#✟ “ⁱ'ᵐ ⁿᵉᵛᵉʳ ᵍᵒⁿⁿᵃ ˢᵉᵉ ᵗʰᵉ ˡⁱᵍʰᵗ ᶜᵃᵘˢᵉ ᵉᵛᵉʳʸᵇᵒᵈʸ'ˢ ᵍᵒⁿⁿᵃ ʰᵒˡᵈ ᵐᵉ ᵈᵒʷⁿ ᵘⁿᵗⁱˡ ⁱ'ᵐ ᶠⁱⁿᵉ…” | MARIA GENERAL.

[heavenlyexiled]

@mudblccd asked.

" this is no chance meeting , is it , maria ? " PEYTON IS NOT LIKE THE WOMAN BEFORE HER , and in some ways with it came a complicated mix of emotions . she was strong , bold ; knew how to defend herself , knew what she wanted and went after it like a wolf lurking in the shadows of a limping man on the side of the road . though there lies how grateful she is for it , to be all snarling teeth and drool , the double edged sword is evident . MARIA SCARED HER , but peyton continues to cling to the cross that sat neatly against collarbone ; PEYTON IS NOTHING , HAD NOTHING - WHAT USE COULD SHE BE FOR A WOMAN LIKE MARIA ? but there's one thing for sure , maria would not be stood before her if she didn't want to be ( THERE'S A STRANGE THRILL THAT SHOOTS UP HER SPINE AT THAT . )

" i'd say no, it's not. " the ginger hums out with a lopsided grin. her good eye taking in peyton before her. she never came to peyton on her own accord, so this... THIS is unsettling...

there's an uneasy tension looming over the two like the grey clouds that swallow up the blue sky above them. surely peyton hasn't done anything to get on the woman's hit list radar...

PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD A LITTLE...

the voice echoes in maria's head; a voice of an old mentor that haunts guides her to this day...

fingers twitch, so eager to reach the hilt of her knife but something catches her eye. it's glinting in the sun before it retreats into the grey clouds. A GOLD CROSS.

her brows twitch before furrowing slightly and with no words being spoken; maria calmly walks to peyton, stopping right in front of her before she reaches out, swatting peyton's hand away from cross she so desperately clings to like a LIFELINE... " you wear one...? " the question is not intended for an answer. it's more of an observation and her brows furrow more, a fine line in the crease of her brow forming. she's bewildered at first, her own gloved hand comes up to lift the necklace by the end of it as if inspecting it.

and with no explanation, she then lets go and steps back, eyeing peyton for a moment... " i need you to do something for me, " maria says as a hand rests on the jut of her hip by her gunbelt.

NO, NO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! THIS WASN'T THE PLAN-

" deliver this letter to saint denis' mayor. " she tells peyton simply, holding the envelope out to her. she can sense doubt about such a simple task. " it's easy. just walk up to him and say that Sister Vanetti wishes him well. "

after a moment, she waves the envelope slightly, impatiently.

[heavenlyexiled]

EYES ROLL AT THE MENTION OF RESPONSIBILITY. “ yes, yes, we all have responsibilities. however, you even said it yourself… THIS IS NO CHANCE MEETING. ” the woman says with a huff as she takes peyton’s wrist and turns ‘till her palm is face up. there she places the envelope and closes peyton’s fingers around it. it feels… ODD… in her hand… there’s a faint.. weight to it.

something is inside it, not just a letter, presumably…

“ i see you, yes. but others will see you like this. ” god, there she fucking goes again. saying things but never saying them straight.

rumors and warnings stitched that maria vanetti was cryptic in her own way.

nevermind that. “ YOU can call me just miss vanetti or maria. you’re not coming to confess so no need to use my holy name. ” maria heads to her horse, a grullo dun breton that dwarfs her in height. she rummages through one of the rucksacks before pulling out a nun’s habit, along with the matching veil. “ guards won’t shoot a woman of the faith. and if you say you were sent by sister vanetti, they won’t bat an eye. go to his public office at noon, it’s when he’s there signing papers or whatever those fucks in suits do. ” she shrugs nonchalantly as she tosses the gown to peyton, not bothering to wait for her response.

there’s a look in her eyes, or, well… the only good one she can see out of; tired of such tedious concerns. “ i’ll pay you six hundred. does that help ? ” maria sighs out, crossing her arms in front of her. “ you’re free to leave if you so wish. deny the job, go about whatever it is you do. ” she waves a dismissive hand freely as her tone sounds sickly sweet if not a bit condescending. that if she were to leave there may be a catch, or something else will come along down the road.

@mudblccd asked.

" this is no chance meeting , is it , maria ? " PEYTON IS NOT LIKE THE WOMAN BEFORE HER , and in some ways with it came a complicated mix of emotions . she was strong , bold ; knew how to defend herself , knew what she wanted and went after it like a wolf lurking in the shadows of a limping man on the side of the road . though there lies how grateful she is for it , to be all snarling teeth and drool , the double edged sword is evident . MARIA SCARED HER , but peyton continues to cling to the cross that sat neatly against collarbone ; PEYTON IS NOTHING , HAD NOTHING - WHAT USE COULD SHE BE FOR A WOMAN LIKE MARIA ? but there's one thing for sure , maria would not be stood before her if she didn't want to be ( THERE'S A STRANGE THRILL THAT SHOOTS UP HER SPINE AT THAT . )

" i'd say no, it's not. " the ginger hums out with a lopsided grin. her good eye taking in peyton before her. she never came to peyton on her own accord, so this... THIS is unsettling...

there's an uneasy tension looming over the two like the grey clouds that swallow up the blue sky above them. surely peyton hasn't done anything to get on the woman's hit list radar...

PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD A LITTLE...

the voice echoes in maria's head; a voice of an old mentor that haunts guides her to this day...

fingers twitch, so eager to reach the hilt of her knife but something catches her eye. it's glinting in the sun before it retreats into the grey clouds. A GOLD CROSS.

her brows twitch before furrowing slightly and with no words being spoken; maria calmly walks to peyton, stopping right in front of her before she reaches out, swatting peyton's hand away from cross she so desperately clings to like a LIFELINE... " you wear one...? " the question is not intended for an answer. it's more of an observation and her brows furrow more, a fine line in the crease of her brow forming. she's bewildered at first, her own gloved hand comes up to lift the necklace by the end of it as if inspecting it.

and with no explanation, she then lets go and steps back, eyeing peyton for a moment... " i need you to do something for me, " maria says as a hand rests on the jut of her hip by her gunbelt.

NO, NO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! THIS WASN'T THE PLAN-

" deliver this letter to saint denis' mayor. " she tells peyton simply, holding the envelope out to her. she can sense doubt about such a simple task. " it's easy. just walk up to him and say that Sister Vanetti wishes him well. "

after a moment, she waves the envelope slightly, impatiently.