#bcrbleue: Edwina

[qanedanegros]

❝ being honest though, this tastes bad enough to kill a man. ❞ (from edwina to neera)

Blue eyes stared at the questionably burnt meal before them. Neera, who lacked experience in cooking and was in a bit of a hurry, prepared the meal, which was further evidence.. Her lips twitched into a smile before she chuckled softly, “It really is terrible, isn’t it? I should serve this to the men who upset the girls and myself.” Neera laughed. Cooking was an art that escaped her. She lacked in the area, it differed from her interest in alchemy. Alchemy, she had watched and remembered using her other senses, given that she wasn’t able to read or write. She relied on her memory and had perfected her poisons over the years. Yet, she had watched someone. There had been no one that she could watch when it came to cooking. They served the meals just to her, and that was it. Neera had truly wanted to make a good meal, but it was nice to hear the honesty from Edwina. “Thank you for being honest. Had you not, and we suffered through this meal, it might have been our last one together.” Neera smiled at Edwina and reached to grab the wine to pour them both some to drink. It wasn’t what they served in the Red Keep, but it was just as good. It would wash the burnt aftertaste from their mouths.

[qanedanegros]

Coming from Lys, Neera didn't understand why things had to be this way. To her, it was merely a chair; what did it matter who set upon it? What bothered her most were the dragons being pinned against one another and used in awful ways. Perhaps it was wrong to care more about them than the involved humans. She was now involved, but all she cared about was Vermithor, and she did not want to risk him being injured by another of his kind. She had thought about leaving with him several times and never looked back. "I think he has the right idea. Leave this silly war and go somewhere safe. We do not deserve this, and neither do they. They see us and the dragons as nothing but pawns.." Neera spoke harshly. That's how she saw it, at least, and nothing made her feel differently. They were merely pieces in this war, and what mattered if they died? If the dragon lived, then perhaps another rider could be found. "If I were a dragon, I would never bond with a human. Some of us are more dangerous than the actual creature." Bastards. That's all anyone had ever seen when it came to her, and she hadn't cared. What did it matter how she was brought into this world? It hadn't been her choice. Neither was this, but Vermithor was a soul she could feel close to, as was Edwina. "If it would keep us and these beauties safe, why not? Would they truly be stupid enough to fight us? Lose more dragons?" She asked with a shrug. Neera had no ties to anyone here. They saw a bastard and a less-than-worthy rider. 

greens, blacks, blues, edwina couldn’t really give a rat’s ass. but they were about to fight for queen rhaenyra and so, by defaults, were apparently on the blacks. whatever that meant. the maid wondered where the colored terms came from anyway. a question that she might have asked lord celtigar, were they on cordial speaking terms.

❝ if i know grey ghost, he’d sooner fly away from any trouble. honestly, i’m surprised that he’s still around but i guess dragons are loyal creatures. no wonder they allow their riders to just...involve them in human war. ❞ she observed. ❝ if i were a dragon, i'd go off and do my own thing. but i can't say that i know what's goin' on in a dragon's mind. ❞

the two women were still there themselves, as neither had chosen to run away from the impending battle. yet. was it bravery or foolishness? in fact, edwina couldn't help but think more about it.

❝ we could run away right now, but that would play into what they expect from us bastards. ❞ she rolled her eyes with a scoff. stubborn and stupidly, that was the only thing that made her want to see through the future battle. ❝ forgive us for not wantin’ to die.❞

[qanedanegros]

Tilting her head to the side at the question, Neera pondered it. The only one that she ever reported to was Mysaria. She knew when to update her on some issues of interest regarding the Greens and what could be seen as some plot. No maids cared to ever check on her or see what she was sniffing about sometimes. "I report to the White Worm. That is all. No one else, and should she need me, she knows how to get ahold of me." Neera spoke with a smile. There wasn't much that made Neera worry; she could slip in and out unnoticed. It was safer that way, and she even sent letters if she could not. No head maid had ever come to bother her or ask too many questions. "I am not too known in these parts. I am more known in flea bottom and such scandalous areas." She chuckled. It was true that she wasn't a whore, but she did every little to stop the belief. It was easier to allow them to believe whatever because no one ever needed to know she was a spy and that her pretty face was meant to deceive everyone and do whatever job was asked of her. "Tis a vast place. I've never seen the same face twice, if I can be honest.."

❝ you don't have anyone coming to look after you? ❞ the maid couldn't help but ask. she didn't know much about neera yet, but edwina wondered if the other had her own overseer that would come sniffing after her if she didn't show up in a timely manner. gods knew the head maid would come around for edwina herself, if she spent too long away. that'll be my job one day, and then there'll be no one to chase after me. she thought to herself. a small smile played on her face before she fixed it to be a polite one directed at neera.

❝ have you been here for a while? i like to think i know most faces around, but perhaps we've never run into each other 'til now. ❞ edwina inquired curiously. she liked to know who was who. it was best to know the faces of the red keep, especially since some people like to send her off with a name only and no face to put with it.

[qanedanegros]

Neera gave a nod. It was best not to be caught not working, even if sometimes it was nice to take a break. She only wanted to make friends or have someone else around to speak with. It wasn't easy for Neera to speak to others; her common tongue wasn't perfect, and she often forgot words or didn't know the word. Most got annoyed.

Tilting her head to the side, she didn't want to call her the pale maid; Edwina was more than that.

"I shall ask for Edwina. I prefer to call you that if you are okay with that." Neera didn't enjoy when men would ask for women based on their features, and she would refuse to do such a thing.

" you can find me when you need me. " said @qanedanegros's neera.

the woman gave the slightest of nods. it was best for her to depart as well and get back to work, before anyone came looking for her. she was admittedly glad for the company, finding the same faces a tad boring after a while.

" and if you need me, just ask around for the pale maid. "

edwina responded in turn, lips curling in a small grin. it was what everyone called her at first, referencing her dragonseed features, but she'd been around the keep long enough for most to know her by name.

" or askin' for edwina works just fine. "

[qanedanegros]

The Bronze Fury. He was as beautiful as she had imagined, and she had been scared when she faced him. Singing had been the way to lull the creature, and Neera had been thankful for all the songs she had been taught and how the Lys Tongue sounded almost close to High Valyrian. The one before had been burned, and she thought she would face the same fate. Yet, Vermithor had bonded with her. He had lowered his neck to her, and she continued to sing to him afterward. That's how they spent their time when she was practicing flying him and bonding more. To think she was going to have to fly him into a war was something that she was starting to hate. He didn't deserve that. None of them deserved this, but what could they do?

A gloved hand ran down his neck as she hummed softly and listened to his rumble while he made himself comfortable on the beach. Her gaze flicked over to Edwina and Grey Ghost. She had heard about one of the Wild Dragons, but she wasn't brave enough to venture to meet those. However, Edwina had done it, and she felt pride for the young woman. "They are beautiful creatures, yes. Bonding with one is not like I expected, and I wish I didn't have to fly with him into bloodshed. I have half a heart to fly him away from here. To live somewhere that doesn't bloodshed. No of us deserve this.." Neera spoke with a sigh, but she had agreed to fight alongside the Prince. The Greens had to be stopped. Neera didn't have any real reason to fight. Her mother had taken care of her, and even though it was dragonrider blood in her verse, she didn't think it was all of her. They were asking her to die for a cause she wasn't sure she supported yet...

@qanedanegros gets a plotted starter! ( for neera )

unused to being in the company of dragons, edwina was standing at a farther distance from neera than usual. it was no fault of the other, but rather due to the large, bronze, dragon that accompanied her. being in the shadow of vermithor was enough to make any person want to take a few steps back. the woman's actions were mirrored by her own mount, grey ghost. though he was no small dragon himself, the pale beast kept to himself a fair ways away from all of them; trying to find fish in the nearby lake.

❝ i was quite content to be watchin' dragons from the ground and they were up high, but i suppose they have a charm to them... ❞ she turned to look over at grey ghost. it wasn't long that she'd claimed him, but he was growing on her. ❝ don't know about you, but they mean to have us sacrifice ourselves for this war. we're expendable. at least, that's how i view it. ❞ she said, amethyst eyes trailing back to neera in slight frustration. maybe even the tiniest hint of fear.

they would have to fight soon, alongside prince jacaerys and the other dragonseeds.

edwina didn't want to die. not for nobles that she was just another blank face to. she didn't become a dragon rider out of any act of bravery, but was forced to by her grandsire. or face homelessness.