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 Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 6:53 pm
 Cassiel had spent the previous day spring cleaning and stumbled upon several items that didn't belong to his shrine, i.e., incense, tarot cards and an old diary. After doing some investigation work, (reading his late grandfather's shrine log) he learned that the items belonged to another shrine. Deciding to return the items, he spent the day hiking through the forest. He passed several shrines along the way but he came to a stop outside The Shrine of Lovers' Woe.
He never bothered to hide his approach, knowing the woman would sense it. "I hope I'm not intruding." Cassiel called out as he crossed the threshold into the shrine, looking for the shrine keeper. When he found her, he stopped several feet away to keep a respectable distance for strangers. "I.. um..." Wow, she was beautiful. For a moment Cassiel found himself red faced and speechless as he watched the female exorcisma in front of him. For the longest time the only one he knew was his mother... But shaking his thoughts out of his head, he smiled softly. "Sorry... My name is Cassiel. I was cleaning my home yesterday and found some things that belong to you or your shrine. A diary, incense and tarot cards." He explained, closing the gap with a few strides to offer a small bundle. He didn't hold it out to the woman, how could she see him with a blindfold on? Instead, he waited to place it into her hands. "So, I hope you don't mind my sudden arrival. I thought it appropriate to return the items as my family has had them for decades. Our grandparents must have collaborated at one point... For some reason she left them behind and I thought it time to return them... So I came here...obviously... to um, return them." The poor male stood there feeling almost foolish for walking a day simply to bring an old book, tattered cards and broken incense back. He yelled at himself mentally. "I'm just going to shut up now.
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Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 12:07 pm
Things had been quiet at the Shrine of Lovers’ Woe for the past few days. The Goddess, it seemed, had gone silent as she observed those at her shrine (or, in this case, the lack thereof). There hadn’t been many patrons lately, so things had been slow. Perhaps it was the weather? It had rained a lot off and on over the past few weeks, and that was something that often could turn shrine-goers away from making their visits. It could also have been just sheer lack of motivation. Luukria wasn’t entirely sure. All she knew was that things had been slow, and thus she had taken to some duties she normally set aside for when time started to move at a more leisurely pace: picking weeds, cleaning up the graves – simple tasks. It came as no surprise to her, however, when someone else called out to her. A young man.
”I hope I’m not intruding.”
Intruding? Although the female Exorcisma’s eyes weren’t visible due to the blindfold she wore around them, the young woman couldn’t help but blink. Of course, he wasn’t intruding. No one really ever intruded on her shrine. They had too much respect for it. And when it came to someone of her own kind – no, no. It was never an intrusion. If anything, Cassiel’s arrival would be quite the opposite. She wouldn’t view his arrival as a nuisance, but more as a special occasion. It wasn’t often she saw others like her, aside from family, that is.
When he addressed her and continued on with his explanation, Luukria couldn’t help but smile. His nervous, rather flustered rambling was endearing, and the shrine-keeper found herself smiling even broader when she stood up from the ground, dusting any excess dirt off of her dress. ”Cassiel…” she repeated softly, as if to lock it away in her memory. She then turned to face him, head tilted although she couldn’t see his physical features. It was rude not to look at someone when they spoke, even if she couldn’t see them. ”I knew you would be coming.” Despite the fact that he had come to the shrine to bring back some items of her grandmother’s, Luukria didn’t extend out her hands in order to take them. Instead, she just stood next to Cassiel in silence, waiting for a moment or two as she took everything in. Beside her, a reddish orb with wisp white smoke floated in the air, only to move over to the male Exorcisma and encircle around him. It then floated back to the girl’s side as quick as it had left, and the young woman nodded.
”My name is Luukria, and I have heard of your family.” Again, she didn’t elaborate. Where as Cassiel had rambled on in his nervousness, she had trailed off in her calm, quiet demeanor. ”Follow me – you have traveled far. I’m sure you are weary.” And with that, the female Exorcisma said no more. She just flashed her newfound friend a pretty smile, only to turn without a word and walk toward the inviting shrine which Luukria called home. It was there that food would await them, as well as privacy with which to carry out more personal, private conversation.
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Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 7:04 pm
Cassiel found his arm hanging like a tree branch, and as Luurika made no motion to take it, he simply let his arm drop. He was about to ask a question when the red orb buzzed around his personal space. His golden eyes watched it zip around, his eyes wide with surprise. He felt like a mouse with an owl circling overhead. Thankfully it didn't stay for long.
"I've heard of yours as well, obviously. Or I wouldn't be here... Though I haven't met any of you shrine maidens before." Again, it was so obvious he mentally hit himself. There was no need to be so nervous! He tried to take a few calming breaths as he followed the woman into her home, hoping he could still those butterflies in his stomach. He wasn't sure why Luurika made him so flustered; none of the other women he met caused him this much anxiety. Too bad he was so nervous, he couldn't stop his mouth from running.
"The travel wasn't that far. I enjoy the walking. I believe is was only... oh... nine hours tops? I walked a straight line here." And he did. The fastest way between two points was straight, so he simply used his magic to walk through any obstacle that met his path. As they crossed the shrine, he took notice of the differences. He was always amazed by how each shrine was so unique and yet they were all connected in some spiritual way. "Your home, its lovely." He muttered, still following Luurika's lead.
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Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 7:29 pm
Listening to Cassiel talk was a refreshing change of pace. It was one thing to listen to her various family members, who she had spoken to time and time again, talk or teach her lessons on numerous subjects. It was another thing to greet another one of her kind into her home and listen to their stories. As much as the male Exorcisma went on, which some might view as rambling, Luukria thoroughly enjoyed it, though she didn’t express this feeling outwardly. At the complement of her home, however, she just bowed her head graciously as she walked inside the spacious shrine.
"Thank you. It has been here for generations."
The inside of the shrine itself was very inviting, if not a bit mysterious and elegant. The shrine seemed to be filled with all sorts of artifacts, some holy and magical and others mundane and ordinary. Most of the things throughout the shrine were tools for Divination and other sorts of magic. Everything had a place, however, and the rooms were very neat. The entirety of the shrine seemed to be lit by lanterns filled with candles, or often times just candles themselves. A table sat in the main room off the entryway, finely polished, along with cushy velvet chairs for the guests. There was a stand on the middle of the table, it seemed, for where a crystal ball would go, but there was no such ball present. Odd.
"You can just set the items on that shelf over there." This statement that Luukria told Cassiel was followed by a fluid, graceful hand gesture over to a small, three-shelved bookshelf in the corner of the main room. Although the shelves itself were filled with books, the top of it was clear, and thus able to hold the bundle that the other Exorcisma had traveled all this way to deliver.
It was after she told him where the bundle could be placed that the shrine-keeper thought back to what Cassiel had said a few moments earlier as the two of them walked inside. He hadn’t met any of the shrine maidens of her family before – that much she knew for a fact. Their families may have been familiar with each other in the past, but this was their first time meeting. Perhaps it was fate? "This won’t be the last time you and I meet," she said, turning back to look at him with a smirk on her face, "I can tell you that." Luukria then paused in the middle of the hallway just off the entryway when one walked into the shrine. "If you take a seat in the main parlor, I will get you some warm food and something nice to drink. Make yourself comfortable…" Trailing off, Luukria then gave him another smile before disappearing down a darkened hallway. The aura of the shrine seemed different with the arrival of this new Exorcisma – of Cassiel. What used to be a relatively quiet, subdued aura due to the nature of the shrine and the grounds was now charged and vibrant. Who knew all it took was the arrival of a intriguing newcomer?
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Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 1:02 pm
Cassiel followed the woman inside, still awestruck at the difference in their homes. When she mentioned placing the bundle somewhere, his eyes followed her hand to the shelf. He gave a silent nod before moving towards the bookshelf, puling the items from the cloth to place each one on the shelf. They almost appeared to be in a familiar place, as if they were upon the shelf for years.
But when he heard the girl mention it wouldn't be the last time they met, he couldn't help but look at her in surprise. His eyes widened and he just watched her disappear down a hall. Whatever she said after that went in one ear and out the other. It was almost weird speaking to someone who in fact knew the future.
Moving to sit down in the parlor, he got himself comfortable on one of those velvet-lined chairs. "Luurika... huh." He muttered the girls name under his breath, wanting to make sure his pronunciation was right. Girls got picky with that sort of thing, right? Maybe he could just call her Luuluu... No, nicknames and pet names were for friends, not new acquaintances. But as he sat there in his silence, he continued to look the place over. He was puzzled by the golden stand that held no crystal ball, lifting it up to inspect it momentarily before putting it back down. He almost wanted to ask her to read his future, but what would be the fun in knowing?
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Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 7:05 pm
While Cassiel made himself comfortable in the parlor, Luukria busied herself back in the kitchen. Being blind wasn’t always bad. She wasn’t born that way, luckily. It was only when she started to learn her magic that her eyesight started to fade – a side effect, of sorts, of her new magical abilities, her family said. 'Sometimes when given special powers bestowed upon them by the Goddess, she must also take something away.' This was a phrase that her grandmother often used to tell her, and in time the Exorcisma had grown used to her loss of eyesight. In the case of the kitchen, for example, she knew everything by heart, and thus was able to get the other shrine-keeper a nice tray of food. Items on the tray included: a hot bowl of stew, nice and hearty with rich meats and fresh root vegetables, fresh baked bread with freshly churned butter, along with an assortment of little containers of jam – raspberry, strawberry, blueberry and peach. For a beverage, she also included a mug of homemade, creamy hot chocolate for Cassiel to drink. Although she wasn’t sure he liked sweets or not, a warm drink like that would warm him up after the long hours of traveling.
"My apologies for the wait," Luukria said quietly as she moved back into the parlor. With the tray in her hand, her movements were slow and careful. It was clear that she didn’t want to drop the tray of food, but her movements were still graceful enough in and of themselves. Once in front of the table, she then picked up the stand in the middle of it and set the food down with her other hand. "I see you’re interested in the stand," she said with a content smile. Her head then tilted, motioning toward the orb that was floating over her left shoulder. "It’s for the orb."
With the food now on the table in front of him, the female Exorcisma took the time to sit herself down. Having just served her guest, there was no point in remaining standing. The last thing she wanted was to make Cassiel feel uncomfortable in her home. By sitting down, it showed that the two of them were equal, and that she was willing to talk and get to know him as if he were any other friend. The individuals that came to her shrine – she didn’t like to just think of them as patrons. Unlike some shrine-keepers, she liked to get to know each and every person that came, that way she could talk to them on a personal level. Cassiel would be no exception. In fact, Luukria was all the more keen on getting to know him. For unlike the other people that came to the Shrine of Lovers’ Woe, he was an Exorcisma; someone like her. It was always nice to make friends with individuals that she would have things in common with.
"If you like, perhaps, I could divine your fortune later?"
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Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 9:56 pm
When he heard her approaching, Cassiel sat up straight and smiled, even though she couldn't see it. "The wait was no problem. I'm a patient person..." He stated, watching as she placed the food in front of him. His stomach was already jumping through loops in delight. It all smelled and looked so good! "Thank you for the meal."
He waited until the girl was sitting to lift the eating utensils. "I'm not really all that interested to be honest." He muttered, scooping up some of the stew. He could see the steam on it, knowing it was still too hot to eat. Instead he returned it to the bowl to rip the bread into pieces, dunking it into the meal. "Although I find the idea of knowing the future slightly intriguing, I can't really accept that knowledge. I'd always be wondering if I'm doing it because that's what I'm meant to do, or simply because you mentioned it to me." The bread was dunked, eaten, and a new piece prepped for the same fate. "Wow.. this is really delicious. I haven't had a meal this good in a long time." And it was true. Ever since his parents left and he was required to cook for himself, the food just didn't taste the same!
It didn't last long either. He was enjoying the food while it was warm! By the time the bread was gone the stew was cool enough to eat. After eating several spoon fulls, he finally reached for that cup of ... what was that? He frowned a bit as he lifted the mug, assuming the dark liquid was coffee. But when that sweet, sweet scent of chocolate hit his nose, he wanted to melt. God, this woman was after his own heart! Good food and hot chocolate. He brought the mug to his lips, taking a healthy sip of it. The drink alone made the trip worth it in his eyes.
"Since I probably have a misunderstanding of your magic, why don't you explain it to me while I eat? This way I can decide on whether or not to have my fortune read, or whatever it is you do. I should probably apologize if I've already offended you... you've been a gracious host and I... I just let my mouth go... Sometimes I just can't stop myself from talking, like now. Otherwise that awkward silence occurs and... yea..." He reached for the spoon, shoveling more food into his mouth to silence himself. If he was eating he couldn't make a fool of himself, right?
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Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2012 8:12 am
Luukria couldn’t help but smile when Cassiel told her that he was pleased with the meal and that he thought it was delicious. That made her happy. More often than not, she only cooked for herself. Her family lived in another part of the compound on the grounds of the shrine, and thus left her to her duties. 'A shrine-keeper was not to be bothered', they often told her when she was a young child. They had to be left to their duties, as watching over the spirits and taking care of the Goddess’ shrine was of the utmost importance. So to know that someone else found her food delicious made the young woman’s heart skip a beat. How wonderful to know that he enjoyed it!
And yet as the young man continued to eat, he mentioned the fear of offending her. He was worried he had a misunderstanding of her magic and her abilities, and that made the girl incline her head. Behind her blindfold, she blinked. What was there to misunderstand? She was a Diviner first and a Necromancer and Abjurer second. Apart from her magic, she was also a shrine-keeper, which was probably the most important of her duties. Not everyone was given the ability to hear the dead and deal with them. Exorcismas, whether people knew about them or not, were an important people. They were also few and far between, so needless to say, Luukria took her job and her abilities very seriously. "Of course," she went on to say to him, not at all offended in the least. "I’d be more than happy to explain."
An explanation of what she could do and her abilities wouldn’t do sitting down, unfortunately. Because of this, the seat that the shrine-keeper was sitting in was carefully pushed back, and the young woman stood up from it. She looked about the parlor, although physically unable to see anything, but then smiled. "First and foremost, as an Exorcisma, you know that we can hear and communicate with the dead. This is of the utmost importance, and should not go unmentioned." It was clear from how she spoke that Luukria revered what she was, and held her race in a high esteem. This mindset, of course, was obviously given to her by her family. One had to be proud of what they were – otherwise they would wander through life confused and unsatisfied. "As for my magic – I am a Diviner first. My secondary forms of magic are Necromancy and Abjurgation." She then paused as she said this, glancing over her shoulder to look back at him. With a smile, she then began to walk around the parlor, circling the table that Cassiel sat at.
"My magic allows me to glimpse into the future, or into the past, what have you…" she began to explain, only to pause as she got to the part of the table where she was now standing behind him from where he sat. "But depending on what one wants to see, it isn’t always so definitive. For smaller, mundane or miniscule things, my magic allows me a more precise reading." This was a simple enough concept. In fact it was, perhaps, how Luukria know that Cassiel would arrive on her doorstep. An arrival of a newcomer wasn’t as big of a deal as, say, being asked who someone was going to marry ten, twenty years down the road. "A lot of it is glimpses – possibilities. Things that might happen, or that might not." She then continued in her walking around the table, pausing once more the moment she reached her own chair again. Her head turned once she reached it, and it looked straight at Cassiel. If her blindfold wasn’t on, it was clear that the Exorcisma would have been looking the other one straight in the eye.
"Not many people know this, but since you’re a fellow Exorcisma, I will tell you: my most accurate form of Divining is something that I do rarely." As she said this, the woman slipped fluidly back into her seat, hands primly resting upon the table as she clasped them together. "It requires me to take off my blindfold to where I actually look at the individual. I’ve only done it once or twice, and the results aren’t always happy. Of course, those who ask for a reading can always decide they don’t want to hear it, after it is done. The choice is up to them." Luukria’s voice faded off into silence after that. She had done a lot of talking this time, a bit more than she would have liked, but at the same time Cassiel had a right to know. Who was she to deny him an answer of what she could do? Ultimately, she just hoped that he wasn’t put off by her abilities. The girl was quite fond of what she could do, and her magic was part of what made her special. Speaking ill of it, as some often did, was often as hard of a blow as a direct insult to her, but surely he would understand that.
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Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2012 10:27 am
Cassiel continued to eat the generous meal as the woman began her explanation. But as she rose from her chair, Cassiel's attention fell to her every word. He forgot that the spoon was half way to his lips as he just zoned in on what she was saying. It's a good thing she couldn't see him, he probably looked like a goofy statue. As she moved around the table, the golden-eyed boy watched her circle around. The closer she got to him, the straighter he sat up. He wasn't nervous, but his body instinctively tensed up when she stood behind him.
He didn't want to interrupt her while she spoke, and he simply nodded his head to the facts he agreed with or knew. All exorcisma could communicate with the spirits; everyone knew that! He only continued to eat as the girl started back to her chair. He took a few more mouthfuls of the stew before pushing the empty bowl away. Now it was time to sit back and enjoy the rest of that hot chocolate.
When Luurika finished her explanation, Cassiel found himself staring at the blindfold. "So, is that why you wear the blindfold then? To not accidentally look into the eyes of someone else?" He wasn't aware of her actual blindness. He may not have asked the question if he knew. "Even if you were reading my future, I don't know what I'd inquire about. I still think the mystery of what the future holds for me is better."
He took a few more sips of the hot chocolate before he set the empty mug down, sighing contently. Now that he was full the walk home didn't seem so bad. "Well, I do hate to eat and run... so if you'd enjoy the company I will stay for a little while longer before I start home. I don't mind the small talk with another exorcisma. In fact I'm sure I'll enjoy it, and I don't need to know the future for that." He smiled, hoping the minor joke wasn't too insulting. At least his nerves were dying down and he wasn't rambling so much now that he was comfortable in her presence.
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