i'm waking up to ash and dust

[scinlae]

( forest filter )

[ The stretch between her home and the forest is a blur, spurn on only by whispers in her head (Go, leave, run. It doesn't matter where, just go.) and the desire to flee.

And flee she does into the trees and the dirt and the leaves until her feet catch on a root and she falls, face first into the ground. The cry the leaves her sounds alien, sounds like it comes from a scared girl who wandered into the dark woods and cannot get out. She hates it. You're supposed to be a conquer, a high priestess of the old religion, you're supposed to be one who did the impossible.

The tree that belonged to the root shatters and splinters rain down, it's almost beautiful. A rain of wood and a broken woman; dirt and leaves clinging to her face and hair.

A moment later another tree shatters loudly and her shoulders shake, the necklace around her neck (the same one Gwaine always wore) whipping around in the gust of air. And third tree then goes, adding to the pieces of broken wood and leaves now decorating the forest floor. ]


( ooc; this post is open to anyone who wants to run into morgana while she's blowing up trees─it's loud and thus easily heard. she's going to be in the forest to two days, so this post encompass yesterday after finding out gwaine left as well as today! so yeah, it's basically a catch all post or something. just let it be known that it will be impossible to get her to leave. )

Comments

[onlyanapple]

[Crowley had heard Allen's announcement over the journals, of course. And knew that only meant Bad Things. For both Morgana and Arthur. So, while taking his usual stroll, he detoured off in the direction of Morgan's homestead.

For no reason, of course. He just felt like it.

It's the sound of shattering trees that leads him off into the forest, and eventually to Morgana]

Well that's just a hand full of splinters waiting to happen.

[scinlae]

[ Instinct has her hand shoot out towards him, fingers poised to unleash some sort of magic. To rid herself of him. They always come when you don't wan them too, they're always there when you want to be alone.

But no magic comes and instead her hand falls limp.

Crowley. She remembers Crowley. He's no one of the faces of sympathy and soft words. Never been a friend nor been an enemy. ]

I do not care.

[onlyanapple]

[To his credit, he doesn't even flinch, just continues with his appearance of bored disinterest]

No, I figured you wouldn't. [He glances around at the mess again] Whatever did the trees do to you?

[scinlae]

[ Inhale, exhale. Any other time she would applaud him for standing firm, for not flinching at the prospect of her blowing him away. Or apart. ]

Nothing at all.

[onlyanapple]

Ah, so they just go in the way, did they?

[He picks up a splintered branch, turning it in his hand] Heard about that knight fellow.

( yesterday; a couple hours after the announcement )

[gunslinger]

[ He already knows it's probably a waste of time to go to the address Morgana had last given him, but he tries there first anyway. He finds Cauldron, but no Morgana. After waiting around for a few minutes, spending the time to give Cauldron some food and make sure he has easy access to the outdoors, Jr. finally opts to leave and just...look all over.

But then explosions are hard to miss, especially since those are exactly what he's worried about. So when he's close enough to feel the vibrations on the ground and then the kind of crackling boom that should only follow lightning, he fears for the worst.

Until he reaches the area of destruction in question, and with a yelp he flings up a barrier just in the nick of time as a large, shattered tree loses what's left of it's base. Jr. looks more than a little surprised at the sight as the leaves and dust finally settle, peeking out from beneath his arms and letting the crimson shield flicker and disappear. That could have been a lot messier than she had intended. At least he hopes she wasn't aiming for him. ]

Jeez...

[scinlae]

[ No, she certainly wasn't. Despite whatever others may think, Morgana has no desire to shed blood. She would not have fled to the forest if she had.

She breathes heavily, hands tightening around clumps of dirt and wood. It hurts. Her heart, her hands, her ankle. Everything hurts and she wants it so desperately to stop, she wants someone to tell her she is dreaming. She wants Gwaine to take her by her shoulders and hold her close, whisper into her hair that everything is alright. It was just a dream.

Just a dream.

Shoulders shake with choked sobs and her head hangs, a curtain of velvet black hiding her tear stained pale face. It's a lie, it's a lie, you're just dreaming. ]

Go away.

[gunslinger]

[ He moves closer once things settle, aware that she could blow something up again any second, but that's why he's here. He can take the punishment, and he knows (hopes) she won't try to hurt him when he isn't threatening her. Seeing her in her worst moments is becoming a trend, one that pains him. But better than letting her suffer alone.

Still, Jr. isn't looking to ruffle any feathers, so he keeps his tone level and quiet for the time being. ]

Why? I don't have anywhere else to be. And if you think I can't handle a few explosions...

[scinlae]

[ For the moment, at the very least, the trees are safe. She doesn't lash out again, in part due to the knowledge someone else is here with he. Someone. Jr. (where have you been all this time?) ]

Because I don't want you here.

[ It is a simple as that. ]

[gunslinger]

[ It stings a bit to hear, though it's the sort of talk he's adjusted to by now. Jr. just lets it roll of his back, and he shrugs. He's sure she'd rather it be Gwaine... Which he honestly still doesn't quite get, but he really didn't get to now the guy like he apparently should have.

Would that have changed anything? ]

Well I guess you can make me leave, then, if you're up to it. I'm not really in the mood for a fight, though. Are you?

[prettyknives]

[yeah as long as her campsite isn't bothered Clove doesn't care what you do to those trees]

[scinlae]

[ Worry not, she won't go anywhere near Clove's campsite. ]

today sometime

[kingsgambit]

[He's ignoring the warnings he's heard about Morgana to try and get a grasp of this place. Books only say so much after all, and yet even with his probable spies he's out walking.

Which explains why he heard the explosions, it's not hard for him to guess there's something going on there and like a creeper he very much needs to know the whys behind it all. And he takes off at a good enough pace to show up and sees the trees, which only prompts him to pick up a nice looking piece of one for a project maybe later.

Look he clearly has his priorities okay?]

What makes you desire to create a new clearing?

[scinlae]

[ They are certainly pretty great priorities.

That voice. Merlin. She laughs softly, brokenly, tilting her head to acknowledge him. He looks nothing like the Merlin she knows, nothing at all. How refreshing. ]

Do I need a reason? [ She is tired, dirty, slightly worn from her own actions. She sits on a pile of leaves, wood, and dirt. The Queen of broken things. ]

[kingsgambit]

[At least he's well armed?

And oh that voice. The one people keep telling him he should be avoiding.

Well since when has he ever listened to them?

With a shrug he just approaches her calmly, periodically picking up splinters for later use. Unlike himself she bares a remarkable resemblance to his Morgan. Which makes this all the more familiar to him as he had just watched her do similar.]

Not really, though others may think you do. [And then a narrowing of his eyes, how far do the similarities go?] Desire to do so or some unseen temptation?

[scinlae]

[ It have to be him, wouldn't it? Out of the leagues of people who could find her, he would have to be among them. She wonders if the one she knew was here, would he also do the same?

She watches him with a half drained expression, making no move to get up from her spot. In part because of inability but also because she has no need too. ]

They know nothing. [ The snarl that leaves her lacks bite. ] I have no reason to tell you.

[kingsgambit]

[Of course it did, because otherwise he would be bored and she would be out here alone. And he can't have that now can he?

But he does at least move to claim a spot on a part of a stump, brushing back his cloak so he doesn't accidentally sit on it.]

No, you don't. [He casually pulls out his knife and after picking out a piece of wood he's gathered, starts to carve.] Even if I can understand well what it is you are going through.

[songsandstories]

[She is specifically looking for Arya, not entirely sure if her little sister had wandered into the forest or not. It's the sound of the explosions that lead her closer. If Arya could get her hands on such, she would not be surprised in the least.

She is, however, shocked to find Morgana. She keeps to the outskirts, trying to stay out of her way.]

[scinlae]

[ Something alerts her to the presence of the other, a snapping of a twig or rustling on fabric. Or perhaps it is her magic, whispers on the edge of her mind warning her.

Looking over Morgana is by means not the picture of a Lady she had been when they last met; her hair is disheveled, eyes wide and wild, pale skin marred with dirt and tears. What pride she has forces her to straighten and lips purse together tightly, but it does little to change her current state. ]

[songsandstories]

[She stops moving when the other young woman suddenly stills.]

My pardons. I did not mean to interrupt.

[scinlae]

[ Most of her fight has left her and it shows in her voice, in her attempt to sound fine. To sound haughty. Her words come out worn again, as if she has given up on this world. ]

You do not interrupt anything.

This is not a late tag /jedi mind trick

[inafadingcrown]

[It is hardly unusual to find an elf in a forest. Especially this particular elf. Galadriel made a habit of coming here- it was peaceful, comforting, a good place to collect her thoughts.

Or at least it normally was. The noise Morgana was making would be offensive enough to a normal human, but to her Elven ears, it was absurd. She could follow it with no difficulty at all. When she sees Morgana, she stands back, watching silently for a time. Such power for a mortal. And one so young. And such rage and pain.]

Were we in my own world I would caution you against angering the forest. [How long has she been there? Who knows?]

this is not a late tag o_o

[scinlae]

[ Galadriel's voice is as soft as it is piercing and makes Morgana freeze, like a frighten animal that just spotted a predator. Stuck in state of fearful indecision. What does she do? Flee? Attack? No, she cannot. Even if she wanted to her legs would not allow her to flee and as angry as she is she cannot bring harm upon the woman. ]

I know. [ She is a High Priestess of the Old Religion, she knows of the deepest magics, the oldest, the most powerful. ] I do not fear these trees. [ They will burn if they try her, her magic has always been at it's strongest when she is plagued by her emotions. Fear, grief, and anger are powerful catalysts. ]

[inafadingcrown]

No. [She places her hand against one of the trees, a large, gnarled, old thing.] They do not whisper as they should.

[She wants to ask, but it must be done carefully. She's not afraid- this may be the first demonstration she's had of Morgana's more destructive abilities, but she has powers of her own, the degree of which remains unknown to most here. But she has no desire to turn that anger against herself without need. And she certainly doesn't want to push the young woman further away.]

[scinlae]

[ At the very least she has no intention on lashing out at those of flesh and blood, she would not have retreated into the forest if she had.

Her hands tremble and she curls them around dirt and leaves, as if to make them stop. She was to scream to rip apart this place out of hate and anger, but she doesn't, her body aches with the stress she has endured. If she wasn't already seated she is sure her legs would have given way underneath her. ]

It takes their voices, as it takes everything else. [ Venom seeps into her voice, it is not hard to figure out of what she speaks. ]