diviningtime

[diviningtime]

"We have a reputation created by the people who hunted us," Lilia explained sympathetically. "It means we're judged more harshly and forgiven less quickly." And Wanda had done things, intentional or not, that weren't easily forgotten. Lilia remembered seeing that hex settle over Westview, watching from a distance and getting a sense of what it was, but unable to really See the details. What she'd heard in rumours had only made her glad she lived far enough from the town border.

"There are a lot of people who call themselves fortune tellers; it doesn't always mean they can read your fortune," Lilia countered sagely, amusement dancing on her lips. "It's how we hide; divination witches, clairvoyants, psychics. Amongst the frauds who loudly cry out for attention and money." Not that Lilia didn't charge, but if she worked for the kind of fees the frauds did and deliberately increased her accuracy instead of playing it down, then she wouldn't be worrying about her bills. She would be worrying about being discovered and that was a hell of a lot worse than being evicted.

Lilia gave a small wince at the confirmation of Wanda's Avenger status; she didn't really keep up with 'superheroes', preferring to keep her distance as much as possible, but from what she'd heard here and there it sounded like her own idea of a nightmare. Except...

Lilia frowned, glimpsing something. "They turned you away." She Saw it. The arguments, the dismissals. "Someone you cared about was killed, but they..." Her frown deepened with concern. "They wouldn't let you have him back. To bury him."

Realising her Sight had spoken before she'd had time to filter herself, Lilia cleared her throat, smiling apologetically. "I'm sorry, it's just so vivid."

A part of Wanda wondered if she would end up living as long as some of the other witches. How many people that she would meet and befriend in that time. It wasn't really a thought that she wanted to keep in her head so she just shook it out. Maybe she'd just have a lifetime of an ordinary person rather than witches.

"I've witnessed some of the assumptions," she agreed. She had watched people still cower in fear of her power. She knew that there had been moments where she hadn't used it with the best intentions but she was hoping that she'd be able to do something that showed some good.

"We had fortune tellers in Sokovia," she nodded. She wasn't sure if they had just been ordinary people that were just making it up or if some of them had actually been witches. It wasn't really something that she'd thought about until recently. They'd had over the top costumes so maybe it had just been people that were just making everything up.

"Yeah. I was an Avenger," she confirmed. A part of her missed it. She missed having the group dynamic. But none of them had really been there when she had lost Vision. They had all been going through their own things but, most of them still had someone to go to.

[diviningtime]

Dealing with Agatha it wasn't hard to imagine that she had managed to make every single witch she had ever killed attack her first; the woman had a skill for irritation. Pursing her lips together in annoyance, Lilia forced her attention back to the cards, cutting the deck.

"Just because you can't do something, Agatha, doesn't mean it isn't worthwhile. Especially," she added pointedly, looking up with smug amusement, "when you need it. And me."

"Right, I keep on forgetting that it's an," here Agatha pulled out the air quotes, " 'art.' Just take your sweet time while the rest of us stand here putting down roots, no big deal."

[diviningtime]

"Welcome to the curious."

[diviningtime]

I was just thinking how tarot readings give you a choice. It's not like in horror movies when not only do they get all the meanings wrong, but also imply the readings are set in stone, that the future can't be changed. In reality, when we do a reading, we're being shown a path, potential outcomes, and you can choose to follow the path shown in the spread or you can say 'I don't like the look of that outcome, so I'm going to choose differently'.

So when Lilia does her Safe Passage Spread, she could have chosen differently. She could have looked at it all, the likely outcome, and gone nope, I'm not doing that, I'm just going to leave. But no, she chooses the path lain out in the spread, she chooses to save her coven rather than running in fear. Her love for her coven conquers the fear her maestra saw she still carried inside her even after centuries.

Excuse me while I cry.

[diviningtime]

Lilia pulled back a little, looking at the young girl with an unimpressed expression that clearly said 'that attitude isn't going to get you answers, let alone actual help'.

"Because you want to bring back the dead. How exactly do you expect anyone to react to that? Happily?" she challenged in disbelief. Necromancy had its place in witchcraft, but as something used for communication, to get answers and, in rare cases, solve murders. But the spell was always supposed to be temporary; the dead were dead, and trying to reverse that only ever led to problems.

Sighing, Lilia could see that Luna was coming from a place of grief, and a naïve view that magic could somehow fix anything, and she remembered feeling that way once herself, wondering at the point of witchcraft if it couldn't bring back the people you loved.

"I know how. Most witches my age do. It doesn't mean we'd ever actually do it, or that we'd share that knowledge with anyone who asked," she told the girl honestly. "Death isn't something you're supposed to undo, Luna. It's a natural order, one you don't want to disrupt, trust me."

"Why does everyone always react like that?!" She snaps, though her anger is not really directed to the witch. But Luna is tired of everyone always having the same reaction, regardless if it was asking for their help to get her aunt back or just even so much as mentioning that she is related to Wanda.

All the girl wants is her aunt back in her life once more, her aunt who always sung her sokovian lullabies at bedtime, would bake treats with her and dance around the kitchen with. Who had always been there for her and the one time Wanda needed her, she couldn't save her and Luna deeply hates herself for it as a result.

Luna takes a deep breath and calms herself down in order to get control over her emotions again. "Look, yes I need your help but all I need to know is how to get her back and if you don't know, then direct me to someone who can, please!"

[diviningtime]

Continued from here @rebelliousfamily

It hadn't been Lilia's intention to take an actual bullet, but everything had happened so fast and stopping bullets in mid-air hadn't ever been one of her gifts. Guns hadn't even really existed when she'd had her first lessons with the coven.

All she had seen was a gun fired to hit Wanda in the heart, which was a lot worse than hitting Lilia in the lower shoulder. Though it still hurt like hell.

Wincing with the agony, Lilia made herself sit down on the ground out of some vague instinct that might help.

"It seemed a good idea at the time, but now I'm having second thoughts," she answered drily, only half-joking.

[diviningtime]

Lilia didn't know what Cassidy expected her to offer in reply. To look with her Sight? To See what had happened, where the blood had come from? To offer the same false assurances she gave to so many customers who walked through her door? Silently looking around at the blood, Lilia couldn't deny it looked bad.

"That's the wolf talking," Lilia said. "And that isn't all you are. None of us are any one thing, any one aspect. Neither are you. I don't know what happened, and I have no intention of trying to See it--" Not if she could help it anyway. "--but if you don't want to hurt someone then fight that instinct." Lilia wrapped her enunciation firmly around the words, emphasising every syllable.

cassidy has a fur lined cloak pulled tightly around her from where she’s backed into a corner of her bedroom. her feet have mood and blood on them, and there’s blood under her nails as well. but cassidy doesn’t remember what happened, and the last thing she had wanted was to hurt someone. her entire body still aches from the shift, and the wolf part of her brain feels as though it is in over drive.

“what if i did hurt someone though? i can’t remember last night, but i can smell the blood and its human. and all i want to do is go hunt for more.” pulling the cloak as tight as she can, cassidy refuses to meet lilia’s eyes as she speaks, afraid of what the witch may have to say.

[diviningtime]

@billyktothemax sent: ◎ - are you afraid of me?

"No," Lilia instinctively answered, although she knew the question was more complicated than a simple one-worded response. Taking a breath, and realising she needed to give more details, Lilia tried to explain it.

"I'm not afraid of you, but not having control of your powers, the fact they can just act out on their own is something that does scare me," she admitted. "Which is why it's important you learn things." Swallowing, Lilia pushed herself a little further. "I don't want to have my mind controlled again, Teen. Everything else, the creation, the warping of reality, even reading my mind, I can deal with; but not that."

[diviningtime]

◎ If she could be safely out as a witch, how would she decorate her shop?

"I'm not even certain I'd have a shop," Lilia admitted. A world where she could openly be a witch, where they weren't attacked or used or judged, where she could simply be herself, where all the people she had ever known and loved had also been open about their identity...it was a difficult world to imagine. But her shop, her way of earning a living, had been born out of a survival, a need to hide in plain sight...what would she be doing if that wasn't necessary?

She'd still be a divination witch, she'd still be offering readings, but in what context? What environment? "I don't know."

[diviningtime]

"If you two stay any longer, I'm going to have to start charging you again."

[diviningtime]

She didn't mean to shake him, part of her hadn't meant to say anything at all, but sometimes, when what she Saw was so clear, or the person so wounded, it spilled out of her, like a flow of water she couldn't hold back. Her maestra hadn't wanted her to fight that. You will learn what to share, Lilia, but sometimes your gift will know more than you. Lilia remembered the words, remembered the day they were said, but she still wasn't sure how true they were.

But she knew the agent was suffering, that he carried his past around with him like a heavy weight; one that wasn't his responsibility to carry.

Lilia's eyes were filled with warm sympathy as she looked at him, and she nodded slightly in acknowledgement of his thanks. Slowly letting go of his arm, the grip of her hand slipping away, she smiled in appreciation of his assurances.

"I know you won't," she said gently. It wasn't her clairvoyance that made her certain, but his character. "Thank you for saying it anyway" Stepping back, Lilia took a breath as she looked at him, knowing that this was the start of something much larger, but that this had probably been enough for both of them today. She had at least learned that much about her powers over the centuries.

"We'll find him," she added in assurance as she walked back to her table, a feeling of conclusion and temporary goodbyes in air, knowing the work she had to begin. "The man who tortured your friend. Trust me. It'll just take time."

Sterling was startled by the hand on his arm but he didn't pull it away despite everything in him telling him to run. He slowly turned back to face her, eyes glossy from the encounter.

Fuck, she saw it all, didn't she?

He could feel questions bubbling up inside of him. If she truly saw all of his childhood, all of him, he wanted answers.

But no wasn't the time. He wasn't ready.

Instead, he nodded at her words, her deep, meaningful, and much needed words.

"Thank you." It was an unusual feeling, knowing this stranger knew more about his past than anyone else he had in his life. He'd never told anyone any of it. Not even his wife. Yet this woman saw it all, saw him, and showed him kindness. "I won't tell anyone about you. I promise. No one will come looking for you. If you find yourself in trouble, you have my protection."

[diviningtime]

Send a ◎ and a question and my muse must answer, even if it’s a secret.

[diviningtime]

"Utopia?" Lilia repeated sceptically, having never considered the concept let alone the fact that it didn't exist. Maybe that was the price of Atlas' long life being interrupted by some kind of magical hibernation; she never developed the resilience and realism the rest of them did. A long life brought with it a natural cynicism, but also a way to survive; to find 'peace' in the small places.

"My advice is to learn how to live first; whatever that means for you," Lilia told her. "Life isn't peaceful, Atlas. Parts of it are, yes, but you won't experience any of it if you don't live through the chaos as well. And stop wandering into dreams," she added.

atlas pulls their knees to their chest, tilting their head at lilia’s scoff. after everything they had sacrificed and endured to be alive now, it was difficult to grasp that what they wanted still wasn’t possible. “how people view peace now is different. i mean…” they think for a moment trying to find the right words, the right phrasing.

“i understand utopia cannot exist and that true peace is not possible. but i personally would like to experience peace. peace outside of the dreams i wander into at least.”

[diviningtime]

Just quietly thinking about the fact that even after Agatha killed Alice right in front of them, that they saw how much she enjoyed the feeling of taking that power, and how much they all grieved Alice and were horrified by her death...Lilia still thinks Agatha is worthy of saving.

She chooses to warn Agatha about what was going to happen in her future ('when she calls you a coward, hit the deck'), rather than just leaving it be. For her to need to warn Agatha to duck, it means that she saw the attack succeeding and killing her, and Lilia would be justified if she decided 'Well you killed Alice, so why should I stop someone from killing you?', but she doesn't.

She chooses to warn Agatha, to give her a chance to survive. And I think about that a lot. I mean when Lilia says 'I love you guys', she's really the only one who openly says she loves the coven, that she's grown to love them, but the statement is also all-encompassing; she doesn't specify. She is talking about the entire coven. The fact each of them feature in her reading shows how she includes every single one of them in her coven and in her statement of love.

Which means she also loves Agatha. And that is really mind-blowing all things considered about Agatha's character, her history and reputation, how other witches look at her. And I would have killed for an AU series where they all live so we could see that explored with the entire coven. But alas.

[diviningtime]

Lilia inclined her head in wry agreement as she looked around, trying to see with her eyes more than just her powers. As useful as clairvoyance and second sight could be, they were also capable of blinding you to what might be right in front of your face; such as an attacker hiding in the shadows.

Hearing a rustle behind her, Lilia swiftly turned around with a start, but all she saw was a small mouse scuttling away. Probably trying to keep its distance; a course of action Lilia wished she could follow.

"Something wants us here, and something doesn't," Lilia countered. "I think the bigger test is going to be figuring out which is which...." And those kind of mistakes didn't usually end well. Risking dividing her attention for a moment, Lilia looked at Jewel. "Helping spirits isn't normally something I do; I help the living. Well, I answer their questions." Whether that helped or not was another matter. "I read time, I read people, but spirits?" Lilia gave a shrug.

"If that's what's waiting for us here...you're going to have to take the lead."

               "Yeah, I don't like it. I don't like it one bit." Her ties to the spirit world often meant things were overwhelmingly loud with the yells of despair and entitlement that came from the spirits so desperate for her help, so the fact that she was hearing what equated to nothing... feeling was foreign, frightening. "I don't see anything." Reference was made to the spirits. Places generally looked as busy as a bustling city no matter the space she was in, so for her to only see herself and Lila, she couldn't help but shake head in attempt to not jump to the worst-case scenarios.

"Someone wants us here. Specifically. And I can't help but have a feeling that we're gonna be tested to see if we can figure out who or what it is that's studying us... as the first part of this supposed test because let's be real here." Strong-willed witch placed hands on hips, allowed eyes to dart around to find signs of anything. "These sorts of things are never a one-and-done deal."

[diviningtime]

Lilia frowned as she turned and looked at Regina, brown eyes flickering over her in silent judgement, before letting the comment go with a shrug. After all, people dated all kinds. But Lilia didn't want to imagine how the break-up went.

"Yeah? Well for people like us, hypothetical too often turns into reality," she retorted wryly.

"I dated a dragon before, trust me, you don't want to make them angry." God Regina hoped there weren't any dragons in this town, or the next threat they'd come up against. "I never said that, I hope not, I'd rather hypothetical dragons."

[diviningtime]

Lilia glanced at him, her brown eyes flickering over the agent, as she considered the phrase and where it came from. How often had he repeated it to himself over the years? You didn't have to be psychic to see the scars of his own survival; you just had to have eyes and common sense.

"Yeah? Well, the past isn't always the past," Lilia countered with a sage and tired cynicism, thinking of the scars she'd had to revisit and the ones that hadn't technically happened yet.

Lost in those memories, both future and past, Lilia started a little when Sterling leaned over into her line of vision, finding herself looking right into that smirk of his. She instinctively matched it with one of her own.

"Vampires," she answered in a one-worded explanation.

Sterling could see that look. He often felt the same. No matter what he did he always felt like people saw him as this fresh faced baby agent that needed to be protecting. He knew in his heart that it wasn't true, that people were just concerned for him and wanted to help, but his defenses always went up despite it all. The walls he built so people would think he was strong only told everyone that he had been weak enough to feel the need to build them in the first place.

"Scars are proof you survived." Sterling said offhand as if reading from a fortune cookie. The twin scars he used to hide were plainly visible on the backs of his wrists, revealed more now as he rolled up his dress shirt sleeves to not get her blood on them. He began prepping a small first aid kit to clean the wound and close it as best he could manage. "Besides, I've got a few of my own. Your past is yours to keep."

He paused a moment, leaning over so she could see his smirk.

"But I'll bet it comes with a good story."