Bittersweet Lullabies [M]

Draconian · July 13, 2015, 11:41:50 PM

"I am not a fool," Callista bristled slightly, at being called something. "I am nothing." Voice soft, she frowned at him after a moment. Masks? A moment longer to inspect his features. His abilities were curious and briefly she wondered if he was a demon. The Face Thief Demon. Callista pressed her fingers to her cheek and she looked at him before trying to pull the crate open to tug the body out.

"Do you have to kill everyone's face you steal?"

Lion · July 14, 2015, 12:01:01 AM

With a kick, the nails came a little bit looser and Rembrandt pulled the top from the box, and there were the crumbled remains of one Hendrick Winstead. "No," he said. "It just helps. Killing is such a messy business. I prefer not to have too many people ask questions as to why they saw me one place, when I was clearly in another. Besides, it's clear he would've ended up like this one way or another."

He shot her a small smile before pulling the body up and out of the box. "You need this placed in the bedroom, I'm guessing?"

Draconian · July 14, 2015, 12:38:42 AM

More and more she was growing interested.

The thing he'd given her was tucked into her clothing, perhaps she would sneak out and see him. Or not see him. At least get some answers either way. Curiosity had been beaten out of her but she could feel the trembling flame of it when she looked at him. Carn looked at him too for good measure, blinking owlishly before closing and going quiet.

The smile caught her off guard and she just frowned at him, why was he carrying the body. He was free to go. Part of her asked him why he was doing this, the other part just nodded. "Yes. On the bed. Wait." Callista looked at him, "We'll remove his clothes and leave him at the foot of the stairs, his legs grew weak after the prostitute visited him, he took an awful tumble down the flights of stairs. It was truly unfortunate. He'll be greatly missed." And the way she spoke was as if she truely believed in happened instead of just telling a story.

"Are you a monster?"

Lion · July 14, 2015, 12:58:39 AM

Rembrandt was already involved. Why not go the extra mile? He was already dead and all they needed to do was set the dead guy at the foot of the stairs. "Sounds about right to what actually happened," Rembrandt sighed, exasperated at having to go through the motions once again. "You know most deaths occur as an accident in the home. Sometimes there are unfortunate participants in that accident, but otherwise. Yeah, accidents really do happen."

Once up to ground level, Rembrandt dropped the body at the bottom of the steps. And went about removing the dead mans clothes. "Am I a monster?" he mimicked and peered up at her. "No. I'm just a man." And be laughed, smiling up at her for a moment. "And you're not a monster either, I presume?"

Draconian · July 14, 2015, 01:08:02 AM

There was a smile. A geniune smile and she shifted her weight, half enjoying someone else doing the work and giving the Face Stealer an amused smile. "You were having sex with him before you pushed him down the stairs?" Was her quip and she went about helping remove the clothes, looking back at him when he claimed to be just a man.

"I am nothing," Callista said again, "I am nothing and nobody." With Hendricks coat and shirt in her hands she moved past the body on the ground and started to the steps, hands out for the rest of the mans clothing. "I can't be a monster if I don't exist."

Lion · July 14, 2015, 01:15:22 AM

"Just a shadow underneath the mask," he murmured. For despite what others might claim, everyone wore masks. In every role a person played through out their life, there was always a mask to fit the occasion, a shelter to hide your secrets. A guise to wrap over yourself.

"I meant the tumble down the stairs part, but I get your jest," he snickered and gave her the rest of his clothes. "A shadow that wears a face called Callista. But you're nobody. I understand."

Draconian · July 14, 2015, 01:25:02 AM

A shadow that wears a face called Callista.

"Yes. I am a tool used to carry out my master's orders," Her tone grew dark and she looked from the dead body to the clothing in her arms, "Just a shadow." It came out as barely a whisper. How fitting. Callista gave the Face Stealer a small smile, a polite bow and she made her way up the stairs, dropping Hendricks clothing carefully so it would looked like he'd whipped it off of himself in hast to join his woman in bed.

Callista however did not go back downstairs. The sound of a window opening and closing could probably be heard down to where The Face Stealer was and then there would be no sounds. Callista would be gone.

Perhaps to never see her again.

Perhaps to see her one last time. Unfortunately for him, he piqued a curiosity in her that was unfamiliar and it burned inside. As he suggested, Callista would show up the next night, alone like he requested (was being with Carn still alone?) and there would be a strangely scarred face in the crowd, eyes wide and curious.

Lion · July 14, 2015, 10:19:50 AM

It was a shame that enjoying the life of one Hendrick Winstead didn't pan out. It was such a rare occasion that he had to play a noble. Not on the stage of course. It left him fairly bummed. It didn't even get to last a week before the jig was up and he was left with nothing more than the reflection of himself. And yet, perhaps it was a small blessing that he'd forgotten Winstead's image. His life would've been lost. Then he'd be the crumpled body at the bottom of the stairs.

So he had to resort to being himself for the remainder of his stay in Arca. And one final show before he could enjoy his week and move on with the Company once again. That was usually how these things went. Nobody would miss him anyway. Winstead was a bastard.

That night onstage, he'd certainly thought his invitation was ripped up after his acquaintance departed. It hadn't been meant to be taken serious. In fact, he didn't really know why he did it. Perhaps just as a distraction from keeping her from asking too many more questions. Little did he know of the curiosity she had piqued.

She was just a shadow after all.

As his first cue came up, Rembrandt appeared on stage in a puff of smoke, face painted red and a series of horns protruding from his head. He was Mepharis, the demon that lead Madame Movenco through different realms, ever trying to tempt her with lust, the promise of immortality, and the fulfillment of all her desires. He turned to Madame Movenco, throwing fire from his hands, making it land in small plumes at her feet, the magic of a mage working behind the scenes and knowing how to make him appear as fearsome as possible.

As he turned to the crowd, making his exit, he spotted a familiar face in the crowd, and his eyes widened just a bit. In fact a smile spread across his face. And he vanished in a puff of smoke.

His scenes came and went, and in the final, when he meant to claim Madame Movenco's soul, he threw the rose he had in his hand, to the crowd, toward Callista, the white rose falling at her feet.

Draconian · July 14, 2015, 11:28:34 PM

Callista had snuck out.

Constantly she had been subtly checking over her shoulder and while she was woefully under dressed for such an occasion her heart was pounding a million miles a minute at the prospect of being caught. There were fresh bruises on her neck in the shape of a hand that she didn't bother to cover up, the loose fitting shirt and the brown corset, the everyday clothing she wore at the flower shop. Probably smelled like damp soil instead of the roses they housed.

The play was like watching a story and for someone who could barely read stories were few and far between. When she noticed the Face Stealer on stage she found herself smiling, dressed up as he was as a demon of all things. Callista almost laughed, instead she stayed quiet and got odd looks by the people who noticed her grin.

Enraptured was a good word for what she was during the play. Following everyone, watching the little details, the cues. Finally, there it was.

A white rose at her feet.

More curiosity grew in her chest. Surely a dangerous flower for her to nurture. Callista found herself surprised by how much she wanted to care and tend for this curiosity and she bent to pick up the rose and examine it, holding it carefully before gently brushing her fingers over the petals.

Callista would be gone after the curtain call.

Instead she'd be in the Face Stealer's dressing room.

Waiting.

Did he know what the white rose meant? She needed to tell him.

Lion · July 15, 2015, 12:24:23 AM

Rembrandt had turned backstage with laughter. It was always nice to get a standing ovation. And the bouquets he collected, he shared among the flowers with some of thw other cast members. As he'd always said, there were no small parts, only small actors and he took his profession seriously. Rembrandt had hoped to see that Shadow again, and when he found her in his room, he smiled, clearly pleased.

"Hello. A fine evening we're having," he said, still donned in his devil's face paint and prosthetic horns. He plucked a horn fromhis temple and then the other, setting the bouquets off on the lounge chair. "Ouch. These things get stuck on pretty good."

Draconian · July 15, 2015, 12:37:15 AM

A tilt of her head to look up at the Face Stealer when he arrived and Callista stood up slowly, careful of her aches and pains and new bruises. As she'd predicted, the death of Hendrick had been messy and she'd been punished for it. Pulled out of bed in the middle of the day. "If you kill like an animal, you'll be treated like one," There was a far away look in her eyes for a moment while she repeated the words though quickly the lavender eyes refocused and she found herself close to the Face Stealer.

One of those little horns in her hands, carefully holding the white rose in the other. "You're a monster," She stating, looking up at him. Gently she wet her thumb with a finger and pressed it to his chin to wipe off the paint and she looked down at her hand. A bright smile when she looked up at him again, "I see. So this is your face but you've painted a face on top of it." Pleased that she'd figured it out she put the horn down and held out the rose to him, showing it to him.

"Do you know what the white rose means?"

Lion · July 15, 2015, 01:01:24 AM

Truth be told he was intrigued by her fascination with the make-up. This was a thick oily paint that frankly was making him sweat underneath it and he was eager to get it off. Damn those managers for making him wear paint as opposed to a mask and perhaps half only half his face painted. He smiled as she examined the paint and he wiped some away with a bare hand that was no longer wearing those skin-tight gloves.

"Yeah, it's a bit of a pain, isn't it? Three hours in the chair for the face alone. Not to mention the hours that followed the horns. But such is life," he said with a soft sigh. He popped the horns off his head and saw she examined the rose. He rose curious brows at her. "Does it mean something? I was unaware."

Draconian · July 15, 2015, 01:17:15 AM

Callista pressed the rose to her lips and smiled gently before looking back at the Face Stealer.

"Purity and innocence," Slowly she drew the rose petals over the scar at her cheek, then down her chin to the hand shaped bruise at her throat and the scars there too. A tilted head and she pressed it to her lips again, closing her eyes. "It seems fitting the demon Mepharis would have such a rose. Is it what he's throwing away at the end? Madame Movenco's purity and innocence?" A longer look at it and she held it down, fully intending on keeping it and hiding it away like she hid Carn.

Maybe Carn would help her take care of it.

"Is this your real life?" She eyed the make up on his face and then looked around the room, "You're prettier than Hendrick."

Lion · July 15, 2015, 01:40:15 AM

"Very perceptive," he commented and went about wiping his face with a washcloth. There was a basin of water and he dipped it slowly, pulling off the paint in gentle streaks. "Mepharis wanted Movenco's soul because it was so pure and enticing. Discarding the white rose meant the Madame had given in. Sometimes temptation is too great to resist." He chuckled.

He was basking her compliments, and his smile spread cheek to cheek. "Thank you very much. You're quite pretty yourself," he said with another chuckle. There that dreadful paint was off. He dropped the washcloth into the basin and scrubbed it. "I didn't become him because he was good-looking. He was just in the wrong place in the wrong time, unfortunately for him." His eyes drifted down to the bruising on her neck. His smile faded and he gestured to her neck. "That because of me? Hendrick being a mess I mean?"

Draconian · July 15, 2015, 01:55:00 AM

That dangerous flower budded at the compliment of being perceptive and she slowly looked down at the rose again. Temptation is too great to resist. The play was a temptation too great to resist. Seeing the Face Stealer again was a temptation too great to resist. Luckily for Callista, she was neither pure or innocent and she tucked her white rose into one of the pockets on her skirt, the flower sticking out of the end. The pocket where Carn was.

"Pretty?" Callista frowned at him for a moment, surely he was mocking her. Fingers brushed over the scar on her face and she pondered for a moment on being pretty. Was she? Could she consider herself as such? No. Callista was not pretty. Tools weren't pretty. Still, she gave a pretty smile to the Face Stealer and reached up to brush her fingers over his cheeks, trailing down to his chin. Her fingers hovered over his neck where she'd tried to choke him and a finger traced down to rest on his shoulder.

"Yes," She said simply, no blame or accusation in her voice or on her face, "If you kill like an animal you'll be treated like one," the words were repeated softly. Then her hand moved to her neck, "It's just one of them, master wasn't pleased Hendrick was such a mess, it lowered the price of the hit because it was so sloppy."

Lion · July 15, 2015, 02:14:34 AM

"I wonder if he says that because he's gotten the taste of his own medicine. Don't dish it out, if you aren't prepared to take it, as an old friend used to say." Rembrandt made a soured expression and turned to look in the vanity mirror, inspecting the finer points of his face and neck, where the markings were found on her and then he turned back to her. He took her hair and gently rolled it up.

"By gods," he hissed, sucking air in through his teeth. "How awful. You poor dear. You need something to drink. I've had that look in my eye before. So, what's your poison?" He clapped his hands together. "And I don't mean actual poison, darling, just what kind of drink do you favor? How may I serve you tonight? You came to my show, it's the least I could do after the punishment you received...partly on my behalf."

Draconian · July 15, 2015, 02:36:10 AM

Callista stared at the Face Stealer for a moment and tensed - but stayed still - when he moved her hair. On a job, Callista had no shame. There was nothing she didn't do for her master. Tonight she was here for herself and the touches were too much, even if it was to look at the bruises on her neck. There were bruises and cuts elsewhere and she was curious if this man wanted to examine those too.

His sudden insistence on her drinking had her thrown off guard and Callista blinked at him. Poison? Oh, not actual poison. "What did you give me? Before in the room? I liked that. It made my lips tingle." Slowly her fingers brushed over the bruises and she was curious why they offended him so. "I did wrong, should.. I have not been punished?"

Lion · July 15, 2015, 02:54:38 AM

Rembrandt snapped his fingers and turned toward the decanters on the other side of the room. He always had a drink to mark any occasion. "Brandy," he answered, pouring a small glass and handing it to. He was intending to get her drunk, but whatever she wanted, she could have. She was his guest after all.

He turned to her with his own glass and clanked it against hers. "Punishment for a task complete, no matter how messy, seems a bit counterproductive to me," he said, shrugging a little. It was a nonchalant action, but he didn't know her employer, or anything more about her. She did have nice eyes though and it was those he looked at now.

He smiled instead. "Let's not talk about unpleasantness," he said after a moment. "You kept your word. I honestly didn't know what to expect from you. Thank you again. I feel myself growing increasingly in your debt, and I can't think of anything to repay you with. And...you showed up, I hope I didn't disappoint while performing. How did you come about all this way? You sound as if you have a very busy life, unable to come and go as you please."

Draconian · July 15, 2015, 03:09:59 AM

Brandy.

There was a cat named brandy once, Callista had enjoyed playing with it. It was also the first of much blood she'd gotten on her hands and when the glasses clanked together she thought fondly of that cat and sipped at the alcohol. It tasted bad. In a good way. Her tongue went numb and she closed her eyes for a moment before she took another sip of the liquid. "I am a tool, a tool that doesn't preform properly needs to be fixed," She informed the Face Stealer mechanically, sipping at her drink again.

Slowly she pressed her finger tips to the petals of the rose and smiled. Her drink was done, she'd found herself having sipped it far more quickly than she anticipated and pouted at the empty glass before tucking it beside the bottle he'd gotten the drink from.

"My word?" Callista tilted her head, giving a slight smile at how wobbly everything was. Having never had alcohol besides the bit the night they'd met, it hit her empty stomach like a pile of bricks and she was feeling the effects of it not too long after drinking it as quickly as she did, "The play was lovely, my favourite parts had you in them," for obvious reasons.

Slowly, like they were being listened to, Callista blinked at him and turned to make sure there was no one around. "I snuck out. Master will be very displeased when he finds me gone but..." the curiosity, "I wanted to see. I wanted to see my Face Stealer and the thing he gave me led me here. You make me curious and I haven't felt anything in a long long time." A smile and she licked her lips, "Is there anymore brandy? It makes more than my lips tingle, I like it."

It made it easy to be happy and she liked the way smiling felt.

Lion · July 15, 2015, 11:35:59 AM

My, my, could she down a glass. Rembrandt had been watching her with interest. She was so...odd and it intrigued him. Pouring her another drink, he chuckled and took a seat on the lounge, wandering if she grasped the irony of her statement. A tool that needed fixing. Indeed.

"And curiosity, I take it, is a bad thing that your master doesn't want you to feel? That's...awful. I can't imagine never being curious. I would never explore other places...other people." He chuckled. "Face Stealer? That's a new one. But you want a name to match this lovely face you've been admiring, I'm called Rembrandt. A name for your shadow."