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 Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 4:54 pm
As Sigmund stared up at the star-riddled sky, he let himself become lost for a span, his mind leaving his body behind in favor of the mysterious constellations and soft light of the million specks of light. He saw beauty beyond compare as he flew among them, drawing his fingers across the silvered surface of their collective light, a corporeal thing in his vision. Such joy came to him as he swept his gaze across the heavens, eyes wide and mouth ajar, just slightly. Not stupidity, but utter rapture. He let his thoughts slip away, forgetting... everything. Identity, feeling, and proprioception all withered down to non-presences as Sigmund took momentary celestial journey.
Unfortunately for Sigmund, or fortunately for anyone who doesn't enjoy watching Sigmund stare slack jawed into the inky expanse of the wild now-black yonder, his voyage among the stars didn't last very long. The only thought that hadn't faded from his mind as he had flown away into his waking dream was one of his sister, Niamh, walking beside him. Beside him, and not under him, because he still stood on the ground, rather than on thin air. Though the vision was a pretty one, to be sure, he had no time to indulge himself as its thrall.
He blinked and shook his head twice, in an attempt to jar some consciousness back into his flighty brain, and the rapid motion sent a sheet of hair flying into his face. An absent, familiar flick of his hand along his hairline rectified the obstruction, and revealed his sister again, now slightly ahead of him because he'd taken so long to stare skyward. Under her arm, she carried a bundle of papers pressed against a thin sheet of wood she'd use for a hard surface, a very similar package to what Sigmund carried under his own arm. Charts, of course, now he remembered. They'd trekked out into the night to chart via divination, using those million stars above for guidance. The errand excited him, because he'd never had a chance to go out on his own before, and twice over because Niamh had agreed to come with him. He hadn't expected her to turn him down when he asked; she would never do such a thing, but still it pleased him to have her close. Made him feel safer.
“Hey,” Sigmund called to her, softly, almost afraid to break the silent serenity of the night, “How far do you want to go...? Did you have a specific spot in mind...?”
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2011 9:22 am
Starlight, Niamh decided, was cold. Cold, and brilliant, to stretch so far that it could illuminate even them. She hoped one day her influence would extend so widely. For the moment, however, she could content herself with Sigmund’s delight. He seemed to look at the stars in wonderment, fixated by their brilliance. She smiled to herself, briefly; the look on his face made her happy that they had been reunited, and could now live this way. She shrugged deeper into her draped cloak, the heavily embroidered hem shifting across her chest as she moved. she didn't mind Sigmund's rapture. More accurately, she cherished it, because it was a profoundness of feeling that she couldn't quite manage on a typical basis.
Although she did start to step ahead of him, something catching her eye in the distance, she was ever-aware of her brother. After losing him the once, she would not let anyone separate them again. Anyone or anything. She shifted the weight of her charts against one hip and winced as the paper edge cut her finger. Even Niamh was not immune to pain, and she didn't like it any more than the average witchling might.
She felt like the divination of the future should be close, especially to one who had such a firm grasp on the past. What had happened in the past could only continue in the future, could it not? In new ways, of course, but the same threads of events. So Niamh was there with Sigmund, stargazing, ready to map out her calculations.
As her brother spoke, she turned to him and replied, "There's a spot just on that hill there which I wouldn't mind trying--" she stopped, as she looked over to the hill and thought she saw someone already there. "Do you... see that?" she asked, still moving towards the figure even as she asked him.
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Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2011 12:42 pm
Chanda had lied. Now, at the moment of the lie she had not know that it was, indeed, a lie. In fact, had anyone asked her as to what she would be doing tonight, she would have answered "Using the the stars to divine the future," and would have been wholly truthful in her statement. However, the moment she felt the cool blades of grass underneath her hands and the wholesome smell of nature untainted by man's presence she found herself wanting to do nothing more than meditate in this wonderful sanctuary.
Incense sticks arced around the front part of her in a perfect half circle. The sticks were nearly spent and the small wisps of smoke they still managed to produce were swiftly carried away by the wind before she could even enjoy the scent. But that was alright, she had finished meditating a long while ago and was simply enjoying the quiet company of the stars.
...and then the wind changed direction and Chanda (or rather, her nose) realized she had more company than just the stars. Her ears swiveled to listen to the approaching pair, the rest of her body remaining still. If they were among the witch eaters that had been attacking people she didn't want them knowing she had sensed their approach.
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Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2011 4:49 pm
Sigmund jogged to catch up with his sister before responding. His shins sighed softly through the tall grass as they passed through the great waves of them, still too early to be wet with dew yet. He'd traded out his normal student's attire for a loose shirt, one that hid his almost-too-slender form behind folds of cloth, and the extra material of the shirt billowed behind him as he ran. He wore a thermal underneath to spare himself from the cold, but he liked the way the overshirt looked. The effect was lost in the dark, though. He didn't care. He didn't need to impress Big Sister; she was the only one he felt comfortable around. A wide grin spread across his face. She was the only one who'd wanted him, in the end, other than Old Hamar. The only one who cared. He only acted like himself when they were alone together.
He came to rest beside Niamh before she had finished speaking, so she had the chance to see his bright smile fade, the tiniest bit, with confusion. A touch of worry. See something? It was dark out, nothing good moved out in the dark. The smallest speck of fear. He drew in close to his sister, resisting the urge to cling to her, and looked in the same direction as her. It took some time, but... eventually, yes, he did see something. In the dark, a little ways off, pinpoints of light, like little deep red stars, dotted the hillside in a concentrated pattern. Looked like embers, or maybe incense. So somebody had been sitting out there, perhaps performing a ritual...
Or perhaps someone still sat there.
He stuck close to her as she began moving towards the meditation site, whispering softly as he walked alongside. “Maybe a witch...? We should be careful...” He had no conviction in his own warning, though, for he didn't think it would be a problem. And he doubted anything in the world could topple his big sister, not when they could protect each other. Woe to the fool who thought to harm the von Rohr twins.
So when they came upon the mononoke girl, Sigmund heaved an internal sigh of relief, even while the fact that he had no idea how to deal with people made his gut sieze up. “... Hello,” the pale boy said, haltingly, but not without warmth, “How funny that we should all come upon the same stretch of starlight, isn't it, Sister?”
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