youngest son was of age, the scurrying of children around the mountainsides respectfully terrified her. Nora, an old assitant and friend of the Countess delivered a letter, Amicia's, along with a platter of tea and mushed fruit for Nikolaus. She waved the letter aside, finding no need to read it just then; but her heart sank as if the contents within had already found themselves to her. Slowly did the Countess rise to her desk, a cup of tea in hand as she slipped into the wooden chair. Stopping, she'd not wanted to read the letter but after a fit of hoarse coughs she ran a finger beneath the seal and pulled out the note. Head turning at her husbands arrival before casting an emerald gaze unto the deep colored wording; reading.. "No, no, no.. No!" Iduna cried, she'd not seen the woman in some time, her memories of them together were slim. "She.. she can't be gone.." The wailing continued as the letter was clutched close to her heart, tears dampening the parchment edges. Giving no greeting to her husband at his return she sat with her head in hands, Nora at the womans closet preparing her garbs for respectful mourning. Edited October 18, 2021 by Itz_Cookie 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charbi 398 Share Posted October 18, 2021 Aylin de Astrea stumbled back against her study bookcase at the news that her dear cousin had been found in her eternal slumber in her bed in the palace. She reminisced fondly of how they were the freckled girls. The times she had comforted young Amicia. The woman she had blossomed into. The manner in which time and time again Amicia had saved her from both a terrible man and then from being struck by arrows and at deaths' door. "Until we see one another again, sweet freckled princess," Aylin murmured softly 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeawithFrisket 2605 Share Posted October 18, 2021 *frisket Drops her hammer and chisel as Odin comes to the workshop with a new missive, she kneels down and grabs it of the screowls neck as she rolls it down from its packed state, but this action was almost to shocking for her, atleast as much, she began to re read it in shock...almost thinking it was a joke, but even she knew things like this wasn't a matter of jesting. As tears rolled dried from her cheeks yet another friend she considered was gone before her. She stared at the missive in utter disbelief and almost felt as if time was lost, and as if she missed alot of events.* "Vous me manquerez mes amis, merci, votre vie ne sera jamais oubliée, madame Amicia" 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arashiha 294 Share Posted October 18, 2021 A window in the Vanari house Explodes outwards as a chair makes its way down onto the street along with many shards of Glass, A Panting lunah standing at the now open window gazing down at the broken shards, Shoulders heaving as her eyes water. The Little girl she had known for so long, the one she had watched grow up into womanhood was gone. How short the life of a Human was.. only now was she truely beginning to realise this. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrongBear 1162 Share Posted October 18, 2021 After a long and a weary day of travel, the sounds of a horse arriving to Halstaig rang through out the gardens. Shortly after, heavy footsteps, metal clanking, and a few deep coughs signal Elias has arrived home. Taking slow steps up the stairs to not disturb the sleeping household, he finally arrives to the Countess's chambers. "Eja, dear." Spoke he as he stripped out of his armor into more comfortable attire, making his way over to the woman where she sat. "Vhat ist t'is?" he inquires as he leans forward to look over the letter thst laid open on the small table. Taking a moment to read it over, everything seem to stop, the crackling fire grew silent along with a cooing auburn hair babe. "Vhat?" The Count calls out in shock, "Ami has passed? Ich vas just 'n Elysium, ich vould've stopped by, it's t' soon, she 'as more time." Elias rambles on, shaking his head, his gaze slowly drifting to the ceiling, "Oh, Ami...vyr 'n a better place, do keep a vatchful eye over my bruder and nieces vhen ich nitch t'eir for him. Ve've been friends for many years and it hurts t' lose another. Be vell..." He was at a loss for words, cutting himself off at the end, knowing he will probably never see her again... 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mady 2929 Share Posted October 18, 2021 From the Seven Skies, a certain Analiesa de Astrea would await her cousins arrival, the young girl a constant image of youth and innocence and of those who were taken too soon. “Bonjour Ami..” 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shay 2200 Share Posted October 18, 2021 r . . . 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahbarah 4971 Author Share Posted October 18, 2021 1 hour ago, Mady said: From the Seven Skies, a certain Analiesa de Astrea would await her cousins arrival, the young girl a constant image of youth and innocence and of those who were taken too soon. “Bonjour Ami..” As Amicia arrived, a smile reflecting similar youth spread across her features as she opened her arms for her cousin. “Salut, Ana. I’m home now.” 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maevlin 681 Share Posted October 18, 2021 Anna d'Arkent hadn't quite registered the letter until she was able to read it over a few times. When it did finally sink in, she muttered three prayers: One for Ami's safe journey to the seven skies, one for her two darling daughters now having to grow up without their bright and wonderful mother, and one for her nephew Christopher, who now unfortunately knew her pain of losing a love before yourself and living on because you have to. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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