(no subject)

[lady_moon]

Moon moves through the castle, from the battlements and parapets to the upper floors.

Down the winding staircase, past the artwork depicting each family member, her bare feet silent as her scarlet skirt sways.

Over the stone floor, through six archways, and into the main dining hall.

Her brother -- sweet Devil -- sits at the table.

Beside him, a tower of cards.

In front of him, a basic spread.

She comes to stand beside him, staring down at the cards, and runs her fingers lightly through his hair.

"Brother-mine," she murmurs. "I am here."

Comments

[lady_moon]

"He won't wear them forever. Strength wants to love him... and I think he wants to love Strength."

The pair had been lovers once.

"She was a sweet girl, laughing at the raindrops and teasing the birds. I remember her..." She put her fingers to her lips. "I remember a kiss. It made my heart flutter, my cheeks flush."

It had been innocent love, new and beautiful in the dawning of emotion for the tarot cards. The possibility there. The possibility bound when that love had died.

"Michèle grew old, though."

[tarot_npc]

"Not as old as she might have," he says sadly. "The sickness saw to that. And, oh, how you cried."

[lady_moon]

Moon's eyes shimmer with tears.

"I didn't think I'd ever stop," she whispers. "It felt so black... all of it swallowing the laughter and her dancing and the quiet words she spoke to me. All I knew was she was gone."

[tarot_npc]

"You tried to bring her back. And I think you just might have managed it before we stopped you. That was when Justice made the decision. We thought it was best for you. Turns out it was just best for us."

[lady_moon]

She shakes her head slightly.

"No. I don't regret it. My wolf... I wouldn't have felt what I feel with him if I still had her. I don't want to trade one for the other."

[tarot_npc]

"And so you step out, unencumbered. The bindings -- even for us, it appears -- only hold so long as we choose to allow them."

It was a defining tenet of his card, after all.

[lady_moon]

Moon snuggles against him again.

"Chains can only imprison those who wish to be slaves to themselves. I don't want to be that anymore."

She wants to be herself, free to love and live and laugh as she once did.

"It was a lesson that took me a very long time to learn, brother-mine."

[tarot_npc]

"Head of the class, sweetling," he murmurs, kissing the top of her head.

[lady_moon]

"Mmm," she murmurs, continuing to play with his hair and bop her feet. "We'll see about that."