avalononline | voice | un: miraclemoon

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voice | un: miraclemoon

[It's not often that Jade makes use of the network herself, preferring to respond to others, and she's been as preoccupied by the trials as many others have this past week. Even so, something troubling has come to her attention, and she would rather not sit and wonder and worry needlessly, if it indeed ends up being needless.]

I realize there's a great deal going on right now, and so I'll make this brief.

[Her tone is careful and refined, but there's certainly worry beneath all of that, thinly-veiled.]

Has anyone seen or heard from Dimitri recently? Even amidst the trials and current situation with Celliwig, it's unlike him to miss training or go silent.

[At least in her experience. She knows enough about his previous ghosting act to know that this doesn't feel right. If something has gone wrong, he can certainly take care of himself, but that doesn't keep concern from mounting.]

I know he has acquaintances here. If you hear anything, I would greatly appreciate if you would let me know.

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And how many months must pass before you realize he is gone?

[A slight noise.

Let her be optimistic. It's not his shoulder she'll be crying on.]

It sounds like a futile waste of time.

[Ah, there's the acidity she's come to expect.]

You must think me an absolute fool. It has yet to be a matter of days. I am not as unrealistic as you would paint me.

[She is neither the type to pine nor to stubbornly deny the truth, but to say that he's absolutely gone with any kind of certainty seems hasty at this point.]

It is not a waste to seek out confirmation in either case.

[There's a slight pause. Two ways to response - positive and negative - lie before him. He finds security in the familiarity of the latter.]

I suppose not. It is your time to waste, after all.

[What are these damned feelings?]

Whichever answer I manage to find, I know it won't be a waste. If he can't be located, then I'll know for certain.

[And while she would take absolutely no pleasure in that particular end, it would mean no more wondering.]

If something has happened, and he's in need of assistance, then I would never forgive myself if I hadn't made an effort.

Nonsense. You swear a promise many vow but hardly mean. You would recover quite well. And be quite stubborn about it, I reckon.

[Like, oh, Hendrik. That man hadn't even noticed he was in need of assistance at one time.]

I would feel regret.

[She is stubborn, indeed, and a resilient sort, but also far more compassionate than her fighting spirit often implies.]

I'm sorry if such a concept remains foreign to you.

[Regret. Foreign. Few words could sound as harsh. He remembers a young boy who others teased and shunned, part of the crowd but never in the crowd. His emotions begin to boil and he feels his temperature rise - dredged from some forgotten place once mired in apathy. The thought of shutting down his emotions to serve his master touching his thoughts but not his words.]

I dare say we both understand why that is so.

[Cold. Bitter. This is the angriest he has been so far. Simply put, regret implies happiness. Had he ever been happy?]

[It's an icy sort of anger, and it glances off her easily— much of what there is between the two of them is more the suggestion of what might have been; she had been so young before she had been forced to leave her own kingdom that any such memories are distant, if she had them at all. Even as a princess, a child her age was not often privy to the thoughts of others.]

You seem convinced as such, at least.

[Just as he'd been quick to accuse her of abandoning her kingdom and her family despite having been a child at the time.]

You have chosen to harden your heart. I have no intention of doing the same.

Let yourself believe that. I doubt I should care to convince you otherwise.

[Steeling himself had gotten him through a dark period of his life. Perhaps it had been wrong, judging by Hendrik's opinion and experience, but he is unwilling to admit it had all been for naught.]

You have hardly been my constant companion these past twenty years. I would have you remember that.

[Well, sixteen, but twenty sounds more theatrical.]

[And heaven forbid they not be as theatrical about this as possible!

She huffs softly, irate.]

No, I have not, nor have you been mine.

[They're strangers. The Jade and Jasper that had coexisted in Heliodor all those years ago are both long gone, for better or for worse.]

But I will not tell you how to manage your own disappointments. I would ask that you leave me to handle mine my own way, as well.

Fine. Have it your way.

[With that, he'll leave her on read.

He cannot blame her for not trusting him in the present - but he can blame her [or her guardian] for not trusting him in the past.]

[A terse sigh is caught by the mic before Hendrik speaks.]

Are you well, Princess? Are you in need of company?

[Now there's a soldier she's not surprised to hear from, and he can likely hear the weary smile that touches her voice when she responds. Good of him to be concerned— sweet, really.]

I am well enough, Hendrik, though I am beginning to think that my question has answered itself in that no one has seen or heard anything.

[This happens sometimes, or so she's heard, but it seems so strange to her. How can a person just vanish?]

It's very kind of you to ask, but I would hate to trouble you.

You are far from troubling me, Princess; I would be remiss to not be by your side if you are feeling unwell in any way.

[Especially considering His Majesty can't be here to check on her himself.

There is a brief silence as Hendrik debates whether or not to pry into the topic.]

I must confess an ulterior motive, considering the circumstances. Jasper's callousness requires reprimand.

[Ever the dutiful knight, Hendrik, even after so many years apart. It's heartwarming, really; she appreciates his friendship and efforts more than he may ever know.]

Callousness is what I've come to expect from him. When he reached out, I expected him to be outright disparaging— the fact that it took him several moments may actually be a sign of growth.

[The sarcasm in her voice, however, is difficult to miss.]

[It's at least obvious that Jasper's words have annoyed Jade, if not upset her. That observation fuels Hendrik's response.]

He could do with growing faster if he deigns speaking to you in that way. I would have him apologize.

[If he were to reflect on his behavior, Hendrik would probably recognize the fact that it's so easy to apply respect to Jade even after all these years. ...Not that it was perfect, considering he had dipped into referring to her as "girl" in a disdainful manner.]

['Annoyed' is certainly one way to put it. She's witnessed events that none of the others have had the opportunity to experience, offering her enough perspective that has somehow managed to make her even more frustrated with the situation than she might have been otherwise, considering how much of it she presumed to be an act.]

Perhaps you would, but I doubt he'll feel so inclined, and it will mean little if it is forced. Even so, he owes me nothing.

[What are they to one another? They could have been something more, could have been family if things had worked out differently, but as it stands, when they speak all she feels from Jasper is contempt and resentment. In fairness, her own feelings hadn't been exactly charitable, either.]

I've been away from home since I was a child. You and I were given the chance to get to know each other once more, but Jasper and I are strangers.

[There is a disagreement in Hendrik's silence, bitten back to avoid sounding argumentative. It's not his place to insist like some boorish member of the Princess' nonexistent entourage. Even if he still finds difficulty in believing so, she is a grown woman who can make her own choices.

And fight her own battles.]

Very well. My apologies for thinking to intervene. I realize it is perhaps not the time for it, for that matter.

[And yet, there's something that Jade has said...]

We are not much better than strangers either, Princess. That does not excuse discourtesy.

Perhaps not from your perspective, I suppose, but from mine, we've had quite some time to get to know one another as we are now.

[That may not make much difference, in truth; Hendrik is still Hendrik no matter how many months have passed, and even before she had found her way to this place, she had caught herself insisting he be less formal with her on more than one occasion.]

But please— you have nothing to apologize for, nor is it my right to tell you what you can or can't say. I only don't want you to feel as though you have to my battles. I've grown very capable of fighting my own.

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voice | un: miraclemoon

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a short while later... | voice; private

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