Welcome to Gaia! ::

East of the black hall, past the arch for the plum parlor and down a stately mossy-green hall, there's a pair of black glass doors. Through them, there's only fog to see, and the condensation on the glass. Upon opening them, you find the moonshine limning a cloud-formed gazebo and brightly-colored flowers, peacock-blue Indian paintbrush mixed in between blue-violet stargazer lilies. Paths of thin gravel lead towards the outskirts of the estate, and the constellations above glimmer in arcane patterns. There is no rain here, no clouds. It is quiet, and it is peaceful.

Sitting on the ground beneath the gazebo is Noeh in her jewel-faced mask. She shows no interest in you, but neither is she ignoring you. She's working, a heavy silver veil in her lap.

This thread is NOT a safe space. Entering this thread acknowledges the risk of combat and life-threatening injury.
Enter at your own risk.

Al Gladstone - 25/25 - entering garden

Al frowned. He wasn't entirely sure how he'd managed to find this place and yet here he was, peering suspiciously at the glass doors and doing his best to see inside but not quite being able to. After a moment of contemplation, he pushed his way through the double doors. His work-roughened hands left an imprint on the cool fogged-over glass and the condensation clung to his palms like sweat.

He didn't speak upon entry, just marched his way along the path that led to the gazebo. There was another woman in the garden, tending to... something. He frowned at her. Was she a guest, or a member of the court? He had no way of telling. She looked normal enough... as normal as you could be, in a place like this.

"Evenin'." He greeted the woman in a gruff voice. "Mind if I join ya? I could use a break from the crowds... this place seems quiet enough."

Noeh: ??/??, very quiet and small

Noeh's expression behind her full-face mask is inscrutable. She nods politely, once, at Al, but turns her attention to Algie then. The veil in her lap slides down to the grass like water as she lets go of it. She gestures to Algie: come here, come here.

For a moment, she sits there, her small brown hands still in her lap. Then she moves, her hands going to the back of her neck, undoing the small hidden buttons that keep her shimmering, jeweled mask on. She peels herself out of it to reveal a familiar face: it's Mina, the girl who had held Algie's grimoire for him.

She smiles, just a little, and gestures to him: Hello.

Noeh: ??/??, still quiet, still small

She smiles, and puts her hand in his. She gestures at her own throat again, not the shut up and follow me gesture of before. Something a little more personal. Something like: I can't talk. For a moment, she sits with her other hand over her mouth, and then she gestures to her veil. Will you get that for me?

Ashton Carver / 25/25 / what a lovely place

It wasn't the hall, with the Spinel Lady and Alois (and other-Alois, whichever that one was); in fact, it was an almost empty area, and given how much Ashton had managed to shove her foot directly in her mouth that was practically a mercy.

Well. Jeremiah Mercer was there (who didn't know him?), but he was Authority, and she was sworn to always be on her best behavior around Authority Figures. Or police. Which he was. And one of her professors, too, which she hadn't expected --but everyone in this town was in on it, it seemed. Whatever it was. Or would be.

"Professor," she allowed herself, with a slender-fingered wave. "I wasn't expecting to see you here." If he ignored her, it'd rankle, but it'd be fine.

algernon mercer || 25/25 || talking with the lady

Hearing his name Alg flicked a hand, a wave but also dismissive, mostly because he was leaning in to the shorter woman in front of him conspiratorially.

The reveal of her tongueless mouth had him clapping his hand to his face a moment but recovering in a worry he'd offend by being shocked.

The tap to his chest got a nod and he reached inside for his notebook which was offered. It was leather bound, pages worried with constant use, and tied closed with a cord. A travel sized pen also was stuck into the last page he'd used.

algernon mercer || 25/25 || so many questions

He glanced at the writing, glanced back up at her, his mouth opened, and a hand closed over it in clear thought, elbow propping on his other arm. His brow furrowed intensely.

"You can imagine," It was said slow and calm, measured and careful, "That I have many questions. I thought the Sorrowful One - you - were a deer? Isn't this," He gestured around, "Your court? And.. what happened to your tongue?" Mostly because they'd been speaking to one another the last time and if she was the one in charge, what happened?

He honestly couldn't help the minor ramble of questions. Could you blame him?

algernon mercer || 25/25 || concerned

"How did she take it from you? How do we get it back?" The older man shook his head himself, turning things over in his mind. He wished he had Jeremiah's notebook to go over the notes... To note down that apparently the deer triplets had been people once.

Why unseat The Sorrowful One? Why, according to everyone, was this time different?

Between this, impending murder, and the concern of making sure their friends were masked..

"You-" He gasped, "Just took your mask off," Alg leaned, hissing a whisper.