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I think you're in the wrong room? These are the Kitchens?

"Forgive my tardiness. I know it was rather rude of me. But things don’t always flow properly." 

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Meralda, Aurelia, Meralda, Aurelia. The line was thin, but visible, one woman and two people in the same body, the angel and the devil. Both sides of the same woman, one cold hearted and the other the kindest of them all. Merlda... It was odd, she had barely been that woman in moments other than when she was killing and that barely held any conversation, and the fine line between who she pretended to be and was was starting to become one with the floor, something that started to fade. 

However her blood lust and power need didn't get satisfied no matter how much she had, she still didn't have enough, she'd lived many lives, but none there, none with her own Kingdom, her own palace. Perhaps it was because the fae were never meant for it, they didn't really die. Yet, she wanted it. 

Life continued, as it usually does, and Meralda found herself checking the oak tree, not expecting much since recently the murders she was asked to commit were petty and uninteresting, mostly because they were still getting out of the war times. Elric still needed to marry, and Meralda knew she was still on the list, but the chance grew thinner, and she grew impatient. Killing people seemed to ease that impatience, but the secrets peasants had were barely worth her ear, much less her time. However, that night it was different. 

L.B.

It could be several people, it was a common pair of initials, yet the way he wrote, the way the scripture was slanted, and the way it seemed to demand more than ask, Meralda knew. It was him. Lucian Blackwood. She smirked down at the letter, finally something interesting she thought, and with that she was off.

--Two days, she had watched him. Saw what he did, seen the stern look on his face, seen the proper but worried man turn into an exhausted man. Two days was enough for her to finally make her appearance, just when the man layer down against a tree, a tree where Meralda looked down on him from the branches, that smirk on her lips that meant she was ready to play. 

"And here I thought you'd be intimidating," She said as she jumped down from the tree in front of Lucian, a smirk upon her face, though he'd be unable to see it.

She was dressed in black boots, trousers, and a long sleeved shirt, all making her blend into the darkness, she wore a dark green cape, the hood pulled over her head, and a mask over her face, a pure white mask that didn't seem to have holes even for the eyes, at least on the outside, but Meralda could see, and her voice wasn't anything but clear when she spoke, her amusement unable to be hidden even behind the mask."Lucian Blackwood, I never though you'd ask for my services, recruiting are we? We are just out of a war..."

Sauvigni | Lucian & Meralda

“No, no, NO! How could you go about allowing an unknown person into Thorngrove?” Lucian Blackwood stood before two guards that up until quite recently, had put his entire trust into in order to guard the city. Had he known he would have been absent for several months, scouring the fields and city limits that is Abdera, he would have given more forceful guidelines to those he put faith in. The young Blackwood male paced back and forth before the two men who bowed their heads more in fear than anything else. “Sir-“ “DO NOT try to reconcile your case. Do. Not.” Lucian’s eyes had narrowed into slits, his mouth curling at the edges with fury. He walked up to the main guard being held responsible for this treasonable act and met him face to face. “Speak another word and you will have your head removed before you can open your mouth and beg for God to help you.” Each word he spit out at the man, was joined by his index finger stabbing his chest intensely.

“Get them out.” He hissed at one of his servants before turning away, allowing him to do his job. Lucian exited the corridor and entered a hallway where he usually found peace. An extreme sigh left his parted lips as he brought his hands up in frustration, fully covering his face. How could they go against my word and cross me? Fuming again, he dropped his hands and abruptly turned on his heel. His boots clamored across the tiled floor in the otherwise silent castle, as he made his way to his office. Upon entering, he lit a candle that sat on his carved out, wooden desk and pulled the cushioned chair out. He briskly pulled a blank piece of parchment out and began writing a proposal. He scribbled furiously away at the paper, letting the ink form into the thoughts that perched in the front of his mind.

He could not continue to kill off men. He needed to take a break. Not a long break – but a break nonetheless. Lucian got off on having power, but this one was different. He needed someone else to do it for him and was almost stumped on how to go about it, until a gear started moving in his mind and stories led back to a name – a name he heard so long ago it seemed. Meralda Sauvigni. Having only ever heard this woman’s name and never seen a face, never entirely sat right with the leader, but her stories be true and that was enough for him. He wasn’t one to talk about being secretive. Sure, he would enjoy having banners of his portrait plastered amongst all the cities in Nysa, but he held too many secrets at the time being for that to happen anytime soon.

Lucian tied up the scroll neatly, after stamping his initials into the end of the letter. He secured it with a tie and set out again, out of the castle. As Thorngrove was in the Midlands along with Vaasos, but there was no way of transporting to the city directly. He would set out for Calydon and use the portal from there to enter Vaasos. Taking the mere necessities he needed, which wasn’t much considering the far larger treks he had taken, he packed them and headed out.

The kingdom road from Thorngrove to Calydon was one he had recently taken, only the opposite way, but still, he knew the path pretty well and managed to get through it with some ease. Only one night had passed between the two, and the sun was almost mid-way in the sky when he reached his stopping point. As many times before, he was used to getting searched, and slipped through the city portal.

Once arriving inside of Vaasos, Lucian struggled to recall the way of reaching out to Meralda, and he paced back and forth until the story came back to him. Ah, a damned oak tree, yes that’s what it was. That was his next quest, and how foolish it sounded compared to previous tasks. After another small journey to the city walls, and stumbling upon the oak tree as mentioned, he found the knot hole of the large trunk and placed his request inside. —— The past two days were beginning to wear down on him and his face showed signs of exhaustion. He settled down with the water he had left and nestled beside another tree quite a ways off. Seeing as how his pack was his only source of comfort, he rested his head upon his, his body roughly lining the cold ground. Come dawn, he would make better use of his time, but his only promise currently was rest. What good is a leader that can lead not even himself?

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"An ally?" Meralda said, letting her interest in the conversation be too clear, her lips pursing as she played with the dagger between her fingers. "Blackmailing me would be a very bad idea, I know too many secrets, too many people owe me favors, I'm not someone easy to blackmail, and if your secret is knowing my true name is Meralda, then you're going to need something stronger," She said narrowing her eyes defensively, though she did hide the knife again and walked slowly towards him.

Tristan, the clever and charming King from a place she had never visited. She wasn't going to deny it, he was interesting, he was obviously needing more than he led onto, but... someone to say good things about her.

"You'd set up the King with a murderer? An assassin? Oh I am not stupid enough to think of myself becoming Queen and still having this sword hanging over my head," She said as she stepped around him, her eyes surveying him up and down. "I don't think so..."

She stopped again when she stood in front of him, a finger raising as her lips formed into a grin, "But... I do like where this is going... You amuse me," She said with a dark chuckle, her eyes surveyed him once more "I'll be your ally, but I want something else instead... Elric will choose a wife, and if it isn't me... You'll marry me instead" She said, her hand reaching out to hold his chin softly, a smirk upon her face.

Let it be known ll Tristan and Meralda ll Past

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You're welcome, your Majesty

I'm sorry it was late, you usual maid is sick, and I thought I'd bring it instead

Finally. I am starving. Thank you.

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"He lied," She said. "Or I'm just that good." No one, and she meant, no one, knew she was Meralda Sauvigni other than those she allowed to know. No one knew, no one needed to know, and if anyone found out, she'd kill them before they would be able to speak her real name. 

"Elric will never find out since you won't live past the night," Meralda said, her face was strong, her eyes focused, her lips curled into a small smirk. Out of the people she expected to come out of the shadows, Tristan Addinell was the last person she had expected. Yes, he always made her be wary, since his words and mannerism were too much like her own to be true, but to think he would hire a fellow spy and assassin to find her, it was daring, it was dangerous. 

"And you mistake my words, I never meant to say those in the shadows are cowards, but those who send others to do their dirty work are," Meralda said as she leaned down and grabbed the knife and pulled it out of the head of the dead man. There was no look of pity, or disgust, only one of boredom, as she moved the knife in front of her and pointed it at the 'King.'

"You know, staying far doesn't mean I can't kill you, I am a fae, and I can make you see the world around you as if it was exploding, and you'll lose your mind before you can even think about running, so tell me, why shouldn't I kill you?" She asked as she lowered her hand with the knife "I'm sure your cousin would love to know that you're a traitor, obviously you come with intents of blackmailing me," She said with a laugh "Which obviously won't work, because like I've said, you won't live past tonight, I want to see if royal blood is indeed blue, your Majesty" She said, and there was no fear in her eyes as she met his eyes, only amusement, and entertainment, much like the eyes of a predator with it's pray, playing around with him until she was bored. 

Let it be known ll Tristan and Meralda ll Past

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There is nothing less attractive that a man than hesitates, except, of course, a man with no vision

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Let it be known ll Tristan and Meralda ll Past

Meralda sighed as she ran her hand over her forehead, removing the sweat there, though she knew it was useless since she was still sweating from all the running she had done before she had stopped. Pulling the dark black hood off of her face and the mask she woke over her nose and lips, Meralda felt the cold air chilling the drops of sweat on her body. The count today was seventy three, seventy three soldiers from the rebellion, and six very well payed for dead knights of Nysa. It had been a tiresome day, filled with death, dead, and no food. Meralda, physically, wasn't at her strongest. 

She was drenched in blood, her dark green dress now brown in the places where blood was drying, another lovely dress she would have to throw out. "And I really liked this one..." She groaned, leaning her head back on the wall of the alley where she stood, though the relaxation didn't last long since a small snap had her head snapping up and looking around. Moving her hand to the door only a few inches beside her, she was surprised when a man reached to grab the same handle, she recognized, a spy.

"You didn't notice me," He said, tilting his head. "I'm disappointed,"

"So am I," Meralda said and before he could speak another word her hand flew up, a knife lodging itself through his head, and just like that he dropped dead.

"Show yourself, only cowards hide in the darkness," She said as she stepped over the dead man at her feet and looked into the dark alley way, whoever it was, they couldn't be left alive. 

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I can if I am a Queen's friend, I'll even yell at him 'you fool!' and everything, I'm sure he'll feel very stupid then -laughs- 

There is nothing to thank, it was my pleasure, I enjoy baking 

Hardly, but thank you. I don’t think it would be good if you were to slap a queen’s adviser.

You are my savior, Aurelia. Thank you so much for doing this.

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"Alright... then...?" Meralda said with a small laugh as she placed the rolls down, "Are you... You're looking at me like you're angry at me? Have I done something to offend you?" She asked with a kind smile. 

Old bridge || Meralda & Daemon

He looked at the woman up and down, his brow raising slowly at her offer “I will gladly decline your offer Milady…” if his suspicions were even close to his wild dreams, he would never take nothing from this woman. 

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Probably someone you wouldn't be too happy to see -smiles as she sets the tray down- Anyone I should slap?

Alright here we are, cinnamon rolls, apple pastries, berry pastries, cinnamon... You name it, it's probably there

Oh, Aurelia. I’m sorry, I thought you were someone else. Please, come in. 

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"I know we will, I'd kill anyone who would dare threaten you," Meralda said placing a soft hand on Hira's cheek before she dropped it and sighed, "My name... Aurelia... The baker's daughter, the lovely young woman who has men falling for her, until I decide which one to kill..."

May I help you?

"Don’t worry, sweetheart. We’ll be safe".

The she raised an eyebrow and looked around, and she spoke with a lower voice. She was almost whispering.

"Now you are going to tell me the whole story about your new name. I prefer the oldest one, but.."

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"Let it be known that one of these days you'll burn," She said, her eyes bright in the moonlight, her dress drenched in blood, "and let it be known it'll be me who sets you on fire."

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"And if someone hears you we'll both be good as dead," She said before she frowned at her past lover's face, "I'll act like that's the truth," She said tilting her head "I'm well... As well as can be..."

May I help you?

"Not to me. You will always be Meralda".

Hiranmayi then winked to her. But the last question her friend made to her interrumped her good mood. She was not ready to talk about that episode of her life. She didn’t even know how would she react to it.

"Well, I’m here, as you can see. As perfect as ever. What about you?"

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Just a loaf of bread, please! ll Open

Meralda walked down the streets with a basket in hand, smiling and waving at several people. Everyone knew her as Aurelia, the kind woman who gave bread and the like to anyone who needed it, who aided people with food and shelter during the War and fought bravely for the crown, defending its people, also known as one of Elric's potential fiancés. She was well liked, well known, compassionate, clever, outspoke, elegant, and usually made people smile or laugh. That was Aurelia, the lovely woman who everyone had at least heard about. 

Her name, Aurelia, was well known, but of course, not as known as her true name. Meralda. The assassin who murdered, killed, tortured, and what not, for a price. Her face never discovered, but her job always done. Her sour and strong attitude one that most people that did business with her remembered her by. She and Aurelia were, in all way, opposites, or so they were meant to be, yet somehow, were still the same woman.

"Only a coin, just a coin, and I'll promise you something you'll be craving when you're not eating it," Aurelia said, a smile on her face as she offered her bread and moved amongst the people giving out bread and taking in coins.

"Bread?" She asked, looking up to see who it was that neared her.

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You also forget my name here is Aurelia, not Meralda -laughs- I'm well... Glad the war is over, how are you? -she moves to place her hand on Hiranmayi's arm- How was the war for you? Were you hurt?

May I help you?

-I forget, but just this once.

She gave her a wide smile, which broke her serious expression. She was just kidding, for sure.

-How are you? It’s been a long time since we last saw each other..