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 Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2025 6:21 am
“ “ Plot: Charlene is approached by the mystery man she had met for only a few moments the night her princess lost control. After clearing things up he inquires about tips for parenthood, and the duchess finds herself a new parent to talk to. Characters: Charlene and Hasan
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Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2025 10:35 am
 
♦ 𝙋𝙍𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙀 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙃 ♦
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location OUTSIDE xxxxx company CHARLENE xxxxx outfit RUNNING CLOTHES
Autumn was finally upon Utopia Academy, and the crisp morning air did well to invigorate Hasan on his daily runs. Today, he was working on a slow and steady lap around the entirety of the school campus -- something to keep his body active and his mind occupied. While he knew cardio was an important part of any workout routine, running had never been his strong suit. He was big and heavy, built to withstand blows and not so much for a lot of movement. In a way, he supposed that weakness was something to work on. And he was very much looking for any sort of aspiration to cling to.
Despite the cool temperatures, he was sweating up a storm in short order, and it had not lessened by the time he rounded the last bend on is route. At long last, Hasan slowed to a stop, plucking the bottom of his shirt to wipe at his face. He intended to head back to his room for a shower and to rehydrate, but a somewhat familiar figure on a nearby bench caught his eye, and he turned to face her.
It was Charlene -- the mysterious woman he'd met the night of the explosion, who had commanded crystal beasts and then vanished in a portal of moonlight.
The sight of her sitting demurely in the light of day betrayed the unfathomable power he knew to be lurking underneath. But curiously, she was very much alone. Hasan looked around and saw no sign of her crystalline companions. Perhaps they were off somewhere, carrying out their mistress's will...? Either way...
Hasan took a moment to finish wiped his face, then strolled toward her and flung himself down onto the bench. "Hey, long time no see," he greeted amicably, flashing her a friendly smile. "Charlene, right? Looks like you're doing okay now. Pasch and uh --" Oh god, he still didn't know the brunette's name. "-- your other friend were really worried about you after you vanished that night. You didn't run into any trouble, did you?" A silly question -- because if she was as powerful as he suspected, trouble would have run from her.
As he sank into the bench with a sigh of relief, resting his arms along the back of it, Hasan cast his gaze around. "Is that crystal dog of yours running around somewhere? I've never seen anything like that before, it was pretty cool."
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Posted: Tue Feb 11, 2025 5:59 pm
 
tab Charlene was enjoying the autumn air as she looked out over the fields that were surrounding the school. Her expression was peaceful and she was enjoying the quiet of the day. The air was crisp but honestly, it felt kind of nice. She leaned her head back against the building before out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of someone she hadn't seen since the night Princess Menodora had lost control of her powers. What was his name...Hasan? She realized that she too caught his eye because next thing she knew he was walking over to her and talking. She made note of his looking around but she didn't know why he would do that, although it was not unusually for at least some of the royals to have guards around. Perhaps he was just that, a prince?
;tab: As he walked up beside her and spoke she looked over to him, smiling softly. " Ah, yes it has been a while hasn't it?" she returned his friendly greeting before she blinked softly, recalling exactly what had happened that night. A slightly clouded expression flickered through her eyes before she shook her head. " No, no trouble at all. The teachers handled it all quite well." she tried to reassure herself as well, as she still had reservations about how her princess was feeling that night, she worried about her. She laughed under her breath, already the fact that he'd likely seen them at their worst, she didn't feel the need to keep her barrier up quite as much this time. " Yes, Pascha and Grace found me later." she took his pause in words as the hint that he didn't recall her name, and while she didn't know exactly what had happened after the fact she had run off, she didn't recall him being around when she had returned to the main hall. That was when she was approached by Sir Akwasi actually.
tab She blinked softly at his question about the crystal dog and she looked at him for a moment in silence before she finally answered. Her answer was a laugh as she covered her mouth and shook her head. She wasn't expecting that for a question. Surely he didn't think that she, just a duchess, was capable of such beauty. She didn't look offended though, and when she raised her eyes back up to his face she pressed a finger to her lips. " I'll let you in on a secret. That wasn't my doing. I was taking a chance and seeing if I could help." she knew too that it was a risky chance but it had earned her good new friends and she truly hoped her princess was able to feel her support as well. " The crystal environment and...creatures, not the zombies though, were all created by my princess. Luna." she didn't give away her princess' name, but she figured she owed him some sort of actual answer instead of a straight denial. She rested her hands on her lap and smiled as she looked down at them. " I didn't know if it would work, but i couldn't have Pascha or Grace hurt in the moment, so I took a chance on it working."
tab The duchess wasn't one to be reckless, so all involved that night saw a new side of her that even she didn't realize she had in her. " And the portal?" she knew that was going to be the next question. " That was all her as well, perhaps the crystalline creature even. My own power is nothing compared to hers." her voice was filled with admiration as she spoke even while looking down at her lap. She lifted her eyes again and looked over to him with a smile. " Speaking of, you weren't there when I arrived back to the main hall. I take it you arrived safely with the others as well."
 
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Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2025 8:23 am
♦ 𝙋𝙍𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙀 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙃 ♦
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location OUTSIDE xxxxx company CHARLENE xxxxx outfit RUNNING CLOTHES
So she'd run into some teachers that night.... Curious. The only staff Hasan had seen were the ones in the main hall, who were doing nothing. Aside from his uncle and the other teacher who had helped track down his lost sister. It was good to know some of them had taken action. The fact the madness had happened at all still didn't sit right with him; with so many nobles gathered in one place, there had to be better safety nets in place. Peace between the nations was still so tentative. One mishap with some ruler's child, and the continent could plunge back into war in an instant.
Charlene finally filled in the name Hasan had been missing, and he raised an eyebrow in surprise. So it was Grace. He'd have to remember that for the next time he ran into her. "Glad they were able to find you. You gave 'em quite a scare, you know." Pascha and Grace had barely been able to focus on much else besides their concerns over Charlene. Hasan wondered how close they all were, to have been so worried about each other. Especially when Charlene exhibited such tremendous power.
As she began to laugh, Hasan looked at her in surprise, wondering what he'd said that was so funny. When she finally revealed the truth, he leaned forward, brows furrowed in disbelief. Speechless. Surely she was joking. Surely he had not completely blown her abilities this far out of proportion. There was no way... Hasan frowned and ran a hand over his locs. And by the time she asked about how he'd fared after their parting, he was a already shaking his head.
"Nah, I don't believe that," he protested, sitting up. "You don't need to be modest with me, I know what I saw. Those crystal things didn't pay attention to anyone but you. Even if you didn't make them, you were the only one who could command them." And she wasn't even the princess? Just what kind of power did this princess hold? The thought of the entire dreamscape having been created by a single person was a little unnerving. "And the portal... I don't buy that, either. You just put your hand out and it appeared. Either you're just being humble, or you've got more power over the things your princess creates than you think."
Hasan supposed it was possible everything Charlene had been able to do was solely due to some kind of powerful bond she held with said princess, but... He shook his head, then tapped the side of his nose. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me." After a pause, he asked, "Did you get to keep the dog, or did it disappear with everything else?"
All of this was so, so interesting. But Charlene had asked about him, and it would be rude to ignore her. He glanced to the side and leaned back into the bench. "Yeah, I made it to the main hall with Pasch and Grace. But one of my sisters wasn't there, so I left to go find her. My uncle and another teacher tracked her down first, though. Some psycho had been hauling her around." His fingers curled into a fist as he remembered the cut on Amena's cheek. "But yeah, in the end, me and mine were all safe. I'm grateful for that. I know some of the students weren't so lucky..."
Again, a failing on the academy staff's part.
"Here's hoping nothing like that happens again. If either of my sisters get hurt because of the school's failure to keep them safe, I'll bury those bastards alive."
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Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2025 9:12 pm
tab Charlene already felt guilty for having run off that night. She hated making people worry and the fact that Hasan could pick up on how the other two felt once she did made a little knot form in her chest. Okay, she had to find Grace and apologize to her as well. She at least felt like she began the process with Pascha, being stuck together in history class and all. Even after her explanation he didn't seem to buy it. The duchess watched him for a moment as he spoke and she felt her eyes widening slightly. Wait, she had done all that? No, sure, like crystal creature followed her command but... she raised her hand, pressing her thumb against her lip before coming to a thought. She had to check in with Princess Menodora again, fill her in on what happened and perhaps ask her about it. It was absolutely possible that something had changed, she'd only ever used her powers for communicating with her child but the explanation coming from Hasan, a total stranger in most typical regards, it kind of made her wonder. " Perhaps you have a point. I may take this up with her myself, see if there are tests we can run." she would adore it if she had more power than what she believed herself to be limited to. At his question about keeping the dog she laughed again softly. " No, he disappeared as the dreamscape did." she couldn't recall exactly when it had vanished, she thought it was before that but she was a mess when she arrived and that was something quite embarrassing to have to have three people she'd met before witness to.
tab He finally responded to her question, and she smiled reassuringly. She was glad they were all alright, and in the process found out he had two sisters. She couldn't help but tilt her head slightly, trying to picture him as a big brother and she could see it. His anger towards the staff began to worry her ever so slightly, her blue eyes watching his face before she breathed out softly, reaching one hand over and setting it over one of his that was curled into a fist. " You're a good brother. And I'm sure that the staff has gotten things under control since then. If you think about it, throwing all of us together and expecting it to go perfectly smoothly is likely not going to be the reality." she was careful to tread lightly but after one more soft squeeze she moved her hand back to her lap. She had already thought back to that night and what he was able to do with his powers; so, he and the others must have been from Thah. She didn't voice this observation but made a note in the back of her mind. Pascha, mercury. Hasan, Thah. So far, she was doing a bad job at keeping her own kingdom secret, even Luka had found out about it, but then again, she was caught in the act of using her powers too.
tab Charlene couldn't help but feel like a change of subject was in order, at least away from the staff of the school. " Your sisters are very lucky to have such a protective brother. I'm an only child myself, so I've never gotten the chance to experience such a thing." she smiled slightly, looking out forward. " I only hope that while Bree is young I can provide her with another sibling so that she is not alone in the world either." she realized he may not know what she was talking about, turning her head towards him again as she pushed her hair back from her face. " Oh my apologies. I forget not everyone knows sometimes. I have a five-year-old daughter." she figured that would add the correct context to her last statement.
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Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2025 11:03 am
♦ 𝙋𝙍𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙀 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙃 ♦
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location OUTSIDE xxxxx company CHARLENE xxxxx outfit RUNNING CLOTHES
Hasan watched Charlene carefully, noting the subtle shifts in her expression. She seemed surprised by his assurances, even a little thoughtful. Which meant she wasn't just being humble; she really hadn't considered any of what he was claiming. Probably that should have made Hasan feel a bit foolish for being so certain in his assertions, but there was little in this world that actually ever embarrassed him. Besides, it was possible he'd turn out to be right in the end, once Charlene had a chance to explore her abilities. The fact that she was thinking running tests made him laugh a bit; he could see why she and Pascha were friends.
It was a shame about the dog though. "Damn, that's too bad. Woulda been pretty cool to have a little buddy following you around and protecting you." Something he supposed was a real concern now, if he had so thoroughly overestimated Charlene's power. Maybe Pascha and Grace had been right to be worried? And maybe Hasan should have taken everyone's safety more seriously that night. Things had turned out okay in the end, but they might not be so lucky next time...
The hand on his own drew him from his anxious thoughts, and he glanced at the lady in surprise. Was she trying to comfort him? That was awful sweet of her. "I couldn't agree more. You're right, they're probably doing all they can, but..." Hasan rubbed the back of his head with a grimace. "I don't know. I still worry."
Sometimes it felt like that was all he ever did. And for what? He couldn't be everywhere all the time. Even though he had followed Nadia and Amena to the academy, he spent more time apart from them than he did with them. It was hard to protect them properly while still giving them space... And Hasan was keenly aware of how overbearing he could be. The last thing he wanted was to hold on too tightly and drive the two of them away. Finding the proper balance was key.
At any rate, he wasn't so sure his sisters were lucky to have him. He certainly felt lucky to have them, though. Growing up without siblings was such a foreign concept to him; he hoped at least Charlene had a good relationship with her parents, or very close friends. Hasan tilted his head to the side when she brought up a name he didn't recognize, but he did not have to wonder who she was talking about for long.
It was her daughter.
Five years old...
The topic turned his heart into a hard lump inside his chest, and Hasan idly rubbed at his sternum, glancing away. What an insane coincidence. Or maybe it wasn't insane at all? Many of the students at the school were old enough to have started having kids at a semi-reasonable age. Maybe there were more parents here than he thought. Maybe it was more normal than he thought. Maybe he was the freak for struggling so much.
"Wow. Five years old, huh?" he responded, reminding himself that he was in the middle of a conversation. He turned back to Charlene. "I didn't realize you were..." His eyes fell upon her hands. Bare. No ring. "Oh."
Oh, <********>. She probably thought he was being rude -- or worse, looking down on her. "Sorry, I'm not judging you, I promise. I mean, I don't even know your situation." Maybe she was a widow? Or had left her husband. What even were the chances she'd had one out of wedlock? "Kids are a, uh... a weird topic for me. Is all." How was he even supposed to explain why, without revealing closely-guarded secrets? Aithne he could not and would not risk, of course. But this was a rare opportunity for Hasan to ask some questions that had been burning holes in his mind -- questions he was too ashamed to ask Fio.
"Would it be inappropriate if I asked you about said... situation? Feel free to tell me to ******** off if so. I just, uh... Damn, I have no idea how to explain myself. But I swear I'm not asking for any weird reasons."
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2025 6:53 pm
 
tab Charlene couldn't help but wonder what else her powers might be useful for. She had honestly thought Princess Meno was responding to her that night but perhaps there was more they could be used for? She glanced over to Hasan as he mentioned that it was too bad about the crystal beast and a light laugh escaped her, nodding her head. " Honestly? I agree! It would have been very cool." although she hoped that there weren't threats one had to defend from in day to day life she had found herself surprised with a few things that had happened thus far. She hummed slightly and when he began to worry about his sisters and the staff she gave his hand a gentle squeeze before pulling her hand back and resting it on her lap. " That's what siblings do, right?" While she had never had siblings of her own she knew that she'd want her daughter to be protected and that had to be something similar, no?
tab His reaction to mention of her little girl was what she was used to but...a little different. He looked almost nervous? She tilted her head slightly as he began to speak back up but he was taken off guard by something. She followed his eyes to her hand, her hand missing the wedding band he was likely looking for. Her hand tightened as he fell silent for a moment, expecting a backlash. She chewed her lip as she cursed her tongue for slipping up about Bree; why should she make more enemies here at the school? Her blue eyes widened though, at his follow up. ' Wait...what? He's not...' her mask slipped for a second, her surprise showing clear on her expression before she pulled herself back and blinked. He outright said he wasn't judging her. That he didn't know her situation. She tilted her head slightly, her hair falling over her shoulder as she exhaled slowly. " It's...alright. Yeah, it's alright. I'm just not used to people not judging me." While she was proud of her child, she also understood that a child out of wedlock basically cut her off from high priority marriages. She could care less, but she hadn't found anyone yet that didn't genuinely seem to care.
tab When he kept talking, rambling even, she couldn't help her lips from curling up into a smile and she laughed into her hand as she looked away from him. He was nervous! That's exactly what it was. He genuinely wasn't judging her, nor was he trying to come up with excuses. She could tell he was hesitant about something but also he clearly had a curiosity that burned him as he was going so far as to ask. She shifted herself slightly so she faced him a little more, her hand gently resting on his shoulder for only a moment. " Don't worry about it. I don't mind talking about it, and... if it helps, I don't know any other royalty than my own. So if you have any specific questions, I won't judge either." she pushed her hair back with her hand as she brought it back to her lap and she closed her eyes.
tab How did Bree come to be? Well that was long story, so she'd shorten it for him. " My father...took me to an outpost once. And only once. I was there to help him with his job and that was about it. I was...hm, maybe 19 at the time." she paused and opened her eyes as she looked out over the field in front of her. " I was left in capable hands, well, as far as he knew and after a few drinks I was apparently..." she trailed off and raised a hand up to her mouth, pressing her lip in as she bit it nervously. Hopefully he wouldn't be bothered by this. " Well, long story short I ended up sleeping with someone. I genuinely don't know who it was. There were only four men there, but...it was war-time, who knows what happened." it sounded so much worse when she said it out loud! She was drunk and taken advantage of. Lovely. She lowered her hand and sheepishly smiled over at him. " Um, well, despite that...I insisted on keeping her, raising her as she is and not covering her existence up."
tab That basically outlined it, he didn't need to hear about her panic attacks, her being locked up for years, failed marriages and refusals to treat her like a normal person because of it. Surely he'd figure that part on his own, and even if he didn't, she didn't want to feel like she was complaining about her daughter. She looked away from him again and down to her lap, her hands tightening slightly at the thought of how she was treated in the Luna courts, the way even her peer Alkmene looked down at her in another way aside from being so much taller than her. She shook her head and pushed the thoughts out before looking back up to Hasan. " Do you have any other questions?" he was clearly asking for a reason, if she could help him in any way, she would.
WHO WITH: Hasan
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FEELING: Relaxed, Curious
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WHERE AT: Outside
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WEARING: Hair in a side braid with a dark green, flowy dress.
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OUT of CHARACTER:
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Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2025 8:44 pm
♦ 𝙋𝙍𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙀 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙃 ♦
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location OUTSIDE xxxxx company CHARLENE xxxxx outfit RUNNING CLOTHES
Although Charlene seemed mostly unbothered by Hasan's blunder, he couldn't help but chide himself for handling the topic so poorly. Delicacy and tact were two things which he severely lacked, but he was beginning to understand how important they could be when dealing with a proper and respectable lady like Charlene. Unfortunately, the last time Hasan had received any sort of courtly training was... damn near ten years ago now. And he definitely had not been paying close attention to his lessons at the unruly age of thirteen. At the very least, it would behoove him to think before he spoke, instead of bumbling through a conversation.
Or... maybe he hadn't ******** it up too badly? She was laughing, angling herself toward him, touching his shoulder. All good signs that she was feeling relaxed, maybe even comfortable. Hasan couldn't help but smile a little, seeing that. And this time, he kept his mouth shut and listened carefully, giving her whatever time she needed to respond to his question. However, his expression was quick to dim as Charlene dove into her tale. It wasn't hard to guess where things would go after she mentioned the drinks, but hearing the truth of the situation sparked indignant rage inside his chest. Four men -- any one of them could have been man enough to protect Charlene in her impaired state. And any one of them could have been the aggressor. Or all of them, even. Where the ******** had her father been??
She smiled at him, as if to soften the magnitude of what had happened. But Hasan was glowering with a fury he wished he could take out on whoever had taken advantage of her. If he ever got his hands on that sorry b*****d...
He cut his head to the side, just to give himself a moment to gather his wits and let go of some of that anger. Here he was, wanting to know her story to give him more insight into what Fio had gone through... But the origins of their experiences were not at all relatable. And now he'd gone and convinced Charlene to tell a near-stranger about what had to be a painful memory. All for his own selfish curiosity. He had half a mind to drop the topic entirely, but... Charlene at least didn't seem upset.
"And the decision to keep her was completely yours?" he asked warily, finally chancing a glance at his companion. "Do you ever... regret it?"
Another bad thing to say. If nothing else, he owed her some explanation. Hasan grimaced and stared down at his knuckles. "Sorry, you don't have to answer that. I... Let's say I have... a friend. And that friend knocked up a girl when he was young. Much younger than you were. And he didn't know he'd gotten her pregnant until she showed up nine months later with a baby. But his parents paid her to disappear with the child, and he never saw either of them again. Never knew what she had gone through..."
It was a stupid cop-out, when anyone with even a single braincell could tell he was talking about himself. But this was, technically, a state secret in Thah -- one his parents had worked very hard to bury. He had to have some level of plausible deniability, on the off chance Charlene ever shared this story with anyone. Yet it was a risk he had to take, because he couldn't talk about Fio and Aithne -- the two that he was really concerned about. So the story of the first baby it had to be. With some minor omissions and fabrications, of course.
"And he's always wondered if she resented him for getting her pregnant and not being around. For not trying to find her afterward or try to take care of her or the baby." Hasan frowned at his lap, then looked to Charlene. "I know your situations are very different. But you're the first person I've met who's sort of been in that girl's shoes, so... I guess I just want to know what it was like for you." He paused. "Er, my friend would want to know. What it was like for you. And what it is like, if... having a child with no father makes things difficult."
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2025 8:08 pm
tab Charlene knew that her situation wasn't typical of many that he likely knew of, never mind of one who was sent to the school to represent her kingdom. She wasn't anticipating his reaction though as a flash of anger went across his face at her explanation. She tilted her head to the side as she studied his face even as she spoke. Curious. It was the first time she'd seen someone be so upset about her story. Was this not commonplace or did her family and court judge her unfairly? She couldn't help but widen her eyes again though when he asked if she regretted it. She breathed in sharply before she looked down at her lap. She could hear him begin talking again but she was thinking to herself for a moment. While she didn't regret Bree, or the young girl she had become and all the time she was able to spend with her...did she regret keeping the pregnancy when she had been given the option? She raised her hand, pressing two of her fingers against her bottom lip before she glanced over to him. He had a grimace on his face and clearly hadn't meant to let the question blurt out, but she knew everyone was a little different in how they were raised.
tab Her blue eyes watched him, slowly lowering her hand back down to her lap as he so clearly spoke of himself. He also seemed to not be completely honest about something, but she couldn't place what it was. Not that it mattered. He wanted to know how hard it was to raise a child without a father. That much she could provide him some insight with. When he looked back up to her eyes, she allowed her expression to stay a little down. This man was worried about someone else, and he had decided to ask her for advice. The least she could do was provide him with the answers he sought out without hiding her feelings on the matter. " Well, first of all.... no, I don't regret keeping her." she hesitated between her words before she smiled softly. " Do I regret the way others treated me because of it? Of course. And sometimes part of me regrets losing the life I could have had, I would be lying if I said I didn't." while her eyes were a little sad, she still seemed to be smiling genuinely. " That being said, I don't regret any of the time I was able to spend raising her. Every laugh, smile and 'I love you' she's ever told me makes me appreciate my decision because I know despite everything else, I'm raising a little angel." she knew she had begun rambling for a moment, before she lightly coughed into her hand and closed her eyes.
tab She then looked back up to him and let her hand lower. Now her smile was a little more knowing but she wasn't going to out him to anyone. What reason would she have? Even if he was royalty there's nothing that could do her any good. At least she could be someone he could talk to for advice. " As for your friend, I can't say raising a child on your own is easy. But if you have the support of those around you it's much easier. And I suspect that since his parents were the ones to pay her off, and not himself, she wouldn't hold as much resentment as you might think." she turned and looked out and away from him for a moment as she fell silent. Almost letting her words sink in as she continued to think. " I can't imagine if she loves her child as much as I mine, that she regrets it all either. But it would be nice for your friend to apologize if ever given the chance, and if she's open to it perhaps start to play a part in the child's life." she glanced back over to him and couldn't help but be a little curious about age anyway, even if he couldn't give her much more. " How old are we talking about? From how you said young, certainly old enough to have memory of childhood I take it." The entirety of her words she held no judgement, because she wasn't one to judge either. She was happy he was willing to take responsibility for what happened, and it showed good character that he wanted to try.
WHO WITH: Hasan
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FEELING: Relaxed, Curious
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WHERE AT: Outside
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WEARING: Hair in a side braid with a dark green, flowy dress.
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OUT of CHARACTER:
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Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2025 9:39 am
♦ 𝙋𝙍𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙀 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙃 ♦
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location OUTSIDE xxxxx company CHARLENE xxxxx outfit RUNNING CLOTHES
Charlene seemed a little wary about answering his question about regret, and Hasan couldn’t help but tense. He knew it was an awful thing to ask, and he really hadn’t expected her to want to give him an answer at all, let alone an honest one. But the fact remained that he wanted to know. Having a baby out of wedlock as part of the nobility was scandalous enough, and to have gotten pregnant at a young age on top of that… Surely it couldn’t have been all sunshine and roses, even if the child was loved. So when Charlene finally explained her feelings – candid as could be – Hasan raised his brows and relaxed into the bench with a small nod. That made sense to him. And somehow knowing exactly what it was that she had struggled with made him feel a little less anxious. He wondered if Fio had ever thought or felt the same thing, if she’d been treated poorly or if she ever mourned what could have been… At the very least, he knew she didn’t regret what had happened. She loved Aithne deeply, just as Charlene loved Bree.
“Thanks,” he said. “I appreciate the honesty. I’m sorry you’ve had a tough time, but I’m, uh… I’m glad you and your daughter are close. She sounds really great.”
Which begged a new question: what was it like for her and Fio, to be separated from their children here at Utopia?
Hasan glanced at Charlene, feeling a bit sheepish under the force of her smile. Of course he’d known she wouldn’t have fallen for his lame cop-out, but the fact that a near-stranger now knew one of his deepest secrets made him feel… tense. Yet there was something strangely freeing about revealing that part of him, too. There was probably a lesson there – something about acceptance being the first step to recovery, or however that saying went. Hasan chose to ignore that for now. He was much more interested in working toward resolving his still-lingering anxiety about Aithne, and as such focused instead on the wisdom Charlene was offering. Fio hadn’t been completely on her own in raising her, he knew. But had she gotten enough support? She didn’t resent him, either…
At the very least, he had apologized. Was he ready to become a part of Aithne’s life beyond the stories Fio had told her, though? Part of him still felt like he didn’t have the right, whether Fio wanted him to meet her or not. It was something he was trying to work through, slowly but surely.
His expression had grown somber while Charlene had spoken, but as she posed her question, Hasan grimaced and dragged a hand down his face. Although having children in one’s mid-teens wasn’t unheard of, he was still embarrassed to reflect on the recklessness of his youth. “He was, uh… fourteen at the time of conception. Freshly fifteen around the time the baby was born.” And Aithne was born just two years after that. Hasan let out a mirthless chuckle. “He was just a dumb kid. Still is, in some ways… I guess that's part of why it's so hard for him to reconcile the fact that he's got a kid of his own out there.” Even at his big age, parental responsibility seemed so daunting; he wasn't sure how Fio and Charlene handled it with such grace, and had done so at a much younger age.
“Would you... I mean, supposing Bree's conception had been on better terms, but her father just hadn't been around all this time. Would you let him start coming around? Would you want him to be in her life? You don't think it would be harder on her, having her dad come in and out?” He was projecting like crazy here, trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, but what else could he do?
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Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2025 6:45 pm
Charlene felt a weight having left her chest at the fact that she was able to help someone at the academy with her experience. This was something she had never wished upon anyone, at the least not until having a child was a good option with a support system that would back them up. Be that a partner, or family or even friends. She knew that the backlash was something that a lot of nobility was afraid of, and her family had dealt with a good deal of it for her own indiscretion. She knew her parents loved her and that's how she and Bree were well taken care of all these years. Even her little girl was off at school and content with what was going on. She tilted her head at Hasan as he thanked her, the fact that he could tell these weren't your typical questions that people would ask made her feel better about answering them for him. She wouldn't want him to feel uncomfortable but at the same time she knew they were important questions as he was clearly working through something in his head.
At her question though he grimaced, and a pang of regret washed over her. Oh no, had she asked something she shouldn't? She began to open her mouth to explain that he didn't have to answer just as he did. She couldn't help her own reaction of surprise when he spoke. 14? That was really young! She couldn't help but wonder if no one was looking after him if he was able to get up to that, but she knew better than to voice such a thing. Her expression shifted back to her usual calm as she shook her head. " Don't say that you were a dumb kid," she spoke softly, dropping the act for the one sentence as she knew to an extent, he knew that she'd figured it out. " Sorry, I meant he was a child, who made a dumb decision. Certainly, a mistake such as that doesn't define a person." she felt better at the least telling him directly that he wasn't dumb, which was a horrible thing to say about oneself. " And as true as that is, I can say I made my own dumb mistake that night." she shifted slightly, her blue eyes looking out from him for a moment. " I shouldn't have been where I was, unsupervised. I haven't let that define who I became though, as most people who don't know of my girl don't even guess that it's a possibility." she closed her eyes, a soft breath leaving her nose as she almost laughed under her breath, almost. " Besides, he clearly wants to become a better person and more mature in light of what's been happening. I'm more than happy to give my input and advice whenever he may need it." anyone who had heard them would have guessed they were talking about another person entirely, but she knew that she wanted to confidently offer her support to him even if it was through this indirect "friend" he was asking her about.
His next question had her thinking. She pursed her lips and thought as she opened her eyes and looked out straight still. " If the circumstances were different," she paused before her gaze moved back to him. " If they were more like the situation you speak of it would wholly depend on the other person." Her shoulders tensed slightly at the thought of the men who were there that night, but she pushed the images out of her mind and instead the mental image of the only other man at the academy she'd become slowly closer to so far flashed into her mind. Pascha. Keeping him in mind and the true events in the back of her mind she continued on with answering his question. " If her father was a solid presence, yes. Keeping his word, doing things for Bree, respecting any and all boundaries placed in order gain that trust...yes." a slight smile flickered across her lips at the mental image of Pascha and Bree, but she shook her head and forced herself to look back to Hasan. " Now it all depends on the social standing too, is it safe for my child to have him in her life? Unfortunately, it may not always be the case but I know I personally would want to give them a chance if they had good intentions and were trying hard." she wouldn't let a man who didn't apologize for his actions and didn't keep his word around her child. The security and safety of her little girl were number one in her book. And surely, in the book for the woman that he was referring to. " So, as long as your friend makes a good effort and keeps his word, I don't see why she wouldn't give him a chance. However, I cannot speak for her, of course." that would be a rough conversation, but she was glad he was confiding in her especially as she was basically a stranger to him.
WHO WITH: Hasan
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FEELING: Relaxed, Curious
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WHERE AT: Outside
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WEARING: Hair in a side braid with a dark green, flowy dress.
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OUT of CHARACTER:
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Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2025 8:08 pm
♦ 𝙋𝙍𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙀 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙃 ♦
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location OUTSIDE xxxxx company CHARLENE xxxxx outfit RUNNING CLOTHES
"Certainly, a mistake such as that doesn't define a person."
Hasan doubted he’d ever be able to forgive himself for the actions of his youth, or for the mistakes of his adulthood, or the mistakes he would continue to make in the future. But hearing something like that from Charlene in all her wisdom almost made it sound like it could be true. The idea was… difficult for him to wrap his mind around. He had spent so long defining himself solely by his mistakes; it was hard to fathom letting all that go. What even would be left of himself if he did?
What was he if not what he had made himself out to be?
Hasan cast his gaze outward at the same time Charlene did, suddenly feeling too broken and ugly to look at her or to let her look at him. She was a thousand times braver and stronger than he, to be able to move on and to not let that moment define herself or her life. He supposed knowing that ought to be inspiring somehow, but he genuinely believed her to be blameless in what had happened to her, even if she didn’t agree. It was easier to forgive yourself when some amount of fault still laid with the other party. And it was every single man who had been at that fort that was to blame, whether they had taken advantage of her or just stood idly by.
Hasan… had no one else to blame. His mistakes were his own. And he continued to make them, even when he knew those decisions were wrong. Deep down, he knew – even if all of that was taken away, he’d still be nothing more than a worthless b*****d.
It took him a moment to register Charlene had gone back to speaking about him, and he was grateful for her continuing the ruse despite seeing straight past it. He did want to be a better person, but he didn’t know how. If Charlene was offering… She was intelligent and thoughtful and clearly possessed invaluable wisdom. Would she be able to steer him in the right direction? Did he dare ask? The last thing Hasan wanted was to burden anyone else with the tremendous undertaking of turning his life around. Especially when he so doubted he could change in any meaningful way.
At the very least, she was a good resource for the topic at hand: parenthood, if Hasan could even qualify as a parent. He stared down at his feet as she spoke, tensing at the mention of the father being a solid presence. And to need good social standing, too… The situations still weren’t directly translatable, but he was grateful for her opinion, however much the prospect troubled him. He nodded in understanding, at long last finding the strength to meet her eyes once more.
“That makes a lot of sense. Thank you, Charlene,” he said, and after a moment flashed a sincere smile. “Bree’s lucky to have a mother who cares so much about her. And I’m lucky to be able to come to you for advice. You’ve given me a lot to…” Catching himself, Hasan let out a little laugh. “To, uh, bring back to my friend. So he can think loooong and hard about it.”
He definitely had plenty to work through now – and that would take time.
“You don’t mind keeping this conversation between us two, do you?” he asked. “I know all the pretending is stupid, but… it’s for a good reason. I appreciate you playing along.”
Aaaand suddenly he felt a lot more sympathetic toward what Nox had gone through, keeping the secrets from him. It made a world of a difference when you had to keep your mouth shut for someone else’s sake, huh? Hasan held back a sober sigh as he rested his elbows along the back of the bench.
“I also want to say – you need anything at all, I’m your guy. Whether it’s fetching something off the top shelf or tracking down Bree’s dad and breaking all his teeth. Whatever you need, I’ve got you, okay? I mean it.”
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Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2025 7:55 pm
 
Charlene could tell he was thinking hard the whole time she spoke. He either wasn't used to listening to someone talk to him like this or this really was a huge surprise for him. Either way she wanted him to know that she didn't judge him for any of it, she was in no place for that to be the case. She didn't know why he had to keep it down low, but she also didn't want to push away someone who may have needed help with something when she could just play along and make it work. Sure, they both knew that he was referring to himself, but they didn't need to voice that out loud. Not with so many possible ears. When he finally was able to look back up to her, she relaxed her shoulders. She hadn't realized how tense she had become, worried that he might have thought she said the wrong thing or had been out of line. His smile made her breathe out a sigh of relief before she nodded her head. " Anytime. I'm happy to help out a fellow student and parent." when he almost slipped up, she too laughed under her breath. He caught himself but made a good point. If he was brand new to all this, he would likely need to take time, and he might have follow-up questions. She tilted her head slightly and covered her mouth softly with her hand as she continued. " And if your friend has any other questions, you or he can bend my ear about it anytime."
When he blatantly thanked her for the ruse she waved her hand gently, her lips curling into a slightly larger smile. " No problem. Given the fact that the ruse was necessary in the first place, it's not my place to speak of it. Besides, even if we didn't do that, it's still not my place." she knew how poorly rumors and half-truths could cause problems. She did not want to do that to anyone else and she wouldn't be starting now. " I don't know the circumstances, but your secret is safe with me." she shifted her hand to press a long slender finger against her lips, but she was taken off guard when he spoke again. She blinked and it was her turn to fall silent. Why would he do that for her? Normally that would be a big hint towards him being a royal but that was the last thing on her mind. Did she want him to find him? To... punch his teeth in? Was that necessary?
Her blue eyes turned away from him again as she breathed out slowly. Revenge for what had happened had never crossed her mind as she had been shamed for her part in it her whole life, never sympathized with. A moment later she closed her eyes and leaned back against the bench herself. " You surprise me, Hasan. Nobody has ever offered such a thing; you would be the first to look out for me." she knew that it was a both sad and scary thing to think but it was true. " That being said, I think I'm okay right now. However," she paused, glancing over to him with a small smile. " I will keep your very kind offer in mind. I hope we shall continue to be allies for each other." and to imagine, they met because the school was under attack. She had another idea, before she rested her hands on her lap. " Actually, there is something I'd like to show you. Would you mind meeting me out in the open field out back of the school tonight? Usually, it's around midnight give or take, I promise it's nothing ill intentioned." she hoped he'd say yes, as he already likely knew where she was from, she would be happy to show him how she stayed in communication with her little girl.
TIME SKIP TO THAT NIGHT
Charlene had kept her dress on that she had worn all day, this time though she had draped a white shawl over her shoulders. She slowly walked out to the bench where she had routinely gone to since she started school. She sat to the side more this time though, hoping that Hasan would join her, she was almost excited to share another side of her with him. For once she had felt like she made a genuine connection with someone that wasn't built off of power or the need for the connection. Sure, she was happy to help him, but it wasn't the reason they had begun talking. She smiled to herself, raising her hand up as she looked up at the moon. " Dearest Selene, please let this be true." she murmured to herself, she had been burned before, but she really hoped that Hasan meant his words even if she would never likely take him up on hunting down Bree's father.
WHO WITH: Hasan -- Alone
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FEELING: Relaxed, Curious -- Hopeful
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WHERE AT: Outside
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WEARING: Hair in a side braid with a dark green, flowy dress.
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OUT of CHARACTER:
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Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2025 7:02 pm
♦ 𝙋𝙍𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙀 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙃 ♦
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location OUTSIDE xxxxx company CHARLENE xxxxx outfit RUNNING CLOTHES > LOUNGEWEAR
In hindsight, Hasan probably should have asked Charlene to swear to secrecy before spilling the (slightly altered) details of his checkered past, but there was no going back now. She didn't seem like the type to go back on her word, at least. Hasan grinned at her, clearly very pleased. "I appreciate it. I might end up making you regret offering, but you'll be the first I go to if I'm in need of anymore guidance." Even if there were an abundance of people he could ask, Hasan was certain Charlene would still be his first choice. She was so easy to talk to, and blissfully nonjudgmental. He'd really lucked out in befriending her.
Maybe she was not feeling the same way, though. Her reaction to his proclamation made him tense, though Hasan couldn't say he blamed her for being caught off guard. He needed to remind himself he was speaking to a proper lady here, and as such it was probably best that he watch his tongue, in more ways than one. But how exactly did one politely offer to commit violent atrocities? Was it even possible? Hasan watched Charlene carefully, staying on guard until at last she leaned back into the bench in what he hoped was relaxation.
She couldn't possible be serious, though, right? No one was looking out for her? Didn't she have a family -- friends? Well, she had him now, but there had to be others. Or maybe they were all proper law-abiding citizens and not aimless violent bastards like himself. His expression melted into one of concern as she spoke, but when she finally smiled, he returned the favor with one of his own. Being allies was fine by him, so long as Charlene wouldn't mind it if he also considered her a friend. He wanted to tell her as much, yet he did not have the chance to do so before she asked to show him something.
It took every ounce of willpower in his body not to let his gaze dart down to her chest. Usually when women started talking like that, they had one very specific thing in mind. And usually, Hasan was all too happy to oblige. Charlene was a beautiful woman, certainly, but he was --
No, no, that couldn't be the case here. Based on the context clues he could at least assume she was not propositioning him. As for what would be waiting for him in the field at midnight, he had absolutely no idea. But he knew he'd be finding out. Hasan flashed her a grin and a wink.
"I'll be there."
- SKIP -
The hours passed by quickly, and although Hasan was not able to conceive of a single reasonable idea for what Charlene had in mind, he would be staying true to his word. It was easy enough to slip out of his dorm close to midnight, leaving his window open just a crack. Carefully, he picked his way through campus, doing his best to avoid being noticed by any staff who happened to be out and about. It wasn't until he drew closer to the back of the school that he realized the "open field" was a bit of a vague description. The lands around the school were sprawling and vast; Charlene could have been referring to one of any number of areas.
But as Hasan peeked out from behind the last of the buildings, he spotted her in the distance, illuminated by moonlight. After a quick check of the perimeter, Hasan trotted out to join her, uncaring at this point if they got caught. At least she'd know he'd come -- and if they got in trouble, they could face it together.
Approaching from behind, Hasan wordlessly braced a hand against the back of the bench and vaulted over it, dropping into the spot beside Charlene with a heavy thump. "Evenin'," he greeted pleasantly, immediately relaxing into his seat. "I have no idea what I'm in here for here, but I'm happy to find out. What is it you wanted to show me?"
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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2025 7:13 pm
Charlene certainly hadn't expected things to go as they had that first night she met Hasan, and he so brutally took down one of the undead creatures. As she sat on the bench looking up at the moon she exhaled softly, her breath hadn't begun to show but she knew soon enough she'd have to shorten her trips outside because of the cold. Until then, she'd enjoy it as much as she could. Thinking back to the first night she had met him she'd figured out at least where a couple of her classmates were from based on powers alone. She knew that she likely gave herself away as well, but she had a feeling she could trust them. At the very least she could trust the group she'd found herself with. Akwasi, Hasan, Pascha and Grace. She hadn't seen Grace or Akwasi much since that night but found herself getting well acquainted with the other two.
The duchess was still taken off guard by the fact that Hasan was so ready to defend her, not as much the violent nature of his offer. She had been so adjusted to the fact that she was to blame for at least a portion of what had happened to her that it was hard to focus on anything but that. She didn't hear him coming up behind her, so when she felt someone's hand on the back of the bench, she widened her eyes, her head turning quickly to see him having jumped over it and settling in beside her. He was certainly nimble! " Ah, you startled me. You're good at sneaking around." she regardless flashed him a content smile, before she breathed out her nose and shook her head. " Good evening to you as well, I hope the remainder of the day treated you well." she hummed as she looked back up to the moon, her blue eyes watching it. She wasn't sure why she was so confident that this wouldn't bite her in the butt, but here she went. " Well, you were willing to trust me with something so personal as the situation we spoke of earlier...I thought I'd show you I trust you as well." she didn't have many secrets, but one was her means of communication with her daughter. And because of the rule that one wasn't supposed to share where they were from, she knew it could get sketchy if too many people knew. Hasan though, she knew she could trust.
" I suppose a starting point would be that I was able to pinpoint at the least likely where two people are from, that night we had our powers in action." she glanced over to him and her smile shifted towards more curious. " An educated guess on my end would be Thah." her voice had lowered to keep anyone else from overhearing her before she leaned back and closed her eyes, her expression gentle as she moved on quickly, not expecting the man to confirm nor deny her words. " Our earlier mentions of my own powers made me realize that none of you actually know what it is. That night was exactly as I told you; I've never done neither of those things before." a soft laugh left her before she opened her eyes again and looked down at her hands. She had always thought herself weak, but perhaps she was not. She knew that she should find Princess Meno to ask her some questions, but she hadn't found it in her yet to do such a thing. " Where Bree is so far away, communication would normally be limited. However," she paused, her head turning back to look at him. " We have the same power, and it allows us to speak. That's what I wanted to show you." she waited to see what his reaction would be, she wanted to explain before anything got misinterpreted and she made the situation uncomfortable.
WHO WITH: Hasan
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FEELING: Appreciative
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WHERE AT: Outside
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WEARING: Hair in a side braid with a dark green, flowy dress.
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OUT of CHARACTER:
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