Void Rift (rp) - Intermission

"Care to elaborate more?"
"Yeah, this sounds cool."

 

"Very good. Dismissed." I say, checking to see if there is any other matters of importance for me to take care of.

 

"Did you meet some girl in a black robe? Well, I saw a black robe and a book with an eye that followed me. Just before a white dragon came to turn the withered statue of the girl, I heard someone calling to me in the distance. I don't know who, but they said that the ruin was a terrible side effect of betrayal."

Seems you've got some free time, unless you want to give special orders to construction, because their schedule seems to be booked by the hour, beyond normal working hours, for the next four months.

 

Stephanie follows on her broom, deciding to try and differentiate from the academy-goers by putting on her witch hat.

You're transported to a smaller room with a door, a couple of wooden guards standing outside of it. One wields a bow, which it aims at you, while another wields a scythe which it blocks the door with.

 

It succeeds, until a mantis with painted armblades seems to be waking up while being carried off.
"Ummmn... did that... girl ever... oh, what did you do to my back?" She yawns.
"Nothing, Matriarch."
"It's sore, though..."
"Would you prefer to stand, Matriarch?"
"Is the ground solid?"
"...Yes, Matriarch."
The other mantis put her down, and she wearily bumps into a tree.

"...Matriarch?"
"Oh... *yawn* shut up."

 

Stephanie, a little nervous, stays quiet.

 

Orchid glances at Stephanie.
"One sec."

She steps towards the Matriarch.
"Good morning... or something. Are you busy, Miss Matriarch?"
"No, I just woke up... Is there... uh... something you need?"
"I have a friend who has a safe place for your paintings."

 

Stephanie waves, smiling nervously.

 

"Hey, she has one of those cute wizard hats! What's your name?" The Matriarch asks, seeming to suddenly come to her senses as if she wasn't just waking up.

Orchid steps back and whispers in Stephanie's ear.
"Sorry if that creeps you out, that's just how she is."

 

"Um, Stephanie." Stephanie says.

"She's...not going to do anything to me, is she?" Stephanie says to Orchid telepathically.

 

"Nice to meet you, Stephanie!" She says, offering a handshake.

Orchid seems startled, but quickly collects herself.
"No. She's... almost scarily well-mannered. I don't know how, but... after sustaining hundreds of wounds, her blades have never been dulled. She hasn't spilled a drop of blood that wasn't her own."

 

Stephanie shakes the Matriach's hand.

"N-Nice to meet you too." Stephanie says nervously.

"That makes it even scarier." Stephanie responds telepathically.

 

"Is something troubling you, miss?" She asks, confused.

"On the bright side, I've never heard of anyone more forgiving." Orchid offers. "I wouldn't be too worried. She doesn't expect much formality, just call her Matriarch and you'll be fine."

 

"Um, no, Matriarch" Stephanie says, bowing respectfully.

 

"No need to act so formal, you're not one of my subjects! I have no influence over you, as far as I'm aware. That aside, you wanted to see my paintings?"

"Good one. I know she said there was no need, but a buffer never hurts."

 

"Yes please, Matriarch, if you'd be so kind to show me." Stephanie says respectfully.

"I've been taught how to act respectfully toward royalty, so I don't consider this situation much different in terms of acting." Stephanie responds telepathically.

 

"Absolutely! I'm just glad they didn't all get burnt..." She says, heading off into a tangle of vines that her escort holds open.

"Honestly, that may be your best bet. If you're anywhere remotely as strong as Artemis or her companion, then she's hiding sheer terror."

 

Stephanie follows, desummoning her broom.

 

She's lead to a room with a burnt down wall, breathtaking paintings hung up pretty much everywhere they can be on the walls.
Every brushstroke seems to give detail; somehow, even the single bristle strokes amidst something as simple as a clear sky seems to add inexplicable depth and beauty to her paintings.
"These are them. All the ones that survived, at least. If you have a safe place for them, it'd be nice to have more room to keep painting. I don't really have any other passtime, and I don't like painting if I can't hang it up somewhere."

 

Stephanie seems blown away.

"Woooow..." Stephanie says, looking at one of the paintings and getting lost, before moving on to another and getting lost in it too.