[RP] The Inn of Peace - IoP (Open to all)

[Angeles Valentine]

Angeles was confused about Zulma's words, but the young woman changed the subject so Angeles dropped it as well, "Lucifer was my husband about five-hundred years ago. It wasn't a very fitting name really. But he was a vampire and I was a human. We were married in hopes of creating one family from his and mine, and increasing the family fortune. Once I found out that the Valentines were vampires they wanted to kill me, but Lucifer saved me and hid me away. We lived in secret for a long time until i discovered that the Valentine's had killed my family and stolen their fortune.

"I was foolish and because of it we were discovered. The Valentines came to our home and attacked us and left us for dead. They stabbed Lucifer through the heart and the sun was soon rising. He gave me a choice to live or die. I was scared to die, so i chose to live, and he had me drink his blood. Then the sun rose and his soul was gone."

Angeles looked over at Zulma, "that's about all there is to the story," she looked down and was silent for a moment, still curious as to how Zulma had stolen her own freedom. She looked up when the wasteland again turned into a forest and Angeles lifted her eyes, "we should move faster if we want to be there and back to the inn before dark."

((First post on page 208. Woohoo for my favorite number!))  

[Gren_Eckener]

Gren saw what seemed to be his cue. He quietly walked to MacPere's side and held out a handkerchief toward his sputtering friend, with a slight bow and respectful nod to the grave in front of him. He would have liked meeting her.  

[Zulma san]

Zulma felt sad for Angeles. Hate was such a poison. But she knew that her friend would not want pity from her, so she did not change the way she looked at the vampire.
She thought that Lucifer would be proud of the vampire his wife had become. He would be proud of her strength and despite her apparent coldness, of her compassion and good within her.

Angeles was all she would have hoped her brother to become if he had had any guidance or strength in his heart.
Mine... for a second she remembered his voice and the overwehlming smell of blood when he was pulling her close to him.

At Angeles's comment that they should hurry, she thought to Baldur and the panther sped up, following closely the wolf. Thank you... she said to the noble beast.  

[MacPere]

"I-I'm sorry I couldn't save you... both of you... I... I shouldn't have suggested the shortcut... I..." MacPere took the handkerchief with a whispered thank you, gently sobbing into it.

It felt relieving to have someone with him, to see him through, but he also couldn't help feel weak and detached, especially before someone so special.  

[Gren_Eckener]

Gren rubbed MacPere's back gently. Such guilt for an accident beyond his control...he'd never heal if he couldn't forgive himself...still, there's no telling someone how to grieve. Everyone has their own path.

(Damn, ethics class. Be back in at most an hour and a half.)  

[Angeles Valentine]

Angeles let December run the rest of the way to where Lucifer was buried. the scent of burnt wood was still prominent even after five hundred years, and when Angeles smelled it she stopped December and slid off of his back She held onto the white roses and walked through the trees to the edge of the clearing. the burnt wood was now overgrown, and the ash had all blown away, but in the center of the round clearing was a white cross.

Angeles smiled at it then turned to Zulma, "there he is," she said before handing the flowers to her friend, "after he died, and I was changed, I buried him there, fashioned a cross even though I disliked it, and blessed the ground, though it burned me to do so, with water and the crumbs of a host. i did it so that the Valentines could not desecrate his grave. But as such I also cannot take a step beyond here. So, my friend, could you set these roses on his grave?"

She did not mention that she also blessed the ground so that she herself could not bring Lucifer back to life. Simply removing the stake would revive him to his vampiric state. But it was because of that, that she did not do it. Vampires were called the damned for a reason. When Lucifer had died, she had seen so much peace on his face that she had never seen before. She knew then that all the time in the world together would not bring the same release to his spirit as death had. It was because of this that she accepted his death, left the stake in his heart. But she could not bring herself to cut off his head to ensure a permanent death. So she blessed his grave to prevent herself from ever going near him again, preventing all possibility of stealing away his peace for any selfish reason.  

[Zulma san]

Zulma had hopped down from Baldur and ended up on her bot, her legs feeling a little shaky from the ride. She felt particularly stupid and happy that she did not cut herself or anything of the sort. She pulled herself back together with the panther's help and walked toward Angeles.

The vampire turned to her and gave her the roses which she took with surprise. The emotion turned into comprehension when Angeles explained the situation. She felt a little awkward but she did not hesitate in accepting her request. She admired the smartness of the vampire for protecting her beloved's grave.

Wishing she was wearing something a little more appropriate, Zulma walked forward towards the cross. Once she reached it, she kneed and gently put the flowers on the stone. She did not stand back up right away, she wanted to tell him something. She wanted to share with him who she did not know, who his wife was. But she lacked words, she always lacked words in front of graves. She was herself unable to say anything in front of her brother's...so how could she speak in front of the one of a stranger? She felt a motion by her side: Baldur was sitting his head looking down as if he was silently praying too.

Slowly Zulma stood up and touched the white cross with eyes half closed. She then walked back towards Angeles and stayed silent by her side.  

[MacPere]

MacPere's sobbing gently and gradually subsided into slow sniffs and deep breaths. He brought the handkercheif away from his face, expression still forming a frown.

"Th-Thank you Gren..." He whispered, shakily getting to his feet. "I... I'm sorry you had to witness that..."

(I maaaay or may not be here~)  

[Angeles Valentine]

Angeles removed her hat as Zulma walked up to put the roses on the grave. Angeles closed her eyes and sent up a silent prayer to her husband, wishing him well, and wishing him happiness among other things. She kept her head bowed until Zulma returned and Angeles lifted her head and put her hat back on, "thank you Zulma," she said smiling, "now let's get back before the night falls. This is Valentine territory now and, though i am a countess among them now, they still don't like me very much," she chuckled slightly then got back on December as he laid down to allow the movement. he stood up and bowed his head to the cross then turned, "they won't come out until nightfall, they hate the fact that they are basically human in the daylight so they wait until their pride is no longer wounded," she smiled at the young woman and then inhaled the scent of the forest, "ready to go my friend?"  

[Zulma san]

"You are welcome Angeles." whispered Zulma. She found herself more upset than she would have cared to admit by the overall event. She could feel her eyes itching with tears but she looked away and jumped on Baldur's back.

She heard more than she listened to Angeles's warning about that territory and its owners. Once again it seemed that hate was spreading its dark wings above her head.

"Let's go." she launched Baldur at a fast speed as if the panther understood that the safety of both Zulma and Angeles would not been insured in those lands.  

[Angeles Valentine]

December took off after the panther without a spoken word or thought from Angeles. He didn't like the forest simply because Angeles didn't really like it, and he was glad to be out of the woods and back to the only peaceful place he and Angeles had known for a very long while.

He caught up to the panther and kept pace with him. His rider as silent as the feline's but for different reasons. White roses were always Lucifer's favorite roses. He felt that it was something that he could not taint. Such and angsty man. Angeles had to smile.  

[Zulma san]

After a ride in silence, they came in sight the Inn. The last rays of sun were disappearing on the horizon and Baldur slowed down.
Zulma was still lost in thought and she did not notice they were now longing the lake where they had walked the previous night.  

[Angeles Valentine]

Angeles stopped December at the lake and stopped to look at the waters and the reflections dancing upon them She smiled as she thought of something but decided against it, "this is a beautiful place Zulma."  

[Zulma san]

Zulma nodded "Beautiful indeed..."
Her eyes looked at the vampire for a moment. "Is that smile for the wonder of nature or for another reason?" she asked with a soft smirk.  

[Angeles Valentine]

"Another reason," Angeles admitted looking over at Zulma, "come, I'll show you what I mean," Angeles patted December and the wolf made his way to the shore of the lake.