#saffron:zarina

[ambercast]

where: ren faire who: zarina west (@callofthxvoid)

Saffron had been looking for a sighting of the tall intimidating blonde who seemed to get around town despite living in the commune. Ever since seeing her and Roman talking that day, they'd been watching and waiting and finally there seemed to be an opening. A moment when the blonde was alone.

“Hey! You! Blondie!” Saffron exclaimed, walking over to the other with her hand on her (fake) hilt. “Who the fuck are you and how the fuck do you know Roman?”

[ambercast]

Saffron was honestly taken aback by the mention of Roman’s father. She knew nothing about the man other than he existed and Roman refused to talk about him. Now that they were hearing this, they were starting to realize that maybe there was a reason for that.

“What, are you like a fucking ninja or something?” they scoffed, but some of the fire had obviously died in her stance and eyes. “You talking about his dad like he’s a fucking mob boss or something.” She watched Zarina’s face closely, wondering if she was right with that assumption.

"I would have been surprised if you had heard of me," Zarina replied with a calm tone that, while still largely monotonous, was perhaps a touch more animated than it had been in her previous responses. "We're not close. We didn't grow up together. We only know each other because I know his father." Arguably better than Roman did, but the thought caused a sharp pain in her chest that she did not expect and did not want to unpack, after which any additional quip she had died on the tip of her tongue.

Letting go of the pendant, it suddenly felt ten times heavier around her neck, but she ignored that too. "And for the record," she continued, taking a small but pointed step forward. "If you knew anything about Azrael, or how he raised his children, you would know not to threaten me." Looking Saffron straight in the eyes, her tone of voice was both dead serious and eerily calm, before she suddenly smiled and relaxed. "But sure, I'm happy to stay the fuck away from him. As long as he and his whole godforsaken family stay the fuck away from me. Is that good enough for you?"

[ambercast]

”A family friend?” Saffron scoffed. Roman had never mentioned her. Then again, he never really talked about his home life at all. She was starting to realize maybe she should've prodded a little deeper into that topic. “I'm his best fucking friend, and I've never fucking heard of you.” She looked Zarina over again. “I saw the two of you talking, and I saw Roman's face. I know that face. Stay the fuck away from him, okay? Or you'll have me to deal with, and I'll fucking take you down. I don't play nice.”

Zarina was having A Day, and there was a not insignificant part of her that was so exhausted and emotionally drained that she was considering simply heading back to the commune and sleeping for a solid week, now that she had been left to her own devices. But apparently even that small mercy was too much to ask for.

"I'm Zarina," she stated simply with an equally blank expression on her face, her hand automatically coming up to fidget with the pendant on her necklace. "Roman is a family friend. Our parents have known each other for years." She could hear what sounded like a reasonable response come out, but it didn't even feel like it was her talking; she hadn't talked about Az or that fucking family to anyone who wasn't Roman or Knightley in the past year. "Who are you and why are you asking?"