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 Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2016 5:40 pm
Temperance had twisted her hands around each other countless times. Then, eventually, she'd picked up her backpack, shoved a book in it and left. She knew who she had to visit, sort of what to ask... maybe. It wasn't that she was too afraid, but that Temperance felt jittery, tired, like she was running on three days on no sleep and three pots of coffee.
She waved to the nurses at their station after she'd checked in with the desk. Next semester, maybe she'd be doing clinicals there instead of the smaller practice she was at now. Slowly, Temperance eased the slightly ajar door further open. She had no doubt that somewhere, there was probably a police officer keeping tabs, somehow. How many of them were magical?
"Hi, Ashley." Because in this hospital, Melany was Ashley more than anyone else. "I brought you a book. How're you feeling?" Her words tumbled out, sounding just as jittery as she was. Temperance took a breath and fished out the book, putting it on the small bedside table. Brent Weeks' The Way of Shadows. Well... she should have probably chosen better. It was the first in a trilogy about a nobody little boy becoming an assassin and from what she remembered, there was a lot of politics. But maybe Ashley would like it.
Temperance breathed shallowly and smiled at her. Some days were worse than others.
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Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2016 2:53 am
The machines had long left Melany's room, and their lack seemed to give her a kind of healthy glow that she'd been missing the last time she'd seen Temperance. The health also returned her hauteur to her: that dismissive, flickering gaze. "I'm quite well," she said. "If only these half-soured limes would let me leave, I would be better." The chart on her wall declared her recovery nothing short of miraculous, noted her lack of need for physical therapy. "Your mortal healing methods are nothing short of barbaric. But I shouldn't be surprised. You're trapped in an awful half-world." She returned the shallow smile. "Thank you for the book," she said, her manners perfect. "Humans rarely do things altruistically. What is it you want?"
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Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2016 1:14 pm
"Well, it's the only world most of us have known, so we try to make do." Was magic so much better than science could be considered barbaric? Maybe it was less messy. But Temperance imagined being a beginner in magic was potentially more dangerous than being a beginner in medicine. Maybe. She waved Melany's thanks away. "The book is separate from anything I may or may not want from you. I had planned to bring it before." And Temperance had, she'd just... gotten busy. Busy being useless, she thought acerbically. What was she even doing? "You said becoming a noble makes you strong, right?"
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2016 7:31 pm
"It makes the strong stronger, yes," said Melany. "The weak shatter. The infirm collapse." Her hair seemed impossibly glossy for someone that had been in the hospital for two weeks. Her cheeks impossibly rosy. It made her claim of strength all the more believable.
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Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2016 12:13 am
She looked good, gorgeous even, for a hospital convalescent. Maybe it was the result of being not quite human, Temperance thought dully. At the ball, it had been vaguely awing. Now, it was odd - the setting had everything to do with it. "You're looking better, by the way - did they give you a release date?" Why hadn't she walked back out and gone to other Ashdown? Temperance took a shallow breath and looked up at Melany. "Make me one. Please."
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Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2016 3:50 am
"They wish to observe," said Melany, a flicker of displeasure crossing her face. "And the veil is not so thin yet that I can use every power at my disposal." She arched a brow at Temperance's request, and she--she giggles--as if Temperance has said something incredibly funny, or incredibly sad. "You think you wouldn't break?" The corners of her mouth twitched upwards. Her tone was soft, almost motherly. No, darling, you cannot climb in the lion's den. Yes, I know they look like big kittens. But they'll kill you. "I am not completely cruel. You're not suited to nobility, and I think you know it."
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Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2016 10:09 am
Temperance controlled a flinch. "I know I would not break. I would not allow myself to." She grit her teeth. It was already so awful to have to ask this and she had known it wasn't likely, but still. The giggle was terrible. "I will be suited to it," she said after a bit. "Isn't that the point? You mold people into things; you told me you are cruel to make them strong. I need it." She swallowed.
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2016 2:54 am
"I mold people with potential," said Melany. "You're already so brittle, Temperance Clark. You shudder to be here, to be asking me this. You have standards. You have pride. To remake you, I would have to break you. This is fine. I know how to break things. But it takes time, and effort, and you are worthy of neither from me. "You are neither beautiful nor do you create beautiful things, and thus: you are not worth my time."
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2016 4:05 pm
"Why... why are t-those your set standards? Isn't beauty from within or something like that?" Temperance knew she was not beautiful. She was more likely to have her hands covered in blood than in anything aesthetic. "Take me, I can learn, I can be."
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Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2016 3:07 am
"Beauty from within doesn't last," said Melany. "Beauty from without, in my world, can be eternal." She touched her own soft cheek. "I've said no. I won't entertain this discussion any further."
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Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2016 5:31 am
"How... h-how can I convince you? I need this." It was futile, but she has to press, to keep asking. It was essential. Melany could have died if it was only her helping, would have. Only Autumn's healing had pushed her back into stability. Adoelle had died, no magic anyone knew could stitch back a severed throat, severed arteries, blood frothing and spurting and slowing and stopping and. She blinked. If Melany was beautiful on the outside, what did she look like on the inside? Temperance clenched her fists in her lap, knowing her question wouldn't change anything and having to ask it anyway.
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Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2016 6:52 pm
"You can't," said Melany. "I'm tired of this conversation. Leave." Melany couldn't command the doctors to do something so complicated as release her, but--with the cage broken--there was perhaps enough weight behind her words to command Temperance to leave her alone.
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Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2016 8:21 pm
"There are other ways," she said after a moment. There had to be. It felt... awful, to be honest, to be refused so unequivocally. Some small petty part of her piped up, reminding Temperance she'd helped save Melany and why couldn't Melany just realize this and - She squashed it. It was unbelievably petty and a clear sign she wasn't as strong as she needed to be. Not in healing, not in arguments, not in character. Tears prickled at the corners of her eyes. Weak, weak, weak and not worth the tempering. She stood and didn't look at Melany, not that she thought Melany would notice. There was a direct selfishness in the way she did things, they way she interacted with the world around her. It wasn't all bad. "I'll... I'll b-be back." But she wouldn't, not in time. By the time she managed enough self-loathing to step foot in the hospital again, Melany would be gone.
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