this is Salem, a land filled with magic and maladies. It is a place where witches and their elemental familiars gather, a home to legend and
lore that predates time itself. Yet of all the wicked and wonderful stories the past can tell us of, the most magical are the ones yet to happen.
This is Salem - this is the start of your very own journey. Welcome to starfall
Starfall is an animaga witch roleplay set in mostly modern times. Members play as witches in a world plagued by monsters, where the only safe spots are walled cities. Starfall strives to be a character-driven roleplay with expansive lore and a highly interactive plotline. We want to allow members to
create and look back on a magical journey, and mold the site and its plot as their characters grow.
[attr="class","azotar"][googlefont="Iceland:400"]i am not your rolling wheels, i am the highway
[attr="class","salvatore"]"Nope, no allergies," Cain had answered beforehand. There wasn't really anything he couldn't eat. He had been a picky eater before, back when he had lived in the Godfrey household. They didn't regard him as a part of family the entire time he was there, but the food he was provided with was nonetheless top class, especially in comparison to what he had to scrimmage in the slums. It was only during that period of his life that he grew to learn that anything that could fill his stomach was a lot more important than appeasing his taste buds. In fact, he was rather curios, to be honest, about how her cooking skills was like. He recalled back to how she used to look when younger and knew that she at least knew quite a bit of food, but he never vocalized the thought, knowing it would ruin what progress he had made in earning her forgiveness. Hell, the fact that they could hold a conversation without her habitual chain of insults was an amazing improvement in itself.
He wandered back into the kitchen with the bowls in tow, and saw how she looked in the kitchen. He had to pause just to admire the scene a bit. There she was, in her sultry attire, with her hair tied in a ponytail and revealing more of her slim neck and jawline, working in the kitchen. He could not deny, the image itself was... Enticing. He had to blink his gaze away and refocus on his task just to stop himself from staring, not wanting to give her that victory of knowing she had gotten one another on Cain with something as simple as tying her hair and doing her job. He moved over to one side of the sink and placed the bowl in. As the water ran through it, he took another glance at her direction, really unable to help himself be amazed at how beautiful and sexy she was.
It was a dangerous attraction, really.
"Yeah, when I was a little toddler who didn't know what was in store for him yet. When I started saying 'no', that was when everything turned to shit, really," Cain replied. True enough, he had experienced the life of a spoilt brat, but it was a short-lived life. Everything he could remember from back then was mostly from the time he was thrown to the back of the house, in a small room where people rarely wandered over towards, always instructed to stay in whenever they had visitors. Still, whatever she had said, he could certainly relate to. They had been treated like pets, the familial love that Cain often saw in other families, like the Brooks, a rare sight in theirs. If you were a good boy, you'd be given treats. If not, to the cage with you. They were diamonds, pieces of rock to be put under extreme heat and pressure, to become symbols of their power and wealth. Cain, of course, had wanted more out of his life than that.
His love-hate relationship with Crimmy was a weird one, to say the least. He didn't exactly despite the bird, but he did find the little creature annoying. Especially with how he antagonized Cain even more often than Loraina had, the two of them butting heads since they had met as children. Of course Cain would take at any chance he could to spite the creature, especially when he wasn't around. "I'll buy a cage next time, then," he added, grinning as he began to physically wash the bowl with a rag he found placed at the side of the sink. Then, the topic of his sister came. Valencia Godfrey. He flinched, and this time opted not to look towards Loraina's direction. He knew the two of them were close, and Valencia had even scolded him for bullying her so much, sometimes even defending her from Cain's teases.
"If I hadn't, she would have stopped me," he replied simply, though there was an obvious hint of regret in his tone. A soft meow caught his ear and he glanced towards the kitchen entrance, seeing Finn and Kevin standing there. One was still glaring at Cain's direction, but the other looked expectant and excited, swinging its tail side to side. And shortly after Cain had put them in his view, Seth would appear, suddenly dropping out of nowhere and crashing into the ground. Well... At least they didn't have to go looking for the cats.
[newclass=.salvatore]padding-top:10px;padding-left:10px;padding-right:10px;font-size:11px;color:#2b2b2b;font-family:calibri;text-align:justify;[/newclass] [newclass=.salvatore b]color:#800517;[/newclass] [newclass=.azotar]font-family:'Iceland';font-style:normal;font-size:22px;font-weight:400;color:#F70D1A;text-align:center;-webkit-transition: all .5s linear;-moz-transition: all .5s linear;-ms-transition: all .5s linear;-o-transition: all .5s linear;transition: all .5s linear;[/newclass] [newclass=.azotar:hover]color: #800517;-webkit-transition: all .5s linear;-moz-transition: all .5s linear;-ms-transition: all .5s linear;-o-transition: all .5s linear;transition: all .5s linear;[/newclass]
"Good. Better pray that I don't find the rat poison anywhere nearby."
Was she kidding, or did she really mean it? Who knows. The Loraina from way back when was honest with her words, and could often be perceived as being far too gullible for her own good. Though most of her life since then had been spent within the estate, she somehow grew to learn the importance of trusting no one but your own self. She'd see cruelty first hand, where the adults treated their kids like prized possessions, comparing one with the other to see which ones scored the top grades, or had the highest achievements. With her father having around eleven siblings, one could already imagine the levels of stress all the kids must have had to endure.
She just so happened to snap before any of them. Or, in her mind, matured earlier than they did.
"Was your family really that strict? It didn't seem like it from a public standpoint, or even to us." Like most families, everyone had their dirty little secrets that they'd strive to keep hidden for the sake of protecting their reputation and public imagery. Christ, what would everyone think if they figured out the Godfreys treated their own kin like award-winning poodles as oppose to regular human beings? As far as Loraina knew, the eldest sibling who was in line for the throne was someone their family wished of all their byproducts to become, but as for their relationships with one another? That was a complete mystery.
"Hey, Hey dickwad, hey FAK YOU!"
That resonated loud and clear, and even though Crimmy hadn't manifested physically, the pinkette was certain that he made his voice audible to the redhead as well, possibly sending an image of him flipping the bird - ironic, wasn't it. After having seen Cain's familiar in their previous meeting and how she was beyond terrified to approach the witch, shouldn't he of all people have a clear understanding as to why the red feathered familiar hated his guts? A familiar's sworn duty was to protect its master at all costs, and there had only been one person brave enough to torment his master repeatedly for nearly a decade.
There was a presence to the cats that made them easily detectable, and that came in the form of her partner getting increasingly uncomfortable due his dislike for those fuzzy furballs. As a distraction of sorts, she simply threw a few pieces of cubed apples and carrots toward their direction. Much to her surprise, the kitties grabbed onto the food with their mouths and proceeded to happily munch onto that pre-dinner snack, and judging by the way Loraina had stopped all of what she was doing just to glance over toward their direction, it seemed pretty evident that some of her childhood fantasies still lingered on.
Before long though, she'd have the stove fired up and ready to go. A bit of olive oil here and there, and a waft of smells bursted out in the kitchen, travelling all around the manor and possibly even leaking into the homes of others a few miles away. Though her family was British, they've always preferred Italian cuisine, and she would wholeheartedly agree that it was the country held the finest foods in the world.
Cooking and eating - it was a way for her to forget about most things when she was younger. As a kid, she shouldn't have had to worry about bearing the burden of her entire family, but she couldn't help it if that was what she's born into. Food has always been there, readily available, and just the taste of all the different, delicious flavors made her feel like a normal child who had no responsibilities, a child who wasn't ridiculed for how she looked.
"Of course she would have. But not even leaving a note?" Loraina heaved a big sigh and shook her head in utter disappointment. It'd already been years since he left the Godfrey household, and while she was unsure of what he spent most of his time on outside of the whole 'surviving another day' mindset that he seemed to possess, he clearly had no understanding of females. "I wouldn't say we are sensitive souls, and particularly not your sister as she is now. She is quite attractive, and I would admit that I am somewhat envious of her chest, but that isn't the point here. The point is, you may think it is best to sever all connections as you made your leave, but could you honestly expect them to forget about your existence just because it's what you wish for? All you did was leave a gaping void in her heart."
"She may be all grown up, and she may have steeled her resolves for whatever it is in life she wished to accomplish, but you cannot tell me that she isn't hurting inside, especially if she has started looking for you now. But who knows? Perhaps all she wishes to do is vent her anger in unimaginable ways."
Come pull the sheet over my eyes So I can sleep tonight
[attr="class","azotar"][googlefont="Iceland:400"]i am not your rolling wheels, i am the highway
[attr="class","salvatore"]"If you were a prestigious family with an image of grace and glory to uphold, would you make it known that you also drive a slave ring to produce what people would call 'pristine' witches?" Cain replied simply, glancing towards Loraina with cocked eyebrows. He remembered his lifestyle under the Godfreys well. Get up early in the morning, start with some morning physical training, then breakfast. Followed that, was the library, where they'd read up on magic, and incantations, and whatnot. Then, lunch, and then magical practical training. All the way through the afternoon, until dinner. If they performed well, they'd be allowed a break after dinner. If not, then continue on with training. This had been his lifestyle alongside his brother, Richard Marion Godfrey, with Valencia being spared the brunt of it and taking lessons instead from their mother. Day-in, day-out, and the only times they were given relief from the schedule was when there were visitors, or they were visiting. For instance, the times that Cain visited Loraina.
Now that he thought about it, Loraina had been the first child his age that he had met from outside the Godfrey Family. Thinking back, what the hell had he teased her so much for? Was it envy? Was it pride? Or was it just his childish means of drawing her attention to him? He never could remember. Probably all of those combined. Who knew? It was all blurry to Loraina, and though he could probably pin it down to one of those reasons and stick to it, it may not even have been the truth back then.
Crimmy's voice resounded in his head, and Cain could not help but grin as he turned back towards the bowls. Succeeding in washing them clean, then, he'd grab a cleaner and dryer rag, beginning to wipe it dry. With each bowl dried, he'd place them on the counter near Loraina. It didn't take long for all three of them to be finished, and Cain arrived upon Loraina, just as she tossed over a few tidbits towards the cats. Food that they certainly welcomed with open arms - paws. Cain watched. When they were just doing those adorable cat little things, they didn't look so harmless, or bothersome. Too bad Cain knew the truth. He scoffed, before looking back at Loraina, and realized that she was staring towards the felines' direction.
And there was a look of longing in her eyes. Cain blinked.
And at that moment, he felt guilty. Guilty now that he realized Loraina had been wanting a cat, or at least, the semblance of a pet. Familiars were good substitutes, but that was just what they were. Substitutes. Loraina had probably been feeling envious throughout this entire ordeal, and he had been emphasizing on why she couldn't by hiding behind her. The cats were frightened of her, and from what she said, it wasn't just these three felines too. He sighed, before allowing himself to carry on with his task, as he moved over to the large watering bowl, this one shared by all three.
Realizing that he probably wasn't going to be able to carry this fountain-like and -sized furniture, Cain made his way back to the kitchen to retrieve a large jug of water. Just as he did, Loraina spoke up once more, and Cain froze on where he stood, with the jug in his hand and his back to her. She and Valencia had always been close, but it was rather uncomfortable for him hearing her talk about Val's feelings. Of course he knew she'd be hurt. In fact, it would have been worse if he had left a letter. In a way, he wanted Val to forget about him, or be angry at him, at least. Anything to allow him to effectively cut off all links to his past.
Something he wasn't really doing so well, being with Loraina like this.
Then, he noticed something about what she had said, and he blinked, furrowing his eyebrows, before turning to her.
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"Point taken." The process of raising children for the sole purpose of taking on your legacy - not forging their very own path in life, but to essentially overtake what it is you already have, it was something the Brooks family shared too in a sense. Yet, there were individuals who rebelled against the system, and thankfully Loraina's father was one of them. Instead of forcing her to do all the mandatory things that an heiress was supposed to, she was allowed free reign to discover whatever it is she loved. Of course, she knew that eventually, she had to take the mantle, but her familial environment had always been encouraging, even though she most certainly longed for the love and warmth of a mother.
The longing had of course, extended to owning pets. Ever since a young age, she's made it clear that she wanted either a cute puppy or an adorable kitten, but her father had always rejected the idea, saying that it was far too much responsibility for her at a young age, despite her promising that she'd keep the pets fed, and would even voluntarily pick up their droppings even though they had an army of servants under their command.
Still, the look didn't last long, as she'd soon go back to what she did before - slicing up vegetables and placing them in the now-clean feeding bowls, though leaving some for themselves as she started on grilling the chicken and making the marinara sauce. To her though, vegetables were the bane of her existence. The sole type of food that she wouldn't ever come to like, cooked or not. In sauces and other similar situations though, they were enjoyable to an extent. It might have been because of her strict diet during her weight loss phase, from all the salads she had to consume and the lack of meats to keep her palate in check.
Most of the foods for the cats - barre Kevin, was already done being prepared. After having fed them a small pre-meal snack though, they would've had to wait for their real meals once she's finished cooking things up. She obviously wouldn't have had to worry about them climbing up the kitchen counter to steal more of what they're having later, because they still avoided her like the plague even though she'd just fed them before.
"Yes." A straightforward answer to a straightforward question. Loraina wouldn't have mentioned how much Valentia had changed if she didn't want to imply that the two have met in the recent past. The pinkette has only moved here for around a month, after all. "Look, you may want to sever all ties with your family, but you owe it to her to apologize to her face. If I had a sibling who left without a trace, without even leaving so much as a note, I would have never forgiven them. Your sister, on the other hand, is willing to."
Her thoughts now drifted off to that of a sibling, potentially anchoring her sanity to what was essentially the previous portion of her life. Really, who knows if having someone to look up to that was around her age range could mean a world of difference. Most of the time, she was on her lonesome, playing with her own toys and pretty much living in her own fantasy, without ever having to face reality until others came along and she had no clue how or what to do. Could a brother or a sister have saved her from this fate? Maybe, maybe not.
"Cherish that. Dinner will be ready in ten minutes."
Come pull the sheet over my eyes So I can sleep tonight
[attr="class","azotar"][googlefont="Iceland:400"]i am not your rolling wheels, i am the highway
[attr="class","salvatore"]"Yes."
Cain frowned at the answer. Valencia was back from her overseas studies, then, he presumed. It was amusing to think that she'd cross paths with Loraina before him, but the red-head found the idea of reuniting with his sister a rather worrisome one. For one, he had not met her for six years. Who knew how the woman had changed and grown? What if she had fallen into the propaganda of their father, and became an obedient puppet of the Godfrey Family? What if she was here for the purpose of erasing him from the face of the earth, the one living stain on their family honor? What if his father had deliberately set her to do it, as a final spit in the face to the young rebel who regarded Valencia to be the only family that cared for him, and he cared for? Wouldn't that be a bitch? He shut his eyes, as Loraina continued to lecture him on the choice of leaving her out of his departure, and that he should make it up with her.
"Your sister, on the other hand, is willing to," Cain blinked, before finally looking over his shoulder, his golden eyes locking with Loraina's sapphire ones. It was obvious from the expression behind them that he had been affected by her words, and in a manner that displayed how he knew she was right, but he wasn't exactly happy about it. He lowered his gaze, then, knowing that he had pretty much revealed a vulnerable side of him to her. He frowned, clicking his tongue in annoyance, before proceeding to carry the water jug over towards their drinking fountain. "I'll think on it," he replied simply. The fire witch then departed the kitchen to enter the dining room, approaching the large drinking fountain available.
Pouring the water in, he watched as it began to fill up. However, the ornament in the center, that he presumed to be what made this drinking fountain be more like an actual fountain for the cats, refused to work. He blinked, tilting his head. It was then that he saw a little orb located at the back of it, after close inspection. A magical orb? These were pretty rare, weren't they? Holy crap, Ms. Katelaidee, how loaded could you be? Knowing what it was for, he reached forward and placed his hand on it, allowing a bit of his magical energy to transfer over. And just like that, the fountain began to work, the water circulating into the base of the stem, before flowing out onto the bowl at the top of it.
Cain stared at the water, distracted by Loraina's words from earlier. Valencia had come to Sundial City, hm? He wondered if he'd ever chance upon her. The City was large, after all. Unless she was actually actively looking for him, he doubted that chance would come anytime soon, to be honest. He had maintained a low profile down in the slums, after all. And almost no one knew of his name, save for a numbered few in Silvertongue, and well, Loraina.
It had been a mistake to allow himself to be distracted, though. Unbeknownst to him, Finn had succeeded in sneaking past the kitchen, around Loraina and avoiding her view, and had come upon the dining room. Upon noticing Cain, the cat quickly adopted a hostile pose, before leaping.
The yell that came next was a clear indication of what happened in the dining room.
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Sadistic as she could be, Loraina wasn't completely heartless. Cold, yes. Twisted, definitely. Yet somehow beneath all that, she managed to retain some of that child-like innocence that most never knew she had because they stubbornly refused to look past her outward appearance to the real person behind all that. In a world as materialistic as this, she was glad to have even made a single friend who enjoyed her company, and although they weren't as close as she'd like for them to be, she was always grateful for the times when all the visits happened, even if it came with a double edged sword in the form of her now-partner.
By now, most of the cooking had already been finished, and all that was left was for the chicken to fully cook through before adding the final touches in the form of some grated parmesan cheese and sliced mozzarella, both of which their client had so graciously provided them with, despite how expensive these things were in the market. Yes, even for someone who needn't worry about money, she had to keep up with the economical standings of certain things. Her father was a politician first and foremost, but he also prided himself on owning several businesses with partnerships across the globe - something that he hoped she'd one day be able to inherit. If not, well.. he'd simply sell off his shares and move onward.
"Oh, did I forget to mention Finn followed you?" And there it was, her sadistic tendencies at its finest, though this could be considered almost childsplay compared to some of the things those voices in her head told her to pull off. Truth be told, the only reasons she's avoided obeying their orders thus far was because of her lack of strength and knowledge. More power meant more responsibilities, but also less consequences if she could avoid getting caught at the end of the day. Those who held power, held control over the opposition, and everyone knows intimidation is one of the more important factors in securing a victory at all costs.
When he returns though, he'd find her with a smug smile on her face, and at this point, she'd already let her hair down once again, having finished preparing their dinner and all. She'd begin plating their portions on some fine china that was readily available, and scooped up a good portion for Kevin the chubby cat. While it wasn't anything overly complicated, the aromas wafting through the air definitely opened up her appetite. All she's had during the day was a bagel and a few cups of coffee - which was not nearly enough nutrition for someone her age, so a grand meal like this to end the day was most definitely the way to go.
"If you would, bring the cats their meals. And come take your portion as well." The red hot tomato sauce and meat mixture, scooped over a fillet of butterflied chicken that had been seasoned with various italian spices, topped with two varieties of fresh cheeses, with a side of mashed potatoes and garlic bread. It seemed like a lot of food, but she wasn't sure how much Cain would've wanted to have. Besides, after spending that long of a time in the slums, she was certain her cooking bested whatever it is he often had to scrounge for. "A shame that there isn't any wine. I would have brought a bottle along if I knew of our current circumstances."
From what she'd seen earlier, the dining room was huge. Far too big for her liking, especially since it was just the two of them. Instead, she opted to start eating right there on the kitchen counter, seated on a wooden stool. That vacant room reminded her of all the parties and banquets she had to attend anyway, and she'd much rather leave that on the sidelines for now.
"So..? How is it?"
No, she wasn't anxious by any stretch of the word, and by no means was she seeking the approval of a non-family member that was sampling her food. She simply wanted to know if it was up to par. Kevin seemed to be enjoying it, but with his size, she doubted that he'd reject much of what he was often offered. In a way, she could relate, because she used to be just like that, but that was a long time ago. So much so that she'd already kept those memories buried deep in the back of her mind, behind all the whispering voices that kept her up at night.
"And tell me the truth. No sugarcoating it."
Come pull the sheet over my eyes So I can sleep tonight
[attr="class","azotar"][googlefont="Iceland:400"]i am not your rolling wheels, i am the highway
[attr="class","salvatore"]Arms came up to shield himself from the cat's claws as he fell backwards, onto his behind. Finn cut through the fabric of his shirt, and his skin, while leaving a shocking jolt through Cain's body at the same time. Another curse escaped his throat, as he quickly rolled to the side when it attempted to pounce on top of him. The red-head scrambled onto his feet then and turned around, just about ready to kick the cat when he remembered what was at stake here. That only served to feed his frustration, as he released a growl, before quickly turning back towards the kitchen and running. He heard the cat screech and chase after him, but he'd never make it back to the Fire Witch, as its target slammed the door in its face, once more. He leaned against the door, then, hands still grabbing onto the knob as he stared at Loraina's direction, his eyebrows furrowed with clear anger. "Seriously?!" he snapped back as she teased him. He knew that she hated him, and hadn't forgotten it, of course. His reaction had simply been out of emotion. That demonic cat was slowly getting on his last nerves, and it was even more annoying considering he was unable to do anything about it.
"Tch," he clicked his tongue as he finally stepped away from the door, as he glanced towards his forearm. The white shirt had been stained red slightly around where his skin had been torn, and his frown only deepened. This wasn't just becoming a bother now. It was actually starting to physically hurt too. Taking deep breathes to keep himself calm so as to not lash out at Loraina, the red-head wandered over towards the sink. Rolling the sleeve up to his elbow, then, he held his arm under the tap, and allowed the water to run. A soft hiss came from his lips as the water made contact, but any sign of pain faded away soon after as he began to wash the small wound.
Loraina then told him to serve the cats as he did that, and he rolled his eyes towards her direction. Really? She couldn't even do just that? Well... She did cook the meal, and for him as well. If not for the suffering of Finn's attacks, the contribution workload of this mission would have been mostly carried and done by her. He sighed, before nodding his head. "Mm," he grunted simply in acknowledgement, before finally cutting the water off from the tap. Reaching for a nearby clean rag, he wiped his arm clean, though made sure not to make any contact with the wound on his forearm. Then, picking up the first bowl - Finn's - he wandered over back to the door leading to the dining room.
Pushing it open, then, he saw the cat immediately, and thrust the bowl forward towards its direction. It hesitated, its desire for flesh and desire for food engaging in a major conflict in its head. Cain would provide one of the two sides a clear advantage as he set the bowl down and slid it over towards Finn's direction. With its decision made for it, Finn simply gave Cain one last hiss, before proceeding to consume its dinner. Cain grumbled softly to himself, before picking up the two other bowls. As soon as he did, the two other cats began their move, no longer sitting still and watching the duo from the foyer.
He brought both of them into the dining room, and set the bowls down, before quickly backing up so as to not touch the cats. And with all three proceeding to consume their food, Cain was safe from any unwanted jolts. Returning to the kitchen once more, he left the door open this time, just to keep an eye on the three cats, before looking towards the food she had prepared for them. He stared at it in a bit of awe. Not due to lack of cooking skills, but from the fact that such food had been prepared for him, for free. "Thanks, I guess," Cain hesitantly spoke, still annoyed at her from her earlier way of handling Finn. He retrieved a plate and placed a good amount of food upon it - he wasn't going to waste this chance at good food - and was about to turn towards the dining room when he noticed that she had chosen to sit at the kitchen counter instead. He blinked, before pursing his lips.
Well, he couldn't just leave her alone now, could he?
Moving up, he sat beside her on the counter, just as the comment of wine came. "I think... I saw like a wine display case on the other side of the dining room. Not sure if we can take that, though," he stated simply, as he finally took his first spoon off Loraina's cooking.
His eyes widened as it entered his mouth.
Seriously?
He dug in once more, taking another big spoon. Holy shit it was delicious. Having survived off street food and preserved meals, this was the first time in the longest time he had a proper cooked meal. And he loved every sensation of it. "It's amazing!" he answered, taking in another spoonful, the joy from her meal easily overcoming the disdain he had carried for her just a few minutes before.
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Was she even capable of feeling any guilt from all the bad things she did? No, not really. Not even the dastardly tricks she at times pulled on those she considered to be her friends and loved ones. Still, she had to act like she did, just to show that she was like any other normal human being with a compassionate and decent soul, so leave it to her to have actually fished out a clean bandage wrap from one of the kitchen cabinets, placing it beside the sink when he washed off his wounds.
Before he could respond though, she'd already be sitting and eating her meal. Loraina as a child, used to be a fast eater. She used to devour her food - every single droplet of sauce, every grain of rice or every strand of pasta, polished off the surface of her plate. Nowadays, she could be a bit slow. It might have been because of a cautionary tale of sorts that she'd heard during her younger days about how eating too fast could potentially result in slower digestion and therefore equating to more fat stored in the body. There was no validity in the theory and all, and even if she was not nearly as gullible as she was back then, she still believed part of it. After all, it did sound somewhat scientific.
"Even I wouldn't touch someone's collection without proper permission." For all she knew, the brew this elderly woman kept around could've been worth thousands, perhaps even millions. Wine was no joke, and often more than not, if thieves were to break into the house, that'd be the first thing they'd look for. Money was usually well kept and hidden away from view, and jewellery couldn't be trusted for their authenticity. Alcoholic beverages on the other hand, those were usually put on display and hence, much more vulnerable.
To her, this was just another meal, and sometimes it did sort of jar her mind when someone else comments on how delicious her cooking was when she could clearly process the steps in which she did things wrongly, or just seasoned out of proportions. "A bit too much oregano, and the sauce is slightly too acidic. I wouldn't call it bad, but it isn't my best effort by a mile. It'd been awhile since I've cooked after all, not since I've moved here."
It may not have mattered to most, but being a sheltered girl of a noble family from a foreign country, she wasn't used to the culture here. They didn't drink as much tea, their food seemed a bit greasier than anything she'd particularly enjoy, and she often found rude people walking down the street, either catcalling or wolf whistling her as she passed on by. Over time, she's sure she'd begin to ignore it, but as things are right now, one of these days she'd probably lure those people into a dark alleyway and do unspeakable things to them.
"I suppose I should thank you though, as it is a compliment and all." The woman spoke after cleaning the remnants of her previous bite off her lips with a napkin. Though she wished she had a bottle of fine wine to go along with this slightly above average meal, this would have to do. Loraina looked toward the man, who was presumably still feasting on whatever's left of his plate, her cheeks slightly rosey in shade, and she brushed her bangs to the side, huffing out a rather quiet, "S-So.. thank you."
Come pull the sheet over my eyes So I can sleep tonight
[attr="class","azotar"][googlefont="Iceland:400"]i am not your rolling wheels, i am the highway
[attr="class","salvatore"]They say that the best food wasn't always the type of food that simulated your taste buds the most, but ones that triggered the strongest emotions from the experience. In Cain's case, this was one such sensations. With every bite off of the meal she had cooked for him, it brought him back to how when he had first left his house, he had found himself stuck in the Hovel, scrapping for meals off whatever source he could find. Many times, he had puked the meal out simply from the taste, and other times because he remembered just where he had gotten the food from and the thought had disgusted him. As someone who had lived experiencing the grander things in life, eating food off the trash was a repulsive idea, and something he never could have even imagined himself doing. Yet, he did, and he had suffered and survived through it. His stomach had hardened itself. His taste buds had gone numb over the years. His taste in food had become rusty to the point he sometimes could no longer taste even the simplest of flavors, his entire focus on eating becoming sustenance instead of pleasure. Yet now, his taste buds were being triggered once more, slowly coming back to life with every bite.
It had been too long since he had eaten a meal he enjoyed, and the idea that it had been Loriana who had prepared it for him made it all the more significant. Perhaps it was cause of the unique relationship they shared and the food being another sign of her forgiving him for his treatment towards her in their youth, or it was the idea that someone as beautiful and sexily-dressed as her had been the one to make it for him. He wasn't entirely too sure. What he was sure of that this was one of the happiest he had felt for the longest time, despite all the misfortune that had occurred on him in the day thus far.
"If this isn't your best work, then I can't begin to imagine how amazing your best will taste like," he exclaimed almost reflexively, never even giving his words much thought as he indulged in the meal. A passing glance was directed towards the bowl, as he wondered if there were extras for him to enjoy once he had emptied his plate. Much to his relief, there was. He wasn't sure if there was anything else that could stop him from enjoying his meal at this point.
Well, he was wrong.
"S-So... Thank you."
He froze, his spoon still stuck into his mouth as his eyes widened, the man staring blankly at his almost-emptied plate. Wait, what did she say? He blinked, before turning his head slowly to look at her, and he could swear that her face had almost mimicked the shade of her hair. Was she... Blushing? He swallowed, finally pulling the spoon out from his mouth. Did she just... Thank him for a compliment? The last time he had done so, she had thrown him across the mud, accusing him of only wanting to have her in bed. Yet, this time, she was thanking him. He narrowed his eyes.
"... Are you okay? Do you have a fever or something?"
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From where they sat, this was a clear vantage point that allowed them a clearer view over the feasting cats and their general mischievousness. Truth be told though, she just wanted to see what it was like for the felines to enjoy their meals. Normally, animals avoided her like the plague and often gave her cold stares or greeted her with threatening hisses. This was definitely a change that she could get used to, and while she chalked it up to them not minding it as much since she was the one who prepared their food, there was also a possibility that they simply wanted to refuel themselves quickly so they could pounce on the person beside her.
Loraina may have been critical of her own skills, but most of the individuals within the room seemed to appreciate her cooking - especially Kevin and Cain, who polished off their respective plates relatively fast. Thankfully, she came prepared and made extra for the both of them in case, while she herself couldn't even manage to down her portion - which must have been a first for the childhood bully that had made himself comfortable next to her, since there was no way in hell she'd leave even a small bite of her food left on her plate when she was younger.
"You're cleaning the dishes later. All of it."
No, this definitely wasn't a fair distribution of workload between the two of them, but what else would he have expected with a comment like that? It started with a compliment, she acknowledged it and gave her thanks, and he should've just left it at that. And besides, he was already on cleaning duty, he might as well finish the rest with his already soap-scented hands. She, on the other hand, preferred keeping her manicure away from any heavy-duty labor.
"Take however much you'd want of the remains. I'll.. try to feed the rest to Kevin." The keyword being 'try', as she still had no idea what the cat's reaction would be if she were to slowly approach him, even with what was essentially a peace offering of sorts. Deep down, she knew it was a bad idea to begin with, and the chances of her getting shocked were much higher than her companion's, but at the end of it all, she still wanted to do it. Hopefully, there'd come a day where all cats in the world were no longer afraid of her, and she knew she'd have to strive towards achieving just that. And what better way than to start with these three? Who knows, if they end up accepting her, maybe they'd tell their other cat friends about good ol' Lady Brooks and her subpar cooking.
"Here, little Kevin-poo.." She scooped the rest of the portion along with her unfinished bits onto a plate and gradually, cautiously approached the chubby feline. It must have been an amusing sight, and the old Cain would've probably been roaring at the top of his lungs for her to get shocked to no end. Though she may not have shown fear often, she did look like a terrified little girl approaching a snarling monster, because at the end of the day, she just wanted what she couldn't have during her younger days. Cats, dogs, people, they're all the same, really. She just wanted to be loved, she just wanted to be respected.
Come pull the sheet over my eyes So I can sleep tonight
"Nope, no allergies," Cain had answered beforehand. There wasn't really anything he couldn't eat. He had been a picky eater before, back when he had lived in the Godfrey household. They didn't regard him as a part of family the entire time he was there, but the food he was provided with was nonetheless top class, especially in comparison to what he had to scrimmage in the slums. It was only during that period of his life that he grew to learn that anything that could fill his stomach was a lot more important than appeasing his taste buds. In fact, he was rather curios, to be honest, about how her cooking skills was like. He recalled back to how she used to look when younger and knew that she at least knew quite a bit of food, but he never vocalized the thought, knowing it would ruin what progress he had made in earning her forgiveness. Hell, the fact that they could hold a conversation without her habitual chain of insults was an amazing improvement in itself.
