eachdraidh | video - open to both courts

[ Alice is outside of Caer Scima's courtyard in a brisk walk. She has the vorpal blade in one hand and elven sword in another. It feels strange, the sword. It's heavier than what she's used to and the way she uses it, she's not experienced in it. As usual, the way she attacks is frenzied, without a care of her own well-being, always bordering on being feral. She's already tried clubbing them with the knightmare hobby horse to no avail. The fact it didn't affect them leaves her visibly startled.]

It wasn't enough that we already made amends that we spilled blood on Death's Altar?!

[ She's cornered. Her mind's visions are twisted, there's a glimpse of something from her past. Fire. She is small, smaller than she is now. The way her visions twist together, it's hard to tell if it is a memory or a hallucination. She is small again, covered head to toe in bandages, wheeled down a dark, gloomy hallway by strangers-]

Stop it.

[ Alice warns holding out the curved sword. Now that her hands are shaking and she's nearly in a panic because what she fears most is fire.

You cannot help them.

But she refuses to fully succumb to this, she's never been this fearful in Drabwurld, not like this.]

[ She will not be pushed around, not anymore. She'll let the hounds of Hell have it by killing them. The horrified look on her face turns to a look of utter glee. She'll kill them.

She'll make sure they'll stay dead.

Because of the way she stabs them, even when they're dead.]

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Worried for me, dear? I'm touched.

[whether she's mocking or just teasing isn't clear, but with the blood around gone, she can then start to wrap up the injury. snug but not constrictive, this is the tricky part.]

I'm being serious.

[ Alice looks at her earnestly, unsure that she should bring up the fire that she saw. ]

I... I think that I must be confused with things that I saw, but I was sure that you were hurt worse.

What did you see?

[Grell meets her eyes as she's tying off the ends of the bandage, satisfied that this won't slip off.]

[ Alice is brave in the face of many things, except for fire. She can't stand to look at it, even a candle. Now that she had learned not long ago it was not Dinah who knocked over the lantern, the fear is still there. Alice's face contorts as she knits her brows together, as if to squint.

Well, she makes no secret she's terrified of fire. ]

Well, I saw fire.

...You did see fire.

[she hadn't thought about it, she had only seen Alice after the fact, and by then she'd extinguished it from her hands.]

[ And she does little to hide the fact she's a little disturbed by it. Of all things to be disturbed about, it's the fire, of course. She opens up her mouth for a few seconds, falters, and slowly closes it. ]

It is one of the ways in which I can use magic. And what I thought would be the best to assuredly eliminate our enemies.

[she pauses for a second, then runs a hand through her bangs before standing to get a clean shirt from the wardrobe. she still has to tend to her own injury, after all.]

I was only aware you were there after the fact. My apologies.

No, Miss Grell.

[ Honestly, she was doing what she could to defend herself. Alice can hardly fault her for that. ]

It is not your fault, you shouldn't apologize. I just really dislike fire.

Any particular reason, or just a general distaste?

[she says it half absently, having returned to get one wet and one dry bandage of her own before she moves across the room, back to her guest. it's not as though she'd be shy about changing her shirt in front of Alice, but Grell knows she is more attached to the virtue of modesty than Grell is.]

[ Modesty or not, Alice makes no comment, but she wishes that Grell wouldn't do so in front of her. Alice is able to turn her back completely. Had she been a man, Alice would haven't reacted so quietly. ]

My family home burned down as a child. I was the only one who survived.

[there's a noticeable pause after Alice says the words, as Grell absorbs them. Hm. What a tragedy.]

...My condolences.

It's alright.

[ Not that it's nice to hear that for a change, Alice has also heard that many times from people who honestly never meant it.

But for once in her life, she's not blaming herself for the fire when someone says it. It's a nice lift of her shoulders. ]

I'm just happy to know you weren't burnt. Burns are very pain and they take time to heal.

I know that pain firsthand. Would you believe that within my first month of arrival one man was so careless as to hit me with flame when he intended to take down the monster that had me in its grip?

[ah, Anders...she thinks it's a pity he left so soon. as she speaks she cleans and bandages her wound before putting on her other shirt.]

After the fact he did use his magic to heal the physical wound, but the emotional insult remained.

[ Being cynical as she is, she nearly makes the comment that she's not surprised by this. Alice is starting to wonder if all men are babies, anyway. ]

Considering the circumstances, I don't fault you for that. It must be a common trait men share.

[ She's had little, positive interaction with men as an adult, but she could write a book on male stupidity in Drabwurld right now. ]

[that gets a derisive "ha" from Grell as she fixes her clothing.]

Most of them. And then some cause harm and don't apologise at all, the brutes...taking your heart and throwing it to the cobblestone to be trodden upon, giving a brilliant ache like the winter winds in your bones and having the indecency to walk away, feeling and saying nothing.

[grell do not fling yourself backwards onto your bed this is not the stage]

Better the fools than those that are cruel. [this would be more of a life lesson if she was not the sort to automatically be drawn the cruelty.]

...

[ That sounds like a personal experience and in light of that, Alice fiddles with the hem of her apron. She has no idea what that's like and nor does she want to know. ]

Well- I suppose there is that, yes.

[ She really doesn't have any clue; she's only been courted by another woman. ]

[and then she follows it up with a smile.]

Don't fret. Those types are few and far between as long as you stay on your guard. And that's not something you have a problem with, is it dear?

No.

[ She doesn't even have to hesitate. She's wondering if Saber counts, since she's a woman. Or does the same gender count, at all. At least it wasn't with a man, otherwise Alice wouldn't have felt so guilty cutting them like she has with Saber. ]

Then you'll be fine. Your bandage isn't too snug, is it?

[as if it was normal to jump conversations like that.]

[ Normal for Alice, who's experience with relationships and the opposite sex being very minimal. ]

No, it's fine, it doesn't hurt.

[ Dog bites are so minimal, anyway. There will always be worse things than a dog bite. Alice straightens up, dusting off her dress that thankfully isn't that bloody or torn. Thank goodness for small favors. ]

Thank you, Miss Grell.

video - open to both courts

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i'm laughing because the icon makes me think alice is like OK WHATEVER

well, it's kinda her reaction to it, yes XD