Hani

Michaelis’s light brown eyes shifted between both male and female, but mostly lingered on Juliana. This woman was clearly expierenced with her line of work. It shown with way she assessed the situation and planned accordingly. Not to mention, all these safe places she would turn to. He could not help but wonder if this was something she grew up doing. Had she gone through what he had gone through? Or had her life been much better than his? Such question would surely not leave his mouth anytime soon. Simply because it was not the appropriate time, nor was it his business. The focus suddenly shifted to him, and Michaelis paused as he took in what they were implying. Looking away from them, he took in the dense crowd of people moving about the market. This crowd was much shadier than the crowds he usually found himself in, which made him hesitate, but he knew that they would need that distraction. “One chaotic diversion coming up.” Michaelis took a deep breath and took a step forward, then paused. He looked up at Juliana and opened his mouth, then shut it, then opened it again. “Please do not leave me.” His words came out low in volume. He feared that once she caught the man they were targeting, she would leave him here. Alone. In the street. Forgotten. He may not have much trust in the woman, but she has done much more for him than anyone else has.

"...the forgotten ones, the discarded ones." Constans words struck a cord deep within her heart, and they dangerously tip-toed along the border of uncharted territory that marked her vulnerability, her pain, and her past. With the right push, they would spring to life. The blonde, however, would not allow for such thing. Instead, she poured her focus on the crowd before them. Wrinkles marking aged faces. Rough callouses on the palm of their hands. Tired eyes. These were people whose life consisted of physical labor, which was the complete opposite of the luxurious life people in Blairville had. Instead of farming tools, they had pencils and books. Their hands never had to endure the strain of toil. Manon's gaze shifted to Constans then to the elves he had requested to meet with. It was clear that he intended to make his people grow not just in strength, but in intellect. Once Constans announced her as the paladin of the church and held out the sword, Manon, without any hesitance, firmly gripped the handle of the sword. She paused. Protecting these people and the church was something she vowed to do until her very last breath. It was no longer a question on whether this was the right path. She was prepared to take on any task, and go against anyone who posed a threat to the people of COTH. So, with a firm decision in mind, Manon raised the sword high above her head. As if on cue, green flames started at the base of the sword and descended upwards towards the tip of the blade. The warmth of the flames against her hand were no longer foreign to her. It was something concrete that she knew would be constant in her life. In a way, it provided a sense of reassurance. The blade igniting into flames seemed to mark the official start of the feast, and Manon, albeit nervous, was excited to partake in the nights activities, and to familiarize herself with the people of COTH.

Hey! Is there still room for one more? I would like to start a role play with you, let me know if you're interested. :)

Manon's blue irises watched the priest's expression change before questioning whether she had the ability to see things. The slight dip of her brows was enough of an indication to know that she had never experienced such ability, and she wasn't given much of an opportunity to wrap her mind around the idea when he mentioned elves. The excitement that formed along Constans visage gave the male a whole new appearance. He was suddenly much more younger, much more alive, and something about the way he wore that boyish grin...Manon felt warmth pool along her cheeks, tinting them a light shade of red, and thankfully the priest was much to engrossed at greeting his new guest that he hurried to exit the library. Standing besides Constans, Manon took in the appearance of the elves as they made their trek up the hill. The detailed tattoos. The piercings. The silver and grey hair atop of their heads. They were an intriguing pair with an edge to their appearance. They dipped their heads in greeting, and Manon did the same in response. She opted to remain silent as Constans guided them to the top of the hill, where he narrated the event that took place right at the church. The blonde was unfamiliar with the priest's agenda. Having only just appeared this very day, she had little time to acquaint herself with the new environment and the male besides her. She could only assume that he requested their presence so they could aid him in organizing the scriptures, so when he mentioned that the they would be his form of payment she was momentarily shocked and confused. Her gaze immediately snapped to the man as he explained the true reason he sought an audience with them. Constans, much like herself, was searching for guidance. Of course, the guidance he sought was much different from hers. Draug accepted his request, then glanced down at the bustling crowd working on the finishing touches. She too looked at the people, while he named two of his associates who would serve as tutors for the people of Church-on-the-Hill. Constans intended to build a strong group of followers. It took Manon a second to realize the female was addressing her, but when she did, she looked to the wolfhound for a brief second then met her gaze. Recognizing that her silence could have been mistaken for an unwelcoming gesture, Manon offered her a light smile while easing her tense shoulders. "No, not at all."

Michaelis followed closely behind the two through the dense crowds, and as they reached the edge of the market district he could feel the shift in the air. These type of areas had him constantly glancing over his shoulder. Suddenly, Mathias took cover and he was quick to follow suit; however, he moved closer to the edge of the building. He took a small step outward, looked in the direction the male had instructed, before casually returning back to his hidden position. Michaelis looked up to Juliana. "That's him. He the one who tipped me about the event." The young teen wasn't sure how Juliana and Mathias were going to approach the man, but he just hoped that none of it went wrong.

Manon watched the priest move to his desk and pat the stack of parchment paper while slightly arching a brow. The ink. His robes. His eyes. Their fire. All of it was green. Surely the color had some sort of significance since anything that had to do with Constans’ god was bathed in green. Or was it simply for his god to distinguish himself from every other god out there? Manon listened intently to Constans as he summarized the green gods wishes three main wishes, all of which did not seem too difficult to follow. He would surely have to allow her to read through all those papers once the feast was over. Constans moved to stand before her, the space between their bodies far too small, yet Manon found herself rooted to her spot. It was odd. His bright green eyes seemed to shimmer as if the sunlight were hitting them, yet the room was far too dim to allow such a thing. It was something not of this world. It was the god, she presumed. “Yet you have it now, whether you like it or no.” Was this her fate? Was this the right path? Manon felt her stomach churn; however, the second he placed his hand against her cheek, it was as if all her doubts, her fears, her questions had been answered. Everything was much clearer. Perhaps this was her calling and she was picked her for a reason. It would take time to fully accept their God and his customs, but she was ready to take the firsts steps. If being the first official paladin was the first, then she will serve as the paladin. She will do what’s just. She will protect these people. She will help this new religion grow. With a made up mind, Manon briefly smiled at Constans, though it was quick to fade at his request of learning more about her origins. “I have come from Blairville.” The blonde’s voice finally broke through the air in a quiet tone. “I have no ties to that place. I came here in search of a new home, and I believe I have found one.” Manon lifted a hand to settle over his with another smile on her lips, before she retracted her hand. Technically, it was the truth. She just refrained from revealing certain important parts of her past. “I will support you, defend you, and be honest with you. I will do everything in my power to protect our people and to help grow this religion. You have my word.” It was a declaration of acceptance, and Manon knew that from this moment onwards she will never be able to step away from this. It was her new identity, and life.

Manon slightly dipped her chin downward in a small nod, then walked the short distance to the ruins of the church. Once in the comfort of the library, Manon felt her anxiety ease out. They were finally away from peering eyes and attentive ears; it made breathing much more easier. The blonde turned to the priest, her blue eyes shifting to meet bright green, and she took in a deep breath. “If I am to be your paladin, I must know of you. Of your people. Of your god.” Manon started. “Without that knowledge, I do not know for whom I’m fighting for. I do not know what is at stake. Me not having that knowledge will only lead to disaster, and your people will not accept me. They will accuse me of being a fraud.” Manon understood that this man was leading a growing community. If he elected her to be the first official paladin of the church, then surely the people will expect her to know of them. To be aware of their struggles, and goals. If the truth of her ignorance is exposed then not only will she be rejected, but his power, leadership, and legitimacy will be questioned. “If they become aware of this, they will look to who appointed me the role. You surely would not want for such a minor issue to be the cause of your downfall.” The blonde momentarily paused as she let her words settle in, before adding. “I am a reflection of you, your power, and your god. If there is a single flaw, they will exploit it and question your credibility.”

The possibility of her husband being alive didn't settle well with Ezra. The fact that he tried murder her just showed how much of a danger he posed. Before he could say anything, Ezra heard Harrison's voice resound from the entrance of the wagon, and Cora tensed under his hand. "The fights?" Ezra repeated as he glanced down to Cora with furrowed brows. The little time he had been in the circus Ezra hadn't heard of such of event. Heck, no one had even bothered to mention them. He made sure the blanket was well around her shoulders before resuming his seat besides her, and he lived the teacup up to his lips. The warmth of the liquid caused for a low hum to leave his lips.

There was a low buzz of excitement in the air as everyone rushed about, and it only seemed to be getting louder as the sun got lower. Women rushed between tents to tend to the food, while men arranged the main seating area and anything else that needed to be fixed. Manon had tried to assist in preparing the meal, but had been instantly shooed away. The feast was in her honor, after all. It didn't seem fitting for her to help. So Manon settled on watching from afar, which was a great reflection of how she felt. She wasn't part of these people, yet (at least she felt that way).There was still uncertainty clouding her mind and heart. Was taking the position of paladin the right choice? Breathing out an inaudible sigh, Manon's gaze shifted as she looked through the crowd, and spotted the man she had been searching for. Similarly, Constans was watching everyone work; the only difference was that he was in the midst of his people. He belonged there among them. He found his place with them. Mustering the courage to talk to him, Manon began her trek forward, but didn't make it far when a little girl half her size stood in between her and Constans. Her wide chocolate brown eyes stared directly into hers. For a brief second they seemed to just stare at one another, taking in each other in, then Manon offered the girl a warm smile. "Hello." The blonde greeted, and the child glanced down to Manon's hands with furrowed brows. "Where is yer sword?" Was the child's blunt reply. Manon blinked, then lightly chuckled. "It's in the church." "I heard dat ye can make dat green fire too. Can I see it?" The brown eyed kid questioned as she finally directed her gaze to Manon's blue ones in a pleading manner. "What's your name?" "Verna." "Nice to meet you, Verna. I would like to show you, but you will have to wait until the feast starts, okay? I'm sure you won't have to wait much longer, since I think it is going to start soon." Manon offered the young girl an apologetic smile. "Verna!" The child's mother shouted from the tent nearest them. "Come 'ere an' help. Don' make me come looking for ye!" Manon raised a brow as she glanced in the direction the voice had resounded from, then turned to the child once more who had grown tense. "I think you should hurry before your mother comes searching for you, but I'll see you later alright?" Verna seemed hesitant to leave, not exactly happy with not being able to see Manon create those green flames, but eventually nodded and rushed into the pavilion. The blonde waited until the child disappeared from her sight, before continuing in the direction of Constans. Once she did come within hearing distance, Manon was for a moment lost of words. She found it to be difficult to express her true thoughts, especially when they were out in the open. Anyone passing by could easily overhear their conversation. "May I...have a word with you? In private?"

Confused, Ezra took hold of her tea, and was momentarily taken aback as she began to remove her dress. She was removing the fabric at such a slow pace that it took everything in Ezra to keep his gaze from straying to places that it shouldn't be; however, once she straightened her spine he looked down. The scar running along her abdomen was an unexpected sight, and Ezra struggled to find the right words to say. If she was still here to reveal such a scar, then surely the Fae had actually kept one promise. "They helped you live?" He questioned, his voice low in volume as he finally peeled his gaze away from the healed wound that marred her otherwise smooth skin, and met her gaze. "What happened to your husband?" Ezra was aware that perhaps this was a subject Cora did not want to dwell on, and he did not want to push her. He did not want to force her to remember things she did not want to. "I...I'm sorry, this is probably something you don't wanna talk about. If I would have known, I wouldn't have asked." Setting down her tea, Ezra glanced around and took the stray blanket balled up next to the pillows. He slightly struggled but managed to rise to his knees, before unfurling the blanket and placing it around her petite shoulders. "I'm sorry the price was to be a part of this, but you're still here. Alive." He wanted to know just how long was her contract. Was it close to ending, or was it years away? If not, was there a way for her to gain her freedom? She got the opportunity to keep on living, but she was chained to this place. Ezra took in a deep breath and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

The two distinct males before her, Manon realized, were forging an alliance for the growth and betterment of their people. An alliance that could possibly last decades. The blonde looked to Constans in a new light as he placed a reassuring hand atop of her shoulder. He wasn't just a mere priest. He was a priest assuming the responsibilities of a priest. He was leading those people whom she had passed on her trek here. "Bring that sword down to the people. Show them its fire and declare a feast. We shall invest you as the first knight of the church in full public view. Our first celebration!" Those words were enough for Manon not to feel the warmth of his hand. The reassurance she had felt was slowly diminishing, and in its place was uncertainty. This would be a public event - the town's first public event. It would surely be recounted years after, and dozens of eyes will watch as Constans proclaims her as the church's paladin. It was one thing to play the role here, between them, but to be officially declare that as her role, well she wasn't sure what to make of it. For the moment, however, she masked her doubt with a smile. "Thank you, Sir."

Manon slightly dipped her chin downward, acknowledging the deep bow directed at her from the frost giant, before leveling it. Listening attentively, Manon’s gaze shifted between both males as they spoke, but her attention was mostly directed to the newcomer. Clearly he sought to form an alliance between them, which was quite interesting. Usually, alliances were formed with those who posed a threat just to keep that threat from turning around and biting you in the butt. “You claim to have dreams of our fire, of our God,” Manon knew little to nothing of Constans’ God, she hasn’t even considered his God her God, but she knew that this giant wasn’t aware of such. And if he considered her a paladin, then she would make sure to follow the part. “Care to enlighten on us on what it is that you have seen?” She knew that her question wasn’t one that would be a game changer, but it would help them gather more information as to why this man sought this alliances with them. ”What is the limit to your people lending us their strength? What is it you seek from us in return? I would like to believe that you offer us your aid genuinely and without wanting anything in return, but if an alliance is to work, both parties must be satisfied.”

It was evident to Ezra, as Cora listed off some of the other members and what they were promised, that the Fae built their circus with lies, and false promises. When she ended the list with herself, the male waited for her to voice out what she was promised to receive, but she never finished the sentence. It made Ezra even more curious than he already was, but if she wasn't mentioning it then surely there was a reasoning behind it. Upon her question, Ezra was quick to look away from Coralie as she made her way to settle besides him with the tea. "It's okay." He murmured after a few seconds, and finally moved his hazel colored eyes to meet hers. "I was seeking a sense of purpose," Ezra admitted, but there was one detail he left out. He already felt foolish for falling into this enslavement just because a couple of well used words struck a cord within him, he didn't need for her to know what else had wanted. "Illiana promised me that." He looked to the tea, and held it in his hands. "Thank you." His words were genuine and held a lot of gratitude. He brought the cup to his lips, blew at the surface for a seconds, then took a sip. "What did she promise you?" he questioned quietly as he set the tea back down. "I told you mine, I think it's your turn now."

"They probably reacted that way because they didn't like what you would say." Ezra reasoned, trying to make Cora feel a bit better. Ezra noted the way her hand trembled when she held it out to him, but he firmly took it nonetheless. Once they arrived to Cora's abode, Ezra momentarily paused at the entrance to take in the vibrant colors of the pillows, the blueish smoke from the chandelier, and the tapestry hanging from the walls. It wasn't a sight he was accustom to seeing, but it fit with the circus. He stepped further in, and at her permission to get comfortable, Ezra glanced around and decided to sit on the floor with the pillows. A grunt escaped his lips as he bent down to take a seat, but once he was resting against the pillows he felt his muscles slowly relax. When was the last time he was able to sit down like this? In reality it hadn't been that long, but because he was constantly bustling about trying to please the Fae, well it felt like lifetimes ago. "It's not what I was expecting." He murmured as he watched her from his spot. "I...I didn't think it would be so much work. They promised me something completely different." The male was physically drained. It seemed impossible to him to get up again, but he knew he would have to. The Fae didn't like them being idle and wasting time.

The second that irritating voice met his ears, Ezra furrowed his brows, and the corner of his lips tilted downward into a frown. Harrison. Of course his life had to continuously take turns for the worst. “Listen, Harri-“ Ezra started after he stood up, but never got the opportunity to finish when Coralie, thankfully, intervened Harrison’s goading. This male had been a pain in the ass since the day he joined this damned circus. At first, he would brush it off, but he was exhausted now and his tolerance was dangerously low. The unexpected clap on the back only pushed the male closer to the edge, but he willed himself to remain calm. He wasn’t sure how the Fae would react if he fought another member of the circus, and he did not feel like testing their patience. “Getting him to leave me alone was enough. Thank you, Cora.” Ezra offered the fortune teller a smile, but it was quick to fade. “How’s your night been? Busy?” Looking at the young woman before him, Ezra wondered if she had been reeled in with all those false promises - those lies - like he had. The Fae were very good at hiding the truth, so no doubt she had been.