~Nine ♥ Hearts~

[breathenothing.livejournal.com]

[Naminé is too upset to move right now.

She's sitting, away from most structures and features and whatnot, just staring at the stars on the "floor" in front of her. Her knees are pulled up to her chest and her chin is resting on top. She's tense, worried, and waiting for news that can in no way be good news.

She doesn't know who won the deathmatch yet. It would be a lie to say she doesn't care. She can't stand that it happened at all, and she'd rather not think about it, but she's so worried... She's stopped crying, for the moment, but she knows she'll start again if she so much as tries to speak to anyone, maybe if she just even thinks about the wrong thing. It's so hard to be strong in a situation like this.

So she waits, wondering which of her friends is left to come see her, if they come at all. And, not for the first time, she wishes on a star here in the Plane:]

I don't want to be alone right now...

Comments

[breathenothing.livejournal.com]

[She stares at the silk carpet in awe before finally taking a seat, Indian-style, hands in her lap. She looks up at him and shakes her head.] Th-thank you.

N-No, sir, you don't understand... this place is making them fight. A d-deathm--... [She can't finish the word.] One of them has to... [Or that sentence. She just covers her face with both hands and tries not to sob.]

[realitymods]

[He is quiet for a moment. Then he sits across from her, offering her a pillow conjured up from nowhere for her to hold.] I am familiar with that practice. Do you know if the match is done?

[breathenothing.livejournal.com]

[She takes the pillow with a "thank you," and clings it to her chest. She shakes her head, causing a few tears to finally fall.]

No, sir... I left. I couldn't watch.

[realitymods]

[Another moment of silence. Then,] I have no desire to give you false hope. That is the greatest evil ever held in Pandora's jar. But if this match continues, then I will put a stop to it. If it is done... then my apologies, child, and may your time parted from them be brief.

[breathenothing.livejournal.com]

[She gives him a wide-eyed look, then nods. ]

Th-thank you, sir. Even... even if it's too late, it means a lot that you'd offer. I don't even know who you are...

[realitymods]

[a brief smile] Merely a king who has lost his country. [As he stands, he looks down on her again.] If... time is not on your side, is there a particular confection you prefer?

[Yes, he is asking what sort of candy she wants to comfort her if one of her friends has died. The king really loves his desserts.]

[breathenothing.livejournal.com]

A king? [Her eyes go even wider, and she bows... as well as one can bow while seated. She even manages the smallest of smiles] It's an honor to meet you, your majesty.

Um... [She bites her lip. Her favorite, of course, would remind her of her two best friends... but she needs it right now. She lets one tear fall at the thought of them before answering.] Do you know about sea-salt ice cream?

[realitymods]

I do indeed. If I fail, I will bring some to you. [The king bows in reply to her, a bow of not fealty but respect, and strides off to the Coliseum. When he returns, some time later, he is bearing the ice cream she asked for. He offers it to her silently, apologetically.]

[breathenothing.livejournal.com]

[She stands when he approaches, frowns a bit when she first sees the ice cream... but she does her best to smile gratefully through her tears as she takes it from him with a polite bow.]

Thank you, your majesty. [She bites her lip, just staring at the sweet-salty concoction in her hands... then looks back up at him.] I... I don't guess it's possible for you to stop the other fights?

[realitymods]

One match, perhaps. No more. [The king considers the girl, considers how to explain it to her, considers how he could possibly take some of her pain away.] I know what forces are used to hold these fights, and they are equal to my own. But I am an outsider, and those who truly control the fights know best how to use the natural forces here. One match, and then a new trick would be found to stop all protests.

[breathenothing.livejournal.com]

[She nods. It's not what she wants to hear, but it's surely the truth, and honestly it was kinder than any news she expected to hear about this place.]

I understand. Thank you anyway, your majesty. You've... done far more than enough for me.

[realitymods]

Were it that I could do more. [He pauses.] You will, I hope, attend no further matches?

[breathenothing.livejournal.com]

I won't. I couldn't. I just hope... that everything will be okay. [There are so many other people on the Plane that she's worried about, and if she heard that they were stuck in another deathmatch...]