third | dictated

[ironlady]

[Caterina thought nothing of the fact Abel was not around in the morning. He always found some trouble to put himself in the middle of. She does not doubt for a moment that is precisely what is keeping him gone all day. It is when the absence lingers into the evening that she feels the first pang of worry. She heads to the castle to see if he's in the church or his old room and of course the tell tale missing nameplate. He left her this time. Was in Paris again or truly home? Caterina is not sure what to even wish for. Rather than explore her own thoughts and feelings on it, she puts it off in favor of business. There were people to notify and loose ends to tie up. She opens her journal and gets to it.]

Father Abel Nightroad has left us once again. Whatever business you have with him Father Tres or I will gladly take over.

Comments

[tres_iqus]

[...and he is there, three steps behind her at all times, like a solid, silent shadow. She suffers, and for once, there's nothing Tres can do about it. No enemies to kill, no wayward agents to collect. Just the whims of a castle that followed no logic.

But he's not leaving her. Not for a second.]

[ironlady]

[Caterina is running her hand over the spot a nameplate should be.]

Our work will be more difficult without him.

[spongetastic]

[Peter sees this. He stares at it for a long time before saying anything]

Again.

[ironlady]

I'm sorry, Peter. I know what he means to you.

[blabs]

[ what?

no... ]

You're joking.

[ironlady]

I'm afraid not.

Caterina Sforza

[inafadingcrown]

[So soon. She's never quite sure what to feel in these situations and the fact that it's Abel, dear Abel, with his complexities only makes it worse. But she'll puzzle that out later.]

In my time here, I have come to consider Abel very dear to me. I owe much to his kindness and generosity. I can think of few better ways to honor that friendship than to offer what comfort I may to one who meant so much to him.

To that end, I seem to have found myself with a bottle of wine and one less friend with whom I may share it. [Would you like to talk?]

Galadriel

[ironlady]

I am hardly in any position to turn down such a generous offer. Where shall we meet?

[shirtless]

[Oh. He's a little more than upset right now. His tone might come off as rude.]

Kind've surprised he lasted as long as he did.

[ironlady]

Your observation is noted.

[spiritusaequitas]

... [Father Abel, gone? One of the first people who ever truly made him feel at ease in Paradisa, who reminded him that they still had work to do, that this was all part of God's purpose ... Murphy owed him more for that than he could ever say - and now he wouldn't have the chance to say so, either.

with a sigh, he put down his paintbrush, left the door jamb he was re-staining, and moved toward where he'd left his journal]

Wherever he's gone ... he's needed there, too. I'm sorry he's gone, but ... I can't be selfish 'bout him leavin'. F'we were brought here for a purpose ... he was taken fer one, too.

[ironlady]

You are absolutely correct. We can only wish him the best in whatever he has been sent to do.

[encryptedlock]

Goddammit.

Well, at least he seemed to have it good in Paris. Maybe he's going back to be with his kids again.

[ironlady]

That is my sincere hope. [Or that he's back with Alec. She will keep that to herself.]

[wilder]

[...well shit. This will make things harder. ]

Thanks for letting us know.

[ironlady]

It was the least I could do.

[save_the_souls]

[NO FATHER ABEL :C ]

I...see.

I'm sorry to hear that.

[ironlady]

Thank you.

[incantati]

[ dumbledore absorbs the shock quietly, sighing as he rubs his temples. gone, again. first his wife, now the man himself, what in the world is paradisa playing at? are they now trapped in some insane game of tug-of-war?

he doesn't know what to think. ]

Thank you for relaying the news. Am I speaking with Ms. Sforza?

[ironlady]

You are.

[jammin_with_ed]

[sadly] Father Abel went home?

[ironlady]

Yes. He will be alright there. You needn't worry for him.

[wizard_redfive]

Oh.

[There’s silence. Dairine hadn't been particularly close to Abel, but he had seemed friendly and sincere. The priest had been so insistent on making up for the Paris confusion, even though he never had to. That she would never get the chance to have tea with him again—

But he was home now, and that was better, right?]

Thank you for telling us.

[ironlady]

You're welcome. [Another young girl...] Will you be alright?

[payback]

... He is?

[ironlady]

I am afraid so.

dictated

[lifeandpride]

>[He doesn't know what to say, really. He'd barely been getting to know Abel - again - based upon Abel's experiences, and now he was gone. He supposed, after so long in this place, he deserved to go home.]

...I see.

dictated

[ironlady]

I am sorry, Ukitake.

[heloise]

I shall dearly miss him.

[ironlady]

Perhaps you will meet again someday.

[onlyanapple]

Again?

Shame, that. Who will I mock on a daily basis now?

[ironlady]

[That earns a laugh. Crowley. ;;] I find it hard to believe you have no other candidates for the job.

dictated; public

[ofhope]

No.

dictated; public

[ironlady]

[Was this an outright denial or grief? Caterina honestly cannot tell the difference.]

My deepest sympathies.

i don't even know what this is, accidental dictation? 1/2

[starhipped]

[What--!?

Surely this was a joke. Father wouldn't leave. He'd told her that he would be there with her. He was going to to help her through this. Leaving, without any notice or a goodbye - is this how things go here? Was this a normal occurrence that she was supposed to accept?

He was going to help her get through this.

Esther couldn't do this alone. She couldn't do this without him. She'd reaffirmed her own uselessness time and time again. She could barely protect herself, let alone his Holiness - let alone survive in this strange place alone.

And Her Eminence.. how could she face her Eminence? It didn't feel right to reply. It didn't feel right to mourn in front of that great lady. Wasn't the Duchess of Milan hurting just as much, if not more?]

2/2

[starhipped]

U-Uughuu...

[Unbeknownst to Esther, her muffled sob is transmitted through the journal, even though she's all the way across the room and trying her best to keep from crying.

S-Stupid! Stupid!]

dictated

[adorbs]

[:(((((((((((((( she's glad he gets to be with Ms. Lilith, but... to say it doesn't hurt is a lie. At least she got to give him his present... before he left]

I'm sorry...

dictated

[ironlady]

Please don't apologize to me, Nanako. Are you alright? Is there something we can do for you?