The dark had come, and again Rorschach found herself somewhere new. It was always the story with this wanderer – a change of scenery, a change of pace. Her inkblot-splashed face turned to the heavens, staring at the stars as she recited their names in her mind. Cygnus. Aquila. These were constants – the stars, and nothing else. In the days that she’d been cast into nowhere, only the stars had been her companions through the long nights and the cold winters. Only the stars had given her hope that someday she might be reunited with those who were so cruelly taken from her. But as time marched on, even that hope had begun to wane.
Her purple eyes are the only remarkable thing on her in the night, glowing softly as she blinked against the darkness. Already, she had adjusted to night vision, making out the forms of milling equines here and there, but she didn’t stop to talk. Ahead there was a temple, stoic and proud against the midnight sky, and she knew without asking that she was in a place of great reverence. Not one to disturb the peace, Rorschach strayed to the shadows, out of sight for most of the evening walkers, unless they too chose to lurk on the edge.
One such beast stood in her path, and for a moment, the grey and brindled mare was taken aback. She stopped short of reaching him, piercing eyes roaming up and down his form. There was a dangerous look to him – a regal look to him. Even in the night, she could see that he was a creature not to be meddled with. Time had taught the mare another thing – to be cautious around strangers. The scars that littered her body told him that she could handle herself, but still, she kept a respectable distance away, letting the male close the gap between them, if he so chose.
He wasn't often within the walls of the castle, preferring to have open sky and wild earth above and below him - yet despite his preference for an open sky, Reichenbach found a certain beauty in the halls of his parliament. It wasn't built for glamour or arrogance, it wasn't an artistic expression or bounty of wealth, the castle was cold stone walls and solid structure, it was history and memories. How many before him had walked the same hall? How many secrets had been whispered with only the stones to hear? While the thought was comforting, it was also unnerving - a heavy thought that felt sticky and cloying upon him as he stood in the inky darkness.
Usually the castle was lit by flaming torches, but some of the cavernous building was rarely used and so seldom was lit. It was this darkness that a lot of the more secretive members of his court relished, a darkness that did not so much reflect Night but the absence of light. Reichenbach left the quiet halls thankfully, silver eyes flicking back to the ancient building even as he descended it's steps and began a quiet, easy walk through the city. The night was quiet for Denocte - usually the skies were abuzz with the sound of singing, laughing and performing. A few residents wandered past and Reichenbach gave them each a pleasant smile and dip of his great head, receiving bright smiles in return.
Pausing a moment, Reichenbach turned to gaze upward at the quiet stars, ears flicking at the sound of unfamiliar hoofbeats. His head lowered as his argent gaze slid over mottled skin, swallowing the mare in depthless silver, sliding wordlessly to the scars upon her body and then to her vibrant purple eyes.
"What made you come to the Night Court?"
Was his sudden question, his voice echoing melodically despite the distance between them. For she was undoubtedly new to the Court, if not the land, and he was intensely curious to see why she would choose (if, in fact, it had been a choice) their Court of wild things. There was a stretch of silence as he stepped a little closer, eyes gleaming.
ON GRAFTON STREET IN NOVEMBER
WE TRIPPED LIGHTLY ALONG THE LEDGE
OF A DEEP RAVINE WHERE CAN BE SEEN
THE WORTH OF PASSIONS PLEDGED
@RORSCACH
ugh sorry this is not my best but I wanted to get something up for you!
What made her come to the Night Court? It was a question she wasn’t expecting, for the mare had no notion of where she had wandered to. Clearly it was a community, and a thriving one at that. While she’d had no intention of staying, there is something that holds her here now, and turning to quickly survey the place where she seemed to have landed, Rorschach considered his words. Curiosity, and a restless heart. It was true as anything else, she supposed – for while she hadn’t intended to come here, it was her endless seeking that brought her to his doorstep.
Is it yours, the Night Court? But as soon as the question had fallen from her lips, Rorschach knew she need not ask. The fact that he was a regent here was clear, in the way he held himself, in the way the others who passed him murmured their quiet greetings. And, she knew instinctively too, that it was well within his right to flay her as the intruder she was. Yet here he stood, not rolling out the welcome mat, but not turning her away. With this in mind, her purple gaze softened a bit, and she offered him a glimpse into her tightly held purpose.
I am Rorschach, a traveler from nowhere… and I’ve wandered through too many nights to count. Wondering to herself for a moment whether or not she was ready to cease her wandering, she paused. Considered. Perhaps it was time. Until now, I’ve considered myself a seeker… but the longer the nights become, the more I wonder what it is I’ve been seeking all this time. Perhaps, it is this place. She bows her head slightly in deference to the king, waiting to see what he might say next, as her eyes find his once more in the darkness.
If there had been a right answer, hers was completely and utterly correct. It caused the easy lines around Reichenbach's ebony mouth to crinkle into a pleased smile that hovered easily around his long lashed eyes, warm and sweet. He chuckled then, a low, jovial thing that encouraged smiles to appear around them, knowing glances shared between members that had known the Orphan King for most of his eventful life.
"It's not mine, no." The smile remained, amused as he admitted "I do seem to have found myself Sovereign of Denocte and The Night Court, but I could never claim her as mine." He emanated warmth in the cool night, his hair woven with the scent of woodsmoke and jasmine as he shifted a little closer, cocking a hind leg as he relaxed considerably. He had no qualms about a traveller wandering the streets of The Court for their city was one of great diversity and often had many merchants and wayward sons and daughters arriving either by sea or overland. She must have been at least semi-skilled at avoiding authority, for most land-borne travellers were found as they exited the pass within the mountains, and this made Reichenbach look upon her with a degree of respect, even more so as she began to speak.
"I think..." he began slowly, his words a baritone melody, ".. you will be among similar hearts and minds in that regard. Denocte, and our Court, is made up of foreigners from all walks of life, some have histories they are trying to escape, others simply want to be free."
Above all, that was what Denocte represented. Complete freedom.
She pondered over his words – considered. While it couldn’t be claimed that she had a past she was trying to escape, it would be something new and something welcome to push aside her demons and begin anew. It would be nice to have a renewed sense of self – a renewed sense of purpose. Perhaps in that regard, Rorschach felt the need pressing on her more than before to find a place to settle. Looking around the dark fields of the Night Court, she had to wonder what it had in store. It is this intrigue which holds her here, in this place of shadows and newness. Clearing her throat, Rorschach turns her wandering eyes back on the Sovereign, relaxing in his presence at his easy demeanor and casual words.
“Then I will stay, for a time… if you’ll have me. I have nothing to give by myself, but you’ll find me a loyal contributor.” In the silent night, she nods to the dark king, shivering some in the briskness of the evening air. The idea of freedom, and of belonging, is one that intrigues the girl – for it has been some time since she belonged to something more than herself. Making a mental note to see the rest of this land and the secrets it holds, she wonders aloud. “What do they call you, keeper of the Night?”, which she quickly follows up with, ”And what will you have me do in this place. I wish to add value, if I may.”
ooc: Sorry that I suck and was gone for like a month, but I am working on catching up and will try to be more active. I blame the baby haha
